to the Apologetike
Petition of the House of
Commons,
Presented to his Majesty by a dozen
of the Members of that House,
by their directions.
WE must heere begin in the same fashion that We would haue done if your first Petition had come to Our hands before We had made stay thereof, which is to repeat the first words of the late Queene of famous memory, vsed by her in Answer to an insolent proposition, made by a Polonian Ambassadour vnto her, That is, Legatum expectabamus, Heraldum accepimus. For We had great reason to expect that the first Meßage from your House should haue beene a Message of thankesgiuing for Our continued gracious behauior towards Our people since your last Recesse, not onely by Our Proclamation of grace, wherein were conteined sixe or seuen and thirty Articles, all of seuerall points of grace to the people; but also by the labour We tooke for the satisfaction of both Houses in those three Articles recommended vnto Vs in both their names by the right Reuerend Father in God, the Archbishop of Canterbury, And likewise for the good gouernement of Ireland We are now in hand with at your request. But not onely haue Wee heard no newes of all this, but contrary great complaints of the danger of Religion within this Kingdome tacitely implying Our ill gouernment in this point. And We leaue to you to iudge, whether it be your duties that are the Representatiue body of Our people, so to distast them with Our gouernment, whereas by the contrary it is your duty with all your endeauours to kindle more and more a dutifull and thankefull loue in the peoples hearts towards Vs for Our iust and gracious gouernment. Now, whereas in the very beginning of this your Apologie, you taxe Vs in faire termes of trusting vncertaine reports, and partiall informations concerning your proceedings, We wish you to remember, that We are an old and experienced King, needing no such leßons, being in Our conscience freest of any King aliue from hearing or trusting idle reports, which so many of your House as are neerest Vs can beare witnesse vnto you, if you would giue as good eare to them, as you doe to some Tribunitiall Orators amongst you. And for proofe in this particular, Wee haue made your owne Meßengers conferre your other Petition, sent by you with the copie thereof, which was sent Vs before, betweene which there is no difference at all, but that since Our receiuing the first Copy you added a conclusion vnto it, which could not come to Our hands till it was done by you, and your Meßengers sent, which was all at one time. And if that We had had no Copie of it before hand, We must haue receiued your first Petition to Our great dishonour, before Wee had knowen what it conteined, which would haue enforced Vs to haue returned you a farre worse answer then now We doe. For then your Meßengers had returned with nothing; but that Wee haue iudged your petition vnlawfull and vnworthy of an Answere. For as to your Conclusion thereof, it is nothing, but Protestatio contraria facto. For in the body of your petition you vsurpe vpon Our Prerogatiue Royall, and meddle with things farre aboue your reach: And then in the conclusion you protest the contrary, as if a Robber would take a mans purse, and then protest he meant not to rob him. For first, you presume to giue Vs your aduice concerning the match of Our dearest Son with some Protestant, We cannot say Princeße (for Wee know none of these fit for him,) and disswade Vs from his match with Spaine, vrging Vs to a present warre with that King: And yet in the conclusion, forsooth, ye protest ye intend not to preße vpon Our most vndoubted and regall Prerogatiue as if the Petitioning of Vs in matters that your selues confeße yee ought not to meddle with, were not a medling with them. And whereas yee pretend, that you were inuited to this course by the speeches of three Honourable Lords; Yet by so much as your selues repeat of their speeches, nothing can bee concluded, but that Wee were resolued by warre to regaine the Palatinate, if otherwise VVee could not attaine vnto it; and you were inuited to aduise forthwith vpon a supplie for keeping the forces in the Palatinate from disbanding, and to foresee the meanes for the raysing and maintaining of the body of an Armie for that warre against the Spring. Now what inference can be made vpon this, That therefore VVe must presently denounce warre against the King of Spaine, breake Our dearest Sonnes match, and match him to one of Our Religion, let the world iudge. The difference is no greater, then as if We would tell a Merchant, that Wee had great neede to borrow money from him for raysing an Armie, that thereupon it should follow, that VVe were bound to follow his aduice in the directions of the warre, and all things depending thereupon. But yet not contenting your selues with this excuse of yours, which indeed cannot hold water, ye come after to a direct contradiction to the conclusion of your former Petition, saying, That