Two speeches spoken at Oxford by the Right Honovrable, Edward, Earle of Dorset before His Majesty and the lords of his Privy-councell the one at his receiving the office of Lord privy-seal : the other at his being made president of His Majesties Councell : shewing his good affection to the Parliament and the whole state of this kingdome. Dorset, Edward Sackville, Earl of, 1591-1652. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A36379 of text R22239 in the English Short Title Catalog (Wing D1952). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 11 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 5 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2017 A36379 Wing D1952 ESTC R22239 12124045 ocm 12124045 54503 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A36379) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 54503) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 242:E83, no 45) Two speeches spoken at Oxford by the Right Honovrable, Edward, Earle of Dorset before His Majesty and the lords of his Privy-councell the one at his receiving the office of Lord privy-seal : the other at his being made president of His Majesties Councell : shewing his good affection to the Parliament and the whole state of this kingdome. Dorset, Edward Sackville, Earl of, 1591-1652. 8 p. for Edward Harley, London : [1643] Originally published: Oxford: Leonard Lichfield, 1643? According to Madan the supposed Oxford edition probably does not exist. Concerned with the functions of judges and councilors. Reproduction of original in Thomason Collection, British Library. eng Dorset, Edward Sackville, -- Earl of, 1591-1652. Judges -- England. A36379 R22239 (Wing D1952). civilwar no Two speeches spoken at Oxford, by the Right Honourable, Edward, Earle of Dorset, before His Majesty, and the lords of his Privy-councell. Th Dorset, Edward Sackville, Earl of 1643 1997 1 0 0 0 0 0 5 B The rate of 5 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the B category of texts with fewer than 10 defects per 10,000 words. 2003-05 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2003-05 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2005-04 Judith Siefring Sampled and proofread 2005-04 Judith Siefring Text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-10 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion TWO SPEECHES Spoken at OXFORD , BY THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE , Edward , Earle of Dorset , before His Majesty , and the Lords of His Privy-Councell . The one , At his receiving the Office of Lord Privy-Seale . The other , At his being made President of His MAJESTIES COVNCELL . Shewing his good affection to the . Parliament , and the whole State of this Kingdome . First printed at Oxford by Leonard Lichfield , and now reprinted at London for Edward Hartley . Two Speeches spoken at Oxford by the Right Honourable Edward Earle of Dorset , before His MAJESTY , and the Lords of His Privy-Councell . My Lords , I Am now by the death of the Earle of Manchester , through His Majesties speciall favour invested with the keeping of the Privy Seale , an Office of which I have had long the reversion , and by the possession of it I am intituled to one of the supremest places of judicature in the kingdome ; made Judge , ex officio , of the second Court of Conscience in England , namely , the Court of Requests instituted by that Solomon of our Nation , Henry the seventh for the ease and reliefe of the Subject , tyred with the tedious processe of suites in Chancery : And surely , in the Earle of Manchesters time , the Court of Requests had few lesse suites depending in it , through the industry and equity of the man , then the Chancery it selfe . So perfectly was he skilled in all the nicities of the Lawes , having passed through all the signall offices of the gowne in this kingdome . And surely , my Lords , it will be a hard matter for me , who am not so well versed in the Lawes , to governe that Province so exactly as my Predecessor ; yet sure I shall make it the supreamest end of my endeavours , to performe my charge , though not with so much Law as he did , yet with as much conscience . Conscience , which as it is the fountaine from which all good Lawes are derived , ought to be used in administration of those Lawes ; and that I shall not faile in , but faithfully accomplish the trust imposed on me by His sacred Majesty , and performe right to the Subject , according as right it selfe shall direct me . My Lords , I could never like the over-severity of those Judges , who by a modest tyranny , authorized by custome , strive to lengthen their rule over wretched men , by an infinite processe of formall orders , detaining the Causes of Clyents so long in their Courts , till that which should rectiifie and settle the breaches and cavils in mens estates the Law it selfe , consumes them : Very many persons of good ability beginning suites for sleight matters , in the meere Law costs expending the best part of their fortunes . And is it not a thing much to be lamented , that the Law , which ought to be the repressor and composer of injuries , should prove to the party injured a greater injury then the injury it selfe ? That the cure of a disease should carry in it a more lingring and fatall malady then the disease it selfe ? Surely Judges and too many such there are or have been , forget that Goddesse , under whose suffrage they should pronounce sentence , I meane justice ; when they suffer the poore Clyents to be so grated , as it were to powder by the Lawyers . Themselves , though they dare not openly prostitute faire justice , virgin whitenesse , yet doe they adulterate her purity by proxie , having their Factors to vent that commodity , which indeed should not be bought for silver or gold , Justice ; but now , Quantum quisque sua nummorum servat in arca , Tantum habet & legis . — no penny , no Pater-noster ; no Coyne , no Law : A hard case when people must pay for that which is their right , or else be oppressed with injury , so that that Devill money , hath usurped the seat and heavenly countenance of that Angell Justice . The Egyptians in their Hieroglyphicks deciphered justice under the figure of an Elephant ; the nature of that beast for his strength being aptest to carry great burthens : intimating thereby , that on the backe of justice all the weight of the Common-wealth should be imposed , it being the only supporter of its welfare . But