A SPEECH DELIVERED BY Mr. PYM, AT A CONFERENCE OF BOTH HOUSES;  
Ocasioned from divers Instructions, Resolved upon by the House of Commons, and presented to the Lords, and read by Sir HENRY VAIN.  
Discovering the dangers and miseries the three Kingdoms are liable unto, by Reason of his Majesty's evil Counsellors as the effects doth declare.  
As also, the Justice, Reasonableness, and Necessity of changing them.  
LONDON, Printed for John Bull, June 15. 1642.   

AT A CONFERENCE OF BOTH Houses, there was presented to the Lords divers Instructions, agreed upon in the House of Commons, which were read by Sir Henry Vain, and after the reading of them Mr. Pym spoke as followeth.  
THat these Instructions as your Lordships may perceive consisted of six Articles, of the first five he should have no cause to speak much, because they could afford no matter of doubt wherefore he only recited them thus.  
The first contained a friendly apprehension of the kindness of our Brethren in the Parliament of Scotland in their ready offer to assist this Kingdom against the Rebels of Ireland.  
The second was only a Declaration of our willingness to accept that offer.  
The third, a Narrative of our proceed and preparations for that war.  
The fourth, a particular desire of 1000 men from the Scots to be speedily sent into the North parts of Ireland.  
The fift a public undertaking and engagement to make satisfaction for the charges of those men.  
The sixth was to present to his most excellent Majesty an humble Petition: That he would be pleased to change those Counsels which hath been so mischievous to the State, and of so much danger and misery to his Majesty and his Subjects, and to employ in his great affairs such Councillors and Ministers as might be approved by his great Council the Parliament, this (he said) had been resolved by the House of Commons with good deliberation, and might perchance admit some objection, wherefore he was Commanded to speak somewhat to show the Justice the Reasonableness, the Necessity of it therein, wherein (he said) he would proceed by these steps.  
The first was this, that the dangers and miseries which come to a State by evil Counsels are of the most pernicious and destructive naure of all others: The comparison betwixt a Natural Body and a Politic Body is usual, they resemble in nothing more than in this.  
Death, and sickness, and d●nger, have divers ways of approach to natural Bodies, sometimes by outward violence, sometimes by intemperance in diet, exercise or unwholesomnesse of the Air.  
The first may be prevented by wariness, by courage, by Assistance.  
The second sort are more easily cured, the cause being known.  
But there is a third sort of diseases proceeding from the defects of some more noble and vital parts, the Heart, the Brain, the Liver, these are harder to be cured, the cause being not so easily discovered, nor the remedy so readily applied, especially because they weaken and debilitate nature in those prime powers and offices, which should Actuate and dispose the Medium to the procuring of health.  
The dangers by wars, and the attempt of open enemies may be compared to the first sort, and may with more facility be prevented by the provision and opposition of Force, the disorders and distempers of a Commonwealth by corruption in Justice by deceits or disadvantages in Tra●e, by excess in Luxury and inordinate expenses, they are soon discovered, and by good Laws, and care in the execution of them may be certainly prevented, and these have some resemblance to the second sort.  
But in evil and unfaithful Councillors are the vital parts of a State poisoned and corrupted, the ways of danger are more secret and so more difficult to be cured; the remedies are kept out by power, greatness and authorities, the state is not only disabled to help itself, by the want of such principal Members and Instruments, but the power, wisdom, and authority of it is by their cunning and subtle practices turned against itself, and therefore the dangers and mischiefs that come this way are much more incurable than others.  
The second point to which he proceeded was this, that there have been and still are evil Counsels and Councillors, of the time passed there will be no doubt: The judgements against some, the accusation of others, the flight of divers, the designs upon Religion, the attempts upon the State, the oppression of the People, and the manifold divisions and distempers in the Kingdom are too great evidences of it, but for the present they are somewhat quelled, and appear not so boldly; they lurk and whisper in corners, yet the effects prove there are such, and like poison in the root, they are less visible, but no less dangerous than when they flourish in the herb or in the fruit: yet as much as they dare they will take upon them to make defences and appollogies for the evil Counsels of others, and such as these are aptest and readiest to preferment and employment, which is a sign that some near the King are Lovers and Patrons of those that love and prefer evil Councillors to more value and esteem.  
And most clear evidence is this, that all the wicked designs against the Parliament and against the peace of the Kingdom, may be traced home to have their original in the Court, and to be first acted and moved by some principal persons near the King.  
A third was this, that the Counsels of this time are of a more dangerous and desperate nature, than those of other times and Ages, this State hath often suffered under former Princes by evil Counsels, sometimes they have been such as would flatter his Majesty in his vices, but we may thank God that his Majesty's virtue will give entrance to no such ill Counsels as these, sometimes they have abused the Power, and Authority of the Prince for enriching and advancing their own kindred and friends, and of disgracing and discontenting those of better Merits: Others have been officers to strain the prerogative to the great grievance of the People, and in ill Counsels of this kind we have suffered in too great a measure, but these are fare from the heart of the State they extend not to come and destr●●tion, but the Council under which we groan, and against which we labour, they are such as aim at the alteration of Religion, at the subvertion of the fundamental Laws, and Government, and in this consists the very life and being of our Kingdom, they are deadly, pernicious, ruining Counsels, both to this and all other protestant States, not to be paralleled in any former time.  
