our most Christian King in His blessed and famous Purposes and Proceedings to the establishing both of true Christian Religion in this His Church of England and Ireland and of a Christian Policy in the civil State of the same c. and after they granted the Subsidies It is far from my thoughts to delight in raking into the misfortunes of any much less of great men but in all Ages it hath been allowed to publish the Memoirs of ill men to the intent to deter Posterity from acting and committing such Crimes and Offences which we find were severely punished both by God and Men. And whoever will take the pains to run over the ancient Historians and Records of the Kingdom will find that the Troubles in Richard the 1st's time the Barons Wars the Confusions in E. 2 d's time the woful Distractions in the Reign of R. 2. and H. 6. had their source and rise from one grand Cause the extravigant and insufferable Dominion and Power of Minions or Favourites with their Partisans which K. James rightly calls Pests and Vipers of a Common-wealth who notwithstanding their spetious glosses and pretences of Loyalty to the Crown rather then suffer themselves to be questioned and punished by Law for their Arbitrary and Illegal Acts Resolved to run the hazard of and see the ruine and destruction both of Prince and People My Lord Bacon after he was Sentenced in Parliament meeting with Sir Lionel Cranfield after Earl of Middlesex whom King James had then newly made Lord Treasurer My Lord Bacon having first congratulated his advancement to so Eminent a Place of Honour and Trust told him between jest and earnest That he would recommend to his Lordship and in him to all other great Officers of the Crown one considerable Rule to be carefully observed which was to Remember A Parliament will come I do not believe that his Lordship had the Spirit of Divination But certain it is that two years after in the Parliament 21. and 22. of that King the Commons Impeached the Earl for what and what the Judgement was thereupon hear the Record Messuage sent to the Commons by Mr. Serjeant Crew and Mr. Attorney General viz. That the Lords are now ready to give Judgment against the Lord Treasurer if they with their Speaker will come and demand the same Answered They will attend presently The Lords being all in their Robes the Lord Treasurer was brought to the Bar by the Gentleman Usher and the Serjeant at Arms his Lordship made low obeysance and kneeled until the Lord Keeper willed him to stand up The Commons with their Speaker came and the Serjeant attendant on the Speaker presently put down his Mace The Speaker in their Name to this Effect viz. The Knights Citizens and Burgesses in this Parliament assembled heretofore transmitted unto Your Lordships several Offences against the Right Honourable Lionel Earl of Middlesex Lord High Treasurer of England for Bribery Extortion Oppressions and other grievous Misdemeanours committed by his Lordship And now the Commons by me their Speaker demand Judgment against him for the same The Lord Keeper Answered The High-Court of Parliament doth adjudge 1. That Lionel Earl of Middlesex now Lord Treasurer of England shall lose all his Offices which he holds in this Kingdom and shall be made for ever uncapable of any Office Place or Imployment in the State and Commonwealth 2. And that he shall be Imprisoned in the Tower of London during the Kings pleasure 3. And that he shall pay unto our Sovereign Lord the King the Fine of 50000 l. 4. And that he shall never sit in Parliament more 5. And that he shall never come within the Verge of the Court. Ordered That the Kings Councel draw a Bill and present the same to the House to make the Lands of the Earl of Middlesex liable unto his Debts unto the Fine to the King unto Accompts to the King hereafter and to Restitution to such whom he had wronged as shall be allowed of by the House So that the familiar saying of my Lord Coke is very remarkable That no Subject though never so Potent and Subtile ever confronted or justled with the Law of England but the same Law in the end infallibly broke his Neck THE CASE OF George Ferrers Esq IN the Lent Season whilst the Parliament yet continued one George Ferrers Gent. Servant to the King being elect a Burgess for the Town of Plimouth in the County of Devon in going to the parliament-Parliament-house was Arrested in London by a Process out of the Kings-Bench at the Suit of one White for the sum of two hundred Marks or thereabouts wherein he was late aforecondemned as a Surety for the Debt of one Welden of Salisbury which Arrest being signified by Sir Thomas Moyle Kt. then Speaker of the Parliament and to the Knights and Burgesses there order was taken that the Serjeant of the Parliament called S. J. should forthwith repair to the Compter in Breadstreet whither the said Ferrers was carried and there to demand delivery of the Prisoner The Serjeant as he had in charge went to the Compter and declared to the Clerks there what he had in commandment But they and other Officers of the City were so far from obeying the said Commandment as after many stout words they forcibly resisted the said Serjeant whereof ensued a Fray within the Compter-gates between the said Ferrers and the said Officers not without hurt of either part so that the Serjeant was driven to defend himself with his Mace of Armes and had the Crown thereof broken by bearing off a stroke and his Man strucken down During this Brawl the Sheriffs of London called Rowland Hill and H. Suckley came thither to whom the Serjeant complained of this injury and required of them the delivery of the said Burgess as afore but they bearing with their Officers made little account either of his Complaint or of his Message rejecting the same contemptuously with much proud language So as the Serjeant was forced to return without the Prisoner and finding the Speaker and all the Knights and Burgesses set in their places declared unto them the whole Cause as it fell out who took the same in so ill part that They all together of whom there was not a few as well of the Kings Privy-Councel as also of his Privy-Chamber would sit no longer without their Burgess but rose up wholly and repaired to the Vpper House where the whole case was declared by the mouth of the Speaker before Sir T. Audley Kt. then Lord Chancellor of England and all the Lords and Judges there assembled who judging the Contempt to be very great referred the punishment thereof to the Order of the Common House They returning to their places again upon new debate of the Case took order that their Serjeant should eftsoon repair to the Sheriffs of London and require delivery of the
said Burgess without any Writ or Warrant had for the same but only as afore Albeit the Lord Chancellor offered there to grant a Writ which they of the Common House refused being in a clear opinion that all Commandments and other Acts proceeding from the Nether House were to be done and executed by their Serjeant without Writ only by shew of his Mace which was his warrant But before the Serjeants return into London the Sheriffs having intelligence how heinously the matter was taken became somewhat more mild so as upon the said second demand they delivered the Prisoner without any denial But the Serjeant having then further in commandment from those of the Nether House charged the said Sheriffs to appear personally on the morrow by eight of the Clock before the Speaker in the Nether House and to bring thither the Clerks of the Compter and such other of their Officers as were parties to the said affray and in like manner to take into his custody the said White which wittingly procured the said Arrest in contempt of the Priviledge of the Parliament Which Commandment being done by the said Serjeant accordingly on the morrow the two Sheriffs with one of the Clerks of the Compter which was the chief occasion of the said affray together with the said White appeared in the Common House where the Speaker charging them with their Contempt and misdemeanour aforesaid they were compelled to make immediate Answer without being admitted to any Councel albeit Sir Ro. Cholmley then Recorder of London and other the Councel of the City there present offered to speak in the Cause which were all put to silence and none suffered to speak but the parties themselves Whereupon in conclusion the said Sheriffs and the same White were committed to the Tower of London and the said Clerk which was the occasion of the Fray to a place there called Little Ease and the Officer of London which did the Arrest called Tailor with four Officers to Newgate where they remained from the 28. until the 31. of March and then they were delivered not without humble suit made by the Mayor of London and other their Friends And forasmuch as the said Ferrers being in Execution upon a Condemnation of Debt and set at large by Priviledge of Parliament was not by Law to be brought again into Execution and so the party without remedy for his Debt as well against him as his principal debtor after long debate of the same by the space of nine or ten days together at last they resolved upon an Act of Parliament to be made and to revive the Execution of the said Debt against the said Welden which was principal debtor and to discharge the said Ferrers But before this came to pass the Common House was divided upon the Question but in the conclusion the Act passed for the said Ferrers who won by 14. Voices The King then being advertized of all this proceeding called immediately before him the Lord Chancellor of England and his Judges with the Speaker of the Parliament and other the gravest persons of the Nether House to whom he declared his opinion to this effect First commending their wisdom in maintaining the Priviledges of their House which he would not have to be infringed in any point alledged that he being Head of the Parliament and attending in his own person upon the Business thereof ought in reason to have Priviledge for Him and all his Servants attending there upon Him so that if the said Ferrers had been no Burgess but only his Servant that in respect thereof he was to have the Priviledge as well as any other For I understand quoth he that you not only for your own persons but also for your necessary Servants even to your Cooks and Horse-keepers enjoy the said Priviledge in as much as my Lord Chancellor here present hath informed us that he being Speaker of the Parliament the Cook of the Temple was Arrested in London and in Execution upon a Statute of the Staple And forasmuch as the said Cook during the Parliament served the Speaker in that Office he was taken out of Execution by the Priviledge of the Parliament And further we be informed by our Judges that we at no time stand so highly in our Estate Royal as in the time of Parliament wherein We as Head and You as Members are conjoyned and knittogether into one Body politick so as whatsoever offence or injury during that time is offered to the meanest Members of the House it is to be judged as done against Our Person and the whole Court of Parliament which Prerogative of the Court is so great as our learned Councel informeth us as all Acts and Processes coming out of any other Inferiour Courts must for the time cease and give place to the Highest And touching the party it was a great presumption in him knowing our Servant to be one of this House and being warned thereof before would nevertheless prosecute this matter out of time and therefore was well worthy to have lost his Debt which I would not wish and therefore do commend your Equity that having lost the same by Law have restored him to the same against him who was his Debtor and this may be a good example to others not to attempt any thing against the Priviledge of this Court but to take the time better Whereupon Sir Edward Mountague then Lord Ch. Justice very gravely declar'd his opinion confirming by divers reasons all the King had said which was assented unto by all the residue none speaking to the contrary The Act indeed passed not the Higher House for the Lords had not time to consider of it by reason of the Dissolution of the Parliament Because this Case hath been diversly reported as is commonly alledged as a President for the Priviledge of the Parliament I have endeavoured my self to learn the truth thereof and to set it forth with the whole circumstances at large according to their instructions who ought best both to know and remember it 4. Ed. VI. Eight years after the Case of Ferrers Withrington having made an Assault upon Brandling Burgess for Newcastle the Parl. being near an end the Com. sent Withring to the Councel Die Jov. 7. Apr. an praedict The Bill for Mr. Brandling's Complaint sent from the Lords of the Privy Councel again to be ordered by this House according to the Antient Custom of this House Whereupon the Bill was read in the presence of Henry Witherington who was sent to the Lords from this place who confest that he began the Fray upon Mr. Brandling whereupon the said Henry is committed to the Tower of London Some few Presidents against such as have wrote Books to the dishonour of the Lords and Commons and Subversion of the Government The Case of Arthur Hall Esq UPon sundry Motions made by divers of this House It was Order'd that Arthur
