stood up her Train born by the Lady Strange assisted by the Lord Chamberlain and Vice-Chamberlain At the left hand of the Queen and Southside kneeled the Ladies and behind the Queen at the Rail stood the Lord Keeper on the right hand the Lord Treasurer on the left hand with divers young Lords and Peers Eldest Sons Then all being placed M r Onslow the Speaker was brought in between Sir Francis Knolles Vice-Chamberlain and Sir Ambrose Cave Chancellor of the Dutchy and after Reverence done proceeded down to the Wall and from thence came up to the Rail in the way making three Reverences and standing there made other three like Reverences and then began his Oration as followeth MOST Excellent and Vertuous Princess c. Where I have been Elected by the Knights Citizens and Burgesses of this your nether House to be their Mouth or Speaker and thereunto appointed and allowed by your Majesty to supply the same room to the bewraying of my wants specially that thereby I shall be forced utterly to discover the barrenness of my learning before this Noble Assembly which not a little grieveth me and would gladly be excused considering the true saying How there is no difference between a wise Man and a Fool if they may keep silence which I require But again considering your Majesties Clemency taking in good part the good will of the party for want of ability which putteth me in remembrance and good hope perswading me that you will not take your said Clemency from me contrary to your Nature Again when I consider my Office as Speaker it is no great matter being but a Mouth to utter things appointed me to speak unto you and not otherwise which consisteth only in Speaking and not in any other Knowledge whereby I gather how it is necessary I speak simply and plainly according to the truth and trust reposed in me And thus considering whose Mouth I am which chose me to speak for them being the Knights Citizens and Burgesses who were not also by the Commons chosen for their Eloquence but for their Wisdom and discretion by this means being fit men to whom the Commons have committed the care and charge of themselves Wives and Children Lands and Goods and so in their behalf to foresee and take order for all things necessary Thus they being Chosen by the plain Commons it is necessary they Elect a plain Speaker fit for the plain matter and therefore well provided at first to have such a one as should use plain words and not either so fine that they cannot be understood or else so Eloquent that now and then they miss the Cushion But now upon occasion of beholding your Grace and this Noble Assembly I consider the manifold and great benefits which God suddenly hath sent unto this Country for although God hath granted the benefit of Creation and Conservation with many other Commodities to other Nations of the World yet this our Native Country he hath blessed not only with the like but also with much more fruitfulness than any other of which great and inestimable benefit of Gods preferment which appeareth better by the want that others have of the same I am occasioned now to speak the rather to move and stir up our hearts to give most hearty thanks to God for the same Now to speak of Government by Succession Election Religion or Policy First if the Body should want a Head it were a great Monster so it is likewise if it have many Heads as if upon every several Member were a Head And to speak of one Head although in the Body be divers Members which be made of Flesh Bones Sinews and Joints yet the one Head thereof governeth wisely the same which if it should want we should be worse than wild Beasts without a Shepherd and so worthily be called a Monstrous Beast Again If the Body should be Governed by many Heads then the same would soon come to destruction by reason of the Controversy amongst them who would never agree but be destroyed without any Foreign Invasion therefore God seeth it is needful that the people have a King and therefore a King is granted them and so therefore the best Government is to be ruled by one King and not many who may maintain and cherish the good and Godly and punish the Ungodly and Offenders As for Government by Election in that is great variance partiality strifes and part-takings As for Examples amongst the rest take out one which is called the most Holy as that of the Pope and weigh how holily and quietly it is done called indeed holy and quiet but utterly unholy and unquiet with great part-takings and strifes Now touching Religion To see the Divine Providence of God how that many Nations be Governed by one Prince which were impossible but that God Ordereth it so by whom the Order of Regiment is appointed and that in his Scriptures wherefore the Subjects ought to obey the same yea although they were evil and much more those that be good So God hath here appointed us not a Heathen or unbelieving Prince as he might but a Faithful and one of his own Children to govern us his Children in which Government the Prince serveth God two ways as a Man and as a King In that he is a Man he ought to live and serve God as one of his good Creatures And in that he is a King and so Gods special Creature he ought to make Laws whereby God may be truly worshipped and that his Subjects might do no injury one to another and specially to make quietness amongst the Ministers of the Church to extinguish and put away all hurtful and unprofitable Ceremonies in any Case contrary to Gods word in which point we have in your Majesties behalf great thanks to give unto God in setting forth unto us the Liberty of Gods word whereof before we were bereaved and that you have reformed the State of the corrupt Church now drawing Souls out of dangerous errors which afore by that Corruption they were led and brought unto And concerning Policy God hath Committed to your Highness two Swords the one of which may be called the Sword of War to punish outward Enemies withal and the other the Sword of Justice to Correct offending Subjects in which point of Policy your Majesty is not behind your Progenitors for although at your Entrance you found this Realm in War and ungarnished with Munition and that with such store as never was before yet you have dislodged our antient Enemies which were planted and placed even upon the Walls of this Realm And concerning Policy in Laws as Bones Sinews and Joints be the force of a Natural Body so are good Laws the strength of a Common-Wealth And your Laws be consisting of two points the Common Laws and the Statutes And for the Common Law it is so grounded on Gods Laws and Natures that three several Nations governing here have all allowed the same which is not inferior