the Honour and safety of Vs and Our Posterity, and the Patrimony of Our Children, inuaded and poßessed by their enemies, the welfare of Religion, and State of Our Kingdome are matter at any time not vnfit for your deepest considerations in Parliament. To this generality We answere with the Logicians, That where all things are contained, nothing is omitted. So as this plenipotencie of yours inuests you in all power vpon Earth, lacking nothing but the Popes to haue the keyes also both of Heauen and Purgatory. And to this vast generality of yours, VVe can giue no other answer, for it will trouble all the best Lawyers in the House to make a good Commentary vpon it: For so did the Puritan Ministers in Scotland bring all kinde of causes within the compasse of their iurisdiction, saying, That it was the Churches office to iudge of slander, and there could no kinde of crime or fault bee committed, but there was a slander in it, either against God, the King, or their Neighbour. And by this meanes they hooked in to themselues the cognisance of all causes, or like Bellarmines distinction of the Popes power ouer all Kings, in ordine ad Spiritualia, whereby he giues him all temporall iurisdiction ouer them. But to giue you a direct Answer to the matter of warre, for which you are so earnest, VVe confeße VVee rather expected that you should haue giuen Vs great and hartie thanks for the so long maintaining a setled peace in all Our Dominions, when as all Our Neighbours about are in a miserable combustion of warre; but Dulce bellum inexpertis; and We indeed find by experience, that a number of Our Subiects are so pampered with peace, as they are desirous of change, though they know not what. It is true that We haue euer professed, and in that minde, with Gods grace, Wee meane to liue and die, That We will labour by all meanes poßible, either by treaty, or by force to restore Our Children to their ancient Dignities and Inheritances; and whatsoeuer Christian Princes or Potentates will set themselues against it, Wee will not spare any lawfull meanes to bring Our so iust and Honourable purpose to a good end; neither shall the Match of Our Sonne, or any other worldly respect be preferred to this Our Resolution: For by Our credit, and interuention with the King of Spaine, and the Arch-dutcheße, and her Husband now with God, Wee preserued the lower Palatinat one whole yeere from any further conquering in it, which within any eight dayes space in that time might haue easily been swallowed vp by Spinolaes Armie, without any resistance; and in no better case was it now, at Our Ambassadour, the Lord Digbies comming through Heydleberg, if he had not extraordinarily succoured it. But because Wee perceiue that ye couple this warre of the Palatinate with the cause of Religion, We must a little vnfold your eyes herein. The beginning of this miserable warre, which hath set all Christendome on fire, was not for Religion; but onely caused by Our Sonne in law his hastie and rash Resolution, following euill counsell, to take to himselfe the Crowne of Bohemia: And that this is true, himselfe wrote Letters vnto Vs at that time, desiring Vs to giue aßurance, both to the French King, and State of Venice, that his accepting of the Crowne of Bohemia had no reference to the cause of Religion, but onely by reason of his right by Election (as hee called it:) And we would be sorrie that that aspersion should come vpon Our Religion, as to make it a good pretext for dethroning of Kings, and vsurping their Crownes. And Wee would bee loath that Our people here should be taught that doctrine: No, let vs not so farre wrong the Iesuits, as to rob them of their sweet Positions and practise in that point. And vpon the other part, We aßure Our selfe so farre of your charitable thoughts of Vs, that Wee would neuer haue constantly denyed Our Sonne in law, both the title and aßistance in that point, if Wee had beene well perswaded of the iustice of his quarrell. But to conclude this point, This vniust vsurpation of the Crownes of Bohemia and Hungaria from the Emperour, hath giuen the Pope, and all that partie, too faire a ground, and opened them too wide a gate for the curbing and oppreßing of many thousands of Our Religion, in diuers parts of Christendome. And whereas yee excuse your touching vpon the King of Spaine vpon the occasion of the incidents by you repeated in that place, and yet affirme that it is without any touch to his honor, We cannot wonder ynough, that ye are so forgetfull, both of your words and writs. For in your former Petition ye plainely affirme, that hee affects the Temporall Monarchie of the whole earth, then which there can be no more malice vttered against any great King, to make all other Princes and Potentates, both enuie and hate him. But, if ye list, it may be easily tryed, whether that speech touched him in honour or not, if We shall aske him the question, whether hee meanes to aßume to himselfe that title or no; For