House of Lords Journal Volume 13: 28 January 1678

DIE Lunæ, 28 die Januarii.

REX.

Domini tam Spirituales quam Temporales præsentes fuerunt:

PRAYERS.

King present.

His Majesty sitting in His Royal Throne, adorned with His Regal Crown and Robes, the Peers being likewise in their Robes, the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod was commanded to signify to the House of Commons His Majesty's Pleasure, "That they presently attend His Majesty, with their Speaker."

Who being come, His Majesty made this Speech following:

His Majesty's Speech.

"My Lords and Gentlemen,

"When we parted last, I told you, that before we met again, I would do that which should be to your Satisfaction: I have accordingly made such Alliances with Holland, as are for the Preservation of Flanders; and which cannot fail of that End, unless prevented either by the Want of due Assistances to support those Alliances, or by the small Regard the Spaniards themselves must have to their own Preservation.

The First of these I cannot suspect, by reason of your repeated Engagements to maintain them; and I know you are so wife as to consider, that a War, which must be the necessary Consequence of them, ought neither to be prosecuted by Halves, nor to want such Assurances of Perseverance as may give Me Encouragement to pursue it. Besides, it will not be less necessary to let out Enemies have such a Prospect of our Resolutions, as may let them see certainly that we shall not be weary of our Arms, till Christendom be restored to such a Peace as shall not be in the Power of any Prince alone to disturb.

"I do acknowledge to you, that I have used all the Means possible, by a Mediation, to have procured an honourable and safe Peace for Christendom; knowing how preferable such a Peace would have been to any War, and especially to this Kingdom, which must necessarily own the vast Benefits it has received by Peace, whilst its Neighbours only have yet smarted by the War: But, finding it no longer to be hoped for by fair Means, it shall not be My Fault, if that be not obtained by Force, which cannot be had otherwise.

"For this Reason I have recalled My Troops from France; and have considered, that although the Dutch shall do their Parts, we cannot have less on ours than Ninety Sail of Capital Ships constantly maintained, nor less than Thirty or Forty Thousand Land Men (with their Dependencies) to be employed upon our Fleets and elsewhere. And because there shall be no Fear of misemploying what you shall give to these Uses, I am contented that such Money be appropriated to those Ends as strictly as you can desire. I have given Testimony enough of My Care in that Kind, by the Progress I have made in building the new Ships; wherein, for the making them more useful, I have directed such larger Dimensions, as will cost Me above One Hundred Thousand Pounds more than the Act allows. I have gone as far as I could, in repairing the old Fleet, and in buying of necessary Stores for the Navy and Ordnance; and in this, and other Provisions for better securing both My Foreign Plantations and the Islands nearer Home, I have expended a great deal more than the Two Hundred Thousand Pounds you enabled Me to borrow upon the Excise, although I have not found such a Credit as I expected upon that Security. I have borne the Charge both of a Rebellion in Virginia, and a new War with Algiers. I stand engaged to the Prince of Orange for My Niece's Portion: And I shall not be able to maintain My constant necessary Establishments, unless the new Impost upon Wines, &c. be continued to Me, which would otherwise turn only to their Profit to whom we least intend it.

"I hope these Things will need little Recommendation to you, when you consider your Promises in some, and the Necessity of the rest. And to let you see that I have not only employed My Time and Treasure for your Safety, but done all I could to remove all Sorts of Jealousies, I have married My Niece to the Prince of Orange, by which I hope I have given full Satisfaction that I shall never suffer his Interest to be ruined, if I can be assisted as I ought to be to preserve them.

"Having done all this, I expect from you a plentiful Supply, suitable to such great Occasions; whereon depends not only the Honour, but (for aught I know) the Being of an English Nation, which will not be saved by finding Faults afterwards, but may be prevented by avoiding the chief Fault of doing weakly and by Halves what can only be hoped from a vigorous and thorough Prosecution of what we undertake.

"These Considerations are of the greatest Importance that ever concerned this Kingdom; and therefore I would have you enter immediately upon them, without suffering any other Business whatsoever to divert you from bringing them to good Resolutions."

After this, His Majesty withdrew Himself; and the Peers unrobed themselves.

Lord Mowbray, D. of Norff. Eldest Son, summoned to Parliament.

