ANIMADVERTIONS Upon the KING'S ANSWER, Read at the Common-Hall, janu: 13. 1642. Published as a Caveat to the Commonwealth, Jan. 24.  
IN this great contention now producted into mutual Hostility; such hath been the the Serpentine policy of the Fomenters thereof, that it hath been carried about with such cunning and deceit (taking vantage upon every occasion to render the rationality of the Kingdom (the judgement, Votes, and Ordinances of Parliament) contemptible and destructive to the Commonwealth) that their way is as the way of a Serpent upon a rock beyond delineation; yet in part we may observe their subtlety (tanquam anguis in herba) clad in royal Rhetoric, vel rectus venit & tortuosus, vel Leonem agit & savit, vel draconem agit & fallit, Sometimes in menacing Proclamations, sometimes in gracious and persuasive pardons, etc. Thus royalty is abused and made a stalking, horse to pernicious ends, as to the grief of each loyal Subject, to the Primitive constitution or royality of this Kingdom, consistant of of three coordinates, a King, and two Houses of Parliament meeting in one Centure of power, as the three Essentials in the Deity indivisible, yet distinct) may be observed in His Majesty's Answer to the City Petition; for whereas his Highness is humbly supplicated for the safety of this City and Kingdom, to return to the Parliament, the Basis of the people's safety and foundadation of regality, wherein those many prosperous bypast years His Majesty hath been invested, but instead of speaking comfortable words unto His people of Personal unity with His royalty, nothing but contempt is virtually cast upon the very foundation of His Office, ascribing (in His apprehension) all Love, Duty, and loyalty thereto, and to His Person, to none other, but to the inveterate enemies of both, according to the Kingdom's judgement and their own practice, which doth strike at the very essence of the Kingly Office, contract betwixt King and people, to divert it to an Arbitrary usurpation, which is no less tyrannical, than wilful, wherewith if the City would side, they should not want renewed marks of his favour. For at first observe, He greets them with His good opinion of it, That He doth not entertain any misapprehension of the love and loyally thereof; whereof the greatest part he conceives is full; But what part is this? is it not the same the Wisdom of the State (which is best sensible of its own enormities) adjudgeth its enemies If so, his Majesty in his bosom hugs a Serpent for his safety, which I believe; He desires (as He conceives) to be the greatest part, therein pursuing His own ruin; but I hope the Lord will strengthen the hands of the lesser, and prosper their work, that they may vindicate His Highness, and the Kingdom's safety from that serpentine brood, who hatch Cockatrice eggs, and wove the spider's web; he that eateth of their eggs (oh the infelicity of His Majesty's appetite!) dyeth, and that which is crushed, breaketh forth into a Viper, their works are the works of iniquity, and the act of violence is in their hands, etc. they have made them crooked paths, whosoever goeth therein, shall not know Peace.  
And whereas his Majesty pretends He was driven from His Parliament by Tumults, Contrived by some principle Members of the City, etc.  
This often recited PLEA is much to be admired to come from His Majesty, for 'tis not unknown that the morrow after the greatest of those Tumults, he went to London with an ordinary retinue, which if common reason may judge, argues His Majesty was not so sore terrified and affrighted with fear of his safety as this Answer imports; unless madness be ascribed to his Majesty, to expose his person indefensible upon the exorbitant fury of a multitude, against whose person he pretends they were maliciously invected, and most traitorously bend; but it is manifest to the contrary, for they went in a petitionary way (no Law being to hinder or prevent Petitioners) and if any extraordinary resort were for any other end, it was not in the least for the offence of the King's person, (as is pretended) but merely for a loyal presentation of their lives and persons in the defence of the two Houses of Parliament then greatly endangered, oppressed and possessed with great fears and jealousies; this was the worst end, (however unhappily misconstrued) that they had: Therefore His Majesty's Accusation of some principle Members, who are (he says) well known since, etc. Vanishes into nothing, or rather a mere cavil, to wheell about the now affected unhappy design. To proceed His Majesty in His Answer goes on thus.  
But His Majesty desires His good Subjects of London seriously to consider what confidence His Majesty can have of security there, whilst the Laws of the Land are so notoriously despised and trampled under foot, and the wholesome government of that City (heretofore so famous over all the world) is now submitted to the Arbitrary power of a few desperate persons of no reputation, but for malice and disloyalty to Him, etc.  
