THis Honourable House , Is composed of divers professions , And every one of us , according to the experience his profession hath learned him , is bound to deliver , what in conscience he shall thinke needfull , for the glorie of God and the good of the Kingdome , which is a service here , wherein I haue been a daily witnesse of other mens painfulnes . The worthinesse of the example requireth me not to be silent , and I would to God a Souldier had lesse occasion to speak in this place , where the businesse of war , is become so great a Stranger , that but for our neighbours ( whose houses are on fire ) we should utterly forget it : by the light of those fires , we may see our dangers and be advised to provide against them , which is the point I would now speake upon . The defence of Religion , and the safetie of the Land , are the things in danger . For though we enjoy them by reason of the peace we enjoy , yet it is a peace of such nature , as cannot assure them unto us , because no peace is able to maintaine it selfe unarmed . We are then to consider on the one side , who is the Enemy we are to provide against , how great our danger is , and how neere it is . On the otherside , what defence we stand in neede of , and when we are to provide it . First , who is the greatest Enemy we haue in respect of our Religion . The Catholike King is evident , by the protection he giveth our Papists and traytors , and by his nourishing the Seminaries and Iesuites of our Nation .

2. Who is the gratest enemy we haue , in respect of the State . It followeth the Catholike King , whose ambition , it hath ever been through the sides of Religion to thrust at the heart of the State , his Title of Catholike King , reflecting more upon universall Monarchy , then greatnesse of religion . That it hath been his ambition to create himselfe Monarch of the world , his consultations , & designes have given cleare testimonie , and under pretence of Religion , he colours his quarrell for it . So that England is not onely a part comprehended in his ambition , but the chiefe marke of his offence , because in respect both of Religion and State , England is the greatest impediment in his way . But some will imagine ( it may be ) that this ambition he had to the Monarchy of the whole world , is a good while agoe dead in his mind ; I assure my selfe , it never dyed , somewhat indeed the action and storme of it was laid in the beginning of his truce with the States ; but if ever it were dead , there is nothing more certaine , then that now it is renued againe to more life then ever it had ; which if it please the honour and wisdome of this house to give me the hearing , I will manifest vnto them . The successe of the house of Austria in Germany hath incouraged them , and raised a new spirit of ambition in them . It hath crowned them with a new reputation , & a great one . It calleth upon them to follow their good fortune , which they haue these promises for . Their footing in the Palatine , for the displanting of a whole Countrey of our religion . The weaknesse of the Princes of the Vnion which is discovered , to be such in their last cold actions , ( that we may truly say ) what doth remaine unlost of Germany which was never lost before , doth hold but vpon courtesie , Then the passages that these successes , do offer to open him downe into the Vnited Provinces , in the body of which state they haue a faction now a working , the sect of the Arminians , which is another thing that animateth them . Out of the Low Countries they cannot but looke into England which will carry all the rest . The King of Spaine having now the aduantage in Italy to make himselfe the master of it by his forts he hath raised in Voltolina , for the blocking up of almost all Italy , specially the ancient common wealth of Venice , our intire friends . And lastly the dangers , the house of Austria and the Church of Rome haue been in , and the hopes they are now in , will be still pricking them forwards to follow their good fortune . These things considered , who can so flatter himselfe to imagine , that the catholique Kings ambition , to the Monarchy of the whole world is dead , thus great an Enemy we haue , and thus affected , and yet we are unarmed . Now then that we may know the enemy we haue to provide against , Let us consider how great our danger is , in that which I haue spoken already : The greatest of it is mainely understood , yet to understand it the better , we are to looke on those of the Religion in France , who were never so dangerously threatned as now , nor had euer such cause to quake , in so much as did they not hope of reliefe out of this Kingdome , I think they would yeeld presently to mercie , and how can we relieve our neighbours that are in no able disposition to uphold our selves . Againe to understand our danger the better , now we haue weighed the condition and State of friends and enemies abroad , Let us examine how it stand with us here at home , how many Papists live here amongst us , that under the Church cause , carrie evill mindes to the State , to their owne native Countrey , and could be willing to see it bleed to death , at the foote of a stranger , at the foote of the King of Spaine , so farre doe the papists of our nation differ from others . For such faithfull servants are ours to that forreine Prince , as that they will not onely hold arguments against the Majestie of their owne King , and his children , and raile more then any of our best neighbours and friends , but will spend their study & venture their lives , to make the Spanish King the Monarch of Christendome , so wel they haue profited under their Masters the Iesuites , those faithfull Counsellers of Spaine , & at this very houre , ( I assure my selfe ) the successe in Germany is their present object , & the good they promise themselves by it , their object in future , even very now they are discoursing of it , and growing proud in the destruction it threatens us withall : the houses of Parliament where we do now sit , do beare record against them , in that unmatchable treason , the powder plot , thus great our danger is , and yet we are unarmed , and that is our greatest danger .