Commonwealth 9. And lastly ever to be held an Infamous person III. And in the Parliament 19 Jacobi Sir John Bennet Knight one of the Members of the House having been accused for Corruption in receiving divers Bribes in the execution of his judicial place of Judge of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury All which was proved to the full satisfaction of the House Ordered by the Commons House of Parliament 1. That a Warrant should issue under Mr. Speakers hand directed to the Sheriffs of London and Middlesex for the safe keeping of the said Sir John Bennet until they shall receive other directions from the Lords to whom the Commons had resolved to prefer an Impeachment against him 2. That he be put out and no longer to continue a Member thereof 3. That a Warrant be made for a Writ for a new choice for the Vniversity of Oxford IV. In the same Parliament the Commons House of Parliament for that Sir Robert Floyd had been a projector of a Patent for a Monopoly being a general grievance both in the original creation and in the execution Resolved una voce That the said Sir Robert Floyd was a person unworthy to continue a Member of this House and adjudged him presently to be put out V. Anno 3 Car. 1. Mr. John Barbour a Lawyer and Recorder of the City of Wells for subscribing a Warrant for the quartering of Souldiers though he pleaded fear yet because he would rather not lose his Place than do Justice he was thought unfit to make Laws that violates the Laws his fault being aggravated by his profession he had done well to have remembred 11 R. 2. when Belknap amongst other Judges gave his Opinion for fear unwilling to lose his Cushion when he came home he could not sleep but said I deserve three H. H. H. a Hurdle a Halter and a Hangman 1 H. 4. a Law was made that fear much less Ambition or Avarice should be no good Plea there being no hope of a Coward This may serve as an Almanack for the Meridian of England This Example will prove more and try more than 20 points of Doctrine it will strike fear circumspecta agatis Mr. Barbour was called in to answer for himself and after withdrew and Ordered 1. That Mr. Barbour be suspended the House and sequestred till the pleasure of the House be known 2. That a Committee examine the Cause and that no motion be made till that be done 3. And the Order was signified to Mr. Barbour by the Serjeant §3 Some Presidents for punishing persons that were no Members of the House for contempts à nd misdemeanors I. ANno 4 E. 6. Criketost for confederating in the escape of one Floud was committed to the Tower and afterwards discharged paying his Fees II. Complaint was made by Sir Herbert Croft of Bryan Tash a Yeoman of his Majesties Guard for keeping out of the doors of the Vpper House and Sir Herbert himself and some others of the Commons offering to come in he repulsed them and shut the door upon them with these uncivil and contemptible terms Goodman Burgess you come not here The Question moved in this was that for so great contempt whether the House of it self should proceed to punish or Address themselves to the proper Officcr the Lord Chamberlain Captain of the Guard c. And so was left for this day A President of the like contempt by a Gentleman-Usher remembred to have been questioned in this House in a Parliament in her Majesties time This day the contempt of the Yeoman of the Guard was again remembred and propounded as meet to be left to the examination and report of the Committee for Returns and Priviledges But herein an Honourable person and a special Member of the House interposed his advice that there might be some moderate course taken with respect to his Majesties Service and to the eminent and honourable Officers whom it might concern which induced the House thus far to be pleased that the Offender the next day should appear and answer his contempt at the Bar with caution and on purpose which the House did then utter that if he seemed to understand his own offence and be sorry for it and would submit himself to the pleasure and mercy of the House praying pardon and favour they would remit and discharge him and the Serjeant was commanded to attend the said Order for his appearance Bryan Tash a Yeoman of the Guard for his contempt to the House being in the custody of the Serjeant and brought to the Bar upon his submission and confession of his fault Mr. Speaker pronounced his pardon and dismission paying the ordinary Fees to the Clerk and Serjeant and in the name of the House gave him advice and warning for his better care and carriage hereafter upon any the like occasions in the course of his Service and Attendance III. Anno 18 Jac. The Commons House of Parliament adjudged Sir Francis Mitchell a Lawyer to be prisoner in the Tower for his many misdemeanors in and about the procuring of a Patent concerning the Forfeitures of Recognizances and of Alehouse-keepers and further ordered that a Serjeant at Arms should forthwith take him into his custody and that at two of the clock that Afternoon should carry him on foot through London-streets unto the Tower there to be delivered to the Lieutenant After which the Commons impeached him before the Lords who having examined his arbitrary acts great crimes and intollerable villanies by Imprisonments and the ruine of many Families all proved as may be seen in the Lords Journal The Lords agreed of the Sentence of Sir Francis Mitchell sent a Message unto the House of Commons that the Lords have proceeded against Sir Francis Mitchell upon the complaint of the Commons and they have found him guilty of many exerbitant offences and are ready to give Judgment against him if they with their Speaker will come to demand it Answered They will come accordingly with all convenient speed In the mean time the Lords put on their Robes The Commons being come and the Speaker at the Bar after low obeysance he said There was heretofore related unto your Lordships by the House of Commons a complaint of many griivances against Sir Giles Mompesson and Sir Francis Mitchell for many offences committed by them committed against the King and the Commonwealth your Lordships have proceeded with Mompesson and given Judgment also against him understanding you are ready to pronounce Judgment also against the said Sir Francis Mitchell I the Speaker in the name of the Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the Commons House of Parliament do demand and pray that Judgment be given against him the said Sir Francis Mitchell according to his demerits The Lord Chief Justice pronounced the Judgment in haec verba Mr. Speaker the Lords Spiritual and Temporal have taken into due consideration the great care and
telling them they were unworthy to sit in Councel That he needed not to open matters to them and that he would be otherwise advised thereafter and if they agreed not with his Opinion he would put them out and take in others at his Pleasure 4. That he had held against the Kings Laws in his own House a Court of Requests and forced divers to answer for their Free-holds and Goods to the subversion of the Law 5. That he had without Advice of the Counsel disposed of Offices for Money 6. That he would not suffer New-haven and Blackness to be furnished with Men and Victuals although advertized of their defects whereby the French King was comforted and encouraged to invade and win them to the dishonour of the Realm 7. And whereas the Privy-Counsel had out of their Love and Zeal for the King and Realm consulted at London to come to the Duke to move him charitably to amend and reform his Doings and Mis-government he caused to be declared by Letters in divers places the Lords to be High-Traytors to the great disturbance of the Realm And further declared That the Lords endeavoured to destroy the King to the intent to make Sedition and Discord between the King and Lords 8. The Duke at Hampton-Court and Windsor declared these Speeches The Counsel at London do intend to kill me But if I die the King shall die with me and if they famish me they shall famish the King and so conveyed the King suddenly in the Night to Windsor whereby he got a Disease 9. He assembled great numbers in Arms and after minding to fly to Jersey or Wales laid Post-Horses about and Men for the same Intent All which Offences and Crimes the said Duke acknowledged and submitted himself to the King After which passed the Act That for his said Offences and Crimes he should forfeit a great many Manors which the Crown had given him To bring it to the Relation made by the Bishop not without purpose to be remembred how dangerous a thing it was to break the Law or an Act of Parliament The Bishop thus further expresseth in the same Letter Now whether the King may command against an Act of Parliament and what danger they may fall in that break a Law with the King's consent I dare say no man alive at this day hath had more experience with the Judges and Lawyers then I First I had experience in my old Master the Cardinal who ohtained his Legacy by our late Sovereign Lord's request at Rome and in his sight and knowledge occupied the same with his 2 Crosses and Maces born before him many years yet because it was against the Laws of the Realm the Judges concluded it the Offence of the premunire which conclusion I bare away and take it for a Law of the Realm because the Lawyers so said but my reason digested it not The Lawyers for confirmation of their doings brought in a Case of the Lord Tiptoft as I remember a jolly Civilian he was Chancellor to the King who because in the execution of the King's Commission he had offended the Laws of the Realm he suffered on Tower-Hill they brought in Examples of many Judges that had Fines set on their Heads in like Case for doing against the Law of the Realm by the King's Commandment and then was brought in the Judges Oath not to stay any Process or Judgment for any Commandment from the King's Majesty And one Article against my Lord Cardinal was That he had granted Injunctions to stay the Common Law and upon that occasion Magua Charta was spoken of and it was made a great matter the stay of the Common-Law and this I learned in that Case sithence that time being of the Counsel when many Proclamations were devised against the Carriers out of Corn at such time as the Transgressors should be punished the Judges would answer it might not be by the Laws whereupon ensued the Act of Proclamation in the passing of which Act many siberal Words were spoken and a plain Proviso That by Authority of the Act for Proclamation nothing should be made contrary to an Act of Parliament or Common-Law When the Bishop of Exeter and his Chancellour were by one Body brought in a praemunire which my Lord Privy-Seal cannot forget I reason'd with the Lord Audley then Chancellor so far as he bad me hold my peace for fear of entring into a praemunire my self whereupon I stayed but concluded it seemed to me strange that a man authorized by the King as since the King's Majesty hath taken upon Him the Supremacy every Bishop is such a one could fall in a praemunire after I had reason'd the matter once in the parliament-Parliament-House where was free Speech without danger and there the Lord Audley to satisfie me familiarly because I was in some secret estimation as he then knew Thou art a good fellow Bishop quoth he which was the manner of his familiar Speech look the Act of Supremacy and there the King's doings be restrained to spiritual Jurisdictions And in another Act it is provided That no spiritual Law shall have place contrary to a common Law or Act of Parliament And if this were not quoth he you Bishops would enter in with the King and by means of his Supremacy order the Laity as ye listed but we will provide quoth he that praemunire shall ever hang over your Heads and so we Lay-men shall be sure to enjoy our Inheritance by the Common Laws and Acts of Parliament My fourth Observation is this It had been well for the Protector to have remembred the good and wholsom Advice the Bishop gave him that great Man had not lost his Head for being indicted in Michaelmas-Term 5. E. 6. upon a Statute made 3 and 4 of that King For the punishment of unlawful Assemblies and raising of the Kings Subjects And one of the main points in the indictment was that Felonice he designed to take and imprision John Earl of Warwick being one of the Privy-Council of which he was found guilty by his Peers and after suffered Death thereupon To conclude whose sad Fate I shall add the Preamble of an Act of Parliament more memorable because in a Subsidy Act yet common in that and former and succeeding Ages as may appear For instances Rot. Parl. 4. H. 8. and by Rastals Statutes 35. H. 8. cap. 12 27. 2 and 3. E. 6. cap. 26. 5. Eliz. cap. 27. 8. Eliz. cap. 18. 23. Eliz. cap. 15. 29. Eliz. cap. 8. 31. Eliz. cap. 15. 35. Eliz. cap. 13. 39. Eliz. cap. 27. 43. Eliz. cap. 18. and 3. Jacobi cap. 26. wherein the State of the Kingdom both Ecclesiastical and Civil and the Transactions of Foreign Affairs are Historically set down and taken notice of by the Parliament and inserted into the Preambles of those Acts. An ACT for the Grant of a Subsidy and two Fifteens and Tenths granted to the King's Majesty by the Temporality WE the Kings
