Journal of the House of Commons: September 1566

THE JOURNAL OF THE House of COMMONS.

The Journal of the Proceedings of the House of Commons, in the Session of Parliament holden at Westminster, An. 8 Reg. Eliz. A. D. 1566. which began there (after divers Prorogations of the same) on Monday the 30^th of September, and then and there continued until the Dissolution thereof on Thursday the 2^d day of Jan. An. 9 Reg. ejusdem.

THIS Journal of the House of Commons in this present Session of Parliament de An. 8 Regin. Eliz, is not only replenished with excellent matter, touching the usual Orders and Liberties of the House, but also enriched with the unusual Election of a new Speaker, and with the extraordinary agitation of those two great businesses, touching her Majesties Marriage, and Declaration of her next Successor, in default of the Issue of her own Body. Which having been moved in the first Session of this Parliament, in An. 5 Regin. Eliz. and been then well accepted by her Majesty, gave her now much distast, being again too earnestly and plainly pressed by them, as her Highness did fully intimate upon the last day of this present Session, before the Dissolution thereof; in which also it is to be noted, that Seymour Eq;, being still Clerk of the House of Commons, although this were the last Parliament in which he served, the passages thereof are recorded in the Original Journal-Book of the said House, far more imperfectly and briefly, than in the ensuing Parliaments of her Majesties Reign, when Fulk On slow Esq; succeeded him in the said place.

There were finally between that Session in An. 5 Regin. Eliz. and this now following in An. 8 Regin. ejusdem, six several Prorogations; of which the first was had on Saturday the 10th day of April in the Afternoon (when the said first Session in the fifth Year of her Majesty ended) and by it the said Parliament was Prorogued unto the second day of October next ensuing, and on the said second day of October, in respect that the Plague and Pestilence was very rise in London and Westminster, it was further Prorogued unto the fifth day of October, which should happen to be in the Year of our Lord 1564. (which fell out to be in An. 6 Regin. Eliz.) and on the said fifth day of October, in Anno prædicto, it was further Prorogued unto the 30^th day of April next ensuing, which fell out to be in Anno 7 Regin. Eliz. An. Dom. 1565. And on the 30^th day of April in Anno prædicto, it was further Prorogued unto the 4^th day of October then next ensuing, which fell out to be in the same Year. And on the said 4^th day of October, in Anno prædicto, it was again Prorogued unto the 7^th day of Feb. next ensuing (which fell out to be in the eighth Year of her Majesties Reign.) And on the 7^th day of February in Anno prædicto, it was lastly Prorogued unto the 30^th day of September being Monday in Anno supra memorato Regin. Eliz. Anneq; Dom. 1566. in which it is to be noted, that Thomas Williams Esq; the Speaker of the said House of Commons, in the first Session of this Parliament, in Anno 5 Regin. Eliz. was not present at any of the said five Prorogations (except at the first only, as is specially set down in the Original Journal-Book of that House, de An. isto 5 Eliz. præfato) although, it should seem, he were then living, and died not until after the said fifth Prorogation, and before the said sixth and last; after which this present Session in An. 8 Regin. Eliz. began on the foresaid 30^th day of September, in manner and form following.

On Monday the 30^th and last day of September, this Session of Parliament in An. 8 Reginæ Eliz. held, according to the sixth Prorogation thereof on the 7^th day of February foregoing; whereupon both the Lords and Commons did each of them assemble and meet in their several Houses, as at any other ordinary time, without Pomp or Solemnity; this being, as hath been observed, no new Parliament, but only the last Session of that Parliament, which had been first begun at Westminster, on Tuesday the 12^th day of January, in An. 5 Regin. Eliz. Anno Dom. 1563. and continued by many several Prorogations, unto this present Monday, being the last day of September as aforesaid.

But as soon as the Knights, Citizens and Burgesses had Assembled themselves in the House of Commons, and neither unmindful of the weighty Charge committed unto them, nor letting slip the opportunity of the time offered, had begun to make entry (as it were) to treat of that they had in hand, they immediately found their defect, and want of their Mouth and Speaker, Thomas William Esq; lately from them by Death berest, which was there openly and manifestly made known unto them, by Sir Edward Rogers Knight, Comptroller of her Majesties Houshold. For remedy of which defect, they fell to Consultation, what was most meet to be done, in that so needful, unexpected, and unexperimented Cause. In which Deliberation, it was thought good, and wholly agreed upon, that the said Sir Edward Rogers Knight, a chief Member of that Assembly and Fellowship, accompanied with Sir Francis Knolles Knight, her Highness Vice-Chamberlain, Sir William Cecill Knight, her Majesties Chief Secretary, Sir Ambrose Cave K^t, Chancellor of her Highness Dutchy of Lancaster, four chief Members of that Assembly and Fellowship, and divers others, to the number of twelve persons, should (as sent from and with the mind of the whole House) make their relation of this so happened, unto the Lord Keeper of the Great Seal, and unto all the foresaid Lords, at that time likewise being in their Court, in mindful attendance to their Charge; And therewith also in humble wise should request them, to have their Aid and Conjunction, both for the intimation of the matter unto the Queens Highness, and also for knowledge of her Gracious good Pleasure and Will therein; all which matter and Petition, the said M^r Comptroller, assisted with the Personages and Company as aforesaid appointed, did in comely order, and discreet modesty, make manifest and known unto the said Lords. After which the Lord Keeper, first requiring the said Personages a while to withdraw themselves, then commended the Order of the matter unto the said Lords, sitting in Consultation for the same; by whom, upon considered advice therein had, it was by them all thought seeming, to signifie unto the said Commons, by the Personages aforesaid sent, that they thought it expedient and good, the said Lord Keeper, the Lord Treasurer of England, the Duke his Grace of Norfolk, and the Lord Marquess of Northampton, Accompanied with the four before-recited Personages of the said Commons House, being all of her Highness most Honourable Privy-Council, should in the name of both the Assemblies, with all humbleness and due celerity, make intimation of their said Estate, and the Petition thereupon depending, unto her said Highness. To which advice the said Commons, upon knowledge had of the same, wholly assented. And then it was agreed, that the House should meet again on the Morrow following at nine of the Clock.