A History of Parliamentary Elections and Electioneering 16

A History of Parliamentary Elections and Electioneering 16

Roger._ Alas! alas! and that frighted you, did it?

 

_Humphrey._ Frighted me, ay marry did it, and I think ’twould

affright any honest man; you know I was always a King’s man,

and I would be taught to join with those, or give my Voice

for such, who, under the notion of crying against Popery and

Arbitrary Government, would pull down the King and the Bishops,

and set up a Commonwealth again.

 

_Roger._ Well, _Numps_, I believe thee to be an honest man, and

there be many in this land of thy condition, that are not of

any great reach in policies and tricks of State Mountebanks,

and so may be easily persuaded, upon false grounds, to betray

your country, your liberties, your lives, and religion.

 

_Humphrey._ Nay, that was not all; he then read another printed

paper, with a hard name, I think it was _Hercules Rideing_, or

something of jest and earnest which I laughed heartily at, and

methought there were some things called ‘_Querks_,’ which made

a jingling and noise in my ears, that I thought there was some

spell in it, for it seemed to join with _Mistress Iniquity_, to

make all the Presbyterians traitors, and most of the people of

England mad and factious.

 

_Roger._ There is as much heed to be given to these pamphlets

as to the jingling of Morrice-bells. They are hired to set the

people together by the ears, and are Papists in masquerade;

things set up to affright the people out of their senses, with

the buy leave of ’41; wise men see through them, honest men are

not affrighted at them, and fools and knaves only are led aside

by them.

 

_Humphrey._ But don’t we do now as formerly, before the late

wars? don’t we run in just the same steps as they did, who

caused all the late bloody doings, as those pamphlets would

make us believe?

 

_Roger._ I cannot tell what they mean by roads and highways;

pray Hodge, we are now riding in the High-road to the next

market-town; before the last Assizes, in this very road three

or four Highwaymen rode in it too, and robbed several persons,

and committed many villainous murders, and were at last caught

and hanged for it; now therefore, because we are riding in the

same Highway, must we honest men be accounted thieves, robbers,

and murderers, and all others who travel this road? that’s a

hard case.

 

_Humphrey._ You say right, neighbour Hodge, tho’ the gallows

stand in the highway, we need not run our Heads against it, nor

do anything to deserve it.

 

_Roger._ Shall not the people who feel the burden and groan

under the oppression, and, having no other way of redress but

a parliament, desire and petition for one, and cry out against

such illegal and unjust proceedings, but presently they must be

termed by these fellows seditious, factious, and such as would

dethrone the King, and pull down the Bishops? Then all men must

hereafter be afraid to speak, to vote, or to petition against

grievances, lest they should be termed rebels, villains, and

traitors.

 

* * * * *

 

_Humphrey._ O neighbour, my heart trembles! what a rogue was I

to vote at random, when our all lies at stake! I did not think

we had put such a trust into the hands of our Parliament-men;

I thought, alas, as many do, that we chose only for form-sake,

and that they were only called to Parliament to give the King

money, and to do what he would have them; and we have paid so

many taxes already, and given so much money, that I wished in

my heart there would be no more parliaments in my days.

 

_Roger._ You see you were mistaken; ’tis the greatest trust

that can be put into the hands of men, when we send to the

parliament our representatives, for we entrust them with our

religion, lives, liberties, and property, all we have; for they

may preserve them to us, give them from us, and therefore,

neighbour, we ought to be careful in whom we put this great

trust, and not be persuaded by our Landlord or any flattering

Courtier, or ‘_horn-winding Tantivie_’ of them all, to choose

those whom we know not, and are not well assured of, and that

we dare not confide in.”

 

Equally sound in argument is the following:--

 

 

“A SPEECH WITHOUT DOORS MADE BY A PLEBEIAN TO HIS NOBLE FRIENDS.

 

(PRINTED FOR B. T. 1681.)

 

Parliaments have been wont to take up some space at the first

Meetings to settle the House, and to determine of unlawful

elections, and in this point they never had greater cause to

be circumspect than at this time: For by an abuse lately crept

in, there is introduced a custom, which, if it be not seen and

prevented, will be a great derogation of the honour, and a

weakening of the power of your House, where the law giveth a

freedom to Corporations to elect Burgesses, and forbiddeth any

indirect course to be taken in their Elections, many of the

Corporations are so base-minded and timorous, that they will

not hazard the indignation of a Lord Lieutenant’s letter, who,

under-hand, sticks not to threaten them, if he hath not the

Election of the Burgesses, and not they themselves.

 

And commonly those that the Lords recommend are such as desire

it for protection, or are so ignorant of the place they serve

for, as that there being occasion to speak of the Corporation

for which they are chosen, they have asked their neighbours

sitting by, whether it were a sea or a land town?

 

The next thing that is required is _Liberty of Speech_,

without which Parliaments have little force or power; speech

begets doubts, and resolves them; and doubts in speeches beget

understanding; he that doubts much, asketh often, and learns

much; and he that fears the worst, soonest prevents a mischief.

 

This privilege of speech is anciently granted by the testimony

of Philip Cominus, a stranger,[24] who prefers our parliaments,

and the freedom of the subject in them, above all other

Assemblies; which Freedom, if it be broken or diminished, is

negligently lost since the days of Cominus.

 

If Freedom of Speech should be prohibited, when men with

modesty make repetition of the grievances and enormities

of the kingdom; when men shall desire Reformation of the

wrongs and injuries committed, and have no relation of evil

thoughts to his Majesty, but with open heart and zeal, express

their dutiful and reverent respect to him and his service;

I say, if this kind of Liberty of Speech be not allowed in

time of Parliaments, they will extend no farther than to

Quarter-Sessions, and their Meetings and Assemblies will be

unnecessary, for all means of disorder now crept in, and all

remedies and redresses will be quite taken away.

 

As it is no manners to contest with the King in his Election of

his Councillors and servants (for Kings obey no men, but their

laws), so it were a great negligence, and part of Treason, for

a subject not to be free in speech against the abuses, wrongs,

and offences that may be occasioned by Persons in authority.

What remedy can be expected from a prince to a subject, if the

enormities of the kingdom be concealed from him? or what King

so religious and just in his own nature, that may not hazard

the loss of the hearts of his subjects, without this Liberty

of Speech in Parliament? For such is the misfortune of most

princes, and such is the happiness of subjects where Kings’

affections are settled, and their loves so far transported to

promote servants, as they only trust and credit what they shall

inform.

 

In this case, what subject dares complain? or what subject

dares contradict the words or actions of such a servant, if it

be not warranted by Freedom of a Parliament, they speaking with

humility? for nothing obtaineth favour with a King, so much as

diligent obedience.

 

The surest and safest way betwixt the King and his people,

which hath the least scandal of partiality, is, with

indifference, and integrity, and sincerity, to examine the

grievances of the Kingdom, without touching the person of any

man, further than the cause giveth the occasion: for otherwise,

you shall contest with him that hath the prince’s ears open to

hearken to his enchanting tongue, he informs secretly, when you