wounds be hardly cured except they be well opened and searched therefore constrained of necessity I see I must trouble you with these sad matters What man that either Loveth his Sovereign his Country or himself that thinketh of and weigheth the great decays and losses of Honour Strength and Treasure yea and the peril that hath happen'd to this Imperial Crown of late time but must needs inwardly and earnestly bewail the same Could there have happen'd to this Imperial Crown a greater loss in Honour Strength and Treasure than to lose that piece I mean Callis which was in the beginning so Nobly won and hath so long time so Honorably and Politickly in all Ages and times and against all attempts both Foreign and near both of Forces and Treasons been defended and kept Did not the keeping of this breed Fear to our greatest Enemies and made our faint friends the more assured and lother to break yea hath not the winning and keeping of this bred throughout Europe an honorable opinion and report of our English Nation Again what one thing so much preserved and guarded our Merchants their Trasfick and entercourses or hath been so great a help for the well uttering of our chief Commodities or what so much as this hath kept a great part of our Sea-coasts from spoiling and Robbing To be short the loss of this is much greater than I am able to utter and as yet as I suppose is able to be understood by any and yet my Lords if this were the whole loss then might men have some hope in time to come to recover that that in time hath been thus suddenly and strangely lost But when a man looketh further and considereth the Marvellous decays and wast of the Revenue of the Crown the inestimable consumption of the Treasure levied both of the Crown and of the Subject the Exceeding loss of Munition and Artillery the great loss of divers valiant Gentlemen of very good Service the incredible sum of Moneys owing at this present and in honour due to be paid and the biting interest that is to be answered for the forbearance of this Debt therewith remembring the Strength and Mightiness of the Enemy and his Confederates and how ready he is upon every Occasion upon every side and in every time to Annoy you And how the time most Meet for that purpose draweth on at hand again if a man consider the Huge and most Wonderful charge newly grown to the Crown more than ever hath heretofore been Wont and now of necessity to be continued as first the maintenance of Garison in certain places on the Sea-coasts as Portsmounth with new Munition and Artillery besides the new increased Charge for the continual maintenance of the English Navy to be ever in readiness against all evil happs the strongest Wall and defence that can be against the Enemies of this Island And further also the new Augmentation or Charge for the maintenance of a Garison at Barwick and the Frontiers Northward Indeed I must confess that in those matters mine understanding is but small and mine experience and time to Learn less But in mine opinion this doth exceed the Ancient yearly Revenue of the Crown Besides that double so much is of Necessity to be presently spent about the fortifying of those places in Buildings When I say a man remembreth and considereth these things it maketh him so far from hope of Recovery of that that is lost without some aid or Contribution of the Subject that he will Judge all to be little enough to make and prepare good defence for that that is left Here perchance a Question would be asked and yet I do Marvel to hear a Question made of so plain a Matter what should be the cause of this if it were asked thus I mean to answer that I think no man so blind but seeth it no man so deaf but heareth it nor no man so ignorant but understandeth it Marry withal I think there is no man so hard hearted in thinking of it but for the restoring of it would adventure Lands Limbs yea the Life But now to the remedies wherein only this I have to say That as the well looking to the whole universally is the only sure preservation of every one particularly so seemeth it of all congruence and reason meet that every one particularly by all ways and means readily and gladly according to his power should concur and joyn to relieve and assist the whole universally Neither can I see things standing as they do how any that loveth his Country or hath wit to foresee his own surety can be withdrawn from this Is there any think you so Mad that having a Range of houses in peril of fire would not gladly pluck down part to have the rest preserved and saved Doth not the wise Merchant in every adventure of danger give part to have the rest assured These causes well compared small difference shall be found And for all this a strange matter and scarce Credible with how deaf an Ear and how hardly the Queen's Majesty may endure to hear of any device that may be burthenous to her Subjects I partly do understand and divers others partly perceive Is not the cause Marvellous Pityful that the Necessity and Need of this Ragged and Torn State by Misgovernance should by force so bridle and restrain the noble Nature of such a Princess that she is not able to show such Liberality and Bountifulness to her Servants and Subjects as her heart and Inclination disposeth her Highness unto What a grief and Torment this is to a Noble Mind What a grief surely such a grief as but to a Noble Mind who feels it it cannot be understood But for the more plain declaration of her highness's disposition in this matter her Highness hath commanded me to say unto you even from her own Mouth that were it not for the preservation of your selves and the surety of the State her Highness would sooner have adventured her Life which our Lord long preserve than she would have adventured to trouble her Loving Subjects with any offensive matter or that should be burthenous or displeasant unto them And for the further Notifying of her Highness's mind herein she hath commanded me to say unto you That albeit you your selves see that this is not matter of will no matter of displeasure no private Cause of her own which in times past have been sufficient for Prince's Pretences the more Pity but a matter for the universal Weal of this Realm the defence of our Country the preservation of every man his house and Family particularly yet her Majestie 's Will and Pleasure is that nothing shall be demanded or required of her Loving Subjects but that which they of their own free wills and Liberalities be well contented readily and gladly frankly and freely to offer so great is the trust that she reposeth in them and the love and affection that her Highness beareth towards them nothing at all doubting
the rest of the Council declared that the Queens Majesty would receive the Petition to Morrow in the Afternoon at the Palace by Mr. Speaker with the whole House of which see more on the day immediately ensuing Mr. Comptroller with the Committees for the Bill of Subsidy were appointed to meet this Afternoon in the Star-Chamber On Thursday the 28 th day of January the Bill for Badgers of Corn to be bound by Recognizance in the open Sessions was read the first time Post Meridiem In the Afternoon Mr. Speaker with the whole House with a Notable Oration did exhibit their Petition to the Queens Majesty in the Gallery at the Palace touching Marriage and Succession which her Highness thankfully accepted with an Excellent Oration deferring the Answer to further time for the gravity of the Cases What further Answer her Majesty gave may be seen on Thursday the 16 th day of February ensuing and on Saturday the 10 th day of April postea But as touching the Petition delivered to her Majesty this Afternoon by the whole House from the Mouth of Mr. Speaker it is not at all contained in the Original Journal-Book of the House of Commons and therefore having a Copy of it by me which I do gather by all concurring circumstances to be the very same here mentioned both in respect of the time and matter I have caused it to be inserted at large I am not ignorant that in divers Copies of this Speech another Petition also is joined with it as preferr'd likewise by the Lords to her Majesty at this time for the same Causes which in truth happened not until the second Session of this Parliament following Anno 8 9 Regin Elizabethae neither shall it be needful to make any further demonstration thereof in this place having so fully cleared it in the Upper House Journal at that aforesaid second Session ensuing upon Tuesday the 5 th day of November and now followeth the Copy