SIR VVilliam VVroth his Speech in Parliament, the 10. of Januarie, 1641.
Con­cerning a Letter sent from his Ma­jestie to the House of Commons, and read in the same that day.

Mr. Speaker,

THis Letter, or Declaration now read from His Sacred Majestie, expressing His Princely Care, and tender Affection towards the Par­liament, and all His Majesties Loyall and Dutifull Subjects is now to be taken into our consideration: And I verily believe there is none here present, but hath as tender care and dutifull affe­ction towards his royall Majestie and the preservation of His Honour and Dignity, the Lawes and Religions establi­shed in His Majesties Dominions, Parliaments, and their just rights and priviledges as any Subjects to any Prince in the whole Christian world.

No man Mr. Speaker, I think, doubted, or had the least thought of jealousie, that are true Protestants and loyall subjects of his Majesties sincerity and integrity towards his Liege people: for wee have sensibly felt and understood His cleare intentions, and gracious meaning to us all, not onely these, but his Princely impressions in this his gracious [Page 4] Letter and Declaration, but also by former Speeches, Pro­clamations and Protestations both publick and private, his willing and cheerefull granting us from time to time our just desires and requests, and his cheerefull passing of many wholsome Acts, and Lawes for the good of this Kingdome, and the redressing of many grievances & opressions which his good Subjects did suffer by groaning under the burthen of them, and his willing complying with his Parliament for the appeasing of the great differences that was between this kingdome and Scotland, and the setling of peace and unity amongst our selves: These have beene sufficient testi­monies of his Princely and tender care over his people, and enough to endeare our hearts and affections to his Royall Majesty, and his posterity for ever.

Mr. Speaker, These propositions recommended by his Majesty, to the consideration of the House, consists of these Heads.

  • 1. The upholding and maintaining of His Majesties just and Regall authority, and setling of his Revenue.
  • 2. The establishing of the liberties of the Subject in the free and quiet enjoying of their estates and fortunes, the liberties of their persons, the security of true Religion now professed in the Church of England, and the setling of Ce­remonies in such a manner as may take away all just of­fence.

1. For the first of these, it hath been our principall care and endevours hitherto, as farre as the present distempers and distractions in the State would give us leave, to main­taine the just Prerogative, and Regall power of his Maje­sty, and to settle his revenue: But being necessitated to con­sult and consider of the greater and weightier affaires of this State, being so perplexed and distracted through the malice and pernitious endevours of wicked and disaffected persons, to the peace and tranquillity both of his Majesty, and his Kingdomes, thereby forced to lay aside the deter­mination of his Majesties demand, till his Majesties King­domes bee secured and preserved from fatall destruction; [Page] which by the malignant adversaries thereof, daily sought and practised: But not leaving the same either as negligent, or forgetfull of his Majesties just demand, or in any unduti­fulnesse, but that in due time, upon the first oportunity to take the same againe into consideration, and proceed there­in to the finall Conclusion thereof; desiring this House, that His Majesty may be informed of our reall intentions therein.

2. For the other proposition by his Majesty wee cannot but in dutifull obedience returne our thankefulnesse to his Majesty in the name of the whole Parlament for his Prince­ly care of our Liberties and Priviledges and pious resolution to establish our Religion; in its truth and purity, and his indifferency in the use and exercise of Ceremonies, concer­ning which wee have received many Petitions from divers Counties and parts of this Kingdome Signed with many thousand hands for the utter abolishment of the same, shewing likewise the inconvenience in the use and exer­cise of the same, the great dammage and many evills that have succeeded upon the tolleration thereof hitherto; which with the continuance of the use thereof is also like to conti­nue the evils, and daily encrease more and more dangerous, upon which it hath beene thought fit by this Honourable House to extinguish and abolish the same forme being joy­ned with the worship of God in the exerciso of Religion by the generall vote of the House, and divers orders have issued through the Kingdome for leaving of, and laying by the further use thereof; These things being thus farre procee­ded in by joynt consent of Parliaments, I humbly desire his Majesty may be moved by Petition of both Houses for his royall assent thereunto.

And for the setling of Religion and good Discipline in the Church. We have beene much opposed and interrupted in our proceedings therein, when we had the same in con­sultation and in consideration, by the Prelats and prelatical faction in the Lords House; having been a great part of our businesse to remove such impediments as have hindred our [Page 8] proceedings not onely in that, but other the great affaires of State. and to appease the present distractions and distem­pers in the Kingdome, to supply with ayde and assistance all our afflicted brethren in Ireland, and to preserve and secure our owne persons from the malice and wicked designes of our malitious and malignant adversaries, enemies to our peace and safety, and enemies to the prosperity and tran­quillity of his Majesty and his good Subjects, with lets and hinderances which have caused these stops, in our procee­dings in the setling of Religion, I likewise desire may bee represented to his Majesty.

And thus much concerning his Majesties propositions, which I desire may bee taken into present consideration, and answer reformed to his Majesty concerning the same.

FINIS.

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