The Sovereign Power of Parliaments and Kingdoms, Title page – Dedication
THE SOVERAIGNE POWER OF PARLIAMENTS and KINGDOMES: Divided into FOVRE PARTS. Together with AN APPENDIX: Wherein the Superiority of our owne, and most other Foraine Parliaments, States, Kingdomes, Magistrates, (collectively considered,) over and above their lawfull Emperours, Kings, Princes, is abundantly evidenced, confirmed by pregnant Reasons, Resolutions, Precedents, Histories, Authorities of all sorts; the contrary Objections re-felled: The Treachery and Disloyalty of Papists to their Soveraignes, with their present plots to extirpate the Protestant Religion demonstrated; And all materiall Objections, Calumnies, of the King, his Counsell, Royallists, Malignants, Delinquents, Papists, against the present Parliaments proceedings, (pretended to be excceding Derogatory to the Kings Supremacy, and Subjects Liberty) satisfactorily answered, refuted, dissipated in all par…iculars. By WILLIAM PRYNNE, Utter-Barrester, of Lincolnes Inne.
Gal. 5. 1.
Stand fast therefore in the Liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free, and be not intangled againe with the yoke of bondage.
Psalm. 2. 10, 11.
Be wise now therefore Oye Kings, be instructed ye Iudges of the earth: serve the Lord in feare, and rojoyce with trembling.
It is this second day of August, 1643. Ordered by the Committee of the House of Commons in Parliament concerning Printing, that this Booke Intituled, The Soveraigne power of Parliaments and Kingdoms, &c. be Printed by Michael Sparke senior.
Iohn White.
Printed at London for Michael Sparke Senior. 1643.
TO THE Right Honourable Lords & Commons, Assembled in, and continuing Constantly with this present PARLIAMENT, both in Person and Affection.
ETernally Renowned Senators, and most cordiall Philopaters to Your bleeding, dying dearest Country, (from which no menacing Terrors, of armed Adversaries, nor flattering Promises of hypocriticall Court-friends, could hitherto divorce your sincerest Affections, and withdraw your undefatigablest Industries in the least degree, to its betraying, or enslaving;) I here humbly prostrate to your most mature Iudgements, and recommend to your Highest, Noblest Patronage, this Quadruple Discourse, OF THE SOVERAIGNE POWER OF PARLIAMENTS AND KINGDOMES, (now at last compacted into one intire Body, though formerly scattered abroad in dismembred Parts, rather out of necessity to gratifie others, then conveniency to content my selfe,) in which as Your Honours have the greatest Interest, so it is just and equall You should enjoy the absolutest Propriety: being compiled by Your Encouragement, Printed by Your Authority; published for Your Iustification, to vindicate your indubitable ancient Soveraign Priviledges from the unjust Detractions; Your legall necessary late Proceedings, from the malicious, false, unjust Aspersions of those Royallists, Malignants, intemperate Pens & Tongues, a2 Pet 2. 12, 14, 15.Who like naturall bruite beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speake evill of the things they understand not, and shall perish in their owne corruption: Cursed children, who have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the sonne of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousnesse; but was rebuked for his iniquity.
I must ingenuously confesse, that the Subject matter, and grand publicke Differences betweene King & Parliament (yea betweene most Kings and Kingdomes in the world) herein debated, are of such an extraordinary, rare, transcendent nature; of such infinite, universall consequence, weight, concernment, yea so full of dangerous Precipes, Rockes, if not inextricable difficulties on either hand, as might justly require, not onelyonly one person of the exquisitest judgement, Heroicallest Spirit, greatest experience, deepest Policy, absolutest abilities, vastest knowledge in all kindes of Learnings, States, Governments; and most exempt from all other imployments, that might interrupt him in these kindes of Studies; but even an whole Parliament, or Oecumenicall Councell of the most experienced, ablest, learnedest, wisest Statists in the Universe, and many yeares most advised consideration, exactly to ventilate and determine them: Which consideration might have justly daunted, yea quite deterred me, (the meanest of ten thousand, furnished with no competent abilities, and having scarce one vacant houre, but what I have borrowed from my naturall rest, to accomplish so vast an undertaking) from this most difficult, weighty, publicke, service, sufficient to sinke the strongest Hercules, if not Atlas himselfe, the worlds supporter: But yet the Goodnesse, the Commonnesse of the Cause, (which concernes our whole three Kingdomes, Parliaments, Religion, and every one of our well-beings, in this present world) the deare affection, I beare to my native Country, Religion, Posterity, Parliaments, and your Honours; the defect of other Advocates to plead this publicke Cause; seconded with the private earnest intreaties (which were as so many Commands to me) of some Members of Your Honourable Assembly, to undertake this weighty taske, & their authorizing my rude Collections for the Presse, were such strong exciting ingagements to me to undertake this difficult imployment, that I chose of two extreames, rather to discover mine owne insufficiency in an impotent speedy discharge of this great service, so farre transcending my weake indowments; than to shew any want of sincerity or industry in deserting this grand Cause in a time of need. It beeing one chiefe Article of my beliefe, ever since I first read the Scriptures, and Tullies Offices; That I was principally born for my Countries good (next to Gods glory involved in it;) Upon which ground I have ever bent all my Studies to promote it what I might, though to my particular losse and disadvantage.
