ensuing The Session of Parliament held in the 18 th year of Queen Elizabeth began on Wednesday the 18 th day of February Anno Domini 1575. and was Prorogued on Thursday the 15 th day of March ensuing The Session of Parliament held in the 23. year of Queen Elizabeth began on Monday the 16 th day of January Anno Domini 1580. and was Dissolved on Friday the 19 th day of April Anno Domini 1583. The Parliament held in the 27 th year of Queen Elizabeth began on Monday the 23. day of November Anno Domini 1584. and was Dissolved on Wednesday the 14 th day of September An. Domini 1586. Anno 28 Regin ejusdem The Parliament held in the 28 th and 29 th years of Queen Elizabeth began on Saturday the 29 th day of October Anno Domini 1586. and was Dissolved on Thursday the 23. of March Anno 29 Regin ejusdem The Parliament held in the 31. year of Queen Elizabeth began on Tuesday the 4 th day of February Anno Domini 1588. and was Dissolved on Saturday the 29 th day of March Anno Domini 1589. The Parliament held in the 35 th year of Queen Elizabeth began on Monday the 19 th day of November Anno Domini 1592. and was Dissolved on Tuesday the 10 th day of April Anno Domini 1593. The Parliament held in the 39. and 40. years of Queen Elizabeth began on Monday the 24. day of October Anno Domini 1597. and was Dissolved on Thursday the 9 th day of February An. 40 Regin ejusdem The Parliament held in the 43. and 44 th years of Queen Elizabeth began on Tuesday the 27 th day of October Anno Domini 1601. and was Dissolved on Saturday the 19 th day of December ensuing Anno 44. Regin ejusdem The Names of the Lord Keeper Lord Chancellor or others who supplied their places as Speakers of the House of Lords during all the Reign of Queen ELIZABETH as also all the Names of all the Clerks of the said House of Parliament together with the Names of the several Speakers of the House of Commons and Clerks of the same House during all the Parliaments of the said Queens Reign The several Years of her Majesties Reign in which the said Parliaments or Sessions of Parliament were held The Names of the Lord Keeper Lord Chancellor c. and of the Clerks of the House of Lords The Names of the Speakers of the House of Commons and of the Clerks of the same House IN the Parliament held in the first Year of Queen Elizabeth Sir Nicholas Bacon Knight Lord Keeper of the Great Seal of England whose place was supplied Mar. 4. by the Marquess of Winchester Lord Treasurer of England Sir Thomas Gargrave Knight Speaker  Francis Spilman Esquire Clerk of the Upper House ..... Seimour Gent. Clerk of the House of Commons In the Session of Parliament held in the fifth Year of Queen Elizabeth The same Lord Keeper Thomas Williams Esq Speaker The same Clerk The same Clerk In the Session of Parliament held in the ninth Year of Queen Elizabeth The same Lord Keeper and his place supplied for divers dayes during his being sick of the Gout First by the Marquess of Winchester Lord Treasurer of England after by Sir Robert Catlin Knight Lord Chief Justice of the Kings Bench. Richard Onslow Esq the Queens Sollicitor  The same Clerk who either died or surrendred his place before the next Parl. began in An. 13 Reg. Eliz. The same Clerk In the Parliament held in the thirteenth Year of Queen Elizabeth The same Lord Keeper and his place supplied for divers dayes during his sickness by Sir Robert Catlin K t Lord Ch. Justice of the Kings Bench. Christopher Wray Serjeant at Law Speaker  Anthony Mason aliàs Wilkes succeeded Francis Spilman in the place of the Clerk of the House of Lords Fulk Onslow Gent. Clerk of the House of Commons In the Session of Parliament held in the fourteenth Year of Queen Elizabeth The same Lord Keeper and his place supplied in his absence for divers days by Sir Robert Catlin K t Lord Chief Justice of the Kings Bench. Robert Bell Esq Speaker  The same Clerk The same Clerk In the Session of Parliament held in the eighteenth Year of Queen Elizabeth The same Lord Keeper and his place supplied for divers dayes in his absence by the Lord Burleigh Lord Treasurer of England The same Speaker  The same Clerk The same Clerk In the Session of Parliament held in the twenty third Year of Queen Elizabeth Sir Thomas Bromley Knight Lord Chancellor John Popham Esq the Queens Sollicitor Speaker  The same Clerk The same Clerk In the Parliament held in the twenty seventh Year of Qucen Elizabeth The same Lord Chancellor John Puckering Serjeant at Law Speaker  The same Clerk The same Clerk In the Parliament held in the twenty eighth and twenty ninth Years of Queen Elizabeth The same Lord Chancellor and his place supplied for divers dayes during his sickness by Sir Edmund Anderson Knight Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas. John Puckering Serjeant at Law Speaker again  The same Clerk The same Clerk from Oct. 29. to Dec. 2. 1589. And the same Clerks Kinsman W. Onslow Gent. from Febr. 15. to March 23. ensuing In the Parliament held in the thirty first Year of Queen Elizabeth Sir Christopher Hatton Knight Lord Chancellor George Snagg Serjeant at Law Speaker  The same Clerk The same Clerk In the Parliament held in the thirty fifth Year of Queen Elizabeth Sir John Puckering Knight Lord Keeper of the Great Seal of England Edward Coke Esq the Queens Sollicitor Speaker  The same Clerk The same Clerk In the Parliament held in the thirty ninth and fortieth Years of Queen Elizabeth Sir Thomas Egerton Knight Lord Keeper of the Great Seal of England Christopher Yelverton Serjeant at Law Speaker  Thomas Smith Esq succeeded Clerk of the Upper House to Anthony Mason alids Wilkes The same Clerk In the Parliament held in the 43 44 Years of Queen Elizabeth The same Lord Keeper J. Croke Esq Recorder of London The same Clerk The same Clerk THE JOURNAL OF THE House of LORDS A o 1 o Regin Eliz. A. D. 1558 1559. The Journal of the Proceedings of the House of Lords in the Parliament holden at Westminster A o 1 o Regin Eliz. Anno Dom. 1558. beginning there after one Prorogation of the same on Wednesday the 25 th of January and then and there continued until the Dissolution thereof on Monday the 8 th day of May Anno Dom. 1559. QUeen Mary Deceased on Thursday the 17 th day of November in the year of our Lord 1558. and the Parliament then Assembled in the 6th and last year of her Reign thereby immediately Dissolving the thrice Excellent and Prudent Princess Queen Elizabeth according to her right and Hereditary Title without any opposition or difficulty King Philip being then very happily absent beyond the
which is usual in other continuations of it But the reason why they met not till the Afternoon seemeth to be because then the Queens Majesty her self came thither to whom Richard Onslow Esq her Majesties Sollicitor having been Chosen Speaker for the House of Commons the day past was presented and admitted by her in manner and form as followeth About three of the Clock in the Afternoon this present Wednesday the second day of October the Queens Majesty took her Barge and Landed on the back-side of the Parliament-Chamber and so the Earl of Northumberland bearing the Sword the Lady Strainge her Trayn with the Lords in their daily Apparel and the Heralds attending on her she proceeded up into the Privy-Chamber to prepare her self during which time the Lords and Justices put on their Parliament Robes and took their places in manner and form following In which it is to be noted that no part of this days passages already set down is found in the Original Journal-Book of the Upper House but is either transcribed out of a certain Anonymous memorial I had by me in which the presentment of the Speaker this day is somewhat exactly set down or was supplied by my self upon the comparing of several things together Now follow the Names of the Lords and others as aforesaid First on the Form on the North-side together with the Upper Form at the nether end sate the Bishops as followeth Younge Archbishop of York Grindall Bishop of London Pilkington Bishop of Durham Sands Bishop of Winchester Birkley Bishop of Bath and Wells Bett. Bishop of Carlisle Barlow Bishop of Chichester Alleo Bishop of Exeter Gest. Bishop of Rochester Skamler Bishop of Peterburgh Horne Bishop of Worcester Bullingham Bishop of Lincoln Bentam Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield Denham Bishop of Chester Scorie Bishop of Hereford Davies Bishop of S t Davids Parkhurst Bishop of Norwich Cheyney Bishop of Gloucester Nota That these names with those that follow being transcribed in a different manner from all others in the residue of the Journals of the Queens time were so found with the Names of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal added to them in that before-mentioned Anonymous memorial of this present Wednesdays passages being the second day of October and were therefore transcribed out of it as is aforesaid rather than out of the Original Journal-Book of the Upper House although the Series of them that were present set down there did serve well to rectifie those foregoing and these also that next ensue At the foremost Form on the South-side sate these Peers viz. William Paulet Marquess of Winchester Lord Treasurer Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolk Earl Marshall of England William Parre Marquess of Northampton Thomas Peircie Earl of Northumberland Charles Nevill Earl of Westmorland George Talbot Earl of Shrewsbury William Sommerset alias Plantagenet Earl of Worcester Thomas Ratcliff Earl of Sussex Henry Haistings Earl of Huntingdon Edward Seymor Earl of Hartford Robert Sutton alias Dudley Earl of Leicester and Master of the Horse Anthony Brown Viscount Mountague Nota That Edward de Vere Earl of Oxford Lord Great Chamberlain of England Edward Mannors Earl of Rutland William Bowrchier Earl of Bath and Henry Wriotheisly Earl of South-hampton were at this time under Age and in Ward to the Queen and therefore they were not admitted to take their places in the Uppermost House but if they were present did either stand besides the upper part of the Rail at the higher end of the said House or were admitted to kneel at the upper end of the same House near the Chair of State at this time and upon like solemn days for no Peer is admitted to have his free Voice or sit as a Member of that Great Council untill he have accomplished his full Age unless by the special Grace of the Prince At the Form at their back and the nether Form at the nether end sate these Peers Fynes Lord Clinton as Lord Admiral sate first amongst the Barons Howard Lord Effingham as Lord Chamberlain of her Majesties Houshold sate second Nevill Lord of Burgaveny sate in his due place of preheminence and so the rest that follow unless such as were misplaced by the Clerks error which is too frequent Zouch Lord Zouch Standley Lord Strange Birkley Lord Birkley Parker Lord Morley Brooke Lord Cobham Stafford Lord Stafford Gray Lord Gray of Wilton Sutton Lord Dudley Lumley Lord Lumley Blunt Lord Mountjoy Darcy Lord Darcy of Mevill Standley Lord Mounteagle Sands Lord Sands Vaux Lord Vaux Windsor Lord Windsor Wentworth Lord Wentworth Burrough Lord Borough Mordant Lord Mordant Cromwell Lord Cromwell Evers Lord Evers Willoughby Lord Willoughby Sheffeild Lord Sheffeild Paget Lord Paget Darcy de Chiche Dominus Darcy North Lord North of Carthelige Bridges Lord Shandois Haistings Lord Haistings of Loughborough Carey Lord Carey of Hunsdon S t John Lord S t John of Bletsoe Nota That Dutchet Lord Audley and the Lord Dacres of the North were under Age. All which Peers abovesaid had their Mantles Hood and Circots furred with Miniver their Arms put on the right side and the Duke of Norfolk had Bars of Miniver the Marquess of Winchester and Northampton had three Bars of Miniver the Earls likewise the Viscounts two and the Barons two Item On the upper Sack of Wooll sate the Lord Keeper till the Queen came and then went to his place at the Rail On the Woolsack on the Northside sate Sir Robert Catlin and Sir James Dyer the Queens two Chief Justices M r Corbet Weston and Southcote Justices of both Benches on the Woolsack on the Southside sate Sir William Cecill the Queens Principal Secretary Sir William Cordall Master of the Rolls Sir Thomas Sanders Chief Baron Baron Whiddon ..... Carus the Queens Serjeant ..... Gerrard the Queens Attorney and on the nether Sack sate M r Vaughan and Yale Masters of the Chancery M r Spilman Clerk of the Parliament M r Martin Clerk of the Crown and M r Peile his Joint Patentee And behind them kneeled Smith Clerk of the Council and Jones Clerk of the Signet Permiter and Dister Then the Queens Majesty being Apparelled in her Parliament Robes with a Caul on her Head came forth and took her Seat the Marquess of Northampton carrying the Cap of Maintenance and after stood on her right hand the Duke of Norfolk carrying his Marshals Rod and on her left hand the Earl of Northumberland with the Sword the Heralds also and Serjeants at Arms being before her her Majesties Mantle was born up on either side from her Shoulders by the Lord Chamberlain and the Lord of Hunsdon who also stood still by her for the assisting thereof when she stood up her Train was born by the Lady Strange assisted by Sir Francis Knolles Vice-Chamberlain at the left hand of the Queen and on the South-side kneeled the Ladies and at the Rail at the Queens back on the right hand stood the Lord Keeper and on the left hand the Lord Treasurer Then the Queen
you And I shall pray as I am bound to God for your long and prosperous Reign over us Then her Majesty called the Lord Keeper and Commanded him to Answer him which he did as followeth M r Speaker The Queens Majesty hath heard your humble Petitions and request made unto her the effect whereof she gathereth to stand in two points first for access to her person and secondly for good interpretation of your meaning and also larger Declaration thereof if need be For the former her Highness as her Noble Progenitors have done is well contented that in convenient time and for convenient Causes in convenient place and without importunity for that these parts now touched have not been afore this time so well handled as she trusteth now it shall be which considered as free access she granteth you as any other hath had For the second point because no man at all times may do so well but sometimes things may be uttered which may be mispoken for which cause in that time also you shall have her intreatable but she thinketh your circumspection to be such as she shall not therein need And so ended Now a word or two to remember you here present of both the Houses first this it is that I would advise you in this your proceeding to prefer the most weighty matters first and not trouble your selves with small matters and of no weight and therein also that all be done to understand the truth and to avoid all superfluous matters and losing or driving away of time Secondly It is profitable that you my Lords and all others that be here consider that long time requireth great expences and therefore wish you to make Expedition the rather to avoid the same And yet not meaning such Expedition that any thing needful to be done should be lightly passed over and not substantially done and seen unto but only I mean that you should settle your selves wholly to mighty matters and those which be necessary and to spare superfluous things and which needeth not And this is the sum I have to say Then the Speaker and the Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the House of Commons having made their low Reverence towards her Majesty departed to their own House and the Queen after the Lord Keeper had by her Majesties Commandment continued the Parliament unto the Morrow following returned into her Privy-Chamber and there shifted her and then repaired to her Barge and so to the Court Hactenus ex Memoriali praefato On Thursday the third day of October were three Bills read of which the last being the Bill for the better Execution of certain Statutes and for the reformation of certain disorders used in the Law was read primâ vice tunc commissa Archiepiscopo Cantuarien Duci Norfolciae Comiti Mareschall Angliae Comiti Salopiae Comiti Wigorniae Comiti Leicester Episcopo Dunelmen Episcopo Elien Episcopo Carliolen Domino Cobham Domino Grey de Wilton Domino Haistings Domino Primario Justiciario Banci Regis Domino Primario Baroni Scaccarii Scrvienti Carus Nota That this days passages are wholly transcribed out of the Original Journal-Book of the Upper House as are also the greatest part of the days following although the whole proceedings of Wednesday foregoing were inserted out of the before-mentioned Anonymous memorial touching the Speakers presentment and allowance which I had by me Nota also That the former Bill touching the better Execution of certain Statutes c. was not only committed upon the first reading which is not usual till after the second but committed also to the Judges being but Assistants of the Upper House and to the Queens Serjeant being but a meer Attendant upon the same jointly with the Lords the only proper and undoubted Members of that Great Council which is a matter to be observed because of later days neither the said Assistants nor Attendant are ever appointed joint Committees with the Lords as here but only Commanded by the House to attend upon the Committee and there to give such advice as shall be required from them which is no greater respect yielded them at a Committee than in the House it self sitting the Parliament and were they still admitted to be Committees as they usually were in all these first Parliaments of the Queen yet could no inconvenience ensue thereby because at a Committee things are only prepared and made ready for the House in which and no where else they ought to be concluded and expedited And Nota lastly That the Parliament was this day continued to Saturday the 5 th day of October ensuing but whether by the Lord Keeper who as it seems at this time fell sick of the Gout or by the Lord Treasurer who for a while afterwards was appointed by the Queens Commission to continue it according to the usual form and course in such case used doth not appear in the Original Journal-Book of the Upper House but is omitted through the negligence of Francis Spilman Esq now Clerk of the same House On Saturday the 5 th day of October to which day the Parliament had been last continued two Bills of no great moment had each of them one reading of which the second being the Bill for the taking away Clergy in certain Cases was read secundâ vice commissa Archiepiscopo Eboracen Duci Norf. Comiti Huntington Comiti Leicester Vice-Comiti Mountague Episcopo London Episcopo Dunelmen Episcopo Lincoln Domino Clinton Domino Morley Domino Wentworth Domino Willoughby Domino North Domino Hunsdon the two Chief Justices and the Chief Baron Nota That the Judges being meer Assistants and no Members of the Upper House were here also made joint Committees with the Lords which hath never been admitted of in later times These two Bills were read the Lord Keeper by reason of his being sick of the Gout abstaining this day and a good while aster from the Upper House and therefore William Lord Marquess of Winchester Lord Treasurer of England was Authorized by verbal Commission from the Queen to supply his place and accordingly continued the Parliament unto Monday next being the 7 th day of October the form and manner whereof although the President be very rare and of great use is only entred very briefly in the Original Journal-Book of the Upper House in these words following Hodie dictus Thesaurarius ex Mandato Dominae Reginae eò quod Dominus Custos Magni Sigilli Podagrae Morbo laboraret continuavit praesens Parliamentum usque in diem Lunae proxim horâ consuetâ Nota That here the Marquess of Winchester Lord Treasurer of England did supply the Lord Keepers place in the Upper House without any Authority given him by Commission under the great Seal which in like Cases is usual and therefore it is most probable that her Majesty did by word of Mouth give him this Commandment or Commission either in private or in the presence of some other Lords of the Upper House which although it