the Polity and Laws in the time of those Emperors as also to make the Laws and Customs of Rome and Constantinople to be binding and obligatory to the Cities of London and York IV. In the same Parliament Mr. Hoskins a Member of the Commons produced several other Treatises containing as much as Dr. Cowell's Book all sold impune amongst the rest there was one Blackwood's Book which concluded That we are all Slaves by reason of the Conquest Upon these pernicious and false principles our more modern Authors have without controul published to the World these and many more dangerous positions against the very being and honour of Parliaments and destructive to the ancient fundamental Laws Priviledges and Customs of this Realm POSITIONS 1. That originally the Parliament consisted only of such as it pleased the King to call none having Right to come else 2. That all the Subject hath is the Kings and he may lawfully at his pleasure take it from us in regard he hath as much Right to all our Lands and Goods as to any Revenue of the Crown 3. That the Saxon Kings made Laws by the advice of the Bishops and Wise men which were no other then the Privy-Councel 4. That the Laws Ordinances Letters Patents Priviledges and Grants of Princes have no force but during their life if they be not ratified by the express consent or at least by the sufferance of the Prince following who had knowledge thereof What then becomes of the Peerage of England what of the Bishops Deans Prebends and other dignified Clergy what of the Charters of all Corporations what of hereditary Offices and what of Offices and Places for life and lastly what becomes of the Charters and Priviledges of the two most famous Vniversities of England Cambridge and Oxford 5. That Taxes and Subsidies were raised and paid without any gift of the Commons or of any Parliament in the Saxon times for instance Danegelt 6. For it was matter of Grace for the King to call the Commons to Parliament Yet afterwards the Commons were called and made a House by the Bishops in the times of the Barons War the better to curb them yet were they never called to consult but only to consent 7. Yet others deny that and affirm that the Commons had their first birth and beginning by Rebellion Anno 49 H. 3. and that too after the Battel of Lewes when the Barons had the King and Prince Edward in their power as prisoners and exercised Regal Authority in his Name He reigned 57. years 8. But this is not agreed by some for they say ab ingressu of William the First ad excessum H. 3. they cannot find one word of the Plebs or Commons being any part of Parliament hence another infers that the opinion is most like who think That the Commons giving their assent to making of Laws began about the time of E. 1. 9. The Legislative power is wholly in the King for the Statutes of most antiquity according to the phrase of penning may seem to be the meer will and pleasure of the King assisted with his Councel neither Lords nor Commons being named witness inter al. the Statute of Magna Charta 9 H. 3. c. 10. Nor did the Commons take into consideration matters of Religion which was only the place and function of the Lords Spiritual and Divines to determine and not at all appertaing to the Laity semper exclusis Dominis Temporalibus Communitate Regni 11. As for the Priviledges of the House of Commons pretended to there 's none to be found full and firm but only their being freed from Arrests and that hardly 12. They are not called to be any part of the Common Councel by the Writ of Summons 13. Nor to consult de arduis Regni negotiis of the difficult business of the Kingdom 14. For the Writ saith That the King would have conference and treat with the Great men and Peers but not a word of treaty and conference with the Commons 15. Their duty being only ad faciend consentiend to perform and consent to such things as should be Ordained by the Common Councel of the Kingdom 16. Nor is there so much mention in the Writ as a power in the Commons to dissent No more is there in the Lords Writ what then 17. Until H. 7's time the Commons were often petitioning but never petitioned to and then directed to the Right Worshipful Commons 18. That until the time of E. 6. who was an Infant for that I suppose was the pretended foundation of the notion it was punctually expressed in every Kings Laws that the Statutes were made by the King alone and then there began a dangerous alteration in the phrasing and wording of Acts of Parliament to the disadvantage of the Crown and invading the Prerogative 19. Lastly for it would be tedious to trouble the Reader with all their absurdities Chimaera's and false Inferences and Notions with which they have stuffed their Books and imbroiled the Kingdom by imposing upon the understanding of many of the Clergy and Gentry in the Nation They boldly assert that the Kings Prerogative is a preheminence in cases of necessity of which he is the proper and sole Judge above and before the Law of property and inheritance And so farewell all Parliaments and by consequence farewell all Laws It is God alone who subsists by himself the Right of Crowns and Kingdoms and all other things exist in mutual dependance and relation The Soveraignty Honours Lives Liberties and Estates of all are under the guard of the Law which when invaded by fraud or wit or destroyed by force a dismal confusion quickly veils the face of Heaven and brings with it horrid darkness misery and desolation Rapine plunder and cheating both private and publick will be allowed and protected continual Rebellions unjust Proscriptions villanous Accusations and Whippings illegal and lasting Imprisonments and Confiscations dismal Dungeons tormenting Racks and Questions Arbitrary and Martial Law Murthers inhumane Assassinations and base and servile Flatteries multiplied by Revenge Ambition and insatiable Avarice will become the Common Law of the Land All these and myriads more will be enacted for Law by force or fraud All which that wise King James well understood who saith That not only the Royal Prerogative but the Peoples security of Lands Livings and Priviledges were preserved and maintained by the ancient fundamental Laws Priviledges and Customs of this Realm and that by the abolishing or altering of them it was impossible but that present confusion will fall upon the whole state nnd frame of this Kingdom And his late Majesty of ever blessed memory was of the same mind and opinion when he said The Law is the Inheritance of every Subject and the only security he can have for his Life or Estate and the which being neglected or dis-esteemed under what specious shew soever a great measure of infelicity if not an irreparable confusion
must without doubt fall upon them But to return back V. Anno 3 Caroli primi Dr. Manwaring was impeached in Parliament by the Commons for preaching and printing several Sermons with a wicked and malicious intention to seduce and misguide the Conscience of the King touching the observation of the Laws and Customs of this Kingdom and the Rights and Liberties of the Subjects thereof and to incense his Royal Displeasure against his Subjects and to scandalize subvert and impeach â—he good Laws and Government of this Realm and the Authority of the High Court of Parliament to alien his Royal Heart from his People and to cause Jealousies Seditions and Divisions in the Kingdom Whereupon he had Judgment 1. To be imprisoned during pleasure of the House of Lords 2. Was fined a 1000 l. to the King 3. To make such submission and acknowledgment of his Offences in writing both there and at the Bar of the Commons House 4. Suspended for the term of 3 years from exercising the Ministry 5. Foâ— ever disabled to preach at Court 6. That he should be for ever disabled to have any Ecclesiastical Dignity or Secular Office 7. That his said Books were worthy to be burnt and that for the better effecting of that his Majesty was to be moved to grant a Proclamation to call them in to be burnt in London and both the Vniversities and to prohibit their Reprinting This was the Judgment of the Lords The Doctor made his submission upon his knees first at the Bar of the House of Lords and after on his knees at the Bar of the House of Commons His Submission was this I do here in all sorrow of heart and true repentance acknowledge those many Errors and Indiscretions which I have committed in preaching and publishing those two Sermons of mine I call Religion and Allegiance and my great fault in falling upon this Theam again and handling the same rashly scandalously and unadvisedly in mine own Parish-Church in St. Giles in the Fields the 4th of May last past I do humbly acknowledge those three Sermons of mine to be full of many dangerous passages and inferences and scandalous aspersions in most parts of the same And I do humbly acknowledge the Justice of this Honourable House in that Sentence and Judgment pass'd upon me for my great offence and I do from the bottom of my heart crave pardon of God the King this Honourable House the Church and the Commonwealth in general and those worthy Persons reflected upon by me in particular for these great Errors and Offences Roger Manwaring After all which the Lords ordered the Bishop of London to suspend him according to the Clause expressed in the part of the Judgment against him The Doctor after got a Pardon and was made a Bishop which occasioned great Disturbances in the House of Commons in 4 Car. 1. The Charge and Articles against the Doctor drawn out of his own Books Article I. 1. That his Majesty is not bound to keep and observe the good Laws and Customs of the Realm concerning the Right and Liberty of the Subject to be exempted from all Loans Taxes and other Aids laid upon them without common Consent in Parliament 2. That his Majesties Will and command in imposing any charges upon his Subjects without such consent doth so far bind them in their consciences that they cannot refuse the same without peril of eternal damnation Article II. 1. That these Refusers had offended against the Law of God 2. Against the Supreme Authority 3. By so doing were become guilty of impiety disloyalty rebellion disobedience and liable to many other Taxes Article III. 1. That Authority of Parliament is not necessary for the raising of Aids and Subsidies 2. That the slow proceedings of such Assemblies are not fit to supply the urgent necessity of the State 3. That Parliaments are apt to produce sundry impediments to the just designs of Princes and to give them occasion of displeasure and discontent It was a saying of Themistius in his Consular Oration to Jovinian the Emperor that Some Bishops did not worship God but the