180 STATESMEN AND SAGES a good father, a good churchman no man so good was ever so bad a king . no man so fallible believed so honestly in his infallibility. For Charles was honest to his own convictions. His very duplicity was due sometimes to school- ing in " kingcraft," but oftener to inability to see two sides of a question. Now he saw one, and now the other, but never both sides at once ; and, just as he saw, so he spoke. Milton's charges against him of " all manner of lewdness " rank with Milton's charge that he poisoned his father. Indeed, as a pattern of culture and purity, few princes are worthy to be named beside him. His children all loved and respected him. His little daughter Elizabeth, held as a prisoner by his foes, wrote of him with such womanly sympathy and admira- tion as even now brings tears to our eyes. His last letter of advice to his son Charles is a model hardly to be improved on. Parts of it read as follows : " I had rather you should be Charles fe bon, than le grand, good, than great ; I hope God hath designed you to be both ; having so early put you into that ex- ercise of His graces and gifts bestowed upon you, which may best weed out all vicious inclinations, and dispose you to those princely endowments and employ- ments which will most gain the love, and intend the welfare of those over whom God shall place you. " With God, I would have you begin and end, who is King of kings, the sovereign disposer of the kingdoms of the world, who pulleth down one and set- teth up another. " The best government and highest sovereignty you can attain to, is to be subject to Him, that the sceptre of His word and spirit may rule in your heart " The true glory of princes consists in advancing God's glory, in the mainten- ance of true religion and the church's good ; also in the dispensation of civil power with justice and honor to the public peace. " Piety will make you prosperous, at least it will keep you from becoming miserable ; nor is he much a loser that loseth all, yet saveth his own soul at last. " To which centre of true happiness, God (I trust) hath and will graciously direct all these black lines of affliction which He hath been pleased to draw on me, and by which He hath (I hope) drawn me nearer to Himself. You have already tasted of that cup whereof I have liberally drunk ; which I look upon as God's physic, having that in healthfulness which it wants in pleasure. " Take heed that outward circumstances and formalities of religion devour not all, or the best, encouragements, of learning, industry, and piety ; but with an equal eye and impartial hand distribute favors and rewards to all men, as you find them for their real goodness both in abilities and fidelity, worthy and capa- ble of them. "And if neither I nor you be ever restored to our right, but God, in His se- verest justice, will punish my subjects with continuance in their sin, and suffer them to be deluded with the prosperity of their wickedness, I hope God will give me and you that grace which will teach and enable us to want, as well as to wear. crown, which is not worth taking up or enjoying upon sordid, dishonorable and irreligious terms.
