The Signal Loyalty and Devotion of Gods True Saints Part 1 and 2, Part 2 · Chapter 8 · Part 80
God Save the KING.
Having given You this large Account of the Ceremonie, and Prayers used at the Coronations of our own and other Christian Kings and Emperors; I shall thereunto subjoyn this memorial passage of*Biblio… Histor. lib. 1. sect. 70 …. 6… 62. Diodorus Siculus, touching the Form of Prayer and Solemnities used at the inauguration of the ancient Pagan Kings of Egypt.
When the Egyptian King was to be inthroned, he had such a Copy of the Laws delivered to him, by which he was to conform himself in all things, and an exact Estate of the Realm presented to him by Letters written from all parts: Tum lotus, & regni insignibus splendidâque trabea ornatus, diis sacrificatum ibat. Adductis tum ad aram victimis, mos erat Principi sacer dotum regi astantum magna voce in conferta Aegyptiorum …orona PRECES ENUNTIARE, UT DI… SANITATEM, CUM BONIS CAeTERIS OMNIBUS REGI, JUS ET AeQUUMERGA INFERIORES TUENTI LARGIANTUR, singulae etiam Regis virtutes depraedicandae tum erant, quod videlicet piam ergâ Deo…, & mitissimam erga homines affectionem gerat, ut qui sit continens, justus, magnanimus, alienus à mend…cio, benignus honorum communicator, & tandem omnis concupiscentiae victor, qui minores delictorum meritis paenas irroget, & ampliorem beneficio gratiam repend…t benemeritis. Haec & multa alia his affinia ubi peroravit Antistes, ignorantiae ad extremum peccata execratur, Regem quidem culpa eximens, sed & noxam & paenas in ministros & doctores malorum retorquens: Quod ideo peragebat, simul ut ad metum Numinis, & vitam Diis gratam Regem exhortaretur, simul ut non admonitionis acerbitate, sed laudum ille cebris virtuti maxime congruis, ad vitae modestiam illum adsuefaceret, Post haec cum extis victimae inspectis, Rex perlitasset, à …acris libellis sacerdos consulta quaedam & facta clarissimorum virorum ad vitam conducentia, è commentariis sacris praelegebat, ut Princeps Reipublicae honestissimorum rationes consiliorum animo consideratas ad praescriptam singulorum administrationem simili modo accommodaret. Non enim agendi ad populum & indicia obeundi tantummodo sed etiam de ambulandi & laudandi, & cum uxore dormiendi, omniumque adeo per vitam agendorum tempus definitum erat, simplici praeterea nutrimento uti, & vitulorum anserum que carnibus vesci, & certam bibere vini mensuram, quae nec ad repletionem immodicam, nec ad ebrietatem faceret, in morem habebant. Breviter, tam moderata victus ratio praescripta fuit ut non legislator, sed Medicorum optimus, ad sanam valetudinem omnia referens, eam instituisse videatur. Whereupon their Kings strictly conforming themselves to their Laws in all things without the least deviation, he subjoyns Hâc ergà subditos justitiâ cum Reges uterentur, majore in se …ives benevolentià quàm amore cognaios, propensos habebant: Non enim sacerdotum duntaxat collegia, sed universa Aegyptiorum Natio adeòque singuli, non tàm de uxoribus liberisque & boni… …uis privatis, quàm de Regis incolumitate solliciti …rant. QUOCIRCA LONGISSIMO ETIAM TEMPORE SUB REGIBUS MEMORATIS INTEGRUM REIPUBLICAe STA…UM CONSERVARUNT, IN SUMMA VITAM FELICITATE EXIGEN…ES, QUAMDIU HAeC LEGUM CONSTITU…IO V GEBAT. Ad h… plurim… ab eis gentes s… maxima vis opum co…, provinciae inimitabili operum magnificentiâ illustratae, urbe… variis & sumptuosissimis donariis exornat…. Which God grant may be Englands condition for the future as well as theirs and its … … … p… by a speedy happy cordial legal restitution & conjunction o… …. and Subjects in the … bonds of mutual love and loyalty, without any adulation or self-seeking on either part. Then shall we sing with the elegant Poet:
(aClaudian. de 6. Cons… Hono… …) Non quaerit pretium, vitam qui debet amori.
