Upon Uxbridge-Treaty, and other Offers made by the King
The Preference for Reason over Force
The King reflects on his consistent desire to resolve conflicts through negotiation rather than the violence of civil war.
I look on the way of treaties as a stepping back from fighting like beasts to arguing like human beings—whose strength should be more in their minds than in their limbs. And though I rarely had the chance to negotiate, I never lacked the desire or the readiness for it—having greater confidence in my reason than in my sword.1 I was so wholly resolved to yield to the first that I thought neither I myself nor others should need to use the second, if once we rightly understood each other.2 I never thought it beneath me to reach out to them first with expressions of my desire—and even with urgent pleas—to negotiate. It’s a duty not only of ordinary humanity to prefer reason to force, but also of Christianity to seek peace and pursue it.3 Just as I'm very unwillingly forced to defend myself with arms, so I very willingly welcomed anything that led toward peace. The outcomes of all war by the sword are very uncertain, and those of a civil war are especially painful; the end hardly repays the harm of the means, and only late repairs it.4 Nor did any success I ever had make me raise the price of peace, which I desired as earnestly as any man, though I was likely to pay more dearly for it than anyone. All I sought to keep was my honor and my conscience: the one I could not give up as a king, the other as a Christian.
The Failure of the Uxbridge Treaty
The King discusses the specific challenges of the Uxbridge Treaty and the obstacles posed by political stubbornness and factionalism.
The Treaty at Uxbridge offered the best hope for a peaceful settlement; if others had approached it with the same moderation I did, I'm confident the war would have ended then.5 I was willing to yield as far as reason, honor, and conscience would allow. The remaining differences weren't so essential to my people's happiness, or of such consequence, that they could have hindered my subjects' security or prosperity in the least; they enjoyed both better for many years before those demands were ever made—and I believe that denying some of them is the greatest justice to myself and a favor to my subjects.6 I see that jealousies aren't calmed as easily as they're raised: some people are more afraid to retreat from violent engagements than to enter them; what fairness lacks has to be made up with stubbornness. Those who had little to enjoy in peace, or little to lose in war, worked to make the very name of peace hateful and suspect. In church affairs, where I had the least freedom for prudent judgment, bound as I was by so many strict ties of conscience, I was still willing to yield so far toward settling them as might have given fair satisfaction to everyone whom faction, greed, or superstition had not committed more than any true zeal, charity, or love of reformation. I was content to yield to everything that might seem to advance true piety; I only sought to keep what was necessary in order, maintenance, and authority for the Church's government; and what I am persuaded (as I have set down my thoughts more fully elsewhere) is most consistent with the true principles of all government raised to its full stature and perfection, and also with the original apostolic pattern and the practice of the universal Church conforming to it. To abandon all of that entirely, without any reasonable cause argued or addressed, just to satisfy the whims and fantasies of certain men (who still don't agree among themselves on anything except rooting out episcopacy and fighting against me), would necessarily prove such softness and weakness of mind in me that I would rather part with God's truth than with man's peace, and rather lose the Church's honor than cross the factious moods of some men. God knows, and time will show, who was most to blame for the failure of that treaty, and who must bear the guilt of the calamities that followed. I believe I am thoroughly excusable both before God and before all impartial people who have carefully weighed those dealings, in which I worked no less for the restoration of peace to my people than for the preservation of my own crowns for my posterity.7
The Obstinacy of Opponents
The King analyzes the motives of those who rejected his peace offers, attributing the failure of treaties to their pride and desire for military advantage.
Some men are so proud that they take every fair concession as proof of weakness, and glory most in inflexible stubbornness when they see others most flexible and ready to yield to them. A grand maxim with them was always to ask for something that reason and honor required them to be refused, so they might have some pretext for rejecting everything else that had been granted on other points—setting the price of peace as high as the worst effects of war, and trying first to make me destroy myself by dishonorable concessions, so they would have less left to do. That was the only result of that treaty, or any other: to show the world how little I was willing to deny, and how little they were willing to grant, for the sake of public peace. The fact that it gave some men an excuse for further restlessness is due to their own depraved tempers, not to any concessions or refusals of mine: I always have the satisfaction of what I offered, and they have the regret and blame for what they refused. The highest tide of success never set me above a treaty, nor the lowest ebb below a fight—though I never thought it any sign of true valor to be prodigal with men's lives rather than be drawn to set out our own reasons, or to accept other men's. What for the most part made me foresee the failure of any treaty was some men's unwillingness to negotiate: which implied that some things were to be gained by the sword, whose untimeliness they were reluctant to have fairly examined, being more proper to be carried out by soldiers than by counselors. I pray that God will forgive those who were guilty of breaking that treaty, and give them grace to turn the advantages they gained by the sword into a better chance to use the moderation that was missing then—so that even though peace was justly delayed because of our sins, it might at last be happily obtained: what we could not get by our treaties, we may gain by our prayers.
