House of Lords Journal Volume 25: June 1740

June 1740

Anno 13^o Georgii Secundi.

DIE Martis, 3^o Junii.

Domini tam Spirituales quam Temporales præsentes fuerunt:

His Majesty having been pleased to grant a Commission under the Great Seal, to Sir William Lee Knight, Chief Justice of the Court of King's Bench, to supply the Room and Place of Lord Chancellor in this House, during the Absence of Philip Lord Hardwicke Lord Chancellor of Great Britain; the said Commission was read, by the Clerk, as follows:

Commission for Sir W. Lee, Ch. Ju. of the King's Bench, to be Speaker.

"GEORGE R.

"George the Second, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, &c. To Our Right Trusty and Wellbeloved Counsellor Sir William Lee Knight, Chief Justice appointed to hold Pleas before Us, 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 of Great Britain, 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 Philip Lord Hardwicke, Baron of Hardwicke, Lord Chancellor of Great Britain, from his accustomed Place in Our said Upper House of Parliament; and then and there to do and execute all such Things which Our said Chancellor of Great Britain, using and supplying the said Room and Place, should or might do in that Behalf: Wherefore We will and command you the said Sir William Lee to attend and execute the Premises with Effect; and these Our Letters Patent 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 Patent.

"Witness Ourself, at Westminster, the Twentythird Day of January, in the Eleventh Year of Our Reign.

"By the King Himself, signed with His own Hand.

"Bisse."

And then the said Lord Chief Justice was called upon by the Lords to take his Place upon the Woolsack; and their Lordships appointed the Mace to be laid thereupon, and carried before him.

The Speaker acquainted the House, "That His Majesty had been pleased to cause a Commission to be issued under the Great Seal, for the further proroguing of the Parliament."

The House was adjourned during Pleasure, for the Lords Commissioners to put on their Robes.

The House was resumed.

Then Three of the Lords Commissioners, in their Robes, being seated on a Form placed between the Throne and the Woolsack; the Earl Fitzwalter in the Middle; and the Lord Viscount Torrington on his Right Hand; and the Lord Delawarr on his Left; commanded the Deputy Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod to let the Commons know, "That the Lords Commissioners desire their immediate Attendance in this House, to hear His Majesty's Commission read."

Who being come, with their Speaker; the Commission was read, by the Clerk, as follows:

Commission for proroguing the Parliament.

"Jo. Cant.
Grafton.
Hardwicke, C.
Richmond, Lennox & Aubigny.
Wilmington, P.
Bolton.
Hervey, C. P. S.
Devonshire.
Dorset.
Montagu.

"George the Second, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, &c. To Our most Dear and Entirely-beloved Son and most Faithful Counsellor Frederick Prince of Wales; the most Reverend Father in God and Our Faithful Counsellor Lancelot Archbishop of York Primate and Metropolitan of England; Our most Dear Cousins and Counsellors Charles Duke of Somerset, John Duke of Rutland, John Duke of Argyll and Greenwich, James Duke of Athol, Henry Duke of Kent, Peregrine Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven Great Chamberlain of England, James Duke of Chandos, Philip Earl of Chesterfield, Daniel Earl of Winchilsea and Nottingham, William Earl of Essex, Richard Earl of Burlington, Montague Earl of Abingdon, William Earl of Coventry, Henry Earl of Grantham, Francis Earl Godolphin, George Earl Cholmondeley Chancellor of Our Dutchy of Lancaster, Henry Earl of Uxbridge, James Earl Waldegrave, Benjamin Earl Fitzwalter Treasurer of Our Household; Henry Viscount Lonsdale, Richard Viscount Cobham, Pattee Viscount Torrington; the Right Reverend Father in God and Our Faithful Counsellor Edmund Lord Bishop of London; Our Well-beloved and Faithful Counsellors John Lord Delawarr, William Lord Berkeley of Stratton, Charles Lord Cornwallis, John Lord Carteret, and John Lord Monson, Greeting. Whereas We did lately, for divers difficult and pressing Affairs, concerning Us, the State and Defence of Our King dom of Great Britain and the Church, ordain this Our present Parliament to begin, and to be held at Our City of Westminster, the Thirteenth Day of June, in the Eighth Year of Our Reign; which Our Parliament from thenceforth was prorogued, by Our several Writs, until and to the Fourteenth Day of January, in the Eighth Year aforesaid, and there lately holden; and from thence, by several Adjournments and Prorogations, was adjourned and prorogued to and until Tuesday the Third Day of June next, then to be held, and fit at Our City of Westminster aforesaid: Know ye nevertheless, that, for certain pressing Causes and Considerations Us especially moving, We have thought fit further to prorogue Our said Parliament: Therefore We, confiding very much in your Fidelity, Prudence, and Circumspection, have, by the Advice and Consent of Our Council, assigned you Our Commissioners; giving to you, or to any Three or more of you, by virtue of these Presents, full Power and Authority, from the said Third Day of June next, in Our Name, further to prorogue and continue Our present Parliament, at Our City of Westminster aforesaid, until and unto Tuesday the Eighth Day of July now next following, there then to be held and fit: And therefore We command you, that you diligently attend to the Premises, and effectually fulfil them in the Manner aforesaid. We also strictly command all and singular Our Archbishops, Dukes, Marquises, Earls, Viscounts, Bishops, Barons, Knights, Citizens, Burgesses, and Commissioners for Our Counties and Boroughs, and all others whom it concerns to meet at Our said Parliament, by virtue of these Presents, that they observe, obey, and assist you, in executing the Premises, as they ought to do. In Witness whereof, We have caused these Our Letters to be made Patent.

"Witness, John Archbishop of Canterbury, and other Guardians and Justices of the Kingdom, at Westminster, the Twenty-ninth Day of May, in the Thirteenth Year of Our Reign.

"By the Guardians and Justices of the Kingdom, signed with their own Hands.

"Bisse."

The Commission being ended; the Earl Fitzwalter said,

Parliament prorogued.

"My Lords, and Gentlemen,

"By virtue of His Majesty's Commission to us and other Lords directed, and now read, we do, in His Majesty's Name, and by His Royal Authority, further prorogue this Parliament to Tuesday the Eighth Day of July next, to be then here held: And this Parliament is accordingly prorogued to Tuesday the Eighth Day of July next."