Imperial purple This Dr. as I said before after this so solemn a Judgment did in the time of Prorogation between 3 4 Car. 1. get a Pardon and not only so but the Bishoprick of St. Davids which occasioned great debates and disturbances in the Parliament when they reassembled again the power and validity of his Pardon being brought in question and several times argued but the dissolution of the Parliament put an end to the dispute for that time But in the Parliament before the Long Parliament of 1640. the Lords highly resented it as may appear by following proceedings This day was read the Declaration of the House of Commons made tertio Caroli Regis against Dr. Manwaring since Lord Bishop of St. Davids and likewise the Sentence pronounced against him by the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in the High Court of Parliament which is committed to the consideration of the Lords of the Grand Committee for Priviledges and it was moved that what can be alledged on the Lord Bishop of St. Davids part either by Pardon License or otherwise that it may be produced and seen at the sitting of the Lords Committees for theirfull and clear understanding and better expedition in the business Having taken into consideration the business concerning Dr. Manwaring it was ordered that upon Munday next the Records be brought into the House that the House may determine the Cause touching Dr. Manwaring The business appointed this day concerning Dr. Manwaring is referred until to morrow morning viz. 28 Aprilis The Lord Keeper by command from his Majesty was to let their Lordships know that his Majesty had understood that there was some question concerning Doctor Manwaring now Bishop of Saint Davids and that his Majesty had given command that the said Dr. Manwaring shall not come and fit in Parliament nor send any Proxy to the Parliament thereupon it was ordered to be entred so And between that and the next Parl. as I am informed he died VI. Anno 3 Caroli primi Dr. Mountague was complained of in the House of Commons for writing and publishing several Tenents tending to Arminianism and Popery and that he had committed a contempt against the House Heli the Priest who teaching from without Corrupted Faith bound under Laws of might Not feeling God but blowing him about In every shape and likeness but the right We are to desire to conform our selves to former Parliaments this Cause began here 21. Jac. and then it was commended to the Archbishop But after it was so far from cure that another Book of Appeal came out and the Parliament 1 Caroli sent to the Archbishop to know what he had done who said he had given Mountague Admonition and yet he Printed that second Book without his consent and so it was then debated and the
House Voted that he had done a contempt to the House of Commons and that it disturbed the Church and Commonwealth Since that they find that Book was countenanced and defended by Bishops and others At the last Parliament the House again took it into consideration and Voted that Mountague had sowed Sedition and Endeavoured to Reconcile us to Rome Now it was thought good that an addition should be made to the Articles against Richard Mountague Clerk First That he about 21. Jac. Printed a Book called a Gag for the Puritan and about the 22. Jac the Treaty of the Invocation of Saints and 1 Caroli an Appeal to Caesar in every of which he affirmed divers Opinions contrary to the Articles of Religion and by his so doing hath broke the Laws and disturbed the Peace of the Church He said that the Church of Rome had ever remained firm in their Doctrine and that the Sacrifice of Masses c. And also that contrary to his Duty and Allegiance under the name of Puritans he had laid vile Aspersions on divers conformable Persons And also he labours to draw Men to Popery by subtile and secret ways His Appeal hath divers passages that are contumelious to his Majesties Father King James and to divers Worthy and Learned Divines For all which the ommons Pray he may be Punished for thus disturbing the Peace of the Church and State Two cautions are observed first we meddle not with Inferences and Collections but with immediate contradictions to the Articles of Religion and the Book of Homilies also he is not charged with opinions contrary to the Divines of England He recites the Articles as if we may depart away from grace the word away is not in the Articles Also the Articles do not say that Men justified may fall away from that State As for the Homilies for the word away he puts in fall away Also he seems to make difference between the Church in foreign Parts and the Church of England As for his charge of Sedition it is clear by dividing the Kingdom under the name of Puritans labouring to bring his Majesty in jealousie with 〈◊〉 Subjects and to stir up others in hatred against such First he lays the name of Puritans upon the Kings Subjects that are dutiful and honest Subjects In truth at the first this word was given to them that severed themselves from the Church but he says there are Puritans in heart and Puritans in Doctrine as of Predestination and Reprobation Also this division and aspersion is new and under this name he comprehends some of our Bishops Also he labours to bring those persons into dislike with his Majesty as dangerous persons he says they are a potent Faction that Authority is a mote in their eye and they are cunning and active men And he concludes Domine Imperator defende me gladio ego te defendam calamo Also he labours to bring them in scorn in his Appeal they hold the Cross of Christ in as great despite as Julian Also he withdraws the Subjects from their Religion to Popery and he introduceth those mischiefs that the Law seeks to prevent By the Law 1 Eliz. and other Statutes it is Treason to withdraw any from the Religion established but he cunningly infuseth Popery He saith the points of Controversie between Vs and the Papists are Arbitrary and that we and they assent in some Opinions as in the point of Free-will that their Opinions and ours are all one and for the point of real Presence for which so many have suffered death he saith that they jangle without cause Also it was desired that those Absurdities and Consequences we lay upon the Papists for the point of Free-will may be spared and that they are Bugbears c. And for converting men to Popery he speaks favourably of the Pope that he is the first and greatest Bishop and fit to determine Controversies and that the Pope is not Antichrist he spends a whole Chapter in that and that the Romish Church is part of the Catholick Church we mention in our Creed and for Popish Ceremonies he commends and approves Pictures in Churches and so for the Cross he saith Caro signetur ut anima Also he labours to reconcile Papists and Vs whereas if we offer Composition we lose or part with somewhat Also he lays Scandals on us and our Doctrine that there is no certainty in our points of difference and that our Divines themselves differ Also he favours those Practices that have been used by the King's Enemies A Spaniard saith Nothing is better for the ruine of the English than to establish a Faction amongst them which he labours to effect His Tenents Dishonourable to K. James who was diligent to prevent Arminianism now he labours to discredit the Synod at Dort Also K. James in his learned Works proves the Pope to be Antichrist but Mountague said he never had a probable Argument thereof Also he puts Disgraces on Protestant Divines that Calvin Perkins and Beza are Dictators and that Beza doth Puritanize and Dr. Whitacre that he was a man of their side His prophaneness in speaking of Preaching and other Exercises of Religion in preaching in Pulpits they brawl c. and Conferences after Sermons he calls them Prophetical Determinations and to chew the Cud as after Lectures Bible bearers c. It was Ordered That the Articles be presented to the Lords and that Mountague be transmitted to the Lords After which the Parliament was Prorogued to the 4th year of that King's Reign where the Commons were upon him again and questioned a Pardon he had got in the time of Prorogation but shortly after the Parliament was dissolved § 2. Some Presidents wherein the House of Commons have for misdemeanors turned out and discharged their Members I. ANno 27 Eliz Dr. Parry for several misdemeanors and crimes was disabled to be any longer a Member in the House II. An. 18 Jac. Sir Giles Mompesson for being a Monopolist and for other great and insufferable crimes by him committed to the abuse of his Majesty and grievous oppression of the Subjects was 1. Turned out of the House 2. Committed to the Tower And after Impeached before the Lords who gave Judgment upon him 1. To be degraded of the Order of Knighthood 2. To stand perpetually in the degree of a person Outlawed for Misdemeanors and Trespasses 3. His Testimony never to be received in any Court nor to be of any Inquisition or Jury 4. To be excepted out of all general pardons 5. That he should be imprisoned during his life 6. Not to approach within 12. miles of the Courts of the King or Prince nor at the Kings high Court usually held at Westminster 7. That the King should have the profits of his Land for life and all his Goods and Chattels and should be Fined at 10000 l. 8. He was also disabled to hold or receive any Office under the King or for the
vain to sit here The Sheriff is again called to the Bar on his knees and sentenced to the Tower XI A Petition was preferred against one Lewis who said about the 25th of December The Devil take the Parliament which was avowed by two witnesses And although it was spoken out of Parliament yet it was resolved to be an offence to the Parliament And it was ordered he should be sent for § 4. Some Presidents for punishing of Misdemeanours in Elections I. IN the Parliament of the 18. of King James the Mayor of Winchelsey for misbehaving of himself at the Election of Parliament-men for that Town and making a false Return It was Resolved upon the Question 1. That the Mayor of Winchelsey had committed a Contempt and Misdemeanour against this House and therefore shall stand committed to the Serjeant till Saturday morning then making his Submission here at the Bar to be discharged of any further punishment here 2. But to make his Acknowledgment in the Town before the new Election II. Anno 20 Jac. Upon the Report of Mr. Glanvile concerning the Burrough of Arundel because the Mayor had misbehaved himself in the Election by putting the Town to a great deal of Charge not giving a due and general warning but packt a number of Electors It was Resolved 1. The Mayor not being in Town a Warrant be sent for him 2. Resolved upon another Question that Mr. Alford Mr. Bing and Mr. Lathorn shall set down the Charges III. Anno 21 Jac. Mr. Glanvile reports the Misdemeanour of the under-Sheriff of Cambridgshire who refused the Pole declaring Sir Thomas Steward promised him to defend him against Sir John Cutts and told him he should have no wrong nor damage Resolved upon the Question That this under-Sheriff shall be committed to the Serjeant's Custody till Thursday next Resolved also upon the Question That making his Submission at the Bar and acknowledging his offence he shall be discharged from any further punishment in this place Resolved also upon a third Question That the under-Sheriff shall make a further Submission openly at the next Quarter-Sessions to be holden in the County and acknowledge his faults Edward Ingry brought to the Bar and kneeling upon his knees Mr. Speaker denounced upon him the Judgment of the House IV. Mr. Hackwell reports from the Committee about the Sheriffs of York and others for the Election of Sir Thomas Savill The two Sheriffs and two Aldermen are Delinquents one of the Sheriffs and one of the Aldermen are most faulty Sheriff Thompson had committed two offences First his hasty and precipitate Judgment of the Election to prevent the Election of Hoy Secondly in denying the Poll being required First his hasty and precipitate Judgment was done without acquainting his fellow Sheriff and it was within a quarter of an hour after the reading of the Writ and half an hour after nine a clock and while he was doing of it he was admonished and told that he could not answer it and that he might defer it yet he did obstinately proceed and answered them frowardly and said he would do it and that he would