brought him even made him one of the greatest Princes in Europe when her Majesties Forces there left him how again he was fain to Ransom a servile Peace at our enemies the Spaniards hands with dishonourable and servile Conditions For the Low-Countries how by her aid from a confused Government and State she brought them to an Unity in Counsel and defended them with such success in her Attempts against the greatest power of the Spaniards Tyrannical designs which have so much gauled him that how many desperate practices have been both devised consented to and set on foot by commandment of the late King his Father I need not shew you neither trouble you with Arguments for proof thereof being confessed by them that should have been Authors themselves But de mortuis nil nisi bonum I would be loth to speak of the dead much more to slander the dead I have seen her Majesty wear at her Girdle the price of her blood I mean Jewels which have been given to her Physicians to have done that unto her which I hope God will ever keep from her but she hath rather worn them in Triumph than for the price which hath not been greatly valuable Then he fell to perswade us because new occasions were offered of consultations to be provident in provision of means for our own defence and safety seeing the King of Spain means to make England miserable by beginning with Ireland neither doth he begin with the Rebels but even with the Territory of the Queen her self He shewed that Treasure must be our means for Treasure is the sinews of War Nota That the substance of this Speech is only here inserted as it was afterwards repeated in the said House upon Tuesday the third day of November which next ensued by Sir Robert Cecill her Majesties principal Secretary who had done it to satisfy divers Members of the same who could not get into the Upper House to hear it this first day of the Parliament as is aforesaid Now follow the Names of the Receivors and Tryors of Petitions out of the Original Journal-Book of the said House As soon as the Lord Keeper had ended his Speech and that such of her Majesties Privy-Council and others of the House of Commons as had privately got in and heard it were departed down to their own House Thomas Smith Esq Clerk of the Upper House read the Names of the Receivors and Triors of Petitions in French which were as followeth Receivors of Petitions for England Ireland Wales and Scotland Sir John Popham Knight Lord Chief Justice Francis Gawdy one of the Justices of the Kings Bench George Kingsmell one of the Justices of the Common Pleas D r Carew and D r Stanhop Receivors of Petitions for Gascoign and other Lands and Countries beyond the Seas and of the Isles Sir Edmund Anderson Knight Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas Sir William Perriam Knight Lord Chief Baron Thomas Walmesley one of the Justices of the Common Pleas D r Swale and D r Howard They who will deliver Petitions to deliver them within six dayes Triors of Petitions for England Ireland Wales and Scotland The Archbishop of Canterbury the Marquess of Winchester the Earl of Sussex Lord Marshal of England the Earl of Nottingham Lord High Admiral of England and Steward of the Queens House the Earl of Hartford the Bishop of London the Bishop of Durham the Bishop of Winchester the Lord Zouch and the Lord Cobham All these or any four of them calling unto them the Lord Keeper of the Great Seal and the Lord Treasurer and also the Queens Serjeants at their leisure to meet and hold their place at the Chamberlains Chamber Triors of Petitions for Gascoign and other Lands and Countries beyond the Seas and of the Isles The Earl of Oxford High Chamberlain of England the Earl of Northumberland the Earl of Shrewsbury the Earl of Worcester the Earl of Huntington the Bishop of Rochester the Bishop of Lincoln the Lord Hunsdon Chamberlain to the Queen the Lord Le Ware the Lord Lumley and the Lord Burleigh All these or four of them calling unto them the Queens Serjeants and the Queens Attorney and Sollicitor when their leisure did serve them to meet and hold their place in the Treasurers Chamber Then the Lord Keeper continued the Parliament which is set down in the Original Journal-Book in manner and form following Dominus Custos Magni Sigilli ex mandato Dominae Reginae continuavit praesens Parliamentum usque in diem Veneris proximè futurum viz. 30 m diem Octobris Nota That although there be some short mention made of the Presentment of the Speaker of the House of Commons in the Original Journal-Book of the Upper House yet because it is very imperfectly and briefly Entred there I have therefore supplied it somewhat largely out of a private Journal of the House of Commons On Friday the 30 th day of October about one of the Clock in the Afternoon her Majesty came by Water to the Parliament Chamber commonly called the Upper House and being Apparelled in her Royal Robes and placed in her Chair of State divers also of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal being present the Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the House of Commons who had attended at the Door of the said House with John Crooke Esq Recorder of London their Speaker Elect the full space of half an hour were at last as many as conveniently could let in and the said Speaker was led up to the Bar or Rayl at the lower end of the same House by the hands of Sir William Knolles Knight Comptroller of her Majesties Houshold and Sir John Fortescue Chancellor of the Exchequer and presented to her Majesty to whom after he had made three low Reverences he spake in effect as followeth MOST Sacred and Mighty Sovereign Upon your Majesties Commandment your most dutiful and loving Commons the Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the Lower House have chosen me your Majesties most humble Servant being a Member of the same House to be their Speaker but finding the weakness of my self and my ability too weak to undergo so great a burthen I do most humbly beseech your Sacred Majesty to continue your most gracious favour towards me and not to lay this charge so unsupportable upon my unworthy and unable Self And that it would please you to Command your Commons to make a new Election of another more able and more sufficient to discharge the great service to be appointed by your Majesty and your Subjects And I beseech your most excellent Majesty not to interpret my denial herein to proceed from any unwillingness to perform all devoted dutiful service but rather out of your Majesties Clemency and Goodness to interpret the same to proceed from that inward fear and trembling which hath ever possessed me when heretofore with most gracious Audience it hath pleased your Majesty to Licence me to speak before you For I know and must acknowledge that
divina Abbas Monasterii beatae Mariae sanctique Botolphi de Thorney subjectionem et fidelitatem omnimodas cum orationibus assiduis et devotis ad comparend ' pro me et nomine meo in Parliamento vestro coram vestra regia celsitudine vicessimo die Mensis Januarij prox ' futur ' post datum presens apud Westm ' favente gratia Spiritûs sancti felicitor inchoand ' Nè personali comparitione in eodem penes vestram regiam celsitudinem quoties opus sucrit excusand ' precipuè pretextu adversae valetudinis nostrae caeterisque ex causis justis veris et probabilibus quod interesse non valemus prout affectamus Qua proptervestrae Regiae humilitèr celsitudini supplicamus quatenus absentiam nostram personalem in hà c parte excusatam gratiose dignetur habere vestrae Clementia Majestatis et ut vestro Mandato in quantum possumus in omnibus pareamus Reverendos in Christo Patres Sancti Albani Sti ' Edmundi de Bury Sti ' benedicti de Ranisy et Sti ' Gutlaci de Coland ' Abbates conjunctim et divisim et corum quemlibet nostros veros et Legitimos procuratores Atturnatosque fideles tenore presentium constituimus et ordinamus promittens me ratum gratum et firmum perpetuo habiturum quicquid praedicti pro me et nomine meo fecerint vel alter fecerit in premissis seu aliquo promissor ' vestrae Regiae celsitudini humilitèr supplico quatenus absentiam meam personalem hac vice ex Regia mansuetudine habere dignemini gratiose excusatam In cujus Rei testimonium Sigillum nostrum Commune present ' est appensum Dat' apud Thorney praedict ' decimo quarto die Mensis Januarij An. Regni Regis Henrici Octavi Quinto Sometimes also the said Sickness or cause of Absence is Testified by Oath as appears in the Original Journal of the Upper House A. 6. H. 8. Feb. die 12. where James Marshal servant to the Lord Scroop made Affidavit of his Lord's detention by Sickness But even Anciently if the Parliament were to be Assembled by reason of some great and extraordinary occasion And that the King declared in his Writ of Summons that he would not admit of any Proxies ista vice then none did presume to send them but upon the King's Licence first obtained as appears ex Rotulo Parliamenti A. 6. Ed. 3. die 27. Januarij A. 22. Ed. 3. die 20. Novemb. A. 6. Ric. 2. die 2. Jan. ct A. 11. Ric. 2. die 20. Martij But of later times since the 38th year of H. 8. the Lords in their very Proxies do express their absence to be by the King or Queen's Licence and oftentimes the Clerk of the Upper House doth insert the Memorial of their return with their expression of their absence by the said Licence And in making of Proxies it hath always been at the free Choice and Election of a Spiritual Lord that sent the said Proxie to constitute some other Spiritual Lord or a Temporal Lord or both and so likewise mutatis mutandis hath the liberty been of a Temporal Lord although there appears but three Presidents thereof during her Majesties Reign of which the first was in A. 5. Regin Eliz. where William Bishop of Exeter constituted for his Proctor Francis Earl of Bedford And the second in A. eodem Regin ejusdem where Thomas Archbishop of York Constituted the Earl of Bedford his joynt Proctor with Richard Bishop of Ely and Rowland Bishop of Bangor And the third and last in A. 28. 29. Regin praedict ' where Hugh Bishop of Bangor did Constitute William Lord Burleigh Lord Treasurer of England his joynt Proctor with John Archbishop of Canterbury but in former time the Presidents of this nature are more frequent For there was so little observation kept in this kind as sometimes the Lords Spiritual and Temporal did Constitute the Judges and Barons of the Exchequer being but attendants on the House for their Proctors and sometimes Strangers as the Abbot of Selby in Edward the third's time Constituted John Goldale a Monk of that house and William R. Clerk his Proctors and these also were sometimes appointed Tryers of Petitions joyntly with the Lords as appears A. 14. Ed. 3. and sometimes Committees with the Lords prout patet ex rotulo Parliam ' de A. 14. Ed. 3. N. 13. 14. 18. These Animadversions being thus premised of Proxies in general now follow some others that concern the Particular Proxies foregoing and the residue that were returned at this Session on Saturday the 4th day of February ensuing and on Wednesday the 8th day and on Saturday the 18th day of March following and on Tuesday the 4th day of April ensuing And therefore in the first place it shall not be amiss to make remembrance that in the Journal of this Parliament I have caused the entry of all Proxies whatsoever as well ordinary as extraordinary to be Transcribed because it is the first Parliament of her Majesty whereas in most of the residue I have only caused those to be inserted into my Journals which were extraordinary and unusual And whereas the word Vacat is added at the beginning of the entrance of the return of the Proxie of Thomas Tresham Prior of St. Johns of Jerusalem in England as also before that of William Lord Euers which are before amongst others set down The reason of the first I cannot possibly Guess because neither the Archbishop of York to whom the said Thomas Tresham had sent his Proxie was himself absent nor the said Prior present nor dead before the return of his said Proxie as may easily be gathered but for the other it is plain that the Lord Clinton whom the Lord Euers did Constitute for his Proctor was absent at the beginning of this Parliament and did himself send his Proxie which is entred at the beginning of the Original Journal Book of the Upper House to have been returned on Saturday the 4th day of February although the word Vacat be prefixed also before the entrance of the return of the same because he afterwards came to the Parliament himself and served in Person in the Upper House the greatest part of the continuance thereof and from these examples may be gathered the true Causes both why and when a Proxie that is returned becometh void either when the Peer or Lord that sends the Proxie dies himself or comes to the House in Person before the end of the Parliament or that the Proctor or Proctors whom he constitutes do die or be otherwise absent and send their Proxies themselves for in this latter case those Proxies are to be repealed by the Lord Chancellor as there is a President for it in the end of the Original Journal Book of the Upper House A. 33. et 34. H. 8. in the case of Nevil Lord Latimer for though the absent Lord or Lords to whom the Proxie is directed do constitute other Proctors yet they cannot execute such Proxies as are
directed unto him for a Proxie is but an Authority to give another man's assent which cannot be transferred to a third person yet doth the sending of one Proxie sufficiently excuse any absent Lord although the Peer to whom it is directed be not present himself but as soon as that absent Lord shall have notice that he or they whom he constituted for his Procurators do themselves send their Proxies also by reason of their absence then may he send another Proxie and constitute one other or more Proctors for himself and in his stead to give his voice de Novo as the Lord Vaux did in A. 18. Jacobi Regis After those Bloody and Intestine Civil Wars which had been raised in England in the year 1642. and that Robert Earl of Essex General of the Forces raised by the two Houses of Parliament against the King had by the Power of the Independent Faction over ballancing those who desired the settling of the Presbyterian Government been laid aside and Sir Thomas Fairfax Knight placed in his Room the opposition between those two Parties in either House of Parliament growing every day higher and higher the Aged Earl of Mulgrave being an Enemy to all Faction and Innovation was much troubled that William Viscount Say and Seale the chief Promoter of the Independent Novelties did make use of his Proxie for the acting and passing those particulars which were contrary to the Judgment and Conscience of him the said Earl of Mulgrave And therefore my advise being desired by some of the Members of the House of Commons for the reminding him thereof I drew the Letter and Instrument ensuing being not only the first but the sole President also of this King which yet remains upon Record in the Office of the Clerk of the House of Peers To the Right Honourable the Speaker of the House of Peers pro Tempore My very good Lord I am humbly to request of your Lordship to communicate this my present Instrument under my hand and Seal to the House of Peers that it may be publickly there Read and remain upon Record in the Office of the Clerk of the same House Kenzington April 1646. I am Your Lordships humble Servant TO all Christian People to whom these presents shall come Edmund Earl of Mulgrave Greeting Know Ye that Whereas I the said Edmund Earl of Mulgrave have formerly constituted the Right Honourable William Viscount Say and Seal c. my lawful Actor and Procurator for me and in my name to give my Voice and Suffrage upon all such emergent Occasions as the same shall be requisite by the ancient Orders and Constitutions of the House of Peers That I do now by these presents Revoke and Vacate the Proxie by which I did formerly Constitute the said William Viscount Say and Seal my lawful Actor and Procurator as is aforesaid and do hereby declare the same Proxie to be utterly Annulled Vacated and Revoked to all intents and purposes whatsoever In witness whereof I have Signed and Scaled these presents this day of April in the 22th year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord Charles by the Grace of God of England Scotland France and Ireland King etc. An. Dom. 1646. This Instrument was written and ingrossed in Parchment as a Deed Poll is and to it in a Libel of Parchment was the Seal of the said Earl of Mulgrave affixed and it was read and allowed in the House of Peers Soon after the allowance of the aforesaid Instrument the said Earl of Mulgrave sent this ensuing Proxie to the Earl of Essex who made use of it in the House of Peers and it was there allowed of without any the least question or dispute OMnibus Christi Fidelibus ad quos hoc presens Scriptum pervener it Edmundus Comes de Mulgrave Salutem Noveritis me prefatum Edmundum Comitem de Mulgrave per Licentiam Serenissimi Domini nostri Regis a presenti hoc suo Parliamento inchoat ' et tent ' apud Westmonasterium etc. sufficientèr excusatum abesse nominare ordinare et constituere dilectum mihi in Christo et honorandum Virum Robertum Comitem Essex meum verum certum et indubitatum Factorem Actorem seu Procuratorem per presentes eidemque procuratori meo dare concedere plenam Authoritatem potestatem pro me nomine meo de super quibuscunque causis negotiis in Presenti hoc Parliamento exponendis seu declarandis tractandi tractatibusque hujusmodi inibi factis seu faciendis consilium auxilium nomine meo impendendi statutisque etiam ordination ' quae ex maturo deliberato judicio Domincrum in eodem Parliamento congregat ' inactitart seu ordinari contiger in t nomine meo consentiendi Caeteraque omnia singula quae in praemissis necessaria fuerint seu quomodolibet requisita faciendi exercendi in tam amplis modo forma ut ego ipse facere possem aut deberem si presens personalitèr interessem Ratum Gratum habiturus totum quicquid Procuratormeus statuerit aut fecerit in praemissis In 〈◊〉 rei testimonium praesentibus subscripsi Sigillumque apposui Neither will it be impertinent to set down here how many Proxies were sent to some special Peers at this Parliament it having been my usual course to make some short remembrance of them in all their Journals of Queen Eliz's Reign upon the first day that any extraordinary Proxies were returned and I have caused not only the Presidents of this kind to be inserted here at large in respect this was the first Parliament of her Majesties Reign but also because they are more full and direct than any other that ensue to prove what hath been the ancient use and Priviledge of the Peers of the Upper House in the matter of sending and receiving of Lords Procuratory At first Nicolas Archbishop of York for the See of Canterbury remained still void since the Death of Cardinal Pool was constituted the sole or joynt Proctor of David Bishop of Peterborough Cuthbert Bishop of Durham Thomas Bishop of Ely Gilbert Bishop of Bath and Wells Henry Bishop of St. Davids and of Thomas Tresham Prior of St. Johns of Jerusalem all which Proxies are entred at the beginning of the Original Journal Book of the Upper House to have been returned on Monday the 23th day of January on which this present Parliament was Summoned to have begun Francis Earl of Bedford was also Constituted the sole or joynt Proctor of 15 several Peers viz. of John Lord Mordant William Lord Paget George Lord Zouch and of Henry Lord Aburgaveny all which Proxies are entred at the beginning of the Original Journal Book of the Upper House to have been returned this present Monday the 23th day of January He was also constituted the joynt Proctor of Edward Lord Clinton Lord Admiral Thomas Lord Sands William Lord Vaux of Heredoun William Lord Gray of Wilton and Henry Earl of Cumberland all whose Proxies are entred in such
on Wednesday the 26 th and secunda vice on Thursday the 27 th of this foresaid April preceding and lastly it had its third reading and passed the House on Friday the 28 th day of the same Month although it were opposed by the Archbishop of York the Marquess of Winchester the Earl of Shrewsbury Viscount Mountague the Bishop of London the Bishop of Ely the Bishop of Worcester the Bishop of Landaff the Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield the Bishop of Exeter the Bishop of Chester the Bishop of Carlile the Lord Morley the Lord Stafford the Lord Dudly the Lord Wharton the Lord Rich and the Lord North. In which may there still be observed the obstinacy and boldness of the Popish Bishops who opposed all things that tended but to the least reformation of Idolatry and Superstition or abolishing the usurped authority of the Bishop of Rome it seemeth that the Abbot of Westminster was now absent because his negative voice which was never wanting is not here mentioned Of the temporal Lords the most setled to Popery seem to have been the Viscount Mountague and Earl of Shrewsbury but as for the Marquess of Winchester and these other six Barons they are seldom mentioned to have opposed either the Act for restoring the Supremacy or any other touching Ecclesiastical matters except this only concerning the Book of Common-Prayer the reformation of which being so little differing from the old form as that it hath given and yet doth give occasion of offence and stumbling to many weak ones amongst us it is the more to be marvelled at that so many should oppose it and the rather also because most of the Papists of England did come to our Church and heard Divine Service ordinarily till the eleventh Year of the Queen when the Bull of Pope Pius Quintus enforced not only their wilful and obstinate separation but drew on and necessitated many of those Laws which were afterwards made against them an 13. an 23. an 27 Reg. Eliz. The Bill lastly to continue the Act last made against Rebellious Assemblies was read tertia vice conclusa and delivered to M r Vaughan and the Clerk of the Crown to be carried to the House of Commons The Parliament continued until Monday the first of May at nine of the Clock in the Forenoon Then the Bill for the preservation of Spawn and Fry of Fish The Bill limiting the times of laying on Land Merchandizes from beyond the Seas and touching Custom for Sweet Wines And the Bill for the continuation of certain Statutes were each of them read the second time The Bill lastly to make good Leases Grants of Offices and Copyhold Lands made by Nicholas Ridley late Bishop of London was read tertia vice rejecta Then the Parliament continued till two of the Clock in the Afternoon of the same day about which hour the Lord Keeper with divers other Lords Assembling one Bill of no great moment was read primavice which was for the Garbling of Feathers and Flocks to be sold in Beds and Cushions Then the Parliament continued till next day at nine of the Clock in the Forenoon at which time the Bill for Garbling of Feathers was read the second time Two Bills also had each of them their third reading and passed the House of which one being the Bill for laying on Land Merchandize from beyond the Seas and touching Custom for Sweet Wines was sent down to the House of Commons by Weston Serjeant at Law and the Clerk of the Crown The Bill lastly to annex to the Crown certain Religious Houses c. was read prima vice Six Bills were brought up to the Lords from the House of Commons of which the third being the Bill that the Queens Majesty by Commission may examine the Causes of deprivation of spiritual persons and restore them again And the fifth for continuing the making of Woollen Cloaths in divers Towns in the County of Essex were each of them read prima vice And the sixth and last was the Bill that Timber shall not be felled to make Coals for burning of Iron Then the Parliament continued till Wednesday the 3 d of May at nine of the Clock in the Forenoon at which time five Bills of no great moment had each of them one reading of which the first was the Bill that Timber shall not be felled to make Coals for burning of Iron The second for continuing the making of Woollen Cloths in divers Towns in the County of Essex The third that the Queens Majesty by Commission may examine the deprivation of spiritual persons and restore them again And the last being the Bill to annex to the Crown certain Religious Houses and to reform certain abuses in Chantries were each of them read secunda vice The Parliament continued till Friday May the 5 th at eight of the Clock in the Morning And then the Bill that Timber shall not be felled to make Coals for the burning of Iron The Bill for continuing the making of Woollen Cloth in divers Towns in the County of Essex And the Bill that the Queens Majesty by Commission may examine the Causes of deprivation of spiritual persons and restore them again were each of them read tertia vice conclusae The Bill lastly to annex to the Crown certain Religious Houses and to reform certain abuses in Chantries was read tertia vice una cum tribus provisionibus eidem Billae annexis per Dominos quae prima secunda tertia vice lectae erant conclus dissentientibus Archiepiscopo Eboracen Episcopis Londin Elien Wigorn. Landaven Coven Exon. Cestren Carleol Abbate de Westm. ac Vicecomite Mountagne commiss Magistro Weston Servienti ad Legem Attornato Reginae in Domum Communent deferend Two Bills were brought up to the Lords from the House of Commons of which the first was the Bill for the continuance of certain Statutes with a Proviso added thereunto by the Commons to which the Lords would not agree but sent it down again to be passed by them leaving out the Proviso And the second being the Bill for limiting the times for the laying on Land Merchandize from beyond the Seas and touching Customs for Sweet Wines was returned conclus Then the Parliament continued till the next day at nine of the Clock at which time the Bill for the preservation of the Spawn and Fry of Fish was read tertiâ vice conclus communi omnium Procerum assensu dissentiente Episcopo Elien and it was delivered to Sir Richard Read and the Clerk of the Crown in Domum Communem deferend The Bill also that Timber shall not be felled to make Coals for burning of Iron The Bill for the continuance of certain Statutes And the Bill to annex to the Crown certain Religious Houses and to reform certain abuses in Chantries were returned from the House of Commons conclus On Monday the 8 th day of May the Lord Keeper and divers other Lords both Spiritual and Temporal met
