Observations of all the Kings of England, Title page – Dedication
CHOICE OBSERVATIONS OF ALL THE KINGS OF ENGLAND FROM THE SAXONS To the Death of KING CHARLES the First. COLLECTED Out of the best Latine and English VVriters, who have Treated of that Argument.
By EDVVARD LEIGH Esquire, and Master of Arts of Magdalen Hall in Oxford.
LONDON, Printed for Ioseph Cranford, at the Sign of the Gun in St. Pauls Church-yard. 1661.
TO HIS SACRED MAJESTY CHARLES the Second, King of Great-B…ittain, France and Ireland.
Most Gracious Soveraigne;
I Hope this Dedication of these my Collections concerning all the Kings of England to your Sacred Majesty, from the first of them (of whom there is any thing credible in story) to the decease of your Royall Father, will not be interpreted either a fruit of ambition or over-bold presumption. I have had the honour formerly to dedicate Books to very eminent Societies and Persons, but never to any so signally eminent and publike a Person as your Majesty. And should not have taken the confidence to have begun now, but that (in regard of the Argument I treat of) I thought there was an obligation upon me; and that of right such a Work was to be presented onelyonly to Him, who is the just and unquestionable Successour to all those Kings I here mention.Beda to King Ceolwolph. Speed his History of Greatbrittain to King Iames. I finde it usuall with those who either wrote Chronicles in generall, or the reigns of some particular Princes, to inscribe the Name of the King or Prince then living to their Works.Howe his Annals, or Continuation of Stow and Bacons Henry the 7th to your Father when Prince. I wish my Observations were as choice, as the subject is sutable. Since Cadwallader, the last King of the Britains, there was none born Prince of Great-Britain but your Majesty. Hactenus Anglorum nulli was therefore the Motto on the Medals made in memory of your Birth-day the 29th of May 1630, with three Laurels upon them betokening three Kingdoms. May your raign be as prosperous and happy, as your birth was glorious and*It was illustrious both in respect of the bright Star which then appeared at high-noon in the presence and sight of all, (See Stella meridiana) & also in respect of your near alliance to the greatest …rinces of Christendom. illustrious; your deliverance by Sea at your entrance into Scotland, and your escape by Land at Worcester-fight, and after in England; and your happy restitution to your Kingdom, was wonderfull and conspicuous. Kings have their regal Titles and Ornaments. To the Kings of Spain from the time of Alphonsus King of Castile, about 800 years agoe, for expelling the Arians, was given the Title of Catholike, as Michael Ritius a Neapolitan writeth. To the French King the Title of most Christian from the time of Philip the Emperour, about 400 years since,Doway Notes on Iosh. 3. 8. as recordeth Nicol, Gillius. To our King Henry the 8th of England for his Book of the Sacraments against Luther, Pope Leo the 10th gave the Title, Defender of the FaithaSee Dr Basire of Sacriledge., which his Successors have since enjoyed, though in another sense than it was first intended. Henry the 5th reigning amongst us, his Subjects gave him the Title ofbMontacu…ii Antidiatribae ad Diat. 1. Bulengeri. Grace. Under Henry the Saint, the 6th, Excellent was added to Grace: Under Henry the 8th the acclamation of Majesty began; a little after excellent Majesty, most excellent, and at last Sacred Majesty, which now is generally used.
CHookers Ecclesiasticall Policy. l. 8. It is by divers Charters granted to the Church of Westminster, to be locus Coronationis Regis, & repositorium Regalium. Liber Regalis. The Sword presents the Princes power, the Crown their glory. B. Bilson in his Sermon before K. Iames at his Coronation.Kings are crowned, enthronized, and anointed; the Crown was a sign of a Military dominion; the Throne of sedentary or judiciall; the Oyl of Religious and sacred power.
A King by vertue of his Kingly Office hath two things to perform;
1. To govern,
2. To defend.
His Governing also divideth it self into two branches;
First, To direct,
Secondly, To recompence.
He directeth, by appointing what shall be done and forborn of all his subjects in his Jurisdiction.
He recompenceth or requiteth, by punishing those which disobey the Laws, with such punishments as himself thinketh good to appoint, and to signifie to them in his penalties by which he ratifieth his Laws; and by rewarding those which keep the Laws, with such rewards as he seeth fit to specifie in his Statutes, and in generall, by making them partakers of the wealth, peace, quietness and happiness of his government.
He defendeth his subjects against the hostility of open enemies, and the injuries of their fellow-subjects.
