I went to Sir Edmund's Chamber where I found him to reconcile my self and make an Atonement for that was his word with him As I was doing this M r Serjeant came into the Chamber and there Arrested me whose Arrest I most willingly obeyed and do now acknowledge my self to have offended though not wittingly May it please you I have served her Majesty these eighteen Years in her Wars and in all my Life I was never Trespasser in any offence of this or the like nature I do therefore most humbly beseech you in your Wisdoms to have consideration of the nature and circumstances of mine offence and most willingly I do submit my self to your Censures William Mackerells being a poor simple Fellow could say nothing for himself but only that he knew not M r Pemerton to be of the House no not for his Life if it c. So the Serjeant was commanded to remove them forth Mr. Johnson said Some we Pardon out of Discretion some out of Commiseration I think set all Parliaments together they will not match this Parliament with numbers of this nature only impunity the Cause Sir Edmund Morgan said The Gentleman Mr. Speaker is a Man of good desert sort and carriage and I think if he had known me to have been of this House he would not have served me with the Subpoena Truly he came to my Lodging and acknowledged his great fault and prayed me to extenuate it I protest I think he did not know I was of the House And therefore I humbly pray that in regard of his person and good service done to her Majesty his offence may be as freely remitted by the House as it is by me And that it would please you all to reserve your Justice to matters of greater importance Which-Speech was marvellous well liked of by the House M r Pemerton being asked what he could say whether William Mackerells knew him he Answered I and that his men had told him He said he knew that the said William was a very Knave and therefore he would not entreat the favour of the House but let him have the Justice of the House Which Speech was generally misliked as churlish M r Fleetwood a Counsellor of Grayes-Inn shewed unto the House that one Holland a Scrivener by Temple-Bar and his Man had beaten his Servant And he humbly prayed they might be sent for And the question grew upon dispute whether this were punishable And after upon a Precedent vouched by M r Roger Owen of 8 Hen. 4. touching a Knight of the Parliament coming towards the Parliament And so agreed they should be sent for See the whole matter on Saturday next M r Kennell and M r Mackerells were brought to the Bar and after their offences laid open by the Speaker he said it pleased the House to have so favourable consideration of their offences that they should only have three dayes Imprisonment in the Custody of the Serjeant and pay him their Fees M r Downald moved the House first that that gracious Message which had been sent from her Majesty might be written in the Books of Records of this House being worthy to be written in Gold as well as it is written and fixed in the true heart of every good Subject Secondly That the Honourable Assembly of this House would move her Majesty and be earnest means of speed lest that which is now meant indeed may by protraction of time be altered or perhaps not so happily effected M r Secretary Cecill said I promised to be as silent as I could Among much Speech of the wise there wants not much folly much more in me I do not speak because I do dislike the Motion of the Gentleman that last spake but to defend the diligence and grace of the Queen It is no matter of Toy for a Prince to notifie in publick a matter of this weight Though the Idol of a Monopoly be a great Monster yet after two or three days I doubt not but you shall see him dismember'd And I protest there is not any Soul that lives deserves thanks in this Cause but our Sovereign Yesterday the Queen gave Order for a Draught of a Proclamation I had it in my hand You all know I went even now out of the House that was in the middle of M r Tate's Speech then I read it and sent for him that should deliver it to her hands Now what needs this new Zeal M r Davies said M r Speaker I stood up before to speak it is not much I had to say only this That which was delivered unto you from her sacred self I think to be Gospel that is Glad Tidings And as the Gospel is registred and written so would I have that also for if ever glad tidings came to the heart of the Subject they now come This is all Sir Sir George Moore said This eating and fretting Disease of Monopolies I have ever detested with my heart and the greater the grievance is the more inestimable is the grave wisdom of her Majesty in repealing them And therefore for us to think we can sufficiently requite the same it were to hold a Candle before the Sun to dim the Light And seeing she in her Clemency and Care to us hath taken the matter in her own hands I wish the matter may be no more spoke of much less proceeded in Sir Francis Hastings said It ought to be written in the Tables of our hearts c. Mr. Lawrence Hide said I think the Gentleman that set this Motion on foot spake out of Joy for her Majesties Grace and Zeal to have performance of her Promise In that he wished it might be recorded in Paper here or Parchment it is not to be intended but he meant also in our hearts which remain no longer than we live But Records remain long and will give a lively memory in Ages to come And therefore for that part of his Motion I think it very good and