Letter to William Nassau, Prince of Orange

by Edward Elwall

Most Excellent Prince!

As thy renowned Ancestors have been Famous in many Ages for Asserting, Procuring, Defending, and Protecting the Civil and Religious Rights and Liberties of their Country; and have even lost and hazarded their Lives and Fortunes in rescuing them out of the Hands of the most powerful Pope-rid Kings, and cruel persecuting Prelates and Priests in all the Earth; so I hope a good measure of the same heroic Spirit dwells in thy Breast. And if it do, as I trust it doth, then I shall not at all doubt, but, that these Principles of mine, contained in this little Book, will meet with, join, and find Acceptance in thy very Heart.

This I can truly say, from an honest, upright and truly sincere Breast, that I have no other Views, but the Glory of God most high, the Honour and Advancement of the Spiritual Kingdom of Jesus Christ, and the universal God of Mankind: And I am strongly persuaded, that if thy Heart be right in the Sight of God, thou wilt certainly say, in the reading of it, Friend Elwall, God speed thy Plough.

God does not delight in Man’s Legs, nor in the Height of their Stature; but he looketh at the Obedience of their Hearts to his Mind and Will. And as thou art young and very often sickly (as the glorious William was) so I trust, God will thereby humble thee, and shew thee his way, that thou may’st follow him and keep his sacred Ten Commandments; and they will be more Joy to thy Heart, than all the high Titles that the whole World can confer upon thee: And therefore, ever remember, that true Nobility consisteth not in high Titles, nor in Ancient Nassau’s, or Glorious and Royal Ancestors, but in Noble and Virtuous Actions; doing those things that are right and good in the Sight of God. For this good Reason, because thou knowest, that pure Christian Liberty is always a Friend to Truth; and that Oppression, Priestcraft and Bigottry is evermore the reverse.

It is far from my Heart to flatter Princes, I think telling thee the plain Truth, in a loving Frame of Spirit, is most like to do thee Good. I have often thought, that it would be best for our Nation, and for the Princes and Princesses of our Royal Family, if they married (with the King’s Consent) the Sons and Daughters of Nobles in our own Land, notwithstanding all the Objections to the contrary, which I confess are many; yet I humbly conceive, that if all things were impartially considered, and true Judgment were laid to the Line, and Righteousness to the Plummet, the Objections would be far more, and the Consequences generally worse, in marrying Foreigners; whose Principles of Civil and Religious Liberties, Education, Maxims of Government, &c. Are different from those of our own Nation; besides the want of Personal Conversation, which the Voice of Reason seems to say, should be previous to a married State; much tending to future Amity, and living in Obedience to the sacred Law of God, with great Peace, Satisfaction, and Comfort to their Minds. As to England and Holland, the Liberties we both enjoy; and the many more we reasonable hope for, are such; that it is hard to say which excels. So that thy marrying the Eldest Princess of our Royal Family is agreeable, I believe, to almost every true Protestant in the Realm. And thou drawing thy first Breath, and sucking thy Milk in a free Air, like our own, gives us the greatest Hopes of thy Love to Liberty; and that thou wilt never go back one Inch towards Rome, nor degenerate from thy renowned Ancestors; but rather thirst after a further Reformation: And then the Desire of my Soul will be, to see, Another Nassau born in our Land, if it be the Will of God.

Who am thy sincere Friend,

E. Elwall