Sr. Benjamin Rudyerd Surveyor of his Maties Court of wards and liveries.    

TWO SPEECHES BY Sir Benjamin Rudyard, CONCERNING THE PALATINATE.  
LONDON, Printed for Francis Constable, 1641.   

THE FIRST SPEECH UPON THE FIRST DAY, CONCERNING THE PALATINATE. BY Sr. Benjamin RUDYARD.  
Master Speaker,  
THis great affair of the Palatinate, concerns this kingdom in Nature, in Honour, in Reason of State, in Religion.  
We all know, how near in blood the Prince Elector is to his Majesty.  
Many of us here know, what solemn Protestation hath been made in this place, for the recovery of the Palatinate, by which we are bound in Honour to pursue it with our best assistance.  
God hath so framed the Powers of man, and so ordered the course of things in this world, as that in all actions, right Reason, and true Religion may well hold, and go a great way together.  
If we consider Religion according to reason of State, we shall find, that Christendom divides itself into two sides, with the Pope, against the Pope. His Majesty is the greatest King of the Religion; and therefore fittest to be the Head of that Party, which will add a greater greatness to Him then can be gotten any other way.  
The means to it are, first, to preserve Religion sound and entire, within His own kingdoms at home: next, to unite the homogenial parts of it, pieces of the same, together, by Alliances, by Confederations abroad.  
The good Effect of this German Match was lost by the ill counsels of those times; It will be an Honour to us to repair it by better.  
The restoring of the Prince Elector to his Territory and Dignity, will restore Religion there; will strengthen it; may increase it further in Germany; which consideration is of a great and vast Consequence, proportionable to the greatness and vastness of that country. It will likewise refresh and comfort the needful heart of that most Noble, virtuous, and Magnanimously suffering Queen of Bohemia, his majesty's sister, his highness' mother, who is ever to be highly and tenderly regarded by this House, by this kingdom.  
This is a fit conjuncture of time to begin it in, whilst the King of Spain hath so much to do of his own, as he is not able to afford his usual aids to the Emperor, which probably may induce the Emperor to abate of former resolutions.  
That which is now propounded, is only a Manifest, to express and declare our zeal and heartiness to the Cause, thereby to give it Countenance and Reputation in the present diet at Ratisbone. Reputation, in matters of State, doth many times prevail, as much as Substance.  
His majesty's Father (of blessed memory) and himself, have for many years mediated and treated with the successive Emperors, by all fair and amiable ways. They have been deluded, they have been neglected. It behooves us, Master Speaker, to be Englishly sensible of the Injustice, of the indignity.  
Wherefore my humble Motion is, That the House will be pleased, presently to name a select Committee, to compose a Declaration suitable to the Importance of the Cause.   

THE FIRST SPEECH UPON THE SECOND DAY, CONCERNING THE PALATINATE. BY Sr. Benjamin RUDYARD. At a Committee of the whole House.  
Master Whitlock,  
IF we may do the Prince Elector good, by our good word, I hope we shall not stick to afford it Him. A Word spoken in due season, is worth more than Gold and Silver at another time.  
His majesty's ambassador is now at the diet at Ratisbon, where the Emperor and other Princes are by friendly Treaties endeavouring to make up the breaches of Germany. If this opportunity be omitted, His highness' affairs will be exceedingly cast behind hand.  
It is true, That our Treatyes heretofore have not been prosperous; the reason hath been, because of the unhappy distance between the King and his people, which brought a disvalue upon this kingdom abroad. But now, when the world shall take notice of the good understanding between his Majesty and his Subjects, by an earnest and solemn joining of the whole Parliament with his majesty's Declaration, the Propositions coming from hence, will carry with them more weight, more Authority; which is the way to redeem our Engagement at an easy rate, to save those great Charges which some do so much fear.  
If we should be backward in this great work; we shall cancel the Obligations of Nature, of Honour, of Reason, of State, of Religion, which bind us to it.  
Wherefore, Master Whitlock, my humble Motion is, That we may draw up a short round Manifest, to wait upon and affirm the King's Declaration, to be still managed by advice of Parliament, which will be safe for ourselves, more powerful and effectual for the Prince Elector.  
FINIS.