A SPEECH Made in the House of PEERS.  
By the right Honourable the Earl of Monmouth, on Thursday the Thirteenth of january 1641.  
Upon the occasion of the present distractions, and of his Majesty's removal from Whitehall.  
With the Humble Petition of the Inhabitants of the County of Buckingham, In the behalf of Mr. Hampden, Knight for the said County, and of the rest of the said members of Parliament, accused by his Majesty of Treason.  
With his Majesty's gracious answer thereunto.  
As also the Humble Petition of divers of the Knights, Gentlemen, Clergy and and other Inhabitants of the County of SOMERSET.  
With the last true news from Ireland.  
Printed in the year, 1641.   

A Speech made in the House of Peers, by the Right Honourable Earl of Monmouth on Thursday the the 13. of january. 1641.  
My Lords.  
I Shall desire to be heard speak a few words, which I would much rather have heard spoken by any of your Lordships, that so they might have a happier and a more handsome expression; though with a better heart, and clearer intentions they could not have been spoken.  
The sad condition we are now in (my Lords) is such as is too apparent to any man, who hath but half an eye: the City of London is full of jealousies & apprehensions, we fit not here free from fears; the King hath withdrawn himself from hence, together with his Queen and children, out of a belief, (as I conceive) that his Majesty's Person was not fafe here. While things continue in this posture (say Lords) we may well fear an impairing, we can ●●rdly hope for the bettering of affairs▪ God h●● plac●●s (my Lords) in the Medium betwixt the King and his people, let us play our parts (my Lords) let us do our duties, and discharge our consciences; let us really prove, what we are by Name, Noblemen; let us endeavour to work a perfect and a true understanding, between the King and his people: let us freely unbosom out selves to his Majesty; and desire that his Majesty will be pleased to do so to us; and to this end, (my Lords) which is the end of my motion, if it shall be approved of by your Lordships, I do humbly move, that by way of conference, or any other way, we may desire the House of Commons to join with us; first in an humble petition to his Majesty, that he would be graciously pleased to return to his good City of London, as the safest place we conceive for his sacred Person in these distempered times; and than that they will likewise join with us in a Profession or Protestation, that we will do what in us lies to free his Majesty from his fears; to take from the Citizens of London, and his Majesties other subjects their jealousies and apprehensions; and that we will live and die his Majesty's faithful advisors, counsellors and Loyal Subjects.   

The Humble Petition of the In habitants of the County of Buckingham.  
In the behalf of Master Hampden Knight for the said County, and of the rest of the members of Parliament, accused by his Majesty of High Treason.  
Shows,  
THat your petioners having by virtue of your highness writ chosen john Hampden Esquire Knight for our Shire in whose loyalty and wisdom, we his Countrymen, and Neighbours have ever had good cause to coufide: how ever of late, to our no less amazement than grief, we find him with other members of Parliament accused of Treason, and having taken to our serious consideration, the manner of their impeachments we cannot but (under your Majesty's favour) conceive, that it doth so oppugn the rights of Parliaments, to the miaintenance whereof our Protestation bind us: That we believe it is the malice (which their zeal to your Majesty's service, and the State, hath contracted) in the enewies to your Majesty, the Church, and common wealth hath occasioned this fowl accusation rather than any defert of theirs; who do likewise through their sides wound the judgement and care of us your Petitioners, and others by whose choice they were presented to the House.  
Your petitioners most humbly pray that Master Hampden, and the rest that lie under the burden of that accusation may enjoy the Just privileges of Parliament.  
And your Petitioners will ever pray etc.   

His Majesty's answer.  
At the Court at Windsor the 13th of january. 1642.  
HIs Majesty being graciously pleased to let all his Subjects understand his care not (knowingly) to violate in the least degree, any of the Privileges of Parliament, hath therefore lately by a Message sent by the Lord Keeper signified; That he is pleased (because of the doubt that hath been raised of the manner) to waive his former proceed against the said Master Hampden and the rest mentioned in this Petition, concerning whom his Majesty intends to proceed in an unquestionable way. And then his Majesty saith it will appear that he had so sufficient grounds to question them, as he might not in justice to the Kingdom, and honour to himself have forborn; and yet his Majesty had much rather that the said persons should prove innocent, then be found guilty, how ever, he cannot conceive that their crimes can in any sort reflect upon those his good Subjects, who elected them to serve in Parliament.   

