Upon the Insolency of the Tumults
The Ominous Tumults
The King reflects on the early riots in London as a divine warning and a sign of national instability.
I never thought anything—except our sins—a more ominous foreshadowing of all these troubles that have followed than those tumults in London and Westminster soon after this Parliament first convened. They were not like a storm at sea (which still has its terror), but like an earthquake, shaking the very foundations of everything; and nothing in the world is more full of horror. Just as one of the most convincing arguments that there is a God is that his power sets limits on the raging of the sea, so it's no less an argument that he restrains the madness of the people. Nothing signals God's displeasure with a nation more clearly than when he allows the gatherings and outcries of the common people to cross every boundary of law and reverence for authority.1 Those tumults rose to such heights of insolence that they didn't hesitate to invade the honor and freedom of the two Houses—threatening, insulting, jostling, even assaulting some members of both Houses, as they liked or disliked them. Nor did they hold back from the rudest and most unseemly conduct, in contemptuous words and actions alike, toward me and my court. Nor was this a short fit or two of shaking, like an ague, but a daily fever, always rising to higher inflammations, that would not bear any easing, restraint, or remission.2
The Instrument of Disorder
The King analyzes how political factions manipulated the crowds to bypass reason and force their own agendas.
First, they had to serve as a guard against those fears with which some men frightened themselves and others as well—when in truth nothing was more to be feared, and less fit for wise men to make use of, than those disorderly throngs of low and rough people, who are taught first to petition, then to protect, then to dictate, and at last to command and overawe Parliament. All obstructions in Parliament—that is, all freedom to differ in votes and to debate matters with reason and candor—had to be swept away by means of these tumults. By them the Houses had to be purged, and every member they chose to call rotten cast out. By them the obstinacy of men resolved to act by their consciences had to be subdued. By them every factious, seditious, and schismatic proposal against church or civil government had to be backed and abetted until it prevailed. Generally, those who most wanted to bring confusion and ruin to the Church and State used these riots as midwives. Their impatience was such that they wouldn't wait for counsel to ripen in its season, or for acts to be properly brought forth with the order, gravity, and deliberation that befit a Parliament. Instead, they ripped things open with barbarous cruelty and forcibly cut out abortive votes—the kind their instigators and encouragers most preferred. Indeed, their outrages were so monstrous and detestable that no clear-headed person could watch them without boundless shame and sorrow—tolerated and winked at by some, and endorsed, encouraged, and applauded by others. What good man wouldn't rather go without anything he most desired, for the public good, than obtain it by such unlawful and irreligious means? But human passions and God's directions rarely agree; violent plans and movements require suitable instruments, and those who focus too much on their own ends rarely limit themselves to God's means.3 Force must push in what reason will not lead. Some men still living know too well who the chief demagogues and patrons of the tumults were—the ones who sent for the crowds, flattered and emboldened them, and directed and tuned their clamorous demands—to pretend ignorance. In His good time, God will let these men see that those were no fit means to use for attaining His ends. But just as it isn't strange for the sea to rage when strong winds blow on it, so neither is it strange for crowds to grow insolent when men with some reputation for ability and piety set them on.
The Necessity of Withdrawal
Faced with persistent danger and a lack of redress, the King explains his decision to leave Whitehall as a matter of conscience and safety.
