Regarding the Union, 1607
Saturni secundo Maii, 1607
In which James I addresses both Houses in Parliament, by turns exhorting, cajoling and issuing veiled threats:At Two a Clock in the Afternoon, the House attended at Whytehall, according to Direction, as also the Lords and Bishops of the Upper House; and his Majesty there sitting in State, in the great Chamber (a Presence for that Day) spake unto them in the Manner following; viz.
King's Speech concerning the Union.
My Lords, and you Gentlemen of the Lower House of Parliament :
IT is the chiefest Comfort of the Sower, to sow his Seed in good Ground, where there is Hope it may yield Fruit. Since I last spake unto you, I have heard, by common Report, with what Applause and good Liking my Speech hath been received, and digested: I hope you continue in the same Liking still; and I wish, my Hope may not be deceived ; that my Seed hath not fallen into stony or sandy Hearts; whereby what I spake may be mistaken, prove barren by preconceived Opinions, the Growth be choaked, forgotten, or carried away by the Fowls of the Air, or perverted contrary to my Meaning. . . . I shall do but the Part of a good Gardener, to prune, and dress, and take away the Weeds and Brambles, that may hinder the Springing and Budding of this good Plant. And because there are, and may be, divers Explications and Expositions of my Speech, I was desirous to explain myself unto you; for (as I said in my former Speech) ejus est explicare, cujus est condere. I have not hindered any Speech; for it is not my Manner, neither have I Time to do it. . . .
I. Upon my Speech some have builded Gold and Silver ; some, Hay and Stubble: I must be as a Fire to consume and burn up the Hay and Stubble, and to sift out, and preserve, the Gold and Silver. I understand, that some have interpreted my Words, as expressing a Desire and Proposition of a perfect Union. I have not studied (as I said) to give a full Answer to such Interpreters; but I know you can put a Difference between wise Men, and Fools: Fools handle Things either with Subtilty, or Ignorance; wise Men, with Substance, and solid Argument. I propounded ever, and so I crave at your Hands, an absolute and full Union, but not a perfect Union; such an Union, as must have that Preparation which is made: And, because I spake of an absolute Union, to say, or think, I wished nothing in the mean Time, were absurd. But it is most true, I ever wished such an Union as there might be unus Rex, unus grex, una lex. . . .
It is merely idle and frivolous, to conceive that any imperfect Union is desired, or can be granted : It is no more unperfect, as now it is projected, than a Child, that is born without a Beard. It is already a perfect Union in me, the Head. If you wanted a Head, that is me, your King over you all; or if you were of yourselves no Body; then you had Reason to say, it were unperfect; but it is now perfect in my Title and Descent, though it be not an accomplisht and full Union; for that Time must ripen and work.
When a Child is in the Mother's Womb, though it hath all the Lineaments and Parts of a Body, yet it is but an Embrio, and no Child; and shall be born in his due Time: When it is born, though it then be a perfect Child, yet it is no Man; it must gather Strength and Perfection by Time: Even so is it in this Case of Union. The Union is perfect in me; that is, it is an Union in my Blood and Title; yet but in embroine perfect. Upon the late Queen's Death, the Child was first brought to Light; but to make it a perfect Man, to bring it to an accompisht Union, it must have Time and Means; and if it be not at the first, blame not me; blame Time; blame the Order of Nature. . . .
II. The second Part of my Division is, to answer Objections.
1. One Objection is, What Gain shall we have by it ?
I thought I had expressed it sufficiently before. But do they ask, What Gain? Is it not Gain, to add a Nation to this; to make it One great and glorious Empire; to have that People to join their Arms and Strength with you upon all Occasions; to make of half a Land One intire; to add to the Splendor of the King's Court; to turn Curses into Blessings; to turn Blood and Rapine into Peace and Plenty; remembering always, that you have the Blessing of the Seat here, and that this is the Center? . . .
