House of Lords Journal Volume 20: 26 June 1716

DIE Martis, 26 Junii.

REX.

Domini tam Spirituales quam Temporales præsentes fuerunt:

Georgius Princeps Walliæ.

PRAYERS.

Messages from H. C. to return the Bill for reversing the E. of Macclesfield's Attainder;

A Message from the House of Commons, by Mr. Comptroller and others:

To return the Bill, intituled, "An Act for the more effectual reversing and making void the Attainder of Charles Earl of Macclesfield deceased;" and to acquaint this House, that they have agreed to the same, without any Amendment.

the Bill for regulating Hachney Coaches, &c.;

A Message from the House of Commons, by the Lord William Pawlet and others:

To return the Bill, intituled, "An Act for the better regulating Hackney Coaches, Carts, Drays, Cars, and Waggons, within the Cities of London and Westminster, and the Weekly Bills of Mortality; and for preventing Mischiefs occasioned by the Drivers riding upon such Carts, Drays, Cars, and Waggons;" and to acquaint this House, that they have agreed to their Lordships Amendments made thereto.

and the Bill for Papists to register their Estates, &c.

A Message from the House of Commons, by Mr. Jessop and others:

To return the Bill, intituled, "An Act to oblige Papists to register their Names and Real Estates;" and to acquaint this House, that they have agreed to their Lordships Amendments made thereto.

The House was adjourned during Pleasure, to robe.

The House was resumed.

King present:

His Majesty, being feated on His Royal Throne, adorned with His Crown and Regal Ornaments, and attended with His Officers of State; the Prince of Wales in his Robes, sitting in his Chair, on His Majesty's Right Hand; the Lords being also in their Robes; the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod received His Majesty's Commands, to let the Commons know, "It is His Majesty's Pleasure, they attend Him immediately, in the House of Peers."

Who being come, with their Speaker; he, after a short Speech to His Majesty, in relation to some of the Bills to be passed, delivered the Bill relating to the Coinage, and also that for appointing Commissioners to inquire of the Estates of Traitors, &c. to the Clerk Assistant, in the Absence of the Clerk of the Parliaments; who brought them to the Table; where the Clerk of the Crown read the Titles of those and the other Bills to be passed, severally, as follows:

Bills passed.

"1. An Act to continue Duties for encouraging the Coinage of Money; and to charge the Duties on Senna as a Medicinal Drug; and for the appropriating several Supplies granted to His Majesty."

To this Bill the Royal Assent was pronounced in the Words following; (videlicet,)

"Le Roy remercie ses bons Sujets, accepte leur Benevolence, et ainsi le veult."

"2. An Act for appointing Commissioners to inquire of the Estates of certain Traitors, and of Popish Recusants, and of Estates given to superstitious Uses, in order to raise Money out of them, severally, for the Use of the Public."

"3. An Act to oblige Papists to register their Names and Real Estates."

"4. An Act for the continuing the Duty of Two Pennies Scots, or One Sixth of a Penny Sterling, on every Pint of Ale and Beer that shall be vended or sold within the City of Glasgow and Privilege thereof, for the Benefit of the said City."

"5. An Act for repealing so much of the Act of the Twelfth and Thirteenth Years of the Reign of King William the Third, intituled, "An Act for the further Limitation of the Crown, and better securing the Rights and Liberties of the Subject," as enacts, "That no Person who should come to the Possession of the Crown shall go out of the Dominions of England, Scotland, or Ireland, without Consent of Parliament."

"6. An Act for the more effectual securing the Peace of The Highlands in Scotland."

"7. An Act to prevent the Mischiefs by manufacturing Leaves, or other Things, to resemble Tobacco; and the Abuses in making and mixing of Snuff."

"8. An Act for the more effectual and exemplary Punishment of such Persons as shall seduce Soldiers to desert, or who, being Papists, shall inlist themselves in His Majesty's Service, in Great Britain or Ireland, or in the Islands of Jersey or Guernsey."

"9. An Act for holding the Assize for the County of Cornwal at a convenient Place within the said County."

"10. An Act to encourage the planting of Timber Trees, Fruit Trees, and other Trees, for Ornament, Shelter, or Profit; and for the better Preservation of the same; and for the preventing the burning of Woods."

"11. An Act for the Attainder of Thomas Forster Junior Esquire and William Mackintosh Esquire (commonly called Brigadier Mackintosh) of High Treason."

"12. An Act to disable any Person from being chose a Member of, or from sitting and voting in, the House of Commons, who has any Pension for any Number of Years from the Crown."

"13. An Act for making the Laws for repairing the Highways more effectual."

"14. An Act for the better regulating Hackney Coaches, Carts, Drays, Cars, and Waggons, within the Cities of London and Westminster, and the Weekly Bills of Mortality; and for preventing Mischiefs occasioned by the Drivers riding upon such Carts, Drays, Cars, and Waggons."