What made their rudeness most formidable was this: though many complaints were made, and messages sent by me and by some members of both Houses, still no order for redress could be obtained with any vigor and effectiveness proportionate to the malignity of that now widespread disease and the mischief that held the upper hand. Some men were so foolish they feared no harm; others were so reckless they rejoiced to see their superiors shamefully attacked and abused, even while they knew their only security lay in flattering the crowd—they were that indifferent to my safety and honor, and to the shared safety and honor of the two Houses.45 It was impossible to get any order to impartially examine, censure, and punish those known firebrands and shameless agitators who boasted of their influence and used it to stir up riots whenever it served their interests.6 Yes, some men who should have been wiser statesmen claimed them as friends, praising their courage, zeal, and industry—which to sober people could seem no better than the devil's, who goes about seeking whom he may deceive and devour.✦ I confess that when I found such a deafness—that no declaration from the bishops, who were first foully insulted and assaulted, nor yet from other lords and gentlemen of honor, nor yet from myself, could take effect for the proper suppression of these tumults and for securing not only our freedom in Parliament but our very persons in the streets—I did not think myself bound by remaining present to provoke them to still greater boldness and contempt. I hoped by withdrawing to give time both for their tumultuous fury to ebb and for others to regain some measure of modesty and sober sense.7 Some might see it as cowardice for anyone to abandon their public post just because of popular threats.8 But I think it is a rash daring, beyond true courage, for a wise man to set himself against a sea breaking in; to resist it right now threatens imminent danger, but to withdraw gives it room to spend its fury and gains a better time to repair the breach.9 A truly gallant person would rather fight in an orderly way, even at a significant disadvantage in numbers and position, than scuffle with an undisciplined mob.10 Some suspected and claimed that I was planning a war (when I left Whitehall only to free my person and conscience from violence). God knows I wasn't thinking of a war. Nor will any prudent person suppose that I would have so weakened myself by so many earlier acts—and some later ones—if I had meant to go to war, a war I denied myself in so many particulars in order to avoid by every means. It's clear that I then had no army to flee to for protection or vindication. Who can blame me, or anyone else, for withdrawing ourselves from the daily baitings of the Tumults, not knowing whether their fury and discontent might not rise so high as to maul and tear to pieces those they had so far only toyed with in their paws?11 God, my only Judge, is my Witness in Heaven that I never thought of leaving my house at Whitehall if I could have received even reasonably fair treatment. I was resolved to bear much, and I did, but I didn't think myself bound to prostitute the majesty of my position and person, or the safety of my wife and children, to those most prone to insult when they have targets and opportunities open to their rudeness and insolence.✦1213
A Prayer for Order and Repentance
The King concludes by committing the guilt of the nation to God's justice and praying for the restoration of peace and unity.
But time, and the guilt of many, have so smothered and buried this business of the Tumults (of which some have already given an account to God, and others still living know themselves desperately guilty) that I think it best to leave it as it is: only I believe the just Avenger of all disorder will in time make those men, and that City, see their sin in the mirror of their punishment.14 It's better than an even bet that one day they may see themselves punished by the same means with which they offended.✦15 If this Parliament, as it was at its first election and constitution, had sat full and free—the members of both Houses left free to vote as, in all reason, honor, and religion, they should have been—I don't doubt that things would have been handled so as to give all good people no less satisfaction than they wished or expected. I was determined to listen to reason in everything and to agree with it as far as I could understand it; but just as swine are to gardens and orderly plantings, so are riots to Parliaments and mobs to public councils—they turn everything into disorder and sordid confusion. I'm sometimes inclined to think that if I had called this Parliament to any other place in England (as I might well enough have done at a suitable time), the sad consequences would, in all likelihood, with God's blessing, have been prevented. A Parliament would have been welcome anywhere; no other place offered such a gathering of varied and vicious temperaments as the one where it was unhappily convened.16 But we must leave everything to God, who brings order to our disorders and magnifies his wisdom most when our follies and miseries are most laid bare. But you, O Lord, are my refuge and defense: to you I may safely flee, you who rule the raging of the sea and the madness of the people. The floods, O Lord, the floods have come in upon me, and are ready to overwhelm me. I look at my sins and the sins of my people—which are the tumults of our souls against you, O Lord—as the just cause of these popular floods you allow to overflow all the banks of loyalty, modesty, laws, justice, and religion. But You, who gathered the waters into one place and made the dry land appear, and later calmed the flood that drowned the world by the word of Your power: rebuke those beasts of the people, and deliver me from the rudeness and strife of the multitude. Restore to us, we ask you, the freedoms of our councils and parliaments; make us see without passion the light of reason and religion, and follow it with all order and gravity, as becomes men and Christians; then we will praise your name, who are the God of order and counsel.✦ What man cannot, or will not, repress, your omnipotent Justice can and will. O Lord, give those who are still living a timely sense and sorrow for their great sin—those whom you know are guilty of raising those disorders or of not suppressing them. Let shame here, and not suffering hereafter, be their punishment. Set limits to our passions through reason, to our errors through truth, to our rebellions through the proper enforcement of laws, and to our divisions through charity, so that we may be, like your Jerusalem, a city united within itself.✦ Grant this, O my God, in your own time, for the sake of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Read the original Latin
I Never thought any thing (except our sins) more ominously presaging all these mischiefs, which have followed, then those Tumults in London and Westminster, soon after the convening of this Parliament; which were not like a storm at Sea, (which yet wants not its terrour) but like an Earth-quake, shaking the very foundations of all; then which nothing in the world hath more of horror.