The sole end I aime at in these Treatises, is the re-establishment of my bleeding, expiring Countries endangered Liberties, Priviledges, Rights, Lawes, Religion, the curing of her mortall wounds, the restauration of her much desired Peace, in truth and righteousnesse, the supportation of Parliaments (the onelyonly Pillars, Bulwarkes of our Church, State, Lawes, Liberties, Religion) in their perfect lustre, and full Soveraigne Authority; the removall of those present grievances, differences, Warres, (arising principally from ignorant or wilfull mistakes of the Parliaments just Priviledges and the Kings due Prerogatives) which threaten present ruine to them all; for whose future prosperity, security I could (withbExod. 32. 32. Moses, andcRom, 9. 4. Paul) heartily wish my selfe to be blotted out of the Booke of life, and to be accursed from Christ; neither count I may life, limbes, liberties, or any earthly comforts deare unto me, so I may any wayes promote Gods glory and the publike welfare. And certainely had the most of men in publike places, but Heroicke publike Spirits, (as I make no doubt all Your Honours have) byassed with no private Interests, or base selfe-respects, studying nothing but the common-good, our present unnaturall warres would soone be determined, our greatest differences easily reconciled, our foraine Irish, French, Walloon Popish Forces, brought in to cut our English Protestants and their Religions throats, before our faces, (at which horrid spectacle I wonder all English spirits rise not up with unanimous indignation in stead of joyning with them) easily expulsed, our remaining Grievances speedily redressed, our disordered Church Reformed, our Pristine Peace and Prosperity restored, yea entayled to us and our Posterities for ever; whereas the private selfe-ends, selfe-interests, of some ambitious, covetous, malicious, treacherous, timerous publicke persons, (who serve no other Deity, Majesty, or Republicke, but themselves alone) have most shamefully imbroyled, betrayed, and endangered both our Kingdoms, Parliaments, Liberties, Religion, Properties, yea, all the blessings we formerly enjoyed; whose names and memories shall be ever execrable to all Posteritie upon Earth, & their Soules, Bodies, eternally tortured in hel, (without repentance) for this their inhumane, unchristian Treachery, and Realme-destroying, Church-subverting selfe-seeking, detestable both to God and Men.
To conjure downe such base degenerous private spirits to the infernall pit, or else to elevate and inflame them with great heroicke publike thoughts, there is nothing more effectuall (in my weake apprehension) than the well-grounded knowledge, serious study, and full vindication of such publike Truthes, concerning Publike Governement, and the Soveraigne Iurisdiction of Parliaments, Kingdomes, Magistrates, People as are here debated, ratified, freed from those blacke aspersions of sedition, faction, rebellion, treason, conspiracy, mutiny, singularity, disloyalty, and the like, which sordid Sycophants, selfe-seeking Monopolists, Courtiers, Royallists, or malignant Delinquents, have most injuriously cast upon them to delude the world; which long obscured Truthes, though they may seeme dangerous Paradoxes, and upstart Enthusiasmes, at the first proposall, to many ignorant, seduced Soules, kept over long in Cymmerian darkenesse, by those Aegyptian taske-masters, who have studyed to increase and perpetuate their bondage; Yet upon serious examination will prove to be most ancient, indubitable Verities, universally received, beleeved, practised, by most Realmes and Nations in the Universe, from the beginning of Monarchy till this present; and the contrary received opinions, to be but the vaine, empty Brainesicke lying fancies of a few illiterate, impolitick Court-Chaplaines, Lawyers, Sycophants, who never dived into the Principles Constitutions, Lawes, Histories of States and Realmes, or into the true originall grounds of Regall, Regnall, Popular, or Parliamentary Iurisdictions; and writ onelyonly to flatter Princes, to purchase honour, gaine, or favour to themselves; without any respect at all to Verity, or the Common good, which never entred into their narrow private thoughts.
