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Description: | Sir
I haue reseaued yours of the 12th of this instant Aprill And doe much acknowledge your respects in the friendly Intimations and advice to (sic) give me, but truly I see we have beene both a bused you into a feare (if not beleefe) of my being frighted out of my duty to God and my Kinge (as if self interest weare the only measure of my allegiance and succes or the Risinge sonn the deaty I serve) and I in beinge made guilty of A crime I have never consented to in A thought. And therefore since I am the text Rendred to you in a false translation (and mad worse by an ill paraphrase) give me leave to show you the originall and by a faire comment to vindicate it from such glosses. But to unclaspe the booke and make my thoughts legible to you I doe first profess my opinion of the Justis of our cause to be the same as it ever was and that a contientious sufferinge for it (Rather then to yield to an Apostate abnegation of that believe) or with Peter deny my master may Rise to a degree of martirdome (Allowinge me those principles uppon which I first Imbarked myself) Next I thought myself obliged to contribution of all honest Indeavours for the support of it though soe underated as to part to throw the takinge overbord to saue the ship and give up what was not essential to the beinge of a crown with anythinge but foundation both ornament and ? that might prove the prise of A happy pease. Yet I know in Civil as well as natural bodies it is proportion and harmony in Humours that makes them strong and healthful a melius terminus [?] and simbolising in both that soe as a man may sometimes put into the harbour with A small ship when ?furling all will hasard shipwrecke Nether shall I euer warpe or shrink from this profession but make it still the Reule of my actions and standard of obedience beinge purposed (by the Grace of God ) supportinge to stand fixt in that resolution Like the center in the circumference while all worldly things moue in their visissitudes and changes about me without worshipping the golden shrines or popular d s of thes times knowinge that how contrary someuer the lines are drawne either of prosperity or adversity that will meete and consenter? for the good of those that thus expose themselves as linkes to joine not deuide the kinge and his parliament (the only meane to make us happy ) And uppon thes grounds I keepe my footinge like the needle in the maryners compas unmoved by Storms winds and tempests ( meatuors drawne from the Lower region) because guided by celestiall and higher prinsiples makinge contience my pole starr in this our benighted course. Nether doe I allow the committinge of the ?least euill of sinn to auiodethe greatest of punishment but resolve to dye rather then doe anythinge against a truth soe turninge my enemies strictures into Patience and accountinge my life from my death which will thus lost prove but a birthday to eternity. Yet he that bids me when persecuted in one citye fly to another commands me only to Beare with submission what I cannot avoide by a lawfull providence And not by a Rash boldness provoke danger splittinge my vessell uppona Roke wheare I may recover a harbour though torn and weatherbeaten; which would rather proue self murther then martirdom. This I mention not that I would dissuade any to decline the last act of sufferinge wheare it stood in competition with his duty to God or his kinge knowinge if ther be courage and constancy to it beside the personall advantages of it) that a dead man may sometimes make a livinge Christian and propagate by suferinge And that the Phenix like one loyall subiect may Rise out of the Ashes of the others ?. but to take of those sharpe (and indeede uncharible [sic] sensures some lay uppon our too many proud revolters; some of whom I am confident forsake the place not the cause and only Indeavour for a beinge ther from ther owne (that could noe longer subsist) and continue passively though not actively loyall, consideringe that as fathers they owe a duty to ther naturall children( in a provident care of posterity) as well as obedience to ther Civill parent and cannot sacrifise one to redeeme the other or doinge anythinge contrary to ther duties but Indeavouringe to preserue both and it may be the more excusable the business being now come to that issue (in the prospects I have of his majesties affaires If I see not by a very Dimme and Imperfect light) that in all giman wisdome ther is nothing can prevent ther totall and miserable ruinn destruction. So that it is but taking quarter from a vanquishing enemy (the Battle being lost though not the ground ? quitted) the defindinge A with hazard rather then stay for a more inevitable Ruine which some will call self cruelty not loyalty desperately to cast away himself Nor uppon which ground apparent ther is nothing but beinge taken by a conquering Power or submission in our chose; And if this be not an errour in my opinion (which God of his mercy grant a speedy and real confutation of) I who have taken this course can neither reprobate them since Religion nature reason doe all dictate self preservation in all lawful waies) nor thinke that opinion an unpardonable fault (If a bold honesty in speaking it freed from all bias of feares or hopes be none) though others rather from personall then Publike interests impute it to me as a Crime But since the dust some here cast in my fase to make me ougly in your eyes was only ?Raysed uppon this ground : I will in A true perspective give you a survey of it; and be contented to stand the marke of others noe less malitious then ignorant censures. In A naked innocence (better armour of proofe then all Golias brass and Iron (without the retourne of any Invenomed darts) as a man without Gaule rather Pittyinge then revilinge ther mistake.
