fall away of them selves This nothing but Parliaments can do As for subsist I could never 〈…〉 narrow protecting word applyed to the King without scorne and indignation Let us set out thoughts and desires but six 〈◊〉 back when we had noe hope of any Parliament at all 〈◊〉 what then we would have given what we would have done then to have had a Parliament And we cannot 〈◊〉 well now It doth not well 〈◊〉 with the wisdom and settlednesse of this Assembly to value 〈◊〉 a Parliament we had not then the Parliament we have to think better of an imaginaty Parliament then of a reall one I have observed that whilst Parliaments are sitting they 〈…〉 so high so sharp as if Parliaments should sit alwaies which indeed doth 〈…〉 And when Parliaments are 〈…〉 who 〈…〉 if Parliament 〈◊〉 never sit again 〈…〉 a Parliament 〈…〉 into this House 〈…〉 us 〈…〉 the pieces together 〈…〉 out right and our selves with it 〈…〉 Mr. Speaker It is so far from being strange as it can hardly be otherwise but that in so long a vacation between Parliaments many disorders must needes grow in upon us as Deviation in Religion violation of Lawes invasion upon libertyes But the worke and labour is how to teduce them how to set them right againe The manner of doing it ought to be the principall in our consideration for the matters carry in them stirring vehement tempting provocations For that very reason Master Speaker it behoves us to be the more wary the more compos'd lest we be transported beyond the attaining our ends I confesse I do now feele my selfe in a straight Shall we onely looke forward as they call it Altogether omit and neglect God in his Religion the King in his Honour the Common-wealth in his gasping extremity That stands notwith the integrity of this house with the 〈…〉 our country Shall we encounter these enormities with the ful force of a Parliamentary strictnes rigor and exactnesse In doing thus we may turn the medcine into a worse disease and so undoe all even root out the whole race of Parliaments for ever Men and brethren what shall we doe Truly Master Speaker If I should speake for my life as I doe for more I should most humbly beseech this House That we may all of us strive to make this a breeding teeming Parliament that it may be the mother of many moe and not cast our selves upon the hazard of desperate dismall events As long as we have Parliaments we shall know where to finde our selves when they are gone we are lost AN INTRODVCTION To the PARLIAMENT Novemb. 7. 1640. Master Speaker WE are here assembled to do Gods busines the Kings in which our own is included as we are Christians as we are Subjects Let us 〈◊〉 God thee shall we honour the King the more for I am afraid we have been the lesse prospectus in Parliaments be cause we have preferr'd other 〈…〉 him Let Religion be 〈…〉 for all things else are 〈…〉 yet we may have them too 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 if we give God his precedence We all know what disturbance hath beene brought upon the 〈◊〉 for vain petty trifles How the whole Church The whole kingdome hath been troubled where to place a Metaphor an Altar We have seen Ministers their wives children and families undone against law against conscience against all bowells of compassion about not dancing upon Sundayes What do this sort of men thinke will be come of themselves when the master of the house shall come and finde them thus Beating their fellow-servants These inventions were but Sives made of purpose to winnow the best men and that 's the devils occupation They have a minde to worry Preaching for I never yet heard of any but diligent preachers that were vex'd with these and the like devices They despise prophecy and as one said they would faine be at something that were like the Masse that will not bite a muzzeld Religion They would evaporate and dis-spirit the power and vigour of Religion by drawing it out into solemne specious Formalityes into obsolete antiquated ceremonies new furbished up And this belike is the good worke in hand with Docter Heylin hath so often celebrated in his bold Pamphlets All their acts and actions are so full of mixtures involutions and complications as nothing is cleare nothing sincere in any of their proceedings let the in not say that these are the perverse suspicious malitious interpretations or some few factions spirits amongst us when a Romanist hath bragg'd and congratulated in print that the face of our church begins to alter the language of our religion to change And Sancta Clara hath published That if a Synod were held Non intermixtis Puritanis setting Puritans aside our Articles their Religion would soon be agreed They have so brought it to passe that under the name of Puritans all our Religion is branded under a few hard words against Iesuits all Popery is countenanced Whosoever squares his actions by any rule either divine or humane he is a Puritan Whosoever would be govern'd by the King's Lawes he is a Puritan he that will not doe whatsoever other men would have him do he is a Puritan Their great worke their master piece now is to make those of