House of Lords Journal Volume 14: 2 July 1689

DIE Martis, 2 die Julii.

Domini tam Spirituales quam Temporales præsentes fuerunt:

PRAYERS.

M. de Halyfax Speaker pro Tempore.

Precedents of Impeachments.

The Earl of Rochester reported what Precedents the Committee have found in the Journals relating to Impeachments and Records in The Tower:

"Fitz-harris.

"26° Martii, 1681, Edward Fitzharris was impeached of High Treason; but no Articles were brought up against him.

"Mr. Attorney General acquainted the House of the Examinations taken against him; and that he had an Order of the King's, dated the Ninth of March Instant, to prosecute him at Law.

"Resolved, he shall be proceeded with at Common Law.

"E. of Tyrone.

"7° Januarii, 1680. The Earl of Tyrone impeached of High Treason. No Articles brought up. The Parliament prorogued Two Days after; so no further Proceedings.

"Scroggs.

"7° Januarii, 1680. Sir William Scroggs impeached of Treason and Misdemeanors, and Articles brought up; One whereof was a general Article of Treason, for endeavouring to subvert the fundamental Laws of the Kingdom, without specifying any particular Fact. He gives £.10,000 Bail for his Appearance, and Two Sureties, with £.5000 apiece. No further Proceedings.

"Seymour.

"21° Decembr. 1680. Edward Seymour Esquire impeached of High Crimes and Misdemeanors, and the Articles brought up against him. He is called in, hears the Articles read, and is ordered to put in an Answer.

"23° Decembr. He delivered in his Answer, which was read. No further Proceedings.

"Penn.

"24° April 1668. Sir William Penn impeached of several high Crimes and Misdemeanors. The Articles delivered at a Conference, and Sir Wm. Penn required to appear at the Bar.

"Drake.

"6° Decembr. 1660. William Drake impeached, for writing a scandalous, seditious, and wicked Pamphlet.

"11° Decembr. Ordered to be brought to the Bar.

"19° Decembr. The Lords declare, That if this Parliament be dissolved before that they shall have Time to give Judgement against the said Drake, that then the King's Attorney do proceed against him.

"The Lords, apprehending they may not have Time before their Dissolution to proceed in Judicature against him, ordered, That Mr. Attorney, do, in His Majesty's Name, proceed against him in the King's Bench.

"Radcliffe.

"29° Decemb. 1640. Sir George Radcliffe impeached of Treason; but no Articles brought up.

"31° Decembr. Articles were delivered against him, at a Conference; one whereof was, That he had traiterously conspired and consederated with the Earl of Strafford, to subvert the fundamental Laws and Government of the Realms of England and Ireland, and to introduce an arbitrary and tyrannical Government, against Laws; and hath been a Counsellor, Actor, and Abettor, in that wicked and traiterous Design of bringing the Irish Army into England, to compel the Subjects of this Kingdom to submit thereunto. He was brought to the Bar, and, at his Request, had Counsel allowed him.

"Justice Berkley.

"12° Februarii, 1640. Sir Robert Berkley was impeached by the Commons of Treason. No Articles then brought up. He was committed to the Chief Sheriff of London.

"6° Julii 1641. A Charge was delivered; at a Conference, against him; but not entered in the Journal.

"26° Octobr. 1641. He gives in his Answer, petitions for Counsel, and a Warrant for Witnesses; and that he may have Liberty, with a Keeper, to go to Sergeants Inne, to peruse his Papers there.

"1643, April. 29°. A Message from the Commons, That whereas the Commons have brought up Impeachments against divers of the Judges, some of High Treason, and some for high Crimes and Misdemeanors; the Commons desire to have a speedy Day appointed, wherein they may come and demand Judgement against the said Judges, for the Judgement touching Ship-money only.

"ORDERED, That Mr. Justice Berkley shall be tried for the Matters of Shipmoney only.

"O'Neale.

"18° Decembr. 164'. Daniell O'neale, accused of High Treason by the Commons. No Articles brought up. He was committed to The Gatehouse.

"26° Januar. 1641. He is removed from The Gatehouse to The Tower.

"Archbp. Cant.

"18° Decembr. 1640. William Laud Archbishop of Canterbury impeached by the Commons of High Treason. No Articles then brought up. He is committed to the Black Rod, till he hath cleared himself of this Accusation.

"Mompesson.

"3° Martii, 1620. A Message from the Commons, concerning Sir Giles Mompesson's being fled; whereupon a Proclamation was issued for the apprehending him. No Articles were brought up against him.

"Rot. Parl. 4° Ed. III. (N° 2.) Several Judgements for High Treason were given against several Commoners by the Lords.

"Rot. Parl. 4 E. III. (N° 2.)

"Judicium Simonis de Bereford.

