SON, if these Papers, with some others, wherein I have set downe the private reflections of my Conscience, and my most im­partiall thoughts touching the chiefe passages, which have been most re­markable, or disputed in my late troubles come to your hands, to whom they are chief­ly designed; they may be so farre usefull to you, as to state your judgement aright in what hath passed; whereof a pious is the best use can be made; and they may also give you some directions, how to remedy the present distempers, and prevent (if God will) the like for time to come.

It is some kinde of deceiving and lessening the injury of my long restraint, when I finde my leisure and solitude have produced some­thing worthy of my selfe, and usefull to you; [Page 2]That neither You nor any other may here­after measure My Cause by the Successe, nor my Judgement of things by my Mis-fortunes, which I count the greater by far, because they have so far lighted upon You and some others, whom I have cause most to love as well as my Selfe, and of whose unmerited sufferings, I have a greater sense than of mine Own.

But this advantage of wisdome You have above most Princes, that You have begun, and now spent some yeares of discretion, in the experience of troubles, and exercise of patience, wherein Piety, and all vertues, both Morall and Politicall, are commonly better planted to a thriving (as trees set in winter) then in the warmth, and serenity of times, or amidst those delights, which usually attend Princes Courts in times of peace and plenty, which are prone, either to root up all plants of true Vertue and Honour, or to be conten­ted only with some leaves, and withering for­malities of them, without any reall fruits, such as tend to the publique good, for which Princes should alwayes remember they are born, and by providence designed.

The evidence of which different education the holy Writ affords us in the contemplation of David and Rehoboam: The one prepared, by many afflictions for a flourishing Kingdom, the other softned by the unparaleld prosperi­ty of Solomons Court, and so corrupted to the [Page 3]great diminution, both for Peace, Honour, and Kingdom, by those flatteries, which are as un­separable from prosperous Princes, as Flies are from fruit in summer; whom adversity, like cold weather, drives away.

I had rather you should be Charles le Bon, then le Grand, good then great, I hope God hath designed you to be both, having so early put you into that exercise of his Graces, and Gifts bestowed upon you, which may best weed out all vitious inclinations, and dispose you to those Princely endowments, and em­ployments, which will most gain the love, and intend the wel-fare of those, over whom God shall place you.

With God I would have you begin and end, who is King of Kings; the Soveraign disposer of the Kingdomes of the world; who pulleth downe one, and setteth up ano­ther.

The best Government, and highest Sove­raignty you can attain to, is, to be subject to him, that the Scepter of his Word and Spirit, may rule in your heart.

The true glory of Princes consists in advan­cing Gods Glory, in the maintenance of true Religion, and the Churches good; Also in the dispensation of civill Power, with Justice and Honour to the publique peace.

Piety will make you prosperous; at least it will keep you from being miserable; nor is he [Page 4]much a loser, that loseth all, yet saveth his own soule at last.

To which Center of true happinesse, God, I trust, hath and will graciously direct all these black lines of affliction, which he hath been pleased to draw on me, and by which he hath [I hope] drawn me nearer to himselfe. You have already tasted of that Cup whereof I have liberally drank, which I look upon as Gods Physick, having that in healthfulnesse which it wants in pleasure.

Above all, I would have you, as I hope you are already; well grounded and setled in your Religion; The best profession of which, I have ever esteemed that of the Church of England, in which you have been educated; yet I would have your own Judgement and Reason now seal to that sacred bond which education hath written, that it may be judiciously your own Religion, and not other mens custome or tra­dition, which you professe.

In this I charge you to persevere, as com­ing nearest to Gods Word for Doctrine, and to the primitive examples for Government, with some little amendment, which I have o­therwhere expressed & often offered, though in vaine. Your fixation in matters of Religion will not be more necessary for your souls then your Kingdoms peace, when God shall bring you to them.

For I have observed, that the Devill of Re­bellion, [Page 5]doth commonly turne himself into an Angel of Reformation; and the old Serpent can pretend new Lights; when some mens Consciences accuse them for Sedition and Fa­ction, they stop its mouth with the name and noise of Religion; when Piety pleads for peace and patience, they cry out Zeal.

