House of Lords Journal Volume 16: 23 November 1697

Anno 9 Gulielmi Tertii. DIE Martis, 23 Novembris.

Domini tam Spirituales quam Temporales præsentes fuerunt:

"William R.

Commission for revoking the one to appoint Sir John Holt Speaker.

"William the Third, by the Grace of GOD, King of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, &c. To all to whom these Presents shall come, Greeting: Whereas, by Our Letters Patents under Our Great Seal of England, bearing Date at Westminster the Thirtieth Day of September last past, We did constitute, authorize, and appoint, Our Right Trusty and Well-beloved Counsellor Sir John Holt Knight, Chief Justice of Our Court of King's Bench at Westminster, to supply the Place of Lord Chancellor, in the Upper House of Parliament, during the Absence of Our Right Trusty and Well-beloved Counsellor Sir John Sommers Knight, Our Chancellor of England, with divers other Powers in Our said Letters Patents contained and specified, as by the same more at large may appear: We, nevertheless, for certain weighty Causes and Considerations Us especially moving in that Behalf, have revoked, determined, and made void, and by these Presents do revoke, determine, and make void, Our said Letters Patents, and all Things therein contained. In Witness whereof, We have caused these Our Letters to be made Patents.

"Witness Ourself, at Westminster, the Two and Twentieth Day of November, in the Ninth Year of Our Reign.

"Per ipsum Regem.

"CHUTE."

"William R.

Sir G. Treby, C. J. of the Common Pleas, Commission to be Speaker.

"William the Third, by the Grace of GOD, King of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, &c. To Our Right Trusty and Wellbeloved Sir George Treby Knight, Chief Justice of Our Court of Common Pleas at Westminster, Greeting: Know ye, that We, trusting in your approved Fidelity, Wisdom, and Discretion, have constituted, named, and appointed, and by these Presents do constitute, name, and authorize you, from Time to Time, to use and supply the Room and Place of Lord Chancellor, in the Upper House of Parliament, amongst the Lords Spiritual and Temporal there assembled, during the Absence of Our Right Trusty and Well-beloved Counsellor Sir John Sommers Knight, Our Chancellor of England, from his accustomed Place in Our said Upper House of Parliament; and then and there to do and execute all such Things which Our Chancellor of England, using and supplying the said Room and Place, should or might do in that Behalf: Wherefore We will and command you the said Sir George Treby to attend and execute the Premises with Effect; and these Our Letters Patents shall be your sufficient Warrant and Discharge for the same in every Behalf. In Witness whereof, We have caused these Our Letters to be made Patents.

"Witness Ourself, at Westminster, the Three and Twentieth Day of November, in the Ninth Year of Our Reign.

"Per ipsum Regem.

"CHUTE."

PRAYERS.

The Speaker acquainted the House, "That there was a Commission for further proroguing of the Parliament."

Then the Commissioners, in their Robes, took their Places on a Form placed between the Throne and the Woolsack; the Earl of Oxford in the Middle; the Earl of Bridgewater and Earl of Scarbrough on his Right Hand; and the Earl of Stamford and Lord Berkeley on his Left Hand; commanded the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod to go to the House of Commons, and let them know, "The Lords Commissioners desire them to come and hear the said Commission read."

Who being come, with their Speaker; the Commission was read, as followeth; (videlicet,)

"William R.

Commission for the Prorogation.

"GULIELMUS Tertius, Dei Gratia, Angl. Scociæ, Franciæ, & Hib'niæ Rex, Fidei Defensor, &c. Charissimis Consanguineis & Consiliariis Nostris Thomæ Duci Leeds Præsidenti Concilii Nostri, Hen'co Duci Norfolk. Comiti Marescallo Angl., Jacobo Duci Ormond, Carolo Duci Bolton, Mainherdt Duci Schonberg, Will'o Duci Bedford, Rob'to Comiti Lindsey Magno Camerario Angl., Alberico Comiti Oxon. Thomæ Comiti Stamford, Joh'i Comiti Bathon. Laurentio Comiti Roffen. Will'o Comiti Portland, Thomæ Comiti Faunconberg, Rad'o Comiti Montagu, Ric'o Comiti Scarbrough, Fran'co Comiti Bradford Thesaurario Hospitii Nostri, Ford Comiti Tankerville, Joh'i Vicecomiti Lonsdale, ac Prædilectis & Fidelibus Consiliariis Nostris Carolo Domino Berkeley de Berkeley, Thomæ Domino Wharton Contrarotulatori Hospitii Nostri, Rob'to Domino Lexington, Carolo Domino Cornwallis, & Sidney Domino Godolphin Salutem: Cum nuper, pro quibusdam arduis & urgentibus Negotiis, Nos, Statum & Defensionem Regni Nostri Angliæ & Ecclesiæ Anglicanæ concernentibus, præsens hoc Parliamentum Nostrum apud Civitatem Nostram Westm. Vicesimo Secundo Die Novembris, Anno Regni Nostri Septimo, inchoari & teneri ordinaverimus; a quo Die idem Parliamentum Nostrum usque ad & in Vicesimum Sextum Diem Aprilis tunc proxime sequen. continuatum fuerat; & abinde, per separales Prorogationes & Adjournationes, ad & in instantem Vicesimum Tertium Diem Novembris ulterius prorogatum & adjournatum fuerat, apud Civitatem Nostram Westm. prædictam, ibidem tunc tenendum & prosequendum: Sciatis tamen, quod, certis urgentibus Causis & Considerationibus Nos specialiter moventibus, idem Parliamentum Nostrum prorogandum duximus. De Fidelitate igitur, Prudentia, & Circumspectionibus Nostris plurimum confidentes, de Avisamento & Assensu Concilii Nostri, assignavimus vos Commissionarios Nostros; dantes vobis, & aliquibus Tribus vel pluribus vestrum, Tenore Præsentium, plenam Potestatem & Auctoritatem, hoc instante Die Martis, præsens Parliamentum Nostrum, Nomine Nostro, usque ad & in Tertium Diem Decembris jam proxime sequen. apud prædictam Civitatem Nostram Westm. prorogandum & continuandum, ibidemque tunc tenendum & prosequendum; & ideo vobis mandamus, quod circa Præmissa diligenter intendatis, ac ea in Forma prædicta effectualiter expleatis. Damus autem universis & singulis Archiepiscopis, Ducibus, Marchionibus, Comitibus, Vicecomitibus, Episcopis, Baronibus, Militibus, Civibus, & Burgensibus, ac omnibus aliis quorum interest ad dictum Parliamentum Nostrum conventuris, Tenore Præsentium, firmiter in Mandatis, quod vobis, in Præmissis faciendis, agendis, & exercendis, pareant, obediant, & intendant, prout decet. In cujus Rei Testimonium, has Literas Nostras fieri fecimus Patentes.

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

"Per ipsum Regem.

"CHUTE."

Which being ended; the Earl of Oxford said,

"My Lords and Gentlemen,

Parliament prorogued.

"By Virtue of His Majesty's Commission now read, we do, in His Majesty's Name, prorogue this Parliament to the Third Day of December next: And this Parliament is prorogued accordingly to the Third Day of December next."