The Signal Loyalty and Devotion of Gods Saints, Part 2 · Chapter 6 · Floating text 5 – Floating text 7
A Prayer uſed by the Speaker of the Commons Houſe of Parliament.
I.
O GOD, moſt great and glorious, which dwelleſt in the Heavens over all, yet humbleſt thy ſelf to behold the things that are done upon the earth: we, the people and ſheep of thy paſture, aſſembled by thy providence, to the performance of this high ſervice, whereupon the honour of thy name, the beauty of thy Church amongſt us, the glory of the King, and wealth of our State doth depend, knowing, that without thee, we can do nothing: do, at this time, with fear and reverence, in the beginning of our conſultations, firſt look up unto thee (from whom wiſedom and happie ſucceſſe doth come) praying thee to look down upon us, who firſt look up unto thee (from whom wiſdom and happie ſucceſſe doth come) praying thee, to look down from Heaven upon us with the eye of thy mercy; to draw near unto us with the preſence of thy grace: to prepare us all with counſel and underſtanding; and to be Preſident, and Director of all our conferences: that thoſe things may be propounded, conceived, allowed, and confirmed, which may beſt pleaſe thee, and moſt directlie and ſoundly uphold the honour of thy Name, the ſinceritie of thy worſhip; the ſafety of our King; and peace of thy people: even for thy Son our Lords ſake.
And that we may not our ſelves, be any hinderance to the obtaining of theſe our deſires, either by means of any ſin formerly committed, or of any corruption yet remaining in us: we humblie pray thee, to forgive our ſins, and blot out all our iniquities: and to ſtand reconciled unto us, in an everlaſting covenant of peace, as if we had never ſinned againſt thee.
And, becauſe our hearts by nature are not fit for good cogitations; create a new heart, and renew a right ſpirit in us: remove far from us all vain-glorious humour of advancing our private profit, all envious humour of diſgracing other mens gifts, all malicious humour of hurting anie mans perſon: and (finally) all froward humour of oppoſing our ſelves, againſt juſt, needfull, and godly things, by whomſoever propounded. Furniſh us with knowledge, wiſedom, and zeal, by ſending down thy ſpirit into our hearts, that we may underſtand, diſcern, prefer, and ſet forward all things tending to the advancement of thy glorie, and ſuch as may be thought worthie our aſſent and furtherance.
And, becauſe all good things are not of equal goodneſs, nor all needfull things of equal neceſſitie: let our care and zeal be equallie proportioned to the degrees of things in goodneſſe and neceſſitie different. And therefore, firſt, make us carefull of the glory of thy Name (which is the high end of all thy counſels and works, and ought to be the laſt, and firſt reſpect of all our purpoſes and doings) And therein, let our eſpecial care be, to provide for the continuance of thy word, and religious practice of thy worſhip by the Miniſtery and means that Chriſt hath planted in his Church: next, let the good of this whole Iſland move our care and zeal; which conſiſting in the ſafety and honour of the King, and the enacting and executing of good Laws; let us be wiſely carefull, and faithfully zealous for the Perſon of our King, whom thou the King of Kings haſt in mercy ſet over us.
And becauſe no Law can be good, that is not agreeable to thy Law, which containeth the Fundamental equity of all Laws: in making Laws to govern thy people, let us alwaies have an eye unto thy Law, not digreſſing from the holy equity thereof: and what through thy mercy, we ſhall here profitably enact, we pray thee, through the whole Kingdom it may be truly executed, that our great labour may not be diſgraced with little fruit.
And foraſmuch as we all and every one of us have, in this place, with wonder and aſtoniſhment, and without any merit of ours, found a moſt evident aſſurance of thy mercy and goodneſſe, in a miraculous deliverance from the greateſt danger, by Popiſh treachery that ever was attempted or threatned, towards our King, our State and Ʋs: give us (good Lord) hearts above the hearts of men, to offer unto thee in the ſame place, a daily ſacrifice of thankſgiving in the higheſt meaſure; together with a ſervent and inceſſant zeal, care, and diligence in all our proceedings, for the ſetling of the peace and happy eſtate of thy Church amongſt us: the preſervation of our King; his royal Progeny; our ſelves, and our Poſterity: and for the preventing, ſuppreſſing, and final rooting out of the ſpring, iſſue, and fruit of all ſuch helliſh and popiſh hearts, intentions, and practices: to the everlaſting praiſe and glory of thy bleſſed name.
