House of Lords Journal Volume 11: 20 November 1661

Journal of the House of Lords: Volume 11, 1660-1666. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1767-1830.

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'House of Lords Journal Volume 11: 20 November 1661', in Journal of the House of Lords: Volume 11, 1660-1666, (London, 1767-1830) pp. 332-333. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/lords-jrnl/vol11/pp332-333 [accessed 24 April 2024]

In this section

DIE Mercurii, 20 die Novembris.

REX.

Domini tam Spirituales quam Temporales præsentes fuerunt:

Ds. Capit. Justic. de Com. Placit. Speaker pro Tempore.
Arch. Eborac.
Epus. London.
Epus. Durham.
Epus. Bath & Wells.
Epus. Elie.
Epus. Oxon.
Epus. Rochester.
Epus. Bangor.
Epus. Chichester.
Epus. Sarum.
Epus. Worcester.
Epus. Lyncolne.
Epus. St. Asaph.
Epus. St. Davids.
Epus. Petriburgh.
Epus. Landaffe.
Epus. Carlile.
Epus. Chester.
Epus. Exeter.
Epus. Bristoll.
Epus. Norwich.
Epus. Hereford.
Epus. Gloucester.		 Ds. Thesaurarius Angl.
Ds. Custos Privati Sigilli.
Marq. de Winton.
Marq. de Worcester.
Marq. de Dorchester.
L. Great Chamberlain of Engl.
L. Steward.
L. Chamberlain of the Household.
Comes Oxon.
Comes Lyncolne.
Comes Dorsett.
Comes Bridgwater.
Comes North'ton.
Comes Devon.
Comes Bristoll.
Comes Midd.
Comes Holland.
Comes Bollingbrooke.
Comes Berks.
Comes Cleveland.
Comes Rivers.
Comes Petriburgh.
Comes Newport.
Comes Chesterfeild.
Comes Portland.
Comes Strafford.
Comes Scarsdale.
Comes Cardigan.
Comes Anglesey.
Comes Bathon.
Comes Carlile.
Viscount de Stafford.
Viscount Mordant.		 Ds. Abergaveny.
Ds. Awdley.
Ds. Stourton.
Ds. Wentworth.
Ds. Euers.
Ds. Pagett.
Ds. Chandois.
Ds. Hunsdon.
Ds. Tenham.
Ds. Howard de Charlt.
Ds. Craven.
Ds. Lovelace.
Ds. Powlett.
Ds. Howard de Esc.
Ds. Mohun.
Ds. Seymour.
Ds. Hatton.
Ds. Loughborough.
Ds. Byron.
Ds. Vaughan.
Ds. Carrington.
Ds. Ward.
Ds. Astley.
Ds. Lucas.
Ds. Bellasis.
Ds. Gerard de Brand.
Ds. Lexington.
Ds. Berkley de Strat.
Ds. Cornwallis.
Ds. Delamer.
Ds. Ashley.
Ds. Crewe.

PRAYERS.

The King present.

The King's Most Excellent Majesty being present this Day, sitting in His Throne, in His Regal Robes; the Lords Spiritual and Temporal being likewise in their Robes; His Majesty commanded the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod to signify His Pleasure to the House of Commons, "That they presently come up and attend him," who immediately came with their Speaker.

And then His Majesty was pleased to declare His Mind to both Houses of Parliament, in the Speech following; videlicet,

His Speech.

"My Lords, and Gentlemen of the House of Commons,

"I know the Visit I make you this Day is not necessary, is not of Course: Yet, if there were no more in it, it would not be strange that I come to see, what you and I have so long desired to see, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and the Commons of England met together, to consult for the Peace and Safety of Church and State, by which Parliaments are restored to their primitive Lustre and Integrity: I do heartily congratulate with you for this Day. But, My Lords and Gentlemen, as My Coming hither at this Time is somewhat extraordinary; so the Truth is, the Occasion of My Coming is more extraordinary. It is to say something to you on My own Behalf, to ask somewhat of you for Myself; which is more than I have done of you, or of those who met here before you, since My Coming into England. I needed not have done it then; and, upon My Conscience, I need not do it now. They did, and you do, upon all Occasions, express so great an Affection and Care of all that concerns Me, that I may very well refer both the Matter and Manner of your doing any Thing for Me, to your own Wisdoms and Kindness. And indeed, if I did think that what I am to say to you now did alone or did most concern Myself; if the uneasy Condition I am in, if the Streights and Necessities I am to struggle with, did not manifestly relate to the Public Peace and Safety, more than to My own Particular otherwise than as I am concerned in the Public, I should not give you this Trouble this Day. I can bear My Necessities which merely relate to Myself with Patience enough.