A Prayer for Peace and Reconciliation
The King concludes with a heartfelt prayer to God, the ultimate Peacemaker, for the softening of hearts and the restoration of unity.
God of Reason and of Peace, you don't disdain to deal with sinners; you go before them with offers of atonement and plead with them to be reconciled to yourself. You don't lack the power or justice to destroy them, yet you abound in mercy to save them. Soften our hearts by the blood of our Redeemer, and persuade us to accept peace with you, and to both seek and preserve peace among ourselves, as men and as Christians.✦8 How often have I pleaded for peace?✦ But when I speak of it, they prepare themselves for war.✦ Don't condemn us to our passions, which destroy both ourselves and others. Clear our understanding to see your Truth, both in reason, as human beings, and in religion, as Christians; and incline all our hearts to hold the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Take from us the enmity that is now in our hearts against you, and give us the charity that should be among ourselves. Remove the evils of war we have deserved, and bestow on us that peace which only Christ, our great Peacemaker, can merit.✦
Read the original Latin
I looke upon the way of Treaties, as a retiring from fighting like beasts, to arguing like men; whose strength should be more in their understandings, then in their limbs.
And though I could seldom get opportunities to Treat, yet I never wanted either desire or disposition to it; having greater confidence of my Reason, then my Sword. I was so wholy resolved to yeild to the first, that I thought neither my self, not others, should need to use the second, if once we rightly understood each other.
Nor did I ever think it a diminution of me, to prevent them with expresses of my desires, and even importunities to Treat: It being an office not only of humanity, rather to use Reason then Force; but also of Christianitie to seek peace and ensue it.
As I am very unwillingly compelled to defend my self with Armes, so I very willingly embraced any thing tending to Peace.
The events of all War by the Sword being very dubious, and of a Civill war uncomfortable; the end hardly recompencing, and late repairing the mischiefe of the means.
Nor did any successe I had ever enhaunce with me the price of Peace, as earnestly desired by me as any man; though I was like to pay dearer for it then any man: All that I sought to reserve, was, mine Honour and my Conscience; the one I could not part with as a King, the other as a Christian.
The Treaty at Uxbridg gave the fairest hopes of an happy composure; had others applied themselves to it with the same moderation, as I did, I am confident the war had then ended.
I was willing to condescend, as far as Reason, Honour, and Conscience, would give me leave: nor were the remaining differences so essentiall to my peoples happinesse, or of such consequence, as in the least kind to have hindred my Subjects either security or prosperity; for they better enjoyed both many yeers, before ever those demands were made; some of which to deny, I think the greatest Justice to my Self, and favour to my Subjects.
I see Jealousies are not so easily allayed, as they are raised: Some men are more afraid to retreat from violent Engagements, then to Engage: what is wanting in Equity, must be made up in Pertinacie. Such as had little to enjoy in Peace, or to lose in War, studied to render the very name of Peace odious and suspected.
In Church-affairs, where I had least libertie of prudence, having so many strict ties of Conscience upon me, yet I was willing to condescend so farr to the setling of them, as might have given fair satisfaction to all men, whom Faction, Covetousness, or Superstition had not engaged, more then any true zeal, charity, or love of Reformation.
I was content to yeeld to all that might seem to advance true piety; I onely sought to continue what was necessary in point of Order, Maintenance, and Authority to the Churches Government; and what I am perswaded (as I have else-where set down my thoughts more fully) is most agreeable to the true principles of all Government, raised to its full stature and perfection, as also to the primitive Apostolicall patterne, and the practice of the Universall Church conform therunto.
From which wholly to recede, without any probable reason urged or answered, only to satisfie some mens wills and fantasies (which yet agree not among themselves in any point, but that of extirpating Episcopacy, and fighting against Me) must needs argue such a softnesse, and infirmity of mind in Me, as will rather part with Gods Truth, then mans Peace, and rather lose the Churches honour, then crosse some mens factious humours.