wish the Clerk may do it accordingly Mr. Comptroller said I think he that first moved this question exceedingly forgot himself and exceedingly detracted from her Majesty who I know out of her abundant love and grace to this House hath taken such speedy course as hath been delivered by my Fellow Counsellor With that affection she embraceth this House that in more familiar than Princely sort it hath pleased her to say Recommend me to the House with thanks for their promise and care for their common good Mr. Speaker said My Heart is not able to conceive nor my Tongue to utter the Joy I conceived of her Majesties Gracious and especial Care for our good c. Wherefore as God himself said Gloriam meam alteri non dabo so may her Majesty say in that she her self will be the only and speedy Agent for performance of our most humble and most wished desires Wherefore let us not doubt but as she hath been so she still will be our most Gracious Sovereign and natural
only commit a great error in omitting to read some one Bill or other according to the usual Custom but was also much mistaken in informing the House that it had been Adjourned and so now stood Adjourned by those words which the Lord Keeper had spoken in the Upper House for his Lordship at this time as appears plainly by the Original Journal-Book of that House did only continue the Parliament and not Adjourn it which words although spoken by the Queens Commandment being personally present do only concern the said Upper House and reach not at all unto the House of Commons as was directly declared by the Lord Keeper himself in the next Parliament ensuing in An. 43 Regin Eliz. after that M r John Crooke M r Recorder of London their Speaker upon his allowance in and return from the said Upper House on Friday the 30 th day of October in An. eodem had by a like mistake misinformed the House that it was Adjourned and so caused it to rise without the reading of any Bill And therefore here once for all I have caused the true differences as I conceive in this kind to be here inserted viz. If the Lord Keeper by the Queens Commandment being personally present had either prolonged or Adjourned the Parliament or that her Majesty with her own Mouth had pronounced the said words or had caused the same to have been done by a Commission under the Great Seal in her absence in all these Cases it had reached alike both unto the Upper House and unto the House of Commons But if the Queens Majesty had with her own Mouth continued the Parliament as she did here command the Lord Keeper to do it yet this had only concerned the Upper House so that the Lords could not have met again until the day to which the said Parliament had been continued but the said House of Commons whom the said continuance concerned not might have met each day without intermission and have agitated such businesses and have given reading to such Bills as offered themselves And lastly If the Lord Keeper or Lord Chancellor for the time being do at any time Adjourn or continue the Parliament to a further day as of course he doth one of them for longer or shorter time every day the Upper House riseth and that he doth it not by Command or Commission from the Soveraign for the time being but do it of course as is aforesaid this concerns only the Upper House and the House of Commons are neither bound to take notice of it nor to surcease any of their daily Proceedings upon it On Saturday the 5 th day of November the House met about eight of the Clock in the Morning having through a meer mistake and error of the Speaker and themselves conceived their House to have been Adjourned by the Lord Keeper the first day of the Parliament unto this present Saturday as is more largely declared in fine diei praecedentis Nota also that some part of the Passages of this present Saturday following are transcribed out of the before-recited fragmentary and imperfect Journal M r Speaker this Morning according to the usual course brought in a Prayer to be used in the House during this Parliament which was as followeth OEternal God Lord of Heaven and Earth the great and mighty Councellor We thy poor Servants Assembled before thee in this Honourable Senate humbly acknowledge our great and manifold sins and imperfections and thereby our unworthiness to receive any grace and assistance from thee Yet most merciful Father since by thy providence we are called from all parts of the Land to this famous Council of Parliament to advise of those things which concern thy Glory the good of thy Church the prosperity of our Prince and the Weal of her people we most intirely beseech thee that pardoning all our sins in the Blood of thy Son Jesus Christ it would please thee by the brightness of thy Spirit to expel darkness and vanity from our minds and partiality from our Speeches and grant unto us such wisdom and integrity of heart as becometh the Servants of Jesus Christ the Subjects of a gracious Prince and Members of this Honourable House Let not us O Lord who are met together for the publick good of the whole Land be more careless and remiss than we use to be in our own private Causes Give Grace we beseech thee that every one of us may labour to shew a good Conscience to thy Majesty a good Zeal to thy word and a loyal heart to our Prince and a Christian Love to our Country and Common-Wealth O Lord so unite and conjoin the hearts of her Excellent Majesty and this whole Assembly as they may be a threefold Cord not