Observe in the former clause lie commended the City for Love, Duty, and Loyalty, etc. to him, and in the very sequel condemns them of malice and disloyalty to him, (which gross contradiction, I wonder his Council did not see before it was sealed up) for probation whereof; observe, His Majesty asks what security he can have here, whilst the Laws of the Land are so notoriously despised and trampled under foot, and the government submitted to an arbitrary power of a few desperate persons, for malice and disloyalty to him, and yet before of that City (by whom those persons were elected to their Offices, even the Lord Major principally aimed at) he saith, He doth not entertain any misapprehension of their love and loyalty to him. Therefore if these first words of his Majesty may stand absolute, how is the government thereof committed or submitted to them for malice and disloyalty to him, if committed (or submitted as he styles it) to those persons by them, who are full of love, duty, and loyalty to him: And whereas He Titles it Arbitrary; how can that be Arbitrary either in institution or execution, which hath the free choice and consent of the Major part in both, according to the rationality of the Kingdom, and property of the City? and doth act and move ad motum primi mobilis, subjecting to the rationality of the Kingdom, the Laws and Ordinances of Parliament? Now arbitrary government to this is absolutely repugnant, for the one admits of the People's choice and consent, the other denies both, and compels without either.  
And further, His Majesty proceeds to possess the world with an apprehension of their malice and disloyalty, by taking up arms against his consent and express commands, the making of collection, etc.  
'Tis true, it is against his personal Commands, as withdrawn voluntarily from the station of highest power, for according to the fundamental constitution of this Monarchy (being a triunall mixture of three Estates in one sublime power) in it can be no subordination or division, but a triple unity limited within the circumferance of Royal power, or else in the intervals of Parliament, or when a King demiseth, with them the triplicity ceaseth, and with him the office dyeth, I mean if it admit of essential division or personal concommitance, so that there may be a personal absence or demise from it, and yet the Regality remain absolute; therefore the King (one of this triple unity of State) personally absenting and rejecting the other two, cannot sensu deviso command Regally, but Arbitrarily, and those his commands in this absolute disjunction, are directly opposite and destructive to the other two estates; therefore in this sense, as He is a KING, his consent and commands before mentioned, are none at all, but merely personal and irregall, for regal commands are tempered and compounded of the reason and judgement of the whole Kingdom, not of the will of one man; so than the Army raised by the Authority of Parliament is not against the King's consent or command Regal; for Regal consent, command, and authority, is the inseparable adjunct of this triunity; the King and two Houses of Parliament. And whereas therein the King says; That all possible means Treason and malice could suggest to them, have been used to take away. His life from Him, and to have destroyed His Royal Issue. Hence observe, how odious and contemptible He would make the other two estates (contrary to His many Protestations and Declarations) that the hearts of people might in the highest measure be enraged against the faithful members and Authority thereof, to their and its utter dissolution and destruction. Whence His Majesty should have this horrible mis-conception, I know not; surely His Counsel found not this Diabolical clause within the confines of their Declarations, Ordinances, Votes, Remonstrances, and Petitions, nor yet read it in the secret characters of their hearts; but if the literature of the heart by the outward actions and Indices of the mind, their many Declarations and Petitions, etc. may be read, I am sure envy itself, nor the quintecense of malice can possibly and justly tax that Honourable Assembly of such nefarious guilt, to kill the King, and destroy His Royal Issue; oh monstrous Treason, and impious imputation not to be thought of a Parliament! and never I believe laid to their charge before, for though it reflect more nearly upon the Army, yet though it transpenetrates on them, have they not, and do they not still labour with all the wisdom and policy they can to rescue His Person, from His pernicious, pestilent, and desperate seducers, that His Throne might be established in righteousness an judgement (the very life of Kingly glory) on Him and His Posterity generation after generation?  
And whereas he says, What hope His Majesty can have of safety there, Whilst Alderman Pennington, etc. commit such outrages in oppressing, robbing, according to their own discretion, etc.  
His Majesty may understand, that what they do is not Arbitrary and at their own discretion, but by Authority and Ordinance of Parliament, executing Justice and Judgement (forceable compulsion upon obstinate resistance) on such as are able and shall not contrary to their Protestation, defend and supply with their fortunes, the unresistable necessities of the State; so that what they do in pursuance of the Ordinance of Parliament, is not to be ascribed to their discretion, as actions absolute and irrelative to the regality of the Kingdom, and so merely Arbitrary, but in submission and obedience to the Legislative power of the Land, which hath not only instituted and authorized the thing and them to it, but the means, order and manner of its accomplishment: therefore their actions are of obedience and not of arbitrary discretion, and so their exaction of legal mulcts is no robberry, no more than the execution of the hangman's office is murder, and the Tax itself, which his Majesty asketh, if it be so defend the Subjects liberty and right? To wit, to take the twentieth part? is conducent thereto, in regard it is done for the general defence of the liberty and property; of the subject, which cannot be without extraordinary expense; therefore in case of imminent necessity, and actual hostility, (the Judgement of the state finding it conducent to its safety, which is the end to all politic constitution) the means of effecting and defending the same, which must transgress the bonds of ordinary supply, is no more repugnant and destructive to the liberty and property of our goods, etc. then the liberty and property itself is to them.  