"Item, in mesme le Parlement, si chargea n're Seign. le Roi les ditz Countes, Barouns, et Peres, a doner droit et loial Juggement, come assiert, a Simon de Bereford Chivaler, q'estoit eidant et conseillant au dit Roger de Mortimer en totes les Tresons, Felonies, et Malveistes, pur lesqueles le avandit Roger issint fust agarde et ajuge a la Mort, come conue (fn. 1) Chose et notoire est as ditz Peres a ce q' le Roi entent; lesqueux Countes, Barons, et Peres revyndrent devant n're Seign. le Roi en mesme le Parlement, et disoient touz come d'une Voice, q' l'avantdit Simon ne feust pas lour Pere, par qoi eux ne furent pas tenuz a jugger luy come Pere de la Terre: Mes pur ce q' notoire Chose est, et conue a touz, q' l'avantdit Simon estoit aidant et conseillant au dit Roger en totes les Tresons, Felonies, et Malveistes susditz, lesqueles Choses sont en Purpris de Roial Poer, Murdre de Seign. Lige, et Destruction du Sank Real, et q'il estoit auxint coupable d'autres div'ses Felonies et Robberies, et principall Meyntenour de Robbeours et Felouns, si agarderent et ajuggerent [ (fn. 2) les ditz] Countes, Barouns, et Peres, come Jugges du Parlement, par Assent du Roy en mesme le Parlement, q' le dit Simon, come Treitre et Enemy du Roy et du Roialme, feust treyne et pendu: Et sur ce estoit command a Mareschal a faire l' Execuc'on du dit Juggement; laquele Execution fust fait et perfourny le Lundy prochein apres la Feste de Seint Thomas L'apostle.

"Judicium Joh'is Mautravers.

"Tres touz les Peres, Countes, et Barouns assemblez a ceste Parlement a Westm. si on examine estraitement, et sur ce sont assentuz et acordez, q' Johan Mautravers si est cupable de la Mort Esmon Counte de Kent, le Uncle n're Seign. le Roi q'ore est, come celui q' principaument, traiterousement, et faussement, la Morte le dit Counte compassa, issint q' la ou le dit Johan (fn. 3) savoit la Mort le Roi Edward; ne purquant le dit Johan, par enginouse Manere et par ses fausses et mauveise Sotinetes, fist le dit Counte entendre la Vie le Roi, lequel faus Compassement fust Cause de la Mort le dit Counte, de tut le Mal q' s'ensuit: Par quoi les susditz Peres de la Terre et Juges du Parlement, ajuggent et agardent q'le dit Johan soit treyne, pendu, et decolle, come Treiture, quen Part q'il soit trove: Et prient les Peres susditz a n're Seign. le Roi, q'il voille commander q' Briefs soient faitz, de faire publier et crier par tut le Roialme, q' qi purra prendre le dit Johan vif, et le mesne au Roi, il auera M. Marcs; et si par cas ne purra estre pris vif, q' qi porte sa Test, il auera d † du Doun le Roi.

"Judicium Bogonis de Bayons et Joh'is Deveroil.

"Estre ce, au tiel Juggement est acorde, q' soit fait de Boeges de Bayons et Johan Deveroil, par la Cause susdite; et qe qi purra prendre le dit Boeges vif, et mesne au Roi, auera C (fn. 3). ou q'porte la Teste, il auera Cent Marcz; et q' qi purra prendre le dit Johan vif, et mesne au Roi, auera C Marcz, et qi q' port la Teste, auera xl (fn. 3). du Doun le Roi.

"Judicium Thome de Gourney & Will'i de Ocle.

"Item, a tieu Juggement est assentuz et accorde de Thomas de Gourney et William de Ocle, pur la Mort le Roi Edward Pier n're Seign. le Roi q'ore est q'fauxement et traiterousement lui murdrerunt; et q' qi puisse prendre le dit Thomas vif, auera C †. et q' qi porte la Teste, C Marcz; estre ce q' qi puisse prendre le dit William vif, auera C Marcz; et qi q' porte la Teste, si par cas ne puisse estre pris vif, il auera xl †. du Doun le Roi.

"Rot. Parl. 4 E. III. (N. 6.)

"Concordia ne trabatur in Consequentiam.

"Et est assentu et accorde, par n're Seign. le Roi et touz les Grantz en pleyn Parlement, q' tut soit il les ditz Peres, come Juges du Parlement, empristrent en la Presence n're Seign. le Roi, a faire et a rendre les ditz Juggementz par Assent du Roi sur aucuns de ceux q' n'estoient pas lur Peres, et ce par encheson de Murdre de Seign. Lige et Destruction de celui q' fu si pres de Sank Roial et Fitz du Roi: Q' par tant les ditz Peres q'ore sont, ou les Peres q' serront en Temps avenir, ne soient mes tenuz ne chargez a rendre Jugementz sur autres q' sur lour Peres, ne a ce faire; mes eient les Peres de la Terre poer eins de ce pour touz Jours soient dischargez et quietz; et q'les avanditz Jugementz ore renduz ne soient tret en Ensample n'en Consequence en Temps avenir, par qoi sez ditz Peres pussent estre chargez defore a jugger autres q' lur Peres contre la Lei de la Terre; si autiel Cas aveigne, q' Dieu defend."

