But let us suppose they had a Power over his Person, and withal that he had misemploy'd his Regal Administration as much as some have represented him to have done; let us take all for Truth that inveterate Malice, or factious Prejudice has endeavour'd to fasten on him; even these Provocations were far from sufficient to justify so extravagant a Remedy as the shedding of his Blood.
Much less when they liv'd under so mild a Government, and a Prince so tender of the Rights and Liberties of his Subjects as he naturally was in his own Temper.
I pretend not to deny that, even in his Reign, there were some just Causes of Complaint, some real Grievances, some unwarrantable Impositions and unjustifiable Demands. Princes are but Men, and fallible like other Men, nor is it any great Wonder if the best of 'em mistake the Extent of their Prerogative, when persuaded into an undue Opinion of it, by those that shou'd advise 'em better.
But how easily might those Greivances have been set right in Time, had not the rough and undutiful Manner in which the Redress of 'em was sought, made him believe for a time there were none that needed it. But when once he was convinc'd of their Reality, how willingly did he redress 'em all, and more than all, that cou'd with any show of Justice be complain'd of, or be thought to deserve the Name of
Hardships! How often might Things have been brought to a better Temper, and the unhappy Breach accommodated, had not their own Obstinacy prevented it, whom no Degree of Royal Condescension would satisfie or appease; but his Blood they would have, and his Blood they had: The Guilt whereof has ever since lay heavy on this sinful Nation, and even now calls for our deepest Humiliation, to deprecate that Vengeance of Almighty God, which might justly be inflicted on the remote Posterity of the Actors in that unnatural Parricide.
He has abundantly testified his Displeasure at it, by many bad and mischeivous Consequences it has produc'd, some of which we still smart under, tho' not the first I am going to mention, which is
The Confusion of those Times that immediately ensu'd. The miserable State of Anarchy to which this unhappy Country was reduc'd, after the Extirpation of the Royal Family, may be a Warning to all querulous Innovators, who are never contented with the present State of Things. They compass'd their Wish at last, and had the Satisfaction of seeing both Kingly and Episcopal Government at once abolish'd, and themselves, (as they suppos'd) in a State of religious and civil Liberty.
But did they enjoy that Liberty any otherwise than in Name? Did it not cost 'em much dearer to maintain their new Lords in their
ill-gotten Tyranny, than ever it had done to supply the Exigencies of their lawful Prince? Was the Freedom of Parliament, and Right of Elections more inviolably kept? Were they less under the Terror of an armed Force? Were there fewer Executions, Fines and Imprisonments? Was the Course of the Law more free and undisturb'd, or Justice more equitably and impartially Administer'd? Were the Taxes more moderate, the Loans of Money less constrain'd, or the Public Faith (when no Body knew what or where the Public was) a better Security for what was lent, than before this violent Convulsion of the State.
No. The Reverse of all this is notoriously true, if there be any Truth in History. They dream't and rav'd of Oppression before, but they were then opprest in Earnest. They were before chastis'd with imaginary Whips, but then with real Scorpions. And surely it was a just Judgment of God upon 'em for their Inconstancy of Temper, and Eagerness for a Change, that when once they had shaken off their just Allegiance, and chose new Masters for themselves, they were afterwards forc'd to be perpetually changing, and cou'd find no Power that was able to protect 'em long, but saw more Turns and Revolutions in the Compass of a few Months, than had happen'd in a Thousand Years before.