euery King can best iudge of his owne honour. Wee omit the particular eiaculations of some foule mouthed Orators in your House, against the honour of his Crowne and State. And touching your excuse of not determining any thing concerning the Match of Our dearest Sonne, but onely to tell your opinions, and lay it downe at Our feet; First, We desire to know how you could haue presumed to determine in that point, without committing of high Treason. And next, you cannot deny, but your talking of his Match after that manner was a direct breach of Our commandement & Declaration out of Our own mouth, at the first sitting downe of this Parliament; where We plainely professed, that We were in treatie of his Match with Spaine, and wished you to haue that confidence in Our Religion and Wisedome, that We would so manage it, as our Religion should receiue no preiudice by it. And the same We now repeat vnto you, professing, that We are so farre ingaged in that Match, as We cannot in honour goe backe, except the King of Spaine performe not such things as We expect at his hands. And therefore We are sorrie, that ye should shew to haue so great distrust in Vs, or to conceiue that We should be cold in our Religion: Otherwise We cannot imagine how Our former publike Declaration should not haue stopped your mouthes in this point. And as to your request, that We would now receiue your former Petition, We wonder what could make you presume that Wee would now receiue it; whereas in Our former Letter We plainely declared the contrarie vnto you; and therefore Wee haue iustly reiected that suit of yours: For what haue you left vnattempted in the highest points of Soueraigntie in that Petition of yours, except the striking of Coine; For it containes the violation of Leagues, the particular way how to gouerne a warre, and the Marriage of Our dearest Sonne, both negatiue with Spaine, nay with any other Popish Princesse; and also affirmatiue, as to the matching with one of Our Religion, which Wee confesse is a straine beyond any prouidence or wisedome God hath giuen Vs, as things now stand. These are vnfit things to be handled in Parliament, except your King should require it of you; For who can haue wisedome to iudge of things of that nature, but such as are daily acquainted with the particulars of Treaties, and of the variable or fixed connexion of affaires of State, together with the knowledge of the secret wayes, ends, and intentions of Princes in their seuerall negotiations; otherwise a small mistaking in matters of this nature, may produce more effects then can be imagined: And therefore, Ne sutor vltra crepidam. And besides, the intermedling in Parliament with matters of Peace or Warre, and Marriage of Our dearest Sonne, would be such a diminution to Vs and to Our Crowne in forreine Countreys, as would make any Prince neglect to treat with Vs, either in matters of Peace or Marriage, except they might be assured by the assent of Parliament. And so it prooued long agoe with a King of France, who vpon a tricke procuring his States to dissent from some treaty, which before he had made, was after refused treating with by other Princes, to his great reproach, vnlesse hee Would first procure the assent of the three Estates to their proposition. And will you cast your eyes vpon the late times, you shall finde, that the late Queene of famous memorie was humbly petitioned by a Parliament to be pleased to Marrie; But her answere was, That shee liked their Petition well, because it was simple, not limiting her to place or person, as not befitting her liking to their fancies; and if they had done otherwise, shee would haue thought it a high presumption in them. Iudge then what Wee may doe in such a case, hauing made Our publique Declaration alreadie, as VVee said before, directly contrary to that which you haue now petitioned. Now to those points in your Petition, whereof you desire an answere, as properly belonging to a Parliament; The first and greatest point is that of Religion, concerning which at this time Wee can giue you no other answere then in the generall, which is, That you may rest secure, that Wee will neuer be wearie to doe all Wee can for the propagation of Our Religion, and repreßing of Poperie; but the maner and forme you must remit to Our care and prouidence, who can best consider of times and seasons, not by vndertakng a publique warre of Religion through all the world at once, which how hard and dangerous a taske it would prooue, you may iudge. But this puts vs in mind, how all the world complained the last yeere of plentie of Corne, and God hath sent vs a cooling card this yeere for that heat; And so We pray God, that this desire amongst you of kindling warres, shewing your wearinesse of Peace and Plentie, may not make God permit vs to fall in the miseries of both. But as Wee alreadie said, Our care of Religion must be such, as on the one part We must not by the hote prosecution of Our Recusants at home