Selected quad for the lemma: england_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
england_n	king_n	lord_n	normandy_n	2,598	5	10.9032	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A91237	The opening of the great seale of England. Containing certain brief historicall and legall observations, touching the originall, antiquity, progresse, vse, necessity of the great seal of the kings and kingdoms, of England, in respect of charters, patents, writs, commissions, and other processe. Together with the kings, kingdoms, Parliaments severall interests in, and power over the same, and over the Lord Chancellour, and the lords and keepers of it, both in regard of its new-making, custody, admi nistration [sic] for the better execution of publike justice, the republique necessary safety, and vtility. Occasioned by the over-rash censures of such who inveigh against the Parliament, for ordering a new great seale to be engraven, to supply the wilfull absence, defects, abuses of the old, unduely withdrawne and detained from them. / By William Prynne, Utter-Barrester of Lincolns Inne. ...	Prynne, William, 1600-1669.	1643 (1643)	Wing P4026; Thomason E251_2; ESTC R234376	44,104	39

publike ends alone I humbly conceive the Parliament both lawfully may cause a new Great Seale of England to be engraven constitute a Chan●ellour to keepe it and seale Writs for new Elections Writs of Errour in Parliament with other necessary Writs and Commissions with it for the publike administration expedition of Justice the better transaction of all Parliamentary State affaires now obstructed to which the great Seale is requisite This I shall endeavour to make good by Presidents by reasons of Law and State-policy beginning with the new making and then proceeding to the keeping and ordering of the Seale during the present differences and necessity First there are two memorable Presidents in our Histories and Records of making a new great Seale by the Lords and Commons in Parliament without the Kings actuall assent which will over-rule our present case I shall begin with the ancientest of them * King Henry the third departing this life whiles his sonne Prince Edward was militating in the Holy Land against Christs enemies hereupon the Nobles and States assembled at the new Temple in London the day after the Kings funerall proclaimed Prince Edward his sonne King ordained him successor of his Fathers honours though they knew not whether he were living ET FACTO SIGILLO NOVO writes Matthew Westminster And CAUSING A NEW SEALE TO BE MADE so Daniel they appointed faithfull Ministers and KEEPERS for the faithfull custody both of the Seal Kings Treasure and Kingdoms peace Loe here a new great Seale made by the Lords and States in the Kings absence without his privity for the necessary execution of justice either in an assembly out of Parliament as some suppose this meeting was or at least wise in a Parliament assembled held yea ordaining a new great Seale new Officers of King and State without the Kings presence or privity and then it is our present case in effect For if this Assembly of the States even out of or in Parliament in this case of necessity during the Kings inevitable absence might lawfully make both a new great Seale Chancellour Treasurer Judges Justices of peace and other Officers of King and State as they did and conceived they might justly doe none then or since disavowing or censuring this Act of theirs for ought I reade but all approving applauding it as legall then certainly this Parliament assembled and ratified by the King himselfe being the greatest soveraigne power and having farre more Jurisdiction then any Councell or Assembly of Lords out of Parliament may much more justly and loyally cause a new great Seale to be engraven and appoint a Keeper of it during the wilfull absence both of the King Keeper and old great Seale from Parliament contrary to all Law and former Presidents for the better expedition of Justice and transaction of the affairs of the Parliament being the Parliaments proper Seale and anciently appointed by it as Hornes * preceding words import The second president is that of King Henry the 6 his reigne who being but an * infant of 9. moneths age when the Crown descended to him there * issued forth a Commission in this Babes name to Humfry Duke of Gloucester his Uncle then Protector to summon and hold a Parliament in his name which being assembled Num. 14. The Bishop of Durham Lord Chaeuncellor to Henry the 5th resigned up the old Seale of England to King Henry the 6. in the presence of divars credible witnesses and the Bishop of London Chancellor of the Dutchy of Normandy resigned up also the seale of that Dukedom to him After which Num. 15. It was enacted and provided by the Lord Protector Lords and Commons in that Parliament That for as much as the inheritance of the Kingdomes and Crownes of France England and Ireland were now lawfully descended to the King which Title was not expressed in the Kings SEALES whereby great peril might accrue to the King if the said Inscriptions were not reformed according to his Title of inheritance that therefore IN ALL THE KINGS SEALS as wel in ENGLAND as in IRELAND GVYEN and WALES this New Stile should be engraven Henricus Dei Gratia Rex Franciae et Augliae et Dominus Hibemiae according to the effect of his Inheritances blotting out whatsoever was formerly in them superfluous or contrary to the said stile And that COMMAND should be given to All the Keepers of the said Seales of the King to REFORME them WITHOVT DELAY according to the FORME AND EFFECT OF THE NEW SEALE aforesaid Num. 16. The Lords and Commons in this Parliament constitute and ordaine a new LORD CHANCELOVR OF ENGLAND Lord Treasurer and KEEPER OF THE PRIVY SEALE granting them saverall Letters Patents of these Offices in Parliament in the Kings name And Num 17. The Liberties Annuities and Offices granted by King Henry the 5. and his Ancestors to Souldiers in foreigne parts were confirmed in Parliament and their Parents ordered TO BE SEALED WITH THE KINGS NEW SEALES with our paying any Fee Here we have not onely the Great but Privy Seal yea all the Kings Seales in England Ireland France Wales Resigned Altered Ordered to be new made and the Chancellours and Keepers of them expresly Created by the Lords and Commons in Parliament without any Personal actual consent of the King then an Infant for the necessary administration of Iustice and great Affaires of the Realme No man ever questioning much lesse censuring this Act of theirs as illegall or treasonable within the Statute of 25. E. 3. of counterfeiting the Kings Seale but all approoving it as just and necessary Therefore doubtlesse the present Parliament may doe the like in this unparallel'd case both of the Kings L. Keepers the great and privy Seales wilfull absence and substraction from the Parliament of purpose to obstruct all proceedings in Parliament and the course of common Iustice These two famous Presidents are not singular but backed with the Authority of Iudge Horne fore-cited p. 15. and many other of like nature and reason even in printed Statutes The Statute of Acton Burnel made in the 13. yeare of King Edward the first for the more speedy recovery of the Merchants Debts gives the Mayors of London Yorke and Bristall authority to take Recognisances of Debts before them to be made by the Clerke appointed for that purpose whereunto the SEALE of the Debtor shall be put with THE KINGS SEALE THAT SHALL BE PROVIDED FOR THAT PVRPOSE the which SEALE SHALL REMAINE IN THE KEEPING OF THE MAIOR and CLERKE A FORE-SAID And THE KINGS SEALE shall be put unto the sale and delivery of the goods devisable for a perpetuall witnesse Wee have here a New Seal of the Kings with speciall keepers of it appointed for Recognisances and the uses thereof limited by a speciall Act of Parliament confirmed in another Parliament touching Statute Merchants made the same yeare 13. E. 1. which further enacts That ANOTHER SEALE SHALL BE PROVIDED that shall serve for Faires And that the same