of the above-mentioned Petition at this time preferr'd as aforesaid Your Commons in this your Majesties present Parliament Assembled most High and Mighty Princess our most Dread Sovereign Lady as they do daily to their Commodity and Comfort feel and receive the inestimable benefits of your most Gracious Government of this your Realm in Peace and Surety so do also most thankfully acknowledge the same beseeching Almighty God long to bless and continue your most prosperous Reign over them And among all these benefits which they daily receive of your Highness they have at this time willed me in their names to recognize unto your Highness that they account it not the least but rather among the greatest of them all That your Majesty hath at this time Assembled your Parliament for supplying and redressing the greatest wants and defaults in your Common-Weal and for the establishing the surety of the same which your Majesties most gracious meaning hath been at your Commandment signified unto us by the Right Honourable the Lord Keeper of your Great Seal of England namely in this that he willed us first to have consideration of the greatest matters that nearest touch'd the State of the Realm and the preservation thereof seeming therein also to express unto us the Conformity of your Majesties mind in having principal respect to the matters of greatest weight and for that respect Assembling this your Parliament And for asmuch as your said Subjects see nothing in this whole Estate of so great importance to your Majesty and the whole Realm nor so necessary at this time to be reduced to certainty as the sure continuance of the Government of the Imperial Crown thereof and the most honourable Issue of your Body which Almighty God send us to your Highness Comfort and for want thereof in some certain limitation to guide the Obedience of our Posterity And where Almighty God to our great Terror and dreadful Warning lately touched your Highness with some danger of your most Noble Person by Sickness from which so soon as your Grace was by Gods favour and mercy to us recovered your Highness sent out your Writs of Parliament by force whereof your Subjects are at this time Assembled your said Subjects are both by the necessity and importance of the matter and by the convenience of the time of Calling them immediately upon your recovery enforced to gather and confess that your Majesty of your most Gracious and Motherly Care for them and their Posterity have Summoned this Parliament principally for establishing of some certain limitation of the Imperial Crown of your Realm for preservation of your Subjects from certain and utter destruction if the same should not be provided in your Life which God long continue They cannot I say but acknowledge your Majesty hath most graciously considered the great dangers the unspeakable miseries of civil Wars the perillous and intermingling of Foreign Princes with seditious ambitious and factious Subjects at home the waste of noble Houses the slaughter of People subversions of Towns intermission of all things pertaining to the maintenance of the Realm unsurety of all mens Possessions Lives and Estates daily interchange of Attainders and Treasons All these mischiefs and infinite others most likely and evident if your Majesty should be taken from us without known Heir which God forbid to fall upon your Subjects to the utter subversion of the whole whereof you have Charge under God If good provision should not be had in this behalf Your Majesty hath weighed the Examples of Foreign Nations as what ensued the Death of Great Alexander when for want of certain Heirs by him begotten or appointed the variety of Titles the diversity of Dispositions in them that had Titles the ambition of them that under colour of doubtfulness of Titles forsook all obedience of Titles destroyed his Dominions and wasted Posterity with mutual Wars and Slaughters In what miserable Case also was this Realm it self when the Title of the Crown was tossed in question between the two Royal Houses of Lancaster and York till your most Noble Progenitors Henry the Seventh and the Lady Elizabeth his Wife restored it to a setled Unity and left the Crown in a certain course of Succession These things as your Majesty hath upon your own danger most graciously considered for our Comfort and Safety so we most humble Subjects knowing the preservation of our selves and all our Posterity to depend upon the safety of your Majesties most Royal Person have most carefully and diligently considered how the want of Heirs of your Body and certain limitation of Succession after you is most perillous to your Highness whom God long preserve amongst us We have been admonished of the great malice of your Foreign Enemies which even in your Life-time have sought to transfer the Dignity and Right of your Crown to a Stranger we have noted their daily most dangerous practices against your Life and Reign We have heard of some Subjects of this Land most unnaturally confederated with your Enemies to
and Authorize the said Sir Francis Knolles Sir James Crofts Sir Ralph Sadler Sir Walter Mildmay and Sir Thomas Smith Knights to be his Deputies for and in the ministring of the Oath to all and singular the Knights of the Shires Citizens of Cities Burgesses of Boroughs and Barons of the Ports returned and to be returned for that present Parliament according to the form of the Statute in that behalf then lately made and provided And immediately thereupon the faid Lord Steward and his Deputies did then and there Minister the said Oath to all such of the said Knights Citizens Burgesses and Barons as were then present accordingly Which done the Sermon ended and the Queens Majesty sat in her Royal Seat in the Upper House of Parliament the Commons standing at the lower end of the Chamber the Lord Keeper of the Great Seal of England learnedly and briefly declared the Causes of Calling the said Parliament and so in the end willed them to repair into their House and there after their accustomed manner to chuse of themselves an apt and fit man to be their Speaker and to present him to the Queens Majesty on the Wednesday next following in the Afternoon Whereupon the said Commons immediately resorted to their Common House and being there Assembled the Right Worshipful M r Christopher Wray Esq one of the Queens Majesties Serjeants at Law was by the first motion and nomination of the said M r Treasurer with one voice of the said whole House Chosen to be Speaker and placed in the Chair notwithstanding his Allegations of disabling himself and humble request for their proceeding to a new Election On Wednesday the 4 th day of April in the Afternoon Christopher Wray Esquire one of the Queens Majesties Serjeants at Law the Speaker Elect of the House of Commons was presented unto her Highness who sitting in her Royal Seat and allowing and affirming the Election after his Oration made and ordinary Petitions granted the said Lord Keeper willed him with the residue to repair to the House of Commons there to deliberate and consult upon the making of such good and wholesome Laws as might tend to the advancement of Gods Glory and preservation and safety of the Queens Majesty and the Common-Wealth of this Realm of England And thereupon the said M r Speaker and the Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the House of Commons returned back unto their own House and being there sat one Bill according to the usual Course had its first reading which was The Bill concerning coming to Church and receiving the Communion It was this day finally agreed upon