justifie it His excuse was thus that it was indeed suddenly done but it was done so formerly But to that it was replied That never before above two were in Election Secondly he answered That it was not of his own head but some Aldermen advised it but that was Alderman Cooper a Delinquent for that offence For the other offence in denying the Poll after it was demanded and that was before he had pronounced any Judgment but he was willing that Robinson should have the Poll for he knew he could not carry it but he refused Hoy and he was required ten times but gave no answer at all His behaviour before the Committee was impudent and he would answer nothing directly The Committee found this man to be an engaged man and that he was promised to be saved harmless For Alderman Henlow he procured the Company of Taylors two days before the Election and published Sir John Savill's Letters and pressed it and upon some he pressed it so much that they should elect Sir Thomas Savill and said the Parliament will not hold He dealt with the Sheriffs also and told them divers words of Sir John Savill that he would take it very ill and said he if you will choose Sir Thomas Savill you shall be saved harmless Also he endeavoured to procure a Certificate that Sir Thomas Savill was duly elected when any refused he said they were factious Fellows and otherwise threatned The Committee censured Sheriff Thompson and this Alderman Henlow First that they should stand committed to the Serjeant during pleasure Secondly that they should acknowledge their offences at the Bar in the full House and pay all due Fees before they be discharged Also they should defray all the charges of the Witnesses of Alderman Hoy to be assessed by four of the Committee And that they should make acknowledgement of their fault before the Court of Aldermen at York and that the Mayor should certifie their submission to the House As for Alderman Cooper he assembled the Company of Merchants and read Sir John Savill's Letter for the Election of his Son and also he at the Election perswaded the Sheriff to give Judgment Sheriff Atkins was only passive and did not refuse to joyn with the other Sheriff As for the point of charges given to the Witnesses of Hoy it was doubtful and objected against by some whether it lay in our power But it was replied That in every Court it is necessary to have power to impose Fines and why we should want power for offences that lye in our cognizance is not to be questioned else the party that is duly elected and that justifies the free Election and maintains the freedom and liberty of the Common-wealth shall be more punished then the Delinquent Also we have power to imprison which is more then a Fine Also we have as much as the Lords House in those things that lye in our Jurisdiction 13 Eliz. 10 Maii The Mayor of Westbury in Wiltshire took 4 l. for a Return Mr. Long fined 20 l. and ordered to bring in a Bond made him for a greater sum 23 Eliz. 5 Januar. Mr. Arthur Fall writ a Book to the dishonour of this House It was ordered that the Serjeant should go to apprehend him assisted by two Knights of this House 14 Febr. he was brought to the Bar and sent to the Tower and fined 500 Marks and expelled the House and kept in the Tower six months 23 Eliz. 18 Martii a Fine was assessed on every one that was absent without leave 6 H. 8. cap. 16. our Clerks Book is termed a Record 21 Jac. the Election of the Burgess of Arundel in Sussex and there it was ordered that the Witnesses charges should be born And then there was 10 l. paid down by one a
this Answer not giving satisfaction the King was again petitioned unto that he would give a full and satisfactory Answer to their Petition in full Parliament Whereupon the King in Person upon the 7th of June made this 2d Answer My Lords and Gentlemen THe Answer I have already given you was made with so good deliberation and approved by the Judgments of so many wise men that I could not have imagined but that it should have given you full satisfaction but to avoid all ambiguous Interpretations and to shew you there is no doubleness in my meaning I am willing to please you in words as well as in substance read your Petition and you shall have an Answer that I am sure will please you And then causing the Petition to be distinctly read by the Clerk of the Crown the Clerk of the Parliament read the King's Answer thereunto in these words Soit droit fait come est desire §. 4. Several Miscellaneous Presidents and Orders both of the House of Lords and Commons I. A standing Order of the Commons House of Parliament touching Bills delivered to the Speaker UPon Tuesday the 15th of this instant May a Bill being offered to the Speaker of the Commons House of Parliament in his way coming towards the said House he received it and brought it in and being set in his Chair after some time did openly intimate the Head or Title of it purporting a Declaration of Treason practised by a Magistrate of this Land concealing the Name of the Man and the Particulars of the Bill adding that for special Causes he hoped they would not meddle with it or expect it should be read nevertheless the House inclined to have the Bill read but upon the said Speaker's Motion and better Consideration resolved to forbear it for that time expecting the return and reading of it when Mr. Speaker should think meet to give the House satisfaction as he promised shortly to do The next day as was afterwards informed it pleased his Majesty to send for the Bill and in respect it contained matter of personal Treason as was likewise pretended properly and only touching himself his Majesty assumed unto himself the Examination of the matter of the Bill and retained it in his own keeping In all this time the House for the more part expected an Accompt of the said Bill which was this day demanded and urged by sundry Members of this House in which Debate these Questions were handled 1. Whether the House were possessed of the Bill 2. What might be called possession of a Bill 3. Whether it might deal with Treason 4. Examine commit and proceed to Judgment upon Traitors and with what kind of Treason and Traitors 5. And lastly Whether a Speaker receiving a Bill and reading the Title may deliver it to any without special allowance and leave of the House Hereupon it was finally Resolved and Ordered that for this time all Questions should cease touching these matter with this caution and care proceeding from a tender regard of the priviledge of this House that it should be precisely Registred as the Judgment of the House that no Speaker from henceforth should deliver a Bill whereof the House standeth possessed to any whomsoever without allowance and leave as aforesaid but that he had Power and might either shew it or deliver a Copy If it seems meet unto him Who by way of excuse Answered that a Message was delivered unto him by a great Lord from his Majestie commanding him to send the Bill unto him and that he was warranted by former Presidents to shew the Bill to the King when he was Commanded As in the Case of Mr. Morrice Mr. Wentworth 25. Eliz. Many Motions ensued in this matter by Mr. Sollicitor Sir Herbert Crofts Sir Francis Bacon Mr. Brooke Mr. Wiseman Sir William Fleetwood Mr. Crewe Mr. Martin Sir Henery Beaumont Sir Maurice Berkley Sir William Strowd Mr. Yelverton Sir Thomas Hobby Much Exceptions against the Presidents Injurious that any Speaker should deliver a Bill to the King without the privity of the House No Bill whereof the House is possessed to be delivered to the King or any other without notice and leave of the House We loose our priviledge if we loose our Bill Mr. Speaker to pray Access to the King himself and in the name of the House to desire the Bill from his Majestie No possession of a Bill except it be delivered to the Clerk to be Read If the Speaker Read Title in his Chair as he did in this Case a possession Jones the Prisoner to be sent for hither and to attend his discharge from the House That the Prisoners Committed by us cannot be taken from us and Committed by any other An Order moved and Agreed that no Bill whereof the House is clearly possessed be delivered to any before the House have notice and give leave Admitted that a Copy may be delivered or it may be shewed to his Majestie II. Mr. Speaker declared to the House a Message from the King The Message was to this effect That his Majestie having entred into a Princely Consideration of the weight of the great Cause in hand as also of the great worth and sufficiency of those Gentlemen that have Spoken and Dealt in it he was to put them in mind that the Writ of Summons that called them thither was to consult de arduis Regi That every Man did serve for a Town or a Shire that his attendance and service of the House was a great duty and that the departure of any Member of this House was a greater contempt than any Nobleman's departure who served only for himself that therefore he wished and advised that no Lawyer or other Member of Note might depart the House until this great Matter were brought to more ripeness and perfection and if the House would enter into course for the stay of them here or for the recalling of those that be absent his Highness would assist them by his Proclamation or otherwise as they should conceive fittest It was hereupon moved that many have Tryals at the Assizes who by their absence might receive prejudice if some course were not taken to prevent it Propounded that Letters might be writ by Mr. Speaker to the Justices of Assize for stay of Proceedings against any man that would require it which was approved and resolved by the House Mr. Speaker moveth that a time might be appointed for the Calling of the House and a punishment agreed on for the absent Others that the House might first be Called and then a punishment thought on That the House being Called the Serjeant might be sent for those which were found absent That a Law might be thought of to provide for this Mischief hereafter These Motions ended in these three Questions which by direction was made by Mr. Speaker viz. 1. Whether the House
shall be Called 2. Whether the Serjeant shall be sent for such as are absent having no reasonable excuse 3. Whether the House shall be Called on Monday come seven-night in the afternoon Which were all resolved in the Affirmative with this further direction that the absent were to be sent for by the Order of the House and by Warrant under Mr. Speaker's hand And upon the whole matter a Special order conceived The Copy whereof was sent to sundry Members that were absent that they might be more sensible of the reason and necessity of their Attendance The form of the Order was THis day Mr. Speaker delivered a Message from His Majestie importing a Consideration of the weight of the great cause in hand of the study and travel that hath been taken in the understanding and furtherance of some good Success therein by sundry Members of the House and of the duty and necessity of the attendance of every Member Representing in his Voice and Person a Shire City or at least a Town the special use and service of the Lawyers of the House the great contempt in departure together with his Highnes's gracious Offer of his Royal power and Assistance to be added to the Authority of the House for the recalling or punishing of any Member Deliuquent in this behalf Whereupon the House entered into dispute and deliberation what course were fittest to be taken as well for the continuing of such Members as are here already Assembled as for the return and attendance of those absent to partake of and assist in the great service in hand And after many courses and new devises of Order propounded to the House It was at last Resolved upon three several Questions First that the House should be called Secondly that upon the calling such as were found to be absent and had no just cause of Excuse should with the privity and direction of the House by Warrant under the hand of Mr. Speaker And by the Serjeant at Arms Attendant upon the House or by his Deputy be immediatly sent for and answer Fees and Entries to the Officers as in Case of breach of Priviledge or other Contempts to the House Thirdly and Lastly That upon Munday next come Sevenight in the afternoon of that day the House shall be called Mr. Hide the last day immediatly upon the Kings Message Pleading certain businesses of his Clyents and