all cases of this nature adjudged High Treason attest whence it is stiled Crimen falsi falsificatio sigilli c. by f Bracton and others and such like offenders Fanscors des sealx and the Inditements must be that they did it PRODITORIE neither of which can be intended of or applyed to the new making of a great Seale by authority of Parliament for the necessary administration of Iustice and benefit of the Realme when the great Seale is substracted as now Fiftly the Lords and Parliaments making a new great Seale in the absence of Edward the 1 and infancy of Henry the 6 without their privity or consent to supply the defects of justice which else would have ensued was never reputed Treason but a lawfull Act Therefore the present making of a new Seale to remedy the willfull absence of the old without the Kings consent who withholds it and the Keeper from the Parliament * against all Law and former Presidents can be no Treason but a lawfull Act. And since the Parliaments of England in the absence infancy and dotage of their Kings have usually of right made Lord Protectors and Chancelours who had power over the great Seale as I haue e elsewhere largely proved they may be the selfesame reason make a new great Seale likewise to supply the willfull absence of the old Finally all the objected Statutes and Law bookes adjudged it high Treason to counterfeit the Kings mony as well as his Seale and joyne them both together in one clause But the Parliament hath a long time coyned money at the Tower and made new stamps to doe it when the old were broken or worne out without any charge or taxe of Treason therefore they by like reason may make a New great Seale without Treason If any secondly object That to make a new great Seale of Engand is all one in effect as to make a new King of England I answer 1. that to deface the Kings old Seales and Signets by publique Acts of State as the Hollanders did the King of Spaines when they cast off his Government for his Tyranny which they h and Popish Authors held they might lawfully doe and to appoint new Seales in every Province onely with the names and Titles of the private Governours and Provinciall Consuls of every Province without the name and Title of the King of Spaine whose authority they abjured with a solemne Oath would in truth be to set up a new King and government But to make a New Seal onely like or not much different from the old to supply its absence with the Kings owne Picture Armes stile and Title is no wayes to impeach but confirme his Royall Authority being done in affirmance onely not dis-ffirmance of it as Lawyers speake Thus their making of a new Seale in Edward the 1. and Henry the 6. his Raigne forementioned was the highest confirmation of their Authorities and the greatest expression of the subjects Loyaltyes that might bee And why the Parliaments making of a new great Seale to supply the absence defects of the old should be deemed a setting up of a new King against his Majesty more than the Parliaments frequent constituting of Lord Protectors in former times to supply the infancy absence dotage or imperfections of our Kings of which I have cited you many Presidents elsewhere which all esteemed to be a ratification not nullification or alteration of their Royall Authority or the coyning new money now to supply the want of old transcends my understanding to apprehend since those who may lawfully make a Vice-Roy to represent the Person or execute the Soveraignty of a King in his name and right may with as good reason and authority to make a new great Seale to supply the defects and affected absence of the old the Seale being lesse than the person and Soveraignty of the King and the proper seale of the Parliament 2. This will further appeare by considering in the second place what power and Authority our Parliaments have claimed and exercised as of right over the Custody and disposing of the Great Seale of England First they have usually chosen and nominated the Lord Chauncellour and Keepers both of the great and privy Seale of England together with the Lord Protectors Lord Treasurers privy Counsellors and other great Officers of the Realm as I have i elsewhere plentifully manifested and committed the Great Seale to the Chancellours custody onely Secondly They have ordered k that the Chancellour should not be put from the custody of the Seale nor the Seale taken from him without the common Counsell and consent of the whole Realme in Parliament upon which ground Ralph Nevill Bishop of Chichester Anno. 1236 when King Henry the third upon a displeasure earnestly demanded the Great Seale of him being then Lord Chancellour absolutely refused to deliver it to the King saying That he could by no meanes doe it seeing hee had received it BY THE COMMON COVNSEL OF THE REALM and THEREFORE he neither could nor would resigne it WITHOVT THE COMMON COVNSELL OF THE KINGDOME to wit the Parliament Yea the l Parliament An. 28. of Henry the third to prevent the abuses of the Great Seal which the King then began to take from the Chancellour into his owne custody abusing it to ill ends Voted That if the King by any intervement occasion should take away the Great Seale from the Chancellour who should alwaies be chosen by the Parliament or its assent what soever should be sealed in the interim should be reputed VOYD FRVSTRATE till restitution of it were made to the Chancellour After this the m Parliament in Richard the second his Raign disposed both of the Chancellours place and the great Seale and Henry Scroope made Lord Chancellour by it refused at first to deliver up the Seale to the King who demanded it of him and when hee extorted it from him the whole Kingdome were much displeased and murmured against it Thirdly The Chancellour of England n hath resigned up his Office and Great Seal of England in and to the Parliament who have disposed of it to a new Chancellour in Parliament as you may read in the Parliament Roles of 4. H. 6. Nu. 14. 15. without the King And the o Arch-Bishop of York L. Chancellour of England when K. Edward the 4th dyed was much blamed for delivering up the Great Seale of England to the Queen Mother whereupon the Seal was taken from him and delivered by the L. Protector to Dr. Russel Bishop of Lincolne In regard of which disposing power both p of the Chancellour and Great Seale by Parliament both of them are usually stiled in statutes the Act for Triennial Parliaments histories p The Chancellur and Great Seale of England How the Parliament hath ordered and appointed the custody of the Kings other Seales from time to time I have shewed in the fore-cited Acts and will not repeat but conclude That if our

Parliaments have enjoyed such a power and Jurisdiction over the great Seal the Chancellours and Keepers of it heretofore when there was just cause they may exercise the selfe-same power over them now especially when both of them have bin purposely withdrawne detained from the Parliament so long to retard annihilate its proceedings contrary to Law and the Act for its continuance Thirdly The Parliament hath exercised a power over the great Seale and other Seales of the King as the Dutchy Seal Exchequer Seale Seale of the Court of Words and Liveries of the Court of Augmentations of first fruits and Tenths Staples Surveyors Seales of cloth and other Merchandize safe conducts Customes Ecclesiasticall Courts and the like in prescribing what Patents Charters Commissions Protections Warrants Grants Writs Pardons should bee passed under them or any of them and what not And where the great and priety Seale shall be used to promote right and where not used to stay right or justice in any case whatsoever This is evident by the severall Statutes of 13. E. 1. of Acton Burnell and statute Merchants 25. E. 1. c. 1. 28. E. 1 c. 1. 2. 6. 20 18. E. 2. Statute E. 1 Prses 2. E. 3. c. 8. 4. E. 3. c. 4. 5. E. 3. c. 2. 14. E. 3. c. 14. 15. Stat. 3. c. 1. Stat. 4. 15. E. 3 c. 3. 18. E. 3. Stat. 2. c. 1. 36. E. 3. c. 2. 42. E. 3. c. 9. 1. R. 2. c. 6. 5. R 3. c. 9. 10. 14. 6. R. 2. c. 4. 18. R. 2. c 1. 12 R. 2. c. 8. 13 R. 2. c. 2. 13 R. c. 2. Stat. 2 c. 16. R. 2 c. 6. 2. H. 5. c. 4. 5. H 5 c. 7. 10. H. 6. c. 7. 15. H. 6. c. 3. 20. H. 6. c 1. 31. 13. Eliz c. 7. 14. Eliz. c. 6. H. 6. c. 2. 1. E. 4. c. 1. 3. H. 7. c 1. 4 H. 7. c. 14. 14. 15. H 8. c 4. 21. H. 8. c. 16. 17. 20. 23. H. 8. c. 7. 25. H. 8. c. 19. 21. 22. 27. H. 8. c. 2. 5 11. 15. 16. 27. 34. 35. H. 8. c. 16. 21. 26. 1. E. 6. c. 2. 5. 8. 12. 14. 3 4. E. 6. c. 8 39. Eliz. c. 5. 43. Eliz. c. 4. 11. 12. 5. 6. E. 6. c. 1. 1. Eliz. c. 1. 5. Eliz. c. 1. 4. 2 3. Phii. Mar. c. 20. Above all by * the Act for the preventing inconveniences happening by the long intermission of Parliaments made this Parliament when fullest by his Majesties and both Houses unanimous assents with infinite other Statute And as the Parliament hath thus ordered and limited the use of the Kings own Seales so likewise the Seales of Sheriffes Coroners Corporations Mayors of Staples Iustices Iudges Searchers and other Officers together with the Seales of Jurors Electors of Knights Burgesses of Parliament and sundry other persons as to publike uses Witnesse the Statute of Rutland 10. H. 1. 13. E. 1. the Statute of Acton Burnell and of Statute Merchants 13. E. 1. c. 13. 31. 39. The Statute of Quo Warranto 18. E. 1. 1. E. 3. c. 8. 2. E. 3. Stat. 3. c. 5. 5. E. 3. c. 2. 10. E. 3. c. 3. 14. E. 3. c. 16. 25. E. 3. Parl. 5. c. 1. 5. 21. 27. E. 3. Parl. 2. c. 4. Parl. 3. c. 1. 9. 42. E. 3. c. 3. 43. E. 3. c. 1. 12. R. 2. c. 7. 8. 13. R. 2. c. 11. 18. 1. H. 4. c. 19. 2. H. 4. c. 17. 4. H. 4. c. 6. 7. H. 4. c. 13. 9. H. 4. c. 2. 11. H. 4. c. 6. 1. H. 5. c. 9. Parl. 2. c. 5. 3. H. 5. c. 3. Stat. 2. 6. H. 6. c. 4. 8. H. 6. c. 18. 9. H. 6. c. 10. 11. H. 6. c. 9. 16. 15. H. 6. c. 6. 18. H. 6. c. 19. 33. H. 6. c. 7. 1. E. 4. c. 1. 4. E. 4. c. 1. 8. E. 4. c. 1. 1. R. 3. c. 8. 14. 15. H. 8. c. 3. 23. H. 8. c. 7. 25. H. 8 c. 19. 26. H. 8. c. 14. 