So that, unlesse in this point You be well setled, you shall never want temptations to de­stroy you and yours, under pretensions of re­forming matters of Religion, for that seemes even to worst men, as the best and most auspi­cious beginning of their worst defignes.

Where, beside the Noveltie which is taking enough with the Vulgar, every one hath an affectation, by seeming forward on an outward Reformation of Religion, to be thought zea­lous, hoping to cover those irreligious defor­mities, whereto they are conscious, by a seve­ritie of censuring other mens opinions or a­ctions.

Take heed of abetting any Factions, or ap­plying to any publick Discriminations in mat­ters of Religion, contrary to what is in your Judgement, and the Church well setled: your partiall adhering, as head, to any one side, gains you not so great advantages in some mens hearts (who are prone to be of their Kings Religion) as it loseth you in others, who think themselves, and their profession first despised, then persecuted by you: Take [Page 6]such a course as may either with calmness and charitie quite remove the seeming differences and offences, by impartiality, or so order af­faires in point of power, that you shall not need to feare or flatter any faction; for if ever you stand in need of them, or must stand to their courtesie you are undone: The Serpent will devour the Dove: you must never expect lesse of loyalty, justice, or humanity then from those who engage into religious Rebellion: Their interest is alwayes made Gods; un­der the colours of Piety, ambitious policies march, not onely with greatest security, but applause, as to the populacy; you may heare from them Jacob's voyce, but you shall feele they have Esau's hands.

Nothing seemed less considerable than the Presbyterian Faction in England, for many yeares; so compliant they were to publique order; nor indeed was their Party great, ei­ther in Church, or State, as to mens judge­ments: But as soon as discontents drave men into Sidings (as ill humours fall to the dis­affected part, which cause inflamations) so did all, at first who affected any novelties adhere to that side, as the most remarkable and spe­cious note of difference (then) in point of Religion.

All the lesser Factions at first were officious servants to Presbytery their great Master: till time and military success discovering to each [Page 7]their peculiar advantages, invited them to part stakes, and leaving the joynt stock of uniforme Religion, pretended each to drive for their party, the trade of profits or preferments, to the breaking and undoing not onely of the Church and State, but even of Pesbytery it selfe, which seemed and hoped at first to have ingrossed all.

Let nothing seeme little or despicable to you, in matters which concerne Religion and the Churches peace, so as to neglect a speedy reforming and effectuall suppressing Errours, and Schisms, which seem at first but as a hand­bredth, by seditious Spirits, as by strong winds are soon made to cover and darken the whole Heaven.

When you have done justice to God, your own soul and his Church, in the profession and preservation both of truth and unitie in Reli­gion. The next main hinge on which your prosperitie will depend, and move, is, That of civill Justice, wherein the setled Laws of these Kingdoms, to which you are rightly heir, are the most excellent rules you can govern by; which by an admirable temperament give ve­ry much to Subjects industry, liberty, & hap­pinesse; and yet reserve enough to the Maje­sty & Prerogative of any King, who owns his people as Subjects, not as slaves; whose sub­jection, as it preserves their prosperity, peace, and safetie; so it will never diminish your [Page 8]Rights, nor their ingenuous Liberties; which consists in the enjoyment of the fruits of their industry, and the benefit of those Laws to which themselves have consented.

Never charge your Head with such a Crown, as shall by its heavinesse oppresse the whole body, the weaknesse of whose parts can­not return any thing of strength, honour, or safety, to the Head, but a necessary debilita­tion and ruine.

Your Prerogative is best shewed, and exer­cised in remitting, rather then exacting the rigor of the Laws, there being nothing worse, than legall tyrannie.

In these two points, the preservation of e­stablished Religion and Laws, I may (without vanity) turn the reproach of my sufferings, as to the worlds censure, into the honour of a kinde of Martyrdome, as to the testimony of my own Conscience. The troubles of my Kingdomes having nothing else to object a­gainst me but this, That I prefer Religion, and Lawes established, before those alterations they propounded.

And so indeed I do, and ever shall, till I am convinced by better Arguments, than what hitherto have been chiefly used towards Me, Tumults, Armies, and Prisons.

I cannot yet learn that lesson, nor I hope ever will you, That it is safe for a King to gratifie any Faction with the perturbation of [Page 9]the Laws, in which is wrapt up the publique Interest, and the good of the communitie.

