judge who have travelled to Mecca, " that the parliament have hung the majefty of kingship in an airy imagination of regality, between the privileges of both houses, like the tomb of Mahomet." He knew not that he was prophefying the death and burial of a Turkish tyranny, that fpurned down thofe laws which gave it life and being, fo long as it endured to be a regulated monarchy.

He counts it an injury "not to have the fole power in himfelfto help or hurt any ;" and that the " militia, which he holds to be his undoubted right, fhould be difpofed as the parliament thinks fit:" and yet confeffes, that, if he had it in his actual difpofing, he would defend those whom he calls "his good fubjects, from thofe men's violence and fraud, who would perfuade the world, that none but wolves are fit to be trufted with the cuftody of the shepherd and his flock." Surely, if we may guess whom he means here, by knowing whom he hath ever moft oppofed in this controverfy, we may then affure ourfelves, that by violence and fraud he means that which the parliament hath done in fettling the militia, and those the wolves into whofe hands it was by them intrufted: which draws a clear confeffion from his own mouth, that if the parliament had left him fole power of the militia, he would have used it to the deftruction of them and their friends,

As for fole power of the militia, which he claims as a right no lefs undoubted than the crown, it hath been oft enough told him, that he hath no more authority over the fword, than over the law; over the law he hath none, either to eftablith or to abrogate, to interpret or to execute, but only by his courts and in his courts, whereof the parliament is higheft; no more therefore hath he power of the militia, which is the fword, either to ufe or to difpofe, but with confent of parliament; give him but that, and as good give him in a lump all our laws and liberties. For if the power of the fword were any where separate and undepending from the p of law,

which is originally feated in the highest court, then would that power of the fword be foon mafter of the law; and being at one man's difpofal, might, when he pleased, control the law; and in derifion of our Magna

Charta,

Charta, which were but weak refiftance againft an armed tyrant, might abfolutely enflave us. And not to have in ourfelves, though vaunting to be freeborn, the power of our own freedom, and the public fafety, is a degree lower than not to have the property of our own goods. For liberty of perfon, and the right of felf prefervation, is much nearer, much more natural, and more worth to all men, than the propriety of their goods and wealth. Yet fuch power as all this did the king in open terms challenge to have over us, and brought thoufands to help him win it; fo much more good at fighting than at understanding, as to perfuade themfelves, that they fought then for the fubject's liberty.

He is contented, because he knows no other remedy, to refign this power" for his own time, but not for his fucceffors:" fo diligent and careful he is, that we should be flaves, if not to him, yet to his pofterity, and fain would leave us the legacy of another war about it. But the parliament have done well to remove that question: whom, as his manner is to dignify with fome good name or other, he calls now a "many-headed hydra of government, full of factious diftractions, and not more eyes than mouths." Yet furely not more mouths, or not fo wide, as the diffolute rabble of all his courtiers had, both hees and thees, if there were any males among them.

He would prove, that to govern by parliament hath "a monftrofity rather than perfection;" and grounds his argument upon two or three eminent abfurdities: firft, by placing counfel in the fenfes ; next, by turning the fenfes out of the head, and in lieu thereof placing power fupreme above fenfe and reafon: which be now the greater monftrofities? Further to difpute what kind of government is best would be a long debate; it fufficeth that his reafons here for monarchy are found weak and inconfiderable.

He bodes much" horrour and bad influence after his eclipfe." He speaks his withes; but they who by weighing prudently things paft forefee things to come, the best divination, may hope rather all good fuccefs and happinefs, by removing that darkneis, which the mifty cloud of his prerogative made between us and a peaceful refor

mation,

mation, which is our true fun-light, and not he, though he would be taken for our fun itself. And wherefore fhould we not hope to be governed more happily without a king, whenas all our mifery and trouble hath been either by a king, or by our neceffary vindication and defence againft him?

He would be thought "inforced to perjury," by having granted the militia, by which his oath bound him to protect the people. If he can be perjured in granting that, why doth he refufe for no other caufe the abolishing of epifcopacy? But never was any oath fo blind as to fwear him to protect delinquents against juftice, but to protect all the people in that order, and by thofe hands which the parliament fhould advise him to, and the protected confide in; not under the fhow of protection to hold a violent and incommunicable fword over us, as ready to be let fall upon our own necks, as upon our enemies; nor to make our own hands and weapons fight againft our own liberties.

By his parting with the militia he takes to himself much praise of his "affurance in God's protection ;" and to the parliament imputes the fear" of not daring to adventure the injuftice of their actions upon any other way of fafety." But wherefore came not this affurance of God's protection to him till the militia was wrung out of his hands? It should feem by his holding it fo faft, that his own actions and intentions had no less of injuftice in them, than what he charges upon others, whom he terms Chaldeans, Sabeans, and the devil himself. But Job used no fuch militia against thofe enemies, nor fuch a magazine as was at Hull, which this king fo contended for, and made war upon us, that he might have wherewithal to make war against us.

He concludes, that," although they take all from him, yet can they not obftruct his way to Heaven." It was no handfome occafion, by feigning obftructions where they are not, to tell us whither he was going: he should have fhut the door, and prayed in fecret, not here in the high ftreet. Private prayers in public afk fomething of whom they afk not, and that shall be their reward.

Luke Hanfard, printer, near Lincoln's-Inn Fields,

END OF VOL. II.