Speech 11 January 1642
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The source of this document is the Early English Books Online (EEBO-TCP) website. Those books were transcribed in a character for character manner and can be very cumbersome to read since there was no standard spelling during that time. Many spelling variations such as "unlesse", "vnlesse", and "vnles" regularly appear.
This project was conceived to clean up those books as much as possible and make them more accessible to the interested reader, leading to the creation of a massive list of variant spellings and their corrections. This was used to clean up the text, but is of course only as complete as the list itself. Because of the nature of the original transcription, some words have missing characters or places where the original language (e.g., Greek) was not transcribed. This effort does not change that. Be aware that the original transcription can also be faulty and in some cases entire sentences may be missing.
Although this is no substitute for a properly compared, proofed, and scholarly edition, I believe that the result is a document which is far more accessible, particularly for searching for terms using standard spelling. The document has been cleaned and presented in what I hope is a pleasing and useful format for the vast majority of Christian brothers and sisters who just want access to read these spiritually nourishing works.
However, a word of warning: The Puritans were a very diverse group of people and their age was characterized with godliness, but also much upheaval, disputation and strife. They disagreed on many doctrines and some of these works contain less orthodox or Scriptural views than others. The reader is strongly advised to read with discernment, particularly if it is unknown whether author is trustworthy.
This project took a huge amount of time and skill to bring to fruition. I would particularly like to thank David Jonescue for the initial list of Puritans he found on EEBO and the concept behind this project as well as the continuous, unceasing efforts toward seeing this complete. Without his labor, this would not be available. Alex Sarrouf was invaluable in providing the initial list of over 7,000 spelling variations he had identified and corrected, as well as continuing to review more than 16,000 additions to that list for any typos.
Logan West
(with David Jonescue and Alex Sarrouf)
www.puritansearch.org
A SPEECH made in Parliament by S ir SIMON DVCY Knight: On Twesday the Eleventh of January: Concerning proceeding against the 12 Bishops accused of High Treason, to bring them to their trial.
1642.
LONDON, Printed for F. Coles and T. Banks. 1642.
A Speech made in Parliament by Sir SIMON DVCY Knight: on Tewsday the eleventh of January, concerning, proceeding against the twelve Bishops accused of High treason.
Mr. Speaker,
DElaying prosecution of any business of weight and consequence, is the only way to produce danger, especially if it be tending to the removal of eminent evils practiced and threatened by evil and wicked spirits, bending themselves only to act such things, that the success thereof must either prove the fulfilling of their own desires, or the utter ruin and destruction of the State wherein they live.
Mr. Speaker. Light offenses are easily dispensed withal or removed, but grievous crimes and great misdemeanors committed by high hand are troublesome to be restrained, hard to be corrected. In any proceedings against such, there must be both wisdom and courage equallizing the subtlety and power of the offenders: to accuse or impeach any person of any crime, whether treason or otherwise, is ordinary, but to prosecute such accusation or impeachment to bring the same to perfection, to a period, to judgment, whether by the sword of justice to cut off such accused (if found guilty) as unsound and rotten members of a Common-wealth, thereby to preserve the whole, or to clear and discharge the same, either way satisfying the Kings loyal Subjects concerning our proeeedings: if deserving death, you know Master Speaker how dangerous it is to protract time in their trial and just sentence: you know, dangerous to a City is the setting on fire but of one house in the same, you know no better remedy to prevent this danger, but by pulling down the next adjacent houses to that on fire: Even so, if there be in a City, State, or Kingdom, wherein are some fire-brands members, threatening desolation to the whole Common-wealth wherein they live, or any part thereof; whose tongues are set on fire even with the fire of Hell, issuing forth, flashes, sparks, nay flames of wicked tenets and doctrines, pleasant and delectable only to themselves and associates; seducing in religion the children of God, nay I verily believe the saying is fulfilled foretold in Scripture, such seducers should be in the world, that if it were possible, they would seduce the very elect, drawing all men as they can to their faction, or else seek their utter destruction, both of their lives, liberties, and estates. These fire-brands, Mr. Speaker, hath catched in divers places of this Kingdom, as well Cities, as Towns, and Villages; and if speedy course be not taken to extinguish them, by pulling down, cutting off, not only the Original root of this danger, but the neighbouring parties; not only to cut down the body of the tree, but lop off also the branches, especially, the greatest arms thereof, for the lesser twigs, they may of themselves wither and die in time: they will endanger the whole kingdom, and cause great trouble and hazard in preserving the same from ruin.
Mr. Speaker: The subject of my discourse is concerning our proceedings against the Bishops, by this honorable House accused of High Treason, That we with all convenient speed bring them to their trial and judgment upon the same.
Mr. Speaker : It behooveth us to be men of courage and magnanimity, not daunted with any fear, or discouraged by any opposition that hath been made against us, and our proceedings concerning the same, to hinder our perfecting those things in our prosecution of these Incendiaries, so much importing the peace and security of his Majesty and all his kingdom. The evil effects that we have experimentally found, in not performing our desires, and the expectation of those that sent us hither, by whom we are entrusted to preserve and defend them in their persons, free liberties, and rightful possessions; and the many and urgent petitions which we have received, not only from the Citizens of London, but from diverse oth • r parts of this kingdom, expr • ssing their loves and tender affections to his Royal Majesty and Princely Progeny; their confidence imposed in us of our faithful integrity and true heartedness towards our Country, in the right framing and rectifying all things that have been amiss and disordered in the same; the redressing of their unjust grievances and oppressions, and the settling of true Religion in this kingdom: their loving encouragements for our cheerful and willing performance of their just de • i • es, may as I conceive, be sufficient causes to stir up our hearts and ardent affections to satisfy them therein, and not any longer, for any cause whatsoever shall be pretended in opposition of the same, to procrastinate any further time, to bring these Bishops accused, and all other Delinnqents in this State to just trial and deserved punishment.
Mr. Speaker: The evil effects that have succeeded of late, by • eason of the intermission of our proceedings against these Bishops and others, are not unknown to all men; of dangerous consequence, disturbing our peaceable and just proceeding in all our designs, touching the great affairs we have had in agitation both of Church and State; endangered our persons, by giving them liberty to endeavor to put in execution their malicious and devilish plots against us the raising and causing great tumults and uproares about the Parliament, causing and procuring the members of our House, great Pillars in this our Temple, to be accused and questioned as criminous persons; thereby to avert our prosecution against them; causing evil suspicions and jealousies of our integrities and loyalties to our gracious Sovereign, and our native Country; encouraging thereby their favorites and well-wishers to their evil practices, to adventure upon any stratagem, against both our persons and proceedings: Which we, Master Speaker, (if we in time labor not to prevent the same) may with too late repentance, bewail those greater dangers and irrecoverable troubles threatened by these fire-brands of State, who burns with mischievous intentions of our utter destruction.
Mr. Speaker: My humble motion therefore is, that considering seriously with ourselves those things which I have briefly mentioned unto you, we may lay aside all fears, depending only upon Almighty God his providence over us, and our Countries loves proffering to defend us, whose servants we are; and cheerfully with good courage and magnanimous spirits, go on as we have begun, to bring all misdoers in this Kingdom, especially the greatest and chiefest of them, to their trial and condign punishment.