wife how can they with us to enter, if their House be not first made cleane ? But as I would be loather to difpenfe in the leaft Point of mine owne Conscience for any worldly Respect, then the foolishest Precifian of them all; fo would I be as fory to ftraight the Politique Governement of the Bodies and Mindes of all my Subjectes to my private Opinions: Nay, my Minde was ever fo free from Perfecution, or Thralling of my Subjects in Matters of Confcience, as I hope that those of that Profeffion within this Kingdome have a Proofe fince my Comming, that I was fo farre from encreasing their Burdens with Rehoboam, as I have fo much as either Time, Occafion, or Law could permit, lightened them. And even now at this Time have I bene carefull to revife and confider deepely upon the Lawes made against them, that some Overture may be proponed to the prefent Parliament for clearing thefe Lawes by Reafon (which is the Soule of the Law) in cafe they have bene in Times paft further, or more rigorously extended by Judges, then the Meaning of the Lawe was, or might tend to the Hurt as well of the Innocent as of guiltie Perfons. And as to the Perfons of my Subjects which are of that Profeffion, I must divide them into two Rankes, Clerickes and Layickes; for the Part of the Layicks, certainly I ever thought them farre more excufable then the other Sort, because that Sort of Religion containeth fuch an ignorant, doubtfull, and implicit Kinde of Faith in the Layickes grounded upon their Church, as except they doe generally beleeve whatsoever their Teachers please to affirme, they cannot bee thought guilty of thefe particular Points of Herefies and Corruptions, which their Teachers do fo wilfully profeffe. And againe, I muft fubdivide the fame Layickes into two Rankes, that is, either quiet and well minded Men, peaceable Subjects, who either being old, have retayned their first drunken-in Liquor upon a certaine Shamefaftneffe to be thought curious or changeable: Or being young Men, through evill Education have never bene nurfed or brought up, but upon fuch Venim in Place of wholesome Nutriment. And that Sort of People I would be forry to punish their Bodies for the Errour of their Minds, the Reformation whereof muft onely come of God and the true Spirit. But the other Ranke of Layicks, who either through Curiofitie, Affectation of Noveltie, or Discontentment in their privat Humours have changed their Coates, onely to bee factious Stirrers of Sedition, and Perturbers of the Commonwealth, their Backwardneffe in their Religion giveth a Ground to me the Magiftrate, to take the better Heede to their Proceeding, and to correct their Obftinacie. But for the Part of the Clerickes, I muft directly fay and affirme, that as long as they maintaine one fpeciall Point of their Doctrine, and another Point of their Practice, they are no Way fufferable to remaine in this Kingdome. Their Point of Doctrine is that arrogant and ambitious Supremacie of their Headthe Pope, whereby he not onely claimes to be fpirituall Head of all Chriftians,, but alfo to have an imperiall civill Power over all Kings and Emperors, de throning and decrowning Princes with his Foot as pleafeth him, and difpenfing. and difpofing of all Kingdomes and Empires at his Appetite. The other Point which they obferve in continuall Practife, is the Affaffinates and Murtherers of Kings, thinking it no Sinne, but rather a Matter of Salvation, to doe

:

all

all Actions of Rebellion and Hoftilitie against their naturall Soveraigne Lord, if he be once curfed, his Subjects difcharged of their Fidelitie, and his Kingdom given a Praye by that three crowned Monarch, or rather Monster their Head. And in this Point, I have no Occafion to fpeake further here, faving that I could wish from my Heart, that it would pleafe God to make me one of the Members of fuch a generall Chriftian Union in Religion, as laying Wilfulnesse aside on both Hands, we might meete in the middeft, which is the Center and Perfection of all Things. For if they would leave, and be afhamed of fuch new and groffe Corruptions of theirs, as themselves cannot maintaine, nor denie to be worthy of Reformation, I would for mine own Part be content to meete them in the Mid-Way, fo that all Novelties might be renounced on either Side. For as my Faith is the True, Ancient, Catholike and Apoftolike Faith, grounded upon the Scriptures and expreffe Word of God: fo will I ever yeeld all Reverence to Antiquitie in the Points of Ec-. fiafticall Pollicy; and by that Meanes fhall I ever with God's Grace keepe my felfe from either being an Hereticke in Faith, or Schifmatick in Matters of Policie. But of one Thing would I have the Papists of this Land to bee admonished, That they prefume not fo much upon my Lenitie (because I would bee loth to be thought a Perfecuter) as thereupon to thinke it lawful for them dayly to encrease their Number and Strength in this Kingdome, whereby if not in my Time, at least in the Time of my Pofteritie, they might be in Hope to erect their Religion againe. No, let them affure themselves, that as I am a Friend to their Perfons if they be good Subjects: fo am I a vowed Enemie, and doe denounce mortall Warre to their Errors: And that as I would be fory to be driven by their ill Behaviour from the Protection and Confervation of their Bodies and Lives; So will I never ceafe as farre as I can, to tread downe their Errors and wrong Opinions. For I could not permit the Encrease and Growing of their Religion, without firft betraying of my felfe, and mine owne Confcience: Secondly, this whole Ifle, afwel the Part I am come from, as the Part I remaine in, in betraying their Liberties, and reducing them to their former flavish Yoke, which both had caften off, before I came amongst them: And thirdly, the Libertie of the Crowne in my Pofteritie, which I should leave againe under a new Slavery, having found it left free to mee by my Predeceffors. And therefore would I wish all good Subjects that are deceived with that Corruption, firft if they find any Beginning of Inftinction in themselves of Knowledge and Love to the Trueth, to foster the fame by all lawfull Meanes, and to beware of quenching the Spirit that worketh within them; And if they can finde as yet no Motion tending that Way, to be Studious to reade and conferre with learned Men, and to use all fuch Meanes as may further their Resolution, affuring themselves, that as long as they are difconformable in Religion from us, they cannot be but halfé my Subjects, bee able to doe but halfe Service, and I to want the best halfe of them, which is their Soules. And here have I Occafion to speake to you my Lords the Bishops. For as you, my Lord of Durbam, said very learnedly to Day in your Sermon, Correction without Inftruction, is but a Tyrannie: So ought you, and all the Clergie under you, to be more carefull, vigilant,

