THE SPEECH OF THE RIGHT HONOURABLE, HENRY Earl of Warrington, Upon his being SWORN MAYOR of Chester, In NOVENBER 1691.  
GENTLEMEN,  
I AM much obliged to you, for the respect you have done me, by putting this trust into my hands; and your Kindness is the greater, because you did it without any Solicitation on my part; for I did so little expect it, that I was extremely Surprised when I Read my Predecessors Letter, which gave me to understand, That your Choice of a Mayor for the Year ensuing was fallen upon me; it is a great Trust that you repose in me, and I hope I shall not Disappoint you in the Confidence you have of me.  
It is with some Inconvenience to my private Affairs, That I have taken this Journey; yet had my particular occasions suffered more, I should have made no difficulty in postponing them, when an opportunity offers itself of doing any Service to the Public, or to this Corporation; neither could I have been excusable, if I should have put so great a slight upon the respect and good will of my Friends, as to refuse to Serve then in this, or any other Capacity.  
By the Oath I have now taken, I have obliged myself before God and the World, to that, to which my own inclinations did zealously dispose me; for it was with extreme Grief, when in the late Reigns I beheld your Liberties and Franchises were Ravished from you: What in me lies, shall not be wanting to repair those Breaches that have been made, and to prevent the like Invasions for the Future.  
I hope during this King's Life we are out of such Dangers, since the offering up of Charters can be no acceptable Sacrifice to him, because he came to the Crown upon English Principles, and Governing by such Politics, is that alone which can make him Safe and Glorious. But you may remember that lately we had Two Kings, to whom nothing was so acceptable, as the submitting our Religion and Liberties to their Arbitrary Wills and Pleasure; and this Nation was then so unfortunate, as to have a Party in it, though much the least, who were industrious to comply with those two Kings in their wicked Desires  
The first step made by that Party was in their fulsome Addresses, where they delivered up themselves and all they had, to be disposed of at the King's Pleasure: Making no other claim to their Liberties and Civil Rights, but as concessions from the Crown; telling the King withal, That every one of his Commands was Stamped with God's Authority, and a great deal of such nauseous Stuff, much fit to be offered to some Eastern Monarch, or the French King, than to a King of England governing by the Laws of the Realm.  
Well had it been, if their Falsehood and Flattery had gone no further; but contrary to their Oath, and the Trust reposed in them, they proceeded to the Surrendering of Charters; a thing so contrary to Justice, and inconsistent with the Fundamentals of the Government of England, that if such Surrenders can be justified, I don't see what can be Dishonest or Unlawful: yet such Proceed became a Test of Loyalty, by which they thought to recommend themselves to the King's Favour, whilst those who dissented in this point were accounted disaffected to the Government, and were loaded with all manner of Reproaches: But Gentlemen, till than it never was accounted Liberality, to be generous at the expense of others; nor the usual way of recommending a man's Fidelity, by betraying of a Trust; nor to bring a man's word into credit by making Light of an Oath.  
These things I mention, not that I desire to keep up divisions amongst us, or to discourage any that are sorry for what they have done, and are willing to come into the Interest of this Government; for I wish from my Soul that we were all of a mind; but I mention these things, to testify my dislike of such Proceed, and to show how much I desire to prevent the like for the future. For I am sure no man can be hearty for this Government, who does not abhor such Proceed as these were. And saying this, it puts me in mind of an Observation which I have made for some time, which is this, That generally those people who refuse to take the Oaths to this King and Queen, are such as were active in, or consenting to the surrendering of Charters, which shows they are men of extraordinary Consciences, who think it unlawful to Swear to this Government, and yet could think it not only lawful, but an act of unshaken Loyalty, to break their Oaths, and betray their trust.  
If there be any such in this Corporation, I hope they are but few and will serve as Examples, not of Imitation, but Admonition, to put others in mind of their Oaths and Duty.  
Gentlemen, Let us Preserve our Liberties and Freedoms; he is the most Loyal Subject that walks the nearest to the Laws; he that preserves his Freedom and Birthright, is better able to Serve his King and Country, than he that has parted with them. Had not our Forefathers observed this Rule, we had had no Liberties to boast of; and surely we are bound to leave our Posterities in the same Freedoms which we received from our Forefathers. Therefore let us bless God and the King for our Wonderful Deliverance; and let not the Aversion of some to this Government, make us remiss in our Duty.  
But Gentlemen, in saying this, I don't design to persuade any man to Rigorous Courses, or to stretch the Law beyond its Fair and Natural Construction, to serve a turn; I will never practise it myself, nor advise another to it; I utterly disliked such Proceed in the Two late Reigns, and I am not now better reconciled to them. Let every man have Right according as the Merits of his Cause shall deserve: Let no man's Complexion or Opinion weigh at all. This Impartial Method will best support the Honour and Peace of the City: Such fair Treatment will convince many, of the Reasonableness and Justice of this Government; at least it will in a great measure stop the mouths of Gainsayers, and cannot fail to meet with good effect. What I have more to tell you is, That I shall ever Pray for, and Endeavour the Prosperity of this City.   

LONDON: Printed for Richard Baldwin, near the Oxford-Arms in Warwick-Lane, 1691,