How God will deal with Me, as to the re­moval of these pressures, and indignities, which his Justice by the very unjust hands of some of my Subjects, hath been pleased to lay upon Me, I cannot tell: nor am I much solicitous what wrong I suffer from men, while I retain in my soule, what I beleeve is right before God.

I have offered all for Reformation and Safe­ty, that in Reason, Honour, and Conscience, I can; reserving onely what I cannot consent unto, without an irreparable injury to my own soule, the Church, and my people, and to you also; as the next and undoubted Heire of my Kingdoms.

To which, if the divine Providence, to whom no difficulties are insuperable, shall in his due time after my decease bring you, as I hope he will: My Counsell and Charge to you, is, That you seriously consider the former reall or objected miscarriages, which might occasi­on my troubles, that you may avoyd them.

Never repose so much upon any mans single counsell, fidelity, and discretion, in managing affairs of the first magnitude, (that is, matters of Religion and Justice) as to create in your self, or others, a difference of your own judge­ment, which is likely to be alwayes more con­stant and impartiall to the interest of your [Page 10]Crown and Kingdom than any mans.

Next, beware of exasperating any Factions by the crossnesse, and asperity of some mens passions, humours, or private opinions, im­ployed by you, grounded onely upon the dif­ferences in lesser matters, which are but the skirts and suburbs of Religion.

Wherein a charitable connivence and Chri­stian toleration often dissipates their strength, whom rougher opposition fortifies: and puts the despised and oppressed party, into such Combinations, as may most enable them to get a full revenge on those they count their Persecutors, who are commonly assisted by that vulgar commiseration, which attends all, that are said to suffer under the notion of Re­ligion.

Provided the differences amount not to an insolent opposition of Laws, and Govern­ment, or Religion established, as to the essen­tials of them, such motions and minings are intolerable.

Alwayes keep up solid piety, and those fun­damentall Truths (which mend both hearts and lives of men) with impartiall favour and Justice.

Take heed that outward circumstances and formalities of Religion devour not all, or the best incouragements of learning, industry, and piety; but with an equall eye and impartiall hand, distribute favours and rewards to all [Page 11]men, as you finde them for their reall good­nesse both in abilities and fidelities worthy and capable of them.

This will be sure to gaine you the hearts of the best, and the most too: who though they be not good themselves, yet are glad to see the severer waies of vertue at any time sweet­ned by temporall rewards.

I have, You see, conflicted with different and opposite factions; (for so I must needs call and count all those, that act not in any conformity to the Laws established, in Church and State) no sooner have they by force subdued what they counted their common Enemy, (that is, all those that adhered to the Laws, & to Me) and are secured from that feare, but they are divided to so high a rivalty, as sets them more at defiance against each other, than against their first Antagonists.

Time will dissipate all factions, when once the rough horns of private mens covetous and ambitious designes, shall discover themselves, which were at first wrapt up and hidden un­der the soft and smooth pretensions of Reli­gion, Reformation, and Liberty: As the Wolfe is not lesse cruell, so he will be more justly ha­ted, when he shall appeare no better than a Wolfe under Sheeps cloathing

But as for the seduced Traine of the Vul­gar, who in their simplicity follow those dis­guises, My charge and counsell to you, is, [Page 12]That as you need no palliations for any de­signes, (as other men) so that you study really to exceed [in true and constant demonstra­tions of goodnesse, piety, and vertue, towards the people] even all those men, that make the greatest noise and ostentations of Religion; so you shall neither feare any detection, (as they doe, who have but the face and mask of goodnesse) nor shall you frustrate the just ex­pectations of your people; who cannot in Reason promise themselves so much good from any Subjects novelties, as from the ver­tuous constancy of their King.

When these mountaines of congealed fa­ctions shall by the Sunshine of Gods mercy, and the splendor of your vertues be thawed and dissipated; and the abused Vulgar shall have learned, that none are greater Op­pressours of their Estates, Liberties, and Consciences, than those men, that entitle themselves, The Patrons and Vindicators of them, onely to usurpe power over them: Let then no passion betray you to any stu­dy of revenge upon those, whose own sinne and folly will sufficiently punish them in due time.

But as soone as the forked arrow of factious emulations is drawn out, use all princely arts, and clemency to heale the wounds; that the smart of the cure may not equall the anguish of the hurt.

