I Have not used to trouble you with long Speeches, I know I am an ill Speaker, but though I am no Scholler, I am an honest man, and have a good heart to my King and Country.

I have more to loose then many of these who so hotly op­pose an Accomodation: I will not forfeit mine estate to satis­fie their humours or ambitions. My Lords, 'tis time to looke about us, and not to suffer our selves to be fooled out of our Lives, our Honours, and our fortunes, to helpe those men, who when their turnes are served, will dispise us; and begin to laugh at us already.

A fellow here of the Towne, an ordinary, skurvie fellow, told mee the other day to my face, that he cared not if I left them to morrow: nay, if all the Lords (except three or foure that he named, and said, he was sure would not leave: them) went to the King, they should do their businesse the better: yet my Lords, I thinke wee have helped them: I am sure they could never have brought it to this without us. If wee had not joyned with them: I thinke the People would not have followed the House of Commons, now they can do their businesse without us: 'twill be worse shortly if wee do not looke about us.

My Lords, we were told this time twelve moneth, if wee would put out the Bishops out of the Lords House, no further attempt should be made upon the Church: I am sure I was promised so, by some who would be thought honest men, and when I told them, it was reported that they meant to take away Episcopacie, and the Booke of Common Prayer, they protested to mee, that in the first they intended nothing but to appoint some godly Ministers to assist the Bishops in Ordi­nation, [Page 4] and some other things that I do not understand: and for the Booke of Common Prayer, they who were strictest against it, and would never be present at it, assured mee that if it were once confirmed by Act of Parliament (for they said many things were put into it by the Bishops, without Autho­rity) they would be content, and on my conscience so they would, if they had had the places they then looked for.

Now nothing will content them, but no Bishop, no Booke of Common Prayer, and shortly it will be no Lords, no Gentle­men, and no bookes at all, for wee have Preachers already, that can neither write nor read.

My Lords, I wonder what we shall get by this war, we ven­ture more then other men. I am sure I venture more then five hundred of them, and the most I can looke for is to scape un­doing; what betweene being a Traytor, and being a Malignant, wee have but a narrow way to walke in: Wee heare every base fellow say in the streete as wee passe by in our Coaches, that they hope to see us a foot shortly, and to be as good men as the Lords, and I thinke they will be as good as their words, if we take this course.

They say they will have no Peace without Truth: 'Death, have we no truth? Have wee lived all this while in igno­rance: I thinke our Fathers were as wise men as they. Had we no truth in Q. Elizabeths time? Have not all our famous, Learned Divines been able to teach us truth, but must wee learne it onely out of Tubs.

My Lords, I am no Scholler, But I understand men, and I had rather continue ignorant still then enjoy the truth these men would have; I have served the Kings Father, and him­selfe, and though I have beene so unhappy to fall into his dis­pleasure, no body shall perswade mee to turne Traytor, I have too much to loose.

I am a true Protestant, and I love the King and Kingdome, and I am sure warre is good for neither of them. I would eve­ry bodies faults were forgiven them, and I thinke wee should all then take heed how we committed new.

Good my Lords, let us have Peace, and if these men will not consent to it, let us thinke of some other way to get it.

