House of Lords Journal Volume 13: 21 March 1681

Journal of the House of Lords: Volume 13, 1675-1681. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1767-1830.

Citation:

'House of Lords Journal Volume 13: 21 March 1681', in Journal of the House of Lords: Volume 13, 1675-1681( London, 1767-1830), British History Online https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/lords-jrnl/vol13/pp745-747 [accessed 23 December 2024].

Anno 33 Caroli Secundi.

REX.

Oxon.

DIE Lunæ, Vicesimo Primo Die Martii, 1680, Anno Regni Serenissimi Domini nostri Caroli Secundi, Dei Gratia, Angliæ, Scotiæ, Franciæ, et Hiberniæ Regis, Fidei Defensoris, &c. Tricesimo Tertio, in Superiori Parliamenti Domo apud Oxon. convenere Domini tam Spirituales quam Temporales, quorum Nomina subscribuntur:



Arch. Cant. Epus. London. Epus. Durham. Epus. Sarum. Epus. Rochester. Epus. Ely. Epus. Bath & Wells. Epus. Chester. Epus. Lyncolne. Epus. Oxon. Epus. Exon. Epus. St. David's.	Heneage Ds. Finch, Ds. Cancellarius. Dux Albemarle. Dux Newcastle. Marq. Worcester. Henricus Comes Arlington, Camerarius Hospitii Domini Regis. Comes Kent. Comes Bedford. Comes Salisbury. Comes Bridgewater. Comes North'ton. Comes Westmerland. Comes Stamford. Comes Winchilsea. Comes Carnarvon. Comes Chesterfield. Comes Clarendon. Comes Essex. Comes Aylesbury. Comes Shaftesbury. Comes Feversham. Comes Halyfax. Comes Berkeley. Comes Conway.	Ds. Ferrers. Ds. Windsor. Ds. Cromwell. Ds. Wharton. Ds. Norreys. Ds. Lovelace. Ds. Maynard. Ds. Coventry. Ds. Byron. Ds. Wotton. Ds. Crewe. Ds. Freschevile. Ds. Noell.

King present.

His Majesty, sitting in His Royal Throne, adorned with His Crown and other Regal Ornaments (the Peers sitting in their Robes), commanded the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod to signify to the Commons His Majesty's Pleasure, "That they attend Him presently."

Who being come; His Majesty made the ensuing Speech; (videlicet,)

King's Speech.

"My Lords and Gentlemen,

"The unwarrantable Proceedings of the last House of Commons were the Occasion of My parting with the last Parliament; for I, who will never use arbittary Government Myself, am resolved not to suffer it in others: I am unwilling to mention Particulats, because I am desirous to forget Faults; but whoever shall calmly consider what Offers I have formerly made, and what Assurances I renewed to the last Parliament; how I recommended nothing so much to them, as the Alliances I had made for Preservation of the general Peace in Christendom, and the further Examination of the Popish Plot; and how I desired their Advice and Assistance concerning the Preservation of Tanger; and shall then reflect upon the strange unsuitable Returns made to such Propositions by Men that were called together to consult, perhaps may wonder more that I had Patience so long, than that at last I grew weary of their Proceedings.

"I have thought it necessary to say thus much to you, that I may not have any new Occasion given Me to remember more of the late Miscarriages. It is as much My Interest, and shall be as much My Care, as yours, to preserve the Liberty of the Subject; because the Crown can never be safe when that is in Danger. And I would have you likewise be convinced, that neither your Liberties nor Properties can subsist long, when the just Rights and Prerogatives of the Crown are invaded, or the Honour of the Government brought low and into Disreputation.

"I let you see, by My calling this Parliament so soon, that no Irregularities in Parliament shall make Me out of Love with them; and by this Means offer you another Opportunity of providing for our Security here, by giving that Countenance and Protection to our Neighbours and Allies, which you cannot but know they expect from us, and extremely stand in Need of at this Instant; and at the same Time give One Evidence more, that I have not neglected My Part, to give that general Satisfaction and Security, which, by the Blessing of God, may be attained, if you on your Parts bring suitable Dispositions towards it; and that the just Care you ought to have of Religion be not so managed and improved into unnecessary Fears, as to be made a Pretence for changing the Foundations of the Government. I hope, the Example of the ill Success of former Heats will dispose you to a better Temper; and not so much to inveigh against what is past, as to consider what is best to be done in the present Conjuncture.

