'Advertisements of a Loyal Subject to his Gracious Soveraign Drawn from Observations of the People's Speeches (1603)'

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1603. Sept. Aduertism[en]ts of a loyall Subiect to his Soueraigne drawne from an obseruation of the peoples speaches./

It is said that yo[u]r Ma[jes]tie will not continue the protection of the Low Countries, they Left margin: .1.be [th]e only yokefellows (as it were) of yo[u]r Religion, and although doubtles yo[u]r Ma[jes]ties high wisedom[m]e will forsee all inconueniences, yet [th]e simple Gospellers mourns for yo[u]r resolution: for if [th]e Spaniard preuaile against theis poore forsaken men, his forces by Sea are more then trebled; peace will quickly enriche him; wealth will add to his pride; his pride will increase his hatred to yo[u]r Religion & people; and the Pope euen [th]e firebrand of sedition,dissention euen when you are dispoiled of yo[u]r best aydsman by Sea in [th]e worlde will discouer his wonted malice against vs

The pretended title of the Infantha is not unknowne to yo[u]r Ma[jes]tie: yt shall not want [th]e Antichristian furtherance: the Spaniard is his dearest Childe: Your Kingdom[m]e shalbe by his 12v vnholy holiness giuen fortiori . Alas they shall haue no worke at home it will be but sport for them to warre upon you. Principijs obsta sero medicina paratur.

Left margin: 2It is sayd yt if yo[u]r Ma[jes]tie discontinue [th]e league with [th]e States, the Frenche are ready to entertayne [th]e bargaine. There is a certaine Antipathy betweene them and vs, and it is hard to iudge whither [th]e Spaniarde or the Frenche will proue worse neighbours unto you; your true Subiects therefore pray you keepe them both at the shaftes ende./

Left margin: 3.It is sayd that yo[u]r Ma[jes]tie doth receiue infinite nomber of Peticions; and the poore foolishe people think, [th]e Kinge hath leisure to atintend euery poore mans buisines. Rid yo[u]r handes betimes of suche importunacies, and except yo[u]r Ma[jes]tie see great cause to [th]e contrarie, referr them to [th]e ordinary Courts of iustice ordeyned for 13r the endinge of all differences, But if any complayne truly against [th]e chiefe Officers of what place or dignity so euer he be, heare him yo[u]rselfe (gratious Soueraigne) make but one or .2. examples of Iustice and we shall finde a golden chaunge soodainly; but yet the Lawe Talionis must be put in vre; yt [th]e vniust accuser be seuerely punished. Least the Magistrate be broughte into contempt./

Left margin: 4.It's sayd yo[u]r Ma[jes]tie giueth muche; Liberality in a Prince is a necessarie uertue, but yo[u]r Coffers are not sayd to be so full as yt they neede emptyinge, nor yo[u]r Estate in so great securitie, as yt it may endure a leane treasurie, after .2. or .3. yeares triall of yo[u]r neighbo[u]r confederates & their affections, and the better vnderstandinge of yo[u]r owne fortunes & occasions, your Ma[jes]tie shall better discerne out of what plenty, in what man[n]er, and to whome to giue. Your Subiectes haue byn of late yeares troubled w[i]th many Subsidies, and without 13v doubt the Com[m]ons are poore needy and in debt: They desire som[m]e ease, they wonder that yo[u]r Highnes doth not remitt [th]e remainder of the taxes & Subsidies yet behinde. they say it hath byn the Custom[m]e of Kinges at yeir first entrau[n]ce to [th]e Crowne so to do, and their hope in yt case is deceiued./

Left margin: 5. They pray you not to follow the opinion of Rehoboams yonge Cou[n]sello[u]rs, nor to suffer [th]e longe vse of taxes & subsidies to turne to a habite: for they uowe in defence of yo[u]r Ma[jes]tie, [th]e Gospell and the state, they wilbe prodigall of their liues and liuinges./

Left margin: 6.They say that som[m]e be aduanced to places of Iustice altogether unfitt for them in that they are ignorant of our Lawes & customes.

Our aduancem[en]ts to those of [th]e Gowne were wont to be as of those of the fielde fro[m] an old Souldio[u]r to a lieutenaunt, from a Lieut[enant] to a Capteyn, and so orderly to every place in [th]e Campe though indeede in [th]e dau[n]ger 14r there is som[m]e difference, for an vnskilfull Generall can seldom[m]e offende more then once, and then his life & all pay for it, but suche a Magistrat may peraduenture through 1000. ignorances, enritche himselfe and wronge an infinite nomber of poore people./

Left margin: 7.It's sayd that the office of [th]e M[aste]rshipp of [th]e Rolles shalbe executed by a Deputye; the Patentie is helde for a wise and hono[urable] Gentleman, but [th]e Deputye now spoken of is of no honest fame, and God forbidd that so good a Kinge should make so badd a president as to suffer a chiefe place of Iustice to be performed or rather abused by a Deputy, Or the Patentie should make sale of yo[u]r Ma[jes]ties free guifte: The place was in a manner executed by Deputies beafore, Suche were [th]e Iudges w[hi]ch pro tempore were Com[m]issioners but the due vse of the afternoone w[hi]ch the M[aste]r of the Rolles, did vsually spend to heare & end many causes, was a chiefe want whereof the Client complained. which course it is sayd the M[aste]r nowe 14v beinge can[n]ot follow by reason of his more neere and necessary employm[en]ts about yo[u]r Ma[jes]tie./

