L. F. ●ORD KEEPER HIS SPEECH Before the King's MAJESTY and both Houses in the High Court of Parliament.  
Concerning His majesty's reign with the 

Bishops,  
Judges, &  
Peers of the Land.   With The King's majesty's Speech, or Charge to the Speaker.  
Printed, and are to be sold by Richard Cotton 1641   

THE Lord Keeper His Noble Speech in Parliament.  
WHen did ever King of this kingdom, sit in white robes so long years together, & scarce any one made to feel the sensible stroke of the Axe, nor blood drawn, but in petty and particular causes.  
Mr. Speaker, It was a good wish, and I will join with you in it with all my heart; that they may be cursed and anatomised by the Parliament, by all the kingdom, and by all succeeding Ages, that go about in the least way to innovate or alter any thing in that happy government.  
The Commons applauding his lordship's expression with a general hymn, His Lordship proceeded.  
It is a joyful acclamation, and i doubt not, but that your hearts are full: and certainly you my Lords, and you of the house of Comons, will easily know, that those that are of that spirit, and that disposition▪ will quickly resolve all their debates▪ and all their actions into keales, and into Cades principles, which is to ruin the Nobility, to ruin the Gentry, to ruin and eat up one another.  
Mr. Speaker, you have lifted up your Contemplations, and raised them on five excellent pillars.  
That of religion, you do well in the first place to begin with; for certainly, it is that which must season all our other blessings: and it is that, to which we ought to ascribe the great happiness that we have so long enjoyed. In that, with great judgement and discretion, you fix your eye and your case upon the reverend prelates, that assist his Majesty on his right hand. Certainly to them, and to their Predecessors we owe the due preservation of the gospel, in that purity and sincerity that now we enjoy it.  
Let any man but look back, from the first of Queen Elizabeth, and somewhat before to these times, and see to whom we owe it most.  
The Prophet Elizha, when he had Eliaes' spirit doubled upon him, he took up his Mantle, and there are golden Candlesticks, and there are gates of sapphire, and Onixe, and other rich stones spoken of, as well in the new Testament, as in the old. And God forbid, that we should live to see God, that is the God of decency, served in such sort and manner, as ploughmen come home from their ploughs.  
Mr. Speaker, you shall not need to doubt, but that his majesty's pious example unpresidented by a King (if I should say by any man I should not say amiss) will give you for the house of Commons, and all the world, cause to rest confident, and most assured of his zeal and constancy in the Religion which he professeth; which nothing within, or without the kingdom hath ever found to move.  
In the next place, you look upon the Judges and Sages of the Law, and well you may, persons for gr●vity and for learning: certain●y not exceeded in any age. And for justice and integrity. I am sure if any of them be guilty of the lest defect therein, they have the least reason reason to be excused for it, that ever Judges in any time or age. They have the example of the King, they have the freedom of his royal Election, they have received from time to time charge and command, that they should with equity, and with indifferency distribute that Justice committed to them: and so discharge the trust by God laid upon his Majesty, and by him transmitted to their dispensation.  
For Chivalry, the next pillar on which you set up the Trophies of honour, the Grandees, and great Lords of this kingdom. You behold them in number I think, far greater than ever their Ancestors were: and I doubt not, but their courage is every way equal, and I assure myself, they will never forget the famous Acts, that have left them honourable to all posterity, nor do the least thing that may deface the monumental name and accounts of them: or that may in the least kind stain their nobility and magnanimity.  
For Commerce, it is most certain, Mr. Speaker, it is the royal Mines of this kingdom, the East & West Indies of our Nation, and in that we have all great cause to bless God, and to give humble thanks to his Majesty, that he takes such pains to maintain and encourage it: that this Nation never had a more flourishing time since the Conquest, than now it hath.  
There remains but unity, and as you say well, without that we can never be happy: I will but turn your saying, you have said, Si sumus inseperabiles, sumus insuperabiles, I will but say it is a borrowed one; but it is a true one: and I will as soon borrow that, Si icolldimur, frangimur.  
Mr. Speaker, let all the world avoid distrust, assure yourself, there will not lack out of malignant and ill affections, there will not lack from pestilent and peevish endeavours to make good their actions, there will not lack mailcious and ambitious spirits, that may disjoint and unknit his Majesty and this House.  
And you of the House of Commons, you see his Majesty hath graciously invited you hither: and let me put you in mind, that you forget not what was said unto you, which howsoever I will repeat unto you, that ●on may the better remember.  
That there is nothing doth so much take, a gracious and good nature, as humble, sweet, and cheerful expressions of affections.  
For your Petitions, his Majesty hath heard them all, and grants them all, as fully and as freely, as ever himself in other Parliaments did, or have any of his predecessors before him done.  
And therefore there remains nothing now, but that you go on with cheerfulness, you go on with duty, you go on with the expressions, that may rejoice the heart of so gracious, so just, and so good a King; and that may be more than showers in the drought, and heat of Summer to refresh and cheer this kingdom, and all his majesty's Dominions,   

His majesty's SPEECH.  
Mr. Speaker,  
I Will only say one word to you, now that you are the Speaker, I command you to do the Office of a Speaker; which is faithfully to report the great cause of the meeting, that my Lord Keeper in my name, did represent unto you the last day, with this assurance, that you giving me your timely help, in this great affair, I shall give a willing ear to all our just Grievances.  
FINIS.