4

3 in

in it, according to worldly apprehension of sovereign power. You have testified your value and affection as to my person, as high as you could; for more you could not do! I hope I shall always keep a grateful memory of this in my heart;—and by you I return 2 the Parliament this my grateful acknowledgment. Whatever other men's thoughts may be, I shall not own gratitude.—But I must needs say, That that may be fit for you to offer, which may not be fit for me to undertake. [Profound silence.] And as I should reckon it a very great presumption, should I ask of you the reason of your doing any one thing in this Paper, (except 'in' some very few things, the 'new' Instrument, 'this Paper,' bears testimony to itself), 5-so you will not take it unkindly if I ask of you this addition of the Parliament's favour, love and indulgence unto me, That it be taken 6 in tender part if I give such an answer as I find in my heart to give in this business, without urging many reasons for it, save such as are most obvious, and most for my advantage in answering, To wit,8 That I am not able for such a trust and charge. [Won't have it, then !]

And if the answer of the tongue, as well as the preparation of the heart, be from God, I must say my heart and thoughts ever since I heard the Parliament were upon this business-[Sentence breaks down]-For' though I could not take notice of your proceedings therein without breach of your privileges, yet as a common person I confess I heard of it, as in common with others. -I must say I have been able to attain no farther than this, That, seeing the way is hedged up so as it is to me, 'and' I cannot accept the things offered unless I accept all, I have not been able to find it my duty to God and you to undertake this charge under that Title. [Refuses, yet not so very peremptorily!]

1[Carlyle printed "approbation" (which he noted as meaning value) following a misreading in Burton; the Clarke and Carte MSS. have "comprehension."] 2["give," ibid.]

4" do," in MSS.]

3["know, Carte MS.]

5["of itself," Clarke MS.]

6 ["towards me," ibid.; "if it be taken," Carte MS.]

7[Last three words omitted in ibid.]

8[Clarke MS. omits "in answering;" Carte MS. has " advantage" and pose" written one over the other with a query as to which is correct.]

The most I said in commendation of the 'new' Instrument may be retorted 1 on me;—'as' thus: "Are there such good 'things so well provided for 'in this Instrument;' will you "refuse to accept them because of such an ingredient?" Nothing must make a man's conscience a servant. And really and sincerely it is my conscience that guides me to this answer. And if the Parliament be so resolved, 'for the whole Paper or none of it,' it will not be fit for me to use any inducement to you to alter their resolution.

This is all I have to say. I desire it may, and do not doubt but it will, be with candour and ingenuity represented unto them by you.*

His Highness would not in all circumstances be inexorable, one would think!-No; he is groping his way through a very intricate business, which grows as he gropes; the final shape of which is not yet disclosed to any soul. The actual shape of it on this Friday afternoon, 3d April 1657, I suppose he has, in his own manner, pretty faithfully, and not without sufficient skill and dignity, contrived to express. Many considerations weigh upon his Highness; and in itself it is a most unexampled matter, this of negotiating about being made a King! Need of wise speech; of wise reticence no less. Nay it is of the nature of Courtship withal: the young lady cannot answer on the first blush of the business; if you insist on her answering, why then she must even answer, No!

1["returned," Carte and Clarke MSS.]

2why cannot you" in MSS. which probably means as above. The Carte MS. has without such an ingredient," but that does not seem to make sense.] ["inducements by you," Clarke and Carte MSS.]

*Additional Ayscough MSS. no. 6125, p. 314; printed in Burton, i. 417; and Parliamentary History, xxiii. 161. [Also Clarke MS. 29, f. 33 b, and Carte Papers, lxxx. f. 755. This speech, says a newsletter, "made many joyful and others sad.' "There are various comments put upon it," says another letter, 'some declaring it positive, others infer room for a farther address." (Clarke Papers, iii. 101, 102.).]

VOL. III.-3

SPEECH IX

Wednesday, 8th April 1657. The Parliament, justly interpreting this No of his Highness, has decided that it will adhere to its Petition and Advice, and that it will present reasons to his Highness;' has got, thanks to our learned Bulstrode and others, its reasons ready; and, this day, 'at three in the afternoon,' walks over in a body to the Banqueting-House, Speaker Widdrington carrying in his hand the Engrossed Vellum, and a Written Paper of 'Reasons,' to present the same.1 What Speaker Widdrington spoke on the occasion is happily lost; but his 'Reasons,' which are very brief, remain on the Record; 2. and will require to be transcribed. They are in the form of a Vote or Resolution, of date yesterday, 7th April 1657.

'Resolved, That the Parliament having lately presented their 'Humble Petition and Advice to your Highness, whereunto they 'have not as yet received satisfaction; and the matters contained in that Petition and Advice being agreed-upon by the Great 'Council and Representative of the Three Nations; which mat'ters, in their judgment, are most conducing to the good of the 'People thereof both in Spiritual and Civil concernments: They 'have therefore thought fit

'To adhere to this Advice; and to put your Highness in mind 'of the great obligation which rests upon you in respect of this 'Advice; and again to desire you to give your Assent thereunto.'

