ALthough my Chauncellor for the time being, hath before this time used very eloquently, and substantially to make answer to such O­rations, as hath beene set forth in this high Court of Parliament, yet is he not so able to open and set forth my mind and meaning, and the secrets of my heart in so plain & am­ple a manner, as I my selfe am, and can doe: wherefore I ta­king upon me to answer your eloquent Oration Mr. Speaker, say that where you, in the name of our beloved Commons, have both praysed and extolled me, for the notable quality that you have conceived to be in mee, I most heartily thanke you all, that you have put me in remembrance of my duty, which is [Page 2] to endeavour my selfe to obtaine, and get such excellent qua­lities and necessary vertues, as a Prince or Governor should, and ought to have, of which gifts I recognise my selfe both bare and barren, but of such small qualities as God hath indewed me withall: I render to his goodnesse my most humble thankes, intending withall my wit and diligence, to get and acquire to me such notable vertues, and princely qualities, as you have al­ledged to be incorporated in my person: these thanks for your loving admonition and good counsell first remembred, I eft­soones thanke you againe, because that you considering our great chardge, not for our pleasure, but for our defence, nor for our gaine, but to our great cost, which wee have lately sus­tained, as well in defence of your and our enemies, as for the Conquest of that Fortresse, which was to this Realme most displeasant and noysome, and shall be by Gods grace hereafter to our nation most profitable and pleasant, have freely of your owne minds granted to us a certaine subsidie here in an act specified, which verely wee take in good part, regarding more your kindn [...]sse, then the profit thereof; as hee that setteth more by your loving hearts then by your substance: Besides, this hearty kindnesse I cannot a little rejoyce, when I consider the perfect trust, and confidence, which you have put in mee, as men having undoubted hope, and unfained beleefe in my good doings, and just proceedings for you, without my desire or re­quest, have committed to mine order and dispositions, all Chan­tries, Colledges, Hospitals, and other places specified, in a cer­taine act, firmely trusting that I will order them to the glory of God, and the profit of the Common-wealth: Surely if I contrary to your expectation should suffer the Ministers of the Church to decay, or Learning, which is so great a Iuell to bee minished, or poore and miserable to be unreleeved, you might say, that I being put in so speciall a trust, as I am in this case, were no trusty friend to you, nor charitable to mine, even Chri­stian, neither a Lover of the publicke wealth, nor yet one that feared God, to whom account must be rendred of all our do­ings; doubt not I pray you, but your expectation shall be ser­ved [Page 3] more godly and goodly, then you will wish or desire, as hereafter you shall plainely perceive; now, sithence I find such kindnesse on your part towards mee; I cannot chuse, but love and favour you; affirming, that no Prince in the world more favoureth his subjects then I doe you, nor no subjects, or Com­mons more loved and obeyed their Soveraigne Lord, then I perceive you doe me; for whose defence my treasure shall not be hidden, nor if necessity require my person shall not be unad­ventured; yet although I wish you, and you wish me to be in this perfect love and concord: This friendly amity cannot continue, except both you my Lords Temporall, and my Lords Spirituall; and you my loving subjects studie and take pains to amend one thing, which surely is amisse, and farre out of order (to which I must heartily require you, which is that Cha­rity and Concord is not among you, but disorder and dissention beareth rule in every place. Saint Paul saith to the Corinthians, in the 13. ch. Charity is gentle, Charity is not envious, Charity is not proud, and so forth, in the said Chapter. Behold then, what Love and Charity is among you, when the one calleth a­nother Heretick, and Anabaptist, and hee calleth him againe Papist, Hypocrit, and Pharisee; be these tokens of Charity a­mongst you, are these signes of fraternate love between you, no, no, I assure you that this lacke of Charity amongst your selves, will be the hinderance, and asswaging of the fervent love betweene us, as I said before: Except this wound be sal­ved, and clearely made whole. I must needs Iudge the fault, and occasion of this discord, to be partly by negligence of you, the Fathers and Preachers of the spirituality; for if I know a man which liveth in Adultery, I must judge him a lecherous, and a carnall person, if I see a man boast and brag himselfe, I cannot but deeme him a proud man: I see here daily that you of the Clergy preach one against another, teach one contrary to another, envy one against another without Charity or discre­tion; some be too stiffe in their old Mumpsimus, other be too usie and curious in their new Sumpsimus: Thus all men al­most bee in variety and discord, and few or no preaching truly [Page 4] and sincerely the word of God, according as they ought to doe, shall judge you charitable persons doing this; no, no, I cannot so doe: alas, how can the poore soules live in concords, when you Preachers sow amongst them in your Sermons de­bate and discord: of you they looke for light, and you bring them to darkenesse. Amend these crimes I exhort you, and set out Gods word, both by true preaching, and good example-giving, or else I whom God hath appointed his Vicar, and high, Minister here, will see these divisions extinct, and these enormi­ties corrected, according to my very duty, or else I am an un­profitable servant, and an untrue Officer: although I say the spirituall men be in some fault, that Charity is not kept amongst you, yet you of the temporality be not clear & unspotted of ma­lice and envy, for you rayle on Bishops, speake scandalously of Priests, and rebuke and taunt Preachers, both contrary to good order, and Christian fraternity, if you know surely that a Bi­shop or Preacher erreth or teacheth perverse doctrine, come and declare it to some of our Councell, or to us, to whom is committed by God the high authority to reforme and order such causes and behaviours, and be not Iudges your selves of your fantastick opinions, and vaine expositions: for in such high causes you may lightly erre; and although you be permitted to reade Holy Scripture, and to have the word of God in your mother tongue, you must understand it is licensed you so to doe, only to informe your owne consciences, and instruct your chil­dren and family, and not to dispute and make Scripture a rayling and taunting stock against Priest and Preachers, as many light persons doe, I am very sorry to know and heare, how unreve­rently that most precious Iuell, the word of God is disputed, rymed, sung and jangled in every Ale-house and Taverne, con­trary to the true meaning and doctrine of the same, and yet I am even as much sorry, that the Readers of the same follow it in doing it so faintly, and coldly; for of this I am sure that Charity was never so faint amongst you, and vertuous and godly living was never lesse used, nor God himselfe amongst Christi­ans was never lesse reverenced, honoured or served, therefore [Page 5] as I said before, be in Charity one with another, like brother and brother, love, dread, and fear God, to the which I as your suprem Head, and Soveraigne Lord exhort and require you, and then I doubt not but that love and league that I speake of in the begin­ning shall never be discouraged, or broken betweene us, ne to the making of Lawes which wee have now made and conclu­ded: I exhort you the Makers to be as diligent in putting them in execution, as you were in making, and furthering of the same: or else your labour shall be in vaine, and your Com­mon-wealth nothing releeved: now to your Petition concerning our Royall assent to be given to such Acts as hath passed both the Houses; they shall bee read openly, that yee may heare them.