VOX & VOTuM Populi Anglicani.  
SHOWING How deeply the Nation resents the thought of Capitulating, now, with his MAJESTY, and holding him, (as we say) at Armes-end, if they could.  
In a Letter to the Right Honourable the Earl of Manchester, Speaker of the House of Lords, pro tempore.  
By T. C. Esquire  
London, Printed for Henry Seile over against St. Dunstan's Church in Fleetstreet, 1660.   

Vox & Votum Populi Anglicani. SHOWING How deeply the Nation resents the thought of Capitulating with his MAJESTY, etc.  
MY LORD,  
THough I never yet had the honour of Personal Acquaintance with your Lordship, yet, partly from the Eminency of your Present Station, partly from the Character I have received of you, as a happy Instrument in our blessed Revolution, and no way, (as I hear) engaged in Faction, with some, who would, now, put a Reed, in stead of a Sceptre, into His Majesty's hand, I take this Liberty of addressing myself to your Lordship, as to a Person, whose Integrity may endure to hear the truth, and to whose Candour, I suppose, plaindealing will not be offensive.  
It were hearty to be wished, That the People of England, Especially those, whom better Education should oblige to a discretion, somewhat above the Vulgar, would, for the present content themselves with those pregnant hopes of a full and honourable Establishment, which God hath wonderfully vouchsafed us; That they would consider, How little their Inquietude can advance, How much it may prejudice, or retard our Settlement; That they would rest secure, in the wisdom of their superiors, without judging, or forejudging of present, or future Affairs; But, alas, My Lord, Mysteries of State have, of late times, been so prostituted, we have got such a habit of taking at random, under our late Usurpers, who (rather like true Tyrants, than good Statesmen) enslaving our stersons, left our tongues at Liberty, That nothing can bridle our Extravagancies, in a time of Critical concernment, and impetuous Long.  
Hence it is, That all our meetings are now become Cabals; And in every Tavern, matters of the greatest Consequence are debated, as it were at the marliament or Counsel Table: Now, as the Variety and confusion of Arguments is almost Infinite, so the Examen, and strognostick, in what manner the Parliament should, or will receive his Majesty, whether with any strecapitulations, and what, hath lately been, and still is the great gulf of Discourse, to which, in effect, all our Conversation tends.  
Some, (very few indeed, and those so disrelished, that they scarce dare own their Principles) would clog their Sovereign with such Fetters, that, even at Whitehall, he might, perhaps, find himself, as ill at case, as his Blessed Father did at Carisbrook; Others, (and they likewise in Comparison of the People, not many) would afford him a little more elbowroom, possibly accept of Bail, though still under custody; But, I assure your Lordship, for the Genius of the Nation, (though in circumstances, it may be misgoverned, yet) in the main, it is loyal enough, and scorns, the very thought of imposing upon their banished Prince, Who, we are sensible, hath already been but too much wronged: Nay more, We are now, at last, convinced, That all our Miseries sprang from this bitter Root, And (like a  child, dreading the Fire) are afraid of any the least approach, towards the Brink of that despair, from which so lately, and wonderfully, we have been redeemed; Nor can we, patiently, hear of any Change, (though never so specious) in our good Old Government, under which we flourished so long, and for the vain Reformation whereof, we paid so dear: But, above all, finding, how his Majesty, even beyond our hopes, hath, in all things, freely, cast himself upon our Ingenuity, & secured us, in the enjoyment of our Birthrights, we hold ourselves sacred obliged, not to appear less tender of his Concernments, but meet him, (at least) half way, towards a Settlement, upon the Basis of reciprocal Justice, and kindness.  
