House of Lords Journal Volume 20: 18 September 1716

Anno 3 Georgii Regis.

DIE Martis, 18 Septembris.

Domini tam Spirituales quam Temporales præsentes fuerunt:

PRAYERS.

E. Litchfield takes his Seat.

This Day George Henry Earl of Litchfield sat first in Parliament, after the Death of his Father Edward Henry Earl of Litchfield; and took the Oaths, and made and subscribed the Declaration, and also took and subscribed the Oath of Abjuration, pursuant to the Statutes.

The Lord Chancellor acquainted the House, "That there was a Commission issued, under the Great Seal, for the further proroguing of the Parliament."

Then Four of the Lords Commissioners (in their Robes) being seated on a Form placed between the Throne and the Woolsack; the Lord Chancellor in the Middle; and the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury and the Lord Chamberlain on his Right Hand; and the Lord Steward on his Left; commanded the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod to let the Commons know, "That the Commissioners desire their Attendance, at the Bar of this House, to hear the Commission read."

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

Commission for proroguing the Parliament.

"GEORGIUS P. C. R.

"Georgius, Dei Gratia, Magnæ Britanniæ, Franc. & Hib'niæ Rex, Fidei Defensor, &c. Reverendissimo in Christo Patri & Fideli Consiliario Nostro Will'o Archiepiscopo Cantuar. totius Angl. Primati & Metropolitano, Prædilecto & Fideli Consiliario Nostro Will'o Domino Cowper Cancellario Nostro Mag. Britanniæ, Charissimis Consanguineis & Consiliariis Nostris Will'o Duci Devon Præsidenti Concilii Nostri, Carolo Comiti Sunderland Custodi Privati Sigilli Nostri, Hen'co Duci Kent Senescallo Hospitii Nostri, Carolo Duci Bolton Camerario Hospitii Nostri, Job'i Duci Marlborough Capitaneo Generali Copiarum Nostrarum, Job'i Duci Roxburgh, Carolo Comiti Carlisle, Ed'r'o Comiti Orford, Carolo Vicecomiti Townshend Primario Secretario Nostro, & Prædilecto & Fideli Consiliario Nostro Thom. Domino Parker Capitali Justiciario Nostro ad Placita coram Nobis tenend. assign. Salutem. Cum nuper, pro quibusdam arduis & urgentibus Negotiis, Nos, Statum & Defensionem Regni Nostri Magna Britanniæ & Ecclesiæ concernentibus, præsens hoc Parliamentum Nostrum apud Civitatem Nostram Westm. Decimo Septimo Die Martii, Anno Regni Nostri Primo, inchoari & teneri ordinaverimus; quo Die idem Parliamentum Nostrum inchoatum & tentum fuerat; & abinde, per separalia Adjournamenta, usque ad & in Vicesimum Sextum Diem Junii, Anno Regni Nostri Secundo, adjournatum & continuatum fuerat; & abinde, per separales Prorogationes, ad & in instantem Diem Martis, Decimum Octavum Diem Septembris, prorogatum fuerat, apud Civitatem Nostram Westm. prædictam, ibidem tunc tenendum & prosequendum: Sciatis tamen, quod, certis urgentibus Causis & Considerationibus Nos specialiter moventibus, idem Parliamentum Nostrum ulterius prorogandum duximus. De Fidelitate igitur, Prudentia, & Circumspectionibus vestris plurimum considentes, 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, ad præsens Parliamentum Nostrum, Nomine Nostro, usque ad & in Diem Martis, Decimum Sextum Diem Octobris nunc prox. sequen. apud prædictam Civitatem Nostram Westmonaster, prorogandum & continuandum, ibidemque tune 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, & Commissionariis pro Comitatibus & Burgis, ac omnibus aliis quorum interest ad dictum Parliamentum Nostrum conventuris, Tenore Præsentium, firmiter in Mandatis, quod vobis, in Præmissis faciendis, agendis, & exequendis, pareant, obediant, & intendant, prout decet. In cujus Rei Testimonium, has Literas Nostras fieri fecimus Patentes.

"Teste Georgio Principe Walliæ, &c. Custode Regni Mag. Britanniæ, & Locum Nostrum Tenente in eodem Regno, apud Westm. Decimo Octavo Die Septembris, Anno Regni Nostri Tertio.

"Wrighte.

"Per Georgium Principem Walliæ, &c. Custodem Regni Mag. Britann. & Locumtenentem Regis in eodem Regno, propria Manu signal."

Then the Lord Chancellor said,

Parliament prorogued.

"My Lords, and Gentlemen,

"By virtue of His Majesty's Commission now read, and to us and others directed, we do, in His Majesty's Name, prorogue this Parliament to Tuesday the Sixteenth Day of October next, to be then here held: And this Parliament is accordingly prorogued to Tuesday the Sixteenth Day of October next."