Basiliká the works of King Charles the martyr : with a collection of declarations, treaties, and other papers concerning the differences betwixt His said Majesty and his two houses of Parliament : with the history of his life : as also of his tryal and martyrdome.

V. Vpon His MAJESTIES passing the Bill for the Triennial Par∣liaments; and after setling this, during the pleasure of the Two Houses.

THAT the World might be fully confirmed in my purposes at first, to contri∣bute what in Justice, Reason, Honour and Conscience I could to the happy suc∣cess of this Parliament, (which had in Me no other design but the general Good of my Kingdoms) I willingly passed the BILL for Triennial Parliaments: which, as gentle and seasonable Physick, might (if well applied) prevent any distempers from getting any head or prevailing; especially, if the Remedy proved not a Disease be∣yond all remedy.

I conceived this Parliament would find work with convenient recesses for the first three years; but I did not imagine that some men would thereby have occasioned more work than they found to do, by undoing so much as they found well done to their hands. Such is some mens activity, that they will needs make work rather than want it; and chuse to be doing amiss, rather than do nothing.

When that first Act seemed too scanty to satisfie some mens Fears, and compass publick Affairs; I was perswaded to grant that BILL of Sitting during the pleasure of the Houses, which amounted in some mens sense to as much as the perpetuating this Parliament. By this Act of highest Confidence, I hoped for ever to shut out and lock the door upon all present Jealousies and future Mistakes: I confess I did not there∣by intend to shut My self out of doors, as some men have now requited Me.

True, it was an Act unparallel'd by any of my Predecessors; yet cannot in reason admit of any worse interpretation than this, of an extreme Confidence I had, that My Subjects would not make ill use of an Act, by which I declared so much to trust them, as to deny My self in so high a point of my Prerogative.

For good Subjects will never think it just or fit, that My condition should be worse by my bettering theirs: Nor indeed would it have been so in the events, if some men had known as well with moderation to use, as with earnestness to desire, advantages of doing good or evil.

A continual Parliament (I thought) would but keep the Common-weal in tune, by preserving Laws in their due execution and vigor, wherein My interest lies more than any mans, since by those Laws My Rights as a KING would be preserved no less than My Subjects; which is all I desired. More than the Law gives Me I would not have, and less the meanest Subject should not.

Some (as I have heard) gave it out, that I soon repented Me of that setling Act; and many would needs perswade Me, I had cause so to do: but I could not easily nor suddenly suspect such ingratitude in men of Honour, that the more I granted them, the less I should have and enjoy with them. I still counted My self undiminished by My largest Concessions, if by them I might gain and confirm the love of my People.

Of which I do not yet despair, but that God will still bless Me with increase of it, when Men shall have more leisure and less prejudice; that so with unpassionate repre∣sentations they may reflect upon those (as I think) not more Princely than friendly contributions which I granted towards the perpetuating of their Happiness, who are now only miserable in this, That some mens ambition will not give them leave to enjoy what I intended for their good.

Nor do I doubt but that in Gods due time, the Loyal and cleared affections of My People will strive to return such retributions of Honour and Love to Me or My Poste∣rity,

as may fully compensate both the acts of My Confidence and My Sufferings for them; which (God knows) have been neither few, nor small, nor short; occasioned chiefly by a perswasion I had, that I could not grant too much, or distrust too little, to men, that being professedly My Subjects, pretended singular Piety and Religious strictness.

The Injury of all Injuries is, that which some men will needs load Me withal, as if were a wilful and resolved Occasioner of My own and My Subjects Miseries; while (as they confidently, but (God knows) falsly divulge) I repining at the establish∣ment of this Parliament, endeavoured by force and open hostility to undo what by My Royal assent I had done. Sure it had argued a very short sight of things, and extream fatuity of mind in Me, so far to bind My own hands at their request, if I had shortly meant to have used a Sword against them. God knows, tho I had then a sense of Injuries; yet not such, as to think them worth vindicating by a War: I was not then compelled, as since, to injure My self by their not using favours with the same Candor wherewith they were conferred. The Tumults indeed threatned to abuse all Acts of Grace, and turn them into wantonness; but I thought at length their own Fears, whose Black arts first raised up those turbulent Spirits, would force them to conjure them down again.