I am your King: I am placed to govern you, and shall answer for your Errors: I am a Man of Flesh and Blood, and have my Passions and Affections as other Men: I pray you, do not too far move me to do that which my Power may tempt me unto.
Now for the Course I would have you hold, the third Part of my Division; let it be my Advice, that you do all Things with Reverence; with Love; that it may seem, you have Duty, Respect, and Care to please him, that will, by all his best Endeavours, seek to give you Contentment. . . .
I would wish you proceed with Order, and with Diligence, and above all, with Love to your Sovereign: I say, with the more Diligence; because now the Sickness increasing, the Heat of the Year, yea your own Hay-harvest, do persuade you to make haste into the Country. Make no more Doubts than is needful; where every thing is made doubtful, there nothing will ever come to Perfection. If any Doubts do arise, make me acquainted with them; pour them into my Bosom; I will strive to give you Satisfaction: If I cannot answer, or satisfy them, let the Blame rest upon me. And, to conclude, I desire, that your Travels may be such as you may procure Strangers to reverence us, our Enemies to fear us, our Friends to be glad, our Subjects to rejoice with you and me; that the World may see, there is an Union still in working and proceeding: That you beware of all fanatical Spirits, all extraordinary, and colourable Speeches; that there be no Distractions, nor Distempers, among you; that you breed not Contempt to the great Work so well begun, and Discouragement to others that wish well; that you tempt not the Patience of your Prince; and finally, that, with all Speed, you proceed with as much as can be done at this Time, and make not all you have done, frustrate.
TL;DR version: Union! Good for ME, Good for you. (Who wouldn't want me to be Emperor of an Empire?!) I'm your King, do as I say. I'm your King, I can bend metaphor to my will. I'm your King, listen to me and not to those fanatics who spout partisan hogwash to sway you. I'm your King, don't get me cheesed off. Yo. Union! Vote it in, bitches.
/morning dose of historical perspective
This entry was originally posted at http://lapin-agile.dreamwidth.org/121828.html. (There are
comments.)
In which James I addresses both Houses in Parliament, by turns exhorting, cajoling and issuing veiled threats:At Two a Clock in the Afternoon, the House attended at Whytehall, according to Direction, as also the Lords and Bishops of the Upper House; and his Majesty there sitting in State, in the great Chamber (a Presence for that Day) spake unto them in the Manner following; viz.
King's Speech concerning the Union.
My Lords, and you Gentlemen of the Lower House of Parliament :
IT is the chiefest Comfort of the Sower, to sow his Seed in good Ground, where there is Hope it may yield Fruit. Since I last spake unto you, I have heard, by common Report, with what Applause and good Liking my Speech hath been received, and digested: I hope you continue in the same Liking still; and I wish, my Hope may not be deceived ; that my Seed hath not fallen into stony or sandy Hearts; whereby what I spake may be mistaken, prove barren by preconceived Opinions, the Growth be choaked, forgotten, or carried away by the Fowls of the Air, or perverted contrary to my Meaning. . . . I shall do but the Part of a good Gardener, to prune, and dress, and take away the Weeds and Brambles, that may hinder the Springing and Budding of this good Plant. And because there are, and may be, divers Explications and Expositions of my Speech, I was desirous to explain myself unto you; for (as I said in my former Speech) ejus est explicare, cujus est condere. I have not hindered any Speech; for it is not my Manner, neither have I Time to do it. . . .
I. Upon my Speech some have builded Gold and Silver ; some, Hay and Stubble: I must be as a Fire to consume and burn up the Hay and Stubble, and to sift out, and preserve, the Gold and Silver. I understand, that some have interpreted my Words, as expressing a Desire and Proposition of a perfect Union. I have not studied (as I said) to give a full Answer to such Interpreters; but I know you can put a Difference between wise Men, and Fools: Fools handle Things either with Subtilty, or Ignorance; wise Men, with Substance, and solid Argument. I propounded ever, and so I crave at your Hands, an absolute and full Union, but not a perfect Union; such an Union, as must have that Preparation which is made: And, because I spake of an absolute Union, to say, or think, I wished nothing in the mean Time, were absurd. But it is most true, I ever wished such an Union as there might be unus Rex, unus grex, una lex. . . .