Then the Lord Chancellor acquainted the House, That His Majesty hath been pleased to issue out a Writ of Summons to the Lord Henry Howard, Eldest Son to the present Duke of Norfolke, to attend in this Parliament, by the Name and Title of Henry Mowbray Chevalier."

And there being Question whether his Lordship should sit in and enjoy the ancient Place of the Lord Mowbray; the Journal Book of the House of Peers was produced, wherein it did appear, that on the 16th Day of April, 1640, Henry Lord Mowbray, Grandfather to this Henry Lord Mowbray, was introducted and placed at the upper End of the Barons Bench.

Also many Precedents were urged of the like Nature.

His Precedency.

And, after a full Consideration thereof, the House ORDERED, That the said Lord Mowbray should be called in, and introduced, and placed in the Place of his Grandfather, as Lord Mowbray, at the upper End of the Barons Bench.

Ld. Mowbray introduced.

Accordingly his Lordship was introducted, in his Robes, between the Lord Viscount Stafford and the Lord Howard of Esc.; the Lord Great Chamberlain, and the Earl of Peterborough Deputy Earl Marshal, and Garter King of Arms, going before him.

His Lordship delivered his Writ of Summons upon his Knee to the Lord Chancellor, who delivered it to the Clerk of the Parliaments, who read the same, bearing Date the 14th Day of this Instant January; and then his Lordship was placed, by the Lord Great Chamberlain and the Deputy Earl Marshal, at the upper End of the Barons Bench, in the Place of his Grandfather.

Ld. Ferrers takes his Seat.

Next, the Lord Chancellor signified to the House, "That His Majesty hath been pleased to issue out a Writ of Summons to Sir Robert Shirly, to sit in and attend in Parliament, as Robert Shirley de Ferrers Chevalier."

And it was opened to the House by the Lord Chancellor, how his Lordship came upon Descent, and so no Introduction to be in this Case.

Whereupon the Lord Ferrers was called in; and presented his Writ of Summons, which was read, bearing Date the 14th Day of December, A° Regni Domini Regis Car'l. 2di 29°; and then his Lordship took his Place upon the Barons Bench, next below the Lord Berkeley.

Vacat per Ordinem 13^tii Novembris, 1680, coram

J. Bridgewater.
P. Bath & Wells.
Wm. Peterborough.
Tho. Exon.

*********

E. of Pembroke committed by the King, for Blasphemy, &c.

In the Interim, the Lord Chancellor told the House, "That as he had given them an Account of the Enlargement of some Members of this House, he should now give them an Account of the Commitment of One of their Members, which His Majesty thought fit this House should be made acquainted with, because it was done in Time of Privilege; videlicet, the Commitment of the Earl of Pembrooke to The Tower of London, for uttering such horrid and blasphemous Words, and other Actions proved upon Oath, as are not fit to be repeated in any Christian Assembly."

After some Consideration had thereof, it is ORDERED, That the further Debate of this Business shall be resumed To-morrow Morning.

Vacat per Ordinem 13^tii Novembris, 1680, coram

J. Bridgewater.
P. Bath & Wells.
Wm. Peterborough.
Tho. Exon.

*********

Address of Thanks to the King, for making Alliances to preserve Flanders, and marrying the Princess Mary to the Prince of Orange.

It being moved, "That the most humble Thanks of this House be presented to His Majesty, for the Marriage of His Niece to the Prince of Orange, and for making Alliances for the Preservation of Flanders:"

It was accordingly ORDERED, That the Lords with White Staves now present, and the Lord Awdley, and the Lord Delawarr, and the Lord Berkley, do wait on His Majesty, to know His Pleasure, when and where the House of Peers shall attend Him for this Purpose; and humbly to desire His Majesty, that His Speech made in the House this Day may be printed and published.

House to attend the King with it.

The Lord Great Chamberlain reported, "That His Majesty is pleased to appoint this Afternoon, at Three of the Clock, in the Banqueting House at Whitehall, for this House to attend Him."

The Earl of Essex is added to the Committee for Privileges, the Committee for the Journal Book, and the Committee for Petitions.

Adjourn.

Dominus Cancellarius declaravit præsens Parliamentum continuandum esse usque in diem Martis, 29^um diem instantis Januarii, hora decima Aurora, Dominis sic decernentibus.

Hitherto examined by us,

J. Bridgewater.
Stamford. Berkeley of B.
Clarendon.
Stafford.
North & Grey.