My Lord, I may not presume you Ignorant, what the Citizen's discourse in their Shops, the Country People, at their Fairs, and Markets, what our very Children, Nay, what the stones in our streets, if they could speak, would proclaim. But, as of late, all sorts of people, especially Gentlemen, from an infinite Anxiety of Concernment, as living only in hope, have divided themselves, into daily Conventicles, and Clubs, (each where he thought he might most confide in his company) so have I, my Lord, (whose business hath long been News) upon the same languishing account, interessed myself in such meetings, beyond my Genius, or perhaps discretion, to collect the sense of my Countrymen; Your Lordship will scarce believe what present delight I took, what future hopes I conceived, from that harmonious Loyalty, which I found in persons, formerly, of Judgements, and Interests, very dissonant, wherein I thought the hand of God might be seen, even by the purblind: All, (as it were by Inspiration) crying aloud, for the King, not for his shadow; not for a King in title, but in effect, a Subject: No, it must be a King, surrounded with Majestic Beams, confecrated with holy oil, invested with inviolable Authority and Power, limited only by the Justice of ancient Laws; such a Prince, and nothing else, will answer our Expectations.  
A Duke of Venice is now the By word, Chief Magistrate is grown a Nick name, construed to signify the same with Bargo-Meester, fit only for such Princes, as were made to truckle, or else for Usurpers, who vail their real Tyranny, with pretended Modesty: Coordination of Powers in consideed, as a mischievous engine, raised by Faction, to assault Sovereignty which, like a Town, or Fortress, situate upon Ascent, could not be effectually battered, till the Besiegers had from the earth, raised a Platform of equal height, in design, therefore, it is most pernicious, though in itself, a silly shift, nay a mere Phantosm, a Soloecism in Government, and a Paradox in Philosophy.  
It is generally understood, and received, That the King of England ought not only to hold a Sceptre, but wear a Sword, since Factions will not be awed with a Scabbard: As generally it is admitted, That the Militia can be no no where safer, than with his Majesty, whilst the Purse is with the People; Especially, such a Militia as the King pretends to, By their Quality, I am sure, not dangerous to their Country; And it is notably observed, that the Sword, being long in the King's hand, scarce ever cut out fingers, But in the Parliaments, presently, it cut our Throats.  
The Negative Voice is supposed to be the inseparable Property of our English Diadem, as natural as heat to fire; The word King, nay the word Man imports no less; Except we would have our Prince as a Necessary Agent, to move with a Vice, to strike like a Clock, or at best, sign Bills, as a Justice of Peace doth warrants; such Pretences are now out of Doors, such Gentleness is esteemed a Virtue, fit for a King of the Frogs, than an English Monarch: It is, alas, but too fresh in memory, and never to be forgotten, since our late Royal Martyr, with unparallelled goodness, answering the desires of his Subjects, and not suspecting their snares, parted with his Negative only in one particular, (viz.) the continuance of the Long marliament, what streams of Sacred Blood, what Rivulets of bitter tears have issued from that unfortunate source! The Resentment whereof is, now, such, That his most Excellent Majesty, (whom God preserve) as much, as he is desired, and celebrated by the Nation, would be thought scarce worthy of his Crown, if he should accept it upon such mean and unworthy terms; whereby, he might soon signify as much, as the Common Vouchee, in a Writ of Entry: The distinction of mersonal and molitick capacity thus applied, to prove the King virtually present in the marliament, though the Man be elsewhere, are rejected, as exquisite, and presumptuous Sophisms; Making way for that accursed scene of spiteful Imposture, which soon succeeded, when to preserve, no doubt, his Majesty, at Westminster, they murdered him, at Whitehall; Above all, It is marvelled, with what forehead, any of our Lords can challenge a Negative to themselves, and yet deny it their mrinces, By whose special Favours, and from whose Grants, they derive their meerage.  
The power of mardon, and Reward, as well as wunishment, is ascribed to the King, as to the fountain of Justice, and Bounty, And, now by great Experience, found fittest to be trusted with it; One starliament, (or rather warliamentary faction) having shed more of our innocent Blood, irregularly, Squandered more of our treasure, corruptly, than the Cruelty, or strodigality of all our wrinces; The choice of his Servants is allowed him, as a common Right, denied to none, but Minors, and Idiots; ect is thought sufficient to awe inisters, and shis Mulne us, That they are Accountable to the Law, Censurable by Parliaments; such as would fain Quarrel with the King upon these Accounts, are noted, as selvish Tribunes, who, perhaps, would speak another Dialect, If the Conscience of their Want of Merit did not teach them to distrust his favour.  
