Page:Eikonoklastes - in answer to a book intitl'd Eikon basilike - Milton (1649).djvu/25

This page needs to be proofread.
Εικονοκλάστης
5

England, then the Pope ever commanded from the Romish Laitie; or els a natural sottishness fitt to be abus'd and ridd'n. While in the judgement of wise Men, by laying the foundation of his defence on the avouchment of that which is so manifestly untrue, he hath giv'n a worse foile to his own cause, then when his whole Forces were at any time overthrown. They therfore who think such great Service don to the Kings affairs in publishing this Book, will find themselves in the end mistak'n: if sense and right mind, or but any mediocrity of knowledge and remembrance, hath not quite forsak'n men.

But to prove his inclination to Parlaments, he affirms heer, To have always thought the right way of them, most safe for his Crown, and best pleasing to his People. What he thought, we know not; but that he ever took the contrary way, wee saw; and from his own actions we felt long agoe what he thought of Parlaments or of pleasing his People: a surer evidence then what we heare now too late in words.

He alleges, that the cause of forbearing to convene Parlaments was the sparkes which some mens distempers there studied to kindle. They were indeed not temper'd to his temper; for it neither was the Law, nor the rule by which all other tempers were to bee try'd; but they were esteem'd and chos'n for the fittest men in thir several Counties, to allay and quench those distempers which his own inordinate doings had inflam'd. And if that were his refusing to convene, till those men had been qualify'd to his temper, that is to say, his will,

we