the Motion of M r Speaker that the Letany should be read every day in the House during this Parliament as in the last was used and also a Prayer by M r Speaker such as he should think fittest for this time to be begun every day at half an hour after eight of the Clock in the Morning and that each one of this House then making default should forfeit every time four pence to the poor Mans Box. On Thursday the 5 th day of April Thomas Clark and Anthony Bull of the Inner-Temple London Gentlemen were by this House committed to the Serjeants Ward until further order should be taken with them for that they presumed to enter into this House and were no Members of the same as themselves at the Bar confessed This day the House was called and thereupon Edward Lewkenor John Bullock Nicholas Plumtree Edward Goodwyn and John Garnons were Commanded to attend the order of this House to Morrow next for that the House being this day called they had entred into the House and had not as them been returned by the Clerk of the Crown except Garnons whose Case is for that he is said to be Excommunicate On Friday the 6 th day of April It was Ordered that the Burgesses for Estringsted shall remain according to the return This day M r Treasurer M r Serjeant Manwood Geffrie and Lovelace M r Feltman M r Bell and M r Mounson were appointed to confer with M r Attorney and M r Sollicitor about the return of the Burgesses following for that the same Towns returned no Burgesses the last Parliament viz. Cornwall the Boroughs of Estlow Fowley Gloucestershire the Borough of Chichester Nottinghamshire the Borough of Easiretford Kent the Borough of Queenborough Oxfordshire the Borough of Woodstock Hampshire the Borough of Christ-Church Suffolk the Boroughs of Aldburgh Eye And to meet to Morrow in the Afternoon at three of the Clock in M r Treasurers Chamber at the Court. Nota That these ensuing Speeches are taken out of the before-mentioned Anonymous Journal M r Strickland a grave and ancient Man of Great Zeal stood up and made a long Discourse tending to the remembrance of Gods Goodness giving unto us the light of his Word together with the gracious disposition of her Majesty by whom as by his Instrument God hath wrought so great things and blaming our slackness and carelesness in not esteeming and following the time and blessing offered but still as men not sufficiently instructed what is truth or so that we think it not convenient to publish and profess it openly and that all reproachful Speeches of the slanderous might be stopped the draw-backs brought forward and the Over-runners such as over-run and exceed the rule of the Law reduced to a certainty he thought it Operae pretium to be occupied therein for which purpose he said the Professors of the Gospel in other Nations had writ and published to the World the Confession of their Faith as did those of Strasburgh and Franckford c. for which purpose also great Learned men in this Realm had travelled as Peter Martyr Paulus Fagius and others whose works hereupon were Extant And before this time and offer thereof was made in Parliament that it might be approved but either the slackness or somewhat else of some men in that time was the lett thereof or what else he said he would not say This Book he said rested in the Custody of M r Norton as he guessed a man neither ill disposed to Religion nor a negligent Keeper of such matters of Charge and thereupon requested that M r Norton might be required to produce the same he added also that after so many Years as now by Gods Providence we had been learning the purity of Gods truth we should not permit for any cause of Policy or other pretence any errors in matters of Doctrine to continue amongst us And therefore said he although the Book of Common-Prayer is God be praised drawn very near to the sincerity of the truth yet are there some things inserted more superstitious than in so high matters be tolerable as namely in the Administration of the Sacrament of Baptism the sign of the Cross to be made with some Ceremonies and such other Errors all which he said might well be changed without note of chopping or changing of Religion whereby the Enemies might slander us
deal both safely and honourably as well for your Self as for your State For thereby it seemeth that neither shall she nor any for her hereafter dare deal to do harm but also all Foreign Princes and Nations will think much Honour of such your merciful proceedings And lastly whereas she hath fallen into your hands from the violence of others and so as a Bird followed by a Hawk seeketh succour at your Majesties Feet your Highness thinketh your Self bound in Honour for that she is your Sister and a Queen Born not to proceed further only to her disablement counting it a strong work for your Safety These be the Reasons which in part may move your Majesty to take this Course as we do conceive All which notwithstanding if it it might please your most Excellent Majesty to suffer your poor and faithful Subjects to enter deeply upon good search of this Cause and by way of reply to make Answer with proceeding by just proofs for your Majesties Safety we doubt not but with your Highness favourable acceptation all that which hitherto hath been uttered is rather a Declaration of that most Mild and Gracious Nature of Yours than any assurance for your Person and State at all Reasons Answering the former Arguments May it therefore please your Majesty WHereas it is said that it standeth to very good purpose to proceed only in disabling the Scottish Queen for any Claim or Title to the Crown we take it by your Majesties Favour that such and especially disabling of the Scottish Queen is in effect a special Confirmation of a Right that she should have had Quia privatio praesupponit habitum And further we do take it for a known truth that by the Laws and Statutes in this Land now in Force she is already disabled and therefore it is to small purpose rem actam agere And for Answer unto the premisses we say further that neither shall this weaken others that are evil minded but rather strengthen them in their mischief and make them desperate where there is no other remedy And a Firebrand once kindled and finding apt matter to work upon will hardly be quenched without a great hazard Touching the grievous pains laid upon those that shall deal those will be little feared by the wicked whom hope of gain maketh more bold than such pains do appall Besides Nature given to this Nation and all others that are under the Moon maketh men often-times stir without cause and as Plato saith Naturales sunt conversiones rerum pub Yet they that heretofore have born Armour as Traytors not fearing the Law then in force which did as much restrain them as this or any Law to be made can be able being desperate will fear no Laws especially such an instrument living by whom all attempts are to be wrought Force overthroweth Justice till the Cause of all mischief which is the hoped help be clean taken away And where it is said that the making of a Law for her disabling emboldneth much your Subjects to deal against her We Answer that no new Law needeth to encourage good and Loyal Subjects against such a Person who hath broken all the Laws of God and nature and is worthy to be out of your Majesties Protection because she seeketh still the disturbance of this noble State and using often her own phrase threatneth that she will stir Coals Touching a new Law to be made against her if she should attempt any evil hereafter the experience of her former life is such that no Law hath any force with her that is fully