SOmewhat that fell from the Lord who spake last calls me up, he tells you what he was promised by some, that this and that Reformation would content them, and they would presse no further; besides the conversation that we all know hath beene betweene them, he invited you by his eye to thinke a Noble Lord on the Viscounts Bench concer­ned: 'tis true, severall discourses have often passed betweene them in my hearing of this businesse, and 'tis very like he did not usually acquaint him with all his thoughts. If he found he was not like to hold out to the end of the journey, he was not to be blamed for desiring his company as farre as he was wil­ling to goe; the other part would be the easier performed by those to whom the Lord hath revealed his will. If hee hath beene made an Instrument of more service to God and his Countrey then he intended, he should rather thanke the means that cozened him to so much good, then because his faith failes in the race, reproach them who first incouraged him to runne. If hee hath done nothing but what his conscience perswaded him was just and fit, he hath no cause to complaine; if other­wise, I am sure nothing that my friend said to him, or promi­sed him, can be his excuse. He tells you much of what he hath to loose, and into what great contempt the Nobility will grow if there be not a speedy Accommodation; and I feare these vile Considerations hath hung Plummets on some of our wings, which by this time would have mounted us higher; but these are the baytes the enemy of godlinesse and true holinesse flings in the way to discourage worldly minds from fighting the good fight of the Lord. We doe not finde that among all the Acts of the Creation, the Almighty ever made an Earle, or a Lord; I will not deny but that sometimes (not alwayes) the hearts of Princes have beene moved by providence to advance some [Page 6] persons to those degrees; and surely if we shall be contented for the setting forward a good cause, to mingle our selves with the meanest of the people, for the procuring a parity in the Church, to consent to a parity in the State; and for the sub­duing the pride of Kings, for a time to part with the power of Noblemen, I doubt not but when the good worke in hand shall be finished, we shall be againe advanced above our brethren, according to our severall talents, and governe them according to that rule which shall most advantage Gods cause.

My Lords, that Lord shall not finde fault with me for con­cealing my intentions, I will deale freely with him, I am with all my heart against this Accommodation, against any whisper or thought of Accommodation, till His Majestie shall submit to our 19 Propositions, and to all the Propositions wee have since made; and delivered up all those wicked evill Counsel­lors, who have saucily told him, 'tis lawfull for him to deny us any thing: I know we have many difficulties to wrastle with, and that many fall from us daily; they who have much to lose (as that Lord said) will be quickly weary of us, and yet some men of good fortunes will not leave us; they who have a sense of gratitude, of pass'd obligations, or future hopes from His Majestie, will be startled at our Resolution: yet I see many here the most notoriously obliged, indeed as much as servants can be to a master, in this good cause have mastered those vul­gar considerations, and had the courage almost to despise him to his face; besides, the wisest men will not thinke themselves incapable of future favours, if they use their utmost power to reduce him to a necessity of granting: they who are transpor­ted with naturall affection to their Fathers and Brothers, Kin­dred, Friends, will not keepe us company; yet this troubles me the lesse, whilest I see those noble Lords in my eye, (upon whom I can never looke enough) who banishing those wo­manish and effeminate fancies, cheerfully undertooke to serve against that Army, wherein they knew their owne Fathers were; and on my conscience (I speake it to their honour) had they met them alone, would piously have sacrifized them to the commands of both Houses. They who thinke that hu­mane [Page 7] Lawes can binde the conscience, and will examine the oathes they have taken, according to the Interpretation of men, will in time fall from us: But such who religiously consider that such morall Precepts are fitter for Heathens then for Chri­stians, and that we ought to leade our lives according to the rule of Gods Word; and that the Lawes of the Land (being but mans invention) must not check Gods children in doing the worke of their heavenly Father, will not faint in their duty.

My Lords, it is a singular instance of Gods blessing upon this Parliament, that these truths which the pride and superstition of the Bishops, used all possible meanes to smother, is now taught in Pulpits, that the poore peoples zeale to God may not be corrupted by their duty to the King. By the Christian la­bour of these painfull Preachers, wee shall not want hands to bring all our wishes to passe; and let not us out of any worldly respects, of Estate, Wives, Children, Honour, good Nature, Iustice, Compassion, care of Trade, of Lawes, grow slack and lazy in our undertakings, upon the successe of which the eyes of Christendome are fixt; but let us proceed to shed the bloud of the ungodly.

And so my Lords, hoping that what that Lord hath said, hath moved nothing with you, or the most of you; and that what he can doe will prevaile as little in other places: I have ex­pressed the thoughts of my heart to you, and if the House shall incline that way, shall desire leave to enter my Protestation a­gainst any Accommodation.

Wednesday the 21^th of December.

Resolved upon the Question, That M^r Boswell be desired to wayte upon the Lord Brooke, and in the name of this House to give his Lordship thankes for the excellent Speech he lately made in the House of Peeres, against an Accommodation, and to desire his Lordship (since this House is informed that the Earle of Pembroke hath given many Copies of his Speech, which occasioned the other) that hee will cause that Speech to be printed and published.