MASTER SPEAKER HIS SPEECH TO HIS majesty▪ IN THE High Court of PARLIAMENT, the Fifth day of November, 1640.  
WS   printer's or publisher's device 
LONDON, Printed for William Shears, 1660.   

Master Speakers Speech in the High Court of Parliament, to the Kings most Excellent Majesty, the fifth of November, 1640.  
Most gracious and dread sovereign,  
IN all submissive humbleness, the Knights, Citizens and Burgesses of the House of Commons are here assembled, who taking along with them your gracious inclination, have according to their ancient liberties designed me their Speaker.  
Whereas I cannot but lament to think how great a mist may overcast the hopes of this Sessions, yet a note of favour to me, who cannot but judge myself unfit for so great employment, which so appears to the whole World.  
Many there be of deep judgement, and sad experience, that might have added lustre to this action, and expedition to the work, if they had pleased to have left me in that mean condition they found me.  Non mihi tacuisse nocet, Nocet esse Locutum. 
And then might your Sacred and pious intentions have had their full advancement.  
But is it yet too late? may I not appeal to Caesar?  
Yes▪ I may, and in the lowest posture of humility. I humbly beseech your Sacred Majesty to interpose your royal Authority, to command a review of the house, for there were never more than now fitted for such employments.  My Lord Keeper approves of him by his majesty's direction, Then he goes on, 
It pleaseth not your Sacred Majesty to vouchsafe a change.  
Actions of Kings are not to be by me reasoned.  
Therefore being emboldened by this Gracious approbation, give me leave a little, Dread sovereign, to express my own thoughts unto our gracious Lord the King.  
I see before my eyes with admiration the Majesty of great Britain, the Glory of times, the history of honour, CHARLES the First, in his forefront placed by descent of antiquity (Kings) settled by a long succession, and continued to us by a pious and peaceful government.  
On the one side the Monument of Glory, the Progeny of valiant and puissant Princes, the Queen's most Excellent Majesty.  
On the other side, the hopes of posterity, and joy of this Nation, those Olive branches set round your tables, Emblems of peace to posterity.  
Here shine those Lights and Lamps placed in a Mount, which attend your sacred Majesty as supreme head, and borrow from you the splendour of their Government.  
There the true state of Nobility, figures of prowess and Magnanimity, fitted by their long contracted honour in their blood, for the council of Princes.  
In the midst of those the Reverend Judges, whither both parts (as to the Oracles of judgement and Justice) may resort, Cisterns that hold fair waters, wherein each deviation; each wrinkle is discernible, and from thence (as from the centre) each crooked line ought to be leveled; The footstool of your Throne is fixed there, which renders you glorious to all posterity.  
Here we the Knights, Citizens and Burgesses of the Commons house, at your royal feet, contracted from all parts of your Kingdom, ensigns of obedience and humility, all these united by the law equally distributed, which cements this great body to the obedience of your Sacred Majesty;  
And compels as well the hearts as the hands to contribute for the preservation of your Majesty, and the Common interest,  
Dissipates the Invaders of the Church and Common Wealth, and discovers the Impostures, but (give me leave dread sovereign) knits the Crown to the Sacred Temples, and frees Majesty from the Interpretation of misdoing.  
Amongst these this great council is most sovereign against the distempers of this Nation.  
Were they infested at Sea, troubled at home, or invaded from abroad, here was the Sanctuary of refuge, hither was the resort, and no other way found for a foundation of peace.  
It is reported of Constantine the great, that he accounted his subject's purse his Exchequer, and so it is.  
Subtle inventions may pick the purse, but nothing can open it but a free Parliament; which lets in the eye of sovereignty upon the public maladies of the state, and vigilancy for the preservation of our ancient liberties; for this we need not search into antiquity, look but a little back, there we shall see our just liberties graciously confirmed by your most sacred Majesty,  
And is our happiness shut up in the remembrance of times past only? No.  
Those gracious expressions lately fallen from your sacred lips, as honey from the comb, make glad the hearts of your people.  
So that now we do more than promise to ourselves a large and free consideration of the ways to compose the distempers of these kingdoms, and then present them to your royal hand for perfection.  
And such shall be our deportment, that as we shall labour the continuance of our liberties, so shall we carry a high regard to preserve that sovereign power wherewith your Majesty is invested for the preservation of your kingdom, and to render your sacred Majesty terrible to the Nations, and glorious at home▪  
Are these the fruits we have enjoyed by Parliaments? we cannot then but wonder at that horrid invention in this place projected, Monstrum horrendum, inform, ingens but the Lord be thanked, Cui lumen ademptum est. Can this receive a Palliation? Men, Fathers, and Brethren, and all at one blast; no reverence to sacred Bones of Princes? were we not all in a lump by them intended to be offered up to Moloch.  
Let us never forget this days solemnization (But whither?) It is too much boldness to presume longer on your majesty's grace and goodness; and therefore for the better expedition of this service; We humbly desire;  
1. That ourselves and servants may obtain freedom from arrests of their persons and goods.  
2. That we may have free liberty of speech without confinement, with a full and free debate.  
3. That your Majesty will vouchsafe our repair to your sacred person upon matters of importance, according to the ancient privileges of the house.  
That with such alacrity we may now proceed to manifest to the world, that our retirements were to reinforce a greater unity and duty, and to endeavour a sweet violence, which may compel (pardon dread sovereign the word compel) your Majesty to the love of Parliaments.  
And thus God will have the honour, your sacred▪ Majesty splendour, the kingdom safety, and all our votes shall pass, That your sacred Majesty may long, long, long reign over us; And let all the people say, Amen. (*⁎*)  
FINIS.