Eikon Basilike: The Pourtracture of His Sacred Majestie, in His Solitudes and SufferingsCharles I, King of England
Religion
Eikon Basilike: The Pourtracture of His Sacred Majestie, in His Solitudes and Sufferings
Charles I, King of England
Charles I, King of England, 1600-1649 -- Early works to 1800; Great Britain -- History -- Civil War, 1642-1649
_Let the truth of that Religion I professe be represented to her
judgment, with all the beauties of humilitie, loyaltie, charitie, and
peaceablenesse; which are the proper fruits and ornaments of it: Not
in the odious disguise of Levitie, Schism, Heresie, Noveltie, Crueltie
and Disloyaltie, which some mens practices have put upon it._
_Let her see thy sacred and saving Truths as Thine; that she may
believe, love and obey them as Thine, cleared from all rust and drosse
of humane mixtures._
_That in the glasse of thy Truth Shee may see thee in those Mercies
which thou hast offered to us in thy Son Jesus Christ, our onely
Saviour, and serve thee in all those holy Duties, which most agree
with his holy Doctrine, and most imitable example._
_The experience we have of the vanitie and uncertaintie of all humane
Glorie and Greatnesse in our scatterings and eclypses, let it make
us both so much the more ambitious to be invested in those durable
Honours and perfections which are onely to be found in thy self, and
obtained throuqh Jesus Christ._
* * * * *
8. _Upon His Majesties repulse at_ Hull, _and the fates of the_
Hothams.
My repulse at _Hull_ seemed at the first view an act of so rude
disloyalty, that my greatest Enemies had scarce confidence enough
to abett or own it: It was the first overt Essay to be made, how
patiently I could bear the losse of my Kingdoms.
God knows, it affected me more with shame and sorrow for others, then
with anger for my Self; nor did the affront done to me, trouble me so
much as their sin, which admitted no colour or excuse.
I was resolved how to bear this, and much more with patience: But I
foresaw they could hardly contain themselves within the compass
of this one unworthy act, who had effrontery enough to commit or
countenance it. This was but the hand of that cloud, which was soon
after to overspread the whole Kingdom, and cast all into disorder and
darkness.
For 'tis among the wicked Maximes of bold and disloyall undertakers:
That bad actions must always be seconded with worse, and rather not
begun, then not carried on; for they think the retreat more dangerous
then the assault, and hate repentance more then perseverance in a
fault.
This gave me to see clearly thorow all the pious disguises, and soft
palliations of some men; whose words were sometime smoother then oil,
but now I saw they would prove very swords.
Against which I having (as yet) no defence, but that of a good
Conscience, thought it My best policie (with patience) to bear what
I could not remedie: And in this (I thank God) I had the better of
_Hotham_, that no disdain, or emotion of passion transported Me, by
the indignitie of his carriage, to do or say any thing unbeseeming
My self, or unsuitable to that temper, which, in greatest injuries,
I think, best becomes a Christian, as coming nearest to the great
example of Christ.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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