The Moderate:
Impartially communicating Martial
Affaires to the KINGDOM of
ENGLAND.
From Tuesday Decemb. 26. to Tuesday January 2. 1649.
IN answer to, and confutation of Belloy his opinion, in my last
mentioned, I shall only offer this, That heirs apparent are not
true Kings, untill their Coronation, how just soever their Title
of succession otherwise be; and though their predecessors
be dead; it might be confirmed by many other Arguments,
but especially, and above all others that, for that the Realm is
asked again three times at their Coronation, whether they will
have such a man to be king, or no? Which was in vain to ask,
if he was truly king, as Belloy saith, before his coronation.
Again, we see in all the forms, and different manners of coronation, that after
the prince hath sworn divers times to Govern well and justly, them do the people take other Oaths of obedience and Allegiance, and not before, which argueth, that they were not bound into him by Allegiance. And for the Princes of England, it is
expresly noted by English Historiographers, in their Coronation, how that no Allegiance
is due unto them before they be Crowned, and that only it happened to Henry
the fifth, among all other kings, his predecessor to have this priviledge, and this for his exceeding towardlinesse, and the great affection of the people towards him,
that he had Homage done unto him before he took his Coronation Oath, whereof
Polydor writeth to this purpose; That this prince Henry, after he had finished his fathers
Funeral's, caused a Parliament to be gathered at westminster, where, whilest consultation was had, according to the ancient custome of England, about creating a new
king; behold, certain of the Nobility of their own free wills, began to swear Obedience,