TWO SPEECHES DELIVERED IN PARLIAMENT. THE ONE, By Master PYM, the 17th. of March. THE OTHER, By Master HOLLIS the 21. Both worthy Members of the House of COMMONS.
WHEREIN, They desire a speedy course to be taken for rectifying of grievances, and punishing enormous crimes in this Kingdome: As also, the bringing of the ATTVRNEY-Generall to his ANSVVER.
LONDON. Printed for Andrew Coe, and Marmaduke Boat. 1642.
The Speech delivered by Mr. Hollis one of the Members of the House of Commons, now conjoyned in PARLIAMENT.
VVith his Arguments against Master Harbert His Majesties Atturney Generall, for drawing the Articles of high Treason against himself, and the other five Members of the said House.
THe subtlety, policie, and dubious wayes, bearing rule in a man corrupted, whose evill actions come within the compasse, and justly claim the due reward of exemplary punishment, is alwayes working; although by the destruction and utter delabition of the vertuous, and innonocent (whose words and works, actions and endeavors, can be termed to lay holds on nothing but realties) to cleer himself: The actions, conditions, and endeavours of the good man, being alwayes the contrary, there being no vicissitude or coherence with them, in respect they are meer opposites, the one seeking to perform duty both to God and man, through his true dealing for the truth, the other seeking what in him lyeth, for the advancing of impiety: The good man joyning with his practise, is daily labours for the defence of vertuous and pious designes, thereby seeking with vigilancie to bring the malignant persons to deserved punishments, it being a work, which in conscience is due both to God, his King, and Country.
First, To God in respect of Religion, and the true and reall Faith we now professe in the Church of England, without which we are nothing, being no lesse then meer Atomes to the World, and the just Antipodes to a ground Faith. No faith can stand without that true Foundation of Christ, no grounds of salvation can be had, but by and through those extraordinary merits [Page]and sufferings, which we are partakers of in Christ: if so, then does our Saviour da [...] suffer in the instigations, and quo [...] all provo [...] against him all which are vi [...]ated by those who are many [...]mal g [...]n [...]s to the truth.
Secondly, To the King, what greater abuse can there be to His Sacred Majesty then by the continuall sufferance, the Subject, endures through the ill Counsell administred to our Soveraign, being done under the colour of Loyaltie; yet in proving in matter, no better then flat abuses to this whole Kingdom.
Thirdly, If that God and the King, so much suffer by the aforesaid means, the poor Subject and Country can do no lesse; witnesse the daily disturbances which are now a dayes, being so many, that there is no County almost within his Majesties Dominions, but hath delivered their humble petitions to this Honourable Assembly, for removall of the said grievances and the depriving of the aforesaid persons of their usurped authority.
IT is palpable that the wicked man, cares not though he dishonours God in the highest degree, may he but defend himself and vices, though to the utter abolishing of Religion, King, and Country, (aforesaid) if opposite to his designes.
We have had the experience of the evils and great troubles that have been raised in this State by ill instruments, men of power and authoritie in the same, and not only of publike misdoers and open enemies, but also of many privare draffected spirits, whose outward carriage hath procured to themselves esteem and respect in their County. Nay, so well have they bin approved on, that their Countrey hath not misled them, with both their estates and priviledges, as electing them Members of this high Court of Parliament; wherein also for a long time, they have discharged their duties to their King and Countrey; nay, and attained the general estimation and respect of all men, as worthy members of the Commonwealth; but their hearts disagreeing with their outward qualities, being not upright and perfect, have at least shewed themselves in their perfect colours, and brought them-selves to shame and dishonour.
I Have further to spoken of nothing but generals [...]ow I intend to insist upon a per [...]ar, being the Gentleman, who as yet stands [...] by this Honorable House, His Majesties Arturney General, who hath bin a man, upon whom all these Honors aforenamed, have bin couferred in the Parliament, and no leste esteemed by His Majesty; his place therein being sufficiently honourable, he needed not to have proceeded so far as to prove ambitious, or malitious; which of the two I can nominate, nor am able to distinguish, was his error, or whether he is guilty of both; how ever, it does appear, his heart was not right in discharging his duty in that great place committed to him; and as he was a Member of the Parliament, had he bin faithfull to his King and Country, he had never undertaken this Enterprise to accuse us of treason, and draw the accusation against us himself for which we have already, & further are bound to answer.
HIs offence is of a high nature, of dangerous consequence, a maniselt Breach of the Priviledges of Parliament, an apparent treachery (if found to rely upon him) against those accused Members, of which I am the least, yet moved to speak in the Cause, The offence is generally against the whole State, deserving great punishment for the fame.
By this he hath made himself guilty of those misdemeanours, that other Delinquents have bin impeached, and accused for, and nothing inferiour to them in their crime. This design was a great offence (if by him advised) against His sacred Majesty himself, in seeking to work an evill opinion in him concerning his Parliament, and their proceedings in the great affairs, of both Church and State. This is the matter that discourages this Hononrable Assembly in proceeding in such businesses, as may be for the honour of their King and Country; when they perceive that all their endeavours; and dutifull actions, are not wel accepted by his Majesty, This and such like ill Councells hath caused all this distraction in the State.