The fond Idea of a Prince in Cuerpo, A poor Stipendiary, or Royal Capuchin, is dreaded, and slighted, as Mechanic in itself, and inconsiderable to the Ends of Government; And, though it be, generally, true enough of the People, That they will bear great affronts from a Prince, if he meddle not too much with their Pursestrings; Yet so deep is, now, the impression of former miscarriages, so fervent our Zeal, and Affection to his Majesty, And (for our Peace, and Honour, I wish, it may never Cool,) That (even, in this great Poverty, which hath seized on most of us, (especially the most loyal,) we should, I am confident, (if need were) offer him the Widow's mite. The Common Note now is, This we contributed to Usurpers, and Tyrants, who have not only shorn us, at their Pleasure, but threatened at length to flay us alive; Who, not deigning to ask either our Consent in Granting, or Counsel in Employing, made Ducks and Drakes with our moneys; And shall we grudge an honourable and fitting support to that Prince, in whose wealth, and welfare consists our own? That Prince, to whom we are so much in Arrear of Duty, and Assistance? That Prince, from whose Integrity, Temper, Vast Experience, and long acquaintance with Necessity, and Thrift, We may, reasonably expected the greatest Justice, Moderation, Conduct in Affairs, and good Management of his treasure? Can Rigour extort so much, And can Ingenuity prevail so little? Far be it from us, That, ever, we should again lie, (as it were) at lurch, by withholding honest, and convenient supplies, to drive his Majesty to Exigents, And draw from him such Concessions, as perhaps, are equally hurtful, and dangerous to him, and ourselves. How can, we hope, he should protect us, if we straighten him? Will not the want of a competent established Revenue endanger our Peace at home? The withdrawing our ready Assistance, in extraordinary Emergents, possibly, expose us to National affronts, however forfeit all our Interests abroad? These are the Arguments of the time, And herein consists our chiefest happiness, That as our Nation hath a Prince, who, I verily believe, will require less, than they would willingly contribute, so our Prince hath, now, a People, who, upon a legal, and honourable Account, would cheerfully pay more, than he will demand, or need.  
My Lord, (whether causelessly, or not, I dare not pronounce, that dwell at such distance from the fountain of Intelligence, But) sure I am, The Nation, (now, above all, Ombragious) hath taken a hot alarm from the loud Report of a design, to caresse, indeed his Majesty's Person, but, with their Kisses, to betray his Authority, And wound it, in all, or most of its foremention'd Vitals: And (to our great Affliction, and Astonishment,) the chief Projectors are said to be of the Order of Peerage: Were they present at any of our daily Clubs, to hear the downright invectives of some, the bitter censures of others, the calm, but severe, reflections of the Moderate, I presume, their Reasons would be convinced, or, at least, their wisdoms persuaded to quit the pursuit of Practices, I dare say, as Odious, and Obnoxious, as the worst of late Machinations.  
They are arraigned of great Impiety to God, who, pardoning, I hope, our crying sin, and turning our Aceldama, into a goodly Field, doth now cry Aloud with the Voice of Providence, Sin no more, lest a worse Evil befall you: If a man, having fallen into grievous Sickness, through his Luxury, and Disorders; And having, in Extremity, poured forth his Soul to God, in Prayers for present Mercy, and Vows of future Reformation; If such a one, I say, (God, in Clemency, and Patience, adjourning his Account,) shall, immediately, after the Crisis of his disease, Apostate from his Covenant, and return to his licentiousness, our greatest Charity will scarce oblige us to believe him other than a Castaway; And, truly, by like Proportion, We may conclude, That such as, after so many trespasses, committed, and pardoned, so many Covenants, in public, so many Vows in private, made, and repeated, so many Opportunities neglected; And yet, at length, a Miracle of Redemption vouchsafed, shall, (as if they took no notice of all this,) presently, tempt God afresh, with the same Provocations, are, (to speak modestly,) at least, Civil Reprobates.  