Which brief Paper of Reasons, Speaker Widdrington having read and then delivered to his Highness, with some brief touches of mellifluous eloquence now happily lost,-his Highness, with a look I think of more than usual seriousness, thus answers the Assembled Parliament and him: 3

MR. SPEAKER,

No man can put a greater value than I hope I do, and shall do, upon the desires and advices of Parlia

2 Ibid.

1 Commons Journals, ii. 520-1 (6th, 8th April); Burton, i. 421. 3 [For this speech, Carlyle used the report (printed from an old pamphlet) in the old Parliamentary History. There are other versions in Add. MS. 6125, and the Clarke and Sloane MSS., and a good abstract in the third person, in Mercurius Politicus, No. 356 (and the Public Intelligencer, No. 78). These last introduce the speech by saying, the Speaker having communicated the sense of the House, his Highness was pleased to make a return by a speech with his wonted piety, wisdom and moderation, whereof these following are heads."]

44

ment. I could in my own heart aggravate, both concerning the Persons advising and concerning the Advice ;-readily acknowledging that it is the Advice of the Parliament of these Three Nations, And if a man could suppose it were not a Parliament to some; [Malignants there are who have such notions]—yet doubtless it should be so to me, and to us all that are engaged in this common Cause wherein we have been engaged. I say, surely it ought to be a Parliament to us! Because it arises as a result of those issues, and determinations of Settlement, that we have laboured to arrive at! And therefore I do most readily acknowledge the 'weight of' authority 'you have in' advising these things.

I can also aggravate to myself the general notions of the Things Advised-to; as being things tending to the settlement of the chiefest Interests1 that can possibly fall into the hearts of men to desire 2 or endeavour-after. And at such 'a' time, 'too;' when truly, I may think, the Nation is big with expectation of something that may add to their better Being.—I therefore must needs put a very high esteem 'upon,' and have a very reverent opinion of anything that comes from you.

3

And so I have had of this Instrument:-and, I hope, so 4 I have expressed. And what I have expressed hath been, if I flatter not myself, from a very honest heart towards the Parliament and the Public. I say not these things to compliment you. For we are past all those things, all considerations of that kind! [Serious enough his Highness is, and all are; the Nations and the Ages, and indeed the MAKER of the Nations and the Ages, looking on us here!] We must all be very real now, if ever we will be so

'Now,' howbeit your title and name you give to this Paper [Looking on the Vellum] makes me to think you intended Ad

1'things' again, in orig.

2[Carlyle printed "devise," but all the texts have "desire."]

["anything," Clarke MS. and Add. MS. 6125.]

4" as," Clarke MS.; "so I have already expressed myself," Mercurius Politicus.]

5["And what hath been expressed," Add. MS. 6125.]

vice; and I should transgress against all reason, should I make any other construction than that' you did intend Advice: 'yet' -!-[Still hesitates, then ?]-I would not lay a burden upon my 1 beast but I would consider his strength to bear it! And if you will lay a burden upon a man that is conscious of his own infirmities and disabilities, and doth make some measure of counsel that may seem to come from Heaven, counsel in the Word of God (who leaves a room for charity, and for men to consider their own strength), I hope it will be no evil in me2 to measure your Advice and my own Infirmities together. And truly these will have some influence upon conscience! Conscience in him that receives talents 3 to know how he may answer the trust of them. And such a conscience have I had in this matter;' and still have ; and therefore when I thought I had an opportunity to make an Answer, I made that Answer [The unemphatic Negative; truest “Answer” your Highness then had : can it not grow an Affirmative?] -and am a person, and have been, before and then and since, lifting up my heart to God, To know what might be my duty at such a time as this, and upon such an occasion and trial as this was to me! [Deep silence: Old Parliament casts down its eyes.]—

Truly, Mr. Speaker, it hath been heretofore a matter of I think but philosophical discourse, That a great place, great authority,5 it is a great burden. I know it is so. And I know a man that is convinced in his conscience, that Nothing less will enable him to the discharge of it than Assistance 6 from Above. And' that it may very well require in such a subject, so convinced and so persuaded, to be right with the Lord in such an undertaking!7 -And therefore, to speak very clearly and plainly to you: I had, and I have, my hesitations 8 'as' to that individual thing. [Still Negative, your Highness?] If I undertake anything not in Faith,

["any," Add. MS. 6125.]

2["in me" is only in MS. 6125.] Meaning charges,' 'offices.' [No doubt an allusion to the parable of the Talents. Clarke MS. has "received."] 4["occasions," ibid.]

great places, great place, that great authority," Sloane MS.] 6" than to have assistance," Clarke MS.]

have hesitation," ibid.]

7["such undertakings," ibid.]

9

if undertaken," ibid.]