1 E. 6. c. 14. with other Acts. Therefore the Parliament may by the same or a like reason exercise a Iurisdiction in making a new great Seale and directing the ule of it for the common good to supply the absence of the old Fourthly the Parliament hath caused this new Seale to be made principally to compleat the House of Commons by sealing Writs for new Elections of Knights and Burgesses in places of the old who are dead or justly expelled and what power the Kingdom and Parliament have anciently exercised in this or the like cases I shall give you a briefe account First the Lords and Commons have sundry times in former ages not onely enforced our Kings to summon Parliaments against their wills when necessary but likewise sent out Writs to summon a Parliament and elect Knights and Burgesses under the great Seale of England in our Kings names without their privity and assent as I have * elsewhere manifested by sundry Presidents And by the very Act for the * Trieniall Parliament assented unto by His Majesty and all the Lords and Commons who are or were with him at Oxford this very Session of Parliament it is expresly provided That in case the King refuse or neglect to summon a Parliament every three yeeres next after the last day of the last Parliament preceding it by Writs under THE GREAT SEALE OF ENGLAND so frequently stiled in this Act that then every Lord Chancellour of England the Lord Keeper of the great Seale of England and every Commissioner and Commissioners for the keeping of the Great Seale of England for the time being within sixe dayes after the tenth day of September in every such third yeere shall in due forme of Law without any further Warrant or direction from His Majestie His Heirs or Successors SEALE issue forth and send abroad severall Writs of Summons to the respective Peeres of the Realme and Writs of Election to the Sheriffs of the severall Counties Cities and Boroughs of England and Wales c. for the electing of Knights Citizens and Burgesses to serve in Parliament prescribing that every Lord Chancellour Keeper and Commissioner aforesaid shall take an Oath truly and faithfully to issue forth and send abroad all Writs of Summons to Parliament for both Houses at such time and in such manner as is expressed in this Act under paine of being disabled ipso facto from their places in case of refusall or neglect And then the Lords are ordered to meet at Westminster without Writ or Summons and any twelve of them are enabled to grant out Writs of Summons under their hands and Seales to all Sheriffs of Counties Cities and Boroughs which shall be of the same force to all intents as the Writs of Summons to Parliament under the great Seale of England And in case the Lords neglect or refuse to issue such Writs then the Sheriffs Majors and Bailieffs of Counties Cities and Boroughs without any Writ at

Magna Charta and other Acts be not delayed nor denied to any Subjects that desire or neede it being the supreamest Court of Justice to punish all offences neglects supply all defects in the highest Officers of Justice Therefore to provide a new broad Seale and Keeper of it since publike Justice is denied to most obstructed delayed to all by the unlegall wilfull absence of the old great Seale and Lord Keeper from the Parliament and Courts at Westminster Fifthly The Houses of Parliament in point of honour trust duty more especially since their late Protestations and Covenants are bound universally to preserve their own just Priviledges Rights and Liberties whereof these are indubitable ones That the Lord Chancellour Keeper of the Great Seal of England together with the Seal it selfe remaining in his custody ought alwaies constantly to attend the Parliament and be present with it First x because the Lord Chancellor or Keeper of the Great Seale is alwaies a necessary member of the Vppor-House and the Speaker of it by vertue of his very Office Secondly because not onely constant custome but y sundry Acts of Parliament require the Chancellours and Keepers speciall presence in Parliament in direct termes Thirdly because the Chancellour and Great Seale are and ought to be necessarily present in Parliament being the onely proper Seale of this highest Court for divers publique ends 1. To issue out Writs z of summons and new elections for summoning the Members of both Houses as oft as there is need to keep the Houses compleat 2. To seale Writs of a Error brought in Parliament 3. To Seale b Writs of Priviledge for members of Parliament or their meniall servants when there is cause 4. To issue and Seale such c new Writs as shall be devised in Parliament upon new occasions 5. To issue out and seale such d Commissions as shall be necessary upon publique imployments Trials criminall or judiciall Taxes or Subsidies appointed in and by Parliament 6. To seale such e Patents and Charters of Honours Lands Priviledges Offices and the like which shall be thought meet to be granted in Parliament as most old Charters were 7. To seale Parliament pardons and all Proclamations exemplifications of private Acts of Parliament and such Acts as are to be proclaimed to such who require them 2 H. 5. c. 4. 1 R. 2. c. 6. 1 H. 7. f. 23. 25. Coronc 49. 33 H. 6. 17. Parl. 1. 21 E. 4. 56. Dyer 135. Cooke l. 8. f. 7. 8. 28. 43 E. 3. c. 5. 2 H. 5. c. 46. 1 H. 6. c. 2. 26 E. 3. c. 16. Ashes Tables Proclamation 39. In all these respects with others the Lord Chancellours Keepers and great Seales presence being simply necessary in Parliament where by Law and custome they ever have beene and ought to be till this late president The Houses lawfully may and in point both of honour and justice ought for the maintenance of their owne undoubted priviledges to constitute a new great Seale and Keeper of it if the old be not returned to them speedily having beene wilfully above twelve Moneth space withdrawne detained from them on purpose to dissolve the Parliament retard or frustrate all its proceedings and stop the common course of justice contrary to all Law and Justice In few words this Parliament without any exception of King Courtiers Malignants or any other I have yet heard of have made a new master of the Mint at least restored an old one to his place who was dispossessed coyned money and made new stamps for that purpose where the old were broken or worne out without the Kings consent or any tax of treason or disloyalty Therefore by the selfe-same Law and reason they may lawfully make a new Great Seale and Lord Keeper of it for the ends aforesaid to supply the absence defects and prevent the grosse abuses of the old without any Treason or disloyalty The VOTES of the House of COMMONS together with their reasons for the making of a new Great Seale of England presented by them to the LORDS at a Conference Iuly 4. 5. Anno 1643. Resolved upon the Question June 14. 26. 1. THat the Great Seale of England ought to attend the Parliament 2. That the absence of it hath been a cause of great mischiefe to the Common-wealth 3. That a Remedy ought to be provided for these mischiefes 4. That the proper remedy is by making a New Great Seale The mischiefes occasioned by conveying away the Great Seale from the Parliament represented to the Lords at a Conference Iuly 5. 1643. are these 1. IT was secretly and unlawfully carried away by the Lord Keeper contrary to the duty of his place who ought himselfe to have attended the Parliament and not to have departed without leave nor should have beene suffered to convey away the Great Seale if his intentions had been discovered 2. It hath been since taken away from him and put into the hands of other dangerous and ill affected persons so as the Lord Keeper being sent unto by the Parliament for the sealing of some Writs returned answer That he could not Seale the same because he had not the Seale in his keeping 3. Those who have had the mannaging thereof have imployed it to the hurt and destruction of the Kingdome sundry waies By making new Sheriffes in an unusuall and unlawfull manner to be as so many Generals or Commanders of Forces raised against the Parliament By issuing out illegall Commissions of Array with other unlawfull Commissions for the same purpose By sending forth Proclamations against both Houses of Parliament and severall Members thereof proclaiming them Traitors against the Priviledges of Parliament and Lawes of the Land By sealing Commissions of Oyer and Terminer to proceed against them and other of His Majesties good Subjects adhearing to the Parliament as Traitors By sending Commissions into Ireland to treate a peace with the Rebels there contrary to an Act of Parliament made this Session Besides divers other Dangerous and illegall acts have been passed under the Great Seale since it was secretly conveyed away from the Parliament whereby great calamities and mischiefes have ensued to the Kindomes prejudice The mischiefes proceeding through want of the Great Seale 1. THe Termes have been adjourned the course of justice obstructed 2. No originall Writs can be sued forth without going to Oxford which none who holds with the Parliament can doe without perill of his life or liberty 3. Proclamations in Parliament cannot issue out for bringing in Delinquents impeached of High-Treason or other Crimes under paine of forfeiting their estates according to the ancient course 4. No Writs of Error can be brought in Parliament to reverse erronious judgements nor Writs or Election sued out for choosing new Members upon death or removall of any whereby the number of the Members is much lessened and the Houses in time like to be dissolved if speedy supply be not had contrary to the very