It's said the respect at the Courte of [th]e Scott by all the attendant officers there, is so partiall, as the Englishe finde them selues muche disgraced, the meanest of yt Country may enter the Prseence, and where not without controlment. But the English very vnseasonable (I wiss) are kept out, the fault is not said to be in yo[u]r Ma[jes]tie it is in [th]e foolishe gross clawinge of som[m]e of the English. But yo[u]r Ma[jes]tie must prouide that this indiscretion breede not a discreete emulation betwixt vs, who ought as we nowe profess but one God and one Kinge, so to haue but one hart; and yo[u]r English Subiects not to be disgraced: for it must be confessed (Right Noble Kinge) that [th]e Kingdom[m]e and people of England made you great: Many Offices hau ebyn taken fro[m][th]e Englishe and giuen to [th]e Scott, and some yt serued the State with good Com[m]endation (w[hi]ch 15r now yo[u]r Ma[jes]tie must esteeme don[n]e to yo[u]r selfe) remaine unthought of, and vnrewarded./

Left margin: .9.It is sayd that yo[u]r Ma[jes]tie purposeth to alter the man[n]er of our Gouernm[en]t; and fault is founde at o[u]r Com[m]on Lawes & customes of England, and spetially o[u]r triall by the oathes of .12. men w[hi]ch is without doubt the best and equallest course, & in it selfe least capable of Corruption. Euery alteration euen in a priuate family muche more in a Kingdom[m]e breedeth hurlie burly. Doubtless there be abuses in the Courts of Westminster, and chiefly in the Arbitrarie Courts, but if yo[u]r Ma[jes]tie had but once purified a fewe of the chiefest Officers, howe soodainly would yo[u]r Ma[jes]ties owne experience giue allowan[n]ce to our Com[m]on Lawes and Statutes w[hi]ch be euen fittinge to the occurrents and natures of the People and Kingdom[m]e./

Left margin: 10It's said that yo[u]r Ma[jes]tie of an ingenious & Royall nature not delightinge in popular salutacions doth 15v pass by great troupes of [th]e Com[m]ons w[i]th a kinde of kingly negligence, neither speakinge nor lookinge vpon them. The poorer sort of People are bold with yo[u]r Ma[jes]tie, they prate of [th]e name of their late Queene, when she was seene publiquely abroade would often speake kindely to [th]e Multitude discoueringe hir Royall acceptance of their ioyfull acclamations, many times also sayinge that hir Subiects hungry eies might haue their fill in beholdinge their Soueraigne. your Ma[jes]tie must in som[m]e sorte therefore satisfy their iealous affections, orels the poore Rascalls so farr as they dare wilbe angrie with you./

Left margin: 11It is sayd that yo[u]r Ma[jes]ties followers as well Englishe as Scotts proclaime open sale of [th]e moste an[n]cient and noble Order of Knighthoode, whereby som[m]e contrary to yo[u]r Highnes intent of vnworthy condition for bribes haue byn vnworthily made Knightes to the 16r dishono[u]r of yo[u]r Royall pallace, and [th]e disgrace of other Noble & vertuous Knightes./

Left margin: 12. Fax Plebis I wott not what to call them, but som[m]e there be who moste un[n]aturally and vnreuerently by egregious lyes, woul[n]d the hono[u]r and good fame of our deceassed Soueraigne not only taxinge hir good gouernm[en]t but hir Person with sundrie manifest vntruthes, and [th]e foolish indigesta moles yo[u]r Com[m]ons of London (I should say som[m]e of them for doubtles all are not so lewd) haue put out hir name, where it was engrauen & painted vnder the armes of [th]e Kingdom[m]e. And it is said they are about to alter certaine Monuments once dedicated to hir, as beinge lothe belike to be at any new cost with yo[u]r Ma[jes]tie. Surely theis slaunders be the deuises of [th]e Papistes, arguinge thereby at the defamation of the gospell, it will proue therefore your Ma[jes]tie trulie 16v magnanimious, to prouide for [th]e preseruation of hir famous memorie by all meanes./

Left margin: 13.It is said yt many ancient and poore Officers at Court be displaced, and [th]e place giuen to yo[u]r Countrymen the Scottishe, indeede to say true, it is meet that yo[u]r Ma[jes]ties knowne Seruants should be for yo[u]r Ma[jes]ties neerest imployment, nor is it any dishono[u]r to the English Nation, that yo[u]r good Seruants be preferred, so that yo[u]r Ma[jes]tie leaue not the well deseruinge disgraced. The people are rightly termed a Beaste of many heads; so many men so manie mindes; yet which is the worke of God I heare euery man loueth and reuerenceth yo[u]r Ma[jes]tie. Let therefore [th]e admirable man[n]er of yo[u]r Ma[jes]ties com[m]inge to so opulent a Kingdom[m] be euer before yo[u]r eies. God is chiefly to be honored, true Religion to bee more & more aduanced, the Com[m]on wealth to be cherished w[hi]ch consisteth 17r chiefly of home-borne men. It were good we could forgett all difference of Nations, and repaire the almoste decayed name of great Britayne./

Doubtless vnto so wise a Prince a worde is inough: and therefore poore I, who haue alwaies in my priuate conferrence, mainteyned yo[u]r Ma[jes]ties iust Title so farr as I durst, will here ende. Blessinge my God that I see the happy daye, wherein the Kingdomes soe longe disioyned be nowe vnited in one Royall person, whose posterity I hope will so obey God as they may Continue Kinges of this Lande, vntill [th]e dissolution of [th]e Uniuersall./