The Humble Petition of the Knights, Gentlemen, Clergy and other Inhabitants of the County of Somerset.  
Shows,  
THat having with great joy of mind often heard of the pious inclination of this Honourable Assembly unto the Reformation of Church Government, and having of late (not without some regret) seen a Petition in the name of the Knights, Gentlemen and others of this County, tending most to the Confirmation of Episcopal power: We have thought it our duty likewise to rouse up our affection unto God's cause, and in all humility to lay these expressions thereof at the feet of this great Council, as being (under God) the chief Arbitrator between our joy and sorrow.  
FOr the present Church Government, of what right it is we may not dispute, presuming it to be subject to the power of this Honourable assembly; Neither doth it much import how ancient it is, or how near the Apostles days, seeing we know that in the days of the Apostles themselves, the mystery of iniquity began to work, and that by the efficatious operation of the same, the man of sin hath advanced himself from the Episcopal chair to the top of Antichristian Tyranny. But that this Government is the wifest and most pious that any people hath been blest withal since the Apostles days (what ever others may believe) we presume is no part of the Creed of this great council; whose godly zeal in purging the corruptions, and punishing the enemy of the true Church, being already in part made manifest, doth give us rather a inst cause to hope that God hath yet some further blessing of Reformation for us, to be wrought by the same hands, In prosecution whereof, if it shall enter into your hearts at this time to give a deadly wound unto that power, against which you have received so many complaints, we are sure you shall not walk in an unknown path, but such as hath been trodden before you by almost all the Churches of God which have exchanged the superstition and bondage of Rome, for the glorious light and liberty of the Gospel. Neither may it be conceived as the least degree of indignity offered to the blessed memory of those ancient or later Bishops who have so well deserved of the Church of God both in life and death, if that Government which they have adorned by their singular piety and virtues being through the corruption and wickedness of those which have succeeded them made intolerable, shall by your just authority be abolished. Or if the number and merit of learned and godly Bishops famous in their generations be presumed to be a reasonable inducement for the continuation of that Government, we leave it to consideration of this wise Council, whether the great and far surpassing multitude of ambitious; ungodly, and infamous Prelates, in most Countries and Ages bypast, be not a more effectual motive for the extirpation of the same. Hereunto if we add the present experience even in these our days of their many insolences and ontrages against the truth and power of Godliness, suppressing and corrupting Gods Ordinances, Vnhollowing his day, persecuting his Ministers; Their late mischevous attempt to impose on us and our posterity an in supportable Yoke of servitude and that which deserveth the highest pitch of Zeal and all the bowels of this Honourable Senate, the notorious multitude of profane and scandalous Ministers the most active and malicious enemies unto Reformation, and the authority from which it is desired. We trust that all this to gether, with much more well known to this Honourable Assembly, will be sufficient to justify the fears we have conceived of so dangerous a power.  
WHERE FORE being persuaded in our minds, that it will be a work acceptable unto God, of great advantage and comfort to the Churches of Christ, and no less conducing to the safety, peace and strength of all His Majestis eKingdomes? we most humbly implore the Authority and zeal of this honuradle Assembly to proceed unto the full accomplishment of the same; And having laid the Axe to the root of this Tree, to do unto it as to a plant which the Heavenly Father hath not planted, that neither the spreading boughs of the same may  the Vineyard of the Lord, nor the bitter fruit thereof make sad the heart of the people of God any more for ever.  
THESE are the desires of your most humble Petitioners, and we are persuaded, would have been the expressions of Multitudes more of truehearted Christians and Subjects, had there not been some indirect practices used in soliciting the former Petition; whereby many wonne to subscribe thereunto, who have sit hence declared themselves in the point of Episcopacy, to have been at the doing thereof otherwise affected. Howbeit unto us it is sufficient, that relying wholly on the good Providence of God, the piety and wisdom of this Honourable assembly, and the sincerity of our own intentions, we cannot want the comforts of a good hope, while we have the liberty to pour out our souls unto Almighty God to continue and increased his favours and gracious aspect towards this honourable & religious assembly.  
SIr Simon Harcot and the Governor of Dublin Castle have disarmed all Papists in Dublin, and have overthrown the Rebels and killed many, so that no Rebel is to be seen within 7. miles of Dublin. The 9 of this month the Protestant Soldiers beat down the Mass house in Dublin, & threatened to hang the Mass Priest, & broke down all the Images & spoiled their Trinkets. Tredath was ready to be relieved by sea. That day we came away we saw the Irish make fires to raise more help, so their hopes will be frustrate. Corn is reasonable at Dublin, considering our occasions; the jesuites and roaring Irish captains would willingly be gone with the Protestants money & goods, but we hope they shall leave their heads first, if we can but be supplied gain from England.  
FINIS.