I have offered Acts of Indemnity, and Oblivion, to so great a latitude, as may in­clude all, that can but suspect themselves to be any way obnoxious to the Laws; and which might serve to exclude all future jealousies and insecurities.

I would have you alwayes propense to the same way, when ever it shall be desired and accepted, let it be granted, not onely as an act of State policy and necessity, but of Christi­an charity and choice.

It is all I have now left Mee, a power to forgive those that have deprived Mee of all; and I thank God I have a heart to doe it, and joy as much in this grace, which God hath gi­ven Me, as in all My former enjoyments; for this is a greater argument of Gods love to Me, than any prosperity can be.

Be confident (as I am) that the most of all fides who have done amisse, have done so, not out of malice, but mis-information, or mis-ap­prehension of things.

None will be more loyall and faithfull to me and you, than those Subjects, who sensible of their Errours, and our Injuries, will feele in their own Souls most vehement motives to repentance, and earnest desires to make some reparations for their former defects.

As your quality sets you beyond any Duell with any Subject, so the Noblenesse of your minde must raise you above the meditating [Page 14]any revenge, or executing your anger upon the many.

The more conscious you shall be to your own merits, upon your people, the more prone you will be to expect all love and loy­alty from them, and to inflict no punishment upon them for former miscarriages: You will have more inward complacency in pardoning one, than in punishing a thousand.

This I write to you, not despairing of Gods mercy and My Subjects affections towards you, both which I hope you will study to de­serve, yet We cannot merit of God, but by his own mercy.

If God shall see fit to restore Me, and You after Me, to those enjoyments which the Laws have assigned to Us, and no Subjects without an high degree of guilt and sin, can devest Us of, then may I have better opportunity, when I shall be so happy to see you in peace, to let you more fully understand the things that be­long to Gods glory, your own honour, and the Kingdoms peace.

But if you never see My face again, and God will have Me buried in such a barbarous Im­prisonment and obscurity, [which the perfe­cting some mens designs require] wherein few hearts that love me are permitted to exchange a word or a look with Me, I doe require and entreat you as your Father, and your KING, that you never suffer your heart to receive the [Page 15]least check against, or dis-affection from the true Religion established in the Church of England.

I tell you I have tryed, and after much search, and many disputes, have concluded it to be the best in the world, not onely in the Community, as Christian, but also in the spe­ciall notion, as Reformed, keeping the mid­dle way between the pomp of superstitious Tyranny, and the meannesse of fantastick An­archy.

Not but that (the draught being excellent as to the main, both for Doctrine and govern­ment in the Church of England) some lines, as in very good figures, may happily need some sweetning or polishing, which might here have easily been done by a safe and gen­tle hand: if some mens precipitancy had not violently demanded such rude alterations, as would have quite destroyed all the beauty and proportions of the whole.

The scandall of the late Troubles, which some may object, and urge to you against the Protestant Religion established in England, is easily answered to them, or your own thoughts in this, That scarce any one who hath been a beginner, or an active Prosecutor of this late Warre against the Church, the Laws, and Me, either was, or is a true Lover, Embracer, or Practiser of the Protestant Re­ligion established in England: which neither [Page 16]gives such rule, nor ever before set such ex­amples.

'Tis true, some heretofore had the bold­nesse to present threatning Petitions to their Princes and Parliaments, which others of the same Faction (but of worse Spirits) have now put in execution; but let not counterfeit and disorderly zeal abate your value and esteeme of true piety, both of them are to be known by their fruits; the sweetnesse of the Wine and Figtree is not to be despised, though the Brambles and Thorns should pretend to beare Figs and Grapes, thereby to rule over the Trees.

Nor would I have you to entertain any a­versation or dislike of Parliaments, which in their right constitution with freedome and honour, will never injure or diminish your greatness, but will rather be as interchangings of love, loyalty, and confidence between a Prince and his People.

Nor would the eveats of this blacke Parlia­ment have been other than such [however much byassed by Factions in the Elections] if it had been preserved from the insolencies of popular dictates, and tumultuary impressi­ons: The sad effects of which will no doubt, make all Parliaments after this more cauti­ous to preserve that Freedome, and Honour, which belongs to such Assemblies (when once they have fully shaken off this yoak of Vulgar [Page 17]encroachment) since the publique interest consists in the mutuall and common good of both Prince and People.

