A grave and learned SPEECH Or an APOLOGY delivered by Denzill Hollis Esq In a full Answer to the Charge against him, from His Excellency Sir THOMAS FAIRFAX and the Army:  
For the clearing of himself in every particular Crime charged against him in the Papers.  
Printed in the year. 1647.   

A grave and learned Speech, or an Apology delivered by Denzill Holles Esq &c.  
Mr. Speaker:  
IT is my unhappiness to stand accused by a Charge against me, in which I doubt not (and so the rest of the Gentlemen under this misfortune with me) to give a satisfactory account of innocency therein: And for that which concerns myself, I shall give this Answer to it:  
I cannot undertake to charge my memory (at this time) to give particular and positive answers to those passages at Oxford, which received a full debate in the House of Commons two years since; I do not find any new matter in this Charge, save what I have (together with Mr._____ who was a Commissioner with me there) then gave account of, when we were accused by the Lord Savill; And this House was so fully satisfied (after a full debate held several days thereon, that it was Resolved upon the Question, July 21. 1645. (by this House) That the matter of the report should be totally and finally laid aside. And for the truth hereof, to manifest my innocency, and discover the malice of the Lord Savill, who was then my Accuser, I shall refer myself to the Papers which concern my then Examinations, and the resolutions of the House thereon.  
And thus much I am informed since concerning his Lordship, that he hath been much troubled at what he then did; and (to testify his remorse for the injury he then did unto Master_____ and myself) his Lordship sent a person of Honour, not long since, to me, to give me assurance thereof, further declaring from him, That when his Composition was made with the Parliament, and was passed by both Houses, he would then discover unto me how that whole business was laid against me, and who they were that laid it; which when I knew, I should see I had no cause to be so angry with him, and therefore I was desired by a peer of the Re●lme, (who came from him not to be against him in setting the fine for his composition; telling me that his Lordship durst not discover it before, but when his Composition was passed, he would let me know the particulars, the le●st inkling whereof (to come from him to their knowledge, in whom he was in danger) might prove his ruin.  
Yet I can assure you (to speak it without vanity) I (knowing my own innocency) passed by it, never so much as sending to the Lord Savill about it, nor doing his Lordship any disservice for his former malice against me.  
And as for the Letter sent from the Earl of Lindsey to me, containing (as I am charged) some secret design. It is true, I received a Paper from him, after which it was my unhappiness to fall sick, which made me to forget it for some time; yet so soon as it came to my mind, I did acquaint the House with it; the contents of it was (in a line or two, very short) a recommendation of the bearer, the Lord Savill: I had then the words fresh in my mind, and did then repeat them in the House, at which time the House was so far satisfied therein, that this House Resolved upon the Question, July 19 1645. That the receiving of that note, in the manner as I did, was no holding of intelligence with the Enemy.  
And for the Paper itself, I do not know what became of it, or whether I burned it, as perhaps I might.  
Now for that part of the Charge which chargeth me that the Earl of Lindsey moved for a pass to go to Oxford, and that the King should say, That I did him better service in the Parliament, than I could do there; That was reported to this House from the Examinations of what the Lord Savill informed against me; and, as I said then, so now, I know nothing of it, I am confident it is false; the Earl of Lindsey, nor anybody else, had never motion to any such desire from me, nor had I ever any such thoughts.  
As for what I am charged in the second Article, with sending several Messages to the Earl of Dorset and the Lord Digby, or to join with any in drawing up Propositions, and sending them privately to His Majesty; It is all false and untrue, in all and in every part of it.  
To that in the third Article: I must acknowledge that (by the Lady Carlisles favour) I have often waited upon her, both at her lodgings in Whitehall, and elsewhere, but never with any disaffested persons, to hold correspondency with the Queen, to put Conditions upon the Parliament, to bring in the King upon any terms, by our plotting against the Parliament, or to do any other thing in prosecution of such evil designs; but only to show that respect which is due to a Lady of such Honour.  