"15. An Act to revive and continue an Act of the Eighth and Ninth Years of the Reign of His late Majesty King William, for Repair of the Piers of Bridlington, alias Burlington, in the East Riding of the County of York."

To these Bills the Royal Assent was severally pronounced, in the Words following; (videlicet,)

"Le Roy le veult."

"16. An Act for the more effectual reversing and making void the Attainder of Charles Earl of Macclesfield, deceased."

"17. An Act to discharge Sir Alexander Rigby Knight from his Imprisonment; and vest his Estate and Effects in Trustees, for the Benefit of his Creditors.

"18. An Act for vesting certain Lands and Tenements of Peter Sunderland Esquire in Trustees, to be sold, for Payment of Debts charged thereon before the making of his Marrige Settlement, and by Virtue thereof."

"19. An Act to enable Thomas Proctor, of Rock, in the County of Northumberland, Esquire, to raise the Sum of Four Thousand Pounds, out of his Estate, for Payment of his Debts, and making Provision for his Younger Children."

"20. An Act for naturalizing Erengard Melosine, Baroness of Schulenburg.

To these Bills the Royal Assent was severally pronounced, in the Words following; (videlicet,)

"Soit fait comme il est desire.

Then the Lord Chancellor receiving a Paper from His Majesty, and returning to his former Place;

His Majesty spake as follows:

King's Speech.

"My Lords, and Gentlemen,

"I have given Direction to my Lord Chancellor, to deliver to you, in My Name and Words, the Occasion of My coming this Day to Parliament, besides that of giving the Royal Assent to the Bills that are passed."

Then the Lord Chancellor said,

"My Lords, and Gentlemen,

"I have received His Majesty's Commands from the Throne, to deliver to you this His Majesty's Speech, in His Majesty's Name and Words, as follows:

"My Lords, and Gentlemen,

"I cannot put an End to this Session, without expressing to you My Satisfaction in the Proceedings of this Parliament. The wholesome and necessary Laws, which have been passed with so much Steadiness, Resolution, and Unanimity, will, I trust in God, answer those good Ends which, it is evident, you have had in View, by defeating the Designs, and reducing the Spirit, of our Enemies, by encouraging our Friends, and raising the Credit and Reputation of the Nation Abroad to such a Degree, as that I may reasonably expect the Fruits of a settled Government; especially being supported by a Parliament zealous for the Prosperity of their Country and the Protestant Interest of Europe.

"I am confident, My Conduct hitherto, in suppressing the Rebellion, and punishing those concerned in it, has been such, as demonstrates that I desire rather to lessen their Numbers by reclaiming them, than by making Examples: But I am sorry to find, that the numerous Instances of Mercy, which I have shewn, have had no other Effect, than to encourage the Faction of the Pretender, to renew their Insults upon My Authority and the Laws of the Kingdom, and even to affect, with the greatest Insolence, to distinguish themselves from My good and faithful Subjects; acting with such Folly and Madness, as if they intended to convince the World, that they are not to be reduced to Quiet, and Submission to My Government, by such gentle Methods as are most agreeable to My own Inclinations.

Gentlemen of the House of Commons,

"I return you in particular My Thanks, for the Supplies you have given; which, although they fall short of the Sums you found necessary, and have voted for the Service of the whole Year, yet, by the Encouragement you have given to make them effectual, may, I hope, be so managed, as to carry on the current Service till another Session of Parliament.

"My Lords, and Gentlemen,

"I am very sensible there are Matters of great Consequence still depending before you; but, as they have hitherto been postponed, out of absolute Necessity, by intervening Affairs of a more pressing Nature, and of the most immediate Concern to the Peace and Safety of the Nation, I thought the Season of the Year required I should defer your further Proceedings till the next Session, rather than you should be detained out of your respective Countries longer than could be consistent with your private Concerns.

"I cannot doubt but that, during this Recess, you will use your best Endeavours to preserve the Peace of the Kingdom, and to discourage and suppress all Manner of Disorders; since, as the First Scene of the late Rebellion was opened and ushered in by Tumults and Riots; so you may be assured, upon what Pretence soever they are raised, they can have no other Tendency, but to support the Spirit of a Faction, restless and unwearied in their Endeavours to renew the Rebellion, and to subvert the Religion, Laws, and Liberties, of their Country.

"I design to make Use of the approaching Recess, to visit My Dominions in Germany; and to provide for the Peace and Security of the Kingdom during My Absence, by constituting My beloved Son the Prince of Wales Guardian of the Realm, and My Lieutenant within the same."

Which being ended; the Lord Chancellor received further Commands from His Majesty; and, again returning to his Place, said,

Parliament prorogued.

"My Lords, and Gentlemen,

"It is His Majesty's Royal Pleasure, that this Parliament be prorogued to Tuesday the Seventh Day of August next: And this Parliament is accordingly prorogued, to meet here on Tuesday the Seventh Day of August next."

Die Martis, 7 Augusti, 1716,
examined by us,

Clarendon.
Joh. London.
R. Glocester.