ter published by my Lord Keeper (my Predeceffor) in the Star-Chamber.

For the manner of publishing it I will fay nothing, but leave it to thofe, whofe Memories will call to mind what was then done.

The reafon of the Subfcription of Justice Hutton and Justice Crooke, (tho' they differed in Opinion) grew from this that was told them from the reft of the Judges,

That where the greater Number did agree in their Vote, the reft were involved and inincluded.

a

And now I have faithfully delivered what I did in that Business, till I came (which was afterwards) to my Argument in the Exchequer-Chamber; for the Queftion was, Scire facias iffued out of the Exchequer, in that Cafe of Mr. Hampden's; of which I can fay nothing, for it was there begun, and af terwards Rejourned, to have Advice of all the Judges.

Mr. Speaker, among the reft (according to my Duty) I argued the Cafe.

I fhall not trouble you, to tell you what my Argument was, I prefume there are Copies enough of it; only I will tell you there are Four Things very briefly, which I then declared.

First, Concernng the Matter of Danger, and Neceffity of the whole Kingdom.

I profefs, that there was never a Judge in the Kingdom did deliver an Opinion, but that it must be in a Cafe of apparent Danger.

When we came to an Argument of the Cafe, it was not upon a Matter or Iffue, but it was upon a Demurr;

Whether the Danger was fufficiently admitted in pleading? And therefore it was not the Thing that was in Difpute that was the first Degree and Step that led unto it.

I did deliver my felf as free and as clear as any Man did, That the King ought to govern by the pofitive Laws of the Kingdom; that he could not alter nor change, nor innovate, in Matters of Law, but by common Confent in Parliament.

I did further deliver, That if this were used to make a further Reverence or Benefit to the King, or in any other Way but in cafe of Neceffity, and for the Prefervation of the Kingdom, the Judgment did warrant no fuch Thing.

My Opinion in this Bufinefs, I did, in my Conclufion of my Argument, fubmit to the Judgment of this Houfe.

I never delivered my Opinion, That Money ought to be raised, but Ships provided for the Defence of this Kingdom; and in that, the Writ was performed.

And that the Charge ought not to be in any Cafe, but where the whole Kingdom was in Danger,

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And

And Mr. Juftice Hutton, and Mr. Justice Crooke, were of the fame Opinion with me.

I do humbly pray, That having related unto you my whole Carriage in this Business, and humbly fubmitting my felf to your grave and favourable Cenfures, you would be pleafed not to think, that I delivered these Things with the least Intention to fubvert or fubject the Common Law of the Kingdom, or to bring in or to introduce any new Way of Government; it hath been as far from my Thoughts, as any Thing under the Heavens,

Mr. Speaker, I have heard too, that there hath been fome ill Opinion conceived of me about Forest Bufinefs, which was a Thing far out of the way of my Study, as any Thing I know towards the Law.

But it pleafed his Majefty in the Sickness of Mr. Noje, to give fome fhort Warning to prepare my self for that Employment

When I came there, I did both the King and Commonwealth acceptable Service; for I did, and dare be bold to fay, with extreme Danger to my felf and Fortune, (fome do understand my meaning herein) ran through that Business, and left the Foreft as much as was there.

A Thing in my Judgment confiderable for the Advantage of the Commonwealth, as could be undertaken.

When I went down about that Employment, I fatisfied my felf about the Matter of Perambulation.

There

There were great difficulty of Opinions, what Perambulation was.

I did arm my felf as well as I could, before I did any Thing in it,

I did acquaint thofe that were then Judges, in the Prefence of the noble Lords, with fuch Objections as I thought it my Duty to offer unto them.

If they thought they were not Obje&tions of fuch Weight, as were not fit to ftir them, I would not do the King that Differvice.

They thought, the Objections had fuch Answers as might well induce the like upon a Conference with the whole Country, admitting me to come and confer with them; the Country did unanimoufly fubfcribe.

It fell out afterwards, That the King commanded me, and all this before I was Chief Juftice, to go into Effex; and did then tell me he had been informed, That the Bounds of the Foreft were narrower than in Truth they ought to be; and I did according to his Command.

I will here profefs that which is known to many; I had no Thought or Intention of enlarging the Bounds of the Forest, further than that Part, about which there was a Perambulation, about 26 Edw. IV.

I defired the Country to confer with me about it, if they were pleafed to do it; and then, according to my Duty, I did produce thefe Records, which I thought fit for his Majesty's

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Majesty's Service, knowing them to dif charge themselves as by Law and Justice they might do.

I did never, in the leaft kind, go about to overthrow the Charter of the Foreft.

And did publish and maintain Charta de Forefta as a facred Thing, and no Man to violate it, and ought to be preserved for the King and Commonwealth,

I do in this humbly fubmit, and what I have done, to the Goodness and Juftice of this House,

Sir William Parkin's Speech in Parliament, 1641, against Archbishop Lawd, and for Eftablishing a Church-Government,

Mr. Speaker,

Stand not up in my own particular Be half, but in the univerfal and general Name of the whole Kingdom: Alas, Mr. Speaker, they depend all upon our exemplary Juftice, which if we do fully execute, will not only give great and plenary Satisfaction to our Nation, but will likewife caufe the Land to fmile hereafter with the bleffed Beams of profperous Felicity: But if the leaft Error and fmalleft Deliration be overfeen by us, Oh! it ftrikes my trembling Mind with Horror to think. on it) how will all Things precipitate themselves into Ruine

most