THE OPENING OF The Great Seale OF ENGLAND Containing certain Brief Historicall and Legall Observations touching the Originall Antiquity Progresse Vse Necessity of the Great Seal of the Kings and Kingdoms of England in respect of Charters Patents Writs Commissions and other Processe Together with the Kings Kingdoms Parliaments severall Interests in and Power over the same and over the Lord Chancellour and the Lords and Keepers of it both in regard of its New-making Custody Administration for the better Execution of Publike Justice the Republique necessary Safety andVtility Occasioned by the Over-rash Censures of such who inveigh against the Parliament for Ordering a new Great Seale to be Engraven to supply the wilfull absence defects abuses of the Old unduely withdrawne and detained from them By WILLIAM PRYNNE Utter-Barrester of Lincolns Inne Esther 8. Write ye also for the Jews as liketh you in the Kings name AND SEAL IT WITH THE KINGS RING for the Writing which is written in the Rings name AND SEALED WITH THE KINGS RING may no man reverse It is this fifteenth day of September Anno Dom. 1643. Ordered by the Committee of the House of Commons concerning Printing that this Treatise intituled The Opening of the Great Seale of England be forthwith Printed by Michael Sparke Senior JOHN WHITE LONDON Printed for MICHAEL SPARK Senior 1643. TO THE READER COurteous Reader having copiously answered refuted all Royalilists Malignants Papists clamorous Objections and Primitive Exceptions against the Proceedings of this present Parliament in FOUR severall Treatises lately published concerning The Soveraigne Power of Parliaments and Kingdoms which have given good satisfaction to many and silenced the Penns the Tongues of most Anti-Parliamenteers who have bin so ingenuous as seriously to peruse them I yet finde a New grand Objection lately started up and much insisted on among these Opposites by reason of the Commons late Order for making a New Great Seal now almost finished to supply the wilfull absence defects abuses of the old to the extraordinary prejudice dammage danger of the Houses Kingdom and delay of publike Justice which though sufficiently answered in the generall by sundry passages and Histories scattered in the former Treatises yet because not so particularly or fully debated as the consequence of this extraordinary weighty Act and the querelousnesse of the clamorous Opposites require I have therefore upon the motion of some friends to stop up this New-Breach and Clamour speedily collected and published by Authority these ensuing Historicall and Legall Observations concerning the Originall Antiquitie Progresse Use Necessity of the Great Seal of the Kings and Kingdome of England with reference to Sealing of Charters Patents Writs Commissions other Processe and given thee a summary account of the Kings Kingdoms Parliaments severall Interests in and Power over the Great Seal and the Lords Keepers of it too both in respect of its New-making Custody Administration for the better execution of publike Iustice the Republike necessary safety and utility clearing all contrary Objections of moment which I here submit to thy charitable Censure and Acceptation imploring thy Pardon and Direction in case I have casually erred out of Ignorance or Humane Frailty in tracing this Untrodden dangerous narrow Path wherein I finde no Footsteps or onely very obscure ones to direct my course Farewell THE OPENING OF The Great Seale OF ENGLAND NOt to enter into any impetinent tedious Discourse of the Antiquitie or use of Seales in generall which were very anciently used both by the Nations and Kings of the Jewes Persians Medes Babilonians and others as is manifest by a sundry Texts of Scripture to omit prophane Stories it is a question much debated among Antiquaries Historians Lawyers How ancient the use of Seales hath beene among the Kings of England in what age upon what occasion by what degrees they grew to be absolutely requisite for the ratification of Charters Patents Writs Commissions and other Processes The first originall Antiquitie of Seals among our Kings is very uncertain for it is apparent past all contradiction b that our ancientest Kings Charters Patents had no Seals at all annexed to them being ratified onely with the Signe of the Crosse oft-times in golden Characters the subscription of our Kings names with the names of divers Bishops Abbots Nobles Clerks and others under them as Witnesses who all made the signe of the Crosse before or after their subscriptions as is most evident by sundry ancient Charters of our English Saxon Kings yet extant in old Leger Books of Abbeys in Sir Robert Cottons Library and by the printed Copies of them in the Histories of Ingulphus M●lmesbury Hoveden Matthew Paris Matth. Westminster Holinshed Mr. Fox Mr Cambdens Britannia M. Seldens Titles of Honour History of Tythes Notes to Eadmerus Sir Henry Spelmans Councils and Glossary Sir Edward Cooks Preface to his 4 and 6 Reports his Institutions on Littleton and Magna Charta Joannis Pitseus Relatio Histor. de rebus Angl. Cl. Reynerus Apostolatus Benedictinorum in Anglia M. Lambard his Perambulation of Kent and Archaion Bishop Vshers Britannicarum Ecclesiarum Antiquitates with others which Charters though without a Seale have c ever been reputed as valid firme in point of Law from time to time and so admitted by our Judges Kings Parliaments as any punier Charters sealed with our Kings Great Seals To give you some few instances of the ancientest Charters of our Kings before the Conquest which I finde not sealed but thus subscribed King d Aethelbert Anno 605. made two Charters the first to the Church of Saint Pancras the other to the Monastery of Peter and Paul to be erected at Canterbury which are thus confirmed with the Signe of the Crosse not sealed ✚ Ego Aethelredus Rex Anglorum hanc donationem meam Signo sanctae Crucis propria manu confirmavi After which follow divers other witnesses who confirm it with the same signe There is extant a Bull of Augustine the first Bishop of Canterbury of an exemption granted by him to this Monastery with a Leaden Seale annexed to it the forme whereof you may view in e Sir Henry Spelman who suspects both these Charters with Augustines Bull and Seale the sealing of Buls being not so ancient and Leaden Buls being first brought in by Pope Adrian about the year of our Lord 774. as Polydor and others observe to be meer Counterfeits upon good grounds There is another Charter of the same King of Lands given to the same Monastery dated Ar. 610. subscribed as the former The next ancient Charter I finde is that of f Withred King of Kent dated An. Dom. 695. who the same year confirmed the great Councell of Beca 〈◊〉 with the signe of the Crosse such subscriptions as are aforesaid To these I shall adde the suspected Charter of g King Kenred and Offa. Anno 709. with the Charters of Egwin Bishop of Worcester Anno 709. The Charter of h King Eth Ibald An 718.

and Albert Atque ut in memoria Romane Ecclesiae sirmiter habeatur SIGILLVM VESTRVM PRAECIPISTIS APPONI q Anno Dom. 1177. Sancho King of Navarre and Alphonso King of Castile being at variance about breaches of Articles in a former truce referred their differences to the determination of King Henry the second who calling his Nobles and Parliament together made these kings Embassadors to put their differences in writing and then to sweare to stand to his and his Councels arbiterment which done he made a Charter of his award subscribed with the names of many Bishops Nobles Clerks Laymen as you may read at large in Hoveden which Charter questionlesse was sealed with his seal though it be not expressed r The same year on the 7 day of October K. Lewis of France and king Hen. 2. made a finall concord and league for mutuall offence and defence which was put into writing sworn to subscribed by many witnesses of note and SEALED witnesse the words of Hoveden who records it at large Et ut hoc statut● firmiter teneatur ratum permaneat scripto commendari ET SIGILLI SVI AVCTORITATE CONFIRMARI FECIT And the same yeare Audebert Earl of March selling his Earldom to King Henry made a Charter thereof registerd in ſ Hoveden which concludes thus Ne autem haec mea venditi● solemniter celebrata aliqua posset in posterum malignitate divelli EAM SIGILLO MEO MVNIVI after which many Bishops and other witnesses subscribed it In this Kings reigne it is apparent that the great Seale remained in the custody of the Chancelor for I read t that this king making his Chancelor Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury he thereupon An. Dom. 1162. contrary to the kings good liking and expectation who was then in Normandy sent messengers over with the Seal Cancellariae renuntians ET SIGILLVM RESIGNANS renouncing the Chancellorship and resigning up the Seal unto him Because he could not attend the Court and Church at once so as the Chancellor then kept the seale of England with him here when the King was absent in Normandy for the better execution of publike justice This will yet more plainly appeare by the ensuing passage of u Hoveden and Writ of King Richard the first Richardus Dei Gratia Rex Angliae c. Willielmo de Sancta Mariae Ecclesia Nugont Baro●lpho salutem sciatis quod didicimus quod in morte Patris nostri sine praecepto suo conscientiae habuerunt literas DE SIGILLO SVO Gaufrdtus de