Speech to King James II - April 1687
The source for this document is https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo/A25219.0001.001
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
Mr. ALSOP 's SPEECH TO King JAMES the II.
At the presenting the Presbyterians Address, in April, 1687.
See London Gazette, No. 2238.
Humbly Inscribed
To B. B. B.—
As a Specimen of SINCERITY.
〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉A COPY of a SPEECH To King James the II. by Mr. Alsop, upon the presenting of an Address, as in the London Gazette, No. 2238.
Great Sir,
WE could wish your Majesty had a Window in our Breasts, through which you might discern how our Souls Embrace your Royal Clemency with the highest Admiration, and yet with the profoundest Veneration.
For we look upon ourselves truly transplanted from a hotter Climate, and happily seated under the temperate Zone of your Majesty's most mild and gentle Government, where instead of the scorching Beams of Severity, which had almost calcined us to Ashes, we now feel the cool Breezes of your Majesty's Favor to revive and refresh us.
Really Sir, though we pretend not to any refined Intellectuals, nor presume to Philosophise upon the Mysteries of Government, neither to pry into the Mysteries of State; which things as they are far above, so they belong not to us at all, yet we make some small Pretence to the Sense of Feeling; whatever our Dullness may be, yet we can easily distinguish between a Wound and a Plaister; and know the difference between the smart Lashes of some of our Fellow-Subjects, and the healing Clemency of our Sovereign.
We now, (Dear Sir) silently wait for some happy juncture to give your Majesty such essential Proofs of our Loyalty, and the Sincerity of this our humble Address; as may demonstrate that the greatest things, we have been able to express or promise in this poor Paper is the least thing we shall cheerfully perform for your Majesty's service and satisfaction.
Go on (Great Sir) in this your Royal Line, (that is) your own proper Way and Method of Grace and Clemency, that the World may be more fully and further convinced, that you are the best as well as the greatest, and therefore the greatest, because the best of Princes, that so if there should remain any Seeds of Disloyalty in any of your Subjects, this transcendent Goodness of yours may mortify and kill them, or if any Sparks of Duty should be almost smothered in well-meaning, though mistaken Minds, such sovereign Grace may awaken and revive them, which above all Regalia's, will most gloriously adorn your Majesty's Imperial Throne and Diadem.