the Religion to be the suspected party of the kingdome Let us farther reflect upon the ill effects these courses have wrought what by a defection from us on the one side a separation on the other Some imagining whither we are tending made haste to turne or declare themselves Papists beforehand thereby hoping to render themselves the more gracious the more acceptable A great multitude of the King's Subiects striving to hold communion with us but seeing how farre we were gone and fearing how much further we would goe were forc'd to flee the land some into other inhabited countreys very many into savage wildernesses because the land would not bear them Doe not they that cause these things cast a reproach upon the government Master Speaker let it be our principall care that these wayes neither continue nor returne upon us If we secure our religion we shall cut off and defeat many plots that are now on foot by them by others Beleeve it Sirs Religion hath bin for a long time and still is the great designe upon this Kingdome It is a knowne and a practis'd principle that they who would introduce another Religion into the church must first trouble and disorder the government of the state that so they may hide and worke their ends in a confusion which now lyes at the doore I come next Master Speaker to the King businesse more particularly which indeed is the kingdomes for one hath no existence no being without the other their relation is so neere Yet some have subtilly and strongly laboured a divorce which hath been the very bane both of King and kingdome When foundations are shaken it is high time to look to the building He
would pay for or give security we have desray'd them hitherto and are provided to do it longer They did well remember that we assisted them in the time of their Reformation and it is not to be forgoten that we did bear our own charges Concerning mutuall restitution of Ships and goods my Lords the Comissioners have very fairly and discreetly accomodated that parricular already As for inferenciall consequenciall dammages such a representation would but minister unacceptable matter of difference and contestation which amongst friends ought to be warily and wisely avoyded We could alleadge and truly too that Northumberland Newcastle and the Bishoprick will not recover their former state these twenty yeares We have heard it spoken in this House by an understanding knowing member in the particular that the Coal-mmes of New castle will not be set right againe for a hundred thousand pound besides the over price of coales which all the while it hath and will cost this city and other parts of the kingdome A great deale more of this nature might be rehearsed but I delight not to presse such tenter-stretch'd arguments Let us on both sides rather thank God by proceeding in the way he hath laid before us and not wry his way to ours time and his blessing will repair all our implicit damages with many prosperous explicit advantages They say that they do not make any formall demand but they do make a sum to appeare of five hundred and fourteen thousand pounds more then ever we gave the king at once A portentous apparition which shews it selfe in a very dry time when the Kings revenue is totally exhausted his debts excessively multiplied this kingdom generally impoverish'd by grievous burdens and disordered courts All this supply is to be drawne out of us only without the least help from any of his Maiesties other dominions which to my seeming will be an utter drayning of the people unlesse England be Ruteus in-exhaustus as the Popes were wont to call it Notwithstanding Sir now that I have in part opened the state we are in though nothing so exactly as they have done theirs I shall most willingly and heartily affoord the Scots whatsoever is iust equitable and honourable even to a convenient considerable round sum of money towards their losses and expences that we may go off with a friendly and a handsome losse If they reiect it we shall improve our cause It was never yet thought Master Speaker any great wisdom over much to trust a successfull sword A man that walkes upon a rysing ground the further he goes the larger is his prospect Successe enlarges mens desires extends their ambition it breedes thoughts in them they never thought before This is naturall and usuall But the Scots being truly touch't with Religion according to their profession that only is able to make them keepe their word For Religion is stronger and wiser then reason or reason of slate Beyond all this Master Speaker the remarkable traces of Gods wonderfull providence in this strange worke are so many so apparant as I cannot but hope almost to beleeve that the same All governing mercifull 〈◊〉 will conduct and leade us to a happy conclusion will contract a closer firmer union betweene the two nations then any meere humane policy could ever have effected with inestimable benefits to both In advancing the truth of religion in exalting the greatnesse of the King in securing the peace of his kingdomes against all malitious envious ambitious