Mu camp de habendo Archidiaconatu de Cliveland Willielmus de Stigandebi Magister Erardus de praebendis habendis in Ecclesia Eboracensi quae tum vacabat erat in mann nostra Et ideo praecipimus quod praefatos ab Archidiaconatu Praebendit dictis sine mora dissaisietis repetentes ab eis quicquid ex inde perceperunt postquam illos redditus ita fraudulenter per surreptionem sunt adepti Teste m●ipso tertio die Novembris apud Mamerz Proh pudor Turpe est doctori cum culpa redargu●t ipsum Idem enim * Archiepiscopus dum adhuc esset CANCELLARIUS REGIS Patris sui SIGILLVM ILLVD IN CVSTODIA HABVIT per quod praefatus Archidiaconatus praebendae illae datae fuerant praenominatis personis By which passage and writ it is apparent First That the Chancellour in Henry the seconds Reigne had the custody of the great Seale Secondly That presentations to Churches Archdeaconries and Prebendaries were then granted under the Great Seale Thirdly That Chancellours did sometimes fraudulently grant and seale Patents without the Kings privity and that these Patents when discovered were reputed fraudulent and voyd Fourthly That writs at Common Law were usuall in Henry the second his Reigne which appeares most plentifully and irrefagably by Ranulphus de Glanvilla chiefe Insticiar under this King his Tractatus de Legibus consuetudinibus Regni Angliae tempore Regis Henrici secundi compositus wherein most Originall Writs of the Common Law and the Proceedings upon them yet in use are collected and registerd for the benefit of posterity In this Kings time I conceive our Writs of Law were reduced by this Ralph Glanvill and his fellow Iustices into a set forme and began to issue forth under the Kings Seale to avoyd forgery but whether under the Great Seale or speciall Seale of every Court as Sir Edward Cooke in his Institutes on Magna Charta pag. 554 555 556. conjectures I cannot certainly define In his Reigne I first finde that the connterfeiting of the Kings Charter was reputed Treason as Glanv●ll expresly declares it lib. 1. cap. 2. lib. 14. cap. 7. Illud tamen notandum quod si quis convictus fuerit de Charta falsa distinguendum est Vtrum fuerit CHARTA REGIS an privata Quod si CHARTA REGIA tunc is qui super hoc convincitur condemnandus est TANQVAM DE CRIMINE LESAE MAIESTATIS Si vero fuerit charta privata tunc cum convicto mitius agendum est Now that which he tearmes counterfeiting the Kings Charter y Bracton z Britton and the Statute of 25. E. 3. of Treasons stile counterfeiting the Great Seale or Privy Seale of the King and therefore this of Glanvill relates principally to the counterseting of the Kings Seale annexed to his Charter I finde in a Roger Hoveden a Charter of William King of Sicily which hee made to Ioan daughter of King Henry touching her Dower dated Anno Domini 1177. Mense Februarii Indicti decima subscribed with the names of divers witnesses Subjects to King William and among others Ego Mattheus Domini Regis VICE-CANCELLARIVS Which Charter concludes thus Ad hujus antem donationis concessionis nostra memoriam inviolabile firmamentum privilegium praesens per man●● Alexandri notarij nostri scribi ET BVLLA AVREA NOSTRO TYPARIO IMPRESSA ROBORATVM NOSTRO SIGILLO jussimus decorari In quo familiares nostri aliae personae pr●ecepto nostro se scripserunt hoc modo the Forme of which Kings great Seale you may behold ingraven in Hoveden p. 553. In fine this Henry the second being b chosen King of Hierusalem which Kingdome was wholly elective and earnestly importuned by Heraclius Patriarch of that City the Christians there and by Pope Lucius his Letters to accept that Honour An. 1185. c He thereupon summoned a Parliament as London on the 10. of April wherein hee charged all his Subjects with many adjurations to advise and resolve him what was best to be done in this case for the salvation of his sense and that hee was resolved by all meanes to follow their advice herein Whereupon the Parliament conferring on the premises resolved that it was much more wholesome for the Kings soule that he sholud govern his owne Kingdome with due moderation and defend it from the eruptions of the Barbarous

French then to provide for the safety of those in the East in proper person Which I onely note in the by having omitted it in its due place First to manifest what high esteem our Kings have had of the resolutions and advise of their Parliaments to which they wholly submitted their owne judgements acquiescing in their resolves Secondly to evidence the Soveveraigne power of Parliaments over our Kings then who might not desert the Realme not take any new honour or dominion upon them without their previous consents and advice Thirdly to shew the dutie of Kings to their Subjects and Kingdomes King Richard the first succeeding his Father Henry the second rather by Election then Succession and d not stiled a King by our ancient Writers before his Coronation was the first of all our Kings as Our e Writers accord who sealed with a Seale of Armes all our former Kings seales being but the Picture of the King sitting in a Throne on the one side of the seale and on horse-backe on the other side in divers Formes with various inscriptions of their Names and stiles which you may view in Speed But this King bare two Lions Rampant combatant in a shield in his first and three Lions passant in his latter Seale borne ever after by our Kings as the Royall Armes of England His first f Chancellour was William Longchamp Bishop of Ely Legate to the Pope whom hee made his Vice-Roy and Iusticiar of England when hee went to the Holy Land against the Saracens committing the Kingdome to his Government chiefely who infinitely oppressed and tyrannized over it as all our Historians evidence g Matthew Paris give this Character of him Erat idem CANCELI ARIVS MAXIMVS inter omnes occidentales REX ET SACERDOS in Anglia qui omnia pro nihilo ducebat cum Episcopali tantum dignitate non contentus nimis alta se sperare denotavit In prima namque Literarum suarum fronte vanitatem elationem expressit cum dixit Willielmus DEI GRATIA commonly used before in and since that age by and to Bishops Popes Abbots in publique Writs as well as Kings as the h Marginall Authors manifest Eliensis Episcopus DOMINI REGIS CANCELLARIUS totius Angliae Iustitiarius Apostolicae sedis Legatus c. Has autem dignitates quos pretio obtinuerat immoderato excessu exercuit volens locellos quas in earum impetratione evacuerat reficere c. This Chancellour as is probable had the custody of one part of the Seale in this Kings absence for the better administration of justice though the King carried the other part of the great Seale with him into the warres pretended to be there lost as you shall presently heare I finde divers of this Kings Charters Letters Writs before and after his voyage to the Holy-land recited in i Hoveden These Charters which questionlesse were sealed with his Seale were subscribed by sundry witnesses the Writs and Charters concluding with a Teste meipso apud Chinonem c. The Charter of the Manor of Sadburgh to Hugh Bishop of Durham is thus dated Datum anno primo regni nostri 18 die Septembris apud Eatingat per manum Willielmi de longo campo CANCELLARII NOSTRI During this King Richards imprisonment in Germany Henry the Emperour sent Letters to the Nobles of England for this King by William Longchamp his Chauncellour AUREA BULLA IMBULLATAS in hac forma sealed with a golden Bull in this forme And soone after this k Chancellor William Briwere and others concluding a peace betweene this King and Phillip King of France authorized thereto by the Kings Letters Patents these Commissioners not onely sware to but sealed the Articles of this truce as this close of it manifests Quae omnia praedicta ut rata permaneant inconcussa ego Willielmus de Rupibus ego Joannes de Pratellis ego Willielmus Briwere per praeceptum Regis Angliae Domini nostri SIGILLORUM NOSTRORUM ATTESTATIONE ROBORAVIMUS Actum Meduneae Anno ab incarnatione Domini 1193. octav● Idus Julii And the very next yeere the l Letters and instrument of the truce made between these two Kings by Drogo and Anselme and sworne by them in the French Kings behalfe have this conclusion Et nos ut omnia praedicta firma sint stabilita universa praedicta SIGILLIS NOSTRIS ROBORAVIMUS Actum inter Vernelium Thilers Anno incarnati verbi 1194. 23 die Iulii King Richard being released this very yeere which was the sixt of his raigne out of prison and new crowned among other oppressve projects to raise moneys to maintaine his warres which made him an extraordinary oppressiour of his people m caused a NEW BROADE SEALE TO BE MADE the portrayture whereof you may view in Speed pretending that the old was lost when Roger his VICE-CHANCELLOR was drowned before Cyprus and that his CHANCELLOR during his imprisonment had abused THIS SEALE whereupon he tooke it from him requiring and cōmanding that all persons as well Clergy men as Lay men who had Charters or confirmations UNDER HIS OLD SEALE should bring them in to be renued UNDER HIS NEW SEALE and unlesse they did so that nothing which had beene passed BY HIS OLD SEALE should be ratified or held good in Law By which device he drew a great masse of Money to his Treasury subscribing his new-Sealed Charters thus This was the tenor of our Charter under our first Seale which because it was lost and at the time of our being captive in Almayne in the power of another WE CAUSED TO BE CHANGED c. Which n Hoveden thus relates Et imputans Cancellario suo hoc per ipsum fuisse factum ABSTULIT AB EO SIGILLUM SUUM facit sib NOVUM SIGILLUM FIERI tum quia CANCELLARIUS ille operatus fuerat inde minus discrete quàm esset necesse tum quia SIGILLUM ILLUD perditum erat quando Rogerus malus catul●o VICE-CANCELLARIUS SUUS submersus erat in maeri ante insulam de Cypro praecepit Rex quod OMNES tam clerici quam laici qui Chartas habebant venirent AD NOVUM SIGILLUM SUUM ad Chartas suas renovandas nisi fecerint NIHIL quod actum fuerat PER SIGILLUM SUUM VETUS RATUM HABERETUR Praterea Rex statuit torniamenta fieri in Anglia Chartasua confirmavit c. making them also a money matter By which passages it is apparent First that all these Kings Patents Charters were sealed with his great Seale Secondly that the abuse losse or absence of the great Seale is a sufficient cause to make a new one Thirdly that the profit made by the great Seale and project of raising moneys by new Charters sealed with it was the true originall cause all sealing of Charters and VVrits with his Seale and making it simply necessary in Law there being no publique resolution or