"The further Prosecution of the Plot, the Trial of the Lords in The Tower, the providing a more speedy Conviction for Recusants, and, if it be practicable, the ridding ourselves quite of all of that Party that have any considerable Authority and Interest amongst them, are Things, though of the highest Importance, that hardly need to be recommended to you, they are so obvious to every Man's Consideration, and so necessary for our Security. But I must needs desire you, not to lay so much Weight upon any One Expedient against Popery, as to determine that all other are ineffectual; and, among all your Cares for Religion, remember that, without the Safety and Dignity of the Monarchy, neither Religion nor Property can be preserved.

"What I have formerly and so often declared touching the Succession, I cannot depart from: But, to remove all reasonable Fears that may arise from the Possibility of a Popish Successor coming to the Crown, if Means can be found that in such a Case the Administration of the Government may remain in Protestant Hands, I shall be ready to hearken to any such Expedient, by which the Religion might be preserved, and the Monarchy not destroyed.

"I must therefore earnestly recommend to you, to provide for the Religion and the Government together, with regard to one another, because they support each other. And let us be united at Home, that we may recover the Esteem and Consideration we used to have Abroad.

"I conclude with this One Advice to you, That the Rules and Measures of all your Votes may be the known and established Laws of the Land, which neither can nor ought to be departed from nor changed, but by Act of Parliament; and I may the more reasonably require that you make the Laws of the Land your Rule, because I am resolved they shall be Mine."

Commons directed to chuse a Speaker.

Then the Lord Chancellor acquainted the Commons to this Effect:

"That it is His Majesty's Pleasure, That you proceed immediately to the Choice of a Speaker; and His Majesty will expect, that he be presented to Him To-morrow, at Three of the Clock in the Afternoon."

After this, His Majesty withdrew; and the Commons went to their House.

PRAYERS.

Lords take the Oaths.

Then these Lords following took the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy, and made and subscribed the Declaration, in Pursuance of the Act for the more effectual preserving the King's Person and Government, by disabling Papists from sitting in either House of Parliament:

The Lord Chancellor singly, in the First Place.



Edward Lord Noell. John Lord Freschevile. Thomas Lord Crewe. Charles Lord Wotton. William Lord Byron. Jo. Lord Coventry. William Lord Maynard. John Lord Lovelace. James Lord Norreyes. Thomas Lord Cromwell. Philip Lord Wharton. Thomas Lord Windsor. Robert Lord Ferrers. William Lord Bishop of St. David's. Thomas Lord Bishop of Exon. John Lord Bishop of Oxon. Thomas Lord Bishop of Lyncolne. John Lord Bishop of Chester. Peter Lord Bishop of Bath and Wells. Peter Lord Bishop of Ely. John Lord Bishop of Rochester. Seth Lord Bishop of Sarum. Nathaniell Lord Bishop of Durham. Henry Lord Bishop of London. Edward Earl of Conway. George Earl of Berkeley. George Earl of Halyfax. Lewis Earl of Feversham. Anthony Earl of Shaftesbury. Robert Earl of Ailesbury. Arthur Earl of Essex. Henry Earl of Clarendon. Philip Earl of Chesterfield. Charles Earl of Carnarvon. Heneage Earl of Winchilsea. Thomas Earl of Stamford. Charles Earl of Westmerland. James Earl of North'ton. John Earl of Bridgewater. James Earl of Salisbury. William Earl of Bedford. Anthony Earl of Kent. Henry Earl of Arlington. Henry Marquis of Worcester. Henry Duke of Newcastle. Christopher Duke of Albemarle. William Lord Archbishop of Canterbury.

Ld. Coventry takes his Seat.

This Day John Lord Coventry de Alseborough sat first in Parliament as a Peer, upon the Decease of Thomas Lord Coventry his Father.

His Writ of Summons to Parliament bears Date the 21th of January, Anno Regni Domini Regis 32^do.

Ld. Noell introduced.

The Lord Chancellor acquainted the House, "That His Majesty hath been pleased to create Edward Noell de Titchfield a Baron; who is ready without, and desires to be introducted."

Whereupon he was introducted, in his Robes, by the Lord Maynard, doing the Office of the Lord Great Chamberlain in his Absence; and the Earl of Aylesbury, supplying the Place of the Earl Marshal; and the King at Arms, carrying the Patent. After several Obeisances made, he was presented, between the Lord Byron and the Lord Wotton, to the Lord Chancellor.

And his Lordship's Patent being laid upon the Woolsack, the Lord Chancellor delivered the same to the Clerk; who read the same, which bears Date the Third of February, Anno Regni Domini Regis 33°.

Likewise his Writ of Summons was read, dated the 17th Day of February, Anno Regni Domini Regis 33°.

