A
SPEECH
spoken
by
Sir
THOMAS
WROTH
Knight
,
in
the
Honourable
House
of
Commons
upon
his
delivery
of
a
Petition
from
the
Knights
,
Gentlemen
,
and
Freeholders
,
of
the
County
of
Somerset
,
February
,
25.
1641.
Mr.
Speaker
,
THe
High
and
Glorious
Assembly
of
the
three
Estates
in
Parliament
,
hath
a
neere
Resemblance
to
the
Day
of
Judgement
;
for
in
Parliament
we
are
called
to
Account
for
our
Actions
both
Good
and
Evill
;
here
wee
heare
the
Voice
of
Ite
and
Venite
;
From
this
Venite
,
the
Knights
,
Gentlemen
and
Freeholders
of
the
County
of
Somerser
have
been
encouraged
to
entrust
Us
humbly
to
present
their
Petition
to
this
Honourable
House
.
It
coms
not
attended
with
a
numerous
or
multitudinous
Troop
,
but
guarded
with
some
thousand
of
Hands
to
attest
their
approbation
and
assent
.
By
reason
of
our
Remotenesse
,
divers
other
Countries
have
had
the
Honour
to
presede
Ours
in
the
like
Expressions
of
Loyalty
and
Duty
,
which
Precedency
may
much
disadvantage
our
Cordiall
Intentions
,
if
this
House
be
not
candid
.
Mr.
Speaker
,
It
is
our
humble
Supplication
to
this
great
Senate
in
behalfe
of
them
that
sent
us
and
our selves
,
that
neither
the
paucity
of
our
Attendance
,
nor
the
circumstance
of
time
in
the
exhibiting
this
Petition
,
may
make
It
or
Us
invalid
or
unacceptable
,
since
we
have
Hearts
and
Hands
as
zealous
and
ready
to
maintain
whatsoever
is
contained
in
our
Petition
,
as
any
of
the
preceding
Countries
.
The
Labourers
who
entred
into
the
Worke
at
the
shutting
in
of
the
Day
,
received
as
much
Wages
as
those
that
came
early
.
It
is
the
earnest
desire
of
our
Hearts
that
this
Honourable
and
prudent
Councell
would
vouchsafe
Us
such
wages
(
Gratious-Acceptance
)
and
that
our
Petition
may
be
honour'd
with
a
Reading
.
Sr
,
I
have
but
one
thing
more
in
charge
;
Whilst
this
Petition
was
ambulatory
in
our
Country
for
Hands
,
that
renowned
Act
concerning
Bishops
and
others
in
Holy-Orders
,
never
to
be
forgotten
,
and
ever
to
be
memoriz'd
with
thankfulnesse
to
God
,
his
Maiesty
,
the
Peeres
and
Commons
,
passed
,
to
the
unspeakeable
content
of
all
the
well-affected
Christians
of
this
Kingdome
;
For
which
,
I
am
commanded
to
give
this
Honourable
House
all
humble
and
hearty
thanks
.
And
Mr.
Speaker
,
might
it
be
lawfull
in
humility
to
speake
my
own
thoughts
,
when
the
Bill
of
Pluralities
(
the
next
great
worke
towards
the
blessed
Reformation
)
is
perfected
,
I
will
then
say
,
Lord
,
now
let
thy
seruant
depart
this
World
in
peace
,
for
mine
eye
hath
seen
the
great
Salvation
thou
art
beginning
to
worke
for
England
.
God
blesse
England
.