their cruel oppressors.

In speaking of the king's behaviour to enemies, one thing I cannot pass.
There is much spoken of a treaty with this enemy: I am not of the
judgment of some, who distinguish a treaty before invasion and after
invasion, and say, treatying is very lawful before invasion; because it
is supposed that there is a little wrong done; but after invasion, when
a kingdom is wronged and put to infinite losses, then they say a treaty
is to be shunned; but in my judgment, a treaty may be lawful after
invasion and wrongs sustained; the end of war is peace, neither should
desire of revenge obstruct it, providing it be such a treaty and peace
as is not prejudicial to religion, nor to the safety of the kingdom, nor
to the undoubted right of the king, nor to the league and covenant,
whereunto we are so solemnly engaged.

But, I must break off this treaty with a story related in Plutarch. The
city of Athens was in a great strait, wherein they knew not what to do.
Themistocles in this strait said he had something wherein to give his
opinion, for the behoof of the state, but he thought it not fit to
deliver himself publicly. Aristides, a man of great trust, is appointed
to hear him privately, and to make an account as he thought meet. When
Aristides came to make his report to the senate, he told them that
Themistocles' advice was indeed profitable, but not honest, whereupon
the people would not so much as hear it. There is much whispering of a
treaty, they are not willing to speak publicly of it: hear them in
private, and it may be the best advice shall be profitable, but not
honest. If a treaty should be, let it be both profitable and honest, and
no lover of peace will be against it.

7. Seeing the king is now upon the renewing of the covenants, it should
be remembered that we enter into covenant, according to our profession
therein, with reality, sincerity, and constancy, which are the
qualifications of good covenanters. Many doubt of your reality in the
covenant, let your sincerity and reality be evidenced by your
stedfastness and constancy; for many have begun well, but have not been
constant. In the sacred history of kings, we find a note upon kings
according to their carriages: one of three sentences is written upon
them. 1. Some kings have this written on them, "He did evil in the sight
of the Lord." They neither begin well, nor end well; such an one was
Ahaz, king of Judah, and divers others in that histor