20 A SPEECH ABOUT UNDERTAKERS. 



means ; I say, an honest and faithful heart might 

 consent to that opinion, and the event, it seems, 

 doth not greatly discredit it hitherto. Again, if 

 any man shall have heen of opinion, that it is not a 

 particular party that can bind the house ; nor that 

 it is not shews or colours can please the house ; I 

 say, that man, though his speech tend to discourage 

 ment, yet it is coupled with providence. But, by 

 your leave, if any man, since the parliament was 

 called, or when it was in speech, shall have laid 

 plots to cross the good will of the parliament to the 

 king, by possessing them that a few shall have the 

 thanks, and that they are, as it were, bought and 

 sold, and betrayed ; and that that which the king 

 offers them are but baits prepared by particular 

 persons ; or have raised rumours that it is a packed 

 parliament ; to the end nothing may be done, but 

 that the parliament may be dissolved, as gamesters 

 use to call for new cards, when they mistrust a pack : 

 I say, these are engines and devices naught, malign, 

 and seditious. 



Now for the remedy ; I shall rather break the 

 matter, as I said in the beginning, than advise posi 

 tively. I know but three ways. Some message of 

 declaration to the king ; some entry or protestation 

 amongst ourselves ; or some strict and punctual ex 

 amination. As for the last of these, I assure you I 

 am not against it, if I could tell where to begin, or 

 where to end. For certainly I have often seen it, 

 that things when they are in smother trouble more 

 than when they break out. Smoke blinds the eyes, 