Hear us, we pray thee (O Father of mercy) in theſe our moſt humble and needfull petitions: forgive and anſwer us, according to thy fatherly and great goodneſſe, for Jeſus Chriſt his ſake, to whom with thee and the Holy Ghoſt, three Perſons, and one God, be all praiſe, glory, and power, now, and for ever, Amen.
A Prayer for the Parliament, uſed alſo in the Houſe
II.
ALmighty God, which by thy holy Prophet David art moſt truly ſaid, to ſtand in the Congregation of Princes, and giveſt judgement in the midſt of the mighty men of the world, and through whom Princes do reign, Law-makers do diſcern juſt things, Lords bear rule, and all Judges of the earth execute judgement, and for that cometh of thee all Counſel and equity, all underſtanding and ſtrength: grant unto us here gathered together in thy name, that wiſdom which is alwaies aſſiſtant to thy ſeat, to give knowledge to our feeble and ignorant minds. Send down (we beſeech thee) the ſame wiſdom out of thy holy heavens, and from the throne of thy Majeſty, that is may be now with us, and labour with us, whereby we ſurely knowing what is acceptable unto thee, may be led through it to the debating, weighing and final determining of thoſe matters, by the which thy bleſſed Name may be glorified, thy Catholick Church of England confirmed and increaſed, the Kings aſſurance eſtabliſhed, the common tranquillity of this Realm ſafely maintained, and laſt of all, all eſtates and people thereof, in true obedience and charity united and knit together. Grant this, O God, for thy only Sons ſake Jeſus Chriſt our Lord, Amen.
In the Lords Houſe, the Collects and Prayers in the Common Prayer Book and Letany for the King, Queen, Prince, and Royal Poſterity, with other prayers were daily uſed by the Biſhops, and Peers during their Seſſion.
To mention all the particular Prayers for the King, Queen, and Royal poſterity, compriſed in Books of private Prayers and Devotion (as the Practice of Piety, and the like) and*See Dr. John Whites defence of the way. Biſhop Bilſon, Biſhop Andrews, Arch-Biſhop Abbot, Biſhop Buckridge, Biſhop Abbot, Biſhop Davenant, Biſhop Uſher, Dr. Featly, &c. Anno 165. Epistles Dedicatory, perfixed to hundreds of Books, and Sermons, dedicated to King James, by Biſhops, Miniſters, and others of all ſorts, and in uſual Graces before and after meals, would be both infinite, and nauſeous, being commonly known, and obvious to all, and therefore I ſhall wholy pretermit them, the ſubſtance of them being compriſed in thoſe Prayers already mentioned.
I ſhall now proceed to the reign of our late King Charles; who as he had conſtant Supplications and Prayers made for him in all Cathedral and Pariſh Churches, Chapels, Colledges, moſt private families, and in our Parliaments themſelves, by name, during all King James his reign, as Duke of York and Prince of Wales; ſo after his comming to the Crown March. 27. 1645. till January 1648. he had the like publike and private Prayers, Interceſſions, and Supplications, made for him throughout his 3. Realms, as King, and for his Queen and royal Poſteritie, not only by our preaching Miniſters, in their prayers before their Sermons, and by moſt others in their morning and evening family and cloſet prayers, & Graces before or after meales, as our own experience atteſts, but likewiſe theſe ſpecial ſet Prayers, Petitions and Collects in our Letany, and common Prayer Book, which I ſhall here tranſcribe, becauſe almoſt quite forgotten, by above 12. whole years diſcontinuance in moſt Churches & Families too. In the publike Letany, ordered to be read thrice every week, or oftener upon occaſion, there are theſe ſeveral Prayers, and Petitions to God,
That it would pleaſe thee to keep and strengthen in the true worſhipping of thee, in righteouſneſſe and holineſſe of life, thy ſervant Charles, our moſt gracious King and Governor. That it may pleaſe thee to rule his heart in thy faith, fear and love; and that he may evermore have affiance in thee, and ever ſeek thy honour and glory. That it may pleaſe thee, to be his defender and keeper, giving him the victory over all his Enemies. That it may pleaſe thee to bleſſe and preſerve our gratious Queen Mary, Prince Charles, and the reſt of the Royal Iſſue. After every of which ſeveral Prayers, and Supplications, all the People ſeverally anſwered; We beſeech thee to hear us good Lord. After which followed theſe two Prayers, for the Kings Majeſtie, the Queen, Prince and Royal Iſſue, and read twice every day in moſt places.