and

and diligent then you have bene, to winne Soules to God, afwell by your exemplary Life, as Doctrine. And fince you see how carefull they are, sparing neither Labour, Paines, nor extreme Peril of their Perfons to divert, (the Devill is fo bufie a Bishop) ye fhould be the more carefull and wakefull in your Charges. Follow the Rule prescribed you by S. Paul, Bee carefull to exhort and to inftru&t in Seafon, and out of Season: and where you have bene any Way fluggish before, now waken your felves up againe with a new Diligence in this Point, remitting the Succeffe to God, who calling them either at the fecond, third, tenth or twelfth Houre, as they are alike welcome to him, fo fhall they be to me his Lieutenant here.

The third Reason of affembling

the Parlia

ment.

The third Reason of my convening of you at this Time, which conteineth fuch Actions of my Thankefulneffe toward you, as I may either doe, or leave undone, yet fhall with Gods Grace ever preffe to perfourme all the Dayes of my Life. It confifts in these two Points: In making of Lawes at certaine Times, which is onely at fuch Times as this in Parliament; or in the carefull Execution thereof at all other Times. As for the making of them, I will thus farre faithfully promife unto you, That I will ever preferre the Weale of the Body and of the whole Commonwealth, in making of good Lawes and Conftitutions, to any particular or private Ends of mine, thinking ever the Wealth and Weale of the Commonwealth to be my greatest Weale and worldly Felicitie : A Point wherein a lawfull King doeth directly differ from a Tyrant. But at this Time I am onely thus farre to forewarne you in that Point, That you beware to feeke the making of too many Lawes, for two efpeciall Reasons: First, because In corruptiffima Republica plurimæ leges; and the Execution of good Lawes is farre more profitable in a Commonwealth, then to burden Mens Memories with the making of too many of them. And next, because the making of too many Lawes in one Parliament will bring in Confusion, for lacke of Leisure wifely to deliberate before you conclude. For the Bishop faid wel to Day, That to Deliberation would a large Time bee given, but to Execution a greater Promptneffe was required. As for the Execution of good Lawes, it hath eene very wifely and honourably forefeene and ordered by my Predeceffours in this Kingdome, in planting fuch a Number of Judges and all forts of Magiftrates in convenient Places for the Execution of the fame: And therfore must I now turne mee to you that are Judges and Magistrates under me, as mine Eyes and Eares in this Cafe. I can fay none otherwise to you, then as Ezekias the good King of Juda fayd to their Judges, Remember that the Thrones you fit on are Gods, and neither yours nor mine. And that as you must be anfwerable to me, fo muft both you and I be answerable to God for the due Execution of our Offices. That Place is no Place for you to utter your Affections in, you must not there hate your Foe nor love your Friend, feare the Offence of the greater Party, or pity the Misery of Meaner; ye must be Blind and not fee Diftinctions of Perfons, Handleffe, not to receive Bribes; but keepe that juft Temper and Mid-Course in all your Proceedings, that like a juft Ballance yee may neither way to the right nor left Hand. Three principall Qualities are required in you; Knowledge, VOL. 1.

X

Courage,

Courage, and Sincerity: that you may difcerne with Knowledge, execute with Courage, and doe both in upright Sinceritie. And as for my Part, I doe vowe and proteft here in the Prefence of God, and of this honourable Audience, I never fhall be wearie, nor omit no Occafion, wherein I may fhewe my Carefulneffe of the Execution of good Lawes. And as I wish you that are Judges not to bee wearie in your Office in doing of it; fo fhall I never be wearie, with Gods Grace, to take Account of you, which is properly my Calling.

