Brave Chapmen indeed I But how doe they deale with his Majesty? If he will
doe as they would have him; that is, yield up his Crowne and Dignity, send the
Church a begging, part with his Negative voice, root up the Fundamentalls of Parliament,
establish a perpetuall State-Junto, or Senate after the Venetian Modell,
wherein none but the Grandee-Brethren shall be admitted, and content himselfe
with a Share among them, as a Duke, or Lord President, then he shall bee bugbear'd
no longer with publique Triall and execution, but be brought to London, to
help to damne the only remaining Enemies, Presbyberians and Levellers.
This is that they aime at, and the Ground of their proceeding stands thus In
either Kingdome[unr]h Royallists are so crush't, that they suppose the King can at present
hop little Releese from them & it's presumed they will easily be content to acquisee
in any Conditions of Settlement, which his Majesty shall accept of. And if
this could bee effected, then the Levellers would fall of themselves. As for the Scots
they being balanc'd & clogg'd with an Independent Interest at home, it's presum'd,
they can do nothing considerable; and the Sinews of all their undertakings (viz. the
Purses of the Londoners, and the persons of the Presbyterian leaders) being under
the Independent power, there wants nothing to make the possession lasting, but a
Settlement (if they can bring it about) upon such Terms as they labour to impose
upon the King; which when they find hee will not entertaine, then they will kick
off their private addresses, and returne to new Courses and Counsels in publique,
which may extend to a continued Imprisonment, but never to the Life of his Majesty.
For (setting aside the lofty threats which walke abrord in the ordinary mouthes
of this mad Fraternity) divers of the leading men are knowne to be so rationall, that
it is absur'd to imagine, they should voluntarily throw away that main Advantage
(whereby they have effected all their great matters) in the possessiion of the Kings
Person; which, if the King were defunct, is immediately transferred to other
hands, that have an influence upon the Prince, his Successor. So that they dare not,
and cannot (without wilfull madnesse) touch the Life of his Majesty.
But yet they boast, they will put the Prince's nose out of Joynt, and flie to their
maine reserve, the innocent young Duke of Glocester, and set him up (in what State
it pleases themselves) to carry the shadow of a King, whilst they Act all in his name,
seat themselves and friends in all places of Trust and power at home, settle Correspondencies,
and Leagues with Forrainers abroad, and then when all is sure, lay him
to sleepe in convenient time with his Forefathers. In the meane time, the Kingdome
must never looke for Peace: For, the next Heires of the Crowne being of ripe
yeares, safe, and well-beloved, will never want followers and partakers both within
and without: And so, put case they should let the Duke of Glocester live and have
Issue, it would be a meanes to low seeds of dissension in the Royall Family,
occasion perpetuall Broyles between the Branches, and revive new sends, like those
ancient ones betwix? Yorke and Lancaster, which (for many yeares) brought a Deluge
of Blood and Desolation upon the Kingdom,- Give care and regard, ô yee
Commons of England, if their Counsels urne this way, then begins your Misery
and Slavery, and perhaps also the Destruction of his Majesty. But all are not mad