cerning this point of Reafon, to give fatisfaction to fuch as fatisfaction will fatisfie.

Or upon Will.

The Will of a King is very numinous; it hath a kinde of vaft univerfality in it, it is many times greater then the will of his whole kingdome, ftiffened with ill Counsell and ill Prefidents: if it be not a foot and half leffer than the Will of his Councell, and three foot leffer than the Will of his Parliament, it is too big. I think it were well for a King if hee had no will at all, but were all Reason. What if he committed his morall will to Divines, that were no Bishops? his Politicall, to his Parliament, and a Councell chofen by Parliament? that if ever it mifcarry, they may blame themselves moft, and him leaft. I fcarce know any King that hath fuch advantage as ours; his three kingdomes lye fo diftinct and entire, that if he please, he might keep them like three gardens without a weed, if he would let God keep his will, without wilfulnesse and rafhneffe.

I have observed men to have two kindes of Wills, a Free-hold will, fuch as men hold in Capite of themfelves; or a Copy-hold will, held at the will of other Lords or Ladies. I have read almoft all the Common Law of England, and fome Statutes; yet I never read, that the Parliament held their will in fuch a Capite: their Tenure is Knight-fervice, and good Knight-fervice too, or else they are to blame. And I am fure, a King cannot hold by Copy, at the will of other Lords; the Law calls that bafe tenure, inconfiftent with Royalty; much more base is it, to hold

at

at the will of Ladies: Apron-string tenure is very weak, tyed but of a flipping knot, which a childe may undoe, much more a King. It stands not with our Queens honour to weare an Apron, much leffe her Husband, in the ftrings; that were to infnare both him and her self in many unfafeties. I never heard our King was effeminate: to be a little Uxorious perfonally, is a vertuous vice in Oeconomicks; but Royally, a vitious vertue in Politicks. To speak English, Books & Tongues tell us, I wish they tell us true, that the Error of thefe Wars on our Kings part, proceeds only from ill Counsellours.

Ill Counsellours, are very ill Gamesters; if they fee their own stake a lofing, they will play away King, Queen, Bishops, Knights, Rooks, Pawnes, and all, before they will turn up the board; they that play for lufts, will play away themselves, and not leave themselves fo much as a heart to repent; and then there is no Market left but Hell; if the cafe be thus, it is to no end to look for any end, till one fide make an end of the other.

They that at ftake their Crownes and Honours fet, Play lafting games, if Luft or Guilt doe bet.

Ceffation.

F God would vouchsafe to give his Majefties Religion and Reafon, power to fling his Wills head over the Wall, in matter of Compofition, and his Subjects strength to throw their lufts after it, Arms would be foon laid down, and Peace foon taken up. They that are not at peace with God, are not at peace with

K

them

themselves, whatever they think; and they that are not at peace with themselves, cannot be at peace with others, if occafion provokes, be their nature never fo good.

So farre as I can conjecture, the chiefe impediment to a generall and mutuall Ceffation of Armes, is, a defpaire of mutuall and generall forgiveneffe. If ever England had need of a generall Jubile in Heaven and Earth, it is now. Our King and Parliament have been at great ftrife, who fhould obtaine moft Juftice: if they would now ftrive, who should fhew most Mercy, it would heare well throughout the world. Here alfo my speech must be twofold and blind-fold. It is now nine Moneths and more fince the laft credible News was acted: it is poffible by this, the Parliament may be at the Kings mercy: Did I say a Kings mercy? what can I fay more? no man on earth, can shew more mercy then a King, nor fhall need more, when he comes to give an Account of his Kingdome: Nor did ever any Parliament merit more mercy than this, for they never finned, that I know, I mean against the Common and Statute Law of England: it is pity they who have given so many general pardons, should

want one now.

If our King hath loft his way, and therby learned to looke to his path better hereafter, and taught many Succeffors to King it right for many Ages; Methinks it should impetrate a Royall Redintegration, upon a Royall acknowledgement and ingagement. But how should an erring King truft a provoked Parliament ? Surely he may truft God safe enough; who will never truft that State more with a good King, that will doe ill to a King that is turned fo good. Me thinkes those

paffages

paffages of Scripture, Efa. 43. 24, 25. chap. 57. 17, 18. The strange illation, Hof. 2. 13, 14. should melt a heart of steele into floods of mercy.

For others, were my head, one of the heads which first gave the King Counfell to take up thefe Armes, or to persist in them, when at any time he would have disbanded, I would give that head to the Kingdome, whether they would or no; if they would not cut it off, I would cut it off my selfe, and tender it at the Parliament doore, upon condition that all other heads might ftand, which stand upon penitent hearts, and will doe better on than off; then I would carry it to London-Bridge, and charge my tongue to teach all tongues, to pronounce Parliament right hereafter.

When a kingdom is broken juft in the neck joynt, in my poore policy, ropes and hatchets are not the kindlieft inftruments to fet it: Next to the spilling of the blood of Chrift for fin, the sparing of the blood of finners, where it may be as well spared as fpilt, is the best way of expiation. It is no rare thing for Subjects to follow a leading King; if he will take his truncheon in his hand, it is to be expected many will put their fwords in their Belts. Sins that rife out of miftake of judgement, are not fo finfull as thofe of malice ordinarily: and when multitudes fin, multitudes of mercy are the best Anodines.

--gratia gratis data, gratifsima.

Grace will diffolve, but rigour hardens guilt: Break not with Steely blows, what oyle should melt.

In Breaches integrant, 'tween Principalls of States, Due Juftice may fuppreffe, but Love redintegrates.

Whofoever be pardoned, I pray let not Britanicus scape, I mean a pardon. I take him to bee a very ferviceable Gentleman; Out of my intire refpect to him, I fhall prefume to give him half a dozen stitches of advise:

I intreat him to confider that our King is not onely a man, but a King in affliction; Kings afflictions are beyond Subjects apprehenfions; a Crown may happily ake as much as a whole Common-wealth.

I defire him alfo to conceale himself as deeply as he can, if he cannot get a speciall pardon, to weare a Latitat, about his neck, or let him lie close under the Philofophers stone, and I'le warrant him for ever being found.

If he be discovered, I counfell him to get his head fet on faster than our New-England Taylors ufe to set on Buttons; Kings, and Kings Childrens memories are as keen as their Subjects wits.

If he fears any such thing, that he would come over to us, to helpe recruite our bewildered brains: we will promise to maintain him fo long as he lives, if he will promife to live no longer then we maintain him.

If he should bee discovered and his head chance to be cut off against his will, I earnestly befeech him to bequeath his wits to me and mine in Fee-fimple, for we want them, and cannot live by our hands in this Country.

Lastly, I intreat him to keep his purse, I give him

my