Two Speeches Concerning Religion and a West Indy Association, Speech 1 – Speech 2
TWO SPEECHES IN PARLIAMENT: The one Concerning Religion, and fit men to be choſen for the ASSEMBLIE. The other Concerning a Weſt Jndie Aſſociation at a Committee of the whole Houſe in the Parliament, 21. Iacobi.
By Sir Benjamin Rudyerd, Knight, Surveyour of His Majeſties Court of Wards and Liveries.
LONDON: Printed by B. A. for Henry Seile at the Tygers Head in Fleet-ſtreet, 1642.
Mr. SPEAKER:
GOD hath wonderfully bleſsed Us this Parliament in Diſcoveries, and Deliverances, in Prevailings and Succeſses: what manner of Men therfore ought we to be, in Acknowledgment and Thankfulneſse? And let us return a Reall concreate Thankfulneſse, expreſſd in Action.
We have often ſaid and profeſs'd, that Religion, as it is the chief, ſo it ought to be our firſt buſineſse; yet many other have gotten Precedence of it, we have hitherto made but a ſmall Progreſsion.
Wherfore M. Speaker, let us not now ſlack to proceed in it, with Sobriety, Wiſdome, Charity, untill wee have ſetled it in a ſolid grounded, peaceable way, ſutable to the quality, and importance of the Cauſe; when That is done, every thing elſe will be done the better, for it.
Concerning ſit men to be choſen for the Aſsemblie.
Mr. Speaker, I am glad we are comming towards Religion, to bind up the looſe ſcattered Pieces of it in an Orderly regular Government.
The Maſter-piece of this great work will be the Election of fit Agents; wiſe, learned, unbyaſſ'd Men, ſuch as have ſhewed themſelves deſirous of Reformation, in the Government, in the Lyturgie, willing to remove whatſoever may offend or ſcruple weak and tender Conſciences. Men not hide-bound in their opinions, Lovers of Peace, more then of themſelves. Peace is Tranquillitatis Ordo, and Order is the ſoul of outward things, it keeps them quiet and clear from juſling and interfeering one with another.
A man may bee a very good and able Paſtor of a Pariſh, a very learned and painfull Lecturer to a great Congregation, and yet not ſo fit for this active, extenſive Imployment. For, a man may be Learned with another mans Learning, but he muſt be wiſe with his own Wiſdome. Therfore, they ſhould not be narrow, ſhady, ſpeculative men, but rather, men of large, ſober practicall underſtanding, prudent men. Prudence is, Rerum Agibilium Ratio, the Reaſon and Rule of things which are to be Acted.
Wherfore, M. Speaker, It behoves us to be exactly carefull, that we chuſe ſuch men as may give countenance and authority to the work, elſe we ſhall weaken and hazard the whole Frame. For mine own part, I will take no Exceptions againſt any, but leave them wholly upon the Conſciences and Judgments of their Chooſers.
My humble Motion is, that after this long-deſired, and long-delayed Reformation, we may now all of us joyn as one Man, for the Peace of Jeruſalem, and the Iſrael of God; So ſhall we proſper, becauſe we love it.
The ſecond Speech, concerning a Weſt-Indy Aſsociation, at a Committee of the whole Houſe of Parliament.
Sir Dudley Digs,
I Do profeſſe, that as my Affection, my Reaſon, and my Judgment, go ſtrongly with the ſcope and drift of this Propoſition; ſo ſhall a good part of my poor fortune, when it comes to Execution.
For to my underſtanding, there was never propounded in Parliament, a deſign more proper for this Kingdom, nor of more pregnant advantage to it, whether we conſider the Nature of our ſituation, or the quality of our Enemies Forces.
As we are an Jland, it concerns our very being to have ſtore of ſhips to defend us, and alſo our well-being by their Trade to enrich us.
This Aſsociation for the Weſt Indies, when it ſhall be regulated and eſtabliſhed by Act of Parliament, and therby ſecured from the violence and injury of any intruding hand, it will certainly give many men encouragement and confidence, voluntarily to bring in large and liberall contributions, towards ſo noble, ſo profitable an Enterpriſe. So that in ſhort time, we ſhall ſee many new ſhips built, many brave men imployed, and enabled for the ſervice of their Country, none of this money ſhall be carried out of the Kingdome, but laid out for ſhipping, which is the defence of it, and beſtowed upon our own men, who muſt be fed and maintained, though they ſtay at home. For this, we ſhall reap the fruit of whatſoever benefit Plantation, Trafficke, or Purchaſe can procure us, beſides honour and ſecurity.
Now, let us a little conſider the Enemy we are to encounter, the King of Spain. They are not his great Territories which make him ſo powerfull, and ſo troubleſome to all Chriſtendome. For it is very well known, that Spain it ſelf is but week in men, and barren of Naturall Commodities. As for his other Territories, they lye divided and aſunder, which is a weakneſſe in its ſelf; beſides they are held by force, and maintained at an extraordinary charge inſomuch, as although he be a great King, yet is he like the great Gyant, who was ſaid to have too hands, but he had 50 bellies to feed, ſo that ratably, he had no more hands then another man.
No Sir, they are his Mines in the Weſt Jndies, which miniſter fuell to feed his vaſt ambitious deſire of univerſall Monarchy: It is the money he hath from thence, which makes him able to levie, and pay Souldiers in all places; and to keep an Army continually on foot, ready to invade and endanger his Neighbours.
So that we have no other way, but to endeavour to cut him up at root, and ſeek to impeach, or to ſupplant him in the Weſt Jndies. By part of which courſe, that famous Queen of moſt glorious memory, had heretofore almoſt brought him on his knees. And this our undertaking (if it pleaſe God to bleſſe it) muſt needs effect it ſooner and quicker: the whole body of the Kingdome being united and concurring in a perpetuall ſupply to this action, ſo that he will have no free time given him to reſt.
Moreover, this will be a means not only to ſave but to fill His Majeſties Coffers, enabling the people to give him liberally, and often; the Kings ſhips will have little to do, but to guard the Coaſts, for the Sea-war will chiefly be made at the charge of the ſubiect.
Thus, (Sir Dudley Digs) I doubt not but that in ſhort time, both King and people ſhall be ſafe at home, and feared abroad.
To conclude, I ſhall be very glad to hear any man make Objections againſt this Deſigne, ſo that he do it with an intention to refine and perfect the work; but if any ſhall ſpeak againſt it with a mind to hinder and deſtroy it, I muſt intreat him to pardon me, if I do ſcarce think him to be a good Engliſh-man.
FJNJS.
End of the text · Benjamin Rudyerd, Two Speeches Concerning Religion and a West Indy Association (1642)