But if it be objected (as in divers scandalous Pamphlets is expressed) that those judgements, votes and ordinances of these two estates, doth destroy the other namely the King, and that they are the cause of our calamities, which till they be buried in oblivion will not cease, and therein all property and liberty of subject is smothered and destroyed.  
For resolution, let those that would have the King personally the absolute supreme head and power of the Land, without Parliament and its inseparable adjunct the judgements, votes and ordinances thereof, know, that therein they make that head an empty scull, or at best a politic head without reason; for deprive the politic head of the Kingdom of its votes, judgements, etc. The reason of the Kingdom, and it remaineth irrational, and the government thereof vanishes into mere madness, fit for Bedlam then a Commonwealth; if this seem haish, let them further know, that as much as in them lies, they labour to make that head as blind as Bartimeus: For as the reason of man is the eye of his soul, so the Votes and Judgement of the two Houses are the two eyes of that head; so that those that would extinguish their Votes, etc. (though they extend to the twentieth part) I tell them plainly that therein they pluck the King's eves out, and they say a blind man swallows many a fly, yea some as big as foreign Ministers: and be sure whilst those Flies buzz about his Majesty, we shall hear nothing but hum drum, which noise threatens greater damage to the true Regality of the King and the liberty of the subject, than the twentieth part, or the Judgement and Ordinances of the state. Whereas his Majesty promises the City to return unto them with his Royal, and without his Martial attendance, provided they shall supprese all force and violence unlawfully raised there, and shall apprehend and commit to safe custody the persons of those men, etc.  
This is like Sampsons' firebrands to the Philistims corn, an absol●●● invitation to a bloody and direful insurrection, and yet a little 〈◊〉 he says, His desires is to be with them, that the Trade, Wealth and 〈◊〉 thereof may be revived: But first they must stand up in opposition and destruction of the State, power, and Authority Leg slative of the Kingdom, and present-con●usion and desolation of the City, veiled unde● the terms of defending themselves, and suppressing any force, etc. and 〈◊〉 apprehend and commit to safe custody the 4 Men: all which is as much 〈◊〉 say, He does not intent to reside in the City (as well as he loves it) 〈◊〉 it be destroyed; for let any rational man judge, how it is possible bu● the City must be sweltered in its own blood, the streets filled with dea● bodies, and their houses plundered and fired, if such a prevalent insurrection should be, as His Majesty would engage the Citizens into suppress● the Militia and Parliamentary power thereof by force; Is this the Trad● Protection and glory he would bring to the City? this much deviate from that of David, when he cried out, Lo, I have sinned an● dealt wickedly, but these sheep what have they done? let thy hand I pr●● thee, be upon me and my father's house, but not on the people that they shoul● perish. And for the apprehension of the 4 Men, the manner of it is altogether repugnant to His several expresses and Protestations, God so 〈◊〉 with Me and Mine, as all my thoughts and intentions are for the observation and preservation of the Laws of the Land; is this the observation 〈◊〉 the Laws, that affords not them that for their obedience to the Parliament, which every man may claim for his right, due Process and tryal● if this import the infringement of justice, what confidence doth his 〈◊〉 verall Protestations give us of the common right and property of 〈◊〉 goods? But to proceed, His Majesty gives them only this warnin, Th●● whosoever shall contribute or take up Arms under the Earl of Essex etc. 〈◊〉 shall deny them the benefit of His protection, and shall not only signify to 〈◊〉 His Foreign Ministers, That such person shall receive 〈◊〉 advantage by ●●ing His Subject, etc. Hence may be observed, That His former Answers Protestations and Declarations were slender fidutiaries for the people trust; for that which formerly was contested and protested against [〈◊〉 God so deal with me and mine, and We are confident no sober hon●●● man in our kingdoms can believe that We are so despetate or senseless 〈◊〉 entertain such designs] is now openly menaced; therefore what 〈◊〉 the sober honest man think of all his former expresses in that kind? 〈◊〉 itus acta probat: he may conclude, the ordinance of Militia not inconsistent with the kingdoms safety, the fears of Foreign force not causeless and thus threatened his adherents to the Parliament most safe.  
FINIS.