eges_, etc., we imposed
laws upon them. And as they are chosen by the suffrages of the
People at the first, so upon just occasion, by the same
suffrages they may be taken down again. And we will be bold to
say, that no kingdom hath yielded more plentiful experience than
that your native kingdom of Scotland hath done concerning the
Deposition and the Punishment of their offending and
transgressing kings.

It is not far to go for an example: near you--Your grandmother
set aside, and your Father, an infant, crowned. And the State
did it here in England; here hath not been a want of some
examples. They have made bold (the Parliament and the People of
England) to call their Kings to account; there are frequent
examples of it in the Saxons' time, the time before the
Conquest. Since the Conquest there want not some Precedents
neither; King Edward the Second, King Richard the Second, were
dealt with so by the Parliament, as they were deposed and
deprived. And truly, Sir, whoever shall look into their Stories,
they shall not find the Articles that are charged upon them to
come near to that height and capitalness of Crimes that are laid
to your Charge; nothing near.

Sir, you were pleased to say, the other day, wherein they
dissent; and I did not contradict it. But take all together,
Sir; If you were as the Charge speaks, and no otherwise,
admitted king of England; but for that you were pleased then to
alledge, how that for almost a thousand years these things have
been, Stories will tell you, if you go no higher than the time
of the Conquest; if you do come down since the Conquest, you are
the twenty-fourth king from William called the Conqueror, you
shall find one half of them to come merely from the state, and
not merely upon the point of descent. It were easy to be
instanced to you; but time must not be lost that way. And truly,
Sir, what a grave and learned Judge said in his time, and well
known to you, and is since printed for posterity, That although
there was such a thing as a descent many times, yet the kings of
England ever held the greatest assurance of their Titles when it
was declared by Parliament. And, Sir, your Oath, the manner of
your Coronation, doth shew plainly, that the kings of England,
although it is true, by the law the next person in blood is
desig