After the reading the Copy of the abovesaid Record, which was affirmed by One of the Peers to be authentic, he having examined it with the Roll; and Debate thereupon;

Question to the Judges whether this Record is a Statute; and,

This Question was asked the Judges, "Whether the said Record is a Statute?"

The Judges answer, "As it appears to them by the aforesaid Copy, they believe it is a Statute; but, if they saw the Roll itself, they could be more positive therein."

And, after further Debate,

This Question was proposed to be asked the Judges,

Whether the Lords are barred from trying a Commoner on an Impeachment.

"Whether the Lords, by this Statute, be barred from trying a Commoner upon an Impeachment of the House of Commons?"

Then this previous Question was put, "Whether that Question shall be put to the Judges?"

It was Resolved in the Negative.

And, after further Debate,

Lords will proceed upon the Impeachment against Sir A. Blair, Capt. Vaughan & al.

This Question was put, "Whether this House will proceed upon the Impeachment brought from the House of Commons against Sir Adam Blaire, Captain Henry Vaughan, Captain Frederick Mole, John Elliott Doctor in Physic, and Robert Gray Doctor in Physic?"

It was Resolved in the Affirmative.

Protest against it.

Leave was given to any Lords, to enter their Dissents; and these Lords following do enter their Dissents, by subscribing their Names:

"Somerset.
Grafton.
Tho. Ebor.
Northampton.
Beaufort.
Scarsdale.
Feversham.
Craven.
Derby.
Weymouth.
Ailesbury.
Nottingham.
H. London.
Rochester.
Tho. Roffen.
T. Jermyn.
Tho. Menev.
J. Exon.
P. Winches.
Maynard.
Tho. Carliol."

Sir A. Blair, Captain Vaughan, Capt. Mole, Dr. Elliot, and Dr. Gray, to be brought to the Bar.

Whereas Articles of Impeachment of High Treason and other high Crimes and Offences, against Sir Adam Blair, Captain Henry Vaughan, Captain Fredericke Mole, John Elliott Doctor in Physic, and Robert Gray Doctor in Physic, were brought from the House of Commons the 26th of June last past:

It is this Day ORDERED, by the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parliament assembled, That the Keeper of Newgate be, and is hereby, required to bring in safe Custody to the Bar of this House, the Bodies of the said Sir Adam Blair, Captain Henry Vaughan, Captain Fredericke Mole, John Elliott Doctor in Physic, and Robert Gray Doctor in Physic, or such of them as are in his Custody, on Thursday next, at Ten of the Clock in the Forenoon, to hear the said Articles read.

To the Keeper of the Prison of Newgate, his Deputy or Deputies, and every of them.

Newcastle Court of Conscience Bill.

The Earl of Rochester reported, "That the Committee have considered the Bill for erecting a Court of Conscience in the Town of Newecastle upon Tyne; and, having heard all Persons therein concerned, do think it fit to pass as it is.

Hodie 3^a vice lecta est Billa, "An Act for erecting a Court of Conscience at Newcastle upon Tyne."

The Question being put, "Whether this Bill shall pass for a Law?"

It was Resolved in the Affirmative.

Message to H. C. with it.

A Message was sent to the House of Commons, by Sir Miles Cooke and Sir Lacon Childe:

To acquaint them, that this House hath passed the Bill for erecting a Court of Conscience in the Town of Newcastle upon Tyne.

Chettel's Bill.

Hodie 2^a vice lecta est Billa, "An Act to enable Thomas Chettell Esquire to sell Part of his Lands, for Provision for his Wife and Children."

ORDERED, That the Consideration of this Bill is committed to these Lords following:

Their Lordships, or any Three of them; to meet Tomorrow, at Nine of the Clock in the Forenoon, in the Prince's Lodgings.

Small Tithes, for Recovery of, Bill.

Hodie 2^a vice lecta est Billa, "An Act for the speedy and easy Recovery of Small Tithes."

ORDERED, That the Consideration of this Bill is committed to these Lords following:

Their Lordships, or any Five of them; to meet on Thursday Morning, at Nine of the Clock, in the Prince's Lodgings.

Adjourn.

Marquis de Halyfax, Orator Procerum pro Tempore, declaravit præsens Parliamentum continuandum esse usque in diem Mercurii, videlicet, 3^um diem instantis Julii, hora decima Aurora, Dominis sic decernentibus.