THE SPEECH OF Sr. Edw. Turnor, Kt. SPEAKER of the Honourable House of COMMONS, TO THE KING'S most Excellent MAJESTY. Delivered on Monday the Seven and twentieth day of July, 1663. at the Prorogation of the Parliament. royal blazon or coat of arms C R HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE DIEV ET MON DROIT LONDON, Printed by D. Maxwel, for Robert Pawlet, at the sign of the Bible in Chancery-Lane. THE SPEECH OF Sr. EDW. TURNOR, Kt Speaker of the Honourable House of Commonsâ–Ş TO THE KING'S most Excellent MAJESTY. Delivered on Monday the Seven and twentieth day of July 1663. at the Prorogation of the PARLIAMENT. May it please Your most Excellent Majesty. THe Knights, Citizens, and Burgesses of the Commons House of PARLIAMENT, have since their last Meeting, in many weighty and arduous Affairs, presented Your Majesty with their humble Advice; which with all Thankfulness they acknowledge, never wanted a most Gracious Reception. Never any Prince did so freely commune with his people, and never any people did with more joy and duty commemorate their happiness. The last Session of Parliament our care was chief to secure the Being of this Nation under our ancient happy, Monarchical Government. This Session we have endeavoured to advance the Peace and wellbeing both of Church and State. Material Structures are best secured by deep Foundations in the Earth, but the Foundations of true Happiness are from above: We have therefore in the first place perused the Laws, which do enjoin the observation of the Lordsday, and where we found any defect, either in Rules or Penalties, we have with great Care supplied them: Well knowing, That he who doth not remember on the first day of the Week, to observe a Christian Saboth, will hazard, before the week comes round, to forget he is a Christian. We read in the Story of Lewis the ninth of France, when he took his Voyage into the Eastern Empire, to assist the distressed Christians: The fame of his Holiness moved the King of Tartary to send his Ambassadors to offer him friendship, and to acquaint him, he had a desire to become a Christian: Whereupon Lewis sent him Preachers, to instruct him in the Christian Religion: But the Tartarians observing the Lives of the Christians were not answerable to their Profession; they returned, with the shame of their own ill lives upon them, whose Doctrines were so famous. That which in those days was the Reproach of those Christians, is much more at this day the shame of this Nation: We know more, but practise less than they did: We generally love a Sceptical rather than a Practical Religion, and are contented to spend that time in study of curious deceitful Notions, which ought to be employed in the practice of known Truths. Too many amongst us are of the Sect of the Gnostics, hunting after Novelties and Phantasms, till variety of Notions makes them mad: Hence do arise all those Sects and Schisms in the Church, which being nursed up in Pride, refuse to conform to any Laws, and make Religion itself the Cloak for all their Separations: Whereas true Religion is the Band of Society, the sinews that hold fast the joints of the Body Politic: If these be broken, the Body must be dismembered; if they be but sprained, the whole body is in pain, and the Member made unuseful. At the Opening of this Session, Your MAJESTY was most graciously pleased to call upon us to prepare some Laws for the prevention of the growth of Popery; and we have hearty laboured therein, both to prevent the growth of Popery, and all sorts of Sectaries and Nonconformists; But as the rankest Corn, and the fullest Ears are aptest to be laid; so fares it in this matter, these Fruits are not yet ready for the harvest; But we are confident, by the wisdom of Your Majesty's Government, and the readiness of your faithful Subjects to support it, by the just and due Execution of the Laws, (especially if such persons be entrusted with the Execution of the Laws; as do love them) these persons will either be persuaded to Conformity, or forced into a peaceable and orderly Conversation. To this purpose, I am commanded by the Knights, Citizens, and Burgesses of the Commons House of PARLIAMENT, humbly in their Name, to beseech Your Majesty, That You will be pleased to issue out Your Proclamation for the putting those Laws which now are in force, against the Popish Recusants, Sectaries, and Non-Conformists, in effectual Execution. I am likewise commanded to desire Your Majesty, That You will be pleased to issue out another Proclamation for the prevention of that Profaneness, Debauchery, and Licentiousness, which to the high displeasure of Almighty God, the dishonour of Your Majesty's Government, and the grief of all good men, is now practised amongst us. And for the better securing the Peace of the Nation against the United Counsels of all the Dissenters to our Religion, and established Discipline, we have prepared an Additional Bill for the Ordering the Forces of the Kingdom, whereby Your Majesty's Lieutenants, and their Deputy Lieutenants will be enabled to Train, Discipline, and keep together such a Party as will be able to prevent Disorders, and sufficient to check any Insurrections, till the Great Body of the Militia can come in to their assistance. During the late unhappy Wars in this Nation, our Neighbour's Eyes were open to spy out all advantages of spoiling our Trade, and to advance their own; but by the several good Bills made ready for Your Majesty's Royal Assent, we hope we shall restore and increase the flourishing Trade of this Nation. Great SIR, I have but one word more, and that is by command from Your Majesty's loyal and dutiful Subjects, the Commons of England: They have duly considered the present unsettled condition of this Nation, and the great expense which must attend such Distractions: And do humbly beseech Your Majesty to accept an aid from them, consisting of Four entire Subsidies; Two of which are to be paid by the First of November next, and the other Two by the First of May next following. FINIS. I Do appoint Robert Pawlet to print this Speech, and that no other do presume to print the same. Edw. Turnor.