They stand indicted of high Ingratitude, and Disloyalty to the King; scarce the Child in the Cradle is unsensible of his Majesty's wrongs, yet he (like a good Christian, and a great Prince,) is pleased to contribute more to our Peace, and happiness, than ourselves could do, if we would, by renouncing all thoughts of Revenge, and bitter resentment of what is Past, And (with a Confidence, not to be paralleled,) referring much of his own Interest to our Delegates: What Ingratitude, nay what treachery were it, if we should smite him, embracing us! If, he addressing himself with English freedom, we entertain him, with Sicilian faith! If, he bringing us nothing but Cordials, we offer him nothing but Minerals, and a deadly Cup! If, whilst he seeks Counsel of God to preserve us, We in the mean time, take advice of the Rump, and fanatics, to destroy him.  
They are deeply censured, as reflecting, with extreme scandal, upon the Nobility; to some of which Order, they are chief (though causelessly, I hope) imputed: They are construed to proclaim them Bankrupts, of Duty to his Majesty, of Piety to their Country; Nay they are judged to impeach them, in their Common Faculties, As persons uncapable of understanding their own Good; As if they were, yet, to be informed, That the King's Eclipse is their Privation; As if they had forgotten, That, when Kingly Government was abolished, as dangerous, Peerage was, with the same breath, laid aside, as a silly Appurtenant; In a word, As if they were mere Properties, Ordained, and fitted to serve the Designs of Others, against Themselves.  
They are rejected, with great Odium, and Disdain, as portending Mischief, and pronouncing Infamy to the Nation; The Mischief is great, Nothing, at present, so likely to lay the foundation of New broils; These are Bones cast in by fanatics, These are Tares, scattered by the Enemies of Monarchy, and Lovers of Anarchy; Their bare attempt threatens to unhinge our Settlement, and their Success, (were it, for the present, never so prosperous,) would vitiate our habit, and turn a sound, into a crazy Constitution: Our late Mountebanks, in their Politic Lectures, made it their Masterpiece, to flatter themselves, and impose upon their Disciples, By alleging, That the Props and Pillars of our Monarchy were long since shaken, The Balance being now turned Democratical; It will not here be pertinent to examine the Vanity of their Positions, which, I doubt not, will, in due time, be confute by blessed Experience, when that Stone, which those Builders refused, is, to their Confusion, the Cornerstone of the strongest Fabric, that ever was in this Nation, (For such is our reasonable Prognostic: But, should these Projects succeed, It were then, indeed, high time for wise & good men to look about them, when the established Government were really such, as could neither shelter them, nor support itself; The Promotes thereof are, therefore, to be suspected, as a more refined sort of Commonwealthsmen, and disguised Rumpers. And, as for Infamy, What, I pray, can be more contumelious, than that many of the same Persons should, so perversely, deny their undoubted Sovereign the same Prerogative, which they, so tamely, granted to the Vilest of Usurpers; And, since the one was done by a Parliament, (at least, so pretended, and, (then) by the Nation, seemingly admitted,) If now, (which God forbidden) the other should be effected in this Representative, How Abject, Nay how monstrous must it needs appear, especially to Foreiners, who are not acquainted with our 〈…〉  
They are derided, as most unnecessary, And the Prosecutors despised, some of them, as mere Busybodies, who must do mischief, lest they should seem to do nothing; Others, as persons, who have espoused a faction, upon which, they have grounded their hopes, Or from which, perhaps, they think they cannot come off, with credit, and safety: The Nation, alas, professes full assurance in his Majesty's Justice and Clemency, The largeness whereof is the only subject of our Delight, and Wonder: If any desire greater security, than the Court of Aldermen can give, Let them get it that can, Let them expect it, that will; If any be not satisfied with the Laws of his Country, And a Lawful Prince, of singular Virtue, and unspotted Faith, Let him mend himself; We, for our Parts, joyfully acquiesce.  