minded to take her advantage upon any apt occasion offered And to threaten her with Death if she should seem to make an escape hereafter is such advice that she nothing feareth for besides that she was told at Lough-Leaven there was no way but Death with her if she would not take her Imprisonment quietly and live without seeking Liberty she notwithstanding adventured her self with a young Fellow very dishonourably to get away in a Boat And now since her coming into England she hath wrought divers wayes to make an Escape and imployed the heads of the chiefest Estates of your own disloyal Subjects for that purpose Therefore menacing and but threatning words of Law shall not keep her back from her malicious intent to subvert your Majesty and to give a push for the Crown come of her what will And likely it is that she may escape as well as be taken for she neither wanteth Wit nor Cunning to make her way And we have learned in matters of great hazard to be well advised and to take always that Order which may be the best Now there will want no Traytors to be always ready to bring this her device about and to do what they can for her Liberty And such as will not deal in small matters will adventure deep for a Kingdom because the reward is great when the service is done But your Majesty hath regard unto your Honour as much as to your Safety and thinketh that in taking this Course all Princes will speak well of your Highness May it please your Majesty We your good Subjects do well like of so honourable a meaning but we would be loth to see that when you have such regard of Honour you do thereby lose your State and so your Life Honour and all For if it should fall out that the Scottish Queen escaped your hands which Christ for his Mercies sake forbid all good Princes would think great want of Judgment and foresight First in your Majesty next in your Councel last of all in all the whole Nation and such a grief it would be to your Majesty and Subjects and to all other good Christian Princes throughout Europe as none could be greater Again such a matter of Comfort and Triumph it would be to the Adversaries that they would account her escape a miraculous work of God and that your Majesty had no power though will to keep her safe And when that day should come Wo be to all true Christians universally for upon her do depend the chiefest Enemies of Religion and to this Kingdom May it please you therefore most Gracious Queen to be well advised and to take sound Counsel when it is given knowing this for a certain truth that evil foreseen and advisedly looked unto doth ever the less harm But still your Majesty considering the great troubles that she hath had and forgetting or not greatly esteeming what troubles she hath brought unto your Realm doth by a merciful respect of your most Gracious Nature rather bend to do good to her than to seek Safeguard for your Self And seeing here your Sister though unnatural and also a Queen by Birth although not worthy of Life cannot but rather hazard your own self than deal with her according to her deserts This your Majesties nature being thus known it behoveth all your good Subjects most Gracious Soveraign to call and cry to God for his Heavenly
are due unto her This then is one of the Provisions which we ought to take care of in this Council whereby we may both enjoy still that happy Peace we live in and the Pope take the less boldness to trouble us by any favour he shall find here The next is Provision of Forces sufficient to Answer any violence that may be offered either here or abroad for the which you know it is requisite that her Majesty do make Preparation both by Sea and by Land God hath placed this Kingdom in an Island environed with the Sea as with a natural and strong Wall whereby we are not subject to those sudden Invasions which other Frontier Countries be One of our greatest defences standing by Sea the number of good Ships is of the most importance for us What the Queens Navy is how many notable Ships and how far behind the Navy of any other Prince is known to all men and therewith also it may be easily considered how great Charges be incident to the same Necessary also it is that her Majesty have Forces by Land sufficient to chastise the Rebels in Ireland and to repress any Foreign attempts either there or here For which Services either by Land or by Sea her Majesty needeth not as other Princes are fain to do to entertain necessary Souldiers of Foreign Countries hardly gotten costly and dangerously kept and in the end little or no service done them but may bring sufficient Forces of her own natural Subjects ready and easy to be levied that carry with them willing valiant and faithful minds such as few Nations may easily compare with But these Forces with their Furniture and Munition can neither be prepared nor maintained to have continuance without provision of Treasure sufficient to bear the Charge being as you know termed of old Nervus belli This belongeth to us to consider and that in time there be not lack of the Sinews that must hold together the strength of our Body And because through the malice of our Enemies her Majesty is driven to keep great Forces in Ireland for the better suppressing of that Rebellion to her exceeding Charge and for that also it is uncertain how sudden and how great other attempts may be therefore in reason our supply of that maintenance ought to be the more especially the Wars being at this day so costly as every man in his private expence may easily judg But lest that peradventure some may judge that the Contribution granted by us now five Years past both frankly and dutifully might suffice for many years without any new I dare assure you for the acquaintance I have though I be unworthy with those her Majesties Affairs that the same hath not been sufficient to Answer the extraordinary Charges happened since then especially those of Ireland by the one half but her Majesty hath supplied the rest out of her own Revenues sparing from her self to serve the necessity of the Realm and shunning thereby Loans upon interest as a most pestilent Cancer that is able to devour even the States of Princes Which being so as it is most true we are not to think upon the charge that is past but the good we have received by it being by that provision well and honourably desended against the malice of our Enemies And therefore considering the great benefit we have received by the last payment being easily taxed and easily born whereby we have kept all the rest in Peace let us as provident Councellors of this State prepare again in time that which may be able to withstand the mischiefs intended against us To do this willingly and liberally our duty to our Queen and Country and our Safeties move us The love and duty that we owe to our most Gracious Queen by whose Ministry God hath done so great things for us even such as be wonderful in the Eyes of the World ought to make us more careful for her preservation and security than for our own A Princess known by long experience to be a principal Patron of the Gospel vertuous wise faithful just unspotted in word and deed merciful temperate a maintainer of Peace and Justice amongst her People without respect to Persons a Queen besides of this noble Realm our Native Country renowned of the World which our Enemies daily gape to over-run if by force or sleight they could do it For such a Queen and such a Country and for the defence of the Honour and Safety of them both nothing ought to be dear unto us that with most willing hearts we should not spend and adventure freely The same love