opposites to Religion to the king to his kingdomes wherein I presume all our desires and prayers do meete Concerning BISHOPS Master Speaker I do verily beleeve that there are many of the Clergy in our Church who do thinke the simplicitie of the Gospel too meane a vocation for them too serve in They must have a specious pompous sumptuous Religion with additionalls of Temporall Greatnesse Authority Negotiation not withstanding they know better then I what Fathers Schoolmen Counsells are against their mixing themselves in secular affaires This Romane ambition will at length bring in the Romane Religion and at last a haughty insolence even against supreme power it selfe if it be not timely and wisely prevented They have amongst them and Apothegm of their own making which is No Miter no Scepter when we know by deare experience that if the Miter be once in danger they care not to throw the scepter after to confound the whole kingdome for their interest And histories will tell us that whensoever the Clergy went high Monarchy still went low if they could not make the Monarch the Head of their own faction they would be sure to make him lesse witnesse one example for all the Popes working the Emperour out of Italy Some of ours assoone as they are Bishops Adepto fine cessat motus they will preach no longer their office then is to governe but in my opinion they govern worse then they preach though they preach not at all for we see to what passe their government hath brought us In conformity to themselves they silence others also though Hierome in one of his epistles saith that even a Bishop let him be of never so blamelesse a life yet he doth more hurt by his silence then he can do good by his example Master Speaker It now behooves us so to restrayne the Bishops to the duties of their function as they may never more hanker after heterogenious extravagant imploiments Not be so absolute so single and solitary in actions of moment as Excommunication absolution ordination and the like but to joyn some of the Ministery with them further to regulate them according to the usage of ancient Churches in the best times that by a well temper'd government they may not have power hereafter to corrupt the church to undoe the kingdome When they are thus circumscrib'd and the publique secur'd from their eruptions then shall not I grudge them a liberall plentifull subsistence else I am sure they can never be given to hospitally Although the calling of the Clergy be all glorious within yet if they have not a large considerable outward support they cannot be freed from vulgar contempt It will alwayes be fit that the flourishing of the church should hold proportion with the flourishing of the Common-wealth wherein it is If we dwell in houses of Cedar why should they dwell in skins And I hope I shall never see a good Bishop left worse then a Parson without a Gleabe Certainly Sir the superintendencie of eminent men Bishops over divers Churches is the most primitive the most spreading the most lasting government of the Church Wherefore whilest we are earnest to take away Innovations let us beware we bring not in the greatest Innovation that over was in England I do very well know what very many do very servently desire But let us well bethink our selves whether a popular democraticall government of the Church though fit for other places will be either sutable or acceptable to a Regall Monarchicall
FIVE SPEECHES IN THE HIGH AND HONOVRABLE Court of PARLIAMENT BY Sir Beniamin Rudyerd Knight Surveighour of his Maiesties Court of Wards and Liveries Printed according to his owne true Copies the former being absurdly false Now published with Licence LONDON Printed by H. Dudley for Henry Seile at the Tygers head in Fleetstreet over against Saint Dunstan's-Church 1641. AN INTRODVCTION to the last Parliament 16. Caroli 1640. Concerning moderation and preservation of Parliaments by Sir Beniamin Rudyerd Knight 16. Caroli 1640. Master Speaker BY Gods blessing and the Kings savour a great door and effectuall is opened unto us of doing a great deal of good if we do not shut in against our selves That we are here together in this House is an evident demonstration that the Kings heart stands right towards us for which we do owe him a thankfull a dutifull a bountifull retribution Parliaments of later times have been disastrous and unfortunate insomuch as the very Name of a Parliament hath been a reproach a by word a hissing It now lyes in our hands by Gods assistance and it ought to be our chiefe indeavour to restore Parliaments to their wonted luster There are some here in this House who were present and many who do 〈◊〉 remember when the first Parliament was broken that ever was broken in England we know from what 〈◊〉 it 〈◊〉 and of the most part the same Genius hath prevailed ever since full of subtilty full of malignity But now they have taken upon them such a boldnesse such an arrogance as they stand in competition with us who are the better subiects And some beleeve they have carried it their emulation I shall like and do hope but their