other his private occasions of profit and necessity as he pretended made known to the House that he would go out of Town and so took his leave in open audience without the Assent or Leave of the House which was taxed And Mr. Speaker warranted to Write unto him which he did in this Form The Form of the Speaker's Letter to Mr. Hide AFter my very hearty Commendations sithence your departure hence there hath been Complaints made to the House that you have gone without Leave and Contrary to His Majesties pleasure signifyed and the express Order of the House This bred great dispute and it was in a manner Resolved that you should be presently sent for by the Serjeant as being conceived to be a president of ill example and contempt other Mens Cases Considered with yours which led me to interpose this motion to the House That if you came not before Munday next the day appointed for calling of the House you might then be proceeded withal as the Case did require And my self offering to Write to you for that purpose they desisted and left it to my care Nevertheless for many Important reasons wherewith I will acquaint you at your coming I do advise you as also require you from the House that you forthwith repair hither and attend the service in hand which is now in the greatest heat and hast of proceeding And so I commit you to God Directed To my very Loving Friend Laurence Hide Esq It was also moved and resolved That Mr. Speaker should Write another Letter to other Lawyers being gone down in the same Circuit where Mr. Laurence Hide was viz. Mr. John Moore Mr. Giles Tooker Mr. Edward Digs and Mr. Nicholas Hide which also he did to this Effect The form of the Letter AFter my very hearty Commendations sithence your departure hence there hath been complaint made as well of your absence as of many others which hath moved the House to press some speedy course for your return and thereupon have commanded me forthwith to write unto you that you make your repair hither without excuse or delay which I would advise you to do to prevent further question or danger such as I would be loth you should undergo as now the case stands And so I commend you to the protection of the Almighty To my Loving Friends Mr. Giles Tooker Mr. John Moor Mr. Edward Diggs and Nicholas Hide Esqs Members of the Commons House of Parliament III. It is this day Ordered that a Committee of the whole House shall this afternoon consider of a fit and satisfactory Answer of the Kings Majesties Letter sent this day to this House and also that they shall take into their Consideration such Misinformations as are suspected to have been given to his Majesty concerning the Proceedings of this House this Parliament and of all the Circumstances belonging to the same IV. Sir Robert Phillips makes Report of two Informations brought the one against Dr. Lamley Chancellor to the Bishop of Peterburrough the other against Dr. Cradock a Divine and Chancellor to the Bishop of Durham Dr. Lamley is accused for extorting of unlawful Fees in Probate of Wills c. 2. For vexing of men with impertinent trivial and idle Causes wherein men are forced to consume their time and spend their Estates As for receiving Money on Holidays he makes them pay 40 s. and upwards for a Discharge the like of opening half a Shop-window it cost another that came to Church on Christmas-day with a foul Band 54 s. and for ommitting of Penance one Bushell paid 100 Marks and desired it might be imployed to Charity he said Charity began at home One having no Sermon in his own Parish went to a Parish where there was a Sermon for this he was put to the Oath ex Officio and paid 33 s. V. As for Dr. Cradock Chancellor of Durham I must consider him in three Capacities and apply the faults unto them severally First He is Chancellor to the Bishop Secondly He is a high-Commissioner Thirdly He is a Justice of Peace 1. As Chancellor there are two Charges of misgoverning himself In refusing probate of Testaments and granting Excommunications before Citations He takes Bribes on both sides 2. As a high-Commissioner of the Quorum and so a principal man sending out his Process for Recusants he took of one Collyer 20 l. for not appearing of another 10 l. to shuffle up a clandestine Marriage c. Lastly As a Justice of Peace he took 100 l. for the
discharging of a Priest Newton killed one he compounded for 100 l. One Allenson a Batchellor of Divinity made one Hanton his Executor within 10 days he granted Sequestration of the Testator's Goods Dr. Cradock sent them that took away his Will opened his Desk and took 6 or 7 Bags and having threatned them the Doctor made 4 Sequestrators the Bishop saith he would seize the Goods of Gilbert Hanton to the use of the Bishop of Durham he came as Justice of Peace and committed Hanton to the Constable to be forth-coming the Doctor broke open another Desk and took 30 s. in money he made his Warrant and sent Hanton to the Gaol he laid a Fine upon him of 50 l. John Widowes came to Hanton and mediateth to the Doctor for his Son's Imprisonment he would give his Son 22 l. which he doth the Sessions indicted him by the Oath of D. Soame because they thought the Fine too unreasonable but the Doctor said that the Lord of Durham would be angry with him One Clement gave the Doctor 50 l. and a Mare to have an Administration granted As he was a Commissioner he took of one Conyers 20 l. of another 59 l. and of two others 10 l. a piece for Adultery of another 8 l. As a Justice of Peace for not sending one to the Gaol 100 l. For Recusancy of one Tempest for a Murther 100 l. For Adultery before the Party could free himself 20 l. Mr. Alford The Oath Ex Officio in this manner one having no Sermon went to another and he made him pay 23 s. for the Oath and for the same offence and he going to another Parish imprisoned him Sir Edward Cook No man speaks against the Jurisdiction but the corruption of Spiritual Courts Qui tollit abusum confirmat usum For the Oath Ex Officio there is an Act of Parliament that they may give it and Lay-men may give it in some cases not in all And herein the ancient Common Law agreeth with the Canon Law in the 32 vel 31 Ed. 3. there was a complaint against Fees 2 H. 4. there was a Law to reduce them to their ancient Fees for now they exceeded For Cardinal Wolsey of his devotion and charity took for probate of my Lord Compton's Will 100 marks hence came the Law of 21 H. 8. We have good Laws but they are like Swords shut up in their sheaths Sir Edward Bonstead he hath a Petition of the Ministers of Northamptonshire the people have been ready to rise against the abuses in the Ecclesiastical Courts Mr. Brook That the Convocation is not a part of the Higher House neither the Bishops any part of the Higher House but are there as they have Temporal Baronies Mr. P ym I would not have us send up to the Lords yet till we have examined them for their guiltiness must be stamped here before they go up to the Lords Mr. Noy 8 H. 6. the Clergy and Bishops are not to be arrested going to the Convocation-house we cannot judge them but complain of them Mr. Sherwin It is a complaint and we must examine him so that our complaint be certain and not without great deliberation handled that it may not be otherwise proved Sir Nathaniel Rich. That if the Lords will not punish those that we complain of we will enter into Judgment our selves which is our ancient course The House would not send for the accused Doctors because they were of the Convocation 1. To avoid offence to them of that Assembly 2. Because of the Stat. of 8 H. 6. which is thus Forasmuch as the Prelates and Clergy of the Realm of England called to the Convocation and their Servants and Familiars that come with them to such Convocation often times and commonly be arrested molested and inquieted our said Soveraign Lord the King willing graciously in this behalf to provide for the security and quietness of the said Prelates and Clergy at the supplication of the same Prelates and Clergy and of the assent of Great men and Commons aforesaid hath ordained and statuted that all the Clergy from henceforth to be called to the Convocation by the Kings Writ and their Servants and Familiars shall for ever hereafter fully use and enjoy such liberty or defence in coming tarrying and going as the Great men and Commonalty of the Realm of England called or to be called to the Kings Parliament do enjoy and were wont to enjoy or in time to come ought to enjoy VI. The Commons House of Parliament in Confirmation of a former Declaration therein made concerning the stay of all Suits Payments and other Proceedings grounded upon any Patent or Commission condemned in the said House as a general Grievance or Inconvenience to the Subject until further Order and Direction given therein hath this day again upon the Question Resolved it to be fit that none of the Patents Commissions or other things condemned in this House for general Grievances or Inconveniences to the Subject shall be put in execution until the next access to Parliament VII It is thought fit by the Commons House of Parliament that all Suits Payments and other Proceedings grounded upon any Patent or Commission condemned in the said House as a general Grievance or Inconvenience to the Subject should stay till further Order and Direction to be given therein VIII It is this day Ordered by the Commons House of Parliament that the Serjeant at Arms attending this House shall attach the Body of John Churchill one of the Deputy-Registers of the Chancery and him shall take into his custody and bring him to this House upon Monday morning next at 8 of the Clock and the said Serjeant is in the mean time to keep him so as none be suffered to speak with him but in the hearing of the Serjeant IX To the Honourable the Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the House of Commons in this present Parliament Assembled The humble Petition of the Mayor Bayliffs and Burgesses of the Town of Northampton THat whereas your Petitioners have been and still are every way conformable to the Kings Majesties Laws Ecclesiastical yet have they for these many years been subject to the great grievances of John Lamb Doctor of the Laws Chancellor to the Bishop of Peterborough who not only scandalizeth the Town in general as factious rebellious and refractory to his Majesties Laws but also countenanceth the lewdest fellows in the Town in their opposing of the Governours and Government and by himself and his Surrogates Registers Proctors and Apparitors and others whom he useth as Spies up and down the Town and Country citeth men and women to his Courts upon small or no just occasion but only to enrich himself and his Followers keeping two Courts every fortnight for the most part and carrying them away from the usual place where they were wont to be kept as being most convenient unto other small Towns far remote so that his Majesties
