104 OF SUBORDINATE MAGISTRATES. 



2. The absolute prerogative, which is in kings 

 according to their private will and judgment, cannot 

 be executed by any subject ; neither is it possible to 

 give such power by commission ; or fit to subject 

 the people to the same ; for the king, in that he is 

 the substitute of God immediately, the father of his 

 people, and head of the commonwealth, hath, by 

 participation with God, and with his subjects, a dis 

 cretion, judgment, and feeling love towards those, 

 over whom he reigneth, only proper to himself, or 

 to his place and person ; who, seeing he cannot in 

 any others infuse his wisdom, power, or gifts, which 

 God, in respect of his place and charge, hath enabled 

 him withal, can neither subordinate any other judge 

 to govern by that knowledge, which the king can 

 no otherwise, than by his known will, participate 

 unto him : and if any such subordinate judge shall 

 obtain commission according to the discretion of 

 such judge to govern the people, that judge is bound 

 to think that to be his soundest discretipn, which 

 the law, in which is the king s known will, sheweth 

 unto him to be that justice which he ought to 

 administer ; otherwise he might seem to esteem him 

 self above the king s law, who will not govern by it, 

 or to have a power derived from other than from the 

 king, which in the kingdom will administer justice 

 contrary unto the justice of the land: neither can 

 such a judge or commissioner under the name of the 

 king s authority shroud his own high action, seeing 

 the conscience and discretion of every man is par 

 ticular and private to himself, so as the discretion of 