The third thing we are to consider in the danger , is how neere it is unto us , for although we heare the Spaniard is as farre from us as the Palatine , yet if we will take the distance , either by the scale of State or Warre , we must judge our danger , not much further from us then our sea coasts . In our profession of armes its a principle , that if the Counter scarfe be gained , though it be beyond the ditch the whole fortification is accounted lost . For the Rampier serves but for a defence to make a composition , so that if you will be content to loose the Counter scarfe , then you must thinke of nothing but a composition . And with whom will you think to compound , with an enemy that will keep good quarter ? no , with one that will keepe the same quarter , the woolfe doth with the lambe . If you will do as no good souldier ever did , that is , suffer your enemy to dwell in your out workes , while his friendes among us , are expecting of him within , and never look to arme and defend your selves , its best for you to yeeld betimes , For yeelding is like to prove the best of the successe : but if you haue no beliefe in that kinde of security , let us doe as the Israelites did , pray and treate with our swordes in our hands , for England that hath bin at the least 4. times conquered , was never in more danger then it is at this present , thus great , yea thus neere our danger is , & yet we are unarmmed .

Now for the defence we stand in need of , we are to consider the oppression of his Maiesties Issue , that we are bound in honour & safetie to redeeme them out of it , and if we are to look to defence of our own country against invasion , which England was never subiect to for want of number , but for want of military strength and order . For the warres abroad , ther is required a great Army , for the defence at home a more sufficient and better discipline , & a more sincere execution of lawes against the Papists . The first touching the redeeming of the Pallet . is first to be resolved on , which brings me now to the consideration of our danger , when we are to prouide against it , I pray God it be not too late , you may understand by that prayer my opinion , when we are to provide against it is now instantly ; Let us loose no time , not a day , not an houre not a minute . The season of the yeare requireth it , for if we loose the season , which is to be ready with a royall Army , against the beginning of the spring , and so suffer the Spanish side to go on this yeare as did the last , you cannot conceive how it will be in the power of man to keep him from the absolute height of his ambition . Let us not treat with him , but as I said before with our sword in our hands , his treaties otherwise are ominous . Let us all fall down upon our knees , with a communion of minde to God for his presence among us , and then immediately fal into consultation for the speedy preparing of mony , armes , munition , and good hearts for the defence of Religion , his Maiestie , his children , and the safety of the Common-wealth , For the providing , whereof mony is the first material , but it hath bin suggested by some , that the hearing of the subiects grievances , and the redressing of them was the first busines of Parliaments , admit it to be so . For the same reason then a subsidie is the first thing at this Parliament to be enacted , for the present necessitie of defending of the Kingdome is the publike grievance of the whole Common-wealth , all other are but particular and priuate grievances in respect of this , and this cannot be redressed without a subsidie , and that freely and presently granted . Other matters for the most part do concern but some of them one member , and some another of the Common-wealth , and may haue more time to deliberate on : but this concernes the whole Land , we are all ingaged in it for our selves , and for our posteritie , and it cannot admit or any delay , for it is our own cause as well as the Kings , and the thing we should rather offer , then be sought unto for , seeing it will be money layd out in our extreame necessitie , for our owne safeties , if we neglect this , we shall in effect be as bad as our enemies instruments , and so offer all the rest of our labours to peril . From which God of his mercie defend vs .