"Mr. Speaker, and you Gentlemen of the House of Commons,

"I do not now importune you to make more Haste in the settling the constant Revenue of the Crown, than is agreeable to the Method you propose to yourselves; to desire you seriously to consider the insupportable Weight that lies upon it; the Obligations it lies under, to provide for the Interest, Honour and Security of the Nation, in another Proportion than in any former Times it hath been obliged to: But I come to put you in Mind of the crying Debts which do every Day call upon Me; of some necessary Provisions which are to be made without Delay for the very Safety of the Kingdom; of the great Sum of Money that should be ready to discharge the several Fleets when they come Home; and for the necessary Preparations that are to be made for the setting out new Fleets to Sea against the Spring, that Revenue being already anticipated upon as important Services which should be assigned to those Preparations. These are the pressing Occasions which I am forced to recommend to you with all possible Earnestness, and to conjure you to provide for as speedily as is possible, and in such a Manner as may give us Security at Home, and some Reputation Abroad. I make this Discourse to you with some Confidence, because I am very willing and desirous that you should thoroughly examine whether these Necessities I mention be real or imaginary, or whether they are fallen upon us by My Fault, My own Ill-managery or Excesses, and provide for them accordingly. I am very willing that you make a full Inspection into My Revenue, as well the Disbursements as Receipts; and if you find it hath been ill-managed by any Corruption in the Officers I trust, or by My own Unthriftiness, I shall take the Information and Advice you shall give Me very kindly; I say, if you find it; for I would not have you believe any loose Discourses, how confidently soever urged, of giving away Four Score Thousand Pounds in a Morning, and many other Extravagancies of that Kind. I have much more Reason to be sorry that I have not to reward those who have ever faithfully served the King My Father and Myself, than ashamed of any Bounty I have exercised towards any Man.

"My Lords and Gentlemen,

"I am sorry to find that the general Temper and Affections of the Nation are not so well composed as I hoped they would have been, after so signal Blessings from GOD ALMIGHTY upon us all, and after so great Indulgence and Condescensions from Me towards all Interests. There are many wicked Instruments, still as active as ever, who labour Night and Day to disturb the Public Peace, and to make all People jealous of each other. It will be worthy of your Care and Vigilance, to provide proper Remedies for the Diseases of that Kind; and if you find new Diseases, you must study new Remedies. Let us not be discouraged: If we help one another, we shall, with GOD's Blessing, master all our Difficulties. Those which concern Matters of Religion, I confess to you, are too hard for Me; and therefore I do commend them to your Care and Deliberation, which can best provide for them.

"I shall not need to recommend, or put you in Mind of, the good Correspondence that ought to be kept between you, for the Good of yourselves and Me, and the whole Kingdom; and I may tell you, it is very necessary for us all. You will find, whoever doth not love Me, doth not love you; and they who have no Reverence for you, have little Kindness for Me. Therefore, I pray, let us adhere fast to each other; and then we shall, with the Help of GOD, in a short Time, persuade or oblige all Men to that Submission and Obedience to the Law, as may constitute a full Measure of Happiness to Prince and People, and persuade our Neighbours to that Esteem and Value they have formerly had for us."

Thanks to the King for His Speech.

His Majesty, having ended His Speech, withdrew; and the House being cleared, it was moved, "That some Persons might be appointed to give His Majesty humble and hearty Thanks, from this House, for His Gracious and Excellent Speech; and to desire that He would be pleased to give Way that it may be printed and published, for the Satisfaction of the whole Nation."

And accordingly the House ordered the Lord Steward and the Lord Chamberlain to attend His Majesty, from this House, to the Intent aforesaid.

Bishops added to Committees.

ORDERED, That these Lords Spiritual are added to the Committee for Privileges, and to the Committee for Petitions; videlicet,

Archbp. of York.
Bp. of London.
Bp. of Durham.
Bp. of Sarum.
Bp. of Worcester.		 Bp. of Lyncolne.
Bp. of St. Davids.
Bp. of Exon.
Bp. of Norwich.

Adjourn.

Dominus Capitalis Justiciarius de Com. Placit. declaravit præsens Parliamentum continuandum esse usque in diem Jovis, videlicet, 21um diem instantis Novembris, hora decima Aurora, Dominis sic decernentibus.

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