THE SPEECH Of the Right Honourable Henry paul, Esq SPEAKER OF THE House of Commons: On Wednesday the First of May, 1689.  
AT THE Passing of Two BILLS, ENTITLED, 

I. An Act for Raising Money by a Poll, and otherwise, towards the Reducing of Ireland.  
II. An Act for preventing Doubts and Questions concerning the Collecting the Public Revenue.    
LONDON, Printed by Charles Bill, and Thomas Newcomb, Printers to the King and Queen's most Excellent Majesties. MDCLXXXIX.   

THE SPEECH Of the Right Honourable Henry paul, Esq SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE of COMMONS.  
May it please Your Majesty,  
THE Commons Assembled in this present Parliament have taken into their most Serious Consideration the deplotable Condition of Ireland, where those Fatal Counsels that did so long Govern the Affairs of these Kingdoms have so far prevailed, that the Arms and Garrisons there have been taken from Your Protestant Subjects, and put into the Hands of Irish Papist, and the English Protestants that remain there left Naked and Defenceless in the Power of those Enemies, which never yet shown them any Mercy when they had them at an Advantage.  
Nor is it the Strength of the Irish Natives only, animated with their Zeal for Popery, and a longing Desire to free themselves from any Dependency upon the Crown of England, that is likely to Create Your Majesty an Opposition there; but they have likewise Cast themselves under the Protection of the French King, who will without doubt Employ that Force, with which of late Years he hath overawed Europe, to Support those Your Rebellious Subjects, thereby, if possible, to give Your Majesty a Diversion, from opposing in other Parts of the World his Ambitious Designs of an Universal Monarchy.  
The Commons therefore seeing so evident a Necessity of reducing that Kingdom under Your Majesty's Obedience, and the great Expense Your Majesty must undergo in Maintaining such a War, do now humbly Present to Your Majesty their Hearty Assistance in a Poll-Bill, which they look upon as the most speedy and effectual way of raising ready Money on this Occasion, Solemnly Engaging themselves to supply Your Majesty with such further Aids, as may be proportionable to the Charge of the War, as long as it shall continue.  
Next to this, they have Considered of Your Majesty's Revenue, and the Charges that are upon it, as also the Complaints against several Exactions which have been Practised in the late Collection; But these Matters requiring a longer time to Examine, than they expected, they have Passed a short Bill for the Continuance of it in the same State it now stands till Christmas next, within which time they doubt not to prepare such an Establishment, as may fully supply the Expenses of the Crown without Oppressing the People.  
FINIS.