easily broken giving strength to such godly I aws as be already Enacted that they may be the better Executed and Enacting such as are further requisite for the bridling of the wicked and the encouragement unto the godly and well affected Subjects That so thy great blessing may be continued towards us and thy grievous Judgments turned from us And that only for Christ Jesus sake our most glorious and only Mediator and Advocate to whom with thy blessed Majesty and the Holy Ghost be given all Honour and Praise Power and Dominion from this time forth for evermore Amen M r Francis Bacon spake first after that one Bill mentioned in the Original Journal-Book of the House of Commons had been read the first time viz. the Bill against Forestallers Regrators and Ingrossers and made a Motion against Inclosures and Depopulation of Towns and Houses of Husbandry and Tillage And to this purpose he brought in as he termed it two Bills not drawn with a polished pen but with a polished heart free from affection and affectation And because former Laws are Medicines of our understanding he said that he had perused the Preambles of former Statutes and by them did see the inconveniencies of this matter being then scarce out of the shell to be now full ripened And he said that the over-flowing of the people here makes a shrinking and abate elsewhere And that these two mischiefs though they be exceeding great yet they seem the less because Qui mala cum multis patimur leviora videntur And though it may be thought ill and very prejudicial to Lords that have inclosed great grounds and pulled down even whole Towns and converted them to Sheep-Pastures yet considering the increase of people and the benefit of the Common-Wealth I doubt not but every man will deem the revival of former Moth-eaten Laws in this point a praise-worthy thing For in matters of Policy ill is not to be thought ill which bringeth forth good For Inclosure of grounds brings depopulation which brings first Idleness secondly decay of Tillage thirdly subversion of Houses and decay of Charity and charges to the Poor fourthly impoverishing the state of the Realm A Law for the taking away of such inconveniences is not to
their consents as well as the others Well he that hath an Office saith S t Paul let him wait on his Office or give diligent attendance upon his Ofsice It is a great and special part of our duty and office M r Speaker to maintain the freedom of Consultation and Speech for by this good Laws that do set forth Gods Glory and for the preservation of the Prince and State are made S t Paul in the same place saith hate that which is avil cleave unto that which is good then with S t Paul I do advise you all here present yea and heartily and earnestly desire you from the bottom of your hearts to hate all Messengers Tale-Carriers or any other thing whatsoever it be that any manner of way infringes the Liberties of this Honourable Councel yea hate it or them as venemous and poyson unto our Common-Wealth for they are venemous Beasts that do use it therefore I say again and again hate that which is evil and cleave unto that which is good and this being loving and faithful hearted I do wish to be conceived in fear of God and of love to our Prince and Statè for we are incorporated into this place to serve God and all England and not to be Time-Servers as Humour-feeders as Cancers that would pierce the Bone or as Flatterers that would fain beguile all the World and so worthy to be Condemned both of God and Man but let us shew our selves a People endued with Faith I mean with a lively Faith that bringeth forth good Works and not as Dead And these good Works I wish to break forth in this sort not only in hating the Enemies before-spoken against but also in open reproving them as Enemies to God our Prince and State that do use them for they are so Therefore I would have none spared or forborn that shall from henceforth offend herein of what calling soever he be for the higher place he hath the more harm he may do therefore if he will not eschew offences the higher I wish him hanged I speak this in Charity M r Speaker for it is better that one should be hanged than that this Noble State should be subverted well I pray God with all my heart to turn the hearts of all the Enemies of our Prince and State and to forgive them that wherein they have offended yea and to give them grace to offend therein no more even so I do heartily beseech God to forgive us for holding our peaces when we have heard any injury offered to this Honourable Councel for surely it is no small offence M r Speaker for we offend therein against God our Prince and State and abuse the confidence by them reposed in us Wherefore God for his great mercies sake grant that we may from henceforth shew our selves neither Bastards nor Dastards therein but that as rightly begotten Children we may sharply and boldly reprove Gods Enemies our Princes and State and so shall every one of us discharge our Duties in this our High Office wherein he hath placed us and shew our selves haters of Evil and Cleavers to that that is good to the setting forth of Gods Glory and Honour and to the Preservation of our Noble Queen and Common-Wealth for these are the marks that we ought only in this place to shoot at I am thus earnest I take God to witness for Conscience Sake Love Love unto my Prince and Common-Wealth and for the advancement of Justice for Justice saith an Antient Father is the Prince