*‹‹ There is no doubt but the fenfe of "what this nation hath fuffered from the "préfent Bishops, hath produced these complaints; and the apprehenfions men have "of fuffering the like, in time to come, make "fo many defire the taking away of Epifco

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pacy but I conceive it is poffible that we

may not, now, take a right measure of the "minds of the people by their petitions; is for, when they subscribed them, the Bishops "were armed with a dangerous commiffion “of making new canons, imposing new oaths, "and the like; but now we have difarmed "them of that power, Thefe petitioners,

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lately, did look upon Episcopacy as a beast "armed with horns and claws; but now "that we have cut and pared them, (and

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may, if we fee caufe, yet reduce it into "narrower bounds) it may, perhaps, be more "agreeable. Howfoever, if they be still in

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paffion, it becomes us foberly to confider "the right use and antiquity thereof; and "not to comply further with a general defire, "than may stand with a general good.

* This speech has been retrieved, from a paper printed at that time, by the writers of the Parliamentary Hiftory.

"We have already fhewed, that efpifco• pacy, and the evils thereof, are mingled “like water, and oil; we have also, in part,

fevered them; but I believe you will find, "that our laws and the prefent government "of the church are mingled like wine and "water; so inseparable, that the abrogation "of, at least, a hundred of our laws is defired in thefe petitions. I have often heard a noble anfwer of the Lords, com"mended in this houfe, to a propofition of "like nature, but of lefs confequence; they

gaye no other reafon of their refufal but

this, Nolumus mutare Leges Anglie: it was "the bishops who fo answered then; and it "would become the dignity and wisdom of this houfe to answer the people, now, with “a Nolumus mutare.

I fee fome are moved with a number of “hands against the Bishops; which, I confefs, rather inclines me to their defence: "for I look upon epifcopacy as a counterscarp, ❝or out-work; which, if it be taken by this "affault of the people, and, withall, this "mystery once revealed, That we must deny

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"them

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them nothing when they afk it thus in troops, "we may, in the next place, have as hard "a task to defend our property, as we have "lately had to recover it from the Preroga"tive. If, by multiplying hands and peti❝tions, they prevail for an equality in things "ecclefiaftical, the next demand perhaps may "be Lex Agraria, the like equality in things "temporal.

3

"The Roman story tells us, That when “the people began to flock about the fenate, "and were more curious to direct and know "what was done, than to obey, that Com"mon-wealth foon came to ruin: their Legem

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rogare grew quickly to be a Legem ferre; "and after, when their legions had found "that they could make a Dictator, they never fuffered the fenate to have a voice any more in fuch election,

"If these great innovations proceed, I "fhall expect a flat and level in learning too, "as well as in church-preferments: Honos "alit Artes. And though it be true, that grave and pious men do study for learningfake, and embrace virtue for itself; yet

it

is true, that youth, which is the feafon when learning is gotten, is not without “ambition; nor will eyer take pains to excell in any thing, when there is not fome hope of excelling others in reward and "dignity.

"There are two reafons chiefly alleged against our church-government.

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First, Scripture, which, as fome men think, points out another form.

"Second, The abuses of the present su-· periors.

"For Scripture, I will not difpute it in "this place; but I am confident that, when“ ever an equal division of lands and goods "fhall be desired, there will be as many "places in Scripture found out, which "feem to favour that, as there are now al

leged against the prelacy or preferment in "the church. And, as for abufes, where you are now, in the Remonftrance, told, “what this and that poor man hath suffered by the bishops, you may be prefented with "a thousand inftances of poor men that

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have received hard measure from their "landlords; and of worldly goods abused, to "the injury of others, and difadvantage of "the owners.

"And therefore, Mr. Speaker, my hum❝ble motion is, That we may fettle men's “minds herein; and, by a queftion, declare "our refolution, to reform, that is not to abolish, Epifcopacy."

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It cannot but be wished that he, who could speak in this manner, had been able to act with spirit and uniformity.

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When the Commons began to fet the royal authority at open defiance, Waller is faid to have withdrawn from the house, and to have returned with the king's permiffion; and, when the king fet up his standard, he sent him a thousand broad-pieces. He continued, however, to fit in the rebellious conventicle; but "fpoke," fays Clarendon, "with great

fharpness and freedom, which, now there "was no danger of being outvoted, was not "reftrained; and therefore used as an argu"ment against those who were gone upon pretence that they were not fuffered to de"liver their opinion freely in the house,

" which

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