3

Memorie, full of Dayes, but fuller of immortall Trophes of Honour, out of this tranfitorie Life. Not that I am able to expreffe by Wordes, or utter by Eloquence the vive Image of mine inward Thankfulneffe, but onely that out of mine owne Mouth you may reft affured to expect that Measure of Thankefulneffe at my Hands, which is according to the Infiniteneffe of your Deferts, and to my Inclination and Abilitie for Requital of the fame. Shall I ever? nay, can I ever bee able, or rather fo unable in Memorie, as tó forget your unexpected Readines and Alacritie, your ever memorable RefoJution, and your most wonderfull Conjunction and Harmonie of your Hearts in declaring and embracing me as your undoubted and lawfull King and Governour? Or fhall it ever be blotted out of my Minde, how at my first Entrie into this Kingdome, the People of all Sorts rid and ran, nay rather flew to meete mee? their Eyes flaming nothing but Sparckles of Affection, their Mouthes and Tongues uttering nothing but Sounds of Joy, their Hands, Feete, and all the reft of their Members in their Geftures difcovering a paffionate longing, and earnestneffe to meete and embrace their new Soveraigne. Quid ergo retribuam? Shall I allow in my felfe, that which I could never beare with in an other? No I muft plainely and freely confeffe heere in all your Audiences, that I did ever naturally fo farre miflike a Tongue fo fmoothe, and diligent in paying their Creditors with lippe Payment and verball Thankes, as I ever fufpected that fort of People meant not to pay their Debtors in more fubftantiall fort of Coyne. And therefore for expreffing my Thankfulneffe, I muft refort unto the other two Reasons of my convening of this Parliament, by them in Action to utter, my Thankefulneffe: Both the Layd Reasons having but one Ground, which is the Deedes, whereby all the Dayes of my Life, I am by Gods Grace to expreffe my fayd Thankfulneffe towards you, but divided in this, That in the first of these two, mine Actions of Thankes, are fo infeparably conjoyned with my Perfon, as they are in a Maner become individually annexed to the fame: In the other Reafon, mine Actions are fuch, as I may either doe them, or leave them undone, although by Gods Grace I hope never to be wearie of the doing of them.

As to the first: It is the Bleffings which God hath in my Perfon bestowed upon you all, wherin I proteft, I doe more glorie at the fame for your Weale, then for any particular Respect of mine owne Reputation, or Advantage therein.

} The first then of thefe Bleffings, which God hath joyntly with my Perfon fent unto you, is outward Peace: that is, Peace abroad with all foreine Neighbours for I thanke God I may juftly fay, that never fince I was a King, I either received Wrong of any other Chriftian Prince or State, or did Wrong to any I have ever, I praife God, yet kept Peace and Amitie with all, which hath beene fo farre tyed to my Perfon, as at my comming here you are. Witneffes I found the State embarqued in a great and tedious Warre, and onely by mine Arrivall heere, and by the Peace in my Perfon, is now Amitie kept, where Warre was before, which is no fmall Bleffing to a Chriftian Commonwealth for by Peace abroad with their Neighbours the

Townes

Townes florifh, the Merchants become rich, the Trade doeth encrease, and the People of all Sorts of the Land enjoy free Libertie to exercife themselves in their feveral Vocations without Perill of Difturbance. Not that I thinke this, outward Peace fo unfeparably tyed to my Perfon, as I dare affuredly promife to my felfe and to you the certeine Continuance thereof: but thus farre I can very wel affure you, and in the Word of a King promife unto you, That I fhall never give the firft Occafion of the Breach therof, neither fhall I ever be mooved for any particular or private Paffion of Minde to interrupt your publique Peace, except I be forced thereunto, either for Reparation of the Honour of the Kingdome, or elfe by Neceffitie for the Weale and Prefervation of the fame: In which Cafe, a fecure and honourable Warre must be preferred to an unfecure and dishonourable Peace: yet do I hope by my Experience of the by-paft Bleffings of Peace, which God hath fo long ever fince my Birth beftowed upon mee, that hee will not be weary to continue the fame, nor repent him of his Grace towards mee, transferring that Sentence of King Davids upon his by paft Victories of Warre to mine of Peace, That, that God who preferved me from the devouring Jawes of the Beare and of the Lyon, and delivered them into my Hands, fhall also now grant me Victory over that uncircumcifed Philistine.

2. But although outward Peace be a great Bleffing; yet is it as farre inferiour to Peace within, as Civill Warres are more cruell and unnaturall then Warres abroad. And therefore the fecond great Bleffing that God hath with my Perfon fent unto you, is Peace within, and that in a double Forme. Firft, by my Defcent lineally out of the Loynes of Henry the Seventh, is reunited and confirmed in me the Union of the two princely Rofes of the two Houfes of LANCASTER and YORKE, whereof that King of happy Memorie was the firft Uniter, as hee was alfo the first Ground-layer of the other Peace. The lamentable and miferable Events by the civil and bloody Diffention betwixt these two Houses was fo greate and fo late, as it neede not be renewed unto your Memories: which, as it was firft fetled and united in him, fo is it now reunited and confirmed in me, being juftly and lineally defcended not onely of that happy Conjunction, but of both the Branches thereof many Times before. But the Union of these two princely Houfes is nothing comparable to the Union of the two ancient and famous Kingdoms, which is the other inward Peace annexed to my Perfon.

