S r. Beniamin Rudyerd Surveyor of his Ma ties Court of Wardes and Liueries.

TWO SPEECHES BY Sir Beniamin Rudyard, CONCERNING THE PALATINATE.

LONDON, Printed for Francis Constable, 1641.

THE FIRST SPEECH UPON THE FIRST DAY, CONCERNING THE PALATINATE. BY S r. BENIAMIN RUDYARD.

Master Speaker,

THis great Affaire of the Palatinate, concerns this Kingdome in Nature, in Honour, in Reason of State, in Religion.

We all know, how neare in Bloud the Prince Elector is to his Majesty.

Many of us here know, what solemn Prote­station hath been made in this place, for the reco­very of the Palatinate, by which we are bound in Honour to pursue it with our best assistance.

[Page 2]God hath so framed the Powers of man, and so ordered the course of things in this world, as that in all actions, right Reason, and true Religion may well hold, and goe a great way together.

If we consider Religion according to reason of State, wee shall find, that Christendome divides it selfe into two sides, with the Pope, against the Pope. His Majesty is the greatest King of the Reli­gion; and therefore fittest to be the Head of that Party, which will adde a greater Greatnesse to Him then can be gotten any other way.

The meanes to it are, first, to preserve Religion sound and entire, within His own Kingdomes at home: next, to unite the Homogeniall parts of it, pieces of the same, together, by Alliances, by Con­federations abroad.

The good Effect of this Germane Match was lost by the ill Councels of those times; It will be an Honour to us to repaire it by better.

The restoring of the Prince Elector to his Ter­ritory and Dignity, will restore Religion there; will strengthen it; may increase it further in Ger­many; which consideration is of a great and vast Consequence, proportionable to the greatnesse and vastnesse of that Countrey. It will likewise re­fresh and comfort the needfull heart of that most Noble, Vertuous, and Magnanimously suffering Queen of Bohemia, his Majesties sister, his High­nesse mother, who is ever to be highly and tenderly regarded by this House, by this Kingdome.

This is a fit conjuncture of time to begin it in, whilst the King of Spaine hath so much to do of [Page 3] his own, as he is not able to afford his usuall aids to the Emperour, which probably may induce the Emperour to abate of former resolutions.

That which is now propounded, is onely a Ma­nifest, to expresse and declare our zeale and hearti­nesse to the Cause, thereby to give it Countenance and Reputation in the present Dyet at Ratisbone. Reputation, in matters of State, doth many times prevaile, as much as Substance.

His Majesties Father (of blessed memory) and Himselfe, have for many yeares mediated and treat­ed with the successive Emperours, by all faire and amiable wayes. They have been deluded, they have been neglected. It behoves us, Master Speaker, to be Englishly sensible of the Injustice, of the In­dignitie.

Wherefore my humble Motion is, That the House will be pleased, presently to name a select Committee, to compose a Declaration sutable to the Importance of the Cause.

THE FIRST SPEECH UPON THE SECOND DAY, CONCERNING THE PALATINATE. BY S r. BENIAMIN RUDYARD. At a Committee of the whole House.

Master Whitlock,

IF we may do the Prince Elector good, by our good word, I hope we shall not stick to afford it Him. A Word spo­ken in due season, is worth more than Gold and Silver at another time.

His Majestyes Embassadour is now at the Dyet at Ratisbon, where the Emperour and other Prin­ces are by friendly Treaties endeavouring to make [Page 5] up the breaches of Germany. If this opportunity be omitted, His Highnesse affaires will be excee­dingly cast behind hand.

It is true, That our Treatyes heretofore have not been prosperous; the reason hath been, be­cause of the unhappy distance between the King and his people, which brought a disvalue upon this Kingdome abroad. But now, when the world shall take notice of the good understanding between his Majesty and his Subjects, by an earnest and so­lemn Ioyning of the whole Parliament with his Majestyes Declaration, the Propositions comming from hence, will carry with them more weight, more Authority; which is the way to redeem our Engagement at an easy rate, to save those great Charges which some doe so much feare.

If we should be backward in this great worke; we shall cancell the Obligations of Nature, of Ho­nour, of Reason, of State, of Religion, which binde us to it.

Wherefore, Master Whitlock, my humble Mo­tion is, That we may draw up a short round Mani­fest, to wait upon and affirme the Kings Declara­tion, to be still managed by advice of Parlia­ment, which will be safe for our selves, more powerfull and effectuall for the Prince Elector.

FINIS.

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