A SPEECH made in Parliament by Sir SIMON Ducy Knight: On Twesday the Eleventh of January: Concerning proceeding against the 12 Bishops accused of High Treason, to bring them to their trial.  
1642.  
LONDON, Printed for F. Coles and T. Banks. 1642.   

A Speech made in Parliament by Sir SIMON Ducy Knight: on Tuesday the eleventh of January, concerning, proceeding against the twelve Bishops accused of High treason.  
Mr. Speaker,  
DElaying prosecution of any business of weight and consequence, is the only way to produce danger, especially if it be tending to the removal of eminent evils practised and threatened by evil and wicked spirits, bending themselves only to act such things, that the success thereof must either prove the fulfilling of their own desires, or the utter ruin and destruction of the State wherein they live.  
Mr. Speaker. Light offences are easily dispensed withal or removed, but grievous crimes and great misdemeanours committed by high hand are troublesome to be restrained, hard to be corrected. In any proceedings against such, there must be both wisdom and courage equallizing the subtlety and power of the offenders: to accuse or impeach any person of any crime, whether treason or otherwise, is ordinary, but to prosecute such accusation or impeachment to bring the same to perfection, to a period, to judgement, whether by the sword of justice to cut off such accused (if found guilty) as unsound and rotten members of a commonwealth, thereby to preserve the whole, or to clear and discharge the same, either way satisfying the King's loyal Subjects concerning our proceedings: if deserving death, you know Master Speaker how dangerous it is to protract time in their trial and just sentence: you know, dangerous to a City is the setting on fire but of one house in the same, you know no better remedy to prevent this danger, but by pulling down the next adjacent houses to that on fire: Even so, if there be in a City, State, or kingdom, wherein are some firebrands members, threatening desolation to the whole commonwealth wherein they live, or any part thereof; whose tongues are set on fire even with the fire of Hell, issuing forth, flashes, sparks, nay flames of wicked tenants and doctrines, pleasant and delectable only to themselves and associates; seducing in religion the children of God, nay I verily believe the saying is fulfilled foretold in Scripture, such seducers should be in the world, that if it were possible, they would seduce the very elect, drawing all men as they can to their faction, or else seek their utter destruction, both of their lives, liberties, and estates. These firebrands, Mr. Speaker, hath catched in divers places of this kingdom, as well Cities, as towns, and Villages; and if speedy course be not taken to extinguish them, by pulling down, cutting off, not only the original root of this danger, but the neighbouring parties; not only to cut down the body of the tree, but land off also the branches, especially, the greatest arms thereof, for the lesser twigs, they may of themselves wither and die in time: they will endanger the whole kingdom, and cause great trouble and hazard in preserving the same from ruin.  
Mr. Speaker: The subject of my discourse is concerning our proceedings against the Bishops, by this honourable House accused of High Treason, That we with all convenient speed bring them to their trial and judgement upon the same.  
Mr. Speaker: It behooveth us to be men of courage and magnanimity, not daunted with any fear, or discouraged by any opposition that hath been made against us, and our proceedings concerning the same, to hinder our perfecting those things in our prosecution of these Incendiaries, so much importing the peace and security of his majesty and all his kingdom. The evil effects that we have experimentally found, in not performing our desires, and the expectation of those that sent us hither, by whom we are entrusted to preserve and defend them in their persons, free liberties, and rightful possessions; and the many and urgent petitions which we have received, not only from the Citizens of London, but from diverse oth●r parts of this kingdom, expr●ssing their loves and tender affections to his royal Majesty and Princely Progeny; their confidence imposed in us of our faithful integrity and true heartedness towards our country, in the right framing and rectifying all things that have been amiss and disordered in the same; the redressing of their unjust grievances and oppressions, and the settling of true Religion in this kingdom: their loving encouragements for our cheerful and willing performance of their just de●i●es, may as I conceive, be sufficient causes to stir up our hearts and ardent affections to satisfy them therein, and not any longer, for any cause whatsoever shall be pretended in opposition of the same, to procrastinate any further time, to bring these Bishops accused, and all other Delinnqents in this State to just trial and deserved punishment.  
Mr. Speaker: The evil effects that have succeeded of late, by ●eason of the intermission of our proceedings against these Bishops and others, are not unknown to all men; of dangerous consequence, disturbing our peaceable and just proceeding in all our designs, touching the great affairs we have had in agitation both of Church and State; endangered our persons, by giving them liberty to endeavour to put in execution their malicious and devilish plots against us the raising and causing great tumults and uproars about the Parliament, causing and procuring the members of our House, great Pillars in this our Temple, to be accused and questioned as criminous persons; thereby to avert our prosecution against them; causing evil suspicions and jealousies of our integrities and loyalties to our gracious sovereign, and our native country; encouraging thereby their favourites and wellwishers to their evil practices, to adventure upon any stratagem, against both our persons and proceedings: Which we, Master Speaker, (if we in time labour not to prevent the same) may with too late repentance, bewail those greater dangers and irrecoverable troubles threatened by these firebrands of State, who burns with mischievous intentions of our utter destruction.  
Mr. Speaker: My humble motion therefore is, that considering seriously with ourselves those things which I have briefly mentioned unto you, we may lay aside all fears, depending only upon Almighty God his providence over us, and our Countries loves proffering to defend us, whose servants we are; and cheerfully with good courage and magnanimous spirits, go on as we have begun, to bring all misdoers in this kingdom, especially the greatest and chiefest of them, to their trial and condign punishment.  
FINIS.