Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	law_n	liberty_n	parliament_n	4,902	5	6.1958	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A36520	Sir VVilliam Drake his speech in Parliament concerning the present distempers and putting the kingdome in a state of defence, November 10, 1641; Speech in Parliament concerning the present distempers	Drake, William, Sir.	1641 (1641)	Wing D2138; ESTC R8253	2,973	9

SIR VVILLIAM DRAKE HIS SPEECH IN PARLIAMENT Concerning the present Distempers and putting the Kingdome in a state of defence November 10. 1641. LONDON Printed for W. L. 1641. SIR WILLIAM DRAKE His Speech in PARLIAMENT November 10th 1641. Mr. Speaker IF we consider those dangerous disturbances that this Kingdome hath of late yeares laboured under 't is certaine that in a generall and originall consideration we cannot but impute them to the wrath of God for the sinnes of this nation But in a second and more particular consideration we may properly assigne them unto the violent Councells of some late Ministers of State who either for want of Counsell or by malitious practice have brought this State from a happy firme and strong constitution to so weake and feeble a temper that the great Physitian the Parliament cannot but with extreame difficulty apply remedies fit and proportionable to the disease but they inevitably run some hazard of indangering the body it selfe it being very perilous to apply stronger remedies then the strength and constitution of the patient can well beare Mr. Speaker You were truly told by a grave and worthy Member at the beginning of this Parliament that it must be some extreame necessity that would rectifie and recover this State and that when that extremity did come it would be a great hazard whether it might prove a remedy or a ruine And this is occasioned chiefely because violent diseases doe most commonly require violent remedies and violent remedies are ordinarily pregnant of new mischiefes which hath caused your States best skilled in governement alwayes to discerne evill a farre off in their causes and by their wisedome and fore-sight prevent them and I am confident had we had frequent Parliaments we should have given a timely stop to mischiefes and never have suffered them to have broken in upon us with such an inundation of distempers that without Divine prevention may yet swallow and destroy us Mr. Speaker 'T is observed of the Romane State a patterne of best governement so long as they held up their first vertue and valour that after a great defeat by Hannibal their confederates began to forsake them But Hero King of Siracusa having so piercing a judgement that he could see through the present to the future and observing the Romanes so considerate and constant in all their proceedings even in this extreame exigent of their affaires and that their Lawes were never more strictly observed by their Magistrates nor their people more obedient to their Senate or Parliament and how their Military Discipline was never likewise more severely observed this wise Prince seeing their foundations stood thus firme sent them Presents of great value and corresponded with them in a stricter league of friendship then ever before Not unlike a good Physitian who seeing favourable simptomes in the strongest fit of his patients disease conceives firme hope of his perfect recovery Now Mr. Speaker if we set before us an Image or representation of those distempers we stand environed withall there could not possibly be that extreame danger in them but that there might be good hopes of a speedy recovery had we kept close and constant to those grounds of Religion Lawes and Military Discipline which have bin noted by wisest Legislators to have bin the maine cause next under God of the strength and duration of a State But Sir If we examine it how have our very foundations bin shaken what Superstition and Innovations have bin brought in upon our Religion of late times by ambitious heady and passionate men And from this fountaine originally as I conceive flowes most part of our present distractions Queene Elizabeth of sacred and pretious memory to this nation keeping stedfast and constant to this ground of Religion kept this Kingdome peaceable and united at home afforded a comfortable influence and assistance to the Protestant parties abroad and after a long and happy Raigne went unto her eternall rest in glory And truly Sir I speake it with all humility yet with some confidence that I shall never expect to see the quiet setled state of this Kingdome till there be some course taken to settle Religion to some rule and uniformity and not to be thus suffered in an uncertaine condition betweene illegall Innovations and superstitions on the one side and I know not what lawlesse and Irregular confusion on the other And let us all I beseech you calmely and seriously consider how naturall a motion t is to most men not limited by some Law when they are come out of one extreame wherin they have bin held by feare to run with a swift violent course into another extreame from superstition and idolatry to irreverence and contempt of Gods publike Worship and Ordinances For our Laws Mr. Speaker how have they bin violated by illegall Taxations Imprisonments Monopolies and other pressures wherby the Subject hath bin prosecuted and grieved but this is so obvious to every mans understanding and sence that I shall not insist upon it M. Speaker I come next to our Military Discipline and how hath this ground of strength bin shaken partly by the losse of able and experienced Commanders in fruitlesse if not dangerous attempts abroad and partly by neglect and not duly keeping up our musters at home M. Speaker Every man may lay it as lightly to heart as he please but I shall be bold to tell you that all the Laws that we have or shall make for the defence of our Religion or Liberties without provident care in this particular will be but like to sumptuous and glorious structures without roofe or covering subject to all weather and stormes that shall arise and whatever Parliaments shall with great wisdome and providence plant for the good estate of future times without due provisions for our Military defence may be soon cut down again by the violence and malice of a stronger sword Therfore M. Speaker as you have taken a provident care for the securing of the Havens and Port Towns so I desire there may be timely consideration had of the Inland strength of the Kingdome and that the Musters in all Counties of the Kingdome be carefully especially in these perilous times kept up and that care be taken that every County may have a sufficient proportion of pouder and other provision for their necessary defence And that all commands may rest in faithfull hands and that certificates of the true state of all things how they stand for defence may from time to time be sent either to the Councell of Warre you appoint for Ireland or to any other whom the Parliament shall think meet and therupon to take order from time to time to supply all defects as well of Captains as of Munition Pouder and other necessaries M. Speaker This point is more timely to be had in consideration because our perils will increase as forrain estates settle and compose their affairs to their best advantage And therfore I shall desire that our quietnesse may not rest any longer upon so tickle a ground as the unquietnesse of our Neighbour Kingdoms for no State stands firme and secure but upon its owne foundations There is one thing more with which I will conclude and I shall humbly represent it as in my weake opinion a great cause of our growing distempers which is the abundance of humours we have stirred and not purged away which are but fit fuell for fresh fires to take hold of if it should burst forth therefore as there be a great number of this State Qui paena calamitate publicae impunitatem sibi spondeus I shall make it my humble motion and desire that we make some severe examples of some few of the most capitall offenders and either pardon the meaner delinquents if Justice will admit therof or at least to let them in some reasonable time know what they may trust too otherwise you shall have as many as looke desperately upon their owne fortune be too ready to give their vote for troubles and seek their owne peace in the publike disturbance the number of whom as I conceive would be warily prevented especially in these times of encreasing distraction Sir I have troubled you too long and am not so inconsiderate but to object to my self that some 〈◊〉 are of more instant present considerations than any thing I have touched upon As your sending 〈…〉 for Ireland but I desire as those affairs are in some 〈◊〉 sure setled in a way we may timely apply our selves to the Root and causes of our distempers and to begin with those of most importance and to proceed with them to effect FINIS Polye Lin