Parliament offers the Commons a Writ to deliver their Burgess but they refuse it as being clear of opinion that all their Commandments Acts were to be done and executed by their Serjeant without Writ The Sheriffs ordered to appear and bring with them the Clerks of the Compter And accordingly they did Who are charged by the Speaker Being not admitted to any Councel The Sheriffs committed to the Tower The Clerk to Little Ease and the Serjeants to Newgate All at last delivered upon the humble suit of the Mayor and other their Friends The King takes notice of the proceedings The King in the presence of the Chancellor Judges with whom he had consulted before of this matter commends and approves the proccedings of the Commons Here the King from the mouth of the Lord Chancellor declares the ancient priviledg of the Commons even for their menial Servants and gives an instance in the Cook of the Temple The King Head and the Lords and Commons Members of the High Court of Parliament in which he stands highest in his Royal Estate The Court of Parliament Nota All Acts and Processes coming out of any inferiour Court must cease and give place to the Highest Sir Edward Mountague Chief Justice of England who we cannot believe to be misconusant of the ancient proceedings in Parliament and of the Priviledge of the House of Commons together with the rest of the Judges by Reasons which wanted not Authorities confirmed what the King had said Journal Dom. Com. 4. Ed. VI. Journ Dom. Com. 14 Eliz. 17 Maii Anno Dom. 1571. Misdemeanors of a Member of the House of Commons for sundry lewd speeches as well in the House as abroad Ordered that those who heard them to put them in writing and deliver them to the Speaker Mond 19 Febr Mr. Hall appears and is cleared Humbly confesseth his folly And is remitted by the House Journal Dom. Comm. Anno 18. Eliz. 16. Feb. A. D 1575. Breach of Priviledge Confederacy and Contempt Friday 18. Feb. Munday 27. Feb. Smalley to be brought to the House by the Mace and not by Writ Tuesday 28. Feb. Smalley brought to the Bar was presently delivered out of Execution Wednesday 7. March post Meridiem Mr. Hall Smalley's Master withdraws Smalley adjudged guilty of a Contempt against the House for fraudulently procuring himself to be arrested Kirtleton in confederacy with him Smalley to be committed to the Tower for his Misdemeanor and Contempt The like Judgment for Kirtleton Both to be brought into the House to receive their Judgements Mr. Hall's privity in the Matter to be referred to a further Debate Saturday 10 March The Speaker pronounced Judgement upon Smalley Saturd 4. Feb. An. 23. Eliz. Journ Dom. Com. Mr. Hall's Charge for writing a Book derogatory to the Authority Power and State of the Commons House of Parliament Mr. Hall ordered to be sent for by the Serjeant at Arms Two Knights Members of the House to assist the Serjeant A Commission to a Committee to send for the Printer and to examine the Matter To report to the House and to take order for Hall's Apprehension And if any Member should see him to stay him and bring him to the House Munday 6 Feb. Mr. Secretary Wilson reports the Examination of Hall's Case from the Committee Hall appears and was called to the Bar where he was charged by the Speaker with his Offence The Printer brought to the Bar. And Shirland who was examined And Wells who was also examined A Committee appointed to examine further the whole Matter M. Hall brought to the Bar again and committed to the Serjeant to attend the Committee Bynnyman Wells and Shirland ordered likewise to attend the Committee Dalton also ordered to attend Tuesd. 14 Feb. Another Report from the Committee against Hall of new Contempts and Crimes added to his former Mr. Hall chargeth the House with Injustice Nota. The Printer brought to the Bar again and re-examined Mr. Hall at the Bar and recharged by Mr. Speaker Submits refuseth to answer acknowledgeth his Error prays pardon and is sequestred Sundry motions for a proportionable punishment Resolved nemine contradicente Hall to be committed to Prison And that Prison to be the Tower There to remain for six months And from thence till he made a retractation of his Book To be fined to the Queen And that Fine to be 500 Marks To be severed and cut off from being a Member of the House And the Speaker to issue a Warrant for a new Writ His Book and slanderous Libel to be adjudged utterly false and erroneous And that to be publickly testified and affirmed by Order of the House Hall brought to the Bar to receive his Judgment which Mr. Speaker delivered accordingly The Proceedings against Hall drawn up read and agreed to by the House Rot. Pat. 48 H. 3. m. 6. dorso Forma pacis inter Regem Barones The Articles of Peace à Domino Rege Domino Edwardo Praelatis Proceribus omnibus Communitate tota regni Angliae communiter concorditer approbat were sealed by the Bishops of Lincoln and Ely Earl of Norf. Earl of Oxon. Humphrey Bohun William de Monte Canisio Major London in Parliamento London mense Junii Anno Dom. 1264. de consensu voluntate praecepto Domini Regis necnon Praelatorum Baronum ac etiam Communitatis tunc ibidem praesentium And not only so but that Record tells us Quod quaedam ordinatio facta in Parliamento London habito circa festum Nativitatis Sancti Johannis Baptistae prox ' praeteritum pro pace Regni conservanda Pultons Stat. 24 H. 8. c. 12. It is unanimously declared adjudged and confirmed That the King his noble Progenitors and the Nobility and Commons of the said Realm at divers and sundry Parliaments as well in the time of King E. 1. R. 2. H. 4. and other noble Kings of this Realm made sundry Ordinances Laws Statutes and Provisions for the entire and sure conservation of the Prerogative Liberties and Preheminences of the said Imperial Crown of this Realm and of the Jurisdiction Spiritual and Temporal of the same to keep it from the annoyance as well from the See of Rome as from the Authority of other Foreign Potentates attempting the diminution and violation thereof as often and from time to time as any such annoyance and attempt might be known or espied Ex vetusto MS. Staeturorum penes Johan ' Peachy de Interior ' Templo Armig. King Edw. 2. and the whole Parliament in the 15. year of his Reign when the Ordinances which had been made before that time by certain Prelates Earls and Barons by the consent of that King la Comunante de la terre were repealed because in many things they restrained the Power Royal too much yet in the Act of Repeal there is a salvo semper jure Regni sive Parliamenti for they unanimously agree and provide Mes les choses que sont establer pur le
Praesides atque Ministri manibus tenacibus oculis impudicis effrenata libidine lapideis cordibus ficta gravitate lingua melliflua sed dentibus virulentis breviter auri insatiabili fame Cardan libro de utilitate ex adversis capienda Cap. de Temporum Magistratuum pravitate p. 649. Journ Dom. Com. 19 Jac. Sir Robert Floid's Case Turned out for being a Monopolist Journ Dom. Com. 3 Car. 1. Mr. John Barbour's Case The Order of the Commons against Barbour Journ Dom. Com. 4 E. 6. Criketost's Case Journ Dom. Com. 1 Jac. Complaint that a Yeoman of the Guard who kept the door of the Lobby of the Upper House against several of the Members of the House of Commons 22 Marti 1603 Tash brought to the Bar submits and is pardoned paying Fees Journ Dom. Com. 18. Jac. Sir Francis Mitchell's Case Committed to the Tower Carried on foot through London-streets After impeached by the Commons before the Lords Journ Dom. Proc. 18 Jac. The Lords send to the Commons That they are ready to give Judgment against Mitchell if they would come and demand it The Commons by their Speaker demand Judgment against Sir Francis Mitchell The Lord Chief Justice pronounceth the Judgment The Judgment of the Lords against Sir Francis Mitchell There was a Clause in Patents of Monopolies whereby power was given to imprison and hundreds were committed by colour thereof to Finsbury Gaol and the Fleet. Journ Dom. Proc. 18 Jac. Fowles Geldard and others committed Journ Dom. Com. 20 Jac. Dr. Harris's Case To recant in the Pulpit Journ Dom. Com. 3 Car. 1. Mr. Burgesse a Minister his Case Journ Dom. Com. The Case of Sir William Wray M. Langton Mr. John Trelawnie and Mr. Edward Trelawnie The Judgment of the Commons The Commons House of Parliament adjudge them To make submission in the Countrey at the Assizes Journ Dom. Com. 3. Car. 1. Levet for executing a Patent in time of Prorogation which was adjudged a Grievance by the House in the last Session ordered to be sent for by the Serjeant at Arms. Journ Dom. Com. 4. Car. 1. The Parliament prorogued Journ Dom. Com. 4 Car. 1. The Officers of the Custom-house Journ Dom. Com. 4 Car. 1. The Case of Acton Sheriff of London for contempt in prevaricating in his Testimony Ordered to be sent for Tuesd. 10 Feb. Appears and called to the Bar. His Crime with others aggravated Sentenced to the Tower Journ Dom. Com. 4 Car. 26 Jan. The Case of Lewis Journ Dom. Com. 18 Jac. The Case of the Mayor of Winchelsey Judgment against the Mayor Journ Dom. Com. 20 Jac. The Case of the Mayor of Arundel for Misdemeanour Judgment To pay the Charge to be set down by 3 Members Jouâ—n Dom. Com 21 Jac. The Case of Ingry the under Sheriff of Cambridgeshire Judgment To make a submission at the Sessions Journ Dom. Com. 3 4 Car. 1. Tuesd. Apr. 29. The Case of the Sheriffs of York and others touching the Election of Sir Thomas Savile Nota. Nota. Nota. Sir Robert Philips The Sheriff to pay the charges of the Witnesses to be set down by four Witnesses Committment of Davenport to the Tower for misinforming the House of Commons as a Witness Anno primo Regis Jacobi Num. 42. penes Joh. Brown Ar. Cler. Parliamentor Nota. Anno 3 Car. 1. Pult. Stat. fol. 1433. 34 E. 1. No Tallage or Aid to be laid or levied without Authority of Parliament 1 E. 3. 6. 11 R. 2. 9. 1 R. 3. 2. 9 H. 3. 29. 28 E. 3. 3. 37 E. 3. 18. 38 E 3. 8. 42 E. 3. 3. 17 R. 2. 6. Quartering Souldiers against Law 25 E. 3. 9. 9 H. 3. 29. 25 E. 3. â—4 28 E. 3. â—3 Nota. Martial Law in time of Peace against the Laws and Statutes of England Nota. Nota. Here the good King condemns the Law and Doctrine of Dr. Cowell Blackwood Manwaring Fulbeck Sibthorpe Alablaster Filmer and their Transcribers and Disciples Journ Dom. Com. Parl. 1 Jac. Mercurii 23 Maii A. D. 1603 A Bill is delivered to the Speaker going to the House purporting a Declaration of Treason by a Magistrate of the Land who Gives an Account of it to the House Who forbear to read it at that time The King sends for the Bill The House expected an Accompt thereof from Mr. Speaker and after demands it Questions handled thereupon To cease with a caution care of the priviledge of the House To be Registred as the Judgment of the House that no Speaker should deliver a Bill whereof the House was possessed without leave The Speakers excuse Motions by several Members No Bill of which the House is possessed to be delivered without notice and leave of the House Jur. Dom. Com. Die venris 27. February 4 Jac. A. D. 1606. A Message from the King The Union of England and Scotland That the Writ called them to Consul de arduis Regi Their attendance a great duty Departure a greater contempt than a Noblemans Adviseth no Lawyer or other of Note to depart Would assist the House for their stay or recalling Motions and Debates upon the Message Mr. Speaker's motions Others move 3 Questions made 1 Question 2 Question 3 Question Resolves Order Veneris 27. February The Union of England and Scotland Die Martis 3. Martii Mr. Hide departs without License and is sent for Resolved that other Letters be writ to other Members who were Lawyers The form of the Letter Jurn Dom. Com. 27. Jac. Vereris 27. Maii. Order that a Committee take into consideration misinformations given to the King concerning the proceedings of the House of Commons Jour Par. Dom. Com. 18. 19. Jac. 15. Martii The Case of Dr. Lamley Chancellor to the Bishop of Peterburrough and Dr. Cradock a Divine Chancellor to the Bishop of Durham Dr. Lamely accused for Extortion and other Misdemeanours Dr. Cradock accused for Briberies and other Misdemeanours Kelway Fo. 184. Rastall's Stat. 8 H. 6. c. 1. Journ Dom. Com. 19 Jac. Sabbathi 2 die Junii Confirmation of the Order concerning all Patents adjudged Grievances Journ Dom. Com. Lunae 26 Martii Concerning all Patents adjudged Grievance Journ Dom. Com. Sabbathi 17 Martii Order pro Churchill March 21. Sr. Robert Phillip's Reports from the Committee appointed to examine Keeling and Churchill who informed them of many Corruptions against the Lord Chancellor April 25. A Committee for regulating the Chancery and to consider of Churchill's false Orders and the Faults of the rest of the Registers Sir Dudley Diggs saith that Churchill was Register Councellor and Judge referred to the Committee Anno 19 Jac. A Copy of the Petition remaining with William Goulds borough Esq Clerk of the House of Commons The Complaint of the Mayor Bayliffs and Burgesses of Northampton against Dr. Lamb Chancellor to the Bishop of Peterborough Nota est Cyclopum vivendi ratio quibus illa crudelis vox in Tragoedia attribuitur non ulla Numina expavesco Coelitum sed victimas uni deorum maximo ventri offero
