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An Honest Man's VVISH FOR THE Prince of ORANGE.
- I. I Could Wish (though now indeed it is too late to Wish,) That the King had so well consulted the
Happiness of his own Person, his Children, and Subjects, as not to have deserted his
Kingdomes, but to have treated and complied with the Prince of Orange, who (I believe) came not to demand the least thing Unreasonable. But since he is
gone, and another Governour must be sought for,
- II. I could Wish, That the Prince of Orange's Title had not been so far Distant from the Crown: And that not only because He
has with the greatest Toyl, Hazard, and Expence so generously undertook (and, I hope,
compleated) our Deliverance from the very worst of Slavery and Bondage; but also because
I believe Him to be a Person for Virtue, Goodness, Courage, Conduct, and all other
Princely Qualifications most fit to Govern.
- III. I could Wish, That for these High Services and Merits, an answerable Recompence might soon be thought
of, and made to His Royal Highness. But then what is there in this World that can
truly answer them? Surely these Three great and flourishing Kingdomes will never sufficiently
requite such wonderful Desert. However
- IV. I could Wish, That some Men who now seek to requite Him the Crown, would consider whether they
do not at last requite Him with the greatest Affront and Injury. For whilst they pretend
to Bestow or Give it, they do indeed confront the very Words of the Prince's own most
Gracious Declaration, where in he assures Us that He came to preserve the Right of
Succession. Now the Giving of it (I presume) must Suppose it to be in their Power
or Disposal; and so it shall become meerly Elective, which will quite destroy the
Right of Succession that He by Promise has engaged Himself to maintain. And then if
there be any such thing as a Right of Succession, whilst they suppose that the Prince
of Orange will accept the Crown from their Hands, they must needs suppose Him to be Unjust
in receiving that which as yet belongs to another, unless they can prove that the
Two next which ought to come in before him have any way forfeited their Right. And
all this, I think, is no very Friendly Requital. But this may not prove the worst
yet. For whilst they break the cou [...]se of Succession by Giving the Kingdome to Him, and make it thus Elective, they may
possibly do the greatest Injury both to Him, and his Heirs after Him, though they
should be the Issue of his own very Body. For the Son will have no better a Title
than the Father: And as no Man knows whether his Son shall be a wise man, or a fool; so if he should seem a Fool in the Eyes of a Reigning Parliament or Convention, and
not fit to Govern, then what is become of his Inheritance? And so for the Prince himself:
should he receive the Crown now as a Gift from the Parliament or Convention, and that
also by their most Unanimous Consent; yet still, I fear, he would not be very secure
in the possession of it. For the Power that gives may soon challenge the same Power to take away likewise. And as the Humours of the Body Natural are said to be all changed once
in Seven Years, so may it be (if not much sooner also) in such a Body Politick. Nor
can this be any strange thing to suppose, if we consider the Years that are past.
So that the Prince after all (if he receive the Crown by way of Donation, must be
bound up to His Good Behaviour, and have a great care of Provoking or Disobliging,
lest the very Donor pretend some kind of Forfeiture. Again, suppose a great part of
the Three Kingdomes should be possessed with the Injustice of His Title, and appear
in Earnest for One whose Right it is, who knows but such Struglings and Convulsions
may follow, as may make Him the most Unhappy who is doubtless the most Meritorious
among Princes? And therefore for these Reasons, Lastly
- V. I could Wish, That the Wisdome of the Nation at this time Conveen'd, would think of some other
way to express their Gratitude to this Most Excellent Prince, who under God has been
Our only Deliverer. And doubtless no good Protestant can ever think they go too far,
whilst they act by the Rules of Law and Justice, without Subverting the Old Foundation.
But because after all, nothing that we can do will be a Valuable Compensation for
His Merits; I shall turn my good Wishes into most hearty Prayers, begging earnestly of God, That he would become His Exceeding great Reward, and give Him the Blessing of Abraham, who has been the wonderful Preserver, as he was the Father of the Faithful; That
he would make his Temporal Glory, Joy, and Happiness great and lasting, and then change
it into that which is Infinite and Eternal.
Printed in the Year, 1688.