same so that the referring of a Bill to Committees is scarce discoverable in respect that the name only of one of them is for the most part mentioned yet the manner of the Burgesses taking the Oath of Supremacy which was never in use before this Session of Parliament it having been enjoined by Statute in the first year of her Majesties Reign together with the manner of the Election and Presentment of the Speaker is very Methodically and Orderly entered And lastly whereas there is mention made in the Original Journal-Book of the House of Commons aforesaid that the Speaker with the whole House did exhibit their Petition to the Queens Majesty on Thursday 23. day of January in the Afternoon touching her Marriage and the Limitation of the Succession of the Crown which said Petition is there omitted I have therefore caused it to be inserted at large out of a Copy thereof I had by me which I gather by all concurring circumstances to be the very same which is only generally remembred in the said Original Journal-Books as aforesaid The second Parliament of the most Noble Princess Elizabeth by the Grace of God Queen of England c. begun at Westminster on Monday the 11. day of January in the fifth Year of her Gracious Reign By her Highness Commission directed to the Lord Keeper of the Great Seal the Lord Steward the Lord Treasurer the Duke of Norfolk c. to Prorogue the same Parliament until the 12. day of the same Month viz. the Morrow following And the Knights and Burgesses being sent for to come unto the Lords in the Upper House without any appearance of their names taken then by the Lord Steward and Lord Treasurer the Lord Keeper shewed in few words that the Queens Majesty was somewhat sick of a Stitch wherefore she had sent her Writ for the Prorogation until the Morrow which was done accordingly And on the Morrow being the 12. day of January about ten of the Clock the Queens Majesty with the Lords and Bishops in Parliament Robes did ride from the Palace to Westminster-Church and there heard a Sermon during which the Earl of Arundel being Lord Steward repaired unto Whitehall and there Recorded the Appearance of the Knights and Burgesses at which time also as may very well be collected by comparing this instant days passages with those of Thursday the third day of October in the Journal of the House of Commons de an 8 9 Regin Eliz. following the said Lord Steward did doubtless either in his own person or by his Deputies administer the Oath of Supremacy according to the Statute de an 1 Eliz. Cap. 1. to such Knights Citizens and Burgesses as were at this time present and appeared And after the Queen coming from the Church and being set in her Royal Seat in the Upper House and the Commons standing at the lower end of the Chamber The Lord Keeper of the Great Seal with great Eloquence declared this Parliament to be called for Religion Discipline and Aid to the State in defence of Enemies with Excellent Dilation of those Causes And in the end willed the Commons to repair to their House and there to chuse a discreet grave and wise man to be their Speaker and to present him to the Queens Majesty on Friday next in the Afternoon immediately the Commons resorted to their Common House where after they were set M r Comptroller standing up rehearsed the Lord Keepers Oration for the Election of a Speaker and said that in his Opinion M r Thomas Williams Esq one of the Fellows of the Inner-Temple being grave learned and wise was very meet to that Office whereupon the whole House with one intire Voice cried M r Williams M r Williams And then M r Williams standing up and reverently disabling himself required the House to proceed to a new Election unto whom M r Secretary Cecill Answering that the House had gravely considered of him and therefore required him to take the place and he approaching was led and set in the Chair by M r Comptroller and it was agreed by the House to meet all there again on Friday next at one of the Clock in the Afternoon to present M r Speaker to the Queens Majesty On Friday the 15 th of January in the Afternoon M r Speaker with the rest of the House of Commons went before the Queen in her Royal Seat where M r Speaker most humbly disabled himself requiring that a new Election might be made to the which the Queens Majesty confirming the same Election by the Mouth of the Lord Keeper M r Speaker made an Excellent Oration and in the end made the accustomed Petitions which being granted the Lord Keeper willed him with the rest to resort to the House of Commons there to deliberate upon matters necessary which being done The Bill for increase of Woods in Champain Grounds and saving of Bark of Timber to be felled was read the first time On Saturday the 16. day of January Two Bills of no great moment had each of them one reading of which one was touching Servants to serve their Masters And the other to put down an Iron-Mill near Guilford and were each of them read the first time A motion was this day made by a Burgess at length for the Succession of the Crown of which see more on Thursday the 28 th day of this Instant January ensuing January the 17 th day Sunday On Monday the 18 th day of January Five Bills of no great moment had each of them one and the first reading of which the second was the Bill for the assurance of the Mannors of Whiteacre and Whiteacre Burgh to Richard Bertie and Katherine Duchess of Suffolk his Wife from Walter Herenden being a Feoffee in Trust. Certain Arguments were this day had in the House by divers wise Personages for motion to be made for the Queens Marriage and Succession of the Crown On Tuesday the 19 th day of January the Bill for allowance to Sheriffs upon their Accompts for Justices Diets was read the first time M r Speaker with the Counsel and twenty four more of the House were appointed to meet this Afternoon to draw Articles of Petition for the Queens Marriage and Succession Vide Concerning this business on Thursday the 28. day of this Instant January following M r Comptroller is nominated one of them For that it seemed to the House being very full that they were a greater number than were returned therefore the names were immediately called and as they were called they departed out of the House and in the end ten or eleven remained who said they were returned and would bring Warrants thereof On Wednesday the 20. day of January Two Bills of no great moment had each of them one reading of which the second being the Bill for allowance to Sheriffs upon their Accompts for Justices Diets was read the second time and as it should seem Committed to M r Sackvill and others see a like
Grey Marquess Dorset and Frances his Wife the Eldest Daughter and Coheir of Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk by Mary the French Queen being the youngest Daughter of Henry the Seventh and especially seeing that the Queen of Scots having Married the Lord Darley whom she had Created Duke of Albany and had by him Issue a Son born before the beginning of this Session of Parliament who afterwards was Monarch of Great Britain and duly considering also that the Scottish Queen had during the Life of the French King her Husband by his means pretended a right to the Kingdom of England before the Queen her self in respect of the Popes Authority and that some also did not stick to set a broach the Title of the Lady Elianor being the younger Sister and Coheir with the Countess of Hartford Married to the Earl of Cumberland therefore I say all these said premisses being duly weighed by both the said Houses of Parliament it made them to be more earnest in Petitioning her Majesty at this time to the same effect although it seemeth that the Petition delivered at this time was chiefly preferred in the name of the Lords of the Upper House as that other Petition had formerly been preferred in the Name of the Commons in the first Session of this Parliament in An. 5 Regin Eliz. whence it hath come to pass that neither of these Petitions being set down in the Original Journal-Book of the Upper House of Commons in either of these two Sessions of Parliament the times of their delivery have been exceedingly confounded together in all such several Copies as I have perused of them in which as also in Sir Robert Cotton's first Volume of the Journals of Parliament of the Queens time which are very imperfect and fragmentary they are erroneously Entred to have been both delivered in An. 1563. in which Year as also in part of the Year 1562. the Session in An. 5 Regin Eliz. was continued Post Meridiem The Archbishop of York the Lord Treasurer and the other Lords whose names are mentioned in the former part of this day with Sir Edward Rogers Knight Comptroller of her Highness Houshold and Sir William Cecill Knight her Majesties Principal Secretary and divers other Members of the House of Commons repaired to her Majesty this Afternoon being at her Palace of Whitehall to receive Answer from her Highness touching those two great businesses of her Marriage and the Declaration of her Successor as appeareth plainly by the Original Journal-Book of the House of Commons fol. 266. a. where the report of her Majesties Answer is set down which she gave this Afternoon although there be no mention at all thereof in the Original Journal-Book of the Upper House And that this was the cause and ground of their attending upon her Majesty at this time appeareth also plainly by a certain Manuscript Memorial or Diary kept and set down by Sir William Cecill her Highness Principal Secretary and afterwards Lord Treasurer of England of the passages of the greatest part of her Majesties Reign in which the words are as followeth Nov. 5. The Queen had before her thirty Lords and thirty of the Commons of the Parliament to receive her Answer concerning the Petition for the Succession and for Marriage But whether the Lords preferred their said Petition this Afternoon or whether they had supplicated her Majesty any time before doth not any where certainly appear neither can I possibly gather further than by conjecture and so it is most probable that though her Majesty had notice before what their Petition was yet it was not preferred till this Afternoon For but on Saturday Morning foregoing which was the second day of this instant November it is plain that the Committees of the House of Commons as appeareth by the Original Journal-Book of the same House on Thursday the 31 th day of October fol. 264. b. on which day the said meeting of the Committees was appointed did then meet to consider and agree upon such reasons as they should shew to the Committees of the Lords whereby they might induce her Majesty both to encline to Marriage and to declare a Successor And however Sir Nicholas Bacon Knight Lord Keeper of the Great Seal be not nominated in either of the Original Journal-Books of the Upper House and House of Commons to have been present with the before-mentioned Lords and others yet it is plain that if the said Petition was preferred this Afternoon or whensoever else it was delivered from his mouth as may be gathered from the very Petition it self ensuing and is so also expresly set down by M r Camden in Annal Regin Eliz. edit Lugdun Batav A. D. 1625. pag. 99. and though he had abstained a while about this time from the Upper House by reason of his infirmity of the Gout yet he was now in the way of amendment and recovery repairing again to the said House on Saturday the 9. day of this instant November ensuing and therefore might very well meet the before-mentioned Lords and other the selected Members of the House of Commons at the Court this Afternoon So then it being most probable that the Lords did both prefer their Petition this Afternoon to her Majesty touching those two great matters of the Marriage and Succession and also received her Majesties Answer Therefore the said Petition doth here first ensue which the Lord Keeper pronounced in these or the like words following MOST humbly beseecheth your Excellent Majesty your Faithful Loving and Obedient Subjects all your Lords both Spiritual and Temporal Assembled in Parliament in your Upper House to be so much their good Lady and Soveraign as according to your accustomed benignity to grant a Gracious and Favourable Hearing to their Petitions and Suits which with all Humbleness and Obedience they are come hither to present to your Majesty by my Mouth in matters very nearly and dearly touching your most Royal Person the Imperial Crown of this your Realm and Universal Weal of the same which Suits for that they tend to the surety and preservation of these three things your Person Crown and Realm the Dearest Jewel that my Lords have in the Earth therefore they think themselves for divers respects greatly bound to make these Petitions as first by their Duty to God then by their Allegiance to your Highness and lastly by the Faith they ought to bear to their natural Country And like as most Gracious Soveraign by these Bonds they should have been bound to make the like Petition upon like occasion to any Prince that it should have pleased God to have appointed to Reign over them so they think themselves doubly bound to make the same to your Majesty considering that besides the Bond before-mentioned they stand also bound so to do by the great and manifold benefits they have and do receive daily at your Highness hands which shortly to speak be as great as the Fruits of Peace common quiet and Justice can give and this
Speeches of this present Afternoon Now solloweth the manner of her Majesties giving her Royal Assent to such Acts as passed out of one of the Original Journal-Books of the Upper House durante Regno Regin Eliz. viz. in an 30. although it be not so expresly set down in that of this present Session of Parliament Then were the Titles of all the Acts read in their due Order and the Bill of Subsidy to which the Clerk of the Parliament standing up did read the Queens Answer in manner and form following La Roigne remercie ses loyaulx subjects accepte leur henevolence auxi le veult The Clerk of the Parliament having read the Queens acceptance and thanks for the Subsidy given as aforesaid did then upon the reading of the Pardon pronounce in these French words following the thanks of the Lords and Commons for the same Les Prelats Seigneurs Communes en ce present Parliament assembles au nom de touts vous autres subjects remercient tres-humblement vostre Majesty prient à Dieu que il vous done en santè bonne vie longue Nota That here to the Subsidy Bill because it is the meer gift of the Subject the Queens Consent is not required for the passing of it but as it is joined with her thankful acceptance Nor to the Bill of Pardon because it is originally her free gift is any other circumstance required than that the thankful acceptance thereof by the Lords and Commons be likewise expressed it being but once read in either House before it come thus at last to be expedited Now to all other Bills either private or publick the Queens express consent though in different words is always requisite as followeth viz. The Bills of Subsidy and Pardon being passed in manner and form as aforesaid then were the publick Acts read to every one of which allowed by the Queén the Clerk of the Parliament read in French these words following viz. La Roigne le veult To every private Act that passed the said Clerk of the Parliament read the Queens Answer in these French words following viz. Soit fait come il est desire These two last Answers to the publick and private Acts that pass are to be written by the Clerk of the Parliament at the end of every Act. To such Acts as her Majesty doth forbear to allow the Clerk of the Parliament reads in these French words following viz. La Roigne s' advisera THen the Queen standing up said after she had given her Royal Assent unto nineteen publick Acts and thirteen private My Lords and others the Commons of this Assembly although the Lord Keeper hath according to Order very well Answered in my Name yet as a Periphrasis I have a few words further to speak unto you Notwithstanding I have not been used nor love to do it in such open Assemblies yet now not to the end to amend his talk but remembring that commonly Princes own words be better printed in the hearers memory than those spoken by her Command I mean to say thus much unto you I have in this Assembly found so much dissimulation where I always professed plainness that I marvail thereat yea two Faces under one Hood and the Body rotten being covered with two Vizors Succession and Liberty which they determined must be either presently granted denied or deferred In granting whereof they had their desires and denying or deferring thereof those things being so plaudable as indeed to all men they are they thought to work me that mischief which never Foreign Enemy could bring to pass which is the hatred of my Commons But alas they began to pierce the Vessel before the Wine was fined and began a thing not foreseeing the end how by this means I have seen my well-willers from mine Enemies and can as me seemeth very well divide the House into four First the Broachers and workers thereof who are in the greatest fault Secondly The Speakers who by Eloquent Tales perswaded others are in the next degree Thirdly The agreers who being so light of Credit that the Eloquence of the Tales so overcame them that they gave more Credit thereunto than unto their own Wits And lastly those that sate still Mute and medled not therewith but rather wondred disallowing the matter who in my Opinion are most to be Excused But do you think that either I am unmindful of your Surety by Succession wherein is all my Care considering I know my self to be mortal No I warrant you Or that I went about to break your Liberberties No it was never in my meaning but to stay you before you sell into the Ditch For all things have their time And although perhaps you may have after me one better Learned or Wiser yet I assure you none more careful over you And therefore henceforth whether I live to see the like Assembly or no or whoever it be yet beware however you prove your Princes Patience as you have now done mine And now to conclude all this nonwithstanding not meaning to make a Lent of Christmas the most part of you may assure your selves that you depart in your Princes Grace Then she spake openly to the Lord Keeper saying My Lord You will do as I bad Who then said aloud The Queens Majesty hath agreed to Dissolve this Parliament Therefore every man may take his ease and depart at his pleasure And the Queen rose and went and shifted her and took her Barge and returned to the Court being past six of the Clock and then after her rising she made Anthony Browne one of the Justices of the Common-Pleas a Knight That the advice and consent of the Common-Council or Parliament was often required for the Marrying of the Kings of England 1. WIlliam Duke of Normandy sending Ambassadors to King Harold to deliver up the Crown of England to him and to Marry the Dukes Daughter Herald returned him this Answer Si de filia sua quam debui in uxorem ut asserit ducere agit super Regnum Angliae mulierem extraneam inconsultis Principibus words of a large extension used in those times by Historians me nec debere nec sine grandi injuria posse adducere noverit Malmesbury that antient and famous Historian recites it thus Quae dixi de puellae nuptiis referens de Regno addebat praesumptuosum fuisse quod absque Generali Senatus Populi Conventu Edicto alienam illi haereditatem juraverit 2. William the Son of H. I. being dead Rex legalis Conjugii nexu olim solutus ne quid ulterius inhonestum committeret Consilio Radulphi Cantuar Pontificis Principum Regni quos omnes in Epiphania Domini sub uno Londoniae congregavit decrevit sibi in uxorem Atheleidem filiam Godfredi Ducis Lotharingiae 3. King John being Divorced the new Queen was Crowned de communi assensu concordi voluntate Archiepiscoporum Episcoporum Comitum Baronum Cleri Populi totius Regni 4. H.