As it is one of the most convincing Arguments that there is a God, while his power sets bounds to the raging of the Sea: so 'tis no less, that he restrains the madness of the People. Nor doth any thing portend more Gods displeasure against a Nation, then when he suffers the confluence and clamours of the Vulgar to passe all boundaries of Laws and reverence to Authority.
Which those Tumults did to so high degrees of Insolence, that they spared not to invade the Honour and Freedom of the two Houses, menacing, reproaching, shaking, yea, and assaulting some Members of both Houses, as they fancied, or disliked them: Nor did they forbear most rude and unseemly deportments, both in contemptuous words and actions, to my Self and my Court.
Nor was this a short fit or two of shaking, as an ague, but a quotidian fever, always encreasing to higher inflammations, impatient of any mitigation, restraint, or remission.
First, They must be a guard against those fears which some men scared themselves and others withall; when indeed nothing was more to be feared, and lesse to be used by wise men, then those tumultuary confluxes of mean and rude people, who are taught first to petition, then to protect, then to dictate, at last to command and over-aw the Parliament.
All obstructions in Parliament (that is, all freedom of differing in Votes, and debating matters with reason and candor) must be taken away with these Tumults; By these must the Houses be purged, and all rotten Members (as they pleased to count them) cast out: By these the obstinacie of men resolved to discharge their Consciences, must be subdued; by these all factious, seditious, and schismaticall Proposals against Government Ecclesiastical or Civil, must be backed and abetted, till they prevailed.
Generally, who-ever had most mind to bring forth confusion and ruine upon Church and State, used the midwifery of those Tumults: whose riot and impatience was such, that they would not stay the ripening and season of Counsels, or fair production of Acts, in the order, gravity, and deliberatenesse befitting a Parliament; but ripped up with barbarous cruelty, and forcibly cut out abortive Votes, such as their Inviters and Encouragers most fancied.
Yea, so enormous and detestable were their outrages, that no sober man could be without an infinite shame and sorrow to see them so tolerated and connived at by some; countenanced, encouraged, and applauded by others.
What good man had not rather want any thing he most desired, for the publick good, then obtain it by such unlawfull and irreligious means? But mens passions and Gods directions seldom agree; violent designes and motions must have sutable engines: such as too much attend their own ends, seldom confine themselves to Gods means. Force must crowd in what Reason will not lead.
Who were the chief Demagogues and Patrons of Tumults, to send for them, to flatter and embolden them, to direct and tune their clamorous importunities, some men yet living are too conscious to pretend ignorance: God in his due time will let these see, That those were no fit means to be used for attaining his ends.
But as it is no strange thing for the Sea to rage, when strong winds blow upon it; so neither for Multitudes to become insolent, when they have Men of some reputation for parts and piety to set them on.
That which made their rudenesse most formidable, was, that many Complaints being made, and Messages sent by my Self, and, some of both Houses; yet no Order for redress could be obtained with any vigour and efficacie, proportionable to the malignity of that now far-spread disease, and predominant mischief.
Such was some mens stupidity, that they feared no inconvenience; Others petulancie, that they joyed to see their betters shamefully outraged and abused, while they knew their onely security consisted in vulgar flattery: so insensible were they of Mine, or the two Houses common Safety and Honours.