What entertainement these New-published common Truthes, are like to find in Court, and elsewhere among many men, I may easily conjecture by that ingrate requitall Your Honours have received from them, for all your faithfulnesse, paines, cost, diligence, service for the Publike safety. Never did any Parliament in England deserve halfe so well as this, for their indefatigable labours night and day, almost three whole yeares space together, for the Common good: Yet never was any halfe so ill requited. Never did any demerit greater publike applause; never any underwent halfe so many vile Libellous reproaches, slanders, of all sorts, even for well-doing; and that not onelyonly in vulgar Discourses, but in Presse and Pulpit too. Never did Parliament in any age sit halfe so long, or doe halfe that worke, or get any such publike establishment, as this; and yet all our Parliaments put together, were never so much opposed, traduced, secretly conspired against, or openly assaulted with armed violence to dissolve and ruine them, as this one alone; against whom not onelyonly the Pope with all his Antichristian Members, at home and abroad, but (which is almost a Miracle, not formerly heard of in any age) both King, Queene, Prince, Privy Counsellors, Courtiers; yea divers Nobles, and Members of both Houses, contrary to their owne Protestations, have utterly deserted it, yea bent all their policies, wits, Forces together, to dissolve and null it, (and in it all future Parliaments,) as no Parliament at all, but as an Assembly of obstinate refractory Traytors, and Rebels; when as all your Actions, Proceedings, Declarations, Protestations, proclaime you nothing lesse, yea the best-deserving Parliamentary Assembly that ever this Nation was blessed with, and those Heroicke Champions, who have lately regained, resetled (as farre as humane Lawes and Ordinances can secure them) our lost, at least decayed Liberties, Lawes, Priviledges, Religion, in despite of all oppositions, and utterly suppressed that confederated Triumvirate (of the Counsel-chamber, Starchamber, and High-Commission) which had almost enthralled us in more than Aegyptian bondage, and resolved to detaine both us and our Posterity under it, without the least hopes of any enfranchisement. Never were there halfe so many publike regall Protestations, Declarations, Proclamations, Oathes, Remonstrances, solemnely made and published to the world, for the inviolable preservation of all just Rights and Priviledges of Parliament, as there have beene in this; and yet never were there so many apparent violations of the undoubted Rights and Priviledges of Parliament in all former ages whatsoever, as in this one Parliament onelyonly, now at last so far affronted, by open Proclamation, (even against an Act of Parliament, passed by the King and both Houses when fullest,) to be Proclaimed to the world, No Parliament at all, but a meere factious, seditious Conventicle. Which how inconsistent it is with other former Oathes & Protestations, let all wise men judge. However; this may be some good incouragement to your Honours, and My selfe too, that if all his Majesties solemne Printed Protestations, Oathes, Proclamations, Remonstrances to his people and all the world, with deepest imprecations on himselfe and his Posterity, to maintaine the Lawes and Liberties of the Subject, the just Priviledges and power of Parliaments, and Protestant Religion to the utterrmost, be as cordially, as really intended, as they are pretended, your Honourable proceedings, and these my polemicall Discourses (really defending, vindicating, the indubitable Priviledges of Parliaments, the Subjects Liberties, Lawes, and our Religion against all Opposites whatsoever,) cannot but finde most gracious acceptation with his Majesties owne person, yea, with all his Counsellors, Courtiers, Cavalliers, who beare any sincere affection either to the Parliaments Priviledges, their Countries Liberties, or Religion: which all doubt an Army of English; Irish, Outlanding Papists, will hardly fight for, or maintaine, but really subvert, if possible.
However, Your Honours kinde, favourable entertainment, and Noble Patronage, of these my unworthy publicke Labours (of which I cannot doubt) accompanyed with the consciousnesse of my owne sincerity and loyalty, in the whole contexture of them (though some out of malice, envy, or flattery may and will misconster them, as they have done other of my Writings, to my great dammage and danger) shall be a sufficient Sanctuary to secure both Me and them, against all adverse Powers and Detractions whatsoever: and if I chance to suffer any future hard measure, of what kinde soever, for doing my Country or Your Honours the best and faithfullest service I am able, I shall repute it my greatest honour, my chiefest felicity, and chearefully undergoe it (through Gods assistance) not as a Crosse of infamy, but a Crowne of Glory: And so much the rather, because your Honours have formerly taken up this Magnanimous resolution, yea sealed it with solemne publike Cove…ants and Protestations, to live and dye in the just defence of your Priviledges, Country, and Religion, (never so much indangered, banded against by foraigne and domesticke Papists, Atheists, as now) and never to desert them whiles you have one drop of blood in your veines, or any breath in your Nostrils: and God forbid, but that I, and all other true Members of our State and Church, should cordially concurre with you in this Heroicall Covenant, which the desperate *See Romes MasterpeeceConfederacies of our Romish Adversaries, long prosecuted among us, and now almost promoted to perfection, have necessarily engaged Your Honors and the whole Kingdom to enter into, for their Preservation.
Now the God of Peace, and Lord of Hoasts, be ever mightily present with, and in Your Honourable Assembly, to counsell, direct, protect, prosper all your sincere endevours to promote his Gospell, Truth, Honour, the publike welfare, liberty, tranquillity, security of our endangered lacerated Church and Realmes, *Isay 33. 20.Till the Lord shall looke mercifully upon Zion, the City of our solemnities, and till our eyes shall see our English Jerusalem, a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be taken downe, not one of the stakes whereof shall ever be removed, neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken, notwithstanding all the mighty oppositions against it: And till you*Isay 58. 12. shall have built up the old waste places; raised up the Foundations of many generations, yea erected the very*Zach. 4 7. Top-stone of an exact universall Ecclesiasticall and civill Reformation in Church and State, with shoutings, crying Grace, grace unto it. That so all future Generations may really blesse, and call you, The Repairers of our manifold breaches, the Restorers of Pathes to dwel lin. Which is, and shall be the dayly prayer of
Your Honours most affectionately devoted Servant, to live and die with You in the Common Cause of God, Religion, and our Native Country, WILLIAM PRYNNE.