A DECLARATION FROM Divers Well-affected Subjects within the City of LONDON TO The Free-born People of England; Concerning the Kings Majeſty, and his Great and Repreſentative Councell of this Kingdome.
WHereas in naturall things, the Head being cut off, the reſt cannot be called a Body; no more can in politique things, a Multitude or Communality without a Head, be incorporate: Therefore if a People deſiring to live in Society, and willing to erect either a politique Body or a Kingdom, muſt of neceſſity chuſe one to govern that Body, who2 in a Kingdom of Regendo, is called Rex, and ſo by the people is eſtabliſhed a Kingdome: which Government is abſolutely the beſt.
And as the Head of the Phyſical body cannot change the reyns and the ſinews thereof, nor deny the members of their proper ſtrength and neceſſary nutriture: no more can a King who is Head of the politick Body, alter or change the Laws of that Body, or take from the people their goods or ſubſtance againſt their wils; for a King is choſen & bound to maintain the Laws of His Subjects, and to defend their bodies and goods; So Brute arriving in this Iſland with his Trojans, elected here a gallant and politick Government, which hath for the moſt part continued ever ſince: For, though wee have had many changes, within this his Majeſties Realm of England, as firſt the Romans, then the Saxons, then the Danes; and laſtly, the Normans, yet in the time of all theſe Nations and during their Ra•gns, the Kingdom was for the moſt part governed in the ſame manner as now it is, Plutarch ſaith, that all at first that governed were called Tyrants, but afterwards the good Governours called Kings.
For though a man by force do ſubdue Cities and Countries, yet he ought to rule according to reaſon; and if hee know God, according to the Law of God: but when he is admitted King by the people, and hath his power from them He may not ſubject the people to any other power, and therefore ought not (as a party hath formerly alleadged) to uſe his great and prerogative at his Majeſties owne will and pleaſure.
And here I think it not amiſſe to ſet down ſome few laws and Cuſtomes of other Common-wealths, whereby their good Government may appeare, they not being Chriſtians, Ptolomeus King of Egypt feaſted one day ſeven Ambaſſadours, which at his requeſt ſhewed unto him three of their3 principal Laws and Cuſtomes, expreſſing themſelves in this manner, viz.
The Ambaſſadour of Rome's Speech to Ptolomeus King of Egyyt, in theſe words, We have the Temples in great reverence, we are very obedient to our Governours, and we do puniſh wicked men ſeverely.
2. The Carthagenian Ambaſſadour his Speech, viz. Our Noble men nover left fighting, the Artificers never left labouring, &c.
The Cicilian Ambaſſador's Speech, In our Commonwealth justice is exactly kept, and Marchandize is exercized•ith truth.
The Rodian Ambaſſador ſaid, That at Rodes old men were honest, young men ſhame fac't, and women uſe very few words.
The Athenians ſaid, In our Common-wealth rich men are not ſuffered to be divided into factions, nor poor men to be idle, nor the Governours to be ignorant.
The Lacedemonians ſaid, In Sparta envy reigneth not, for all men are equall, nor covetouſneſſe, for all goods are common, nor ſloth, for all men labour.
The Siconian Ambaſſador ſaid, In our Common-wealth voyages are not permitted, becauſe they ſhould not bring home new factions, Phyſitians are not ſuffered least they ſhould kill the ſound, nor Lawyers to take upon them the defence of cauſes and ſuits, &c.
The Kings of England ought to be juſt in their ſentence according to the words of Solomon, Wiſd. 1. ſaying, Love juſtice you that judge the Earth, for a juſt King doth advance his Countrey, and the King that judgeth the poor rightly, his throne ſhall be exalted.
Now to ſhew what manner of man is fitteſt to govern, I read in Livie, that men borne in armes, great in deeds, and ready in eloquence, ought to be choſen Councellours, and that men of quicke ſpirits, ſharpe wits, learn'd4 in the Law, and eloquence, ſhould be for the City, for a Prince ought to be a Martiall man, ſtout and couragious to defend his Subjects, and offend his enemies, not to be curious to ſpeak eloquently, but to deliver his mind plainly, and wiſely, it being more neceſſary for a Prince to do well, then to ſpeak wel. Poucinus ſaith, thoſe are to be hated, who in their acts are fools, and in their words phyloſophers; for wiſe words are not commendable, if the deeds be not anſwerable; they therefore, ſaith Plato, that will have glory in this life, and attain to glory after death, and be beloved of many, and feared of all, let him be vertuous in good works, and deceive no man, with vain words.
