House of Lords Journal Volume 14: 23 November 1686

DIE Lunæ, 22 Novembris.

Domini tam Spirituales quam Temporales præsentes fuerunt:

The Lord Chancellor acquainted the House, "That the King had granted a Commission, under the Great Seal of England, for the further Prorogation of the Parliament."

Hereupon (the Lords Commissioners being in their Robes) the Lord Chancellor being set on a Form cross the House between the Throne and the Woolsack, with the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord President, Lord Chamberlain, and Earl of Craven, on his Right Hand, the Lord Treasurer, Duke of Beaufort, Earl of Huntingdon, and Earl of Peterborough, on his Left Hand, commanded the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod to give the House of Commons Notice of the said Commission; and to signify to them, "That the Lords desire that they would be present, to hear the said Commission read."

Who being come, with their Speaker; the Commission was read (all the Lords being uncovered while the Commission was reading):

Commission for proroguing the Parliament.

"Jacobus R.

"Jacobus Secundus, Dei Gratia, Angliæ, Scotiæ, Franciæ, et Hiberniæ Rex, Fidei Defensor, &c. Reverendissimo in Christo Patri Will'o Archiepiscopo Cantuar. totius Angliæ Primati et Metropolitano, Prædilecto et Fideli Consiliario Nostro Georgio Domino Jeffryes Domino Cancellario Nostro Angliæ, Charissimis Consanguineis & Consiliariis Nostris Lawrencio Comiti Rossen. Domino Thesaurario Nostro Angliæ, Roberto Comiti Sund'l'd Præsidenti Concilii Nostri, Henri. Comiti Clarendon Custodi Privati Sigilli Nostri, Jacobo Duci Ormond Senescallo Hospitii Nostri, Chr'o Duci Albemarle, Henrico Duci Newcastle, Henr. Duci Beaufort Præsidenti Concilii Nostri infra Principalitatem et Marchias Walliæ, Rob'to Comiti Lindsey Magno Camerario Angliæ, Joh'i Comiti Mulgrave Camerario Hospitii Nostri, Charissimo Consanguineo Nostro Alberico Comiti Oxon. Charissimis Consanguineis et Consiliariis Nostris Theophilo Comiti Huntingdon, Henrico Comiti Peterborough, Ph'o Comiti Chesterfeild, Joh'i Comiti Bathon. Will'o Comiti Craven, Georgio Comiti Berkeley, Danieli Comiti Nottingham, Tho'æ Comiti Plymouth, Tho'æ Vicecomiti Fauconberge, Reverendo in Christo Patri et Fideli Consiliario Nostro Nathanieli Episcopo Dunelme, Prædilectis et Fidelibus Consiliariis Nostris Georgio Domino Dartmouth Magistro Equorum Nostrorum, et Sidney Domino (fn. 1) Godolphin, Salutem. Cum nuper, pro quibusdam arduis et urgentibus Negotiis, Nos, Statum et Defensionem Regni Nostri Angliæ et Ecclesiæ Anglicanæ concernent. præsens hoc Parliamentum Nostrum apud Civitatem Nostram Westm. Decimo Nono Die Maii, Anno Regni Nostri Primo, inchoari & teneri ordinaverimus; a quo Die idem Parliamentum Nostrum, per separales Prorogationes, usque ad et in Decimum Diem Maii continuatum fuerat, eodemque Die idem Parliamentum Nostrum, usque ad et in Vicesimum Secundum Diem instantis Novembris prorogatum fuerat, apud Civitatem Nostram Westm. prædictam, ibidem tunc tenendum et prosequendum: Sciatis tamen, quod, certis urgentibus Causis et Considerationibus Nos specialiter moventibus, idem Parliamentum Nostrum ulterius prorogandum duximus. De Fidelitate igitur, Prudentia, et Circumspectione vestries plurimum confidentes, de Avisamento et Assensu Concilii Nostri, assignavimus vos Commissionarios Nostros; dantes vobis, et aliquibus Tribus vel pluribus vestrum, Tenore Præsentium, plenam Potestatem et Auctoritatem, hoc instant. Die Lunæ, ad præsens Parliamentum Nostrum, Nomine Nostro, ad et in Decimum Quintum Diem Februarii jam prox. futur. usque prædictam Civitatem Nostram Westm. prorogandum & continuandum, ibidem tunc tenendum et prosequendum; et ideo vobis mandamus, quod circa Præmissa diligenter intendatis, ac ea in Forma prædicta effectualiter expleatis. Damus autem universis et singulis Archiepiscopis, Ducibus, Marchionibus, Comitibus, Vicecomitibus, Episcopis, Baronibus, Militibus, Civibus, et Burgensibus, ac omnibus aliis quorum interest ad dictum Parliamentum Nostrum conventuris, Tenore Præsentium, firmiter in Mandatis, quod vobis in Præmissis faciendis, agendis, & exequendis, pareant, obedient, & intendant, prout decet. In cujus Rei Testimonium, has Literas Nostras fieri fecimus Patentes.

"Teste Meipso, apud Westm. Vicesimo Secundo Die Novembris, Anno Regni Nostri Secundo.

"Per ipsum Regem, propria Manu signat.

"Barker."

Then the Lord Chancellor said,

Parliament prorogued.

"My Lords and Gentlemen,

"By virtue of His Majesty's Commission under the Great Seal of England, now read, and to us directed, we do, in His Majesty's Name, prorogue this Parliament to the Fifteenth Day of February next: And this Parliament is prorogued to the Fifteenth Day of February next."