THE Earl of Manchester's SPEECH TO His Maiesty.
THat this day may prove happy to Your Majesty, is the Hope, the Expectation, and the earnest Desire of my Lords the Peers, whose Commands are upon me to make this humble Tender to Your Majesty, of their Loyal Joy for Your Majesties safe Return to your native Kingdom, and for this happy Restoration of Your Majesty to your Crown and Dignity, after [Page 2]so long, and so severe a Suppression of Your just Right and Title.
I shall not reflect upon Your Majesties Sufferings, which have been your Peoples Miseries; yet I cannot omit to say, That as the Nation in general, so the Peers with a more personal and particular sense have felt the stroke that cut the Gordian Knot which fastned Your Majesty to your Kingdom, and Your Kingdom to Your Majesty.
For since those strange and various Fluctuations and Discomposures in Government, since those horrid and unparallell'd Violations of all Order and Justice, Strangers have ruled over us, even with a Rod of Iron: But now with satisfaction of Heart, We own and see your Majesty Our Native King, a Son of the Wise, a Son of the ancient Kings, whose hand holds forth a Golden Scepter.
[Page 3] Great King! Give me leave to speak the Confidence, as well as the Desires, of the Peers of England: Be you the Powerful Defender of the True Protestant Faith, the Just Assertor and Maintainer of the Laws and Liberties of Your Subjects; so shall Judgement run down like a River, and Justice like a mighty Stream; and God, the God of Your Mercy, who hath so miraculously preserved You, will establish Your Throne in Righteousness and in Peace.
Dread Soveraign! I offer no flattering Titles, but speak the Words of Truth: You are the desire of three Kingdoms, the Strength and the Stay of the Tribes of the People, for the moderating of Extremities, the reconciling of Differences, the satisfying of all Interests, and for the restoring of [Page 4]the collapsed Honour of these Nations. Their Eyes are toward Your Majesty, their Tongues with loud Acclamations of Joy, speak the thoughts and Loyal intentions of their Hearts; their Hands are lift up to heaven with Prayers and Praises: and what Oral Triumph can equal this Your Pomp and Glory?
Long may your Majesty live and reign; a Support to Your Friends, a Terror to your Enemies, an Honor to your Nation, & an Example to Kings, of Piety, Justice, Prudence and Power; that this Prophetick Expression may be verified in your Majestie, King Charles the second shall be greater then ever was the greatest of that Name.
HIS MAJESTIES Gracious Answer TO THE Earle of Manchesters SPEECH, Made in the Name of the House of Peers, At the Arrival of His MAJESTY AT WHITE-HALL, On the 29th of May, 1660.
London, Printed by John Macock, and Francis Tyton, Printers to the House of Lords, 1660.
His Majesties Gracious Answer to the Earl of
Manchester's Speech, Made in the Name of the House of Peers, at the Arrival of His Majesty at
Whitehall, on the twenty ninth of
May, 1660.
I Am so disordered by My Journey, and with the Noise still sounding in My Ears (which I [Page 2]confess was pleasing to Me, because it Expressed the Affections of My People) as I am unfit at the present to make such a Reply as I desire; Yet thus much I shall say unto you, That I take no greater Satisfaction to My Self in this My Change, then that I finde My Heart Really set to endeavour by all means for the Restoring of this Nation to their Freedom and Happiness, And I hope by the Advice of my Parliament to effect it. Of this also you may be confident, That next to the Honour of God, from whom principally I shall ever Own this Restoration to My Crown, I shall study the Welfare of My People; And [Page 3]shall not only be a True Defender of the Faith, But a Just Assertor of the Laws and Liberties of My Subject.