O God our heavenly Father, high and mighty, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, the only Ruler of Princes, which dost from thy throne behold all the dwellers upon earth, moſt heartily we beſeech thee with thy favour to behold our moſt Gracious Soveraign Lord King Charles; and ſo repleniſh him with the grace of thy holy Spirit, that he may alwaies incline to thy will, and walk in thy way; endue him plentifully with heavenly gifts, Grant him in health and wealth *Thoſe who Prayed thus cordially could not ſhorten his life by a violent death.long to live, ſtrengthen him that he may vanquiſh and overcome all his Enemies; and finally, after this life, he may attain everlaſting joy and felicity, through Jeſus Christ our Lord, Amen.
Almighty God, the Father of thine elect and of their ſeed (which Biſhop Laud changed into, the fountain of all goodneſſe) we humbly beſeech thee to bleſſe our gracious Queen Mary, Prince Charles, and the reſt of the royal iſſue: Endue them with thy holy Spirit, enrich them with thy Heavenly grace, proſper them with all happineſſe, and bring them to thine everlasting Kingdom, through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord, Amen.
In the Prayer for the whole Eſtate of Chriſts Church, there is this Clauſe, relating to Kings in general, and King Charles in particular. We beſeech thee alſo to ſave and defend all Chriſtian Kings, Princes, and Governors, and Specially thy ſervant Charles our King, that under him we may be godly, and quietly Governed.
When theſe Prayers and Collects with the Book of Common-Prayer, were ſuſpended, by the Directory of the publike worſhip of God, in moſt places throughout the 3, Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland, Printed by order of both Houſes, 13 Martii 1644. yet the ſubſtance of them was ſtill continued by the very Directory it ſelf, during the heat of the late Wars, between the King and Parliament: witneſſe p. 10, 11. of publike Prayer before the Sermon, wherein all Miniſters are directed, To pray for all in Authority, eſpecially for the Kings Majeſty, that God would make him rich in bleſſings, both in Perſon and Government, eſtabliſh his Throne in Religion and righteouſneſſe, ſave him from all evil Counſel, and make him a bleſſed and glorious Inſtrument for the Conſervation and Propagation of the Goſpel, for the Encouragement and Protection of thoſe that do well, and the terror of all that do evil, and the great good of the whole Church, and of all his Kingdoms, for the Converſion of the Queen, the Religious education of the Prince, and the reſt of the Royal ſeed, for the comforting of the afflicted Queen of Bohemia, ſiſter to our Soveraign, and for the Reſtitution and Eſtabliſhment of the Illuſtrious Prince Charls, Elector Palatine, (much more then now of our Illuſtrious long-exiled King CHARLES) to all his Dominions and Dignities.
To pretermit all Prayers made for King Charles, in Epiſtles perfixed to hundreds of Books, of all ſorts, dedicated to him whiles Prince of Wales, and King of England, Scotland, and Ireland; I ſhall Conclude only with 3. ſhort Prayers of this Nature, in 3. of our learnedeſt late deceaſed Antiquaries Dedicatory Epiſtles to his Majeſty, being of 3. ſeveral profeſſions.
The firſt is Mr. John Seldens, in the clo…e of his Dedicatory Epiſtle to His Mare clauſum, Londini 1635. Inexuperabilem Tibi felicitatem, ſanctiſſima illa Majeſtas, quae Tuae archetypae eſt, praeſtet conſervetque.
The 2. is Sir Henry Spelmans in the end of his Dedicatory Epiſtle before the firſt Tome of his Councils, Londini 1639. Dei Vicario, Eccleſiae Nutricio, Fidei Defenſori Carolo, Dei gratia Magnae Britaniae, Franciae, & Hiberniae Regi, &c. Magno, Pio, Augustiſſimo, Deus optimus maximus, Regiam veſtram Majeſtatem, ſovolemque Sereniſſimum, Eccleſiae et Britaniis Imperpetuum ſoſpitet beatiſſime.