It is true that uppon the premisses I Raysed my conclusion that since ther was noe possible meanes left his majestie in humaine providence (soe farr as we may Juge of future events from visible causes) longer to support A warr, And that we doe not liue at a rate that can Intitle us to a miracle for our deliuerance (but that on the contrary our deliuerance by one would in regard of our wickednes become a double wonder) I did declare my opinion that his majestie had now noe way to conquer but by yealdinge and that it was better to dismantle his Garrisons, disband his forced, and dispose of his person with his parliaments advises and undertakinge for his safety till our differings could be happily composed the be compelled to it within a short time better trust his so wrde in the hands of his subjects (by castinge himself seasonably uppon ther affections) then suffer it to be taken by the power of An enemy for the one mighte worke uppon ingenious natures and sofeten the most obdurate harts to reseave some impression of loyalty and duty, wheras forse is likely to prove a res tion that would sett noe bounds to his cruelty nor doe I in this wish his majesties compliance with them in anythinge against his conscience I would not have him wrake that to auoyde any other mischief or purchase the greatest benefit but to be active wheare that is not passive, and in the rest A patient; still maintaining that peece of justis to himself with Perseverance which is of the blood Royall to And soe (if in ?well doinge) [words in round brackets struckout] sure of a crowne of Glory if not of Gould (if he suffer for well doinge) nether weare this only honourable pious and Christian but prudent to and the only way to deuide and by diuision to overthrow his enemies Idea or new moulded Gouernment they propose to themselves as I could euidence by many Reasons; but because it is not fitt for a letter And that I haue already exceeded my ordinary limmitts and study rather A period then protraction of our miseries I shall decline it till we meete; And begge of God in whose hands the harts of kings are to soe direct ours that( as the storme best proues the pilot) he may now by his steeringe Recouer A happy Port though deuested for a time of some of those flowers that made his Garland most flourish And then I shall hope, though monarchy like the sunns beames, when contracted has the greater force) ther will be left in him many Rayes of splendour greatnes and Power that by ther happy Influences will make us yet see our kingdoms prosperity springe and reuiue again that we may bringe forth more Pious fruits to God more dutifull to our kinge and more charitable to one another then the winter of our Latter age has produced. And if all things thus become new I shall not doubt but his majestie will renew to and be restored to his ancient rights the subiect to all his just libertyes the church to its antient luster and all to a happy and continuinge pease And this beinge the worst I euer wished to kinge or parliament [the words "or particular person" struck out] I hope will uindicate me from disaffection to other in your opinion yet like the anuall betweene the hammers I haue reseaued Strokes from both sides and Iniuries that nothinge but Christianity ( that make it the greatest victory to conquer oneself could with submission leaue nor is it a Laodisean temper. A want of that active element of fire in me but a happy ( as I conseave it) moderation [ the words from "in me ..happy" crossed through] some men call zeale (which in itself is nether good nor had but only like some Planets as they stand in coniunction with other stars) that hath ever made me moderate in this cause and willing for the most middle waie of accomodation, but only as should say thay are
A Center the best [`place' struck out] medium to distribute equal Justis from to all and drawinge everythinge that meets ther into the clossest union and now Sir I beseeche you when you have reade me in this caracter Lett charety interpret and frienshipe pardon me wher I have erred and do not thinke I am soe braue towards God and soe much a coward towards men as to let my reson giue my hart the lye in anythinge I haue expressed for I shall desire of God If he call me to it that I maye Attest it with my blood what I heere subscribe when I haue professed myself yours
The hand of Sir John Monson | Subjects: | Country Estates | Temporal: | [c1646-1649] | Source: | Lincolnshire County Council | Identifier: | http://www.lincstothepast.com/Records/Re... | Go to resource |
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