It is merely idle and frivolous, to conceive that any imperfect Union is desired, or can be granted : It is no more unperfect, as now it is projected, than a Child, that is born without a Beard. It is already a perfect Union in me, the Head. If you wanted a Head, that is me, your King over you all; or if you were of yourselves no Body; then you had Reason to say, it were unperfect; but it is now perfect in my Title and Descent, though it be not an accomplisht and full Union; for that Time must ripen and work.
When a Child is in the Mother's Womb, though it hath all the Lineaments and Parts of a Body, yet it is but an Embrio, and no Child; and shall be born in his due Time: When it is born, though it then be a perfect Child, yet it is no Man; it must gather Strength and Perfection by Time: Even so is it in this Case of Union. The Union is perfect in me; that is, it is an Union in my Blood and Title; yet but in embroine perfect. Upon the late Queen's Death, the Child was first brought to Light; but to make it a perfect Man, to bring it to an accompisht Union, it must have Time and Means; and if it be not at the first, blame not me; blame Time; blame the Order of Nature. . . .
II. The second Part of my Division is, to answer Objections.
1. One Objection is, What Gain shall we have by it ?
I thought I had expressed it sufficiently before. But do they ask, What Gain? Is it not Gain, to add a Nation to this; to make it One great and glorious Empire; to have that People to join their Arms and Strength with you upon all Occasions; to make of half a Land One intire; to add to the Splendor of the King's Court; to turn Curses into Blessings; to turn Blood and Rapine into Peace and Plenty; remembering always, that you have the Blessing of the Seat here, and that this is the Center? . . .
I am your King: I am placed to govern you, and shall answer for your Errors: I am a Man of Flesh and Blood, and have my Passions and Affections as other Men: I pray you, do not too far move me to do that which my Power may tempt me unto.
Now for the Course I would have you hold, the third Part of my Division; let it be my Advice, that you do all Things with Reverence; with Love; that it may seem, you have Duty, Respect, and Care to please him, that will, by all his best Endeavours, seek to give you Contentment. . . .
I would wish you proceed with Order, and with Diligence, and above all, with Love to your Sovereign: I say, with the more Diligence; because now the Sickness increasing, the Heat of the Year, yea your own Hay-harvest, do persuade you to make haste into the Country. Make no more Doubts than is needful; where every thing is made doubtful, there nothing will ever come to Perfection. If any Doubts do arise, make me acquainted with them; pour them into my Bosom; I will strive to give you Satisfaction: If I cannot answer, or satisfy them, let the Blame rest upon me. And, to conclude, I desire, that your Travels may be such as you may procure Strangers to reverence us, our Enemies to fear us, our Friends to be glad, our Subjects to rejoice with you and me; that the World may see, there is an Union still in working and proceeding: That you beware of all fanatical Spirits, all extraordinary, and colourable Speeches; that there be no Distractions, nor Distempers, among you; that you breed not Contempt to the great Work so well begun, and Discouragement to others that wish well; that you tempt not the Patience of your Prince; and finally, that, with all Speed, you proceed with as much as can be done at this Time, and make not all you have done, frustrate.
TL;DR version: Union! Good for ME, Good for you. (Who wouldn't want me to be Emperor of an Empire?!) I'm your King, do as I say. I'm your King, I can bend metaphor to my will. I'm your King, listen to me and not to those fanatics who spout partisan hogwash to sway you. I'm your King, don't get me cheesed off. Yo. Union! Vote it in, bitches.
/morning dose of historical perspective
This entry was originally posted at http://lapin-agile.dreamwidth.org/121828.html. (There are
comments.)