o deny, neither hath power to
grant.

But if this be my Right belonging to Me, in Reason as a Man, and in
Honour as a Soveraign King (as undoubtedly it doth) how can it be
other then extreme injury to confine my Reason to a necessity of
granting all they have a mind to ask, whose minds may be as differing
from mine, both in reason and honour, as their aims may be, and
their qualities are? which last God and the Laws have sufficiently
distinguisht, making me their Soveraign, and them my Subjects: whose
Propositions may soon prove violent oppositions, if once they gain to
be necessary impositions upon the Regall Authority; Since no man seeks
to limit and confine his King in Reason, who hath not a secret aim to
share with him, or usurp upon him in Power and Dominion.

But they would have me trust to their moderation, and abandon mine
own discretion; that so I might verifie what representations some have
made of me to the world, that I am fitter to be their Pupil then their
Prince. Truly, I am not so confident of my own sufficiency, as
not willingly to admit the Counsel of others: But yet I am not so
diffident of my self, as brutishly to submit to any mans dictates,
and at once to betray the Soveraignty of Reason in my soul, and the
Majesty of my own Crown to any of my Subjects.

Least of all have I any ground of credulity, to induce me fully to
submit to all the desires of those men, who will not admit, or do
refuse, and neglect to vindicate the freedom of their own and others
Sitting and Voting in Parliament.

Besides, all men that knew them, knew this, how young States-men the
most part of these propounders are; so that till experience of one
seven years have shewed me how well they can govern themselves, and so
much power as is wrested from me, I should be very foolish indeed, and
unfaithful in my Trust, to put the reins of both Reason and Government
wholly out of my Own, into their hands, whose driving is already too
much like _Jehues_; and whose forwardnesse to ascend the throne of
Supremacie pretends more of _Phaeton_ then of _Phebus_; God divert the
Omen of his will.

They may remember that at best they sit in Parliament, as my Subjects,
not my Superiours: called to be My Counsellours, not Dictatours: Their
Summons extends to recommend their Advice, not to command my Dutie.

When I first heard of Propositions to be sent me, I expected either
some good Laws which had been antiquated by the course of time,
or