had notice that divers of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal with Sir Nicholas Bacon Knight Lord Keeper of the Great Seal of England were Assembled in the Upper House and expected their repair thither they presently went up unto the Lords where the Lord Keeper shewed forth a Commission from her Majesty under the Great Seal of England directed unto him which he Commanded the Clerk openly to read Which said Commission as also the greatest part of the foregoing days passages are transcribed out of the Original Journal-Book of the Upper House and inserted here as into the due and proper place Which very things were in part also mentioned in the Original Book of the House of Commons with the passages of this present Tuesday although in both I have not omitted to supply some things my self which might easily be gathered by the comparing of several things together The Tenor of the said Commission ensueth verbatim ELizabeth by the Grace of God Queen of England France and Ireland Defender of the Faith c. To our right Trusty and right well Beloved Chancellor Sir Nicholas Bacon Knight Lord Keeper of our Great Seal of England Greeting Where in the beginning of this present Parliament holden at Westminster the 12 th day of January in the fifth Year of our Reign the Knights Citizens and Burgesses being Assembled in the same Year in the same Parliament were Commanded by us to go to their accustomed place and there to chuse among themselves one to be their Speaker according to their accustomed manner whereupon the same Knights Citizens and Burgesses did Elect and chuse one Thomas Williams Esq to be their Speaker and the same their Election did afterwards certifie unto us which we did allow and ratifie since which time this our present Parliament hath been continued by divers Prorogations until the 30. of September in this present eighth Year of our Reign at which day the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and also the said Knights Citizens and Burgesses being Assembled for this present Parliament at Westminster in their accustomed places the said Knights Citizens and Burgesses have declared unto us that the said Thomas Williams since the last Session of this present Parliament is dead And thereupon have made their humble Suit and Petition unto us that they might have Licence and Commandment from us to proceed to elect among themselves one other to be their Speaker for the rest of this present Parliament yet to come Wherefore We having certain and perfect knowledge that the said Thomas Williams is dead as they have alledged and considering their humble Petition and Request very meet and necessary to be granted have appointed and Constituted you and by these Presents We do Will Command Constitute and Appoint you for us and in our Name to call the said Knights Citizens and Burgesses before you and other the Lords Spiritual and Temporal Assembled in this our present Parliament in the Higher House of our Parliament at Westminster and there for us and in our Name to Will and Command the said Knights Citizens and Burgesses to resort to their accustomed place and there to Elect and chuse amongst themselves one sufficient and able person to be their Speaker for the rest of this present Parliament to come And after they have so made their Election that then three or four of them for and in all their names shall signifie the same unto us And thereupon we will further signifie our pleasure unto them what day and time they shall present the person Elected before us as heretofore hath been in like cases accustomed to be done wherefore our Will and Pleasure is that you do diligently attend about the doing of the premises and execute the same with effect In Witness whereof we have caused these our Letters of Commission to be Sealed with our Great Seal of England Witness our Self at Westminster the first day of October in the Eighth Year of our Reign The residue of this Days Passages follows out of the Journal of the House of Commons As soon as the said Commission had been read the Knights Citizens and Burgesses and Barons of the House of Commons departed into their own House where Sir Edward Rogers Knight Comptroller of her Majesties Houshold declared unto them that for as much as Richard Onslow Esq her Majesties Sollicitor General was a Member of their said House being Elected a Burgess for the Borough of ..... in the County of Sussex they would use some means to have him restored unto them who as yet attended in the Upper House to join with them in their Election of a Speaker And thereupon notice thereof being given to the Lords of the Upper House upon Consultation had amongst them the said M r Onslow was sent down with the Queens Serjeant at Law M r Carus and M r Attorney General to shew for himself why he should not be a Member of this House who alledging many weighty reasons as well for his Office of Sollicitor as for his Writ of Attendance in the Upper House was nevertheless adjudged to be a Member of this House And thereupon proceeding to the Election M r Comptroller nominated M r Onslow to be Speaker who humbly disabled himself as well for non-ability of substance meet for that place as also for his Oath made to the Queens Majesty and required them to proceed to a new Election upon whose Arguments the House was divided and the number to have him Speaker was eighty two and the contrary was sixty And immediately M r Comptroller and M r Vice-Chamberlain brought him from his place to the Chair and there set him down On Wednesday the second day of October between three and four of the Clock in the Afternoon the Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the House of Commons repaired to the Upper House having notice that her Majesty with the Lords and divers others were already set in the said House expecting their coming where Richard Onslow Esq their Speaker Elect was led up to the Rail or Bar at the lower end of the said House between Sir Edward Rogers Knight Comptroller of her Majesties Houshold and Sir Francis Knolles Knight her Highness Vice-Chamberlain and so presented unto her Majesty where having disabled himself in many respects he was notwithstanding allowed by her Majesty by the Mouth of the Lord Keeper After which having desired free access to her Highness and pardon for himself if he should in any thing unwittingly fail or mistake the Lord Keeper by her Majesties Commandment declared her full Assent to the said particulars And thereupon the said Speaker being now compleatly and perfectly invested in his place departed back with the residue of the House of Commons unto their own House where according to the usual Form one Bill had its first reading viz. The Bill how Sanctuary-persons shall be compellable for payment of their Debts Nota That the Passages of this Afternoon containing in them the manner of the Presentment and Allowance of
Fifteenth and Tenth and also one Subsidy granted by the Temporalty was read the third time and passed upon the Question On Friday the 13 th day of December Six Bills had each of them one reading of which the fourth being the Bill for bringing in of Tonnage-Wares landed in other Countries was read the second time and Ordered to be ingrossed And the Bill for the Articles of Religion passed upon the third reading Vide May the 17 th Thursday in Anno 13 Eliz. sequent in the Journals of the Commons On Saturday the 14 th day of December Five Bills had each of them one reading of which the third that several Sheriffs may be in Buckingham and Bedford and the fourth for Confirmation of Letters Patents since the first Year of the Reign of Queen Eliz. were each of them read the second time and Ordered to be ingrossed The Bill for the Articles of Religion and the Bill for the Port in Hartlond was sent to the Lords by M r Vice-Chamberlain c. The Bill for making and wearing of Hats and Caps within the Realm with the Proviso added thereunto was read the second time and Ordered to be ingrossed The House was appointed to be called on Thursday next in the Afternoon On Monday the 16 th day of December Three Bills of no great moment had each of them their third reading and passed upon the Question of which the first was the Bill for keeping of the Records in twelve Shires of Wales with divers Ordinances there M r Serjeant Carus brought from the Lords two Bills one for graving of Seals and the other for Merioneth The Bill touching the bringing in of Tonnage Wares landed by the way to be forfeit with a Proviso was read the third time On Tuesday the 17 th day of December Four Bills of no great moment had each of them one reading of which the fourth being the Bill for Adjournment of Assizes at Lancaster and Durham was read the second time but no mention is made whether it was Ordered to be ingrossed or referr'd to Committees Vide consimile December the 19 th Thursday posteá The Bill for the Merchant Adventurers Corporation for discovery of Russia and new Trades with three Provisoes were each of them read the third time and with the Bill passed upon the Question The Bill of Subsidv with the three Bills last past were sent up to the Lords by M r Chancellor of the Dutchy Leonard Ireby Burgess for Boston for his Affairs is Licensed by M r Speaker to be absent On Wednesday the 18 th day of December Three Bills of no great moment had each of them their second reading of which the first was the Bill for the Bowyers of London the second for Tryals of Felony in the County of Merioneth and the third for the graving of Alneagers Seals by the Graver of the Mint Three Bill also were each of them read the third time of which the first being the Bill for Latitats for Execution out of the Kings-Bench and the second for paving of Kentish-street passed upon the Question The Bill for Dyers of Woolls Cloths or Caps The Bill for maintaining of Sea-Marks for the Trinity-House of Deptford and for Watermen of the Thames And the Bill for the Cloth-Workers of London was read each of them the second time and Ordered to be ingrossed The new Bill to alter the Statute for the making and breadth of Cloths was read the first time The Bills which last passed in this House were sent up to the Lords by M r Vice-Chamberlain and others Two Bills finally had each of them one reading of which the first being the Proviso added to the Bill for making Steel in England was read the third time and with the Bill Ordered to be ingrossed On Thursday the 19 th day of December the Bill touching Plumstead-Marsh for the Inning of it was read the second time and Ordered to be ingrossed Two Bills also had each of them their second reading of which the first was the Bill that no person shall hold above two Tenements and the second to repeal a Branch of a Statute for breed of Stone-Horses in divers Shires The Addition to the Lords Bill for Fines with Proclamations was read the first and second time and Ordered to be ingrossed The Additions sent from the Lords in the Bill touching Informers were read and as it should seem referred to M r Lovelace to consider of them The new Bill for Apparel was brought from the Lords by Serjeant Carus The Bill for Bankrupts and fraudulent Gifts was dashed upon the question and division of the House by the difference of sixteen Voices viz. with the Bill forty and against the Bill fifty six Two Bills lastly had each of them their first reading of which the first was the Bill for Reformation of excess in Apparel On Friday the 20 th day of December the Bill for the Subsidy of the Clergy of Cant. was read the second time Four Bills also had each of them one reading of which the first for the Almes-House of Plymouth The second for the making of Bay-Salt and White-Salt in England And the third for preservation of Grain by killing of Crows and other Vermine were each of them read the second time and Ordered to be ingrossed The Bill for the Jointure of the Lady Warwick and the Bill amended for Shrewsbury were brought from the Lords by M r Attorney Two Bills were sent up to the Lords by M r Attorney of which one was the Bill for making of Steel in England The Proviso in the Bill for Tonnage-Wares was read the third time and passed upon the Question The Bill for the Inning of Plumstead-Marsh and the Bill for Confirmation of Letters Patents made since the first year of Queen Elizabeth were each of them read the third time and passed upon the Question and were sent up to the Lords by M r Chancellor of the Dutchy The Bill for pulling up of Weares Fish Gates and Piles was read the third time and upon the Question and Division of the House dashed with the difference of three Voices only viz. with the bill forty two and against it forty five The Bill for preservation of Grain by destruction of Vermin was read the third time and passed upon the Question The Bill for the Jointure of the Lady Anne Countess of Warwick was read the first and second time The Proviso from the Lords for the Sessions to be kept at Hereford added to the Bill for Goal-Deliveries in Wales was read the first second and third time and passed upon the Question Francis Thinn came into the House personally and agreed to such things concerning his Title to Tythes in Plumstead-Marsh as Sir John Thynn should say for him On Saturday the 21 th day of December Six Bills were read the third time and passed upon the question of which the second was the Bill for Tryal of Felonies in Merionethshire in Wales And another touching Fines with Proclamations
at and if offences were then her Majesties Clemency and Mercy the more to be commended Misericordia ejus super omnia opera ejus Besides like as it hath pleased God ten years and more by the Ministry of our said Soveraign to bless this Realm with those two inestimable benefits of Peace and Clemency so there is no cause but the same might by Gods Grace have continued twenty Years longer without intermission had not the Raging Romanist Rebels entertained the matter And here it is to be noted that this Merciful and Peaceful Reign of ten Years and more hath hapned in the time of Christs Religion now established I cannot think that any man can follow me in this in the time of the Romish Religion since the Conquest Nay a man might affirm that this is an Example for times to come without any like in times past comparing Singula singulis what should I say these be the true Fruits of true Religion I could further remember you of the Fruits of Justice the benefit of restoring your Money to Finess yea I could put you in mind but I think it needs not it happened so late of a Subsidy granted whereof the Queens Majesty of her own bountifulness remitted the one half was the like here in England ever seen or heard of But being out of doubt that these benefits already remembred be sufficient of themselves to move you to be thankful to your Power I leave any longer to detain you in this point And albeit a Subject cannot yield any benefit to his Soveraign in the same nature that he receiveth it because every benefit is more than Duty and more than Duty a Subject cannot yield to his Soveraign Yet can it not be denied but a Subjects acknowledging of benefits received joined with good will to yield as far as Liberty will reach doth sufficiently satisfie for the Subject for ultra posse non est esse To your best actions therefore address ye And thus much concerning benefits Now to the second part concerning urging by Necessity true it is that the extraordinary matters of Charge happened since the last Assembly here urging to have by necessity a relief granted amongst many others be these First The great Charge in suppressing the late Northern Rebellion with Charges also in reforming those the Queens Majesties Enemies in Scotland that assisted the Rebels and made Rodes into England The continual growing Expences by reason of Ireland as in subduing the Rebels within that Realm and withstanding the Scots Northward and other Foreign Forces intending Invasion Southward To these three Charges by Land you may add a fourth by Sea as the preparation and setting forth of Ships partly for the defence against all Foreign Forces suspected and intended partly for the safe conducting of the Wares and Merchandizes in greater strength and longer cut than heretofore hath been used These and such like extraordinary Charges whereof there be sundry with the remains of old Charges not possible to be born by the ordinary Revenue and yet of necessity to be expended do greatly exceed any extraordinary aid therefore commonly granted Again the great decay of the Queens Majesties Customs by reason of stay and alteration of Traffick albeit upon just occasion hath bred no small want for although in time it is not to be doubted but that will grow again to his old course and continue with great Surety Yet in the mean time this want must some way be supplied for you know the Horse must be provided for whilst the Grass is in growing At the least let us do so much for our selves as we do for our Horses For our selves it is that are to be relieved in this Case This I must needs say that if the Queens Majesty did use in matters of Expence to do as commonly Princes heretofore have used to do then with the more difficulty might such extraordinary aid be assented unto and yet of necessity to be had to withstand a greater necessity It hath been used in times past that Princes pleasures and delights have been commonly followed in matters of Charge as things of necessity And now because God be praised the relieving of the Realms necessity is become the Princes Pleasure and Delight a noble Conversion God continue it and make us as we ought to be earnestly thankful for it A Princely Example shewed by a Soveraign for Subjects to follow To descend in some particulars What need I to remember unto you how the gorgeous sumptuous superfluous Buildings of time past be for the Realms good by her Majesty in this time turned into necessary Buildings and upholdings The chargeable glittering glorious Triumphs into delectable Pastimes and Shows Embassadors of Charge into such as be void of excess and yet honourable and comely These and such like are dangerous dams able to dry up the flowing Fountains of any Treasure and yet these imperfections have been commonly Princes Peculiars especially young One free from these was accounted Rara avis c. and yet God be thanked a Phoenix a Blessed Bird of this kind God hath blessed us with I think it may be affirmed and that truly that there hath not been any matter of great Charge taken in hand by her Majesty in this happy Reign of twelve Years and more that hath not been thought before convenient to be done for the Weal and profit of the Realm so far her Highness is from spending of Treasure in vain matters and therefore the rather how can a man make any difficulty to contribute according to his Power specially in maintaining of his Sovereign his Country his Self his Wife and Children and what not having so long a proof by experience of such an imployment Here I would put you in mind of extraordinary Charges to come which in reason seems evident but so I should be over tedious unto you and frustra sit per plura quod sieri potest per pauciora And therefore here I make an end doubting that I have tarried you longer than I promised or meant or perchance needed your wisdoms and good inclinations considered But you know things are to be done both in form and matter And my trust is that if I had stayed I may be warranted by either or by both that you will take it in good part Thus far out of the Copy of this foregoing Speech As soon as the Lord Keepers Speech was ended then the Clerk of the Upper House read the names of Receivers and Tryers of Petitions in French whose names are transcribed out of the Original Journal-Book of the Upper House and were as followeth Sir Robert Catlin Knight Chief Justice of the Kings Bench Sir William Cordell Knight Master of the Rolls Sir John Widden Knight one of the Justices of Sir Richard Read Knight and D r Huick who were Receivers of Petitions for England Ireland Wales and Scotland Receivers of Petitions for Gascoigne and the parts beyond the Seas and the Isles Sir James Dyer Knight