crimen falsi quod in quadam sui specie tangit coronam Domini Regis Vt si quis accusatus fucrit vel convictus FALSIFICATIONIS SIGILLI DOMINI REGIS CONSIGNANDO INDE CHARTAS VEL BREVIA Writs then were sealed with the Kings Seale as well as Patents apponendo signa adulterina quo casu si inveniatur inde culpabilis vel seisitus si Warrantum non habuerit pro voluntate Regis judicium sustinebit How the Lord Chancellors were elected and the Great Seale disposed of by Parliament in this Kings reigne I have a elsewhere related and shall touch againe anon King Edward the first comming to the Crowne and proclaimed King during his absence in the holy Land his b Lords and States without his privity made both a new great Seale and Chancellor to keepe it with which in the 25 yeere of his reigne he confirmed the great Charter and Charter of the Forrest in Parliament And in another Parliament in the 28 yeere of his reigne it was enacted That the great Charter of the liberties of England and Charter of the Forrest shall be delivered to every Sheriffe of England UNDER THE KINGS GREAT SEALE to be read foure severall times in the yeere before the people in the full County And for these two Charters to be firmely observed in every point and Article wherein no remedy was before at the Common law there shall be CHOSEN in every Shire Court BY THE * COMMINALTY OF THE SAID SHIRE three substantiall Knights or other lawfull wise and well disposed persons to be Justices which shall be assigned BY THE KINGS LETTERS PATENTS UNDER THE GREAT SEALE to heare and determine without any other Writ but onely their Commission such plaints as shall be made against all those as commit or offend against any point contained in the foresaid Articles in the Shires where they be assigned as well within Franchises as without c. Also e That all the Kings Takers Purveyors or Ratours FROM HENCEFORTH shall have their warrant with them UNDER THE KINGS GREAT OR PETY SEALE declaring their authority and the things whereof they have power to make price or purveyance the which Warrants they shall shew to them whose goods they take before that they take any thing And Chap. 6 There shall NO WRIT FROM HENCE-FORTH that toucheth the Common law goe forth UNDER ANY OF THE PETY SEALES These are the first Statute lawes extant prescribing that the Kings Charters Patents Commissions Warrants Writs should issue forth under the Great or Pety Seales though they did so usually before his reigne rather through custome which crept in by little and little by degrees from Edward the Confessours daies unto this very Parliament as the premises evidence till it got the reputation of a received common Law and usage and at last was thus established as simply necessary by these present Acts which se●led the law in point of necessity of sealing all Writs Charters Patents with the Great Seale and added such Majesty to the Seale it selfe that Britton an eminent Judge and Lawyer flourishing in this Kings reigne writing his booke as in this Kings name reso ves expresly c. 3. f. 10. c. 8. f. 16. that the * counterfeiting of the KINGS SEALE IS HIGH TREASON and that the Justices ought to enquire concerning the falsifiers of THE SEALE Not only whether any have actually connterfeited it but also whether any have hanged ANY SEAL by an Engyn to any Charters without license or having stollen or taken away ANY SEALE or otherwise finding it HAVE SEALED WRITS without other authority And Chap. 48. Exceptions aur Brefe f. 122. He writes It is a good exception to abato a Writ s●ule Brete ne fuit unques enseale de nostre Seale ou si le Ordinance et le Seal de nostre Chauncery us s●it point contenu And Andrew Horne another great Lawyer living in or neere this time in his My●rour of Justices cap. 3. sect. 6. p. 191. Among Exceptions to the power of the Iudge enumerates this for one IF THE COMMISSION BE NOT SEALED WITH THE KINGS GREAT SEALE OF THE CHANCERY Car al Privy Seale le Roy ou al Sealed ' l' Eschequer ou Autre Seale forsque Solement al Seals que est assigne dée conud ' le Cominalty del peopls nosmement en Iurisdiction Bres Originals ne estoit a nul obeyer des letes usages ●el Royalme st non solement pur le Roy Du elle puira ée viciouse Pur le Seale counterfoit ou anterment fausse This falsifying of the Kings Seale to Writs cap. 1 sect. 6. De Fansonners pag. 28 29. he makes a crime next to high Treason which forging he saith may be indivers manners As where a Writ is SEALED whereof the grosse and matter or the forme is not avowable by the King nor by the Law nor by the rights and customes of the Realme If a man seale after that the Chancellor or other Keeper knoweth that he hath lost his Warrant by death or any other manner When a Writ or Letter passeth the Seal against the Kings defence When men seale with counterfeit Seales or seale by ill art or Warrants not avowable and so it is falshood in those who seale and have no authority And Chap. 4. Sect. 2. p. 233. Thus * OUR ANCIENTS ORDAINED A SEALE AND A CHANCELLOUR FOR TO KEEPE IT and to give remeliable WRITS to all persons without delay Then describing what manner of Writs must issue he concludes thus And now may Justices Sheriffs and their Clarks withdraw rase amend and impaire them without discerning or paine for the Writs that are made close to the abuse of right Wherefore THE SEALE ONELY is the jurisdiction assignable to all Plaintiffs without difficulty And to doe this the Chancellour is chargeable by Oath in allegiance of the charge of the King that he shall * neither deny nor delay to render right or a Writ remediable to any one Thus have I given you a briefe Historicall and Legall Narration of the Originall Growth Progresse Vse and Necessity of the Great Seale of England and of the manner of making subscribing and sealing Charters Patents Writs with other Instruments in our Realme from King Aethelberts first Charter Anno 605. till the end of King Edward the first his reigne when Seales and * sealing grew more common and our ordinary Law-books which recite few or none of the premises begin to make mention of Seales and sealing of whose autiquity kinds and present use in point of Law if any desire further satisfaction let them consult with Polydor Virgil De inventoribus Rerum lib. 8. cap. 2. Henrici Spelmani Glossarium title Bulla Rastals Exposition of the Termes of the Law title Faits Sir Edward Corkes Institutes on Magna Charta pag. 554 555 556. his 11 Report f. 92. and Ashes Tables title Seales it being not my intention to trouble the Reader

here with triviall common things concerning Seales or sealing but onely with such Antiquities and rarities as are not commonly knowne nor mentioned in our Law Books The Kings and Parliaments severall and joint Interests in and power over the new-making keeping ordering of the GREAT SEALE of ENGLAND HAving thus traced out the originall progresse use and necessity of the GREAT SEALE through the obscure paths of abstruce Antiquity with as much Verity Perspicuity Brevity as possible I shall in the next place summarily examine What severall or joint interests the King Kingdome and Parliament have in what power or jurisdiction over the Great Seale of England both in respect of the new-making keeping or using thereof For the better assoyling of which grand Question now in publike agitation I shall premise these three Propositions and Distinctions which will much conduce to the clearing and resolution of this doubt First that our Kings Great and Petty Seals when originally invented and whiles the use of them was onely private or meerely arbitrary not simply necessary in point of Law in the administration of Justice or transactions of the publike affairs of the Realme were proper and peculiar to themselves alone and in their owne disposing power onely as every private mans Seale now is they using them onely as private not as publike persons in their naturall not politicke capacities But after that these Seals by use and custome became simply necessary for the publike execution of Justice and affaires of the Realme and our Kings made use of them in their politique capacities as Heads or supreame Governours of the body of the Realme and publike Ministers thereof the whole Kingdom and Parliament by this occasion and upon this reason came to gaine a publike interest in and jurisdiction over these Seals as well as our Kings even as in all other inferiour Corrations the Commonalty as well as the Majors in Cities and Boroughs the Chapters as well as the Bishops or Deanes the Covents as well as the Abbots or Priors the Wardens Assistants and whole company as well as the Masters the Fellowes of Colledges as well as the Presidents have a publike interest in and power over their severall Corporation-Seals made onely for their common good and affairs as I shall manifest in the sequell And in this respect the great Seale came to be commonly called * THE GREAT SEALE OF ENGLAND in our Acts as in 14. and 15. Hen 8. c. 4. 