SIR FRANCIS SEYMOR HIS HONOURABLE, AND WORTHY SPEECH, Spoken in the High Court of PARLIAMENT SHOWING What Dangers do ensue by want of Privilege of Parliament. And how the Splendour of His Majesty's Glory is Eclipsed With toleration of jesuits, Seminary priests, and bad Ministers who still have abiding amongst Us. As also, such who have betrayed the King unto himself, to bring the Subjects under slavery. Whereby the King can neither be preserved in Honour, nor the Commonwealth in safety Whereunto is annexed, Sir Walter Earl his Paraphrase, concerning Bishop WHITE.  
London, Printed for W. H. 1641.   

An Honourable SPEECH Spoken in the high Court of Parliament.  
THis great Counsel (as Tully said of the Senate of Rome) is the soul of the Commonwealth; wherein one may hear & see all the Greevances of the subjects and in the Multitude of such Counsellors is safety.  
Amongst whom, the greatest privilege, is liberty of speech. And therefore, I humbly offer it unto you, to take into consideration, what wrong hath been done herein, what Judgements hath been against the Members of this House, for speaking nothing, but what concerned the good of the Commonwealth. Which said Judgements hath been against Law and Reason, and without precedent.  
What Law or Reason is there, that a Parliament, which is the highest of all Courts, should be questioned by inferior Courts, and judges: as if the Common-pleas should question the King's be●ch, or the Chancery be questioned by either of them.  
Perhaps the Authors of it, have nature to plead for themselves, which indeed teacheth every man to preserve himself.  
This perhaps, makes them advance that, & those members which otherwise must condemn themselves. And such things have been done, to maintain their proceed, as not only trench upon the liberties of Parliament, but also upon the liberties of the whole Commonwealth: wherein I had rather suffer for speaking the truth, than the truth should suffer for want of my speaking.  
Where was ever more Piety in a Prince, and more loyalty in Subjects, and yet what Commonwealth ever suffered like this.  
His Majesty is the Sun, which though it ever shines alike in itself gloriously; yet by reason of Clouds, many times it doth not so appear, and if his Majesty, by reason of bad members may not appear in such splendour, let us labour to clear those Clouds: what will it avail us, if the Fountain be clear, if the streams that issue therefrom be not so also. I will instance in some particulars.  
If we look into the face of Religion, that is outfaced, and such as heretofore durst not appear, come boldly into our houses, as if they had a concealed toleration, I mean the Seminary Priests, who though they have less power, yet have they not less malice, but more, so long as the Pope hath his Agents amongst us. See we not how they go to Somerset house, and to S. James with too much countenance? These are the enemies of the church, without the church; I wish we had none with in it: who pull down churches, and I am sure they build none up again: Amongst which are out non-resident, who o'ersway all by worldly preferments, and many live.  
Christ made it the Touchstone of Peter's love unto him, to feed his sheep and lambs; but these men look at their own private gains not taking pains for their own double honours, which are daily gotten.  
What thing is there more against Reason and Nature, then for one man to have above one wife, and for one shepherd to have more than one sheepfold.  
These are dumb dogs, that cannot speak a word for God, of whom the people may seek spiritual food, but can find none.  
Others there are that preach, but it is not the Gospel▪ but themselves, that the King hath an unlimited power, and the Subject no propriety in their goods. These are bad Divines, and worse, and more ignorant Statesmen; who under the name of Puritans, condemn all, who truly profess Religion. There are surely many, who under a foe me of godliness, cloak impiety: but to teach, that a man can be too holy, is the Doctrine of Devils.  
And now, for fear I have been overlong, I will speak of the Subject's Liberties, wherein I remember, what was confirmed unto us by the word of a King; and God forbidden, that I, or any other should imagine, that the King did otherwise, than he granted us.  
But some there be, that have betrayed the King unto himself, and so committed worse treason than those, who betray him to others, who tell him his Prerogative is above all Laws, and that his subjects are but slaves: whereby the King is neither preserved in Honour, nor the Commonwealth in safety.  
FINIS.   

Sir Walter Earl. His Paraphrase fitly spoken concerning Bishop White. in a former Parliament.  
QVi color albus erat, nunc est contarius albo.  
In English thus,  
The colour that was white, is now turned black.  
For Bishop White hath sold his Orthodox Books, and bought jesuits: that Bishop White may go arm in arm with Montague.  
FINIS.