presumption is not to be born for certainly the best religion makes the best subiects I wish them no harm for I wish their conversion and 〈◊〉 harsh way to it Let us set up more and better Light to lighten their darknesse burning shining Lights not luke warm glow-worm Lights that the people in all places of the kingdom may be diligently taught carefully instructed in soundnesse of doctrine by good example 〈◊〉 their Pastors taught and instructed to hear prayers how to use prayers for whosoever 〈◊〉 made the quarrell between praying and preaching never meant well to religion being both so necessary duties not defranding one another But I know not how it come about that in out religion onely a man may I be too religious The best way to suppresse all other religions is to up hold our own to the height Light dispells darknes without noise or bussle But I never yet know any man beaten him an opinion I have known many frighted into dissimulation A almosity and faintnesse becomes no Religion Although 〈…〉 we have bad 〈…〉 that by their â—â—nning working or distempers in this House and by their 〈◊〉 working upon these distempers out or the House they have contributed as much to the breaking of Parliaments as any thing 〈◊〉 whatsoever yet bamlperswade to they will not be so active in this because of their common Interest with us as Sulliâ—â—â—â— as Englishmen there being now such a general necessity of having a whole a happy 〈…〉 Howsoever it will be wisdom in us to be ware of Insusions to keep steady to our temper The maine cause of the infelicity and destraction of these times hath been the frequent breaking of Parliaments beleeve 〈◊〉 Master Speaker the splinters of a broken Parliament do make the most dangerous wounds in the body Politique which having so long festerd must be puld out with skilfull gentle hand else they may rather vex then cure the wounds they have made But we need not despaire of a cure For in the fourteenth yeare of Edward the third That King had great summes of money granted him in Parliament by way of Subsidie for an expedition into France the went over entred into a way but the ill managing of his treasure at home by his Officers and the withdrawing of some payments is by the people for not performance of conditions enforced him to accept of a truce when he was in the full hope of gayning a great victory this could not but work strongly upon that great-hearted Prince He returned Presently in the fifteenth yeer he summon'd a Parliament wherin were nothing but iealousies contestations distempers so that the Parliament ended without fruit In the 17th yeer he called another Parliament for no other end but only to make an atonement between him his people which intention wrought the successe for by the prudence and patience of the king by the wisdom and humblenesse of both Houses all breaches were clos'd up and such a perfect union made as there never fell out any difference betweene him and his people during the whole time of his long life after Why may not wee be as wise round I presume we shall A Parliament is the bed of reconcilation between a King and his people mutually best for both so that it will be proper and fit for us to lay aside all acerbity and exasperation To demeane our selves with calmnesse sweetnesse dutyfullnesse Although the Prerogative have gone very high yet if we can but bring our selves to an equanimity to an indifferency of iudgement we shall finde that all kings do as naturally love power as all people do affect liberty Then is it no more marvaile that Princes do hearken to them who seek to improve their power then that Parliaments have too much yeilded to some who have pressed to cut end their liberty whereas indeed both Prerogative and liberty are best preserved when they are executed within their bounds The Law saith That a King of England can do no wrong As for instruments If the matters do start and expose the men if the things they have misdone be condemned and reformed the men without my more a do will quickly be despised grow as use lesse as they are worthles wither and wear away to the nothing they deserve It is true that in some times examples are more necessary then Lawes especially when Lawes grow infirme for want of exercise because examples make a deeper impression strike a greater terror But at this time we should very unhand somly celebrate the Redintegration and union we desire and expect with unsutable severity and extremities The levying of money to releeve the Kings necessities hath also bred a great disturbance it will do so for the peâ—â—…ry and scarcity of the Crown will keep a perpetuall inter feering between the King and his people untill it be supplied The power of a King and the power of necessity ioyned both in one hand Master 〈◊〉 will not long be disappointed But I doe hope before this Parliament be finally concluded we shall establish such a constant Revenue to his Maiestie as shall enable him to live plentifully 〈◊〉 at home for a high formidable 〈…〉 upon him 〈◊〉 and that without â—â—king any thing away from him but such things only as wil