All good and worthy Princes have laboured to attaine to this wiſdome, and to exact Jvſtice moſt exactly; inſomuch, that ſome have not ſpared their owne children, ſo ſacred a thing they euer held juſtice to be; as for example. King Edgar of England, had diligent care to do juſtice, as in Winter time he would ride up and down the Country, and make enquiry of his Officers and Governours, and puniſhed them ſeverely that offended the Law.
And as the followers of Juſtice ſhall not only be glorious on earth, but live in eternal glory; ſo the Princes that miniſter injuſtice, and do not judge rightly ſhall reap infamyon earth, and undergo the high diſpleaſure of God; for the royall Prophet ſaith, that God is terrible to the Kings of the earth, Pſal. 75.
Seldred a Saxon King of England, not executing Juſtice, was killed by the Divell, as he was banquetting with his Nobility.
Divers other Kings for their injuſtice have loſt their Kingdoms, being tran ferred from Nation to Nation for injuſtice and injur•es; therefore it behoveth a Prince to take ſpecial care hereunto.
5And it is requiſite, that a Prince be true of His word, both towards God and Man, for Soloman ſaith, that a lying lip doth not become a Prince, Prov. 17.
Many examples might be given touching ſeveral Princes who have been puniſhed for breach of Faith, as for example.
Charles the 70. King of France, when Hee was Dolphin, made Iohn Duke of Burgundy believe that He would make peace with Him, whereupon they met at a place appointed where Charles cauſed the Duke to be killed; but Charlos after this, was forced to aske Philip forgiveneſſe openly by his Embaſſadors.
Charles the laſt Duke of Burgundy having given ſafe conduct to the Earle of St. Paul Conſtable of France took•him priſoner, and delivered him to the French King, who put him to death for his treachery, and ſet the ſaid Earl free.
Thus you may ſee how honourable it is for a King to•eep His word and promiſe with His Subjects, and what they deſerve that falſifie their faith; for, a faithleſs Prince is beloued of none, but hated of all. Therefore, a Prince ought to be very carefull in making choice of His Councellors; for Plato ſaith, that many Princes are vndone for want of faithfull frionds and ſervants to councell them; therefore, Alfrea King of England ſought out the wiſest and most learnedſt men to be of his Councell.
The Emperour Conſtantius to make proof of his friends, made ſhew to abandon Chriſtian Religion, and to turne to Idolatry, He was inſtantly applauded by a great number, whom preſently he baniſhed the Country, for a Prince ſhal never want followero, I wiſh that our gracious Soveraigne would make this preſident, but to my former diſcourſe. Councellours, ſaith Julius Caeſar, in one of his Orations to the Senate, ſhould not be lead by malice, friendſhip, anger nor mercie,6 and if they concur in one lawfull opinion, though the Prince be oppoſite; yet it is fitteſt he ſhould yeeld to them, for ſo did the Emperour Mercus Antonius, ſaying, It muſt be as you will, for it is greater reaſon, I being one, ſhould follow your opinion, then you being many, wiſe, and learned, ſhould yeeld to mine.
For if a Prince take ayd of a ſtranger ſtronger then himſelf, he may thereby endanger his State, as for example, Heruls, Goths, and Lumberds came into Italy for ſuccour, but at the laſt became Lords thereof, ſo did they of Franconia with their King, and France and the Saxons did the like to England.
Therefore it is expedient, that a Prince be both vigilant and careful in preſervation of his Crown and Kingdoms, and not to require any ayd or aſſiſtance from forraign Nations, but endeavour to preſerve the liberty and freedome of his Subjects, and that he be careful of ſhedding innocent bloud either by tyranny, malice, ambition, policy, or falſe reports and informations, for to be a tyrant is odious to God and Man, and in great hazard and danger of bringing himſelfe to an evill end.