and duty that we owe to our Gracious Soveraign and to this our Native Country ought to make us all to think upon the Realm of Ireland as upon a principal Member of this Crown having continued so this four hundred Years or more To lose that Land or any part thereof which the Enemies seek would not only bring with it dishonour but also prove a thing most dangerous to England considering the nearness of that Realm to this and the goodness of so many notable Havens as be there Again to reform that Nation by planting there of Religion and Justice which the Enemies labour to interrupt is most godly and necessary the neglecting whereof hath and will continue that People in all Irreligion and Disorder to the great offence of God and to the infinite Charge of this Realm Finally let us be mindful also of our safety thereby to avoid so great dangers not seen afar off but imminent over our heads The quietness that we have by the Peaceable Government of her Majesty doth make us to enjoy all that is ours in more freedom than any Nation under the Sun at this day but let not that breed in us a careless Security as though this clear Sun-light could never be darkened but let us think certainly that the Pope and his Favourers do both envy our Felicity and leave no practice unsought to over-throw the same And if any man be so dull as I trust there be none here that he cannot conceive the blessedness of this our golden Peace except he felt the lack of it let him but cast his Eyes over the Seas into our Neighbours Countries and there behold what trouble the Pope and his Ministers have stirred against such as profess the same Religion of Jesus Christ as we do there he may find Depopulations and Devastations of whole Provinces and Countries over-throwing spoiling and sacking of Cities and Towns Imprisoning ransoming and murthering of all kind of People besides other infinite Calamities which the insolency of War doth usually bring with it From these God in his Mercy hath delivered us but this nevertheless is the State and condition that our Enemies would see us in if by any device they could bring it to pass and to that end be then assured they will spare for no cost nor leave any means unassayed Therefore to conclude seeing the malice of
day of November in the first meeting of this present Parliament on the behalf of the Borough of Grantham in the Country of Lincoln against Arthur Hall Gentleman that the said Arthur Hall had Commenced Suits against them for Wages by him demanded of the said Borough as one of the Burgesses of the Parliament in the Sessions of Parliament holden the thirteenth fourteenth eighteenth and twenty third years of the Reign of our Soveraign Lady the Queens Majesty wherein it was alledged that the said Borough ought not to be charged as well in respect of the negligent attendance of the said Mr. Hall at the said Sessions of Parliament and some other offences by him committed at some of the said Sessions as also in respect that he had made promise not to require any such Wages the Examination of the said cause on the second day of December in the last Session mistaken for Meeting of this Parliament by Order of this House was committed unto Sir Ralph Sadler Knight Chancellor of the Dutchy Sir Walter Mildmay Knight Chancellor of the Exchequer Thomas Cromwell Robert Markham and Robert Wroth Esquires This day report was made by the said Committees that not having time during the last Session of Parliament mistaken for Meeting to examine the circumstances of the cause they had in the mean Season by their Letters advertised my Lord Chancellor that the said cause was committed unto them and humbly requested his Lordship to stay the issuing forth of any further Process against the said Borough until this Session of Parliament mistaken for Meeting which accordingly his Lordship had very honourably performed And the said Committees did further declare that having during this Session of Parliament mistaken for Meeting sent for Mr. Hall declared unto him the effect of the complaint against him they had desired him to remit the said wages which he had demanded of the said Borough whom they found very conformable to condescend to such their request and that the said Mr. Hall then affirmed unto them that if the said Citizens of the said Borough would have made suit unto him he would upon such their own Suit then remitted the same so was he very willing to do any thing which might be grateful to this House and did freely and frankly remit the same which being well liked of by this House it was by them this day Ordered that the same should be entred accordingly On Thursday the 23 th day of March the Bill for the Queens Majesties most gracious general and free Pardon was sent down from the Lords by Serjeant Gawdie and Doctor Carew which having passed the House was sent back again this Morning unto their Lordships with another Bill which was for the continuance and perfecting of divers Statutes This day finally the Speaker with the rest of the House of Commons being sent for into the Upper House and thereupon repairing thither two Commissions under the Great Seal were read by the first of which her Majesty being absent gave her Royal Assent to ten several Acts or Statutes which passed at this time and by the other this Parliament was dissolved Nota That all this days Passages are supplied out of the Upper House Journal THE JOURNAL OF THE House of LORDS An Exact and perfect Journal of the Passages of the House of Lords in the Parliament holden at Westminster Anno 31 Reginae Eliz. Anno Domini 1588. which began there after one Prorogation of the same on Tuesday the 4 th Day of February and then and there continued until the Dissolution thereof on Saturday the 29 th Day of March Anno Domini 1589. THE Queens Majesty soon after that her wonderful and glorious Victory which God Almighty had given her Navy over that vainly stiled Invincible Armado sent against her Realm of England by the Spanish King summoned this her High Court of Parliament to begin on Tuesday the 12 th day of November that present year 1588. and the 30 th year of her Reign that so by common Advice and Counsel she might prepare and provide against the inbred malice of that Prince and Nation Sir Christopher Hatton Knight her Majesties late Vice-Chamberlain being made Lord Chancellor in the room and stead of Sir Thomas Bromley Knight who having been sick a great part of the last Parliament dyed in April following Anno 29 Regin Eliz. Anno Domini 1587. But other occasions of some importance requiring the deferring of the said Assembly her Majesty Prorogued the same in manner and form following Memorandum That whereas the Queens Majesty by her Writ summoned her Parliament to begin and to be holden at Westminster this present Tuesday being the 12 th day of November her Highness for certain great and weighty Causes and Considerations her Majesty specially moving by the advice of her Privy Council and of her Justices of both her Benches and other of her Council learned did Prorogue and adjourn the said Parliament until the 4 th day of February next by virtue of her Writ Patent sealed with the Great Seal and bearing date the 15 th day of October last past Whereupon at this said 12 th day of November the Archbishop of Canterbury Sir Christopher Hatton Lord Chancellor William Lord Burleigh Lord Treasurer the Earl of Huntingdon the Bishop of London and three other Barons repaired to the Parliament-Chamber commonly called the Upper House and there in the presence of the Knights Citizens and Burgesses summoned to the said Parliament declared