And thus having tolde you the three Caufes of my convening of this Parliament, all three tending onely to utter my Thankfulneffe, but in divers Formes, the first by Word, the other two by Action; I doe confeffe that when I have done and performed all that in this Speech I have promised, Inutilis fervus fum. Inutile, becaufe the Meaning of the Word Inutilis in that Place of Scripture is understoode, that in doing all that Service which wee can to God, it is but our due, and wee doe nothing to God but that which wee are bound to doe: And in like Maner, when I have done all that I can. for you, I doe nothing but that which I am bound to doe, and am accomptable to God upon the contrarie. For I doe acknowledge, that the fpeciall and greatest Point of Difference that is betwixt a rightfull King and an ufurping Tyrant is in this: That wheras the proude and ambitious Tyrant doeth thinke his Kingdome and People are onely ordeined for Satisfaction of his Defires and unreasonable Appetites; The righteous and juft King doth by the contrarie acknowledge himfelfe to be ordeined for the procuring of the Wealth and Profperitie of his People, and that his greatest and principall worldly Felicitie muft confift in their Profperitie. If you be rich I cannot be poore, if you be happie I cannot but bee fortunate, and I proteft that your Welfare fhall ever bee my greatest Care and Contentment: And that I am a Servant it is most true, that as I am Head and Governour of all the People in my Dominion who are my naturall Vaffals and Subjects, confidering them in Numbers and distinct Rankes; So if wee will take the whole People as one Bodie and Maffe, then as the Head is ordeined for the Bodie and not the Body for the Head; fo muft a righteous King know himfelfe to bee ordeined for his People, and not his People for him. For although a King and People be Relata: yet can hee be no King if he want People and Subjects. But there be many People in the World that lacke a Head, wherefore I will never be afhamed to confeffe it my principall Honour to be the great Servant of the Commonwealth, and ever thinke the Profperitie thereof to be my greatest Felicity, as I have already faid.

But as it was the whole Body of this Kingdome; with an uniforme Affent and Harmonie, as I tolde you in the Beginning of my Speech, which did fo farre oblige mee in good Will and Thankfulneffe of Requital by their Alacritie and Readineffe in declaring and receiving mee to that Place which God had provided for mèe, and not any particular Perfons: (for then it had not bene the Body) So is my Thankfulnes due to the whole State. For even as in Matter of Faults, Quod à multis peccatur, impunè peccatur: Even fo in the Matter of vertuous and good Deedes, what is done by the willing Confent

and

and Harmonie of the whole Body, no particular Perfon can justly claimè Thankes as proper to him for the fame. And therefore I must here make a little Apologie for my felfe, in that I could not fatisfie the particular Humours of every Person, that looked for fome Advancement or Reward at my Hand fince my Entrie into this Kingdome. Three kinde of Things were craved of me: Advancement to Honour, Preferment to Place of Credit about my Person, and Reward in Matters of Land or Profit. If I had bestowed Honour upon all, no Man could have beene advanced to Honour: for the Degrees of Honour doe confift in preferring fome above their Fellowes. If every Man had the like Acceffe to my Privy or Bedchamber, then no Man could have it, because it cannot containe all. And if I had beftowed Lands and Rewardes upon every Man, the Fountaine of my Liberalitie would be fo exhausted and dried, as I would lacke Meanes to bee liberall to any Man. And yet was I not fo fparing, but I may without vaunting affirme that I have enlarged my Favour in all the three Degrees, towards as many and more then ever King of England did in fo fhort a Space: No, I rather crave your Pardon that I have beene fo bountifull; for if the Meanes of the Crowne bee wafted, I behoved then to have Recourfe to you my Subjects, and bee burdenfome to you, which I would be lotheft to be of any King alive. For as it is true, that as I have already faid, it was a whole Bodie which did deferve fo well at my Hand, and not every particular Perfon of the People: yet were there fome who by Reason of their Office, Credit with the People or otherwife, tooke Occafion both before, and at the Time of my comming amongst you, to give Proofe of their Love and Affection towards me. Not that I am any Way in doubt, that if other of my Subjects had beene in their Places, and had had the like Occafion, but they would have uttered the like good Effects, (fo generall and fo great were the Love and Affection of you all towards me:) But yet this having beene performed by fome fpeciall Perfons, I could not without Unthankfulneffe but requite them accordingly. And therefore had I juft Occafion to advance fome in Honour, fome to Places of Service about mee, and by rewarding, to enable fome who had deferved well of me, and were not otherwise able to maintaine the Rankes I thought them capable of, and others who although they had not particularly deferved before, yet found them capable and worthy of Place of Preferment and Credit, and not able to fuftaine thofe Places for which I thought them fit, without my Helpe, Two especiall Caufes moved me to be fo open handed: whereof the one was reasonable and honourable; but the other I will not bee afhamed to confeffe unto you proceeded of mine owne Infirmitie. That which was juft and honourable, was: That being fo farre beholding to the Body of the whole State, I thought I could not refufe to let runne fome small Brookes out of the Fountaine of my Thankefulneffe to the whole, for refreshing of particular Perfons that were Members of that Multitude. The other which proceeded out of mine owne Infirmitie, was the Multitude and Importunitie of Sutors. But although Reafon come by Infufion in a Maner, yet Experience groweth with Time and Labour: And therefore doe I not doubt, but Experience in Time comming will both teach the particular Subjects of this Kingdome, not