The Parliaments and Londons Preparation for His Majesties Return
The source for this document is https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo/A28665.0001.001
Project Note
This is licensed under Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND. This license allows reusers to copy and distribute the material in any medium or format in unadapted form only, for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.
The source of this document is the Early English Books Online (EEBO-TCP) website. Those books were transcribed in a character for character manner and can be very cumbersome to read since there was no standard spelling during that time. Many spelling variations such as "unlesse", "vnlesse", and "vnles" regularly appear.
This project was conceived to clean up those books as much as possible and make them more accessible to the interested reader, leading to the creation of a massive list of variant spellings and their corrections. This was used to clean up the text, but is of course only as complete as the list itself. Because of the nature of the original transcription, some words have missing characters or places where the original language (e.g., Greek) was not transcribed. This effort does not change that. Be aware that the original transcription can also be faulty and in some cases entire sentences may be missing.
Although this is no substitute for a properly compared, proofed, and scholarly edition, I believe that the result is a document which is far more accessible, particularly for searching for terms using standard spelling. The document has been cleaned and presented in what I hope is a pleasing and useful format for the vast majority of Christian brothers and sisters who just want access to read these spiritually nourishing works.
However, a word of warning: The Puritans were a very diverse group of people and their age was characterized with godliness, but also much upheaval, disputation and strife. They disagreed on many doctrines and some of these works contain less orthodox or Scriptural views than others. The reader is strongly advised to read with discernment, particularly if it is unknown whether author is trustworthy.
This project took a huge amount of time and skill to bring to fruition. I would particularly like to thank David Jonescue for the initial list of Puritans he found on EEBO and the concept behind this project as well as the continuous, unceasing efforts toward seeing this complete. Without his labor, this would not be available. Alex Sarrouf was invaluable in providing the initial list of over 7,000 spelling variations he had identified and corrected, as well as continuing to review more than 16,000 additions to that list for any typos.
Logan West
(with David Jonescue and Alex Sarrouf)
www.puritansearch.org
THE PARLIAMENTS AND LONDONS PREPARATION FOR HIS MAJESTIES RETVRN.
With the Manner how many Parliament men, with the Lord Major, and Aldermen are to congratulate his Majesty. With the manner likewise how many Petitions are to be delivered unto him, and the Substance of the same.
As also the true Relation, how the 12. accused Bishops are devoted out of the House of Peers, and being called to their Trial, they expected the Kings either Ascent, or Discent thereunto, which induced His Majesty to return.
With the certain time prefixed when he doth return.
Composed and published by John Bond.
LONDON. Printed for John Thompson. 1641.
THE PARLIAMENTS AND LONDONS Preparation for His Majesty's Return.
A King is Quasi caput populi, the head of his people, and if the head be absent, the other members must consequently languish. Yea the joy and prosperus consolation of a Nation, is the present enjoyment of their Prince. But I do not delineate this in a Tropologicall sense, or that any should conclude hereupon, that our Royal Kings Absence should cause, or produce any distasters.
For he had been so opposed in his pleasures, and Commands, that it did not only cause his just indignation, but likewise respectively induced him to leave his Palace at Westminster, and progressed forwards to Windsor, where his Majesty hath continued a long time.
But he taking into his Princely consideration the longing expectation of his loyal Subjects for his presence, the great desolation, and condole for his absence: together with the manifold distractions, and distempers in the kingdom, did most discreetly resolve himself to honor the Parliament and City once more with his presence.
Whereupon the Parliament and City having intelligence, did respectively consult, how they should congratulate his Majesty in such satisfactory manner, as might be correspondent to his contentive pleasure. Divers Parliament men were immediately selected both out of the House of Peers and Commons, to meet him: as also, the Lord Major, Aldermen, and chief Citizens, are in preparation to congratulate his Majesty. But after their submissive, and humble salutation there are divers Petitions to be delivered, and, presented to his Majesty, concerning his gracious concurrence with the Parliament, in extirpating the Recusant party, and devoting the Popish Lord's and Bishops from the House of Peers, and desiring his longer continuance with them, in the establishing of the weighty, and impendent affairs of the Kingdom.
I cannot absolutely and directly satisfy the Reader hereof, the prefixed time when his Majesty will certainly return for that is very ambiguous: but this J can resolve him off, he is daily expected, and without doubt he will be here present in a sudden process of time: And as soon as the Parliament and City can have more direct and confident intelligence of his more certain return, they will perform what is aforementioned: in the mean time they are in great and deliberate preparation for the same.
Yet in his absence, he hath not been altogether unmindful of his People, but hath been rather more solicitous, and as tender over their welfare, as a father is over his own Son. He hath oftentimes sent Letters to his Parliament to comfort, and encourage them in their unwearied sedulity.
He hath likewise graciously answered them in all their Petitions, and hath become as indulgent as ever Prince hath been.
None knows the care and solicitation of a Prince; for they ( Atlas-like ) do support the burden of the whole Kingdom besides: and withal they do judiciously consider, that Regis ad exemplum totus componitur orbis.
For the Subjects are composed to follow the pattern and example of their Prince.
And God be praised, our King may be esteemed, and reputed the glory, and mirror of the world: both in his own Princely life, and exhortive admonitions to his Subjects two things especially entertained in his Royal breast seen to be unparalleled. First his Patience, then his constancy for the truth.
For which two, he ought not only to be applauded, but likewise meritoriously deserve the diurnall prayers of his liege People, for the continuance, and corroboration of the same.
God of his infinite mercy grant that the King and Parliament may co-unitely concur for the settling of peace and tranquility amongst us, the establishing of Religion, and the mittigating of these various distempers, and distractions: that all obstacles, and obstructions whatsoever, that interrupts either of them may be moved, and the pure streams of Justice run clearly against all Delinquents without connivance, or partiality. For the State lies sick, and of a dangerous disease too, which (if it be not suddenly cured) will contaminate the whole land, break out into an ulcer, and so exulcerate all parts by its pestiferous, and diffusive contagion of ruinate destruction, But I hope that malady likewise will be averted from us, and the Kingdom likewise will be soundly purged from all distempers that now corrupt it: then I say, all discords and distractions will be ended, at the reciprocal and mutual conjunction of the King and Parliament. Thus shall piety, and sincere Religion distend its branches once more, peace and security reflourish again within our walls, and all tumultuous confusions be anihilated and abolished, to the honor of God's holy name, the glory and fame of his Majesty, the immortal renown and credit of the Parliament, and the eternal prosperity of the Kingdom.