34 and 35 Hen 8. c. 26. 1 Ed. 6. c. 44. 3 and 4 Ed. 6 c. 12. 2 and 3 Phil. and Mar. cap. 20. 1 Eliz. cap. 1. 5 Eliz. cap. 1. 8 Eliz. cap. 1. 13 Eliz cap. 6 7 9. 18 Eliz. cap. 2. 23 Eliz. cap. 14. 39 Eliz. cap. 6 43 Eliz. cap. 4. 5 Eliz. cap. 18. An Act declaring the authority of the Lord Keeper OF THE GREAT SEALE OF ENGLAND frequently thus stiled in this Act and the Lord Chancellour to be one 1 Jac. c. 28. 1 Car. c. 2. 16 Car. c. 1. with sundry other Acts to omit Law-Bookes and Historier And being thus become the great Seale of England the Parliament the representative body of the whole Realme of England must necessarily have an interest in and jurisdiction over it in all publike respects even so farre as to new make it when there is need and to dispose it for necessary affairs of Parliament and the Realme when the old Seale the proper Seale of the Parliament is purposely substracted yea denied them for necessary publike uses Secondly that after the great Seale became common and necessary to most publike affairs in which regard the whole Kingdome and Parliament came to have a right in and power over it so in other respects the King still retained a peculiar interest and prerogative in it in all arbitrary matters of royall grace and favour to which he is no ways obliged in point of Law in which respect it is called The Kings Great Seale As first in cases of generall or particular Charters of pardon Secondly of Indenization or Enfranchisment Thirdly of erecting new Corporations or confirming old Fourthly of dispensing with some kinde of Lawes Penalties and Forfeitures Fifthly of conferring some kinde of lesse publike Offices and Annuities for services performed or to be executed Sixthly of granting new Liberties or Franchises of grace to Corporations or private Subjects Seventhly of creating or conferring new honours on deserving men Eighthly of Licences for mort-maines impropriations alienations consecrations of new Churches or Chappels c. Ninthly of publike collections for persons or townes distressed through fire shipwrack or other casualties Tenthly of private negotiations with forraign Princes States or Subjects and some kinde of Protections Commissions of grace rather then right or justice In all these and such like particulars of meere grace or lesse publike concernment the Kingdome and Parliament neither properly have nor pretend to have any publike right or jurisdiction over the great or petty Seals but leave them absolutely free to the King as if they were his owne private seales alone so far forth as his Charters Pardons Grants Licenses Dispensations Protections Commissions of this kinde are consonant to the Lawes and Statutes of the Realme and not repugnant to them Thirdly the Parliament and whole Kingdom as to all publike affairs of state and the administration of Justice to all the subjects hath committed the making lawfull use power and disposall of the great Seal of England in trust to the King as to the supreame Magistrate and Justitiar over which they never claime a constituting or disposing jurisdiction whiles it is rightly managed according to Law But if this Seale be either wilfully abused or substracted contrary to Law or trust to the prejudice of the Kingdome the obstruction of publike Justice or violation of the priviledges of Parliament and not redressed after severall complaints and Petitions of the Houses to the King for reformation of this grievance Whether the whole Kingdome or Parliament in such a case as this who have authority to remedy the grievances the abuses or wilfull absence of the great Seale have not likewise a lawfull soveraigne power to make a new great Seale and appoint a Keeper of it for supplying the absence regulating the abuses of the old removing obstructions of publike Justice filling up the Commons House by issuing Writs to elect Knights and Burgesses in the places of such as are dead or justly expelled now denied sealing of Writs of Errour in Parliament and other such publike Parliamentary affairs necessarily requiring the presence of the great Seale the proper Seale of the high Court of Parliament which hath no other Seale but it and Lord Chancellour the ordinary Speaker of the Lords House by vertue of his very Office in all ages and so his and the great Seales presence absolutely necessary unlesse dispensed with by the House upon inevitable occasions of absence is the sole question now in debate And under correction in this case and for these

shall bee sent unto every Faire under THE KINGS SEALE by a Clerke sworne or by the Keeper of the Faire And of the Commonalty of London two Merchants shall be chosen than shall sweare and THE SEALE shall be opened before them and one peece shall be delivered unto the foresaid Merchants and the other shall remaine with the Clerk 13. H. 8. c. 6. 2. 3. E. 6. c. 31. second those Acts. 27. E. 3. Parl. 2. c. 1. 9. enact That the Mayor of the Staples shall have power to take Recognizances of debts which a man will make before him in the presence of the Constables of the Staple or one of them And that in every of the said Staples BE A SEALE ORDAINED remaining in the CVSTODY OF THE SAID MAIOR of the Staple UNDER THE SEALES of the same Constables which is againe enacted 15. R. 2. ch. 9. 8. H. 6. c. 18. The Acts of 12. R. 2. c. 3. 7. ordaine That A SEALE OF THE KINGS shall be made assigned and delivered to THE KEEPING of some good man of the Hundred Rape or Wapentake City or Burrough after the discretion of the Iustices of Peace to be kept to this intent to make Letters Patents to Servants Labourers Vagabonds Pilgrimes who shall have occasion to depart out of the Hundred Rape or Wapentake where they lived to serve or dwell else where c. And that ABOVT THE same SEALE shall bee written the name of the County and OVERTHWART THE SAID SEALE the name of the Hundred Rape or Wapentake City or Burrough And 14. R 2. 11. enacts That SEALES BE MADE FOR THE SERVANTS and DELIVERED UNTO THE KEEPING OF SOME GOOD MEN OF THE COVNTY after the purport of the said Statutes Here the Kings new Seale forme of it and keepers too are ordered by Parliament The Statutes of 27. E. 3. c. 4. 3. R. 2. c. 2. 15. R. 2. c. 10. 17. R. 2. c 2 prescribe A NEW SEALE to the Kings Aulnegeors and Collectons of Subsidies wherewith all cloathes shall be sealed before they be sold under paine of forfeiture 1. H. 4. c. 19. 9. H. 4. c. 2. It was enacted That certaine Cloathes should not bee SEALED by them for three yeares 4. H. 4 c. 6. enacts That one sufficient man should be assigned by our Soveraigne Lord the King to SEALE the Clothes that shall be wrought and ful●ed in London and the Suburbs of the same WITH A SEAL OF LEAD as of old time was used in the said 〈◊〉 and Suburbs 11. H. 4. c. 6. ordaines That A NEW SEAL HAVING A SIGNE and MARKE DIFFERING FROM THE OLD SEALE of the Office of the Kings Aulnegeor SHALL BE MADE and DELIVERED TO THE AVLNEGEORS And that after the same so NEWLY MADE and delivered Proclamation shall be made in the West and in other places through the Realme that no Cloathes shall be sold of such sorts mentioned in the Act before the Aulnegeor hath searched and measured them and set THE NEW SEALE OF HIS OFFICE TO THEM which is confirmed by 13. H. 4. c. 4. This Seale by 11. H. 6. c. 9. is stiled THE KINGS SEALE thereunto ordained and prescribed to be put to Cloathes So 18. H. 6. c. 16. a line is prescribed to bee sealed for the measuring of cloath 8. E. 4. c. 1. enacts That broad Cloathes shall bee SEALED by the Kings Aulneger or sealed with the SEALES of the Subsidy and Aulneger therefore ordained AND IN WAX And 4. E. 4. c. 1 That for Kersies and short Cloathes A SEALE OF LEAD SHALL BEE ORDAINED and by the Treasurer of England for the time being provided and hanged at the lower part of the edge of the said cloath And that the Treasurer of England for the time being shall have power and authority to make SUCH and so many KEEPERS OF THE SAID SEALES as he shall thinke necessary so that no stranger born be made any of the said Keepers 17 E. 4. c. 1. 1. R. 3. c. 8. and other Statutes enact the like 25. H. 8. c. 8. 27. H. 8. c. 3. 4. E. 6. c. 2. 5. E. 6. 6. 2. 3. Phil. and Mary 12. 4. 5. Phil. and Mary c. 5. 8. Eliz. c. 12. 