Nothing can be more happy for all, than in fair, grave, and Honourable wayes to contri­bute their Counsels in Common, enacting all things by publique consent; without tyranny or Tumults. Wee must not starve our selves, because some men have surfeited of wholsome sood.

And if neither I, nor you, be ever restored to our Rights, but God in his severest justice, will punish My Subjects with continuance in their sin, and suster them to be deluded with the prosperity of their wickednesse; I hope God will give Me and You that grace, which will teach and enable Us, to want, as well as to wear a Crown, which is not worth taking up, or enjoying, upon sordid, dishonourable, and irreligious terms.

Keepe you to true principles of piety, ver­tue, and Honour, You shall never want a King­dome.

A principall point of your honour will con­sist in your deferring all respect, love, & pro­tection to your Mother, My Wife; who hath many wayes deserved well of Me, and chiefly in this, that [having been a means to blesse Mee with so many hopefull Children; (all which, with their Mother, I recommand to your love and care) Shee hath been con­tent [Page 18]with incomparable magnanimity and patience to suffer both for, and with Me, and You.

My prayer to God Almighty is, (what ever becomes of Me, who am, I thank God, wrapt up and fortified in My own innocency, and his Grace) that he would be pleased to make you an Anchor, or Harbour rather, to these tossed and weather-beaten Kingdomes; a Re­pairer by your wisdom, justice, piety, and va­lour, of what the folly and wickednesse of some men have so far ruined, as to leave no­thing intire in Church or State; to the Crown, the Nobility, the Clergy, or the Commons; either as to Laws, Liberties, Estates, Order, Honour, Conscience or lives.

When they have destroyed Me, (for I know not how far God may permit the malice and cruelty of My Enemies to proceed, and such apprehensions some mens words and actions have already given Me) as I doubt not but My bloud will cry aloud for vengeance to Heaven: so I beseech God not to powr ont his wrath upon the generality of the people, who have either deserted Me, or engaged against Mee, through the sartifice and hypocrisie of their Leaders, whose inward horrour will be their first Tormenter, nor will they escape exemplary judgements.

For those that loved Me, I pray God, they may have no misse of Me when I am gone; so [Page 19]much I wish and hope, that all good Subjects may be satisfied with the blessings of your presence and vertues.

For those that repent of any defects in their duty towards Mee, as I freely forgive them in the word of a Christian KING; so I beleeve you will finde them truly zealous, to repay with interest that loyalty and love to You which was due to Me.

In summe, what good I intended, doe you performe, when God shall give you power: much good I have offered, more I purposed to Church and State, if times had been capa­ble of it.

The deception will soone vanish, and the Vizards will fall off apace; This mask of Re­ligion on the face of Rebellion (for so it now plainly appears since My restraint and cruell usage, that they fought not for Mee, as was pretended) will not long serve to hide some mens deformities.

Happy times I hope attend you, wherein your Subjects [by their miseries] will have learned, that Religion to their God, and Loy­alty to their King, cannot be parted without both their sin and their infelicity.

I pray God blesse You, and establish your Kingdomes in righteousnesse, your Soule in true Religion, and your honour in the love of God and your People.

And if God will have disloyalty perfected [Page 20]by my destruction; let My memory ever, with My name, live in you; as of your Father, that loves you, and once a King of three flourish­ing Kingdoms; whom God thought fit to ho­nour, not onely with the Scepter and govern­ment of them, but also with the suffering ma­ny indignities, and an untimely death for them; while I studied to preserve the rights of the Church, the power of the Lawes, the ho­nour of my Crown, the priviledge of Parlia­ments, the Liberties of my People, and My own Conscience, which, I thank God, is dea­rer to Me than a thousand Kingdomes.

I know God can, I hope he will yet restore Me to My Rights. I cannot despaire either of his mercy, or of My Peoples love and pity.

At worst, I trust I shall but goe before you to a better Kingdom, which God hath prepa­red for me, and Me for it, through My Savi­our Jesus Christ, to whose mercies I commend You and all mine.

Farewell, till We meet, if not on Earth, yet in Heaven.