conclusa commissa Sollicitatori Dominae Reginae Doctori Lewis in Domum Communem deferend Dominus Custos magni Sigilli continuavit praesens Parliamentum usque in diem Crastinum horâ Octavâ On Wednesday the second day of May Five Bills of no great moment had each of them one reading of which the second being the Bill touching William Skeffington was read primâ vice and the third against Fugitives over the Seas was read primâ vice commissa unto divers Lords Spiritual and Temporal of which the Lord Hastings of Loughborough a Grand Papist was one Dominus Custos magni Sigilli continuavit praesens Parliamentum usque in diem proximum horâ nonâ On Thursday the 3 d day of May Five Bills of no great moment had each of them one reading of which the fourth being the Bill touching Dilapidations by Ecclesiastical persons was read primâ vice and committed unto Viscount Hereford Viscount Mountague the Bishop of Winchester the Bishop of Worcester the Bishop of Ely the Bishop of Rochester the Bishop of Carlisle the Bishop of Lincoln the Lord Grey the Lord Cobham Doctor Lewes and Doctor Yale Nota Though it be very usual in most of the Journals of her Majesties Reign for the Judges and sometimes for the Queens Learned Councel to be nominated joint Committees with the Lords this present commitment foregoing is a very rare and unusual President in respect that two Doctors only as I conceive of the Civil Law are made joint Committees as aforesaid But the reasons of this here may well be in respect that this Bill concerned Dilapidations properly belonging to the Ecclesiastical Courts in which they are for the most part best Experienced And this may be a cause also that the Spiritual Lords in this Committee are more than the Temporal which is very seldom or rarely seen but in some such like Case Two Bills were brought from the House of Commons of which the second was the Bill for the Ministers of the Church to be of sound Religion Dominus Custos magni Sigilli continuavit praesens Parliamentum usque in diem Sabbati proximum horâ nonâ A Release at large and ad verbum by Henry Sacheverill of Risby in the County of Leicester Gent. unto William Skeffington and his Heirs of all the right which the said Henry Sacheverill had by Feoffment of William Skessington Esq and Ralph Sarheverill and their Cofeoffees Dated 30 die Januarii anno 22 Regin Eliz. in the Mannors Lands c. of and in Kersby Trussington Thriamoston Humberston Silby Burton super Molez in Queenborough in Com. Leicester which the said William Skeffington and Ralph Sacheverill had from George clemand and in all other Mannors Lands c. lying in the Towns and Fields of Skevington in the County of Leicester and Stock in the County of Lincoln or elsewhere in England cognit usitat locat reputat seu accept ut possessiones haereditamenta praedicti Willielmi Skeffington Licet tamen re verâ iidem Willielmus Rudolphus nec corum alter eadem maneria terras Tenementa Haereditamenta in illo scripto ultimo nominato mihi praefato Henrico tradere dimittere feoffare concedere deliberare seu confirmarè niminè intenderint seu voluerint sed tantummodo idem scriptum taliter continens eadem Maneria terras tenementa haereditamenta per frandem deceptionem mei praefati Henrici indebitè obtentum suit Then the same Deed of Release containeth Warranty of all the Premises unto William Skeffington and his Heirs against the said Henry Sacheverill his Heirs and Assigns for ever In cujus rei testimonium huic praesenti scripto meo sigillum meum apposui Dat. quinto die Martii Anno Regni illustrissimae Dominae nostrae Elizabethae Dei Gratia Angliae Franciae Hiberniae Reginae Fidei Defensor c. Decimo tertio Nota That Robert Bowyer Esq who succeeded Sir Thomas Smith Knight in the place of Clerk of the Upper House in An. 6 Jacobi Regis in his Abridgment of the Journal of the Queens time hath at the end of this business touching Henry Sacheverill inserted this Note ensuing Upon what occasion or how this matter between Skeffington and Sacheverill came in Question in the Parliament or why other than that a Bill touching William Skeffington was brought from the House of Commons on Tuesday the first day of this instant May preceeding and had its first reading on Wednesday the 2 d day and its second reading on Thursday the 3 d day of the same Month foregoing and was also read the third time and concluded on this present 5 th day of May on which the said Release was Entred in the Parliament Book appeareth not in the Journal so much as by circumstance which seemeth to have happened through the negligence of the Clerk of the Parliament who was either M r Spilman or M r Anthony Mason alias Weeks On Saturday the 5 th day of May to which it should seem the preceeding Release is to be referred Four Bills of no great moment had each of them one reading of which the third being the Bill whereby certain offences be made Treason was read secundâ vice and committed unto the Archbishop of Canterbury and others Two Bills also were brought to the Lords from the House of Commons of which the first was the Bill for the coming to Church and receiving the Communion Dominus Custos magni Sigilli continuavit praesens Parliamentum usque in diem Lunae prox hora Octavâ May the 6 th Sunday On Monday the 7 th day of May Eight Bills of no great moment had each of them one reading of which the last being the Bill touching Dilapidations by Ecclesiastical Persons was read primâ vice and committed unto the Lords that were before in that Bill appointed whose names see on Thursday the third day of this instant May foregoing and the Earl of Leicester and the Lord of Loughborough were added unto them Dominus Custos magni Sigilli continuavit praesens Parliamentum usque in diem Crastinum horâ nonâ On Tuesday the 8 th day of May Four Bills of no great moment had each of them one reading of which the last being the Bill for respite of Homage was read secundâ vice commissa Attornato Sollicitatori Dominae Reginae The fourth lastly being the Bill whereby certain offences be made Treasons was read tertiâ vice conclusa with a new Proviso added thereunto by the Lords and certain Amendments and committed to M r Attorney and M r Sollicitor to be carried to the House of Commons Dominus Custos magni Sigilli continuavit praesens Parliamentum usque in diem Crastinum horâ Octavâ On Wednesday the 9 th day of May the Bill for coming to Church and receiving the Communion was read secundâ vice and committed to the Earl of Sussex the Earl of Huntingdon the Earl of Bedford Viscount Mountague the Bishop of Winchester the Bishop of
Right well Beloved Counsellor Sir Thomas Bromley Knight Lord Chancellor of England Greeting Whereas in the beginning of this our present Parliament holden at Westminster the eight day of May in the fourteenth year of our Reign the Knights Citizens and Burgesses being Assembled in the same Parliament were Commanded by us to go to their accustomed place and there to chuse to themselves one to be their Speaker according to the accustomed manner Whereupon the same Knights Citizens and Burgesses did Elect and Chuse one Robert Bell Esq afterwards Knight and Chief Baron of our Exchequer now deceased to be their Speaker and the same their Election did afterwards certifie unto us which Election we did allow and ratifie since which time this our present Parliament hath been continued by divers Prorogations until the 8 th day of February in the eighteenth year of our Reign at which time the said Parliament was holden and continued from the said 8 th day of February until the 15 th day of March then next following from which time also the said Parliament hath continued by divers and sundry Prorogations until the 16 th day of January in this present twenty third year of our Reign At which day the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and also the said Knights Citizens and Burgesses have declared unto us that the said Robert Bell since the last Session of this present Parliament is dead and thereupon have made their humble Suit and Petition to us that they might have Licence and Commandment from us to proceed to Elect amongst themselves one other to be their Speaker for the rest of this present Parliament yet to come Wherefore we having certain and perfect knowledge that the said Robert Bell is dead as they have alledged and considering their humble Petition and Request is very meet and necessary to be granted have appointed and Constituted you and by the these Presents we do Will Command Constitute and Appoint you for us and in our Name to Call the said Knights Citizens and Burgesses before you and other the Lords Spiritual and Temporal Assembled in this our present Parliament in the Higher House of our Parliament at Westminster and there present for us and in our Name to Will and Command the said Knights Citizens and Burgesses to resort to their accustomed place and there to Elect and Chuse amongst themselves one sufficient and able Person to be their Speaker for the rest of this present Parliament yet to come and after they have once made their Election that then three or four of them for and in all their names shall signifie the same unto us and thereupon we will further signifie our Pleasure unto them what day and time they shall present the Person Elected before us as heretofore hath been in like Cases accustomed to be done Wherefore our Will and Pleasure is that you do diligently attend about doing of the premises and execute the same with effect In Witness whereof we have caused these our Letters Patents to be Sealed with our Great Seal Witness our Self at Westminster the 16 th day of January in the twenty third Year of our Reign Thus far out of the Original Journal-Book of the Upper House now follows the continuance of this days Passages as also of the residue of the matters handled in the House of Commons during this Session of Parliament out of the Original Journal-Book of the same House At the return of such Members of the House of Commons into their own House as had been present in the Upper House during the time the recited Commission was in reading for many of the House of Commons conceiving that their sending for to the Upper House aforesaid being only by their own Serjeant whom they had sent up to the Lords to see if the Lord Chancellor and the rest of their Lordships were come thither or no was no orderly giving them notice of their Lordships desires in that behalf according to former usage in respect that the said Commons are to be sent for by ..... amongst the said Members as aforesaid who had been so present in the said Upper House Sir Francis Knolles Knight Treasurer of her Majesties Household did at his return declare that for Answer to the Suit her Majesties Commission was read to license and Command the Commons to Chuse a Speaker and that four of this House being of the Privy-Council should make report of the Election to her Majesty that her Highness might thereupon signifie her further Pleasure for appointing the day for presenting of him M r Treasurer further declared unto the House before their proceeding to Election that he and others had just now seen in the Upper House one that is a Member of this House to wit M r John Popham her Majesties Sollicitor General being one of the Citizens for Bristol and therefore made a Motion that some of this House might be sent to their Lordships with request that the said M r Popham being a Member of this House might forthwith be remanded and restored to this House again which some thought not needful to be done before the Election and others again denying that he or any other could be Chosen Speaker except he were present himself The Clerk was Commanded to read the said Precedent again of chusing M r Onslow in the said eighth year of her Majesties Reign which said Precedent see on Monday the 16 th day of this instant foregoing and thereupon that course being agreed upon to be followed the said M r Treasurer and others were sent up to the Lords to demand the restitution of the said M r Popham and brought Answer again that their Lordships had resolved he should be sent down the rather because he was a Member of this House and this House possessed of him before he was Sollicitor or had any place of Attendance in the Upper House Upon relation whereof a Motion was presently made that it was not meet or convenient to chuse a Speaker by persons that were not of the House and withal it was thought of some that divers persons being newly returned in the places of others yet living were not or ought not to be accounted Members of this House Whereupon to avoid length of Argument and the impediment of the Election the said M r Treasurer by the Assent of the House pronounced an Admonition that all such as were newly returned in the places of others yet living should forbear to repair to the House till their case were further considered Then immediately M r Anderson the Queens Serjeant at Law and Sir Gilbert Gerard Knight her Highness Attorney General brought from the Lords the said M r Popham her Majesties Sollicitor General one of the Citizens for the City of Bristol and restored him to this House as a Member of the same and so departed And then was a Motion made by M r Lewkenor for Prayer to be used before the Election that it might please God both in that and in the residue
humble Petition unto her Highness for reformation of some abuses yet remaining in the Church and most humbly renewing the speedy consideration thereof unto her Majesties good remembrance at her good will and pleasure did further most humbly beseech her Highness in the name and behalf of the whole State of the Commons of her Realm that her Majesty would at their most humble Suit the rather have a vigilant and provident care of the safety of her most Royal Person against the malicious attempts of some mighty Foreign Enemies abroad and the Trayterous practices of most unnatural disobedient Subjects both abroad and at home envying the blessed and most happy and quiet Government of this Realm under her Highness upon the thread of whose Life only next under God dependeth the Life and whole State and stay of every her good and dutiful Subjects And withal that it might please her Highness to have such good care and regard generally for the maintenance of Mariners and of the Navigation the very strength and Walls of her Majesties Realms and Dominions as may seem most convenient unto her Highness most godly wisdom from time to time And so declaring that her Majesties Nobles and Commons having had consideration of her Highness great Charges many ways for defence of her Realms and People against Foreign Enemies and other Rebellious Subjects both already imployed and hereafter to be imployed have granted unto her Highness one Subsidy and two Fifteenths and Tenths which they besought her Highness to accept in good part according to their humble Duties and gave her Majesty most humble thanks for her Highness most Gracious general and free Pardon Which done the Lord Chancellor by her Majesties Commandment Answering very Excellently and briefly the parts of M r Speaker his Oration did amongst other things deliver her Majesties most hearty thanks unto both Houses for their great and good care for the safety of her Highness Person and also of her Honour good Fame and Dignity not yet comprehending within those general thanks such Members of the House of Commons as have this Session dealt more rashly in some things than was fit for them to do and giving them withal like hearty thanks for the said Contribution of a Subsidy and two Fifteenths and Tenths in that it was granted as willingly and frankly and also as largely and amply and to be Answered as speedily as any other like ever hath been taking the same in as good part as if it had been to her own private use where in very deed it is to be imployed to the general service and benefit of the whole Realm And so giving her Royal Assent to thirty Acts fifteen publick and fifteen private the said Lord Chancellor did by her Highness Commandment Prorogue this present Parliament until the 24 th day of April next coming Nota That all this days Passages with the manner of the Conclusion of the Parliament are wholly transcribed out of the Original Journal Book of the House of Commons and in that respect are here more largely set down than in the Journal of the Upper House and the rather because there is no Conclusion of any Parliament so exactly described in any other of the said Original Journal Books of the House of Commons during the Queens Reign The third and last Session finally of this present Parliament was upon the foresaid 24 th day of April Prorogued again unto the 29 th day of May and was at last after seventeen other Prorogations Dissolved by vertue of her Majesties Commission under the Great Seal of England in that behalf directed upon the 19 th day of April in the twenty fifth year of her Majesties Reign THE JOURNAL OF THE House of LORDS A. Journal of the Passages of the House of Lords in the Parliament holden at Westminster Anno 27 Reginae Eliz. Anno Domini 1584. which began there on Monday the 23 th Day of November and then and there continued until the Prorogation thereof on Monday the 29 th Day of March Anno Domini 1585. after which it was lastly Dissolved on Wednesday the 14 th Day of September Anno 28 Reginae ejusdem Anno Domini 1586. THIS Parliament Summoned and holden in the twenty seventh year of her Majesties Reign lasted a long time in respect of the continual sitting of either House for the space of about three Months at two several Meetings between which there intervened only one Adjournment of about forty days space There were no publick matters of any great consequence debated in it but many Excellent Passages for the Power Priviledge and Order of the Upper House may be observed from it At the first Prorogation thereof on Monday the 29 th day of March in Anno 27 Reginae Eliz. Anno Domini 1585. there passed near upon fifty several Acts or Statutes publick and private from which time it continued until the Dissolution thereof as abovesaid The day before the Parliament began being Sunday and the 22 th day of November the Original Journal-Book setteth down amongst others two unusual or extraordinary Proxies to have been introducted or returned thereon into the hands of the Clark of the Upper House for any Proxy if it be delivered into the hands of the said Clark whether it be before the Parliament begin or after is well returned and it is most likely that these two with some other ordinary or usual Proxies which are here omitted were delivered as aforesaid this Sunday towards the Evening because the Parliament was to begin the next Morning Which said Letters Procuratory are Entred as aforesaid in manner and form following 22 o die Novembris introductae sunt literae Procuratoriae Johannis Episcopi Carliolen ' in quibus Procuratorem suum constituit Johannem Episcopum London Item introductae sunt literae Procuratoriae Willielmi Episcopi Cestren ' in quibus Procuratorem suum constituit Edwinum Archiepiscopum Eboracen ' Nota. That here two Bishops did constitute but one Proxy apiece whereas it seldom happeneth that any spiritual Lord nominateth fewer than two But for any further observation upon the Proxies returned this Parliament Vide on Friday the 27 th day of this instant November following On Monday the 23 th day of November the Parliament began according to the Summons Which had been sent forth The Queens Majesty went to this Parliament in her accustomed Pompous and Royal manner being attended first unto the Cathedral Church of Westminst from her Palace of Whitehall by the Lords and others where having heard a Sermon she was afterwards conducted by them in the like Royalty into the Parliament Chamber commonly called the Upper House whither she came about two of the Clock in the Afternoon Nota That the whole manner and form aforesaid of her Majesties most Royal going to this Parliament is set down at large in M r Mills his Catalogue of Honour imprinted at London Anno Domini 1610. pag. 64. The Queen and the Lords Spiritual and Temporal being all set in