weake must that pillar be which hath so infirme a basis to rely on , as is injustice , nor can there be a more eminent wrong to the Subject , then to make poore men from the furthest parts of this kingdome , comming to London about Law-businesse , wait there , or come up thither Terme by Terme for divers yeares ; no , nor a greater detriment to their estates . I was once in minde therefore ( if it had pleased God , that we who are servants to his Majesty , had continued at London ) to have made it a motion to the High Court of Parliament , for passing a definitive sentence with His Majesties consent against this tedious prorogation and delaying of suites ; but the more are the times to be lamented , that this , nor any Law else of consequence for the good of the Subject can be enacted , by reason of these civill uncivill wars and differences betwixt His sacred Majesty , and His High Court of Parliament . Were those reconciled by a faire and happy unity , I should with much joy and alacrity of spirit enter upon this honourable office , and mannage it so , as I should discharge a good conscience to God , the duty of a true subject to my Prince , and the honesty & integrity of a Judge , to those who have Causes depending before me . But I should seeme too much my owne Trumpet , did not your selves , my Lords , in your candid dispositions beleeve what I have uttered ; which when it shall please God and His Majesty , that I have occasion , amply , as my predecessor did , to execute my office , I shall by my actions give warrantable proofe to what I have now uttered . Another SPEECH spoken by the said Earle to His MAJESTY when he was instituted President of His Councell . THe favours your Majesty in your Royall bounty hath so frequently conferred upon me , so far transcend the meannesse of my desert , that certainly I begin to accuse my modesty for accepting them , and should absolutely condemne it , without allowing it the benefit of its Clergie , did not your Majesties sacred commands acquit it , which must needs prevaile above all respects of my selfe upon my obedience , and adapt my weaknesse and inabilities for my imployments in your Majesties service , which hath , and ever shall be , the only centre of my intentions : Your Royall goodnesse , like the Sunnes vertuall beams , actuating my dull capacity for the discharging any place your gracious bounty shall cast upon me . And though your Majesty might have found out other Noble men my Peers , who would have complied this charge of President of your Majesties Councell with more dexterity ; yet I dare boldly promise for my selfe , that none amongst them should have performed it with more care and fidelity . The Councell of Kings are in the hands of the Almighty ; and those that are of their Councels , ought to regulate their thoughts and actions so for the service of their Masters , as they shall not be esteemed mere Polititians , working in the gentlenesse and suavity of their natures for their owne ends , but aiming perpetually at the common good , which must needs conduce to the good of the Soveraigne . Councellers that erre out of this path , are rather to be termed seducers , and as such should be punished , being indeed meere Achitophels , crafty and malicious . And I must needs here deplore the present condition of your sacred Majesty ( in my sorrow for your Royall disasters I expresse my humble gratitude for your bounties ; ) your high Court of Parliament , from which you are departed hither , being of a settled opinion , as appeares by their Declarations , that all the machine of evills , that like so many furies fly through your Highnesse Dominons , have taken their originall from the perswasions of bad Councellors ; if any such there be , or have beene about your sacred Majesty , I shall most humbly pray for their removall or conversion from such sinister practises , and thinke my selfe ( my integrity shall gaine a remission for my boldnesse ) ingaged in duty and conscience to informe your sacred Majesty , that till such Councellors be removed from your gracious eares , there will never be any hopes that the distractions of your Kingdomes can be setled , the wounds of which it hath so long bled be imbalmed , much lesse perfectly cured : For how can your Parliament , the grand and supreme Councell of your Kingdome , comply with the desires of your Majesty , when they conjecture whatever they shall desire of your Majesty for your peoples welfare shall be thwarted & nullified by the intimations of some few private cabinet Councellors , which was the reason I conjecture of their humble addresses to your Grace for the settling the election of your Councellors in the power of the Common-wealth , namely , in the trieniall Parliament . The Councellors to Kings , if they should have the misfortune to prove ill ones , having the Subjects safety at their mercy , by the Royall authority which is then most splendent , when it is most concurrent with the peoples prosperities , and imployed for their defence , and patronage against the oppression of evill Councellors ; who by their subtile and malignant practises , doe oft-times , as it were , transforme the hearts of their Soveraignes from their native and genuine candor and sweetnesse ; by that meanes rendring their rules odious to their Subjects : Oderunt quia metuunt , they alwayes detest what they are afeard of , every man naturally hating that which they conceive will hurt them : but your Majesties owne wisdome , and the excellent skill your Royall knowledge hath in discerning and defining dispositions , must of necessity secure your raigne ( which heaven long continue over us ) from the disease of such pernicious Councellors ; it being impossible that your gracious disposition ( though it may be deluded sub apparentia bo●● ) with the Angel-like a pearance of these furies , that it should againe be deceived by their devices ; so that if there have been any such Councellors that have formerly incensed your Majesty against your Parliament by mis-conceits and jealousies , I doubt not now their advices are of no validity in your gracious judgement ; for mine owne part , with the tender of my life to your Majesties service , I prostrate my selfe in all humility at your Royall feet for your gracious favours towards me , and crave pardon for my boldnesse , which I am confident , your Majesty will grant , knowing it meerely , to be progressive from my integrity and duty . FINIS .