THE FIRST SPEECH OF Master Pym, The last Parliament.  
Concerning 

Liberty of Parliament.  
General's concerning Religion.  
General's concerning Civil government.    IN DOMINO CONFIDO  printer's deivce 
June the 5th 1643 London Printed, 1643.   

A SPEECH DELIVERED IN Parliament by M. Pym, in the House of COMMONS, April, 1640.  
HE that takes away weights from the motions, doth as good service as he that adds wings unto it. These weights are old grievances, whereof there are three heads.  

1. First, liberty of Parliament.  
2. General's concerning Religion.  
3. General's concerning civil government.   
I shall prove that these grievances are more grievous to the King, than they are to the Subject.  
I shall propose some ways of remedy, just and easy.  
That Kings can do no wrong, is their just prerogative; The distemper of the world is not caused by the celestial bodies, but by the inferior: In like manner of a Kingdom.  
General grievances concerning Religion, which we possess by the Laws of God, and of the Land.  
Encouragements given to the Popish Religion, I desire no new Laws to be made against them, not a rigid execution of those that are already enacted.  
But this we are sure of, that if they once get the superiority, their Religion is destructive of all others.  
We must look upon a Papist as he is in himself, but not as he is in the Church.  
The Planets have a quiet motion of their own, but they are interrupted by another.  

The particular encouragements.  
First, Cessation of all Law, that were not made to raise a Revenue to the King, but to suppress Idolatry, and to restrain Errors.  
A free communication of Counsels through the Kingdom.  
Papists, being admitted to places of trust, and power in the Commonwealth.  
There is a Congregation at Rome, who plot how England may be reduced, and here in England we have a Nuncio, to put in execution what they resolve of there.   

Innovations to prepare us to Popery.  


1. FIrst, divers Books printed, Questions published and maintained in the University.  
2. Secondly, Popish Ceremonies introduced: when the dry bones were to be made a man, they were joined first in the sinews, and then they were to be animated.  
3. Thirdly, Discouragements upon the professors of Protestant Religion, things of indifferency urged, to make the difference wider amongst as many questions, where there is no ground in Law, upon the Bishop's authority, not upon the King's authority, under the great Seal or Proclamation.  
4. Fourthly, Encouragements of authority to Ecclesiastical Courts. 

1. First, To fine and imprison in some cases illegally.  
2. Secondly, To affirm their jurisdiction to be derived from the Crown, and say it is jure divino, and therefore we are bound to maintain the prerogative of the Crown.  

3. Thirdly, Many ordinances set out, new Articles to examine Churchwardens.  
In the Common-law there is a title of extravagants, and so are these.   
4. Fourthly, Generals against civil Government. 

1. First, taking of tonnage and poundage, and all other impositions.  
2. Secondly, Knighthood.  
3. Thirdly, inundation of Monopolies, and commodities not only exported, but consumed at home, as Soap, Drink, Salt, and that which is very comprehensive, the Shipmoney.  
4. Fourthly, There is a countenance of judgement for it against all other judgements, and book Cases.  
5. Fifthly, That which somewhat sticks by me, that is, the Forest, and I might easily look myself in it.  
6. Sixthly, The sale and farming of Nuisances, being compounded for the assess to be Nuisances, and are licenced, as buildings, depopulations, etc.  
7. Seventhly, military charges, and compositions raised upon the Subject without ground of Law, conduct-monies, pressing Cart-horses, etc.  
8. Eighthly, extrajudicial proceed, a teeming grievance, the Judges will presume to anticipate their judgements.  
9 Ninthly, the authorities of Courts of Justice have countenanced these Monopolies, as the Star-Chamber hath done against the Sheriffs, for not collecting Ship-money.  
10. Tenthly, The Lords of the privy Council have assisted them.  
11. Eleventhly, the prerogative hath been vouched for the maintenance of them.  
12. Twelvethly, The Conscience hath been pressed in this point, betwixt the prerogative, and liberty broken.        
Manwarring for his offence in this kind, was as near the ground as ever I saw any, and I did not think he should have leapt into a Bishop's Chair.   

Intermissions of Parliament, the King summons them, but we humbly desire the benefit of the Law in that point.  
AS these grievances are to the Subject prejudicial, so are they to the King much more.  
1. First, this not liberty of the Parliament cuts off the sweet communion that ought to be betwixt the head and the members.  
2. Secondly, it deprives the King of the present supply, and benefit the King hath by Subsidy.  
3. Thirdly, it lesseneth his reputation abroad.  
4. Fourthly, by the breaches in, and upon Religion he hath lost a great part of his Alliance with Protestant States abroad, lost a great many Subsidies at home, because of the pressing of indifferent things.  
5. Fifthly, who will be industrious where he hath no propriety?  
6. Sixthly, It breeds many jealousies, we can remember when it hath bred distempers and one Summer's distemper will consume more wealth than ever this Monopoly brought in.  
7. Seaventhly, The Princes that have maintained their Subject's liberty, have been most glorious therein.   

What he omitted in each due place, is here inserted.  
THat not only composition was laid on goods imported and exported out of this Kingdom, but also on goods that were carried from one foreign Country to another, as from Spain to France, & vice versa.  
Another way is that for want of a legal way of accounting a great deal of the profit sticks by the way, and comes not to the King's purse.  
The King hath farmed the Wines for thirty thousand pounds, the Farmers make forty thousand pounds, at the sale by retail, it amounts to two hundred thirty and two thousand pounds.   

Remedies.  
First, present it to the higher house, they joining to go to the King, as in the land of Egypt whilst the darkness was amongst them the Sun did give light, and the people had their visionable faculty, which was only hindered by the interposition of the darkness.    
FINIS.