of Oxford great Chamberlain of England the Earl of Warwick the Earl of Pembroke the Bishop of Durham the Bishop of Lincoln the Bishop of Rochester the Lord Hunsdon Chamberlain to the Queen the Lord Lumley and the Lord Buckhurst Assoon as the Clerk of the Parliament had read these Names and had likewise ended other things of course belonging unto them viz. That the first Tryors of England c. or any four of them calling unto them the Lord Chancellor and the Lord Treasurer and also the Queens Serjeants should at their leisure meet together in the Chamberlains Chamber And that the last Tryors of Gascoigne c. or any four of them calling unto them the Queens Serjeants and the Queens Attorney and Sollicitor should hold their place when their leisure did serve them to meet in the Treasurers Chamber Then the Lords Lieutenants adjourned the Parliament until Monday next following This day were divers Proxies returned of which the Extraordinary ones were these that follow 29 o die Octobris introductae sunt Literae procuratoriae Marmad Episcopi Meneven in quibus Procuratores suos constituit Johannem Archiepiscopum Cantuar. Johannem Episcopum London Thomam Episcopum Wintonien Item introductae sunt Literae procuratoriae Willielmi Episcopi Cestren in quibus Procuratorem suum constituit Johannem Episcopum Cantuarien Item introductae sunt Literae procuratoriae Hugonis Episcopi Bangor in quibus Procuratores suos constituit Johannem Episcopum Cantuarien Willielmum Dominum Burleigh Thesaurarium Item introductae sunt Literae procuratoriae Johannis Episcopi Carliolen in quibus Procuratorem suum constituit Edwinum Archiepiscopum Ebor. Nota That these were all the Extraordinary or unsual Proxies that are entred in the Original Journal-Book of the Upper House to have been returned this Parliament For whereas the Spiritual Lords do for the most part constitute two Proctors and the Temporal Lords but one and those likewise of their own Order here the Bishop of S t Davids nominated three the Bishops of Chester and Carlisle but one apiece and the Bishop of Bangor did constitute the Lord Burleigh Lord Treasurer of England his Joynt Proctor with John Bishop of Canterbury which I take to be the only Precedent with two others in Anno 5 Eliz. during all the Parliaments of Queen Elizabeth's Reign where a Spiritual Lord did nominate a Temporal for his Proctor or a Temporal Lord a Spiritual although in the Reign of Queen Mary and other times more ancient it was very usual and ordinary On Monday the 31 th of October her Majesties Person was represented as it had been on the first day of this Parliament by three Commissioners viz. the Archbishop of Canterbury the Lord Burleigh Lord Treasurer of England and the Earl of Darby great Steward of England who were stiled the Lords Lieutenants These with divers other Lords both Spiritual and Temporal being fet in their Parliamentary Robes in the Upper House the Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the House of Commons had notice thereof and thereupon with John Puckering Serjeant at Law who had been Speaker also the last Parliament their now Prolocutor repaired thither and being as many as conveniently could let in the said M r Speaker was led up by two of the most eminent Personages of the House of Commons to the Rail or Bar at the lower end of the said Upper House who being there placed and having according to the usual course desired himself to be excused that so the House of Commons might make choice of some other more able Member amongst themselves it was not allowed but his former wise and discreet behaviour the last Parliament in the Execution of this very place was alledged and much commended Whereupon the said M r Speaker having made humble reverence and in very discreet and good manner submitted himself to the undertaking of the said Prolocutorship did in the end of his Speech make divers petitions of course for freedom of Speech freedom of Access to her Majesty and freedom from Arrests and Suits in the Name of the House of Commons and lastly for pardon for himself if he should unwittingly erre in the report or carriage of any thing Whereunto the Lords Commissioners by the Lord Chancellor answered That the said House of Commons and himself should enjoy and use such Priviledges as others in the times of the Queen her Noble Progenitors had accustomed to use and enjoy Nota That it doth not appear by the Original Journal-Book of the Upper House whether the Speaker were presented in the Forenoon or in the Afternoon Dominus Cancellarius continuavit praesens Parliamentum usque in diem Veneris prox horâ octavâ On Friday the 4 th day of November the Lords Spiritual and Temporal being Assembled the Lord Chancellor continued the Parliament unto the next day at eight of the Clock On Saturday the 5 th day of November the Lord Chancellor declared unto the Lords the foul and indirect dealings practised by the Queen of Scots against her Majesty and the whole Realm notwithstanding so many great benefits and favours which the said Queen of Scots had received of her Majesty the which matter by William Lord Burleigh Lord Treasurer of England as one unto whom the said Queen of Scots whole proceedings were better known by reason of his long Service done unto our most gracious Soveraign Lady since the beginning of her Reign were more fully dilated Dominus Cancellarius continuavit praesens Parliamentum usque in diem Lunae horâ octavâ On Monday the 7 th day of November while the Lords were debating the matter of the Queen of Scots the House of Commons came up and desired a Conference with some of the Lords of this House what number it should please them to appoint about the great matter of the Queen of Scots already opened unto them Whereupon the Lords chose out to the number of twenty one viz. the Archbishops of Canterbury and York the Lord Treasurer the Lord Steward the Earl of Northumberland the Earl of Kent the Earl of Rutland and the Earl of Sussex the Bishop of London the Bishop of Durham the Bishop of Winchester and the Bishop of Worcester the Lord Admiral the Lord Chamberlain the Lord Cobham the Lord Grey the Lord Lumley the Lord Shandois the Lord Buckhurst the Lord de la Ware and the Lord Norris Dominus Cancellarius continuavit praesens Parliamentum usque in diem crastinum horâ nonâ On Tuesday the 8 th day of November nothing was done but the Parliament was by the Lord Chancellor continued usque in diem crastinum horâ nonâ On Wednesday the 9 th day of November were read divers Letters as well of Anthony Babington to the Queen of Scots as of the said Queen of Scots to the said Anthony Babington Charles Paget and others The Sentence also pronounced by the Commissioners against the Queen of Scots was read A form of a Petition agreed upon by the Committees of both Houses was
Hospitality And therefore whereas these two meetings are placed in the Original Journal-Book of the House of Commons very incongruously in two distinct and several Journals as if they had been two distinct and several Sessions they are here rightly placed together and so the passages of the said second meeting do now follow in due course and order On Wednesday the 15 th day of February to which day the Parliament had been Adjourned by the Lords Commissioners aforesaid on Friday the 2 d day of December foregoing the two Houses met in their several places without any pomp or Solemnity this being as hath been before observed neither new Parliament nor new Session but a mere new meeting of either House upon the said Adjournment of the former meeting thereof which began on the 29 th day of October being Saturday in Anno 28 Reginae Eliz. as is aforesaid The Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the House of Commons being set M r Serjeant Puckering then Speaker thereof informed the House that M r Fulk Onslow Clerk of the Parliament was so weakned by Sickness that he could not at this present exercise his place Therefore he had appointed M r William Onslow his Knisman a Member of this House here present to supply it and therefore asked their allowance which they very willingly granted The same time M r Cromwell moved the House for that at their Petition her Majesty had done Justice upon the Scottish Queen to the greater Safeguard of her Majesties Person and the whole Realm he thought it fit that her Majesty might receive from them their humble thanks which motion was well liked but at this time it proceeded no further Two Bills had each of them one reading whereof the first was touching Fines and Recoveries before the Justices of the Common Pleas and the second for limitation of time touching Writs of Error growing by fraud The same day M r Vice-Chamberlain commanded as he said by her Majesty moved the House for that this Parliament was not expected to hold at this time many of the Nobility being Lieutenants in their Countries and others principal Members of this House were absent by occasion whereof those great weighty causes for which this Parliament is called cannot have such deep consultation as is fit Therefore he thought it convenient to have an Adjournment and therefore to move the Lords of the Upper House for the liking thereof Which motion being well liked M r Vice-Chamberlain and a convenient number of the House so many as would without nomination did attend him to the Lords who upon his return from the Lords made report that they having considered of the motion found the same want and therefore yielded to an Adjournment of the Parliament until Wednesday next being the 22 d day of this instant Month of February if this House would condescend unto it Unto which Adjournment this House also yielded which consent M r Vice-Chamberlain did there presently signifie to the Lords and upon his return the House brake up On Wednesday the 22 th day of February to which day the Parliament had been last adjourned upon Wednesday the 15 th day of this instant February foregoing the House again sitting the Right Honourable Sir Christopher Hatton Knight Vice-Chamberlain to her Majesty and one of her Majesties most Honourable Privy Council used this Speech in effect to the House viz. That it was her Majesties pleasure to have dangers disclosed and to have the House know that she thanked God for the goodness of the House that she wished the Session mistaken for Meeting to be short that men of Government might go home for matter of Government hospitality and defence and to take another time for making of Laws saving such as be now of necessity The dangers which her Majesty meaneth proceed of ancient malice and are to be prepared for and God called upon for aid The principal heads of the dangers The Catholicks abroad the Pope the King of Spain the Princes of the League the Papists at home and their Ministers The principal root hereof The Council of Trent which agreed to extirp Christian Religion which they term Heresie whereunto divers Princes assented and bound themselves in solemn manner Pope Pius Quint us sent her Excommunication against her Majesty Dr. Mourton and Mendoza a Spanish Ambassadour bestirred them a Northern Rebellion was bred the Pope and the rest practised for the Scottish Queen and she being acquainted proceeds by her means Pope Paulus the Thirteenth proceeds and sends Jesuits and Seminaries to England and Ireland and they proceed to inveagle the Subjects and disswade them from obedience Visko beginneth a Rebellion in Ireland James Fitz-Morris furthereth the Execution thereof Doctor Sanders and Desmond stir new Rebellion there and wrote into England c. Parry was moved to kill her Majesty and perswaded it was meritorious Pope Sixtus the Fifth imitateth the other Popes to execute their former devices and writeth to the Cardinal of Lorain and Guise that he will overthrow the Gospel which Mr. Vice-Chamberlain honourably termed the glorious Gospel and therefore moved them to join with the Princes of the League and to practise to win the King of Scots and to set up the Scottish Queen in England and made his reckoning of the Cantons that be Popish the Switzers the Duke of Savoy the Duke of Ferrara King of Spain and King of France A chief Instrument to work this was one Carew called also Father Henry He was sent into Germany and over Italy and France wrote to the Scottish Queen that the Powers will join to overthrow England and make known the effect of his labour to the Pope Invasion should have been made into England and Ireland the last year and not unlike to be attempted this year The Pope excommunicateth the King of Navar The Pope accounteth not of Popish preaching and perswasions that way but nevertheless moveth all to use the word and for maintenance thereof spareth his Treasure otherwise and withdraweth maintenance from Jesuits Seminaries and divers others Letters were found with the Scottish Queen which prove all these to be true If we serve Almighty God in sincerity of heart we need not to fear It is to be remembred that the King of Spain sought to recover some part of his Fathers credit by using our Treasure and force to get S t Quintines but he soon made his advantage of it and regarded not our Territories in France but suffered the loss of Calice and all our Territories and after the death of Queen Mary what he could Her Majesty sought for his good will sending the Lord Mountague the Lord Cobham Sir Thomas Chamberlain Knight M r Maun and others and they were but hardly used some of them were offered great indignity and M r Mauns Son forced by strength to do a kind of Penance He comforted the Queens Enemies he giveth colour of Wars he chargeth the Queen that her Subjects have aided his Rebels in the Low Countries with
day of November in the first meeting of this present Parliament on the behalf of the Borough of Grantham in the Country of Lincoln against Arthur Hall Gentleman that the said Arthur Hall had Commenced Suits against them for Wages by him demanded of the said Borough as one of the Burgesses of the Parliament in the Sessions of Parliament holden the thirteenth fourteenth eighteenth and twenty third years of the Reign of our Soveraign Lady the Queens Majesty wherein it was alledged that the said Borough ought not to be charged as well in respect of the negligent attendance of the said Mr. Hall at the said Sessions of Parliament and some other offences by him committed at some of the said Sessions as also in respect that he had made promise not to require any such Wages the Examination of the said cause on the second day of December in the last Session mistaken for Meeting of this Parliament by Order of this House was committed unto Sir Ralph Sadler Knight Chancellor of the Dutchy Sir Walter Mildmay Knight Chancellor of the Exchequer Thomas Cromwell Robert Markham and Robert Wroth Esquires This day report was made by the said Committees that not having time during the last Session of Parliament mistaken for Meeting to examine the circumstances of the cause they had in the mean Season by their Letters advertised my Lord Chancellor that the said cause was committed unto them and humbly requested his Lordship to stay the issuing forth of any further Process against the said Borough until this Session of Parliament mistaken for Meeting which accordingly his Lordship had very honourably performed And the said Committees did further declare that having during this Session of Parliament mistaken for Meeting sent for Mr. Hall declared unto him the effect of the complaint against him they had desired him to remit the said wages which he had demanded of the said Borough whom they found very conformable to condescend to such their request and that the said Mr. Hall then affirmed unto them that if the said Citizens of the said Borough would have made suit unto him he would upon such their own Suit then remitted the same so was he very willing to do any thing which might be grateful to this House and did freely and frankly remit the same which being well liked of by this House it was by them this day Ordered that the same should be entred accordingly On Thursday the 23 th day of March the Bill for the Queens Majesties most gracious general and free Pardon was sent down from the Lords by Serjeant Gawdie and Doctor Carew which having passed the House was sent back again this Morning unto their Lordships with another Bill which was for the continuance and perfecting of divers Statutes This day finally the Speaker with the rest of the House of Commons being sent for into the Upper House and thereupon repairing thither two Commissions under the Great Seal were read by the first of which her Majesty being absent gave her Royal Assent to ten several Acts or Statutes which passed at this time and by the other this Parliament was dissolved Nota That all this days Passages are supplied out of the Upper House Journal THE JOURNAL OF THE House of LORDS An Exact and perfect Journal of the Passages of the House of Lords in the Parliament holden at Westminster Anno 31 Reginae Eliz. Anno Domini 1588. which began there after one Prorogation of the same on Tuesday the 4 th Day of February and then and there continued until the Dissolution thereof on Saturday the 29 th Day of March Anno Domini 1589. THE Queens Majesty soon after that her wonderful and glorious Victory which God Almighty had given her Navy over that vainly stiled Invincible Armado sent against her Realm of England by the Spanish King summoned this her High Court of Parliament to begin on Tuesday the 12 th day of November that present year 1588. and the 30 th year of her Reign that so by common Advice and Counsel she might prepare and provide against the inbred malice of that Prince and Nation Sir Christopher Hatton Knight her Majesties late Vice-Chamberlain being made Lord Chancellor in the room and stead of Sir Thomas Bromley Knight who having been sick a great part of the last Parliament dyed in April following Anno 29 Regin Eliz. Anno Domini 1587. But other occasions of some importance requiring the deferring of the said Assembly her Majesty Prorogued the same in manner and form following Memorandum That whereas the Queens Majesty by her Writ summoned her Parliament to begin and to be holden at Westminster this present Tuesday being the 12 th day of November her Highness for certain great and weighty Causes and Considerations her Majesty specially moving by the advice of her Privy Council and of her Justices of both her Benches and other of her Council learned did Prorogue and adjourn the said Parliament until the 4 th day of February next by virtue of her Writ Patent sealed with the Great Seal and bearing date the 15 th day of October last past Whereupon at this said 12 th day of November the Archbishop of Canterbury Sir Christopher Hatton Lord Chancellor William Lord Burleigh Lord Treasurer the Earl of Huntingdon the Bishop of London and three other Barons repaired to the Parliament-Chamber commonly called the Upper House and there in the presence of the Knights Citizens and Burgesses summoned to the said Parliament declared That her Highness for divers good causes and considerations her specially moving by her Highnesses said Writ had Prorogued the said Parliament from this said first summoned day until the 4 th day of February next Whereupon the Writ for the said Prorogation in the presence of all that Assembly was openly read by the Clerk of the Upper House in haec verba ELizabetha Dei gratiâ Angliae Franciae Hiberniae Regina fidei Defensor c. Praedilectis fidelibus nostris Praelatis Magnatibus Proceribus Regni nostri Angliae ac dilectis fidelibus nostris Militibus Civibus Burgensibus dicti Regni nostri ad praesens Parliamentum nostrum apud Civitatem nostram Westmonasterii 12 die Novembris proximè futuro inchoand ' tenend ' convocatis electis vestrum cuilibet Salutem Cùm nos pro quibusdam ardnis urgentibus negotiis nos statum defensionem dicti Regni nostri Angliae Ecclesiae Anglicanae concernentibus dictum Parliamentum nostrum ad diem locum praedictos teneri ordinaverimus ac vobis per separalia Brevia nostra apud Civitatem diem praedictum interesse mandaverimus ad tractand consentiend concludend ' super hiis quae in dicto Parliamento nostro tunc ibidem proponerentur tractarentur Quibusdam tamen certis de causis considerationibus nos ad hoc specialiter moventibus dictum Parliamentum nostrum nsque ad in quartum diem Februarii prox ' futurum duximus
Her Majesty thinketh this to be for that the wealthier sort of men turn this charge upon the weaker and upon those of worst ability for that one dischargeth himself and the other is not able to satisfie what he is charged withal These things would be reformed by such as are Commissioners in this present service Her Majesty further hath willed me to signify unto you that the calling of this Parliament now is not for the making of any more new Laws and Statutes for there are already a sufficient number both of Ecclesiastical and Temporal and so many there be that rather than to burthen the Subject with more to their grievance it were fitting an Abridgment were made of those there are already Wherefore it is her Majesties Pleasure that the time be not spent therein But the principal Cause of this Parliament is that her Majesty might consult with her Subjects for the better withstanding of those intended Invasions which are now greater than were ever heretofore heard of And whereas heretofore it hath been used that many have delighted themselves in long Orations full of verbosity and of vain ostentations more than in speaking things of substance The time that is precious would not be thus spent The Sessions cannot be long by reason the Spring time 't is fit that Gentlemen should repair to their Countries the Justices of Assize also to go their Circuits So the good hours should not be lost in idle Speeches but the little time we have should be bestowed wholly on such businesses as are needful to be considered of And so willed them to Elect a Speaker As soon as the Lord Keepers Speech was ended the Clerk of the Parliament read the names of the Receivors and Triors of Petitions in French according to the ancient use and form which were as followeth viz. Receivors of Petitions for England Ireland Wales and Scotland Sir John Popham Lord Chief Justice of the Kings-Bench John Clynch one of the Justices of the Kings-Bench Francis Gawdy another of the Justices of the said Bench Doctor Awberry and Doctor Ford. They which will deliver Petitions are to deliver the same within six days next ensuing Receivors of Petitions for Gascoign and other parts beyond the Seas and the Isles Sir Edmond Anderson Lord Chief Justice of the Common-Pleas Sir William Perrian Lord Chief Baron and Thomas Walmsley one of the Justices of the Common-Pleas Doctor Cary and Doctor Stanhop And they which will deliver Petitions are to deliver the same within six days next ensuing Tryors of Petitions for England Ireland Wales and Scotland the Archbishop of Canterbury the Marquess of Winchester the Earl of Darby Lord Steward of the Queens Houshold the Earl of Sussex the Earl of Pembroke the Earl of Essex the Bishop of London the Bishop of Durham the Lord Howard of Effingham Earl Marshal and Lord Admiral of England the Lord Cobham the Lord Grey of Wilton All these or any four of them calling to them the Lord Keeper of the Great Seal of England and the Treasurer and the Queens Serjeants when need shall require shall hold their places in the Chamberlains Chamber Tryors of Petitions for Gascoign and other parts beyond the Seas and the Isles the Earl of Oxford Great Chamberlain of England the Earl of Shrewsbury the Earl of Huntington the Bishop of Rochester the Bishop of Lincoln the Lord Hunsdon Lord Chamberlain to the Queen the Lord Lumley and the Lord Buckhurst These or any four of them calling unto them the Queens Serjeants when need shall require shall hold their places in the Treasurers Chamber Nota That all that which is set down touching the coming up of those of the House of Commons into the Higher House and the Lord Keepers Speech being before placed after the names of such Lords Spiritual and Temporal as were this day present is not found in the Original Journal-Book of the Upper House but is here inserted partly out of the Original Journal-Book of the House of Commons and partly out of another very exact Journal of that House which was in my Custody being very diligently observed and set down by some Anonymus who was a Member of the said House during this Parliament And I have always thought it most fitting in all these several Journals ever to refer the aforesaid Speeches the Presentments of the Speakers and such other Passages as are wholly handled and agitated in the Upper House to be set down as largely as by any good Authority they may in the Journal of the same to which they do most truly and properly belong and only for Orders sake to give a short touch or remembrance of them in the Journal of the House of Commons Finally at the Conclusion of this days business the Continuance of the Parliament is Entred in the Original Journal-Book of the Upper House in manner and form following viz. Dominus Custos magni Sigilli ex Mandato Dominae Reginae continuavit praesens Parliamentum usque in diem Jovis prox ' futurum On Thursday the 22 th day of February to which day the Parliament had been last continued the Queens Majesty her self came about three of the Clock in the Afternoon accompanied by the Archbishop of Canterbury Sir John Puckering Knight Lord Keeper of the Great Seal William Lord Burleigh Lord Treasurer of England the Marquess of Winchester and divers others of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal being for the most part the very same that are by name set down to have been present on Monday foregoing the first day of this Parliament The Queen and the Lords being thus set the House of Commons had notice thereof who immediately thereupon came up with Edward Cooke Esquire the Queens Sollicitor into the Upper House whom they had Chosen for their Speaker or Prolocutor Which said Speaker being led up to the Bar at the nether end of the said House between two of the most Eminent Personages of the House of Commons who as soon as silence was made and the rest of the said House as many as could conveniently get in had placed themselves in the space below the said Bar spake as followeth YOur Majesties most loving Subjects the Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the House of Commons have nominated me your Graces poor Servant and Subject to be their Speaker This their nomination hath hitherto proceeded that they present me to speak before your Majesty Yet this their nomination is only as yet a Nomination and no Election until your Majesty giveth Allowance and Approbation For as in the Heavens a Star is but opacum Corpus until it have received light from the Sun so stand I Corpus opacum a Mute Body until your Highness bright shining Wisdom hath looked upon me and allowed me How great a Charge this is to be the Mouth of such a Body as your whole Commons represent to utter what is spoken Grandia Regni My small Experience being a poor Professor of the Law can tell But how unable I
