And Intituled The humble Submission and Supplication of the Lord LITTLETON, Lord Keeper of the Great Seale of England.

IT may please your Lordships: I shall humbly crave at you r Lord­ships hands a benigne Interpreta­tion of that which I shall now write, for words that come from wasted spirits, and an oppressed mind are more safe in being deposited in a noble [Page 2] construction than being incircled with any reser­ved caution.

This being moved, and as I hope obtained in the nature of a Protection, to all that I shall say, I shal now make into the rest, wherewith I shall at this time trouble your Lordships, a very strange entrance, for in the mid'st of a state of as great af­fliction, as I thinke mortall man can endure, ho­nour being above life, I shall begin with the pro­fession of gladnesse in some things.

The first is that hereafter the greatnesse of a Iudge or Magistrate shall bee one sanctuary or protection of guiltinesse which in few words is the beginning of a golden world.

The next is, that after this example it is likely that Iudges will flye from any thing, that is in likenesse of corruption, though it were at a great distance as from a serpent, which tendeth to the purging of the Courts of Iustice, and restoring them to their true honour and splendor.

And in these two points, God is my witnesse, though it be my fortune to be the Anvill upon which those good effects are beaten and wrought, I take no small comfort.

But to passe from the motions of my heart, whereof God is only Iudge, to the merits of my [Page 3] cause, whereof your Lordships are Iudge next vn­der God, and his Lieutenant, I do vnderstand there hath been heretofore expected from mee some justification. And therefore I have choson one only justification of Iob, for after the cleere sub­mission and confession which I shall now make vnto your Lordships, I may say, and justifie with Iob, in these words: I have not hid my sinne, as did Adam, nor concealed my thoughts in my bo­some.

This is the only justification which I will use.

It resteth therefore that without ficklenesse, I doe ingeniously confesse and acknowledge that having vnderstood the particulars of the charge, not formally from the house, but enough to in­forme my conscience, and memory, I find matter sufficient and full, both to move me to desert the defence, and to move your Lordships, to con­demne and censure me, neither wil I trouble your Lordships by singling out those particulars, which I think may fall off.

Quid te extempta juvat spinis de pluribus uva? neither would I prompt your Lordships to observe vpon the proofes, where they come not home, or the scruple touching the credit of the witnesses, nor will I represent vnto your Lord­ships [Page 4] how far a defence might in divers things extenuate the offence in respect of the time, or manner of the gift, or the like circumstances, but onely leave those things to spring out of your noble thoughts and observations of the evidence and examinations themselves, and charitably to wind about the particulars of the charge here and there, as God shall put into your mindes, and so submit my selfe wholly to your pietie and grace.

Now as I have spoken to your Lordships as Iudges, I shall say a few words to you as Peeres, and Prelates, humbly commending my cause to your noble minds and magnanimous affections.

Your Lordships are not simply Iudges but Parliamentary Iudges, you have a further extent of arbitrary power, than other Courts, and if your Lordships be not tyed to the ordinary course of Courts, or presidents in the points of strictnesse, and severity much lesse in the points of mercy and mitigation. And yet if any thing that I shal move, be contrary to your Honorable and worthy ends to introduce a reformation, I should not seek it. But herein I beseech your Lordships to give mee leave to tell you a story, TITUS MANLIUS tooke his sons life for giving battaile, against the prohibition of his Generall. Not many yeares [Page 5] after, the like severity was pursued against QUIN­TUS MAXIMUS by PAPIRUS CURSER, the Di­ctator, who being upon the point to be senten­ced, by intercession of some principall persons of the Senate was spared; whereupon TITUS LIVIUS maketh this grave, and gracious observation: Ne­que minus firma est disciplina militaris, periculo QUINTI MAXIMI, quim miserabili supplicio TI­TI MANLII. The discipline of war was no lesse established by the questioning of QUINTUS MA­XIMUS, than by the punishment of TITUS MAN­LIUS; and the same reason is of the reformation of Justice, for the questioning men of eminent place hath the same terror, though not the same rigor with the punishment.

But my case stayeth not here, for my humble desire is, that his Majesty would bee pleased to take the Seale into his hands, which is a great downefall, and may serve, I hope, in it selfe for an expiation of my faults.

Wherefore if mercy and mitigation be in your power, and doe no wayes crosse your ends; why should not I but hope for your Lordships favour and commiseration.

Your Lordships will be pleased to behold the chiefe Paterne, the King our Soveraigne, a King of [Page 6] incomparable clemencie, and one whose heart is inscrutable for wisdom and goodnesse; your Lord­ships will remember that there sate not these hun­dred yeares before, a Prince in your House, and ne­ver such a Prince, whose presence deserves to be made memorable with Records, and Acts mixt with mercie and justice; your selves are either No­bles, and compassion ever breatheth in the veines of Noble bloud, or Prelates, who are servants to him, that will not break the bruised Reeds, nor quench the smoaking Flax.

You all sit under one high Stage, and there­fore cannot but be more sensible of the changes of the world, and of the fall of any in high place; nei­ther will your Lordships forget that there are vi­tia temporis, as well as vitia hominis, and that the beginning of reformation, hath the contrary power of the Poole of Bethesda, for that had strength to cure onely him that was first cast in, and this hath commonly strength to hurt onely him that is first cast in, and for my part I wish it may stay there, and go no further.

Lastly, I assure my selfe your Lordships have a noble feeling of mee as a member of your own body, and one that in this very Session had some taste of your loving affections, I hope it was not a [Page 7] lightning before the death of them, but rather a sparke of that grace, which now in the conclu­sion will more appeare. And therefore my hum­ble suit unto your Lordships, is, that my peni­tent submission, may be my sentence, and the ta­king away of the Seale my punishment, and that your Lordships will spare any further sentence, but recommend me to his Majesties Grace, and pardon for all that is past. Gods holy Spirit be amongst you.