Nor if I had justly resented any indignities put upon Me or others, was I then in any capacity to have taken just revenge in an Hostile and Warlike way upon those whom I knew so well fortified in the love of the meaner sort of the people, that I could not have given My Enemies greater and more desired advantages against Me, than by so unprincely Inconstancy to have assaulted them with Arms, thereby to scat∣ter them, whom but lately I had solemnly setled by an Act of Parliament.

God knows I longed for nothing more, than that My self and My Subjects might quietly enjoy the fruits of My many Condescendings.

It had been a course full of Sin, as well as of Hazard and Dishonour, for Me to go about the cutting up of that by the Sword which I had so lately planted, so much (as I thought) to My Subjects content, and Mine own too, in all probability; if some men had not feared where no fear was, whose security consisted in scaring others.

I thank God, I know so well the sincerity and uprightness of My own Heart, in passing that great BILL, which exceeded the very thoughts of former times, that although I may seem less a Politician to men, yet I need no secret distinctions or evasi∣ons before God. Nor had I any reservations in My own Soul when I passed it, nor re∣pentings after, till I saw that My letting some men go up to the Pinnacle of the Tem∣ple, was a temptation to them to cast Me down headlong; concluding, that without a Miracle, Monarchy it self, together with Me, could not but be dashed in pieces by such a precipitious fall as they intended. Whom God in mercy forgive, and make them see at length, That as many Kingdoms as the Devil shewed our Saviour, and the glory of them, (if they could be at once enjoyed by them) are not worth the gain∣ing by ways of sinful ingratitude and dishonour, which hazards a Soul worth more Worlds than this hath Kingdoms.

But God hath hitherto preserved Me, and made Me to see, that it is no strange thing for men left to their own Passions, either to do much evil themselves, or abuse the overmuch goodness of others, whereof an ungrateful Surfeit is the most desperate and incurable disease.

I cannot say properly that I repent of that Act, since I have no reflections upon it as a Sin of my Will, tho an Error of too charitable a Judgment: Only I am sorry other mens eyes should be evil, because Mine were good.

To Thee (O my God) do I still appeal, whose all-discerning Justice sees through all the disguises of mens pretensions, and deceitful darknesses of their hearts.

Thou gavest Me a heart to grant much to my Subjects; and now I need a heart fitted to suffer much from some of them.

Thy will be done, tho never so much to the crossing of ours, even when we hope to do what might be most conformable to thine and theirs too who pretended they aimed at nothing else.

Let thy Grace teach Me wisely to enjoy as well the frustratings, as the fulfillings of my best hopes and most specious desires.

I see while I thought to allay others Fears, I have raised mine own; and by setling them, have unsetled My self.

Thus have they requited me evil for good, and hatred for my good will towards them.

O Lord, be thou my Pilot in this dark and dangerous storm, which neither admits my return to the Port whence I set out, nor my making any other with that Safety and Honour which I designed.

'Tis easie for Thee to keep Me safe in the love and confidence of my people; nor is it hard for Thee to preserve Me amidst the unjust hatred and jealousies of too many, which Thou hast suffered so far to prevail upon Me, as to be able to pervert and abuse my acts of greatest In∣dulgence to them, and assurance of them.

But no Favors from Me can make others more guilty than My self may be, of misusing those many and great ones which Thou, O Lord, hast conferred on Me.

I beseech Thee give Me and them such Repentance as thou wilt accept, and such Grace as we may not abuse.

Make Me so far happy, as to make a right use of others abuses; and by their failings of Me, to reflect with a reforming displeasure upon my Offences against Thee.

So, altho for My sins I am by other mens sins deprived of thy temporal Blessings, yet I may be happy to enjoy the comfort of thy Mercies, which often raise the greatest Sufferers to be the most glorious Saints.