God knows, and time will discover, who were most to blame for the un-successfulnesse of that Treaty, and who must bear the guilt of after-calamities. I beleeve, I am very excusable both before God, and all unpassionate men, who have seriously weighed those transactions, wherein I endeavoured no lesse the restauration of peace to my people, then the preservation of my own Crowns to my posterity.
Some men have that height, as to interpret all faire condescendings as arguments of feeblenesse, and glory most in an unflexible stifnesse, when they see others most supple and inclinable to them.
A grand Maxime with them was alwayes to ask something, which in Reason and Honour must be denied, that they might have some colour to refuse all that was in other things granted; setting Peace at as high a rate, as the worst effects of Warr; endevouring first to make Me destroy My self by dishonourable Concessions, that so they might have the less to do.
This was all which that Treaty, or any other produced, to let the world see how little I would deny, or they grant, in order to the publick Peace.
That it gave occasion to some mens further restivenesse, is imputable to their own depraved tempers, not to any Concessions or negations of Mine: I have alwayes the content of what I offered, and they the regret and blame, for what they refused.
The highest tide of success set me not above a Treaty, nor the lowest ebbe below a Fight: Though I never thought it any sign of true valour, to be prodigal of mens lives, rather then be drawne to produce our own Reasons, or subscribe to other mens.
That which made me for the most part presage the unsuccesfulnesse of any Treaty, was, some mens unwillingnesse to Treat: which implied some things were to be gained by the Sword, whose unseasonableness they were loth to have fairly scanned, being more proper to be acted by Souldiers, then by Counsellours.
I pray God forgive them that were guilty of that Treaties breaking: and give them grace to make their advantages gotten by the Sword a better opportunity to use such moderation as was then wanting; that so though Peace were for our sins justly deferred, yet at last it might be happily obtained; what we could not get by our Treaties, we may gaine by our prayers.
O thou, that art the God of Reason, and of Peace, who disdainest not to treat with Sinners, preventing them with offers of attonement, and beseeching them to be reconciled with thy selfe: who wantest not Power, or Iustice, to destroy them; yet aboundest in mercy to save: soften our hearts by the bloud of our Redeemer, and perswade us to accept of Peace with thy self, and both to procure and preserve Peace among our selves, as Men and Christians. How oft have I entreated for Peace? but when I speak thereof, they make them ready to War.
Condemn us not to our passions, which are destructive both of our selves, and of others.
Cleer up our understandings to see thy Truth, both in reason, as Men; and in Religion, as Christians: and incline all our hearts to hold the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Take from us that enmity which is now in our hearts against thee: and give us that charity which should be among our selves.
Remove the evils of war we have deserved, & bestow upon us that peace which only Christ our great Peace-maker can merit.
Scripture echoes
- ↩2Cor.5.20 — Therefore, on behalf of Christ we are ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ: be reconciled to God.
- ↩Ps.120.7 — I am for peace; but when I speak, they are for war.
- ↩Ps.120.7 — I am for peace; but when I speak, they are for war.
- ↩Eph.2.14;Matt.5.9 — For he himself is our peace, who made both one and broke down the dividing wall of hostility Matt.5.9 — Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
Notes
- 1 ↩Early modern “wanted” means “lacked,” not “desired.” “Treat” means enter peace negotiations / treat for a settlement; modernized as “negotiate.” Early modern “then” = “than.”
- 2 ↩Source “neither my self, not others” read as “neither myself nor others” (standard neither…nor). “The first” / “the second” refer to Reason and Sword in the previous sentence. Orthography normalized: wholy→wholly, yeild→yield.
- 3 ↩Early modern 'prevent' means anticipate/go first (not hinder); 'expresses' means expressions or declarations; 'then' is historical spelling of 'than'; 'ensue' is modernized as 'pursue' for sense while preserving the biblical cadence.
- 4 ↩Early modern “uncomfortable” is rendered as “especially painful” (distressing/grievous), not socially awkward; “recompencing” as “repays,” and “mischiefe” as the lasting harm done by war’s means.
- 5 ↩Source 'composure' is used in the early modern political sense of composing/settling differences, not emotional self-control; rendered as 'settlement'.
- 6 ↩Source 'condescend' is used in the older sense of graciously yielding or coming down to terms, not the modern pejorative of talking down to someone; rendered as 'yield'.
- 7 ↩Source 'then' is early-modern 'than' in the no less…than comparison; rendered as comparative 'than', not temporal 'then'.
- 8 ↩Early modern 'preventing them with offers' means going before / coming to them first with offers, not blocking them.
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