The 3, is, moſt learned, renowned and pious Archbiſhop Ʋſher, who thus winds up his Epiſtle to King Charls, perfixed to his Britannicarum Eccleſiarum Antiquitates, Dublini, 1639. Deus optimus maximus, Regum ſuorum cuſtos et vinder, vitam tibi det proliram, imperium ſecurum, domum tutam, exercitus fortes, Senatum fidelem, populum probum; *Tertullian Apologet.Veteris Eccleſiae pro Imperatoribus ſuis vota haec ſolemnia, pro tua et tuorum ſalute Redintegrat et toto animi affectu numini divino nuncupat, Sereniſſimae Tuae Majeſtatis ſervus humilimus, Jacobus Armachanus.
The very next day after the moſt illegal Trial, Feb. 1. 1648.Condemnation and bloody Execution of our late Soveraign Lord King Charles by that Prodigy of Lawyers John Bradſhaw, and his Aſſeſſors, in the new created High Court of Injuſtice, againſt theaSee the Vindication of the ſecured and ſecluded Members, and the Hiſtory of Independency part 2. Votes and Protests of the Secluded Lords, and Secured Commons, one of the then ſecured Members (out of his Loyalty to his Majeſty, and his royal Heir and Succeſſor whoſe rights he ſtrenuouſly aſſerted in his Speech in the Houſe, for which he was ſeized and impriſoned by the Army Dec. 6. 1648.) at his own charge Printed, 350. of the enſuingbSee the 2d. part of the Hiſtory of Independency where it is likewiſe printed. Proclamations, which he cauſed to be ſent to moſt Sheriffs and Mayers throughout England and Wales, and ſome of them to be paſted up at Weſtminster, and elſewhere in and about London, notwithſtanding the Anti-Parliamentary, and Antimonarchical Junctoes ſtrict Proclamation to the contrary, under pain of High Treaſons and the moſt Capital Puniſhments; which deterred others both from crowning and proclaiming their Hereditary Soveraign, according to their former Oathes, Covenants, and printed Remonſtrances.
A PROCLAMATION PROCLAIMING CHARLES Prince of VVales, King of Great Britain, France and Ireland.
WEE the Noblemen, Judges, Knights, Lawyers, Gentlemen, Free-holders, Marchants, Citizens, Neomen, Seamen, and other freemen of England, doe, according to our Allegiance and Covenant, by theſe preſents heartily, joyfully and unanimouſly acknowledge and proclaim the Illuſtrious Charles Prince of Wales, next heir of the Blood Royal to his Father King Charles (whoſe late wicked and trayterous Murther we doe from our ſouls abominate, and all parties and conſenters thereunto) to be by hereditary Birthright, and lawfull ſucceſsion, rightfull and undoubted King of Great Britain, France and Ireland, and the Dominions thereunto belonging. And that we will faithfully, conſtantly and ſincerely, in our ſeveral places and callings, defend and maintain his Royal Perſon, Crown and Dignity with our Eſtates, Lives, and laſt drop of our Bloods, againſt all oppoſers thereof; whom we do hereby declare to be Traytors and Enemies to his Majeſtie and his Kingdoms. In teſtimony whereof, we have cauſed theſe to be publiſhed and proclaimed throughout all Counties and Corporations of this Realm, the firſt day of February, in the firſt year of his Majeſties Raign.
God ſave KING CHARLES the Second.