THe Charge is apparent against him, the accusation is apparent before (as though void;) therefore I in behalf of [Page]the rest of the Members, most humbly desire you would proceed to voting him upon the same, as he shall be found guilty, and his reward may be contributed for the same: I for my part have performed my promise to those other Members accused, in moving you in the businesse; To whose consideration I now leave it, as being best able to determine of a matter of so great weight.
Master Pyms Speech, the 17. of March, 1641.
THis great Councell, as Tully said of the Senate of Rome, is the soul of the Common-wealth, wherin one may hear and see, all the grievances of the Subjects, and in the multitude of such Counsellors there is safety. Amongst whom, the greatest priviledge is liberty of Speech; And theffore I humbly offer it unto you, to take it into your serious consideration, whatwrong hath bin done herein, and what judgments hath bin against the Members of this house, for speaking nothing, but what hath bin for the good of the Common-wealth, which said judgments hath bin against Law and Reason, being without president.
What grounds are there, that a Parliament which is the highest of all Courts, should be questioned by inferiour Courts and Judges; as if the Common-Pleas should question the Kings-Bench, or the Chancery be questioned by either of them; perhaps the Authors of it have nature to plead for themfelves, which indeed teacheth every man to preserve himself.
This perhaps makes them advance that, and those Members which otherwise must condemn themselves; & such things have bin done to maintain their proceedings; as not only to intrengh upon the liberties of Parliament; but also the whole Commonwealth, wherein I had rather suffer for speaking the truth, then the truth suffer for want of my speaking.
Where was evermore piety in a Prince, and more loyalty in Subjects; and yet what Common-wealth ever suffered like this? His Majesty is the Sun, which although it ever shine in it self gloriously, yet by reason of clouds, it many times doth not so [Page]appear to us; and if his Majesty by reason of bad members, may not appear in such splendor: let us labour to Eclipse those Clouds, that endeavor to stand betwixt us, and the Beams of his favour; otherwise what will it avail if the Fountain be cleer, if the streams that issue there from be not so: also I will only instance in some of the like particulars.
If we look into the face of Religion, that is now out-faced by a Company of Seminary Priests, who what they want in power, have in malice against the Protestant; So long as the Pope his agents amongst us: But these are the enemies of the Church, without it; we have those likewise within the Church, who can pull down, but never build up, demolish, but never establish the true Church: Such are those whom we rearm Non-Residents, that serve the Church more for living then loving; such as oversway all by worldly preferments, and feveralities of Benefices: Christ made it the Touchstone of Peters love unto him, to feed his sheep and Lambs, but these men look at their own private gains, not labouring duplicately for those double honours which they daily get.
What thing is there more against the Laws of this King and nature, then for one man to have above one wife, and one sheepheard more then one sheepfold.
These are the dumb dogs the Prophet speaks on, that cannot utter a word for God, of whom the people may seek spirituall food, but can find none. Others there are that preach, but not the Gospel, but themselves; teaching that the King hath an unlimited power, and that the Subject hath no propriety in their goods.
These are bad Divines, and worse and more ignorant Statesmen, who under the name of Puritans condemn all, who truly professe Religion. There are surely many that under the forme of godlinesse cloak impiety; but to teach that a man can be too holy, is the Doctrine of Divels.
The inconveniences like to come, and already fallen upon the Kingdome, may be justly said to arise from these severall Heads of ill Councels;
1. Such as those are the most pernicious dangers that can fall upon us or come to a State. It is usuall in this kind to compare Politique bodies with the naturall: The Naturall body is [Page]endangered divers wait, either by outward violence, which may be seen and pr [...]vented, or by lesse appearing malidies, which growes upon the body by the distemper of the aire, immoderate exercise or diet, &c And when the causes of the disease are clear, the remedy is easily applyed: But d [...]seases which proceed from the inward p [...]rt, as the liver, the heart, or the brain, it is a hard thing to apply an apt cure to such diseases; the Counsels are of this same nature, for the mischiefs that come by such Counsels, corrupt the vitall parts, and overthrowes the administration of publique government.
2. That there are such ill Counsels about the Kings most excellent Majesty, most palpably appears, when as the main course of government hath bin so imployed; as Popery therby hath bin rather maintained then excluded the Laws subverted, and no d [...]st [...]n [...] on between Justice, and Injustice: and that there is still reason to doubt, is apparent by courses taken, to advance mischievous designs; but that his Majesties wisedome and goodnesse kept them f [...]om the heart, though they could not be kept out of the Court.
3. The ill Counsels of these times are in their own, not ours, more mischievous and more dangerous then the ill Counsels of former times: Those being only to please the King & Prince, and to raise Prerogatives these being miseries sufficient: But the ill Counsels of these times are to alter Religion and Law.
4. That these ill counsels have proceeded from a spirit and inclination to Popery, and have had a dependency on Popery. The Religion of the Papists is a Religion incomputable to any other Re [...]igion, destructive to all others and whosoever doth withstand their Religion, (if it lye in their power) they bring them to ruine; these counsels therfore must needs be pernitious.
5. Fifthly and Lastly, while these evill Councels continue unchanged, it is impossible that any assistance, aide, or advice, that the Parliament shall take to reform, will be effectuall for the publike: We that are the instruments of State, may put things in action and good order; but as long as these evill Councels are on foot, we can expect no good event: Wherefore I shall desire this Judicious Assembly to consider of it, And I that have discharged my duty in motioning, shall likewise joyn with you for the effecting of all things for the good of this Kingdom.