Several Speeches, Speech 1
The Lord Chancellour of Scotland his firſt Speech: At a Conference in the Painted Chamber with a Committe of both Houſes, Octob. 1. 1646.
My Lords and Gentlemen,
THe end of this Conference is to adviſe what is fit to be done for the Peace and Security of the Kingdomes in relation to the King, and how to diſpoſe of his Majeſties Perſon, which is a matter very tickliſh, and of moſt high concernment; and they who would build very high, muſt dig very low for a firm foundation: And therefore I ſhall make bold to deſire, That what ever we reſolve upon concerning the Kings Majeſty, it may be done by joint advice and conſent of both Kingdoms, and that the Unity between the Kingdomes may be inviolably preſerved, as that wherein (next to Gods protection) the chief ſtrength of both lies, which would be laid as a ground of our future debates. And becauſe the purpoſe we are to ſpeak of is very grave and ſerious, I ſhall ſpeak of it with that ſincerity, as I wiſh my words were written with the beams of the Sun, and regiſtred to poſterity, that all the world might ſee the candor and integrity of our proceedings towards the King and our Brethren of England. And (is I had occaſion once to expreſſe in this place) ſo do I now ſay, That no man hath conſcience nor honour who will not remember our ſolemn League and Covenant, as the ſtrongeſt bond under heaven between God and man, between man and man, and between Nation and Nation, in which our Unity is founded upon Verity in a threefold relation; to God, to the King, and amongſt our ſelves. The firſt is the greateſt, and aſcends as high as heaven: for Religion, which hath its name a religando, unites us to God himſelf: and ſo long as he is in League with us, we need not fear who be againſt us. Let us therefore hold faſt our Unity in Religion, and beware of Toleration of all Religions, which is the ready way to have none; for there is nothing more divine in God then Unitie, and nothing more Diabolicall in the Divell then Diviſion, who therefore is known to the vulgar by his cloven foot to be the ſpirit of Diviſion.
The next ground and relation of our Unity, is with the King, to whom we are bound (in the ſtricteſt bonds of loyall Subjection) by our Allegeance and Covenant, as to one Head and Monarch: and therefore the faithfull endeavours of both Kingdoms ſhould (without wearying) be conſtantly contributed, That we may be united to him by a happy and juſt Peace: For if one of the Kingdoms ſhall caſt off the King, and the other have a King; if the one ſhall make Peace with the King, and the other not make Peace, but be ſtill at variance with him, it is to be feared, that no humane wit nor policie will be able to keep the two Kingdoms long without a rupture; And if it pleaſe God ſo to incline the Kings heart, and direct the wiſdome of the Parliaments, as that the King and wee could make a happy agreement, no power or policie can be able to divide us; for, Qui conveniunt uni tertio, conveniunt inter ſe.
The third ground and relation of our Unitie, is the conjunction of the two Kingdoms, which hath been acknowledged to be ſo neceſſary and uſefull to both, That they have often declared, they would ſtand and fall, and (like Hippocrates twins) live and dye together. And therefore, as we regard our ſolemn Covenant with God Almighty, and tender the ſtanding and ſafety of the Kingdomes, let us (with one heart and mind) joyn our Counſels and Actions, That whatſoever we reſolve upon for our common Peace and Security in relation to the King, and of each Kingdom to other, that it be done in zeal to Religion, in loyalty to the King, and with unanimity amongſt our ſelves. And as the Pythagoreans did note the number of Two with the mark of Infamy, …erus …ius …is eſt pri…auſus diſce… ab u…e.as being the firſt number that durſt part from Unity; ſo, which ſoever of the Kingdoms ſhall firſt violate the Unity which is bound up in our Covenant, may apply it to themſelves: But if we ſhall adhere to that Unity which is builded upon the firm foundation of Verity, in our relations to Religion, the King, and amongſt our ſelves, it will be a three-fold cord which is not eaſily broken; and our Unity, I hope, ſhall be turned into an Identity, both Kingdomes may be perfectly one.
Having thus in the firſt place laid a ground for Unity of Counſels and Reſolutions, I ſhall in the next place humbly deſire and proteſt, That what-ever may be our Propoſitions or Debates concerning the King, it be not miſ-conſtrued, as if one of the Kingdomes were impoſing conditions upon the other, or that we are abſolutely wedded to any one deſire more then to another; but that (all ſeverall waies being amicably debated and rightly pondered,) That which may ſerve moſt for the ſafety, ſecurity and happineſſe of the King and both Kingdomes, may be gravely reſolved upon. And now I come to the Queſtion it ſelf, concerning the diſpoſing of His Majeſties Perſon; firſt Negatively, and then Poſitively. Negatively, the Queſtion is not of the power and authoritie of the Houſes of Parliament in diſpoſing of any perſon, or judging of any caſe which is of ſingle concernment to England: Nor is the Queſtion how the Kings Perſon may be diſpoſed of de facto by any one of the Kingdoms; neither is the Queſtion properly de jure & poſſe, but de eſſe, & bene eſſe: And as it is neither good Logick nor good Divinity to argue a poſſe ad eſſe; ſo ſure I am, in this caſe it is far worſe policie for either Kingdome to diſpute what they may do in the height of their power, when both are conſulting what is ſitteſt to be done for the Peace and Security of both. And the relation of both Kingdoms to his Majeſty, and of each Kingdome to other being rightly conſidered, as he is King to both, as both are Subjects to him, as both are ingaged in the ſame Cauſe, and have been in the ſame War, and are labouring under the ſame Danger, are ſeeking the ſame Remedies, and ſhould have the ſame Security; we do hold, that the diſpoſing of the Kings Perſon doth not properly belong to any one of the Kingdomes, but joyntly to both. And after Scotland hath ſuffered the heat of the day and winters cold, have forſaken their own peace for love of their Brethren, have ſet their own houſe on fire to quench theirs: After ſo much expenſe of their blood in all the three Kingdomes, after we have gone along with you in all the hardſhip of this War, and (without vanity be it ſpoken) have been ſo uſefull in this Cauſe: And that the King hath caſt himſelf into the hands of the Scottiſh Army, and that by the bleſſing of God upon the joynt indeavour of both Kingdoms we are come to the harbour of a peace; We cannot expect, that the honourable Houſes will think it agreeable with conſcience or honour, or with the juſtice of the Houſes, that the Perſon of the King ſhould be diſpoſed of by them as they ſhall think fit, or by any one of the kingdoms alone; but that what ever ſhall be reſolved in this, may be done by joynt advice of both, as may ſerve moſt for the peace, ſecurity, and happineſſe of both Kingdoms.