Last and Final Declaration, Declaration 2 – Declaration 3
A Declaration touching the King.
AFter mature deliberation upon the proceedings of the Lord General Fairfax, and the General councel of Officers, in relation to the eſtabliſhing of a firm and laſting peace within this bleeding, torne, and tottering kingdom, and the erecting of a pure and ſound Government according to the Law of Nature, and the fundamental laws of this Realm, and after ſeveral conferences and diſputations in order thereunto, divers of the Presbyterian party frequented to Weſtminſter, and other places, where they had ſeverall diſputations and conferences with the Officers, and other members of the Army; and after ſome debate upon the Foundation, of the grounds and principles of the Agreement of the People, the Presbyterians declared a great diſlike thereof, remonſtrating, That it was not founded upon a firm Rock; to which objections, ſeverall anſwers were made, for cleering ſuch ſcruples and cautions, as ſeemed difficult to many; And as for the perſon of the King, they further declared, that notwithſtanding the preſent Ordnance of Attainder againſt his Maj. yet they conceived it requiſite and lawfull, that the prayers of the Miniſtery bee ſtill continued in every Congregation throughout his Maj. Realmes and Dominions; deſiring, that he may have a legal tryall, and that Hee may not be degraded of his Titles and Honours: Concerning which, be pleaſed to peruſe this enſuing Letter from Holland, touching the degrading of his Majeſty.
Sir, We are here in a kind of amazement, to hear that your King ſhould be deſigned for the grave before his time: Believe it, there's nothing more characterizes men wiſe in the opinion of the wiſeſt meer man, then that they ſee a far off, not the plague of the body only, though that, but judgments ſomtimes for evildoing, ſomtimes for acting indiſcreetly in matters that may be done. That which may lawfully bee done, it may be abſurd to do at ſome time: The taking away life, which is that prized above all, by him that all account wiſe, is not juſt (ſay ſome) at any time, unleſſe there be a law that makes the thing done death, and death to him that doth it: The ſupream power of England that forbids any to judge of treaſon in a conſtructive way, but themſelvs have retaind in themſelvs a power to judge ſuch and ſuch practiſes and endeavours to amount to treaſon or death. In particular, ſupoſe there were law, or it were in the power of the Lords and Commons to take awoy the life of the preſent King, yet if England, Scotland, and Ireland ſhalbe made more miſerable thereby in reaſon, and the waas renewed, to the probable ruine of the Nations, and chiefly to thoſe who pretend moſt to piety and juſtice therein, it were better not. That it's dangerous this may be ſaid: If you cut off, you muſt ſet up, vacuities of that nature ſuddainly introduce confuſion: If you ſet up, it muſt either be a new King, or a new Government; if a new King, then the next of kinne, and if him, then let his …complyance be what it will, his Fathers death cannot bee …orgot; no, the danger of his mothers influence, who will remain in baniſhment, be eaſily got over, refuſe he to come in, as it's moſt like, he hath the afore-named written upon his breſt, heſides his hereditary claim, his marriage, which no man that hath a purſe, but will endowry with a daughter, raiſe an army of 20000 to reſtore a ſon in law, and make his daughter Queen of 3 kingdoms, which by reaſon of ſcituation, and inherent accommodations may (well managed) be the ballancing power of Chriſtendom. If any other, or a new Government, the objections are the ſame, & all the line & that ſucceſſively are made enemies to boot; beſides hath the Parl. or army yet got ſo much love? are they ſo deep in the hearts of the people, that they can aſſure themſelves th… newtrals, or thoſe who have gone farre with them will quieſce? But the anſwer is ready, we have an Army that cannot be over come, neither by what can riſe here, or come from abroad. So had Alexander, but Alexander was poyſoned, and what then became of his Army? ruin approached. Some wil boaſt they fear no colours, nor danger, for they have the ſwifteſt horſe in the Kingdom; but what if that horſe ſtumble, and throw his Rider: where's the man, the horſe wandering up and down, as the fed Hauk for food, comes to the hand of a child?
Hague 2 Jan. 1648.
The Heads of the Armies Deolaration.
1 That they were great promoters of the Kings deſign. 2 Of promoting the Kings deſign in Scotland, obſtructing the Lord Liſle, and promoting the L. Inchequin. 3 That they incouraged the force that was ſet upon the Houſes by the London Apprentiſes, hindered and obſtructed ſuch things a… tended to the ſettlement of the Kingdom, &c. That therefore to the end that there might be a ſpeedy way for ſetling the ſame, they excluded them the Houſe, and intend very ſpeedily to ſend in the Charge againſt them.
FINIS.
End of the text · William Prynne, Last and Final Declaration (1648)