And here I muft crave your Patiences for a little Space, to give mee Leave to discourse more particularly of the Benefites that doe arife of that Union which is made in my Blood, being a Matter that moft properly belongeth to me to fpeake of, as the Head wherein that great Body is united. And firft, if we were to looke no higher then to naturall and phyficall Reasons, wee may easily bee perfwaded of the great Benefites that by that Union doe redound to the whole Inland: for if twentie thousand Men be a ftrong Armie, is not the double thereof, fortie thousand, a double the stronger Armie? If a Baron enricheth himselfe with double as many Lands as hee had before, is

* From King Edgar the Greate and from King Edgar Ethelin.

U 2

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hee

hee not double the greater? Nature teacheth us, that Mountaines are made of Motes, and that at the first, Kingdomes being divided, and every particular Towne or little Countie, as Tyrants or Ufurpers could obtaine the Poffeffion, a Seigniorie apart, many of thefe little Kingdomes are now in Proceffe of Time, by the Ordinance of God, joyned into great Monarchies, whereby they are become powerfull within themfelves to defend themselves from all outward Invasions, and their Head and Governour thereby enabled to redeeme them from forreine Affaults, and punish private Tranfgreffions within. Doe wee not yet remember, that this Kingdome was divided into feven little Kingdomes, befides Wales? And is it not now the stronger by their Union? And hath not the Union of Wales to England added a greater Strength thereto? Which though it was a great Principality, was nothing comparable in Greatnes and Power to the ancient and famous Kingdome of Scotland. But what should wee fticke upon any naturall Appearance, when it is manifeft that God by his Almighty Providence hath preordained it fo to be? Hath not God first united these two Kingdomes both in Language, Religion, and Similitude of Manners? Yea, hath hee not made us all in one Iland, compaffed with one Sea, and of it felfe by Nature fo indivifible, as almost those that were Borderers themselves on the late Borders, cannot diftinguish, nor know, or difcerne their owne Limits? Thefe two Countries. being feparated neither by Sea, nor great River, Mountaine, nor other Strength of Nature, but onely by little fmall Brookes, or demolished little Walles, fo as rather they were divided in Apprehenfion, then in Effect. And now in the End and Fulneffe of Time united, the Right and Title of both in my Perfon, alike lineally defcended of both the Crownes, whereby it is now become like a litle World within it felfe, being intrenched and fortified round about with a naturall, and yet admirable ftrong Pond or Ditch, whereby all the former Feares of this Nation are now quite cut off: The other Part of the Iland being ever before now not only the Place of Landing to all Strangers that was to make Invafion here, but likewife moved by the Enemies of this State by untimely Incurfions, to make inforced Diverfion from their Conquefts, for defending themselves at home, and keeping fure their Backe-doore as then it was called, which was the greatest Hinderance and Lett that ever my Predeceffors of this Nation gat in difturbing them from their many famous and glorious Conquefts abroad. What God hath conjoyned then, let no Man separate. I am the Hufband, and all the whole Ine is my lawfull Wife; I am the Head, and it is my Body; I am the Shepherd, and it is my Flocke: I hope therfore no Man wil be fo unreasonable as to thinke that I that am a Christian King under the Gospel, fhould be a Polygamift and Husband to two Wives; that I being the Head, fhould have a divided and monftrous Body; or that being the Shepheard to fo faire a Flocke (whofe Fold hath no Wall to hedge it but the foure Seas) fhould have my Flocke parted in two. But as I am affured, that no honeft Subject of whatsoever Degree within my whole Dominion, is leffe glad of this joyfull Union then I am; So may the frivolous Objection of any that would be Hinderers of this Worke, which God hath in my Perfon already established, bee easily answered, which

