General Monk's Speech to the Members of Parliament, met at Whitehall, Feb. 21, 1659. Gentlemen, You Ou are not, I hope, ignorant, what Cares and Endeavours have been used, and Means essayed, for healing the Breaches of our Divifions amongst our felves, and that in Order thereunto divers Conferences have been procured between you, tho' to small Effect; yet having at length received fuller Satisfaction from these worthy Gentlemen that were fecluded than formerly; I was bold to put you all to the Trouble of this Meeting, that I might open my self to you all, even with more Freedom than formerly: But left I might be misapprehended or mistaken, as of late it befel me; I have committed to Writing the Heads of what I intended to difcourfe to you, and defire it may be read openly to you all. The Declaration of his Refolution to fettle the Nation in a Commonwealth Foundation, delivered the fame Day and Year. I Gentlemen, T appears unto me, by what I have heard from you and the whole Nation, that the Peace and happy Settlement of these bleeding Nations, next under God, lyeth in your Hands. And when I confider that Wisdom, Piety, and Self-denial, which I have Reason to be confident lodgeth in you, and how great a fhare of the Nation's Sufferings will fall upon you, in cafe the Lord deny us now a Settlement, I am in very good Hopes there will be found in you all, fuch Bowels towards thefe poor Nations, and and towards one another, that you will become Healers and Makers up of all its woful Breaches. And that fuch an Opportunity may clearly appear to be in your Hands, I thought good to affure you, and that in the Prefence of God, that I have nothing before my Eyes but God's Glory,and the Settlement of thefe Nations upon Commonwealth Foundations. In Purfuit whereof, I fhall think nothing too dear: And for my own Particular I fhall throw my felf down at your Feet to be any thing or nothing in order to these great Ends. As to the Way of future Settlement,far be it from me to impofe any thing,I defire you may be in perfect Freedom, only give me leave to mind you, That the old Foundations are by God's Providence fo broken, that in the Eye of Reason, they cannot be restored but upon the Ruins of the People of these Nations, that have engaged for their Rights, in Defence of the Parliament, and the great and main Ends of the Covenant, for uniting and make the Lords name one in the three Nations: And alfo the Liberty of the People's Reprefentatives in Parliament will be certainly left: For if the People find, that after fo long and bloody a War with the King for breaking in upon their Liberties, yet at last he must be taken in again; it will be out of Question, and is most manifeft, he may for the future govern by his Will, difpofe of Parliaments and Parliament Men as he pleaseth, and yet the People will never more rife to their Affiftance. And as to the Intereft of this famous City (which hath been in all Ages the Bulwork of Parliaments, and unto whom I am for their great Affection fo deeply engaged,) certainly it must lie in a Commonwealth, that Government only, being capable to make them (through the Lord's Bleffing) the Metropolis and Bank of Trade for Christendom, whereunto God and Nature, hath fitted them above all others. And And as to a Government in the Church, the Want whereof hath been no fmall Cause of thefe Nations 'Distractions: It is most manifeft, that if it be Monarchical in the State, the Church must follow, anu Prelacy must be brought in, which thefe Nations I know cannot bear, and against which they have so folemnly sworn. And indeed moderate, not rigid Presbyterian Government, with a fufficient Liberty for Confci. ences truly tender, appears at prefent to be the most indifferent and acceptable Way to the Church's Settlement. The main thing that feems to lye in the Way, is the Interest of the Lords, even of thofe Lords who have fhewed themselves Noble indeed, by joining with the People, and in Defence of thofe juft Rights, have adventured their dearest Blood and large Eftates. To that I shall only say, that though the State of these Nation be such, as cannot bear their fitting in a diftin& House; yet certainly, the Wisdom of Parliament will find out fuch Hereditary Marks of Honour for them, as may make them more Noble in After-ages. Gentlemen, upon the whole Matter, the best Refult that I can make at prefent for the Peace of thefe Nations, will be, in my Opinion, that you forthwith go to fit together in Parliament; in order, 1. To the settling the Conduct of the Armies of the three Nations in that manner that they may be serviceable to the Peace and Safety of them, and not to its own and the Nation's Ruin, by Faction and Divifion. 2. To the providing fufficient Maintenance for them, that is, for the Forces by Land, and for the Navy by Sea, and all their Arrears of both, and other Contingencies of the Government. 3. To the appointing a Council of State, with Authority to settle the Civil Government and Judicatories dicatories in Scotland and Ireland, and to take care for the iffuing of Writs for the fummoning a Parliament of these three Nations united, to meet at Westminster the 20th Day of April next, with fuch Qualifications as may fecure the Publick Cause we are all engaged in, and according to such Distributions as were used in the Year 1654. Which Parliament fo called, may meet and act in Freedom, for the more full establishing of this Commonwealth, without a King, fingle Perfon, or House of Lords. 4. To a legal Diffolution of this Parliament, to make Way for Succeffion of Parliaments. And in Order to these good Ends, the Guards will not only willingly admit you, but faithfully both my felf, and every the Officers and Soldiers of the three Nations, will spend their Blood for and fucceffive Parliaments. you If your Conjunction be directed to this End, you may part honourably, having made a fair Step to the Settlement of thefe Nations, by making a Way for fucceffive Parliaments. But I must needs say, that if any different Coun cels fhould be taken (which I have no reason to fear) these Nations would presently be thrown back into Force and Violence, and all Hopes of this much-defired Establishment buried in Disorder; which the Lord, in his great Mercy, I hope will prevent. And fo God speed you well together, and unite your Hearts for the Preservation of Peace and Settlement of these Nations, to his own Glory and yours, and all our Comforts. The The Lord General Monk's Speech in Parliament, Feb. 6. 1659. recommending a speedy Settlement of the Nation, a free full Parliament, readmittance of the Members fecluded in 1648, a Gospel - Ministry, and Encouragement of Learning and Univerfities, &c. Mr. Speaker, A Mongst the many Mercies of God to these poor Nations, your peaceable Restauration is not the leaft: it is his Work alone, and to him belongs the Glory of it: and I efteem it as a great Effect of his Goodness to me, that he was pleased to make me, amongst many worthier in your Service, some way inftrumental in it. I did nothing but my Duty, and do not deserve to receive fo great Honour and Refpect as you are pleased to give me at this Time and Place, which I fhall ever acknowledge as an high Mark of your Favour to me. Sir, I fhall not now trouble you with large Narratives, only give me leave to acquaint you, That as I march'd from Scotland hither, I observed the People in most Countries in great and earnest Expectations of Settlement; and they made feveral Applications to me, with numerous Subfcriptions: The chiefeft Heads of their Defires were, For afree and full Parliament; and that you would determine your fitting; A Gospel - Ministry, Incouragement of Learning and Universities, and for admittance of the Members fecluded before 1648, without any previous Oath or Engagement. To which I commonly answered, That you are now in a free Parliament; and if there be any Force remaining upon you, I would endeavour to remove it; and that you had voted to fill up your House, |