of all Vertues yea the safe and faithful Guard of mans Life for by it Empires Kingdoms People and Cities be governed the which if it be taken away the Society of man cannot long endure And a King saith Solomon that sitteth in the Throne of Judgment and looketh well about him chaseth away all evil in the which State and Throne God for his great mercies sake grant that our Noble Queen may be heartily vigilant and watchful for surely there was a great fault committed both in the last Parliament and since also that was as faithful hearts as any were unto the Prince and State received most displeasure the which is but an hard point in Policy to encourage the Enemy to discourage the faithful-hearted who of fervent love cannot dissemble but follow the Rule of S t Paul who saith let love be without dissimulation Now to another great fault I found the last Parliament committed by some of this House also the which I would desire of them all might be left I have from right good men in other Causes although I did dislike them in that doing sit in an evil matter against which they had most earnestly spoken I mused at it and asked what it meant for I do think it a shameful thing to serve God their Prince or Country with the tongue only and not with the Heart and Body I was answered that it was a common Policy in this House to mark the best sort of the same and either to sit or arise with them that same common Policy I would gladly have banished this House and have grafted in the stead thereof either to rise or sit as the matter giveth Cause For the Eyes of the Lord behold all the Earth to strengthen all the hearts of them that are whole with him These be Gods own words mark them well I heartily beseech you all for God will not receive half part he will have the whole And again he misliketh those two faced Gentlemen and here be many Eyes that will to their great shame behold their double dealing that use it Thus I have holden you long with my rude Speech the which since it tendeth wholly with pure Conscience to seek the advancement of Gods Glory our Honourable Soveraigns Safety and to the sure defence of this noble Isle of England and all by maintaining of the Liberties of this Honourable Councel the Fountain from whence all these do Spring my humble and hearty Suit unto you all is to accept my good will and that this that I have here spoken out of Conscience and great zeal unto my Prince and State may not be buried in the Pit of Oblivion and so no good come thereof Upon this Speech the House out of a reverend regard of her Majesty's Honour stopped his further proceeding before he had fully finished his Speech The Message he meant and intended was that which was set by her Majesty to the House of Commons in the said fourteenth year of her Reign upon Wednesday the 28 th day of May by Sir Francis Knolles Knight Treasurer of her Majesties Houshold inhibiting them for a certain time to treat or deal in the matter touching the Scottish Queen Now follows the proceeding of the House upon this Speech out of the Original Journal-Book it self M r Wentworth being Sequestred the House as aforesaid for his said Speech it was agreed and Ordered by the House upon the Question after sundry Motions and Disputations had therein
us proceed by Bill and see if the Queen would have denied it Another that the Patents should be brought here before us and cancelled and this were bravely done Others would have us to proceed by way of Petition which Course doubtless is best but for the first and especially for the second it is so ridiculous that I think we should have as bad success as the Devil himself would have wished in so good a Cause Why if idle courses had been followed we should have gone forsooth to the Queen with a Petition to have repealed a Patent of Monopoly of Tabaco Pipes which M r Wingfields note had and I know not how many conceits but I wish every man to rest satisfied till the Committees have brought in their resolutions according to your Commandments On Wednesday the 25 th day of November Three Bills of no great moment had each of them one reading of which the last being the Bill for the levying of Fines in the County and City of Chester was read the second time and committed unto all the Queens Learned Councel being of this House the Knights and Burgesses for the County and City of Chester Sir John Egerton and others who were appointed to meet upon Friday next in the Inner-Temple Hall at two of the Clock in the Afternoon Sir Edward Hobbie made Report of the Committees travel in the Bill touching M r Nevill and delivered in the Bill with some Amendments and a Proviso The Amendments and Proviso in the Bill for Mr. Nevill were twice read and Ordered with the Bill to be ingrossed and not to be read the third time until her Majesties Pleasure be further known to be signified unto this House by Mr. Sollicitor Mr. Speaker or some other thereunto appointed The Amendments in the Bill touching trifling Suits were twice read and with the Bill Ordered to be ingrossed The Bill to prevent double payment of Debt upon Shop-Books was read the second time and committed unto Sir Walter Raleigh Mr. Beeston Sir Francis Hastings and others and the Bill was delivered to Mr. Beeston who with the rest was appointed to meet in the Inner-Temple Hall at two of the Clock in the Afternoon upon Friday next The Committees for the Exchequer Bill who were appointed on Saturday the 21 th day of this instant November