last continued Three Bills of no great moment had each of them one reading of which the first being the Bill for the grant of three entire Subsidies and fix Fifteenths and Tenths granted by the Temporalty was read primâ vice which said Bill had already passed the House of Commons and had been sent up from them to the Lords on Saturday last This Morning also two Bills of no great moment were sent up to the Lords from the House of Commons of which the second was the Bill concerning the restraining of Popish Recusants to certain places of aboad c. On Tuesday the 27 th day of March Three Bills of no great moment had each of them one reading of which the first being for the Assurance of certain Lands and Tenements to Read Stafford and Mabell his Wife was read tertia vice expedit On Wednesday the 28 th day of March Three Bills of no great moment had each of them one reading of which the second being for the grant of three entire Subsidies and Fifteenths c. was read secunda vice Five Bills also were sent up to the Lords from the House of Commons of which the first was for restitution in blood of Sir Thomas Parrot K t and was read primâ vice This day finally was one unusual or extraordinary Proxy returned from one of the Bishops absent at this time from the Parliament as divers other Peers by the Licence of her Majesty in which said Proxy he constituted but one Proctor whereas the Ordinary Custom is for every Spiritual Lord to nominate two Proctors at the least and every Temporal Lord but one This Proxy is thus Entred in the beginning of the Original Journal-Book of the Upper House viz. 28 Martii introductae sunt Literae Procuratoriae Thomae Cicestrensis Episcopi in quibus Procuratorem suum constituit Johannem Cantuariensem Episcopum On Thursday the 29 th day of March Three Bills of no great moment had each of them one reading of which the first being the Bill for restitution in blood of Sir Thomas Parrot K t was read secunda tertia vice expedit On Friday the 30 th day of March Five Bills had each of them one reading of which the first was the Bill for the grant of three entire Subsidies c. granted by the Temporalty And the last was the Bill of Subsidy granted by the Clergy Both which Bills at this time upon their several third readings passed the House On Saturday the 31 th day of March Six Bills had each of them one reading of which the last being the Bill prohibiting Strangers born to sell by way of retail Foreign Wares brought into this Realm was read secunda tertia vice and rejected On Monday the second day of April to which day the Parliament had been last continued the Bill for Explanation of a Statute made in the thirty third year of Henry the Eighth touching Grants made to his Majesty and Confirmation of Letters Patents was read secunda vice Six Bills were brought up to the Lords from the House of Commons of which the second was for bringing in of fresh Water into the Town of Stonehouse in the County of Devon On Tuesday the third day of April Five Bills of no great moment had each of them one reading of which the fourth being the Bill for the maintenance of the Navigation of England was read secunda vice On Wednesday the 4 th day of April the Bill for Explanation of the Statute made in the thirty fourth year of Henry the Eighth for confirmation of Letters Patents made by his Highness to others was read primâ secundâ vice On Thursday the 5 th day of April Three Bills of no great moment had each of them one reading of which the second being the Bill for Confirmation of Letters Patents to the Mayors Sheriffs Citizens and Commonalty of the City of Lincoln was read tertiâ vice conclusa This Morning also this Order following was agreed on amongst the Lords viz. WHereas the Lords of Parliament both Spiritual and Temporal assembled in the Parliament Chamber here at Westminster have with one uniform consent both in their own names and the rest of the Lords now absent Ordered that there shall be a charitable relief and contribution made towards the Aid and help of a number of Souldiers that are seen in the time of this Parliament maimed and sore hurt in the Wars of France and Low Countries and on the Seas for the service of the Queens Majesty and the Realm and for that purpose have allowed that every Archbishop Marquess Earl and Viscount should pay toward their Contribution the sum of forty shilings every Bishop thirty shillings and every Baron twenty shillings for Collection whereof there hath been appointed the Queens Majesties Almoner and the Bishop of Worcester to collect the sums of Bishops and the Lord Norris to collect the sums payable by the Lords Temporal which hath been diligently done and received by them from all the Lords Spiritual and Temporal that have been present and that have attended to their great charge on the service of the Realm in this Parliament And considering the number of the Souldiers to be relieved therewith being very many notwithstanding the Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the House of Commons have yielded very good and large Contributions according to their Degrees Yet for the better relief of the said maimed Souldiers It is by the Lords Spiritual and Temporal that have given their Attendance here and have charitably and honourably yielded to this Contribution thought meet and so it is Ordered and Decreed by them with common and free consent that all the Lords of Parliament that have been altogether absent in this Sessions and that shall not have Contributed to this charitable use of relief before the end of this Sessions shall be required by Letters to be sent to them by the Lords that had their Procuration for their absence or by Letters from the Lord Keeper of the Great Seal required and charged to Cause payments to be made according to their Degrees and Vocations the double of the sums of money paid by the Lords that have been here present and continued their Attendance That is to say that every Earl that hath been absent shall pay four pound the Archbishop of York to pay as much And every Bishop also absent to pay three pound and every Baron forty shillings And for such as have been here present and continued their Attendance at some times though very seldom having been absent for the more part it is thought meet that every such Lord Spiritual and Temporal shall according to their Degrees pay a third part more than the Lords that have been constantly present All which sums of money they shall cause to be delivered to the hands of the Lord Keeper of the Great Seal to be afterwards by such Spiritual Lords of Parliament as are chosen for that purpose distributed to the maimed
intermedling with the Succession of the Crown which she had expresly forbidden Which Passage as also divers other particular Speeches being not found in the Original Journal-Book of the House of Commons are supplied out of another Journal of the same House very exactly and elaborately taken by an Anonymus being a Member of the same at this Parliament but yet with this Caution to avoid confusion that whatsoever is inserted out of the saidAnonymous Journal hath a particular Animadversion annexed unto it for discovery thereof The eighth Parliament of our Soveraign Lady Elizabeth by the Grace of God Queen of England France and Ireland Defender of the Faith begun at Westminster upon Monday being the 19 th day of February in the thirty fifth year of her Majesties Reign And thereupon many of the Knights Citizens Burgesses and Barons returned into the same Parliament then made their Appearances at Westminster before the Right Honourable the Earl of Darby Lord Steward of her Majesties most Honourable Houshold and did take the Oath before the said Lord Steward or his Deputies according to the Statute in that behalf lately made and provided The manner of the administring of the said Oath to the said Knights Citizens and Burgesses was as followeth The said Lord Steward removed into the Court of Requests and having called over the said Knights and others that were returned by their names M r Vice-Chamberlain and others of her Majesties Privy-Council took the said Oath before his Honour and then having appointed them his Deputies to swear the residue of the House of Commons who had then appeared according to their several returns he departed And thereupon his Lordships said Deputies proceeded to the further administrating of the aforesaid Oath to other Members of the said House who after they had taken the same entred into it and placed themselves The Fee for entring the name into the Serjeants Book is two shillings The reward to the Door-Keeper three shillings eight pence The Fee for returning the Indenture two shillings About two of the Clock in the Afternoon this present Monday her Highness with divers of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and such others as had place there being let into the Upper House and the Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the House of Commons as many as conveniently could being at length let in The Right Honourable Sir John Puckering Knight Lord Keeper of the Great Seal of England declared the said Parliament to be called by her Highness only for Consultation and Preparation of Aid to be had and made against the mighty and great Forces of the King of Spain bent and intended against this Realm as well by some practices attempted by him in the Realm of France and with some of the Nobility of Scotland as by many other ways and means to that end and purpose And did in the end advise the said Commons to employ the time of this present Session of Parliament in the aforesaid Consultation and not to go about the making of any new Laws for the Common-Wealth at this time as well for that there are very many good Laws already in force more he said than are well executed as for that also such new Laws if they be needful may be treated of and dealt in at some other time hereafter And so willed them to repair to their accustomed place and make Choice of their Speaker Which done the said Parliament was Adjourned until Thursday next following After which the said Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the House of Commons being Assembled in the same House the Right Honourable Sir Francis Knowles Knight one of her Majesties most Honourable Privy-Council and Treasurer of her Highness most Honourable Houshold stood up and putting the House in remembrance of the said Charge of the said Lord Keeper given unto them for chusing of their Speaker and very gravely and amply setting out sundry the good parts and commendable qualities and abilities of the Right Worshipful M r Edward Cooke Esquire Learned in the Laws of this Realm Sollicitor General to her Majesty and being a Member of this House returned into the same one of the Knights for the County of Norfolk doth in the end for his part and opinion nominate the said M r Edward Cooke to be chosen for their Speaker in this present Parliament if the residue of this House shall so think good Unto which Motion as many of the said House assented with their Voices so the said M r Edward Cooke thereupon stood up and very gravely and discreetly behaving himself as well in all due thankfulness unto this House for their said good opinion conceived of him as also in disabling himself in divers respects for the discharge due and requisite for that place humbly prayeth them to proceed to a new Election Which done the Right Honourable Sir Thomas Heneage Knight Vice-Chamberlain to her Majesty and one other of her Highness's most Honourable Privy-Council stood up and not only approving but also very much amplifying the said former sundry commendable gifts and abilities of the said M r Edward Cooke exceeding many others and comparable in his opinion and judgment with any others for that place and charge gathering also the same partly from his own late former Speech of excuses doth in the end resolutely deliver his opinion to make choice of the said M r Cooke to be their Speaker And also thereupon moving the question to the House the said M r Cooke was with one full consent and voice of the whole House nominated and chosen to be their Speaker for this present Parliament And so was thereupon presently brought by the said M r Treasurer and M r Vice-Chamberlain and set in the Chair And immediately after the House did rise and were appointed to repair thither again upon Thursday next following On Thursday the 22 th day of February to which day the Parliament that begun on Monday foregoing being the 19 th day of the same Month had been continued by Sir John Puckering Knight Lord Keeper of the Great Seal by her Majesties Commandment the Queens Majesty and divers of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal being set in the Upper House the Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the House of Commons had notice thereof and thereupon they repaired thither with Edward Cooke Esquire her Majesties Sollicitor their lately Elected Speaker who being led up to the Rail or Bar at the lower end of the said House by two of the most-eminent Personages of the aforesaid House of Commons after humble reverence made declared unto her Majesty his Election to the said place of Prolocutor and then alledging according to the usual course his own insufficiency did desire her Majesty to enable him to that Charge and to consider that howsoever he were the meanest that ever went before him in that place in respect of Experience yet in respect of his faithfulness he thought himself inferlour to none After which Speech her Majesty by the Mouth of the Lord
we were so secure and never thought that the King of Spain would have set up his Rest for England Then sent he his Navy termed Invincible and was almost upon the Banks of us before we were aware Yea we were so slack in provision that it was too late to make resistance had not God preserved us His attempt against us by seeking to win the Low-Countries and to obtain Ireland being but trifles and partly devices which I mean not to trouble you with he hath now of late gone about to win France wherein he hath greatly prevailed as in Lorrain and in other parts as you have heard but specially in Britany having most part of the Port Towns in his Possession whither he still sendeth supply daily and reinforces them every four or five Months which part is always open and his men and forces never wanting This Province he especially desireth for it lyeth most fitly to annoy us whither he may send forces continually and there have his Navy in a readiness the which he could not so easily unless he had the wind in a bag Besides having this Province he might keep us from Traffick to Rochell and Burdeaux as he doth in the Straights from Tripoly and S t Jean de Lucc And so hinder us from carrying forth and bringing into this Land any Commodities from those parts whereby the Realm might be inriched and her Majesties Impost ever eased being one of the greatest Revenues of her Crown He hath also gone about with them of Stade and the King of Poland one of his own Faction and who by reason he cannot do in that Kingdom what he listeth he may not so easily command him to impeach or hinder our Traffick in those Eastern parts which if he could bring to pass you see how hurtful it would be to this Land But to descend yet lower into these latter Actions He hath seen it is but a folly to make Woodden Bridges to pass into Ireland therefore he hath found out a safer way and stronger passage into it by Land and that by Scotland which though it be not talked of on the Exchange nor Preached at Paul's Cross yet it is most true and in Scotland as common as the high-way That he hath procured unto him many of the Nobility It may be he hath sent thither no great Navy and that her Majesty would not suffer him to do yet do what she can some one Paltry Fly-Boat may escape her Majesties Ships and carry gold enough in her to make them Traytors and stir them to Sedition These things her Majesty understood before and Advertized the King thereof which the effect hath proved to be true For unless I be deceived the last Letter that came from thence might shew that the King is gone to make a Rode into the North and to bring back the Lord Bothwell and the Lord Huntley The King of Spain's malice thus daily increaseth against us and seeketh also to stir up Sedition amongst us by his Instruments The number also of Papists daily increaseth or at least wise becomes more manifest My advice is that you would consult how to withstand such imminent dangers which the greater they be the sooner they would be looked into and remembred Wherefore I would desire M r Speaker that he would appoint some Committees of the sufficientest and wisest men in the House to consider thereon Sir John Wolley spake to the like Effect saying that upon the Cause of the danger the Realm was now in and of the remedy his Speech should consist which he likened to a natural Body in which the more danger the principal Member was in the greater means there should be used for the preservation thereof Roan being made now Admiral of France by the League should say that he was a poor Admiral now but yet he doubted not ' but that shortly he should be able to bring such a Navy as should terrify the Queen of England Also he shewed how the Princes of the Holy League had conspired the overthrow of the Realm the extirpation of Religion and the confusion of her Majesty and her Loyal Subjects And exhorted the House now because the season of the year groweth on which calleth many of the Knights and Burgesses to be in their Countries besides the Sickness being in the Town so that many of that House he thought knew not whether they lodged in Houses infected or not that they would seek to dispatch and end the Parliament so soon as might be He also shewed how the Dunkirkers trouled our Fishermen in small Barks upon the Sea-coasts And so that this matter might be Committed to some of the sufficientest in the House He also exhorted the House to a speedy agreeing of a Subsidy which considering the dangers we were in and that it was for our own good as also for her Majesty's he hoped that no good Subject but would willingly agree to it Also he shewed that the Wars with the King of Spain had cost her Majesty a Million of Money but this he avouched that where it cost her Majesty one it cost the King of Spain three Then Sir John Fortescue spake and said They that spake before me spake sufficiently of the Authors of our trouble of the great danger which is now imminent insomuch that as it is come to that point now Non utrùm imperare sed utrùm vivere I will speak of nothing but that which concerns my Calling Her Majesty not being only careful for the preservation of Her own Realm but of her Neighbours also she hath not only defended her own Subjects from being invaded but also hath aided Strangers which wanted Money with whom otherwise it would have gone ill by this time both with them and ourselves Insomuch that the burthen of four Kingdoms hath rested upon her Majesty which she hath maintained with her Purse England France Ireland and Scotland For how could the French King at his first coming to the Crown have held out against those Leaguers had not her Majesty assisted him with her Men and Money which hath cost her Majesty about a hundred thonsand pound For 't is well known that the French King had not been able to withstand the Duke of Parma's coming into France had it not been for our Englishmen and Money As for the Low Countries they have stood her Majesty in yearly since she undertook the defence of them one hundred and fifty thousand pound All which her Majesty bestowed for the good of the Realm to free us from War at home Besides when her Majesty came to the Crown she found it four Millions indebted her Navy when she came to view it she found greatly decayed Yet all this hath discharged and thanks be to God is nothing indebted and now she is able to match any Prince in Europe which the Spaniards found when they came to invade as Yea she hath with her Ships compassed the whole world whereby this Land is made famous throughout all places