And afterward his Lordship was brought and placed at the lower End of the Barons Bench.

Lords take the Oaths.

Then Philip Lord Wharton and Edward Lord Noell took the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy, and made and subscribed the Declaration, in Pursuance of the Act for the more effectual preserving the King's Person and Government, by disabling Papists from sitting in either House of Parliament.

Repeal of 35 Eliz. Bill.

Hodie 1 vice lecta est Billa, "An Act for the Repeal of a Statute made in the Thirty-fifth Year of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth."

Committee for Privileges.

Lords Committees appointed to consider of the Customs and Orders of the House of Peers, and Privileges of Parliament, and of the Peers of this Kingdom and Lords of Parliament; and to report to the House.



L. Chancellor. Duke of Albemarle. Duke of Newcastle. Marq. of Worcester. L. Chamberlain. Comes Kent. Comes Bedford. Comes Salisbury. Comes Bridgewater. Comes North'ton. Comes Westmerland. Comes Stamford. Comes Winchilsea. Comes Carnarvon. Comes Chesterfield. Comes Clarendon. Comes Essex. Comes Aylesbury. Comes Shaftesbury. Comes Feversham. Comes Halyfax. Comes Berkley. Comes Conway.	Arch. Cant. Epus. London. Epus. Durham. Epus. Sarum. Epus. Rochester. Epus. Ely. Epus. Bath & Wells. Epus. Chester. Epus. Lyncolne. Epus. Oxon. Epus. Exon. Epus. St. David's.	Ds. Ferrers. Ds. Windsor. Ds. Cromwell. Ds. Wharton. Ds. Norreys. Ds. Lovelace. Ds. Maynard. Ds. Coventry. Ds. Byron. Ds. Wootton. Ds. Crewe. Ds. Freschevile. Ds. Noel.

Their Lordships, or any Seven of them; to meet on Monday next, and every Monday after, at Three of the Clock in the Afternoon, in the House of Peers; and to adjourn as they please.

Committee for the Journal.

Lords Sub-committees appointed to consider of the Orders of the House of Peers, and Privileges of the Peers of this Kingdom and Lords of Parliament; and to peruse and perfect the Journal Book; and have hereby Power given them to examine and perfect the Journal of the last Parliament.



Duke of Albemarle. Marq. of Worcester. E. of Kent. E. of Bedford. E. of Salisbury. E. of Bridgewater. E. of Westmerland. E. of Winchilsea. E. of Clarendon. E. of Essex. E. of Shaftesbury. E. of Halyfax. E. of Conway.	Bp. of London. Bp. of Durham. Bp. of Sarum. Bp. of Rochester. Bp. of Ely. Bp. of Bath & Wells. Bp. of Chester. Bp. of Exon. Bp. of Lyncolne. Bp. of St. David's.	Ds. Windsor. Ds. Wharton. Ds. Crewe.

Their Lordships, or any Three of them; to meet To-morrow, at Nine of the Clock in the Forenoon, in the Lord Chancellor's Lodgings near the House of Peers; and after, when, and as often as, they please.

Committee for Petitions.

Lords Committees appointed by the House of Peers to receive and consider of Petitions; and afterwards to make Report thereof to the House.



Duke of Albemarle. Duke of Newcastle. Marq. of Worcester. L. Chamberlain. E. of Kent. E. of Bedford. E. of Salisbury. E. of Bridgewater. E. of North'ton. E. of Westmerland. E. of Stamford. E. of Winchilsea. E. of Carnarvon. E. of Chesterfield. E. of Clarendon. E. of Essex. E. of Aylesbury. E. of Shaftesbury. E. of Feversham. E. of Halyfax. E. of Berkeley. E. of Conway.	Arch. of Cant. Bp. of London. Bp. of Durham. Bp. of Sarum. Bp. of Rochester. Bp. of Ely. Bp. of Bath & Wells. Bp. of Chester. Bp. of Lyncolne. Bp. of Oxon. Bp. of Exon. Bp. of St. David's.	Ds. Ferrers. Ds. Windsor. Ds. Cromwell. Ds. Wharton. Ds. Norreys. Ds. Lovelace. Ds. Maynard. Ds. Coventry. Ds. Byron. Ds. Wootton. Ds. Crewe. Ds. Freschevile. Ds. Noel.

Adjourn.

Dominus Cancellarius declaravit præsens Parliamentum continuandum esse usque in diem Martis, 22^um diem instantis Martii, hora decima Aurora, Dominis sic decernentibus.