And I conceive it is well known to this House, that I have been always so far from having a great power upon the Treasure of this kingdom, to maintain the Queen's Party, assure her pension, or undertake to do more for the King than the Army would do, That I have had as little to do with money businesses as any; I have not grown great by the ruins of others by these sad times, nor preferred myself nor friends to higher fortunes than otherwise we could have aspired unto.  
And that I should send unto the Queen, to advise her to send the Prince into Scotland, to come into this kingdom in the head of an Army, or invite the Scots, or join with any other for inviting the Scots, or any other foreign forces to enter this kingdom, it is utterly false, and a mere invention of malice against me; nor do I know of any means used to cause or encourage any Officers or soldiers to gather together tumultuously at Westminster, to affright and assault the Members of Parliament; for my part I am clear of any such thing.  
And for obstructing of Petitions (as I am charged in the first Article) when Petitioners came to the Parliament for redress of public grievances; I have only delivered my opinion in this House, when seditious Petitions have been read; and for Major Tuleday, and Nicholas Tew, they affronted the Committee, and Tew endeavoured to raise a Tumult in the Court of Requests, to the danger and disturbance of the Committee, who committed them both until the next morning, which was approved by this House, yet (upon my motion in his behalf) this House was pleased to bail Major Tuleday, and shortly after Mr. Tew was discharged.  
As for that which is laid upon me in the eight Article, concerning the drawing up of the Declaration, it was done in this House, the House allowing it, and it passed both Houses, and therefore it seems strange to me that any should question that which was made an Act of both Houses of Parliament; I drew it up indeed (though very unwilling to take that tax upon me) as near as I could according to the sense of the House, in obedience to a general Call upon me for it, being exceedingly pressed and urged to do it, as you well know. And for the relief of Ireland, it was always my endeavour to promote it, desiring that an entire Body might have gone out of the Army.  
It is true, some forces for Ireland were commanded back from Bromsgrove in Worcestershire to Reading, which was ordered by the Committee that they might receive their pay safe. The Officers then representing to the Committee the great necessities of the soldiers, and that they did not know how to convey it into Worcestershire in safety, in regard that it must pass through the quarters of the Army, who had expressed great displeasure to those forces which were drawn off for Ireland; and the Committee was the rather induced to do it, because they knew the moneys which was sent to Oxford for disbanding a Regiment there quartered, was seized on, which fear caused the calling back of those to Reading, and not upon any design whatsoever.  
And whereas by the 14. Article I am charged with those Gentlemen, to obstruct Articles against the Lord Inchiquen, and for calling back the Lord Lisle, that his command might be committed to the Lord Inchiquen, I was (Always so far from keeping off proceedings upon those Articles, that I furthered it all I could, and several times moved it in the House, being very desirous to have all cleared concerning the Lord Inchiquen, whom I believe to be a man of honour and fidelity.  
And for that the Lord Lisle's time of government in Ireland was expired (which was but to continue one year in that Command;) the Parliament being pleased to dispose of the affairs of Ireland in an other way; I went in the several debates thereon (in the House) according to my judgement and conscience, not respecting any particular Person, but the common good; and for the writing of a Letter to put out all those who favoured independents, I never knew of any such thing done.  
And whereas I am charged by my power and countenance to obstruct Justice in the cause between Alderman Langham and captain Limery, it is very untrue. I confess, that myself, and Sir Philip Stapleton (who is accused with me) being one afternoon in the Court of Requests, we heard that the House of Lords were then to sit, we went to ask the occasion thereof, and meeting with the Earl of Rutland in the Lobby, his Lordship told us, That it was about a great Cause depending between Langham and Limery, and we had some discourse about it, but I did not understand that the merit of the Cause was at all in question, only the entertaining of it upon an appeal, concerning which I said, That it was my Opinion, that it was the common Justice of the kingdom, and not to be denied to any: This was all that passed between us, as some of Master Limery's counsel then present (who heard it spoken) can testify.  
And for the whole Charge delivered into this House against me from the Army, I have had a strict scrutiny over my conscience, and have made enquiry upon every branch thereof into my past actions and intentions, and cannot find that I have deserved such a return from any who pretend to be friends to the Parliament, and peace of the Church and kingdom.  
FINIS.