foregoing brought in the Bill with some Amendments and after some Speeches therein had upon the question resolved that it should be presently recommitted to be considered of in the Committee Chamber of this House and thereunto are appointed Mr. Mountague Mr. Winch Sir Robert Wroth Mr. Jones Mr. Martin Mr. Tate Mr. Johnson c. Mr. Henry Mountague brought in the Bill touching Process and Pleadings in the Court of Exchequer with Report of the Amendments The Amendments in the Bill for Orders in the Court of Exchequer were twice read and with the Bill Ordered to be ingrossed Mr. Speaker after a silence and every man marvelling why the Speaker stood up spake to this effect It pleased her Majesty to command me to attend upon her Yesterday in the Afternoon from whom I am to deliver unto you all her Majesties most gracious Message sent by my unworthy Self She yields you all hearty thanks for your care and special regard of those things that concern her State Kingdom and consequently our Selves whose good she had always tendred as her own for our speedy resolution in making of so hasty and free a Subsidy which commonly succeeded and never went before our Councels and for our Loyalty I do assure you with such and so great Zeal and Affection she uttered and shewed the same that to express it our tongues are not able neither our hearts to conceive it It pleased her Majesty to say unto me that if she had an hundred tongues she could not express our hearty earty good Wills And further she said that as she had ever held our good most dear so the last day of our or her Life should witness it And that the least of her Subjects was not grieved and she not touched She appealed to the Throne of Almighty God how careful she hath been and will be to defend her People from all Oppressions She said that partly by intimation of her Council and partly by divers Petitions that have been delivered unto her both going to the Chapel and also to walk abroad she understood that divers Patents which she had granted were grievous to her Subjects and that the Substitutes of the Patentees had used great Oppressions But she said she never assented to grant any thing which was Malum in se. And if in the abuse of her Grant there be any thing evil which she took knowledge there was she her self would take present Order of reformation I cannot express unto you the Apparent Indignation of her Majesty towards these abuses She said that her Kingly Prerogative for so she termed it was tender and therefore desireth us not to fear or doubt of her careful reformation for she said that her Commandment was given a little before the late troubles meaning the Earl of Essex's matters but had an unfortunate Event but that in the middest of her most great and weighty occasions she thought upon them And that this should not suffice but that further Order should be taken presently and not in futuro for that also was another word which I take it her Majesty used and that some should be presently repealed some suspended and none put in Execution but such as should first have a Tryal according to the Law for the good of the People Against the abuses her wrath was so incensed that she said that she neither could nor would suffer such to escape with impunity So to my unspeakable comfort she hath made me the Messenger of this her gracious Thankfulness and Care Now we see that the Axe of her Princely Justice is laid to the Root of the Tree and so we see her gracious goodness hath prevented our Counsels and Consultations God make us thankful and send her long to Reign amongst us If through weakness of memory want of utterance or frailty of my Self I have omitted any thing of her Majesties Commands I do most humbly crave Pardon for the same And do beseech the Honourable Persons which assist this Chair and were present before her Majesty at the delivery hereof to supply and help my imperfections which joined with my fear have caused me no doubt to forget something which I should have delivered unto you After a little pause and silent talking one with another M r Secretary Cecill stood up and said There needs no supply of the Memory of the Speaker But because it pleased him to desire some that be about him to aid his delivery and because the rest of my Fellows be silent I will take upon me to deliver some thing which I both then heard and since know I was present with the rest of my Fellow Counsellors and the Message was the same
fallen into the Lap of an Error only for lack of true Information Since I was Queen yet did I never put my Pen to any Grant but that upon pretext and semblance made unto me that it was both good and beneficial to the Subjects in general though a private profit to some of my antient Servants who had deserved well But the contrary being found by Experience I am exceeding beholding to such Subjects as would move the same at first And I am not so simple to suppose but that there be some of the Lower House whom these grievances never touched And for them I think they speak out of Zeal to their Countries and not out of Spleen or malevolent Affection as being Parties grieved and I take it exceeding grateful from them because it gives us to know that no respects or interesses had moved them other than the minds they bear to suffer no diminution of our Honour and our Subjects Love unto us The Zeal of which Affection tending to ease my People and knit their Hearts unto me I embrace with a Princely Care far above all Earthly