Nor could ever any Order be obtained, impartially to examine, censure, and punish the known Boutefeus, and impudent Incendiaries, who boasted of the influence they had and used, to convoke those Tumults as their advantages served.
Yea, some (who should have been wiser States-men) owned them as friends, commending their Courage, Zeal, and Industry; which to sober men could seem no better then that of the Divel, who goes about seeking whom he may deceive and devour.
I confesse, when I found such a deafness, that no Declaration from the Bishops, who were first fouly insolenced and assaulted; nor yet from other Lords and Gentlemen of Honor; nor yet from my self could take place for the due repression of these Tumults; and securing not only Our freedom in Parliament, but Our very persons in the Streets; I thought My self not bound by my presence to provoke them to higher boldness and contempts; I hoped by my with-drawing to give time, both for the ebbing of their tumultuous furie, and others regaining some degrees of modesty and sober sense.
Some may interpret it as an effect of Pusillanimitie in any man for popular terrors to desert his publick station. But I think it a hardiness, beyond true valor, for a wise man to set himself against the breaking in of a Sea; which to resist, at present, threatens imminent danger; but to withdraw, gives it space to spend its fury, and gains a fitter time to repair the breach. Certainly a gallant man had rather fight to great disadvantages for number and place in the field, in an orderly way, then skuffle with an undisciplined rabble.
Some suspected and affirmed that I meditated a war (when I went from Whitehal only to redeem my Person & Conscience from violence) God knows I did not think of a war. Nor will any prudent man conceive that I would by so many former and some after-acts, have so much weakned My self, if I had purposed to engage in a war, which to decline by all means, I denyed my self in so many particulars: 'Tis evident I had then no Army to fly unto, for protection or vindication.
Who can blame me, or any other for a withdrawing our selves from the daily baitings of the Tumults, not knowing whether their fury and discontent might not fly so high, as to worry and tear those in pieces, whom as yet they but played with in their paws? God, who is my sole Judg, is my Witness in Heaven, that I never had any thoughts of going from My house at Whitehall, if I could have had but any reasonable fair Quarter; I was resolved to bear much, and did so, but I did not think my self bound to prostitute the Majesty of my place and Person, the safety of my Wife and children, to those who are prone to insult most, when they have objects and opportunity, most capable of their rudeness and petulancy.
But this business of the Tumults (whereof some have given already an account to God, others yet living, know themselves desperatly guilty) time and the guilt of many hath so smothered up and buried, that I think it best to leave it as it is: Only I beleeve the just Avenger of all disorders, will in time make those men, and that City, see their sin in the glass of their Punishment. 'Tis more then an even lay, they may one day see themselves punished by that way they offended.
Had this Parliament, as it was in its first Election and Constitution, sate full and free, the Members of both Houses being left to their freedom of Voting, as in all reason, honor, and Religion, they should have been; I doubt not but things would have been so carried, as would have given no less content to all good men, then they wished or expected.
For, I was resolved to hear reason in all things, and to consent to it so far as I could comprehend it: but as Swine are to Gardens and orderly Plantations, so are Tumults to Parliaments, and Plebeian concourses to publick Councels, turning all into disorders and sordid confusions.
I am prone sometimes to think, That had I called this Parliament to any other place in England, (as I might opportunely enough have done) the sad consequences, in all likelihood, with Gods blessing, might have been prevented. A Parliament would have been welcom in any place; no place afforded such confluence of various and vitious humors, as that where it was unhappily convened. But we must leave all to God, who orders our disorders, and magnifies his wisdom most, when our follies and miseries are most discovered.
But thou O Lord art My refuge and defence: to thee I may safely flie, who rulest the raging of the Sea, and the madnesse of the People.
The flouds, O Lord, the flouds are come in upon Me, and are ready to overwhelm Me.
I look upon My sinnes and the sinnes of My people, (which are the tumults of our Souls against thee O Lord) as the just cause of these popular inundations which thou permittest to overbear all the banks of Loyalty, Modesty, Laws, Justice, and Religion.
