Journal of the House of Lords: February 1587

February 1587

On Wednesday the 15^th day of February Anno 29° Regin Eliz. Anno Dom. 1586. (to which day the Parliament had been on Friday the second day of December foregoing last Adjourned) The two Houses met in their several places without any presence of the Queen or Solemnity amongst the Lords by coming in their Robes or any other Pomp whatsoever, because this was neither new Parliament nor new Session, but a meer new meeting of either House upon an Adjournment of the former meeting thereof, which began on the 29^th day of October being Saturday in Anno 28 Regin. Eliz. as is aforesaid.

Memorandum that this day Sir Edmund Anderson Knight Lord Chief Justice of the CommonPleas shewed forth to be publickly read a Commission directed unto him from her Majesty, in which appeared that the Lord Chancellor was so visited at this time with sickness, that he was not able to travel to the Upper House to supply his room and place there; her Majesty minding the said room and place to be supplied in all things during the absence of the said Lord Chancellor, hath appointed and authorized the said Sir Edmund Anderson during the absence of the said Lord Chancellor to supply his Room, as by the Tenour of the said Commission here ensuing more fully appeareth.

Elizabeth by the grace of God Queen of England, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, &c. To our Trusty and right Wellbeloved Sir Edmund Anderson Knight Chief Justice of our Court of Common-Pleas, Greeting. Whereas our Right Trusty and Right Wellbeloved Chancellor Sir Thomas Bromley Knight Lord Chancellor of England, is at this time so visited with Sickness that he is not able to travel to the Upper-House of this our present Parliament holden at Westminster, nor there to supply the room and place in the said Upper-House among the Lords Spiritual and Temporal there Assembled as to the Office of the said Lord Chancellor or Lord Keeper of the Great Seal of England hath been accustomed: We minding the same place and room to be supplied in all things as appertaineth for and during every time of his absence, have named and appointed you, and by these presents do constitute, name, appoint and Authorize you from day to day and time to time, when and as often as the said Lord Chancellor shall happen at any time or times during this present Parliament to be absent from his accustomed place in the said Upper House, to occupy, use and supply the room and place of the said Lord Chancellor in the Upper House amongst the Lords Spiritual and Temporal there Assembled, at every such day and time of his absence; And then and there at every such time to do and execute all such things as the said Lord Chancellor of England should or might do if he were there personally present, using and supplying the same room. Wherefore we Will and Command you the said Sir Edmund Anderson to supply the doing and Execution of the Premisses 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 our Self at Westminster the 15^th day of February in the twenty ninth year of our Reign, &c.

As soon as the said Sir Edmund Anderson had caused the foresaid Commission to be read, he took his place on the Uppermost Woolsack where the Lord Chancellor useth to sit, and in the Original Journal-Book of this Parliament, where the presence of the Lords is noted, he is always ranked in the first place as the Lord Chancellor should have been if he had been present; with this Addition after the setting down of his name and place, Locum tenens Cancellarii, in such Order as followeth, viz.

Archiepiscopus Cantuarien.

Edmundus Anderson Miles, Justiciar. de Communibus Placitis, Locum tenens Cancellarii.

Comes Sussex.
Comes Hartford.
Comes Lincoln.
Vice-Comes Bindon.

Episcopi.
Episcopus Winton.
Episcopus Sarisburien.
Episcopus Rossen.
Episcopus Hereforden.

Barones.
Dominus Howard Admirallus.
Dominus Hunsdon Camerarius.
Dominus Morley.
Dominus Cobham.
Dominus Stafford.
Dominus Grey de Wilton.
Dominus Stourton.
Dominus Sandes.
Dominus Cromwell.
Dominus Windsor.
Dominus Sheffield.
Dominus North.
Dominus S^t John de Bletsoe.
Dominus Compton.
Dominus Norris.

Which are all the Peers the Journal-Book noteth to have been present.

Nota, That though I do usually observe in all these Journals never to have the presence of the Lords transcribed but at the beginning only of a new Parliament, or at least a new Session; yet I have observed it here though but at the beginning of a new meeting: partly because it was after a long Adjournment, and partly because many Lords did send new Proxies: So that the presence of the Lords before set down at the beginning of this Parliament on the 29^th day of October being Saturday, could not serve to be any rule for the presence of those that attended at this new meeting. Which is for the most part the chiefest reason why the presence of the said Lords is marked on the first day of the Parliament, or on the next day from the first, on which they be noted, if through the Clerk of the Upper House his negligence (as it often happeneth) it be omitted on the said first day.

A second but less material cause why I have their names transcribed, is to see the due places and precedencies of the Lords Temporal.

On this 15^th day of February lastly (although this were neither new Parliament nor new Session, but meerly a second meeting of one and the same Parliament, as hath been already observed) was one unusual or extraordinary Proxy returned, which is Entred in the Original Journal-Book of the Upper House in manner and form following, viz.

15 Die Februarii introductæ sunt literæ Procuratoriæ Thomæ Episcopi Bathonien' & Wellen', in quibus Procuratores suos constituit Thomam Episcopum Wintonien', Thomam Episcopum Cicestren', & Willielmum Episcopum Coventrien' & Litchfield'.