That her Highness for divers good causes and considerations her specially moving by her Highnesses said Writ had Prorogued the said Parliament from this said first summoned day until the 4 th day of February next Whereupon the Writ for the said Prorogation in the presence of all that Assembly was openly read by the Clerk of the Upper House in haec verba ELizabetha Dei gratiâ Angliae Franciae Hiberniae Regina fidei Defensor c. Praedilectis fidelibus nostris Praelatis Magnatibus Proceribus Regni nostri Angliae ac dilectis fidelibus nostris Militibus Civibus Burgensibus dicti Regni nostri ad praesens Parliamentum nostrum apud Civitatem nostram Westmonasterii 12 die Novembris proximè futuro inchoand ' tenend ' convocatis electis vestrum cuilibet Salutem Cùm nos pro quibusdam ardnis urgentibus negotiis nos statum defensionem dicti Regni nostri Angliae Ecclesiae Anglicanae concernentibus dictum Parliamentum nostrum ad diem locum praedictos teneri ordinaverimus ac vobis per separalia Brevia nostra apud Civitatem diem praedictum interesse mandaverimus ad tractand consentiend concludend ' super hiis quae in dicto Parliamento nostro tunc ibidem proponerentur tractarentur Quibusdam tamen certis de causis considerationibus nos ad hoc specialiter moventibus dictum Parliamentum nostrum nsque ad in quartum diem Februarii prox ' futurum duximus
to Samuel Sandys and John Harries Gent. was committed unto Sir George Moore Sir Stephen Soame M r Henry Mountague M r Tho. Caesar M r Trevor M r Egcock M r Jo. Harries the K t s and Citizens for Worcester and Mr. Pawle who were appointed to meet in the Middle-Temple Hall at two of the Clock in the Afternoon of this present day The Amendments in the Bill touching Gavelkind Land were twice read and with the Bill Ordered to be ingrossed The Amendments in the Bill touching a Key or Harbour to be made on the North parts of the River of Severn were twice read and with the Bill Ordered to be ingrossed The Bill for maintenance of Ships and encrease of Sea-saring men was read the second time and committed unto the Queens Learned Councel being of this House Sir Walter Raleigh Sir Robert Wroth the Knights and Citizens for London the Burgesses of all the Port Towns Mr. Trevor and others who were appointed to meet this Afternoon in the Exchequer Chamber at two of the Clock And the Bill and Committees names were delivered to Sir Walter Raleigh Mr. Moore made Report of the meeting of the Committees in the Bill touching Cree Church and brought in the Bill with some Amendments The Amendments in the Bill touching Cree Church were twice read and the Bill was Ordered to be ingrossed The Bill for the making and working of Woollen Cloths was read the second time and committed unto the former Committees for Woollen Cloths who were appointed to meet November 23. and on Wednesday the 18 th day of November foregoing and appointed now to meet to Morrow in the Afternoon in the Exchequer Chamber at two of the Clock Another Bill also touching the Government of some Northern Counties was read the first time The Points to be considered of in the continuance of Statutes were read and offered still to dispute whether the Statute of Tillage should be continued M r Johnson said In the time of Dearth when we made this Statute it was not considered that the hand of God was upon us And now Corn is cheap if too cheap the Husbandman is undone whom we must provide for for he is the Staple man of the Kingdom And so after many Arguments he concluded the Statute to be repealed Mr. Bacon said The old commendation of Italy by the Poet was Potens viris atque ubere gleba and it stands not with the policy of the State that the wealth of the Kingdom should be ingrossed into a few Graziers hands And if you will put in so many Provisoes as be desired you will make it useless The Husbandman is a strong and hardy man the good footman which is a chief observation of good Warriers c. So he concluded the Statute not to be repealed Sir Walter Raleigh said I think this Law fit to be repealed for many poor men are not able to find seed to sow so much as they are bound to plough which they must do or incur the Penalty of the Law Besides all Nations abound with Corn. France offered the Queen to serve Ireland with Corn for sixteen shillings a quarter which is but two shillings the bushel if we should sell it so here the Ploughman would be beggered The Low-Country man and the Hollander which never soweth Corn hath by his industry such plenty that they will serve other Nations The Spaniard who often wanteth Corn had we never so much plenty will not be beholding to the English man for it neither to the Low-Country men nor to France but will fetch it even of the very Barbarian And therefore I think the best course is to set it at liberty and leave every man free which is the desire of a true English man Mr. Secretary Cecill said I do not dwell in the Country I am not acquainted with the Plough But I think that whosoever doth not maintain the Plough destroys this Kingdom There were the last Parliament great Arguments in this point and after a deliberate disputation the passage of this Bill concluded My Motion therefore shall be that this Law may not be repealed except former Laws may be in force and revived Say that a Glut of Corn should be have we not sufficient remedy by transportation which is allowable by the Policy of all Nations I cannot be induced or guided from this opinion upon Government of former Statutes I am sure when Warrants go from the Council for levying of men in the Countries and the Certificates be returned unto us again we find the greatest part of them to be Ploughmen And excepting Sir Thomas Moore 's Utopia or some such feigned Common-Wealth you shall never find but the Ploughman is chiefly provided for The neglect whereof will not only bring a general but a particular damage to every man If in Edward the First his time a Law was made for the maintenance of the Fry of Fish and in Henry the Sevenths time for preservation of the Eggs of Wild-Fowl shall we now throw away a Law of far more consequence and import If we debar Tillage we give scope to the Depopulator And then if the poor being thrust out of their Houses go to dwell with others straight we catch them with the Statute of Inmates if they wander abroad they are within the danger of the Statute of the Poor to be whipt So by this means undo this Statute and you indanger many thousands Posterior dies discipulus prioris If former times have made us wise to make a Law let these latter times warn us to preserve so good a Law M r Serlbie desired that the County of Northumberland might be exempted out of the Statute because it was so nigh Scotland and their Country was so infected with the Plague that not only whole Families but even whole Villages have been swept away with that calamity c. And so he made a long Speech to that effect Serjeant Yelverton and M r D r Carey came from the Lords to desire that the Conference touching Leters Patents might be prolonged till Friday Morning at eight of the Clock which was assented unto It was put to the question whether the Bill of Tillage should be committed and most said I I I. Then whether Northumberland should be exempted upon M r Serlebies Motion and all said I I I. Another matter which the Committees in the continuance of Statutes doubted of was whether M r Dormers Proviso should be put into the Bill of Tillage made Anno 39 Regin Eliz. M r Davies said May it please you M r Speaker the Gentleman is at the Door ready to attend with his Councel to satisfie the House May it please the House to hear him and all said I I I. M r Dodderidge of Councel with M r Dormer who came with him spake and said M r Speaker It pleased her Majesty to license M r Dormer under her Letters Patents with a Non obstante this Statute to inclose three hundred Acres of ground and