O quantum popul… secreti numi… addit
Imperii praesens species? quantamque rependi…
Majestas alterna vicem, cum Reg… Circi,
Connixum gradibus veneratur purpura vallis,
Plebis … reb…at fragor. Unaque rotis
In…onat Augustus …eptenis Arcibus echo?
(bClaudi… de Laud… St… … … 3. p. 196, 197.) Fallitur egregio quisquis sub Principe credit
Servitium: nunquam libertas gratior extat
Quam sub Rege pio… quos praeficit ipse regendis
Rebus ad arbitrium plebis Pa…rumque reducit,
C…ncorditqus libens, meritis seu praemia p…
Seu punir… veliut, posito jam purpura fastu
De s… judicium non indignatur haberi.
Si… do…uit regnare Pa…er, si… casta juventa
Froena dedit, teneros his moribus imbuit annos
Verior Augusti genit…r, fiducia belli,
Pacis consilium; per quem squalore rem…to
Pristina Romuleis infloruit artibus aetas:
Per quem fracta diu, translataque penè potestas
In proprium reducta Larem, victricia reddit
Fata solo, fruiturque iterum, quibus h…serat olim
Auspiciis, Capitique errantia Membra Reponit.
I shall conclude this whole Treatise with the usual thanks and Prayer of the Prelates, Lords, and Commons assembled in Parliament in the name all of other Subjects of England (whom they represent) entred upon every general Pardon of the King passed in Parliament, wherein they pray God to give him a peaceable, good and long life, in these words.
Les Prelates, Seigneurs, & Commones en ce…t Parleament assembles, au nom de touts vous autres subjects, Remercient treshumblement vostre Majesty, & Prient deiu vous doner en sante, bone vie, & longe.
And with these Prayers and Collects for the King of England in the Book of Common Prayer.
Priest. O LORD SAVE THE KING. Answer: (by all the people.) And mercifully hear us when we call upon …hee.
Almighty God, whose Kingdome is everlasting and power infinite, have mercy upon the whole congregation, and so rule the heart of thy chosen Servant, CHARLES OUR KING AND GOVERNOUR, that he (knowing whose minister he is) may above all things seek thy honour and glory, and that we his Subjects (duly considering whose authority he hath) may faithfully serve, honour and humbly obey him, in thee, and for thee, according to thy blessed word and ordinance, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with Thee and the holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth one God, world without end. Amen.
Almighty and everlasting God, we be taught by thy holy word, that the hearts of Kings are in thy rule and governance, and that thou dost dispose and turn them as it seemeth best to thy godly wisdome; we beseech thee, so to dispose and govern the heart of CHARLES, THY SERVANT OUR KING AND GOVERNOR, THAT IN ALL HIS THOUGHTS WORDS AND WORKS, HE MAY EVER SEEK THY HONOUR AND GLORY, AND STUDY TO PRESERVE THY PEOPLE COMMITTED TO HIS CHARGE, IN WEALTH, PEACE, AND GODLINESSE: Grant this, O merciful Father for thy sons sak… Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
… Sam … 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. The Lord killeth and maketh alive, he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up again; The Lord maketh poor and maketh rich, he bringeth low and lifteth up: He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghil, to set them among Princes and to make them inherit the Throne of glory, &c. The Adversaries of the Lord shall be broken in pieces, out of heaven shall he thunder upon them, the Lord shall judge the ends of the earth, AND HE SHALL GIVE STRENGTH UNTO HIS KING, AND EXALT THE HORN OF HIS ANOINTED.
GOD SAVE KING CHARLES THE SECOND.
AMEN.
FINIS.