A fourth was, that all these evil and mischievous Counsels proceed from Popery, and tend to Popery: That is, the Primum Mobile, that moves and comprehends all the rest; there are inferior Motions which tend to more particular ends, but this is the great end by which they are all acted and directed: the Religion of the Papists is incompatible with all other Religions, and hath in it principles destructive, not only to those that are most opposite to it, but to all that will not fully agree and concur with them, and though for a time they may comply with others, and make use of them, yet in the end they will consume and destroy all that will not wholly turn to them; there is in nature a formative virtue, whereby it frames Organs in the Body fit for the exercise of those specifical operations which are necessary for the life and perfection of the Creature, and likewise a Nutritive virtue, whereby it converes other things to the increase and preservation of itself.  
There is a spirit in Popery which works somewhat after this manner.  
It moulds factious instruments proper to its own designs, and so it hath found out ways and means to get such Officers, such Councillors both of the Church and State as would be useful for furthering their own cause, and then by this Nutrative faculty they can apply both Ecclesiastical and Civil Orders, Constitutions and proceed to the growth and strength of themselves and their party: other Religions may have as much falsehood as this, but no other hath such a destructive quality as this hath, nor is so contrary to the civil Government of a Protestant Kingdom as this is.  
Now that Popery hath a prevailing and predominant power in all the ●ate Counsels is clear by these reasons: The innovations in Church Matters have been such as have made that Religion more plausible, and the course of government such as hath made way for the employment, and preferment of those who have been Patrons and Protectors of it, by whose Mediation and Power, the professors thereof have received many Immunities, much favour and countenance, to the evident increase of their number and strength; what Maturity this design is come to in Ireland we see, even to a public attempt to destroy all the Protestants there, and to free themselves from his Majesty's Government, and that the like was intended both for England and Scotland, we have no cause to doubt, when we consider upon what grounds the late War was procured, and that Prayers have now a long time been made by those of the Popish Religion, for the success of some great design in hand for the advancement of that cause.  
A fift was this: That whatsoever Aides are given by the Subject, they will be of no effect for the good of the Kingdom, unless such Counsels be removed they will be like restoratives to a distempered body which nourish the sickness, and hasten Death: Our Treasure may be consumed unprofitably, & the Kingdom left naked of defence, as it hath lately been, the Negociations with foreign Princes may be managed to our own disadvantage, and all the means of preservation frustrated or turned to our destruction.  
A sixth was this; That now was the proper time for desiring this favour and benefit from his Majesty, the Kingdom was very much exhausted, a little more would totally undo us; we have heretofore strength to bear out ill Counsels, which now we have not, Relapses in such a case as ours prove commonly more dangerously than the first sickness, when, by strength of Nature, the distempers prevail without resistance; if ill Counsels should now resume strength, they would grow much more violent and fierce than before: Besides, this is a time wherein the whole world is in Motion and Agitation, and such times are ever aptest for great Changes and Alterations. There are none of our neighbour Princes, but have Armies and great Preparations, both by sea and land, and if we have false Counsel at home, we may be overwhelmed upon a sudden, which could not be done at other times, because any attempt of that kind would require long time, and more visible preparation.  
Another Reason urged for the fitness of the time, was, That his Majesty had now great occasion to use the love and fidelity of his people in service of danger and expense, and therefore would be more willing to express himself in those things which might be most for their encouragement and security in their great undertake and adventures for his honour, and this he said was agreeable to the proceed of God, who may be observed at such times, a● he intended to employ any of his Prophets or Servants in any great work, would for the most part encourage in some extraordinary manner by some special blessing, or pr●mise some more eminent Revelation, or Miracle then at other times.  
The Seventh and last Step was this, that his Majesty in satisfying this humble desire of his Subjects, should gain very great advantages to himself, and he said, that here in our request to the King, should have some resemblance of our prayers to God, we should desire nothing from him, but what might make for his own honour and Happiness, as we ought to pray for nothing from God, but what conduceth to his own Glory and Service: The advantages which the King will gain by assenting to this our humble Petition will be these.  
1. It will be a great discouragement to the Rebels, when they see his Majesty's affairs and proceed against them; are guided by such Councillors and Ministers as are Adverse to them, as is evident by the intelligence we have received, that a chief point of confidence in the Rebels is this, That they have some friends near the King here.  
2. It will much encourage his Majesty's good Subject to hazard their persons and contribute their aid to the furtherance of this service, when they shall be assured that those w●● govern the Affairs, have public aims, and will order and dispose all to the advantage of Religion and the Common good.  
3. It will be a terror to those who shall presume to move the King for any corrupt or unworthy person, when they must come to an examination in Parliament, because it will be a means to bring his Majesty to discern how they abuse his trust and favour, by what sinister end or sordid respects they are guided.  
4. It will put an answer into the King's mouth to all Importunate solicitations. Nothing is more troublesome to a benign and gracious Prince, then to deny those who are near unto him; whereas if he shall please to say that he is engaged to his people, this will be a sure way to take off all envy, and discontent from himself, and assure him that those whom he shall prefer, will depend upon no other.  
FINIS.