octavo 36. The Amours of certain Great Men and famous Philosophers Written in French and Englished by J. D. in octavo 37. Deceptio visus or Seeing and Believing are two things a pleasant Spanish History faithfully translated in octavo 38. The History of France under the Ministry of Cardinal Mazarine viz. from the death of King Lewis XIII to the year 1664. wherein all the Affairs of State to that time are exactly related By Benjamin Priolo and faithfully Englished by Christopher Wase Gent. in octavo 39. The History of the Twelve Caesars Emperours of Rome Written in Latin by C. Suetonius Tranquillus newly translated into English and illustrated with all the Caesars Heads in Copper-plates in octavo 40. The Annals of Love containing select Histories of the Amours of divers Princes Courts pleasantly related By a person of Honour in eight Parts in octavo 41. A new Voyage into the Northern Countries being a description of the Manners Customs Superstition Buildings and Habits of the Norwegians Laplanders Kilops Borandians Siberians Samojedes Zemblans and Islanders in twelves 42. The present State of the United Provinces of the Low Countries as to the Government Laws Forces Riches Manners Customs Revenue and Territory of the Dutch Collected out of divers Authors by W. A. Fellow of the Royal Society The second Edition in twelves 43. The present State of the Princes and Republicks of Italy The second Edition enlarged with the manner of Election of Popes and a Character of Spain Written Originally in English by J. Gailhard Gent. in twelves 44. The Policy and Government of the Venetians both in Civil and Military Affairs Written in French by the Sieur de la Hay and faithfully Englished in twelves 45. The Voyage of Italy or a compleat Journey through Italy in two Parts with the Character of the People and the Description of the chief Towns Churches Palaces Villas Gardens Pictures Statues Antiquities as also of the Interest Government Riches Forces c. of all the Princes with Instructions concerning Travel By Richard Lassells Gent. who travelled through Italy five times as Tutor to several of the English Nobility Opus Posthumum corrected and set forth by his old Friend and Fellow-Traveller S. W. Never before extant in twelves 46. A Relation of the French King 's late Expedition into the Spanish Netherlands in the years 1667 and 1668. with an Introduction discoursing his Title thereunto and an account of the Peace between the two Crowns made May 2. 1667. Englished by G. H. in twelves POETRY and PLAYS 47. The Works of Sir William Davenant K t consisting of those which were formerly Printed and those which he designed for the Press Now published out of the Author 's Original Copies in folio 48. Andronicus Comnenius a Tragedy By John Wilson in quarto 49. Heraclius Emperour of the East a Tragedy By Lodowic Carlel Esq in quarto 50. The Shepherds Paradise a Pastoral By Walter Montague Esq in octavo 51. Paradise Regain'd a Poem in four Books to which is added Sampson Agonistes The Author John Milton in octavo MISCELLANIES 52. A General Collection of Discourses of the Virtuosi of France upon Questions of all sorts of Philosophy and other Natural Knowledge made in the Assembly of the Beaux Esprits at Paris by the most ingenious Persons of that Nation Englished by G. Havers in two Volumes in folio 53. A Justification of the late War against the United Netherlands in two Parts illustrated with several Sculptures by Henry Stubbs in quarto 54. The Compleat Gentleman or Directions for the Education of Youth as to their Breeding at home and Travelling abroad In two Treatises by J. Gailhard Gent. who hath been Tutor abroad to several of the Nobility and Gentry in octavo 55. The Temperate Man or the right Way of Preserving Life and Health together with Soundness of the Senses Judgment and Memory unto an extream Old Age. In three Treatises The first written by the learned Leonardus Lessius The second by Lodowick Cornaro a Noble Gentleman of Venice The third by a famous Italian faithfully Englished in twelves 56. The Golden Calf in which is handled the most rare and incomparable wonder of Nature in transmuting Metals viz. how the entire substance of Lead was in one moment transmuted into Gold Obrizon with an exceeding small Particle of the true Philosophers Stone at the Hague in the year 1666. Written in Latin by John Frederick Helvetius Doctor of Medicine at the Hague and faithfully Englished in twelves 57. Accidence commenc'd Grammar and supplied with sufficient Rules or a new and easy method for the learning of the Latin Tongue The Author John Milton in twelves 58. The Rules of Civility or certain ways of Deportment observed in France amongst all persons of Quality upon several occasions faithfully Englished in twelves 59. The Art of Complaisance or the means to oblige in Conversation in twelves * Rot. Parl. 31 32 H. 6. n. 1 7 8 9 10 12 20 22 23 24. || Rot. Parl. 1 H. 7. n. 26. An Act for Roger Thorpe a Eadmerus Histor. Normannorum lib. 1. fol. 5. l. 44. b Malmesbury obiit mortem an poll natum Sirvatorem sesum MCxliio. 7 Regis Stephani Balaeus Script Britanniae fol. 186. l. 3. p. 56. l. 24. in vita Willielmi c Eadmerus lih 6. p. 135. l. 21. d Rut. Cart. 5 Johannis m. 5. n. 33. e Rut. Claus. 19 H. 3. Pars 2. m. 5. dorso Vide Stat. de an Bissextili 21 H. 3. Rex per Consilium fidelium subditorum and vet resolved to be a Parliament Coke lib. 8. Case del Prince fol. 20. f A Mat. Weslm An. 1231. 15 H. 3. p. 290. l. 13. g A Barones suni majores minores Barones pro libere tenentibus in genere hoc est tam in Soccagio quam per Servitium militare Spelm. Gloss. Diatriba de Baronibus fol. 64 67. h Rot. Claus. 1 E. 2. m. 19. dorso i Rot. Pars. 5 E. 3. n. 3. k Rot. Pars. 23 H. 6. n. 19. l Rot. Parl. 1 R. 3. Cotton's Records fol. 711. m Rot. Parl. 1 H. 7. n. 18. n Dominus Herbert de Cherbury in vita H. 8. fol. 303 305 306 307. o Parl. sicundum 1 Mariae Rast. Stat. p. 1085. c. 2. Rast. Stat. part 2. de An. 28 Eliz. fol. 121. c. 18. p Rot. Claus. 23 E. 1. m. 3. dorso Euseb. li. 2. de vita Constantini * Bracton de Legibus Angliae Lib. 1. Cap. 7. Vide Camden Annal. p. 432. This Ordinance inhlbitis also as well the Election of Lawyers as of Sheriffs Vide de tota ista materia in Annal Eliz à Guliel Camd. script edit Lugdun Batav An. Dom. 1625. à pagin 432. ad pagin 472. Gul. Camd. in Annal Eliz. supracitatis pag. 468. line is 1 2 3. Vide à e tota ista matcria in Annal. Eliz à Cambd. script Edit Lugd. Bat. 1625. à p. 432. ad p. 472. The Pitition against the Scottish Queen presented unto her Majesly Nov. 12. Guliel Cambden in Annal. Regin Eliz. edit Lugdun Batav Anno Dem. 1625. p. 511 512. Vide Gulicl Camd. Annal. Regin Eliz. edit Lugd. Batavorum An. Dom. 1625. pag. 589. Vide Holinghs pag. 955. 956. An excellent Case of one George Finers a Burgess of Plimouth in Devonshire in the Parliament An. 33 H. 8. Anno Dom. 1541. arrested and taken in Execution by the means of one White and afterward had his priviledge as also of the Temple-Cook who was Servant to Sir Thomas Audley once Speaker of Parliament and after Lord Chancellor who being arrested was freed Which case was cited by King H. 8. himself * Statute de 23 H. 6. Cap. 15. 1 H. 5. Cap. 1. enact it Vide 38 H. 8. fol. 60. a. Dyer Vide Gul. Camd. Anno Regin Eliz. edit Lugdun Batavorum An. Dom. 1625. pag. 682.