Treasure I esteem my Peoples Love more than which I desire not to merit That my Grants should be grievous to my People and Oppressions to be Priviledged under colour of our Patents our Kingly Dignity shall not suffer it Yea when I heard it I could give no rest to my thoughts until I had reformed it Shall they think to escape unpunished that have thus oppressed you and have been 〈◊〉 of their duty and regardless of our Honour No. M r Speaker I assure you were it not more for Conscience sake than for any glory or encrease of Love that I desire these Errors Troubles Vexations and Oppressions done by these Varlets and lewd Persons not worthy the name of Subjects should not escape without condign punishment But I perceive they dealt with me like Physicians who ministring a Drug make it more acceptable by giving it a good Aromatical Savour or when they give Pills do gild them all over I have ever used to set the last Judgment day before mine Eyes and so to Rule as I shall be judged to answer before a Higher Judge To whose Judgment Seat I do Appeal that never thought was cherished in my Heart that tended not to my Peoples good And now if my Kingly Bounty have been abused and my Grants turned to the hurt of my People contrary to my will and meaning or if any in Authority under me have neglected or perverted what I have committed to them I hope God will not lay their Culps and offences to my Charge and though there were danger in repealing our Grants yet what danger would not I rather incur for your good than I would suffer them still to continue I know the Title of a King is a Glorious Title but assure your self that the shining glory of Princely Authority hath not so dazled the Eyes of our understanding but that we will know and remember that we also are to yield an Account of our Actions before the great Judge To be a King and wear a Crown is more glorious to them that see it than it is pleasure to them that bear it For my Self I was never so much enticed with the glorious name of a King or Royal Authority of a Queen as delighted that God hath made me this Instrument to maintain his Truth and Glory and to defend this Kingdom as I said from Peril Dishonor Tyranny and Oppression There will never Queen sit in my Seat with more Zeal to my Country Care to my Subjects and that will sooner with willingness yield and venture her Life for your Good and Safety than my Self And though you have had and may have many Princes more mighty and wise sitting in this Seat yet you never had or shall have any that will be more Careful and Loving Should I ascribe any thing to my Self and my Sexly Weakness I were not worthy to live then and of all most unworthy of the mercies I have had from God who hath ever yet given me a Heart which never yet feared Foreign or home Enemies I speak it to give God the praise as a Testimony before you and not to attribute any thing unto my self For I O Lord what am I whom practices and perils past should not fear O what can I do these she spake with a great Emphasis that I should speak for any Glory God forbid This M r Speaker I pray you deliver unto the House to 〈◊〉 heartily recommend me And so I 〈◊〉 all to your best Fortunes and further Councels And I pray you Mr. Comptroller Mr. Secretary and you of my Council that before these Gentlement depart into their Countries you bring them all to kiss my Hand Thus far out of the aforesaid Journal Now follows part of the next dayes Passages out of the Original Journal-Book of the House of Commons On Tuesday the first day of December Three Bills had each of them one reading of which the last being the Bill for Inning of certain surrounded Grounds in the County of Norfolk was read the second time and committed to the former Committees for surrounded Grounds in the Counties of Cambridge and Huntington and unto Sir Michael Sands Sir Moile Finch M r Oliver Cromwell M r Walter Cradock and others and the Bill was delivered to Sir Robert Wroth one of the former Committees who with the rest was appointed to meet this Afternoon at two of the Clock in the Court of Wards The Amendments in the Bill touching imperfections of a Statute made in the eighth year of her Majesties Reign concerning the making of Hats were twice read and with the Bill Ordered to be ingrossed The Amendments in the Bill also against usual and common swearing were twice read and the Bill was Ordered to be ingrossed Upon the reading of the Amendments divers spake unto the Bill two of whose Speeches are here transcribed out of the private Journal as also others relating to other matters M r Gascock spake and said Man is made of two parts a Soul and a Body And there are two Governments the one Imperial the other Sacerdotal the first belonging to the Common-Wealth the second to the Church Swearing is a thing moral and toucheth the Soul and therefore fitter to be spoken of in a Pulpit than in a Parliament If the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob hath sworn his Plague shall not depart from the House of the Swearers why should we not seek to repress this Vice which brings a Plague which breeds Mortality that breeds Destruction Desolation and the utter ruin of the Common-Wealth If he forbid us to Swear and we fear not his Commandments think you a pain of ten shillings as is here set down will make us refrain this iniquity I may speak of this Bill as a Painter which made a most Artificial Table of the Waves of the Sea and another Painter in the