It was an excellent speech of Henry the Great, King of France, your Grand-father by the Mothers side; When I was born there were a thousand other souls more born, what have I done for God more than they? Learned King Iames your Grand-father by the Father, in his Book dedicated to Prince Henry, would have him to remember, that he differed not in stuff, but in use, from the rest of the people; and that by Gods Ordinance. Kings as well as others are bound to read the Scriptures,See the … of Worcester … Sermon at the Coronation. Deut. 17. 18, 19, 20. and some think that Book of the Kings and Chronicles especially worthy their diligent perusall: others would have them study well the 101 Psalm. Next the Scriptures, Ecclesiasticall History is to be preferred;King Iames comm…ndeth Caesar above all pro…e Writers, both for the sweet slowing of th… style, and the worthiness of the maner it self. some highly commend Polybius as usefull for Kings to read; and Causabon dedicating it to Henry the 4th King of France, much magnifieth that Book, and likewise the reading of History in generall. The Chronicles and Annals of their own Predecessors, surely must needs be both delightfull and profitable for them. Your Majesty may observe many things in them well worthy imitation: in Learned and valiant Alfred, how thriftily he spent his time, how he encouraged Learning and Learned men; in little Edgar, great Canutus; William the Conquerour; the many worthy Henries and*Henry the first, the fifth, the seventh, the eighth. Edward the first, the third, the sixth, especially, who first began our happy Reformation in Religion. Edwards; your own wise Grand-father and Father of happy memory. Yet in the whole series of the Kings and Queens of England (as others have made severall parallels of some of our English Kings) I have not found a fitter parallel in every respect for your Majesty than Queen Elizabeth. I will not speak of her skill in the modern Languages, and how she often answered Embassadors her self, nor how gracious and gentle a Princess she was to her very enemies; wherein your Majesty is not unlike to Her. What troubles and hazards did she undergo, before she came to the Crown? with what joyfull and generall acclamations was she received into this Metropolis? I need not apply this to your Majesty, its sufficiently obvious to every vulgar capacity how you agree herein. After her Coronation,At the Coronation of King Ioash, the High-Priest delivered him the Testimony, not only that he might know and do it himself, but take care (as much as lie in him) that it might be known and observed by the people. Dr Hardy his Apostolicall Lyturgy revived, on 2 King. 11. 12. Read the Scriptures diligently, and with an humble spirit, and in it observe what is plain, and believe & live accordingly. Dr Ier. Taylors Letter to a person newly converted to the Church. being presented with a Bible, as she passed by the little Conduit in Cheapside, she received the same with both her hands, and kissing it said; That it had ever been her chief delight, and should be the rule by which she meant to frame her Government. Your Majesty in your entring into the City, at the presentment of the Bible to you by the Reverend London Ministers, used this speech, worthy to be written in Gold; I thank you for this Book above all other gifts, and assure you, I shall make it my first care to set up Gods Worship and service; this is the Book must guide us all; and I will make it the rule of my Life and reign. Queen Elizabeth was a couragious and stout spirited Princess. In 88, when the Spaniard was coming, she went to the Army at Tilbury-Camp, riding with a Truncheon or baston in her hand to the severall Companies, and by her presence and speech encouraged both Commanders and souldiers, saying to them as I have heard; If her brother Philip came, she would give fire to the first Piece against him: I might alledge the testimony of your greatest enemy, in confirmation of your Majesties valour at Worcester-battle.
Kings bear a double image of God, as they are men and as they are Magistrates. The Scripture saith;2 Sam. 23. 3. Those which rule over men should be just, ruling in the fear of God. OneaMolinier in his Essay…. saith; They should labour to be more religious and pious toward God than ordinary persons, because of the great need they have of his illumination in their counsels, of his conduct in their enterprises, of his force in their executions, and of his provident care in their various occurrents, dangers & difficulties. The Kings seat was so set in the Temple, that all might see him there, Ezek. 46. 10. 2 Chron. 6. 12, 13.All that we beg at the hands of our Superiors, is a liberty to worship God according to his word, that we may have no thing imposed upon us, but what we may be directed in our compliance with, by the rule of Scripture; we desire that men may not command where God is silent. The Examinat. of Dr Heylins History of the Reformar. of the Church of England. Those of the Presbyterian judgement, that out of a reall tenderness cannot comply in all particulars, will beyond doubt receive from his Majesty such savour and indulgence, as may abundantly suffice to their relief. Mr L'estrange his Holy Cheat. p. 78. of the 2d Edition. 2 King. 11. 14. & 23. 3. that by his example the devotion of his people might be stirred up. God having done such great things both abroad and at home for your Majesty, expecteth great things from you. I shall humbly implore the Almighty, that he would so guide you in all your wayes, that you may make his Interest your great interest, by reforming what is amiss in Court and Kingdom, by promoting his pure worship, encouraging the power of godliness, and all such as walk according to Scripture-rule, are peaceable, and hold the Fundamentals; by discountenancing Atheisme, errour, and profaneness, the fruits of abused peace and prosperity, altering the old speech for the better,
—Exeat aula
Qui vult esse pius; into impius.
So shall White-Hall answer its name, and your Majesty approve your self to be, what your Father desired, Charles the Good, which is the earnest prayer of
Your Majesties most humbly devoted and Loyall subject Edward Leigh