House of Lords Journal Volume 11: 27 June 1663

DIE Sabbati, 27 die Junii.

Domini tam Spirituales quam Temporales præsentes fuerunt:

PRAYERS.

Feilder, Dutchess of Somerset's Servant, Privilege.

This Day George Feilder, menial Servant to the Dutchess of Somersett, being arrested and imprisoned in The Gatehouse at Westm. contrary to the Privilege of Parliament, was brought to this Bar; and likewise Samuell Jones, at whose Suit he was arrested, was brought as a Delinquent.

The said Feilder averred, "That he told the said Jones, that he was Servant to the Dutchess before he was arrested; yet he caused him to be arrested and imprisoned."

Jones to remain in Custody.

Hereupon the House ordered the said George Feilder to be presently released of his Imprisonment; and the said Samuell Jones to remain in the Custody of the Serjeant at Arms, until the Pleasure of this House be further known.

Crofts, Ld. Morley's Servant, Privilege.

According to the Order of this House Yesterday, Edward Crofts, a menial Servant of the Lord Morley, being arrested, and a Prisoner in The Compter in Woodstreat, was brought to this Bar. And the Lord Morley avowing the said Crofts to be his Lordship's menial Servant, and desiring he might be set at Liberty: It is ORDERED, That the said Edward Crofts be forthwith released from his present Restraint and Imprisonment.

ORDERED, That the Duke of Albemarle is added to the Committee for the Bill for Encouragement of Trade.

E. Bolingbroke, Leave to be absent.

ORDERED, That the Earl of Bolingbrooke hath Leave to be absent from his Attendance on this House for some Time.

Ld. Gerard versus Granger, Fitton, Lloyd, Cade, & al.

The Lord Mohun made a large Report from the Committee of Privileges, to whom was referred the Examination of the Conspiracy against the Lord Gerard of Brandon, as appeared to this House upon the Reading of the Narrative delivered into this House by Edward Lloyd, signed by Abraham Granger:

"Their Lordships do find, upon a strict Examination of Witnesses, That the Business and Design against the Lord Gerard hath been principally contrived and carried on by Edward Lloyd and John Cade, and John Wright, who have had several Meetings, at several Places, with Abraham Granger and divers other Persons, to contrive the said Narrative; and the Committee hath also heard several Witnesses on the Lord Gerard's Behalf, whereby the Innocency of the Lord Gerrard hath clearly appeared: That Alexander Fitton hath made it his Desire to the Committee, that he may be allowed to produce Witnesses, to prove every Part of the Narrative to be true, which the Committee thinks fit to be left to the Directions of this House: That the Opinion of the Committee is, That the Lord Gerard is free from any Scandal mentioned in the said Narration; which their Lordships judge to be a mere Scandal, and a Conspiracy and Confederacy contrived by wicked Persons, against the Honour of his Lordship, and false in every Part: And the Committee thinks it fit that Edward Lloyd, John Cade, and John Wright, being principal Actors and Contrivers of the Business, be attached as Delinquents."

Lloyd, Cade, and Wright, to be attached.

Hereupon this House ORDERED, That the Serjeant at Arms attending this House, or his Deputy, shall attach the Bodies of the said Edward Lloyd, John Cade, and John Wright, as Delinquents, and keep them in safe Custody, until the Pleasure of this House be further known: And it is further ORDERED, That Alexander Fitton shall be heard, at this Bar, on Thursday next, the Second of July, by his Counsel and Witnesses, to prove the Narrative concerning the Lord Gerard of Brandon, signed by Abraham Granger; at which Time also the Lord Gerard shall be heard, by his Counsel and Witnesses. And lastly it is ORDERED, That the said Alexander Fitton shall produce the said Abraham Granger.

E. Middlesex and E. Bridgewater's Forms of Reprehension, &c.

Next, the Lord Privy Seal reported, "That the Committee have drawn up, in several Papers, the Words that are to contain the Reprehension to be given the Earl of Middlesex and the Earl of Bridgwater, and the Submissions of those Two Lords to this House; and what Words are fitting to be said by the Earl of Midd. to the Earl of Bridgwater."

The said Papers were severally read, as followeth:

1. The Paper of Reprehension to the Earl of Midd. was agreed to, with some Alterations. The Contents whereof are as follows:

"The Lord Chancellor is to say,

E. of Middlesex's Reprehension.

My Lord of Middlesex,

"This House having taken into their Consideration a Letter sent by you unto the Earl of Bridgwater, wherein were many Expressions most unfitting and most unworthy for a Person of Honour to send unto a Person of the same Quality, together with a Challenge, whereby you have endeavoured to break the Peace of this Kingdom, and so to reflect upon the Honour as well as the Quiet of His Majesty's Government: I am, by Order of this House, to express their due Resentment of this Proceeding of yours, and to give you their solemn and severe Reprehension for the same. And, for the future, they command you both so to demean yourselves, as nothing of this Business be further resented by either of you; but that you be careful to keep that Peace which you have so unadvisedly shaken."

2. The Paper of Reprehension to the Earl of Bridgwater was read, and approved of with a small Alteration. The Contents whereof follow:

E. of Bridgewater's Reprehension.

"My Lord of Bridgwater,

"This House hath taken Notice of your entertaining a Challenge sent you from the Earl of Middlesex, whereby you have endangered the Public Peace, and declined the Justice of this House, receiving of Challenges being equally forbidden with sending them: And therefore this House, having a just Displeasure for this Proceeding of yours, have ordered me thus solemnly and severely to reprehend you for the same."

3. The Paper of the Earl of Middlesex' Submission to this House was read, and approved of, with some Additions; which follows, in hæc verba:

E. of Middlesex's Submission.

"My Lords,

"I am very sensible of your Lordships Displeasure; and the more, being conscious of the just Provocation I have given, by using most unfitting and most unbecoming Language to a Member of this House; for which I humbly ask Pardon of this Honourable House, and do acknowledge your Sentence to be most just and merciful."

4. The Paper of the Earl of Bridgwater's Submission to this House was read, and agreed to, with a small Addition. The Contents whereof are as follow:

E. of Bridgewater's Submission.

"My Lords,

"I am very sensible of your Lordships Displeasure; and the more, being conscious of the just Provocation I have given, by accepting the Challenge; for which I humbly ask Pardon of this Honourable House, and do acknowledge your Sentence to be most just and merciful."

5. The Paper containing what the Earl of Middlesex is to say to the Earl of Bridgwater was read. And,

The Question being put, "Whether these Words "[I am heartily sorry, and ask your Lordship's Pardon"] shall be added?"

It was Resolved in the Affirmative.

And then the House agreed to the same, with the said Addition. The Contents of the same follow:

E. of Middlesex's Acknowledgement to the E. of Bridgewater.

"My Lord of Bridgwater,

"Upon the Apprehension and Information that your Lordship had been Party and privy unto the going away of my Niece, I sent you in my Passion a Challenge, in Language most unfitting for me to write, either in regard of your Lordship or myself; for which I am heartily sorry, and ask your Lordship's Pardon."

ORDERED, That this Judgement is to be put in Execution the next Day this House sits.

Both to ask the King's Pardon.

The Order of this House is, That the Earl of Bridgwater and the Earl of Middlesex do ask the King's Pardon for their Offences against Him.

Adjourn.

Dominus Cancellariusdeclaravitpræsens Parliamentum continuandum esse usque in diem Mercurii, videlicet, primum diem Julii, 1663, hora decima Aurora, Dominis sic decernentibus.