can

can be none, except fuch as are either blinded with Ignorance, or els tranfported with Malice, being unable to live in a well governed Commonwealth, and onely delighting to fifh in troubled Waters. For if they would ftand upon their Reputation and Priviledges of any of the Kingdomes, I pray you was not both the Kingdomes Monarchies from the Beginning, and confequently could ever the Bodie bee counted without the Head, which was ever unfeparably joyned thereunto? So that as Honour and Priviledges of any of the Kingdomes could not be divided from their Soveraigne, So are they nowe confounded and joyned in my Perfon, who am equall and alike kindly Head to you both. When this Kingdome of England was divided into fo many little Kingdoms as I told you before, one of them behooved to eate up another, till they were all united in one. And yet can Wiltshire or Devonfhire, which were of the Weft Saxons, although their Kingdome was of longeft Durance, and did by Conqueft overcome divers of the reft of the little Kingdoms, make Claime to Prioritie of Place or Honour before Suffex, Effex, or other Shires, which were conquered by them? And have wee not the likeExperience in the Kingdome of France, being compofed of divers Dutchies, and one after another conquered by the Sword? For even as little Brookes lofe their Names by their Running and Fall into great Rivers, and the very Name and Memorie of the great Rivers fwallowed up in the Ocean: fo by the Conjunction of divers little Kingdomes in one, are all thefe private Differences and Questions swallowed up. And fince the Succeffe was happie of the Saxons Kingdomes being conquered by the Speare of Bellona; Mars. How much greater Reafon have wee to expect a happie Iffue of this greater Union, which is only faftened and bound up by the Wedding Ring of Aftrea? And as God hath made Scotland the one halfe of this Ifle to enjoy my Birth, and the first and most unperfect halfe of my Life, and you heere to enjoy the perfect and the last halfe thereof; fo can I not think that any would be fo injurious to me, no not in their Thoughts and Wishes, as to cut asunder the one halfe of me from the other. But in this Matter I have farre enough infifted, refting affured that in your Hearts and Mindes you all applaud this my Discourse.

Love and

Peace.

3. Now although thefe Bleffings before rehearfed of inward and outward Peace, be great: yet feeing that in all good Things, a great Part of their Goodneffe and Estimation is loft, if they have not Appearance of Perpetuity or long Continuance; fo hath it pleafed Almighty God to accompany my Perfon alfo with that Favour, having healthfull and hopefull Iffue of my Bodie, whereof fome are here prefent, for Continuance and Propagation of that undoubted Right which is in my Perfon; under whom I doubt not but it will please God to profper and continue for many Yeeres this Union, and all other Bleffings of inward and outward Peace which I have brought with

me.

4. But neither Peace outward nor Peace inward, nor any other Bleffings that can follow thereupon, nor Appearance of the Perpetuity thereof, by Propagation in the Pofterity, is but a weake Pillar and a rotten Reede to leane unto, if God doe not ftrengthen and by the Staffe of his Bleffing make them

durable:

durable for in vaine doth the Watchman watch the City, if the Lord be not the principall Defence thereof: in vaine doeth the Builder build the House, if God give not the Succeffe: And in vaine (as Paul faith) doeth Paul plant and Apollo water, if God give not the Increase. For all worldly Bleffings are but like fwift paffing Shadowes, fading Flowers, or Chaffe blowen before the Wind, if by the Profeffion of true Religion, and Workes according thereunto, God be not mooved to maintaine and fettle the Thrones of Princes. And although that fince mine Entry into this Kingdome, I have both by meeting with divers of the Ecclefiafticall Estate, and likewife by divers Proclamations clearely declared my Mind in Points of Religion, yet doe I not thinke it amiffe in this fo folemne an Audience, I should now take Occasion to discover fomewhat of the Secrets of my Heart in that Matter: For I fhall never (with Gods Grace) be afhamed to make publike Profeffion therof at all Occafions, leaft God fhould be ashamed to profeffe and allow me before Men and Angels, especially leaft that at this Time Men might prefume further upon the Misknowledge of my Meaning to trouble this Parliament of ours then were convenient. At my first comming, although I found but one Religion, and that which by my felfe is profeffed, publiquely allowed, and by the Law maintained: Yet found I another fort of Religion, besides a private Secte, lurking within the Bowels of this Nation. The firft is the true Religion, which by me is profeffed and by the Law is established: The fecond is the fally called Catholikes, but truely Papistes. The third, which I call a Secte rather then Religion, is the Puritanes and Novelifts, who doe not fo farre differ from us in Points of Religion, as in their confufed Forme of Policie and Parity, being ever difcontented with the prefent Governement, and impatient to fuffer any Superioritie, which maketh their Sect unable to be fuffered in any well governed Commonwealth. But as for my Course toward them, I remit it to my Proclamations made upon that Subject. And now for the Papists, I muft put a Difference betwixt mine owne private Profeffion of mine owne Salvation, and my Politique Government of the Realme for the Weale and Quietneffe thereof. As for mine owne Profeffion, you haye me your Head now amongst you of the fame Religion that the Body is of. I am no Stranger to you in Blood, no more am I a Stranger to you in Faith, or in the Matters concerning the Houfe of God. And although this my Profeffion be according to mine Education, wherein (I thanke God) I fucked the Milke of Gods Trueth, with the Milke of my Nurfe: yet doe I here proteft unto you, that I would never for fuch a Conceite of Conftancy or other Prejudicate Opinion, have fo firmely kept my firft Profeffion, if I had not found it agreeable to all Reason, and to the Rule of my Confcience. But I was never violent nor unreasonable in my Profeffion: I acknowledge the Romane Church to be our Mother Church, although defiled with fome Infirmities and Corruptions, as the fewes were when they crucified Chrift. And as I am none Enemie to the Life of a Sicke Man, because I would have his Bodie purged of ill Humours; no more am I Enemie to their Church, becaufe I would have them reform their Errors, not wifhing the downe-throwing of the Temple, but that it might be purged and cleanfed from Corruption: other

As