This ſhort ejaculatorie Prayer and Acclamation GOD SAVE THE KING, ſubjoyned to this Proclamation, was not only uſed at the Coronations, tryumphs, and publick Receptions in Cities, Colleges, Villages, Corporations, of all our own, & forein Kings, as I have elſwhere touched; but conſtantlie annexed at the end all our Statutes at large, printed after everie Seſſion of Parliament from 19 H. 7. till 1 Caroli, and at the cloſe of all our Kings, & Queens publickdSee the proclamations printed during the Reign of King Henry 7, 8. Edw. 6. Queen Mary and Elizabeth, King James & King Charles, The antienter proclamations are entred in the Dorſe of the Clauſe Rolls in the Tower. Proclamations, yea ecchoed out by our Sheriffs, Heralds, Cryers, Officers, who proclaimed them, and by the generalitie of the people preſent at ſuch Proclamations; And it was likewiſe conſtantlie uſed by all Cryers of all publick Courts of Iuſtice, Aſsiſes, Seſſions of the peace, Eyres and Gaol Deliveries upon ſundrie occaſions, yea by everie Malefactor, acquitted or admitted to his Clergie, who uſually cry'd, GOD SAVE THE KING; neither could our Kings enter into anie Citie, Town, Village, College, School, or Houſe within their Dominions, but their Ears were filled with the joyfull ſound of this Prayer and Loyal Acclamation. Which cuſtom I truſt will grow into common practice again, after its over-long Diſ-continuance, through the treacherie, and diſloyalty of thoſe who above all others had moſt obliged themſelves to continue it, by their reſpective old oftreiterated Oaths of Fealty, Homage, Supremacy, Allegiance, Iuſtices, Maiors, Recorders, Serjeants at Law, Freemen; & their new Proteſtations, Solemn National League and Covenant, Commiſſions, Trusts, Offices, Callings; obliging them both in point of Conſcience and Dutie to bear Faith and true Allegiance to the Kings Majesty, his Heirs and lawfull Succeſſors, and to maintain and defend his and their Perſons, Crowns, and all Juriſdictions Rights, Privileges, and Royal Prerogatives, united, annexed and belonging to the Imperial Crown of their Realms, against all Powers, Perſons, Invaſions, Plots and Conſpiracies whatſoever, without any Apoſtacy, defection or deteſtable Neutrality. Which I hope they will now at laſt remember ſo far as to expiate all former violations of them, by their future fincere, cordial, conſtant, inviolable Obſervations, by their dailie publick and private fervent Prayers, Supplications, Interceſſions, Thanksgivings, to God for his Majeſties reſtitution, long life, and proſperous Reign; and by ecchoing out this uſual Acclamation upon all occaſions, according to its priſtine frequent uſe throughout our Realms and Dominions.
I have thus at large by Hiſtories, Records and Preſidents of all times & ſorts, (to which ſundrie more might be accumulated) irrefragably evidenced the conſtant un-interrupted practical loyaltie of our Chriſtian Predeceſſors, in making publick and private Supplications, Prayers, Interceſſions and Thankſgivings for our Chriſtian Kings in this Iſland, whether of the Britiſh, Saxon, Engliſh, Daniſh, Norman, or Scotiſh Race, and for their Queens, their Royal Poſterity, and Kingdoms, in their publick and private Devotions, and in their Epiſtles, Addreſſes, and Dedications to them; to the inrent they may now at laſt excite, encourage, provoke, and enflame our degenerated diſloyal, undutifull, Men-fearing, Time-ſerving Generation conſcienciouſly to revive, and conſtantlie to practiſe this long neglected Chriſtian Dutie, as being the principal means p…e…cribed by God himſelf, and purſued by his Saints in all Ages, to produce that publick peace, unitie, proſperitie and ſettlement which we have all ſo long expected and longed for, but could never yet obtain by anie carnal policies, faſtings, humiliations, prayers, ſince we gave over this enjoyned Duty, and can never probably hope for, much leſſe actually enjoy, till we return to the cordial un-interrupted performance thereof, and to our priſtine Allegiance, Loyaltie, Obedience and Subjection to our undoubted hereditary Soveraign Lord and King, according to our multiplyed Oaths, Proteſtations, Covenant, the Laws both of God and the Land, the only rules of our Conſciences and Practiſes, both as Chriſtians and Subjects. And if all theſe with the precedent and ſubſequent Preſidents, Scriptures, Examples, Authorities, our own preſent Preſſures, Diſſentions, Confuſions, decay of Trade, hopes of ſettlement, peace and proſperity, will not perſwade our whole 3. Kingdoms to this their bounden Duty, that black Character which the Apoſtle gives to the obſtinate hard-hearted Jews, upon whom wrath was come to the uttermost, will be ours too, 1 Theſ. 2. 15. who both killed the Lord Jeſus Christ (their KING) and their own Prophets, and have perſecuted us, and they pleaſe not God, and are contrary to all men.
—* Pudet haec opprobria Nobis,Ovid.
Et dici potuiſſe, & non potuiſſe refelli.