The difference between an usual and an unusual Proxy see before on Saturday the 29^th day of October in the latter end thereof (on which said day this Parliament began) where also it is set down why those ordinary ones are for the most part omitted.

Other unusual Proxies returned also at this new meeting of Parliament, vide on Friday the 17^th day, on Sunday the 19^th day, and on Saturday the 25^th day of this instant February. All which I have ever caused to be set down upon the several days on which they were returned, if the said day be particularly expressed, and not altogether before the beginning of the Parliament, as is usually observed in the Original Journal-Books of the Upper House.

Nota Lastly, that John Archbishop of Canterbury was Constituted Joint Proctor with others by five several Bishops this Parliament, of which the first Proxy was returned on Sunday the 19^th day of this instant February from John Bishop of Exeter; the second on the same Day from Richard Bishop of Durham; the third on Saturday the 25^th day of this instant February from Edmund Bishop of Worcester; the fourth on Thursday the 9^th day of March next ensuing from Hugh Bishop of Bangor, and the fifth and last on the same day from William Bishop of S^t. Asaph. Which with many other precedents of a like nature frequent almost in every Parliament, doth plainly prove, that any Lord Spiritual or Temporal being a Member of the Upper House is capable of as many Proxies as shall be sent unto him, by the ancient Customs and Usages of that House; although the contrary hath been of late ordered upon the . . . . . day of ..... in the Parliaments in Anno Secundo Regis Caroli.

Sir Edmund Anderson Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas sitting in and supplying of the place of Sir Thomas Bromley Lord Chancellor absent (as is before observed) by reason of sick ness, did by the Assent of the Lords Commissioners Adjourn the Parliament unto Wednesday next at Nine of the Clock in the Morning being a full se'night after.

Nota, That during this intervenient time of Adjournment, three unusual Proxies were delivered in unto the Clerk of the Parliament; the first of which is Entred in the Original JournalBook of the Upper House to have been returned upon Friday the 17^th day of this Instant February in manner and form following, viz.

17° Die Februarii introductæ sunt Literæ procuratoriæ Anthonii vicecomitis Mountague, in quibus Procuratores suos constituit Ambrosium Comitem Warwici, & Robertum Comitem Leicestren.

19° Die Februarii introductæ sunt Literæ procuratoriæ Johannis Episcopi Exon, in quibus Procuratores suos constituit Johannem Archiepiscopum Cantuarien', Thomas Episcopum Winton' & Johannem Episcopum Rossen'.

Item introductæ sunt Literæ procuratoriæ Richardi Episcopi Dunelmen in quibus Procuratores suos constituit Johannem Archiepiscopum Cautuarien', Johannem Episcopum London, & Thomam Episcopum Wintonien.

Nota, That here a Temporal Lord constituted two Proctors, and two Spiritual Lords nominated each of them three, which being extraordinary and unusual Proxies are well worthy the observation. Vide intrationes Literarum consimilium procurator' die Saturni die 29° Octobris præcedentis in fine diei, & die Mercurii die 15° Februar. jam instantis antea, & die Saturni die vicesimo quinto ejusdem Febr' postea.

On Wednesday the 22^d day of February the Bill toavoid fraudulent Assurances made or to be made in certain cases by Traitors was read primâvice.

Edmundus Anderson Capitalis Justiciarius de placito communi continuavit præsens Parliamentum usq; in diem crastinum horâ nonâ.

On Thursday the 23^d day of February the Lords met, but it seems nothing was done, but only the Parliament continued unto a further day, the Entrance whereof in the Original JournalBooks is in manner and form following, viz.

Edmundus Anderson Miles capitalis Justiciarius de placito communi continuavit præsens Parliamentum usq; in diem Sabbati prox. horâ nonâ.

On Saturday the 25^th day of February Two Bill of no great Moment had each of them one reading; of which the second being a Bill to avoid fraudulent Assurances made or to be made in certain Cases by Traitors was upon the second reading committed unto the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Lord Steward and others.

This day was one unusual Proxy returned, which is Entred in the Original Journal-Book of the Upper House in manner and form following, viz.

25° Die Februarii introductæ sunt Literæ procuratoriæ Edmundi Episcopi Wigorn, in quibus Procuratores suos constituit Johannem Episcopum London, Cantuariensem, Johannem Episcopum London, & Johannem Episcopum Roffen.

Nota, That it doth not appear whether this Proxy was delivered unto the Clerk of the Upper House in the said House sitting the Court, or elsewhere; but it is probable that it might be this Forenoon before the rising of the Lords.

Dominus Capitalis Justiciarius de placito communi continuavit præsens Parliamentum usque in diem Lunæ prox' horâ octavâ.

On Monday the 27^th day of February the Bill for Restraint of Horse-stealing and other Felonies was upon the second reading committed.

Dominus Capitalis Justiciarius de placito communi continuavit præsens Parliamentum usque in diem Jovis prox' horâ nonâ.