Page:Eikonoklastes - in answer to a book intitl'd Eikon basilike - Milton (1649).djvu/19

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THE PREFACE

Loyalty and Allegeance to the King, Rebels in the mean while to God in all thir aftions be fide: much less that they whose profess'd Loyalty and Allegeance led them to direct Armes against the Kings Person, and thought him nothing violated by the Sword of Hoftility drawn by them againft him, should now in earnest thinke him violated by the unfparing Sword of Justice, which undoubtedly so much the less in vaine fhee bearesatnong Men, by how much greater and in higheft place the offender. Els Juftice, whether moral or political^ were not Juftice., but a fals counterfet of that impartial and Godlike vertue. The onely griefe is, that the head was not ftrook off to the best advantage and commodity of them that held it by the haire: Which observation, though made by a Common Enemie, may for the truth of it heerafter become a Proverb. But as to the Author of these Soliloquies, whether it were the late Ring, as is Vulgarly beleev U, or any secret Coadjutor^ and some stick not to name him, it can add nothing, nor (hall take from the weight, if any be, of reaion which he brings. But allegations, not reasons are the maine Contents of this Book} and need no more then other contrary allegations to lay the question before all Men in an eev'n ballance 5 though it were fuppos'd that the Testimony of one man in his own cause affirming, could be of any moment to bring in doubt the autority of a Parlament denying. But if these his faire fpokn words (hall be heer fairely confronted and laid parallel to his own farr differing deeds, manifest and visible to the whole

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