But thou that gatheredst the Waters into one place, and madest the dry land to appear, and after did'st asswage the floud which drowned the world, by the word of thy power; Rebuke those beasts of the people, and deliver Me from the rudenesse and strivings of the multitude.
Restore, We beseech thee, unto Us, the freedoms of Our Councels and Parliaments, make Us unpassionately to see the light of Reason, and Religion, and with all order and gravity to follow it, as becomes Men and Christians; so shall We praise thy Name, who art the God of order and counsel.
What man cannot, or will not represse, thy Omnipotent Justice can and will.
O Lord, give them that are yet living, a timely sense and sorrow for their great sinne, whom thou knowest guilty of raising or not suppressing those disorders: Let shame here and not suffering hereafter be their punishment.
Set bounds to our passions by Reason, to our errors by Truth, to our seditions by Laws duely executed, to our schismes by Charitie, that we may be, as thy Jerusalem, a Citie at unity in it self.
This grant, O My God, in thy good time, for Jesus Christs sake. Amen.
Scripture echoes
- ↩1Pet.5.8 — Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
- ↩Job.16.19 — Even now, behold, my Witness is in heaven, and my Vindicator is on high.
- ↩Matt.7.2;Gal.6.7 — For with the judgment you judge, you will be judged, and with the measure you measure, it will be measured to you. Gal.6.7 — Do not be deceived: God is not mocked. For whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.
- ↩1Cor.14.33;Isa.9.6 — For God is not a God of disorder but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints. Isa.9.6 — For the increase of his government and for peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.
- ↩Ps.122.3 — Jerusalem, built as a city joined together as one,
Notes
- 1 ↩Early modern 'then' = 'than'; 'Vulgar' = the common people/masses (not modern 'crude'); 'suffers' = permits/allows; 'confluence' = thronging together.
- 2 ↩Source 'ague' is kept as the period fever term (intermittent shaking fever); 'quotidian fever' is rendered as 'daily fever' for modern readability while preserving the medical contrast with a brief ague.
- 3 ↩Early modern 'engines' rendered as 'instruments' (tools or devices used to effect a design), not mechanical machinery.
- 4 ↩Source 'inconvenience' means harm or adverse consequence, not a minor annoyance; rendered as 'harm'.
- 5 ↩Source 'vulgar flattery' means flattery of the common people (vulgus), not merely coarse praise; rendered as 'flattering the crowd'.
- 6 ↩Source Boutefeus (French boute-feu, 'firebrand') is rendered as firebrands; paired with Incendiaries, it means political agitators who deliberately stir up disorder, not literal arsonists.
- 7 ↩Early modern verbal use of 'insolence': treated with insolent abuse/insult, not merely spoken to insolently.
- 8 ↩Pusillanimitie = cowardice / smallness of spirit; publick station = public office or post of duty.
- 9 ↩hardiness here is Early Modern for rash boldness or audacity, not toughness; the sea image figures the tumults as an overwhelming flood.
- 10 ↩Source then is period spelling for than; skuffle is scuffle.
- 11 ↩Source 'worry' is the older sense of dogs seizing and shaking prey, not modern anxiety; rendered 'maul' to keep the animal-attack metaphor with 'paws' and 'baitings'.
- 12 ↩Source 'Quarter' means fair terms/treatment or safe accommodation, not lodging only; rendered 'fair treatment'.
- 13 ↩Source spelling 'Judg' normalized to 'Judge' in sense; 'petulancy' rendered as contemporary 'insolence'.
- 14 ↩Source 'glass' is the looking-glass/mirror sense; rendered 'mirror' for contemporary clarity while keeping the retributive image that punishment will show them their own sin.
- 15 ↩Source 'even lay' is a gambling idiom for an even wager; 'more then' is period spelling for 'more than'. Rendered as 'better than an even bet' to keep the probabilistic force without archaism.
- 16 ↩Source 'humors' keeps the early-modern sense of temperaments/passions rather than comedy; rendered as 'temperaments' for clarity.
Eikon Basilike: The Pourtraicture of His Sacred Majestie in His Solitudes and Sufferings companion
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