House of Lords Journal Volume 11: 19 December 1664

DIE Lunæ, 19 die Decembris.

Domini tam Spirituales quam Temporales præsentes fuerunt:

PRAYERS.

The Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas sat Speaker this Day.

PRAYERS.

Message from H. C. for a Conference on the Bill against Conventicles.

A Message was brought from the House of Commons, by the Lord Cornbury and others:

To desire a Free Conference, touching the Matter of the last Conference.

The Answer returned was:

Answer.

That this House will give a present Free Conference, in the Painted Chamber, as is desired.

The same Lords who managed the Conference Yesterday are appointed to report this Free Conference.

The House was adjourned during Pleasure, and the Lords went to the Free Conference with the House of Commons; which being ended, the House was resumed.

Report of the Conference.

Then the Earl of Anglesey reported the Effect of the Free Conference; and said, "That the House of Commons had considered of the Proviso delivered to them Yesterday concerning Quakers, to supply that which was missing. They have read it, and allowed of it to be a true Engrossment of the same; and they have perfected it with those Papers which they have, and have fixed the same in their right Places; and so have passed the whole Proviso, nemine contradicente."

Bill against seditious Conventicles.

Then this House read those Alterations which the House of Commons have inserted out of their Papers, and do approve of them to be the same as were before; and agree to the said Proviso as now it is; and orders, That it be added and made Part of the Bill to prevent and suppress seditious Conventicles, nemine contradicente.

King present.

The King sitting in His Royal Throne, adorned with His Regal Ornaments and Robes, the Lords being likewise in their Robes, sitting uncovered, His Majesty commanded the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod to let the House of Commons know, "That it was His Pleasure that House should presently attend His Majesty, with their Speaker."

Who being come, and after a low Obeisance made, he made this following Speech:

Speaker of H. C. Speech.

"May it please Your Most Excellent Majesty,"

"At the Opening this Session, Your Majesty was pleased to recommend several Things to the Care of Your Two Houses of Parliament; the which we have deliberately considered, and unanimously presented our humble Advice thereupon."

"The First Thing we took into Consideration was, the Act made in the Sixteenth Year of the late King of Glorious Memory, for Triennial Parliaments: When we had given it a Reading, we found it derogatory to the essential Prerogative of the Crown, of calling, holding, and dissolving, Parliaments; we found it unpracticable, and only useful to learn the People how to rebel: Therefore we melted it down, extracted the pure Metal from counterfeit and drossy Alloys, and then presented it to Your Majesty, to be new stamped, and made current Coin, for the Use of the Nation. We do return our most humble Thanks to Your Majesty, that You were pleased to accept our Advice, and to pass our Bill; but more especially for those gracious Expressions Your Majesty was pleased to use at that Solemnity, whereby we are assured, not only of Your Personal Affection to Parliaments, but of Your Judgement also, that the Happiness of the Crown consists in the Frequency of Parliaments.

"In the next Place, we reviewed the Act for Chimney-money, which we intended a great Branch of Your Majesty's Revenue, although by some Mistakes it is fallen short: And, in Hopes Your Majesty may improve that Receipt, we have prepared a Bill for the collecting that Duty by such Officers as Your Majesty and Your Successors shall from Time to Time think fit to appoint.

"Whilst we were intent upon these weighty Affairs, we were often interrupted by Petitions, and Letters, and Motions, representing the unsettled Condition of some Countries, by reason of Fanatics, Sectaries, and Non-conformists. They differ in their Shapes and Species, and accordingly are more or less dangerous: But in this they all agree; they are no Friends to the established Government either in Church or State; and if the old Rule hold true, Qui Ecclesiæ contradicit non est pacificus, we have great Reason to prevent their Growth, and to punish their Practice. To this Purpose, we have prepared a Bill against their frequenting of Conventicles, the Seed-plots and Nurseries of their Opinions, under Pretence of Religious Worship. The First Offence we have made punishable only with a small Fine of Five Pounds, or Three Months Imprisonment, and Ten Pounds for a Peer. The Second Offence with Ten Pounds, or Six Months Imprisonment, and Twenty Pounds for a Peer. But for the Third Offence, after a Trial by a Jury at the General Quarter Sessions or Assizes, and the Trial of a Peer by his Peers, the Party convicted shall be transported to some of Your Majesty's Foreign Plantations, unless he redeem himself by laying down One Hundred Pounds: Immedicabile Vulnus Ense rescindendum, ne Pars sincera trahatur.

"We have had much Thought how to improve the Industry of the Nation, and prevent that Idleness and Licentiousness which too fast grows upon us, especially by excessive and disorderly Gaming. Men are not contented to sport away their precious Time, and play away their ready Money; but to lose or pawn their Houses and Lands, their Manors, and their Honours also. For the Prevention of the Growth of this Disease, we have prepared a Bill, to make all Securities for Money won at Play, whether Real or Personal, to be void.

"We have examined also the Reasons of the Decay of Trade. In the First Place, we found our Merchants are undermined by Fraud and Practice, and sometimes beaten out, in the East and West Indies, in Turkey, and in Affrica, by our Neighbours the Dutch, who, besides the unsufferable Indignities offered to Your Royal Majesty, have in a few Years spoiled Your Subjects to the Value of Seven or Eight Hundred Thousand Pounds; for Remedy whereof, we have made our humble Address to Your Majesty, and received a Gracious Answer; and have no Cause to fear but a short Time will produce a just and honourable Satisfaction.

"The next Obstruction to our Trade hath been, a base and dangerous Practice of some Seamen, who are willing to be robbed by Pirates, that they may share in the Prize. We have therefore prepared a Bill for the Punishment of such treacherous Actions, and for the just Reward of those honest Seamen that shall preserve their Owners Goods, and manfully maintain the Honour of our English Nation.

"Some other Discoveries we have made, which may be the Subject Matter of future Bills; but, in respect of Your Majesty's Intimation of a short Session, we

2. The Bill for enabling Thomas Juckes to sell Lands, for Payment of Debts.

Leigh's Bill.

Hodie 2^a vice lecta est Billa, "An Act to enable Francis Leigh Esquire to sell Land, for Payment of Debts, and to make Provision for his Children."

The Question being put, "Whether this Bill shall be committed?"

It was Resolved in the Affirmative.

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

Their Lordships, or any Five; to meet in the Prince's Lodgings, at Nine of the Clock in the Morning, on the First Friday after the Meeting of this House next after Christmas; and to adjourn as they shall think fit.

Ld. Powis, Privilege. Langford his Servant imprisoned.

Whereas John Langford, Servant to the Lord Powis, a Peer of this Realm, is made and detained a Prisoner, in the Common Gaol of the County of Mountgomery, by William Morgan Deputy Sheriff of the said County, during the Sitting of this present Session of Parliament, contrary to the Privilege of Parliament:

Morgan, Deputy Sheriff of Montgom, sent for.

It is ORDERED, by the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parliament assembled, That the said William Morgan, late and yet Deputy Sheriff of the said County of Mountgomery, be, and is hereby, required to appear at this Bar, on Tuesday the Seventeenth Day of January next, to shew Cause why he refused to give Observance to the Protection granted by the Lord Powis to his said Servant John Langford; at which Time the said Deputy Sheriff shall also cause to be brought to this Bar the said John Langford, that so this House, hearing all Parties concerned, may give such further Order therein as shall be agreeable to Justice.

Adjourn.

Dominus Capitalis Justiciarius de Com. Placit. declaravit præsens Parliamentum continuandum esse usque in diem Jovis, 22^um instantis Decembris, hora decima Aurora, Dominis sic decernentibus.