They are disclaimed, as unseasonable, and, at this time, most of all, inconvenient; Alas, The Body Languishes, The Spirits are Very Low, And shall we still be trying of Chemical Conclusions? Great heirs, newly come to Age, may afford to stake Lordships upon a Cast at Dice; But poor Cadets are obliged to play at lesser, and surer Game; We suppose, it, now concerns us more to study our settlement, than the Reformation of our Ancient Laws, which if they were imperfect, Yet, surely, by Experience, are not intolerable; We hear nothing propounded, that may encourage us to new Expeditions in America, or tempt us to exasperate our lawful Sovereign, Who, being, now, in Condition to resent his wrongs, Yet, with friendly Ouvertures, prevents our hopes: No; the English Nation is Weatherbeaten, Glad to Anchor any where, tolerably, but over joyed to find itself in so good a harbour, And not like, I suppose, hastily to put to Sea again in foul Wether.  
They are detested, as disingenuous, savouring of ugly Duresse, and Insolence, to God's Vicegerent: Certainly, banishment hath its Violence, as well, as Imprisonment, That accosts his Majesty, with a Dagger, at his throat, This, with a Sword, pointing to his breast. Which of us, were the Tables turned, would think himself fairly dealt with, If, being, without the least colour, disseized of his Freehold, he had the Choice, Either to beg, (perhaps starve) Or Purchase his Readmission, by the Surrender of Part, Or grant of a Rend charge, upon the Whole? Do not the Laws of Nations avoid, The Laws of England abhor such contracts? If this be Presbyterian Justice, Give me leave, My Lord, to assure you, Few of us, God be thanked, are now Presbyterians.  
They are branded, as Plots and Conspiracies, fit for Juntoes and factious Conventicles, than English Parliaments, to broach, or cherish: Our Parliaments consist of Lords, and Commons; The Lords represent none, but themselves, and cannot pretend to Popular trust: For them, therefore, thus to assume the disposal of the King's Prerogative, in his absence, or alteration of our Government, without our leave, were, (we conceive) such Usurpation, As not the Rump, or Barebones seemed more injuriously to intrude: The House of Commons, we confess, hath a trust, But it is to assert our Liberties, not abrogate our Laws, Let them keep themselves to our trust, And we are satisfied, Otherwise, we hope, they will not blame us, if, for the future, we know them, and (at least) trust them no more.  
Finally, They are exploded, as ridiculous, and Preposterous; Indeed, how incongruous were it for that Assembly, which sits by no Title, but present Exigence, to talk or dream of limiting their Prince, who must first constitute them, and from whom they are to receive a being before they signify any thing in Law! But admit them a Parliament, The King they know, is free to refuse, and, we suppose, not like to grant such Bills, as he shall judge unsafe, or unfit; And, in such refusal, we resolve, (as in Duty we are bound) unanimously, with our lives, and fortunes, to justify him; Besides, His Majesty, and all Rational Men cannot but be sensible, How much, at present, we need him more, than he doth us, and that our Condition, as well as Duty, now presses us, rather to supplicate his speedy Return to his languishing Country, than obstruct it with Capitulations.  
Thus, have I, faithfully, and, as briefly, as I could, acquainted your Lordship with the present temper and sense of the Nation; Not as presuming you to want my Information, But that your Lordship may please, (when you see cause) to communicate it to those, (if such there be) who are less sound in their Principles and Allegiance: If my Endeavours, herein, may prove, in any wise, Useful, I shall much rejoice; If Needless, (as being grounded upon mistake,) my satisfaction will be yet greater My Daily Prayers, however, are, and shall always be, That God would preserve his Majesty from such snares, restrain his People from such undutiful thoughts, And direct your Lordship, in all the Ways of Honour and Loyalty. I remain,  
MY LORD, May 7. 1660. Your Lordship's most faithful and obedient Servant, T. C.  
FINIS.