Spoken Lubricum tantum linguae non est ad judicium trahendum say the Civilians And that his Heart did never conceive the least Derogation of any Order of that most Honourable House on the bare intimation of any one Peer that sitteth in the same One passage in his Answer was That Kellwood and especially Kennedy a Man Condemned to Death in Scotland for Forgery are Persons Infamed and their Credits to be Examined before they be admitted as Witnessess against a Peer of the Realm and a Lord Keeper of the Great Seal as he then was At the end of the Paper was Written Recepi 5. Expedii 9 Martii 1625. John Lincoln This Answer was referred to the Committee for Petitions to consider what 's fit to be done for the clearing of the aspersion laid by the Bishop on the Lords Sub-Committees appointed for the Journal Book and what for the relief of Pinckney for those had certified it to be a true Order Notwithstanding he said it was mistaken by the Clerk and had not obeyed it The Committee Report they find two defects in this Answer 1. That he doth not clearly acknowledge his Contempt in not obeying the Order 2. His Aspersing the Lords Sub-Committees by saying it was a mistaken Order when they had certified it a true one Their Opinion is That the Sub Committee be cleared and the Bishop acknowledge it a true Order and signifie to the House that he is sorry he was so mistaken and thereby given just offence to the House and to the Lords of the Sub-Committee then Acknowledge his Error and ask their pardon so Ordered May it please your most Honourable Lordships YOur Lordships having resolved the order touching Pinkney of the 28 of May 1624. To be an Order of that Most Honourable House truly and justly entered I do most willingly accknowledge as much and am very sorry that through a weak memory and information of some parties interessed who pretendded to have serached the Clerks Book the 29 of May 1624. And to have found there at that day no ground at all for any such Order I have had in my thoughts some scruples to the contrary to the offending of the most Honourable House or any one of the Lords of the Sub-Committee who as I now understand have Subscribed the said Order And I do Humbly desire your most Honourable Lordships in General and those Noble Lords in Particular to Pardon the Errour I have herein committed and I shall pray unto God to bless and prosper your most Honourable Lordships John Lincoln Which Acknowledgment their Lordships all accepted in full satisfaction from the said Lord Bishop XIV Ordered Ensign Reynde to be sent for and brought up as a Prisoner before the Lords to answer a high Contempt against the Parliament The Witnesses who have informed thereof are to be required to attend when Reynde comes Ordered the Serjeant at Arms to make such and so many Deputies for the apprehension of Henry Reynde as the Lord Say shall appoint and his Captain to be warned to bring him hither by a day These men were sworn touching the Information against Henry Reynde Ensign-Bearer to the Souldiers at Banbury viz. George Phillips Obadiah Lord. John Hayns John Hele. And being examined did testifie the insolent and opprobrious Speeches spoken by the said Ensign Reynde against a Peer of the Realm and his contempt of this High Court of Parliament The Lords considering that the said Reynde was by Order of this House sent for by the Serjeant the 27th of May and could not be found but yet came early one Morning to the Clerks Office to understand whether any other cause of Complaint was against him save the Information of those opprobrious Speeches and instantly departed and ever since hides his head Their Lordships Order Elvenston his Captain to be sent for to be here to morrow Morning And the Duke of Buckingham did declare his opinion that the said Reynde deserved a severe censure and promised to the House to lay all the Ports for him and if he can be found or shall ever come into the Army he will cause him to be sent to receive such censure as shall be agreed on against him Captain Elvenston being called before the Lords did affirm that he had not seen his Ensign Henry Reynde this Fortnight and thinks he is not in Town He was commanded to bring him to the House whensoever he shall find him and so soon as he shall understand where he is to inform the House thereof The Lords taking into consideration that Henry Reynde will not be found and Resolving to proceed to a censure against him for his Ignominious Speeches of the Parliament and of the Lord Say they first voted and adjudged him unworthy to bear Arms hereafter or to be accompted a Souldier Then their Lordships propounded divers other parts of a Censure against him but the Duke of Buckingham coming in before the Conclusion thereof his Grace told their Lordships that the said Reynde is now found Whereupon it was Ordered the said Reynde to be brought hither to morrow Morning The Duke of Buckingham excused himself for not bringing of Reynde to his answer according to his promise for that he shifts his Lodging every night but promised again to do his best to bring him to morrow Morning Ordered If Reynde do not appear here to morrow Morning then to proceed against him in the censure The Lords were put in mind of their Order yesterday if Reynde were not brought this Morning to proceed to sentence against him notwithstanding Whereupon the Duke of Buckingham signified unto their Lordships with what care and industry he had endeavoured to bring the said Reynde before their Lordships but he is so apprehensive of their censure which he deserves that he cannot be found Yet his Grace said he doubted not but to bring him to morrow Morning and desired their Lordships to proceed notwithstanding now in their sentence against him and with the more severity because he had so often deceived his Grace The sentence of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parliament assembled against Henry Reynde Ensign-bearer to the Band of Soldiers Billetted in Banbury for the Ignominious Speeches uttered by the said Reynde against the said Lord Say and Seal And for his contempt of this High Court of Parliament which sentence was this day pronounced against him by the Lord Keeper viz. 1. He the said Henry Reynde is never to bear Arms hereafter but is accompted unworthy to be a Souldier 2. He is to be Imprisoned during pleasure 3. He is to stand under the Pillory with Papers on his Head shewing his Offence at Cheapside London and at Banbury 4. That he is to be Fined at 200 l. unto the King 5. He is to ask forgiveness here of all the Lords of Parliament in general and of the Lord
Say and his Son both here and at Banbury And it was then also Ordered by their Lordships that the Lord Keeper should move his Majesty for the House of Parliament to apprehend the said Reynde with a promise of reward unto him that that shall take him And it was then also Ordered that the Kings principal Secretary shall Write unto his Majesties Agent in the Low Countries that he signifie this censure of the Lords unto all the Colonels and Captains there and that his His Majesties pleasure is they give no entertainment to the said Reynde And the Court of Star-Chamber is to put this sentence in Execution against the said Reynde if he shall happen to be apprehended after this Session is ended and out of time of Parliament The Lord Say who withdrew himself when the Lords gave this Sentence gave their Lordships Humble thanks for the sense they had of his Honour and their Noble zeal they had in preserving of it Ordered the Court of Star-Chamber to put in Execution the Sentence against Reynde XV. Whereas George Gardiner did lately stand in the Pillory by the Censure of the House for counterfeiting of Protections and selling them it was now informed that he did not only in scorn thereof say that he would stand in all the Pillories in England for 2 s. per diem but also gave out threatning Speeches against the Lord Keeper wherefore he was this day brought to the Bar and the Speeches proved against him It was Ordered That he should stand in the Pillory here at Westminster with a Paper on his Head declaring his Offence for scandalizing the Justice of this House and unjustly slandering the Lord Keeper and to ride backward with the same Paper to the Cross in Cheapside and to stand in the Pillory there and to ride back to the Fleet in like manner And whereas George Buttrice and this George Gardiner Buttrice also having bought a counterfeit Protection have commenced Suits against one Henry Lane who first informed the Earl of Huntingdon thereof whose Protections were counterfeited and sold the said Suits not being for just Debt but for meer vexation as in the Petition of the said Henry Lane is contained It is Ordered the said Gardiner and Buttrice to stay all Suits against the said Lane for the Causes in the said Petition contained XVI Sir Walter Earl Reports from the Committee about the Deduty-Lieutenants Sir William Welby a Deputy Lieutenant for Lincolnshire is complained of that he sent a Warrant as a Deputy Lieutenant to commit two Persons to Gaol for refusing to pay certain Taxes for military Affairs Also one Mr. Norwood complains that it is the usual course of the said Sir William Welby to raise great sums in the Countrey in military Affairs but it is for the Charges of himself and others at Musters Also he having two Sons Captains in the Countrey he orders that every Souldier pay their Captain 6 d. a day every time they muster and though these Causes were complained of the last Parliament yet he doth not desist The Warrant was read For that I. S. refuseth to pay certain sums of Money for military Affairs These are by vertue of our Deputy Lieutenancy to require you to bring the Body of I. S. c. before me or some other Deputy Lieutenant I send you herewithal the Body of I. S. for that he denieth to pay military Charges and also denieth to enter Bond to appear at the next Assizes for his said refusal It was Ordered that he be sent for by the Serjeant and brought to the House Saturday the 10th of May Sir William Welby was called in to answer There was a Question whether he should come in a Delinquent and kneel or no and it was Ordered that he should not kneel only be asked by the Speaker about the Warrants exhibited touching the levying of Money for military Affairs He said he could not deny them but said he never imprisoned any but those two Palmer and Sparks and he said that upon the meeting of Musters he used to have his Charges born by the County and so it was ever used in that Countrey for 40 years and as for 6 d. a piece that is paid by every Souldier of the trained Bands unto the Captains of the Bands who are his Sons he said that it was ever used to be done but he never compelled any And as to the rate of 1 d. an Acre he said it was by vertue of an Order made at the Sessions in the Countrey and that he knew there was a Complaint of it the last Parliament After he went forth he was called in again and told that the House was not satisfied with his Answer and that it was the pleasure of the House that he should attend the Committee from day to day and this House also whensoever he should be required XVII A Complaint was made against the Mayor of Chichester by one Mr. Higgons who complained that a Lieutenant with four Souldiers came to his House and surprized him in his Study and he sent for the Mayor to see the Kings Peace kept and the Mayor contrary to his duty sent no aid and at a Sessions to enquire of a Ryot the Bench and the Hall was full of Captains and Souldiers so as he withdrew himself and they Indicted him for Assaulting a Souldier and it was found Cox also complained against the Mayor there who sent a Serjeant to them to demand Twenty Shillings by way of Loan which being refused six Souldiers were sent to his House so he was forced to lend the Money It was proved the Money was Paid and Enforced But it did not clearly appear that the Mayor enforced it but there were Presumptions the Captains and six Souldiers came from the Mayors House So there being no proof against the Mayor the Committee Ordered that the Mayor be dismissed till the Pleasure of the House be further known A Collection of some few Records and Presidents out of many others of the like nature Whereby it appears that the Kings of England were pleased to Consult and Advise with their Parliaments de Arduis negotiis Regni of the weighty and difficult business of the Kingdom 1. ANno 16. Johannis Before the granting and confirming of Magna Charta in his time the Prelates Earls Barons great Men and the Citizens and Burgesses were at a Parliament at London to give consilium auxilium Counsel and Aid for the Honour of the King being then personally in France in War with the French King their own and the safety of the whole Kingdom 2. Anno 29. H. 3. The King summoned a Parliament touching the Marriage of his Daughter where the Magnates Communitates Regni the great Men and Commons of the Realm spontanea mera voluntate granted a Subsidy to the King 3. Anno 32 H. 3. The great Men and Commons of their