The right of primogeniture, in succession to the kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland as declared by the statutes of 24 E.3 cap 2. De Proditionibus, King of England, and of Kenneth the third, and Malcolm Mackenneth the second, Kings of Scotland : as likewise of 10 H.7 made by a Parliament of Ireland : with all objections answered, and clear probation made : that to compass or imagine the death, exile, or disinheriting of the King's eldest son, is high treason : to which is added, an answer to all objections against declaring him a Protestant successor, with reasons shewing the fatal dangers of neglecting the same.

It Exposes the Kingdom to Conquest.

* 1.1For if a Successor is not declared by King and Parliament, a Multitude of Competitors may arise, and having no Judge of greater Power than themselves do try their right by Battel, and Civil Wars, wherein he who Joyns will declare himself a Con∣queror; from which these two Mischiefs will arise.

(1.) There cannot be a free Parliament, for the Sword will awe and over-power the Elections both of Burgesses and Knights; and when they come to sit, the greatest part of the Members will be Military Officers. The Conqueror will grant no Law except for Money, and the Army will have a Negative Vote on the Parliament.

(2.) All the Nation, especially the Rich and Noble which happen to be of the side that is Vanquished, whether right or wrong, will be either Fined or Confiscated, and many of their lives taken by their own Brethren of the same Religion and Nation; and therefore it most concerns the Nobles, and not the Poor, to prevent Civil War, as is visible in all the Victo∣ries obtained between the Houses of York and Lancaster, where∣in both Princes and Nobles destroyed one another, and set up their Heads upon Poles by turns. And it was the usual saying of Edward the Fourth in all the Battels he fought, Kill the No∣bles, but save the People.

* 1.2Some further Examples of declaring Successors follow, be∣sides what before mentioned; To this purpose of declaring a Successor by Parliament, Grot. de Jur. Bel. & Pac. 111. says, Sic Euphaes Rex Messeniis permisit dispicere quem ex Regali Aepi∣tidarum genere Regnaret. Et de Xerxis & Artabarzanis Controversia Populus Cognovit. Et 179 sive in conventu ordinum ut factum in Anglia & Scotia, teste Cambdeno; sive per Delegatos ad id Negotium, ut factum in Aragonia, teste Mariana lib. 20. So King Euphaes permitted the Messenians to consider who ought to Reign of the Royal race of Epitidae. And the People of Persia had Co∣nusans of the Controversie between Xerxes and Artabarzanes; Or the same is determined in Parliament, as Cambden testifies is done in England and Scotland, or by Delegates of the People as Mariana testifies lib. 20. was done in Aragon. So King Edward the Third, the Wise Author of this great Statute whereon this Discourse hath proceeded to prevent Civil Wars

on any doubt arising on Succession to the Crown, not only de∣clared his eldest Son by this Statute; but likewise he happening to Die in his Father's Life-time, caused (to prevent all farther Scruples) his Grandchild Richard of Bourdeaux, to be declared Successor by Act of Parliament.

* 1.3Moses being told that he should die, Numb. 27.15. desireth God to declare a Successor. And Moses spake unto the Lord say∣ing, Let the Lord the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a Man over the Congregation, which may go out before them, and which may go in before them; and which may send them out, and which may bring them in. That the Congregation of the Lord be not as sheep which have no shepheard. And the Lord said unto Moses, Take thee Jo∣shua the Son of Nun, a Man in whom is the Spirit, and lay thine hand upon him, and set him before Eleazer the Priest, and before all the Congregation, and give him a Charge in their sight; and thou shalt put some of thine Honour upon him, that all the Congregation of the Children of Israel may be Obedient. And he shall stand before Eleazer the Priest, who shall ask counsel for him after the Judg∣ment of Ʋrim before the Lord, at his word shall they go out, and at his word shall they come in, both he and all the Children of Israel with him, even all the Congregation. And Moses did as the Lord commanded him, he took Joshua and set him before Eleazer the Priest, and before all the Congregation; and he laid his hands on him, and gave him a Charge, as the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses.

Here appears that Joshua is declared Successor by Counsel from God by Moses, and the Priest, and the Assent of the People; and it's very likely, if a Successor had not been decla∣red, the People would have fallen together by the Ears as soon as Moses had been Dead. And as is usual in all Armies divided, the Government by Military Elections, and recourse to the Sword to be Judge, whereby they had never Conquered the Cananites, but the Cananites them.—

* 1.4King David likewise to leave his House and Kingdom in Peace, and to prevent Civil Wars, declares Solomon his Suc∣cessor, and Inaugurates him while he was yet alive, 1 Kings 1.32. And King David said, Call me Zadock the Priest, and Na∣than the Prophet, and Benaiah the Son of Jehoiedah; and they came before the King, and the King said unto them, Take with you the servants of your Lord, and cause Solomon my Son to ride upon my

own Mule, and bring him down to Gihon, and let Zadock the Priest and Nathan the Prophet anoint him there King over Israel, and blow ye the Trumpet and say, God save King Solomon, Then ye shall come up after him, that he may come and sit upon my Throne, for he shall be King in my stead. And I have appointed him to be Ruler over Israel, and over Judah. And Benaiah the Son of Jehoiedah answered the King and said, Amen. The Lord God of my Lord the King say so too; As the Lord hath been with my Lord the King, even so be he with Solomon, and make his Throne greater than the Throne of my Lord King David. So Zadock the Priest, and Nathan the Prophet, and Benaiah the Son of Jehoiedah, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites went down, and caused Solomon to ride on King David's Mule, and brought him to Gihon: And Za∣dock the Priest took an horn of oyl out of the Tabernacle, and an∣nointed Solomon; and all the People came up after him, and the People piped with Pipes, and rejoyced with great Joy; so that the Earth rent with the sound of them.

Notes

• * 1.1

  16. Danger of ex∣posing this Kingdom to Conquest.
• * 1.2

  Some further Examples of declaring Suc∣cessors by Parliament.
• * 1.3

  Moses Declares a Successor.
• * 1.4

  David De∣clares a Suc∣cessor.