Anno Dom. 1601. which was the last Parliament of her Majesties Reign a greater viz. of four Subsidies and eight Fifteenths and Tenths was again yielded unto whence it is plain that whatsoever is once granted by the Subject may often be raised but seldom falleth THE JOURNAL OF THE House of COMMONS A Journal of the House of Commons in the Parliament holden at Westminster Anno 39 Reginae Eliz. Anno Domini 1597. which began there on Monday the 24 th Day of October and then and there continued until the Dissolution thereof on Thursday the 9 th Day of February Anno 40 Reginae ejusdem THIS present Journal of the House of Commons is not only abundantly stored with many and sundry Passages touching the Orders Use and Priviledge of the House it self but containeth in it excellent matter touching the publick affairs of Church and State in which also her Majesty was most graciously pleased to give the said House free Liberty to reform some abuses of the first and to search into the dangers of the latter And that this said Journal might be the more exact and copious in some few places the defects thereof are supplied out of the Original Journal-Book of the Upper House and out of a certain imperfect and fragmentary Journal of the House of Commons The ninth Parliament of our Soveraign Lady Elizabeth by the Grace of God of England France and Ireland Queen Defender of the Faith c. begun at Westminster upon Monday being the 24 th day of October in the thirty ninth year of her Majesties Reign Upon which day many of the Knights of the Shires Citizens of Cities Burgesses of Boroughs and Barons of Ports did make their appearance at Westminster being returned into the same Parliament for the same Shires Cities Boroughs and Ports before the Right Honourable the Earl of Nottingham Lord Steward of her Majesties most honourable Household And did then and there in the Room commonly called the Court of Requests take the Oath of Supremacy seven or eight at a time being Enacted by and contained in the Statute de an 1 Reginae Eliz. Cap. 1. before the said Lord Steward and before Sir William Knolles Knight Comptroller of her Majesties Houshold Sir John Fortescue Chancellor of the Exchequer and Sir Robert Cecill Principal Secretary his Lordships Deputies And thereupon the said Knights Citizens Burgesses and Barons entring into their own House and expecting her Majesties further Pleasure her Highness then being in her Royal Seat in the Higher House of Parliament the said Commons were commanded to come before her Highness and being there Assembled the Right Honourable Sir Thomas Egerton Knight Lord Keeper of the Great Seal of England delivered unto the said Commons the Causes of her Majesties Calling of this Parliament and so in the end willed them to repair again into the said House of Commons and there to make choice of their Speaker according to the former laudable usage and custom of the same House in that Case accustomed and willed them to present him unto her Majesty upon the Thursday next following Which done the said Commons presently repaired unto their own House and there being Assembled and sitting some space of time very silent at last the Right Honourable Sir William Knolls one of her Highness most Honourable Privy Council and Comptroller of her Majesties Household stood up and spake to the effect following Necessity constraineth me to break off this silence and to give others cause for speech According to the usual Custom we are to chuse our Speaker and though I am least able and therefore unfit to speak in this place yet better I deem it to discover my own Imperfections than that her most sacred Majesties Commandment to me delivered should not be fulfilled or your Expectation of this first days work by all our silences to be in any sort frustrate First therefore I think it very expedient to remember the Excellent and Learned Speech of that good man my Lord Keeper at which all of us or the most part of us at the least were present who very wisely shewed the Cause of calling this Honourable Assembly shewing unto us that it is partly for the reforming those Laws which be amiss partly quite to repeal others partly to augment those that be good and partly to Enact new Laws both for the Honour and profit of her Majesty and for the benefit of the Common-wealth And in conclusion wished us to depart from whence we came and there to chuse our Speaker who ought to be the Mouth of us all and to whom we might commit such weighty affairs as in this place should be debated amongst us For unfit it is if we have occasion to go unto the Sacred presence of her Majesty to go either confusedly without order or unorderly without Judgment Now because that knowledge doth rest in certainty I will with the more speed set afoot this motion deliver my opinion unto you who is most fit for this place being a member of this House and those good abilities which I know to be in him here he made a little pause and the House hawked and spat and after silence made he proceeded unto this place of dignity and calling in my opinion here he stayed a little M r Serjeant Yelverton looking upon him is the fittest man to be preferred after which words M r Yelverton blushed and put off his Hat and after sate bare-headed for I am assured that he is yea and I dare avow it I know him to be a man wise and learned secret and circumspect Religious and faithful no way disable but every way able to supply this place Wherefore in my Judgment I deem him though I will not say best worthy amongst us yet sufficient enough to supply this place and herein if any man think I err I wish him to deliver his mind as freely as I have done if not that we all join together in giving general consent and approbation to this motion So that the whole House cried I I I let him be And then Master Comptroller made a low reverence and sat down and after a little pause and silence M r Serjeant Yelverton rose up and after a very humble reverence made spake in effect thus much WHence your unexpected choice of me to be your Mouth or Speaker should proceed I am utterly ignorant If from my merits strange it were that so few deserts should purchase suddenly so great an Honour Nor from my ability doth this your choice proceed for well known it is to a great number in this place now assembled that my Estate is nothing correspondent for the maintenance of this dignity For my Father dying left me a younger Brother and nothing to me but my bare Annuity Then growing to mans estate and some small practice of the Law I took a Wise by whom I have had many Children the keeping of us all being a great impoverishing to my Estate and the daily living of us
Order After which ended and her Majesties Assent thereunto then the Dissolution of the Parliament followed by the Lord Keeper which is entred in the Original Journal-Book of the Upper House in these words following viz. Dominus Custos magni Sigilli ex mandato Dominae Reginae Dissolvit hoc praesens Parliamentum THE JOURNAL OF THE House of COMMONS A Journal of the Passages of the House of Commons in the Parliament holden at Westminster Anno 43 Reginae Eliz. Anno Domini 1601. which began there on Tuesday the 27 th Day of October and then and there continued until the Dissolution thereof on Saturday the 19 th Day of December ensuing Anno 44 Reginae ejusdem THIS large and copious Journal containeth in it not only a number of excellent Passages concerning the Orders and Priviledge of the House of Commons which are usually found in other Journals of the same House but also much matter touching the publick State and that great grievance of the Realm by reason of Patents of Priviledge or Monopolies in the abdication or censure of which her Majesty most graciously concurr'd with her Subjects In which also a great number of Speeches and other Passages which were not found in the Original Journal-Book of the said House are supplied out of a Journal of the same House taken at this Parliament by one of the Members thereof But yet to avoid confusion whatsoever is here inserted out of the said private Journal is particularly distinguished from that which is taken out of the above-mentioned Original Journal-Book of the House of Commons by some Animadversion or expression thereof both before and after the inserting of it The tenth Parliament of our Sovereign Lady Elizabeth by the Grace of God of England France and Ireland Queen Defender of the Faith c. begun at Westminster upon Tuesday being the 27 th day of October in the forty third year of her Majesties Reign upon which day many of the Knights for the Shires Citizens for Cities Burgesses for Boroughs and Barons for Ports returned into the same Parliament did make their appearance at Westminster aforesaid before the Right Honourable the Earl of Nottingham Lord Admiral and Lord Steward of her Highnesses most Honourable Houshold and did then and there take the Oath according to the Statute in that behalf made and provided tendred by the said Earl or by his Deputies who were Sir William Knolls Comptroller of her Majesties Houshold Sir John Stanhop her Highness Vice-Chamberlain Sir Robert Cecill Principal Secretary and John Herbert Esq second Secretary After which all the said Lord Steward's Deputies and some others of the House of Commons having gotten into the Upper House and her Majesty with divers of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal being set the greatest part of the residue of the Members of the said House of Commons had notice thereof about four of the Clock in the Afternoon being at that time still suting in the said House and expecting her Majesties Pleasure to be sent for up unto the said Upper House according to the antient usage and custom of former Parliaments And thereupon the said residue repaired immediately unto the Door of the said House but could not be let in the Door being still kept shut and so returned back again unto their own House much discontented Shortly after which time the Right Honourable Sir William Knolls one of the Deputies aforesaid came down into the said House of Commons and so being there set with the said residue for some little space of time M r Richard Lieffe one of the Barons returned into this present Parliament for the Port of Hastings in the County of Sussex stood up and shewing unto the said Comptroller the wrong done unto the greatest part of the Members of this House in their not being suffered to come into the said Upper House to hear her Majesties Pleasure signified by the Mouth of the Lord Keeper of the Great Seal of England humbly desired the said Comptroller to be a means that the effect thereof might be imparted unto some of the Members of this House for their better satisfactions Which as his Honour did think very reasonable and meet to be done at convenient time so did he impute the said fault wholly to the Gentleman-Usher of the said Upper House Which done and the residue of the said Deputies being shortly after come into the said House of Commons and there sitting the said M r Comptroller after some pause stood up and shewing unto this House that his place was to break the silence of this House for that time and putting the House in mind to make Choice of a Speaker according to her Majesties Pleasure given unto them in that behalf shewed that in his opinion he thinketh M r John Crooke Recorder of London returned one of the Knights for the City of London into this present Parliament to be a very fit able and sufficient Man to supply the whole Charge of the said Office of Speaker being a Gentleman very Religious very Judicious of a good Conscience and well furnished with all other good parts yet leaveth nevertheless the further consideration thereof to this House and so did sit again Which done and no one contrary Voice at all being delivered the said M r Crooke after some large Pause first taken stood up and very Learnedly and Eloquently endeavoured to disable himself at large for the burthen of that charge alledging his great defects both of Nature and of Art fit to supply that place and shewing all full Complements for the same to abound in many other Learned and grave Members of this House in the end prayed most humbly that they would accept of his due excuse and be pleased to proceed to a new Election and did then sit down again Whereupon the said M r Comptroller did stand up and said that hearing no negative Voice he took it for a due Election and demanding the further opinion of this House therein they all Answered Yea and gave their Assents Whereupon the said M r Comptroller and the Right Honourable Sir John Stanhop her Majesties Vice-Chamberlain immediately went to the said M r John Crooke and did set him in the Chair which done the said M r Crooke after some little pause did stand up and yielding unto this whole House most humble thanks for their great good opinion of him and loving favour towards him and praying them to accept of his willing mind and readiness and to bear with his unableness and wants in the service of this House referr'd himself to their good favours And then the said M r Comptroller signified further unto this House that her Majesties Pleasure was that the Members of this House having made choice of their Speaker should present him unto her Highness upon Friday next following in the Afternoon And so then every man departed and went his way On Friday the 30 th day of October about one of the Clock in the Afternoon the Knights Citizens and
Two Committees for two several Bills made one Committee for both Bills p. 607 Common Prayer vide Uniformity Conference to be had before a Bill passed either House be rejected by the other p. 272 273. 388. Vide the Table to the Journal of the House of Commons Contribution of two shillings in the pound made by the Lords towards the Queens extraordinary charge in defence of the Realm p. 387. Contribution made by them for relief of such poor Souldiers as went begging in the Streets of London p. 462. An Order that such Lords as were absent the whole Session should pay double to what others did who constantly attended the service of the House and those that came but seldom to the House a third part more p. 463 464 Convocation-days the House of Lords either sit not or do little business on them p. 67 Crown a Bill restoring to it the ancient jurisdiction over the State Ecclesiastical and Spiritual c. p. 28 D. ABill for Denization of Peregrine Berty and Katharine Dutchess of Suffolk his Wife p. 145. of William Watson p. 148 Dissolve vide Commissions Doctors of the Civil Law made Joint-Committees with the Lords p. 145 E. EGerton Sir Thomas made Lord Keeper 38 Eliz. p. 522. His Speech to the Parliament 39 and 40 Eliz. p. 524. Q. Elizabeth enter'd on the Government Nov. 17. ann Dom. 1558. p. 1. and within nine weeks summons a Parliament viz. Jan 23. ibid. A Bill in that Parliament to make her inherit able to the late Q. Anne her Mother p. 19. she is averse from declaring a Successor p. 107. 127 128. Her sharp Speech to the Parliament in ann 8 and 9. for their Petition to that purpose p. 116. She remitteth the third payment of a Subsidy to take the Parliament off from urging her to declare a Successor p. 131. Her Pious Speech at the end of the Session 27. of her Reign p. 328. In the Parliament 28 and 29 of her Reign called upon the discovery of Babingtons conspiracy she appeared not in person but gave Commission to three Lords to supply her place with the title of Lords Lieutenants p. 377 378. Both Houses petition her to execute the sentence upon Mary Queen of Scots with her Answer thereto p. 380 381 382. Her Speech at the end of the Parliament in 35 of her Reign p. 466. Her great success against the Spaniard set forth in a Speech by the Lord Keeper p. 599. Jewels given to her Physicians to poyson her p. 599 G. GArgrave Sir Thomas chosen Speaker to the Commons in the Parliament holden 1 Eliz. p. 15. and 40. The manner of his disabling himself to the House first and then to the Queen ibid. His Petitions of course on behalf of the House of Commons p. 16. His Speech at the conclusion of the Session p. 31 Gavelkind what and in what places it obtaineth p. 272. A Bill to enable the owners of Gavelkind Lands in the County of Kent to alter the said Custom p. 533 Gentleman-Usher of the House claims right to bring such persons before the Upper House as are accused of breach of priviledge and sayes it does not belong to the Serjeant at Arms. p. 603. He is sent for an ordinary servant of the Queens committed to the Fleet for debt upon Execution and for him that arrested him p. 605. 607. This not to injure the Serjeant at Arms in his pretensions to that office p. 607 Grace Vide Bills and Acts. H. HAtton Sir Christopher made Chancellor 29 Eliz. upon the death of Sir Thomas Bromley p. 419 Herald at Arms in ordinary to the Queen not to have priviledge from Arrest on account of the Session of Parliament p. 608. 611 Hexamshire a Bill to annex it to the County of Northumberland and its Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction to the Bishoprick of Durham 8 9 Eliz. p. 103. but not passed into an Act till 14 Eliz. p. 200 Horses a Bill against conveying them into Scotland 1 Eliz. being a revival of an Act made 23 H. 8. p. 21 22 Lord Hunsdon's place in Parliament between the Lord Chandois and the Lord S t John of Bletso p. 530. 543 I. INgrossing of a Bill what p. 18. Vide Bills Injunctions to stop proceeding at Law in Parliament time p. 21 Judges who are but assistants to the Upper House made Joint Committees with the Lords p. 67. 71. 99. and so in every Parliament till 39 40 Eliz. p. 142. 527. but only to consider of some ordinary Bill and which concerned matter of Law for they were never of such Committees as were to have Conference with the Commons p. 423. They have leave from the Lord Chancellor or Keeper to sit covered in the House but are always uncovered at a Committee p. 527 K. KEeper vide Chancellor Kentish-Street in Southwark a Bill for the paving of it 8 and 9 Eliz. p. 112 L. THE River Lee a Bill to bring it to the North-side of London 13 Eliz. p. 150 Low-Country Wars a voluntary contribution of both Houses towards the maintaining of them p. 387 M. MArry see the word in the Table to the Journal of the House of Commons the Queen Petition'd by the House of Lords to marry with her Answer p. 105. 107. The advice and consent of the Parliament often required for the marrying of the Kings of England p. 117 119. Earl Marshal his place in Parliament is betwixt the Lord Chamberlain and the Lord Steward p. 535 Queen Mary died Nov. 17. 1558. in the sixth year of her Reign p. 1 Mary Queen of Scots Vide the Table to the Commons Journal Mason Anthony Esq Clerk of the Upper House 13 Eliz. p. 137. He is succeeded by Thomas Smith Esquire in the Parliament 39 40 Eliz. p. 522 Melcomb Regis Vide Weymouth Messages sent from the House of Commons to the Upper House are received by the Lord Keeper and the rest of the Lords at the Bar whither they are to go and meet those that come from the Commons p. 539 540 Mises not to be paid by the Shires of Wales and County Palatine of Chester when Subsidies are paid nor the contrary p. 20 Monopolies Petition'd against in 39 40 Eliz. which the Queen judges an invasion of her Prerogative ibid. N. A Bill of Naturalization of Gerson Wroth a German p. 22. of William Sidney and his Wife and of Sir John Wingfield and his Lady p. 462. of Justice Dormer and George Sheppy p. 464. of Samuel Saltingstal p. 488 Newgate the Keeper of it committed to the Fleet for not obeying an Order of the Lords for the bringing of one that was Prisoner there upon Execution and was Servant to a Peer p. 608 Duke of Norfolk a Bill for the confirmation of his marriage with the Lady Margaret his Wife 1 Eliz p. 22. and for the assurance of certain Lands for her Jointure p. 25 Earl of Nottingham his place in Parliament betwixt the Earl of Lincoln and Lord Viscount Bindon p. 543 O. OBjections against a