irritate forreine Princes of contrary Religion, and teach them the way to plague the Protestants in their Dominions, whom with Wee daily intercede, and at this time principally, for ease to them of Our profeßion that liue vnder them; yet vpon the other part, We neuer meane to spare from due and seuere punishment any Papist that will grow insolent for liuing vnder Our so milde Gouernment. And you may also be assured, We will leaue no care vntaken, as well for the good education of the youth at home, especially the children of Papists, as also for preseruing at all times hereafter the youth that are, or shall be abroad, from being bred in dangerous places, and so poisoned in Popish Seminaries. And as in this point, namely concerning the good education of the Popish youth at home, We haue alreadie giuen some good proofe, both in this Kingdome and in Ireland: So will We be well pleased to passe any good Lawes that shall be made, either now, or at any time hereafter to this purpose. And as to your request, of making this a Seßion, and granting a generall Pardon, it shall be in your defaults if Wee make not this a Seßion before Christmas, as in Our former Letter We notified vnto you. But for the Pardon, yee craue such particulars in it as Wee must be well aduised vpon, lest otherwise Wee giue you backe the double or triple of that Wee are to receiue by your entire Subsidie without Fifteens. But the ordinarie course Wee hold fittest to bee vsed still in this case, which is, that Wee should of Our free grace send you downe a Pardon from the Higher House, containing such points as We shall thinke fittest, wherein We hope ye shall receiue good satisfaction. But We cannot omit to shew you how strange We thinke it, that ye should make so bad and vniust a Commentarie vpon some words of Our former Letter, as if We meant to restraine you thereby of your ancient priuiledges and liberties in Parliament. Truly a scholler would bee ashamed so to misplace and misiudge any sentences in another mans booke. For whereas in the fore-end of Our former Letter We discharge you to meddle with matters of gouernment, or mysteries of State, namely matters of Warre or Peace, or Our dearest Sonnes Match with Spaine; by which particular denominations We interpret and restraine Our former words; and then towards the end of Our Letter We forbid you to meddle with such things as haue their ordinarie course in Courts of Justice: Yee couple together those two sentences, lying farre asunder, and plainly leaue out these words, of mysteries of State; So as ye erre à bene diuisis ad male coniuncta. For of the former part, concerning mysteries of State, Wee plainelie restrained Our meaning to the particulars that were after mentioned: and in the latter We confeße We meant it by Sir Edward Cokes foolish busineße, because these heades he is accused of were before your meeting presented vnto Vs, and We had setled a legall course of proceeding therein. And therefore it had well become him, especiallie being Our Seruant, and one of Our Councell, if hee had had any thing against it, to haue complained vnto Vs, which he neuer did, though he was ordinarilie at Our Court, since that time, and neuer had acceße refused vnto him. And although We cannot allow of the stile, calling it your ancient and vndoubted right and inheritance, but could rather haue wished, that ye had said that your priuiledges were deriued from the grace and permißion of Our Ancestours and Vs; For most of them grow from precedents, which shewes rather a toleration then inheritance. Yet Wee are pleased to giue you Our Royall assurance, That as long as you shall continue to containe your selues within the limits of your dutie and respect to Vs (as Wee aßure Our selfe you will doe) Wee will bee as carefull to maintaine and preserue your lawfull liberties and priuiledges as euer any Our Predeceßours were, nay as to preserue Our owne Royall Prerogatiue. So as your House shall onelie haue neede to beware to trench vpon the Prerogatiue of the Crowne, which would enforce Vs, or any iust King to retrench them of their priuiledges, that would pare his Prerogatiue and flowers of the Crowne. But of this We hope there shall neuer be cause giuen. And to conclude, since Wee haue now so largely expressed the sinceritie of Our meaning vnto you, We require you to goe on cheerefullie, and to vse all conuenient diligence for preparing such good Lawes for Vs to paße at this time, as the people may see the care, that both Wee and you haue for the good gouernement of the Kingdome; ending as We did in Our former Letter; If there be not a happie Seßion made at this time, it shall bee in your default. And aboue all, beware by your waywardneße at this time, to giue Our Childrens Aduersaries cause to insult vpon them, vpon the rumour that shall be spred abroad of a distraction betweene Vs and Our people, wherof ye are the representatiue bodie. At Our Court at Newmarket the 11. day of December, 1621.