23. Eliz. c. 9. with other Acts prescribe divers sorts of SEALES of LEAD to seale cloathes withall conteyning the length or length and breadth of the said Cloathes some of the seales for ill cloathes to have FAULTIE engraven in them others that are dyed and madered the letter M. and the like some to be kept and affixed by the Aulnegers others by the Searchers appointed in every County Towne or Burrough Such variety of Seales and Keepers of them have these severall Parliaments prescribed onely for cloath which yet they stile THE KINGS SEALES though neither made kept disposed of nor the forme prescribed by him but the Parliament See the like for Leather 5. Eliz. c. 8. The Statute of 11. H. 6. c. 6. makes mention of SEALES assigned to the Customers Office and punisheth the abuses of them set to blanke scrowls with forfeiture of goods as in case of Felony 12. Ed. 4. c. 3. The statute of Tunnage and Poundage for guarding the Seas enacts cloath of Gold Silver Baudkin Velvet Damaske Satyn Chamlets Silkes c. brought from beyond the Sea shall be sealed in one end thereof before it bee sold with THE SEALE or marke ESPECIALLY TO BE ORDAINED FOR THE SAME whereof the Collectors of that Subsidy shall have the one part and the Comptroller the other part severally in their custody which is confirmed by 4. H. 8. c. 6. 21. H. 8. c. 21. 14. 15. H. 8. c. 3. appointes a severall Warden of the Worsted-makers in the Townes of Yarmouth and Lynne to be annually chosen and serve to surveigh and search the Worsteds there made and that the Warden of Yarmouth so elect and sworne shall ordaine and appoint A SEALE with the letter Y and the Warden of Lynne A SEAL with the letter L to be engraven in the same SEAL and to seal in Lead with the SAME SEALES so to be appointed and engraven and none other all Worsteds and Flannins within these Townes and their Suburbs 14. 15. H. 8. c. 5. ordaines a speciall common Seale for the Corporation and Colledge of Physicians in London 27. H. 8. c. 27. Which establisheth the Court of Augmentations and prescribes the severall Officers in it with the Oathes they shall take enacts likewise That this Court shal have ONE GREAT SEALE ONE PRIVY SEALE to be ingraven and made after such forme fashion and manner as shall be appointed by the Kings Highnesse that the Chancellour of this Court shall have THE KEEPING OF THESE SEALES which shall REMAINE and BE ORDERED as in that act is at large declared The statute of 33. H. 8. c. 39. which erects the Court of Surveighers prescribes a particular SEALE for that Court the person by whom it shall be kept and how it shall bee used

together with all the Officers of that Court their Oathes and Fees So 34. H. 8. c. 26. enacts that there shall be severall Originall and judiciall SEALES MADE for the severall Counties and Circuits of Wales prescribes the severall parties that shall keepe these seales what Writts and Processes they shall seale with them and what fees they shall take for them as you may read at large in the Act. In like manner the statutes of 32. H. 8. c. 45. 33. H. 8. c. 22. enact the Court of Wards Liveries to be a Court of Record and that they shall have ONE SEALE to be engravin and made after such form fashion and manner as shall be appointed by the Kings Highnesse which shal remaine and be ordered as is afterward declared in those Acts prescibing who shall keepe it how it shall be used and what Fees shall be paid for it And 32. H. 8. c. 45. ordaines a particular SEAL for the Court of first Fruites and Tenthes which it erects with the Officers that shall keepe it their Oathes and Fees for sealing with it True it is these Statutes leave the forme and fashion of these Seales last mentioned to the Kings appointment which they might have likewise prescribed as in the former Acts being is matter of no great moment but the Keepers use ordering and fees of all these Seales are punctually limited by the Parliament and not left arbitrary to the King And to trouble you with no more Acts of this nature the statute of 1. E. 6. c. 2 enacts That all Arch-Bishops and spirituall persons under the paine of a Premunire even in the Kings Ecclesiasticall Courts shall make out all their Processes in the Kings name with the Kings stile as it is in Writs originall and judiciall at the Common Law and shall from the first day of I●ly have IN THEIR SEALES OF OFFICE THE KINGS HIGHNESSE ARMES DECENTLY SET with certaine Carects under the Annes for the knowledge of the Diocesse and shall use NO OTHER SEALE OF JURISDICTION but wherein his Majesties Armes be engraven Here the expresse forme as well as use of these seales is prescribed by the Parliament and not left Arbitrary to the King or Bishops If then our Parliaments in all these cases have thus prescribed New Seales of the Kings for his Courts and Officers together with the forme custody use and fees of them in these severall Acts why they may not likewise enjoy the making of a New broad Seal to supply the absence of the old in the cases fore-mentioned I cannot yet discover it being the Parliaments Seal and GREAT SEAL OF-ENGLAND and so commonly stiled in sundry printed statutes as well as the Kings in respect of the publike justice and affaires of the Realme of England and Parliament which represents it If the Major Bayliffes Bishop Dean President of a Colledge Mr. of a Company Abbot or Prior or chief Justice shall detaine or withdraw the common Seales of their severall Corporations or Courts the Common Counsell Aldermen Chapter Fellowes Livery-men and Courts may doubtlesse lawfully make new Seales without yea against their consents and use them too for their common affaires without injury or forgery And why the Parliament then may not in such cases make a new great Seale of England by like reason without the Kings consent when the old their onely Seal is purposely withdrawne and kept from them to hinder their proceedings I cannot yet discerne If any here object First that it is High Treason both by the Common and Statute Law to counterfeit or make the Kings great Seale without his privity or consent as is evident by Glanuil Bracton Britton here forecited 3 E. 1. c. 15. 25. E. 3. Stat. 5. C. 2. of Treasons 5. H. 4. C. 15. 27. H. 8. C. 2. 1. E. 6. C. 12. 1. Mar. Parl. 1. C. 6. Stamford L. 1. C. 1. Brooke Treason 3. 13. 17. Cromptons Iurisdiction of Courts 69. and generally all our Law-bookes Therefore for the Parliament or any else by their command to make and use a new broad Seale I answer 1 That this is true onely of private men who make a broad Seale by their owne particular Authority in deceite of the King and Kingdome not of the Parliament or any imployed to make or use it by their Authority The Parliament the Supreamest Power of all others being uncapable of Treason and out of the words and intention of the seand all Acts concerning Treason as I have a elsewhere proved at large to which I shall referre you Secondly the King hath his great Seale of England not in his owne particular but the Kingdomes and peoples right alone as their publique Minister and servant for their use and benefit the Kingdome and Parliament which represents it being the b Proprietors of this Seal which upon the Kings decease is ever surrendred to the successor King as belonging to the Kingdome as the seales of other Corporations goe to the Mayors Bishops Deanes Abbots Presidents Succesors not their Heires Executors or Administrators as other mens Seals doe The Kingdom and Parliament therefore being the true Proprietors of it as it is the publique Seal of the Kingdome not the King may lawfully give order for the new making of it even without the King in case of necessity when it is unduly withdrawn with-held Thirdly the Forging of the great Seale is high Treason onely as it is the c Kingdomes common Seale not the Kings private and particular Seale and an offence against the Kingdome and King himselfe only in his politick publike capacity as head of the Kingdome not in his private whence counterseiting of the Kings signe manual privy signet or privy Seales were no high Treason at Common Law being no publike but rather private Seales of the Kings till they were made so by 27. H. 8. c. 2. since repealed by 1. E. 6. c. 12. 1. Mariae Sest. 1. c. 1. Rastall Treason 13. and so no Treason at this day even as the compassing of the Kings death is no Treason considered onely as he is a private man but as a d publike person invested with his politick Royall capacity If then the Parliament the representative body of the Kingdome against which all treason in counterfeiting the Great Seal are principally committed the true proprietory of this seale shall order a New great Seale to be made or used for the service of it selfe and the Kingdome in this case of necessity it cannot possibly be high Treason in them or their Agents for then they should be Traytors to and against themselues and suffer for an Offence against themselves and the Realme done by their owne Votes and assents in Parliament Fourthly the counterfeiting of the Great Seale mentioned in those Law bookes and Statutes is that onely which is secret fraudulent traitorly in deceit of the King Kingdome Subjects f like to counterfeiting of false many ever joyned with it by private persons as our Law Bookes and