House of Lords Journal Volume 3: 11 May 1626

Journal of the House of Lords: Volume 3, 1620-1628. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1767-1830.

'House of Lords Journal Volume 3: 11 May 1626', in Journal of the House of Lords: Volume 3, 1620-1628, (London, 1767-1830) pp. 591-593. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/lords-jrnl/vol3/pp591-593 [accessed 25 April 2024]

Die Jovis, videlicet, 11 die Maii,

Domini tam Spirituales quam Temporales, quorum nomina subscribuntur, præsentes fuerunt:



p. Archiepus. Cant. Archiepus. Eborum. p. Epus. London. p. Epus. Dunelm. Epus. Winton. Epus. Petriburg. Epus. Hereforden. Epus. Wigorn. p. Epus. Norwicen. p. Epus. Roffen. p. Epus. Co. et Lich. Epus. Bath. et W. p. Epus. Bangor. p. Epus. Elien. Epus. Cicestren. p. Epus. Oxon. p. Epus. Cestren. p. Epus. Landaven. Epus. Lincoln. p. Epus. Sarum. Epus. Exon. p. Epus. Meneven. p. Epus. Bristol. Epus. Asaphen. Epus. Carlien. p. Epus. Gloucestren.	p. Thomas Coventrey, Miles, Ds. Custos Mag. Sigilli. p. Comes Marleborough, Magnus Thesaur. Angliæ. p. Comes Maunchester, Præs. Concilii Domini Regis. Comes Wigorn, Ds. Custos Privati Sigilli, et Senescall. Hospitii. p. Dux Buckingham, Mag. Admirall. Angliæ. Marchio Winton. Comes Arundell et Surr. Comes Maresc. Angliæ. p. Comes Pembroc, Camerar. Hospitii. p. Comes Oxon. Comes Northumbriæ. Comes Salop. p. Comes Kantii. Comes Derbiæ. Comes Rutland. Comes Cumbriæ. Comes Sussex. Comes Huntingdon. Comes Bath. Comes Bedford. p. Comes Hertford. p. Comes Essex. p. Comes Lincoln. p. Comes Nottingham. p. Comes Suffolciæ. p. Comes Dorsett. p. Comes Sarum. p. Comes Exon. p. Comes Mountgomery. p. Comes Bridgewater. p. Comes Leicestriæ. p. Comes North'ton. p. Comes Warwic. p. Comes Devon. p. Comes Cantaber. p. Comes Carlile. p. Comes Denbigh. Comes Bristol. p. Comes Angles. p. Comes Holland. p. Comes Clare. p. Comes Bolingbrooke. p. Comes Westm'land. p. Comes Berk. p. Comes Cleveland. p. Comes Mulgrave. Comes Danby. Comes Totnes. Comes Monmouth. Vicecomes Mountague. Vicecomes Wallingford. Vicecomes Purbeck. Vicecomes Maunsfeild. Vicecomes Colchester. p. Vicecomes Rochford. Vicecomes Tunbridge. p. Vicecomes Say et S. p. Vicecomes Wimbleton. p. Ds. Conway, Prin. Sec. p. Ds. Abergavenny. Ds. Audley. Ds. Percy. Ds. Willoughby. p. Ds. Delawarr. p. Ds. Berkley. p. Ds. Morley. Ds. Dacres. p. Ds. Scroope. p. Ds. Dudley. p. Ds. Stourton. Ds. Herbert. Ds. Darcy et M. p. Ds. Vaux. Ds. Windsor. Ds. Mordant. Ds. St. John de B. p. Ds. Cromewell. Ds. Evre. Ds. Pagett. p. Ds. North. p. Ds. Compton. p. Ds. Howard de W. Ds. Wootton. p. Ds. Russell. p. Ds. Grey de G. p. Ds. Petre. p. Ds. Spencer. p. Ds. Denny. p. Ds. Stanhope de H. Ds. Arundell. Ds. Teynham. Ds. Stanhope de Sh. p. Ds. Noel. Ds. Brook. p. Ds. Mountague. p. Ds. Grey de W. Ds. Deyncourt. Ds. Ley. Ds. Robarts. Ds. Vere.

King present.

The King's Majesty came; and, sitting under the Royal State, the Lord Keeper and Lord Treasurer standing on each Side in their Places, and the Lords in their Robes, His Majesty spoke to this Effect: videlicet,

"My Lords,

King's Speech.

"The Cause, and only Cause, of My coming unto you this Day, is to express the Sense I have of all your Honours; for he that toucheth any of you toucheth Me in a very great Measure. I have thought fit to take Order for punishing some insolent Speeches spoken to you Yesterday, by Way of Digression.

"I have been too remiss heretofore in punishing those insolent Speeches that concerned Myself; not that I was greedy of their Monies; but for that Buckingham, through his Importunity, would not suffer Me to take Notice of them, left he might be thought to have set Me on; and he might come on the forwarder to his Trial, to approve his Innocency. For as touching the Occasions against him, I Myself can be a Witness to clear him in every one of them. I speak not this to take any Thing out of your Hands; but to shew the Reason why I have not hitherto punished those insolent Speeches against Myself; and now I hope ye will be as tender of Mine Honour, when Time shall serve, as I have been sensible of yours."

And so His Majesty was pleased to depart; and the Lords put off their Robes, and the Lord Keeper went to his Seat on the Wool-sack.

The Lord President reported the King's Answer unto the Petition from the House, touching the Earl of Arundell: videlicet,

"My Lords,

The King's Answer touching the Earl of Arundell reported.

"I did little look for such a Message from the House. I have been of the House, and did never know such a Message sent from the one House to the other. Therefore, when I receive a Message fit to come from you to your Sovereign, you shall receive an Answer."

The Lord President further reported, That the Lords Committees appointed to deliver the said Petition to the King did hereupon withdraw, and require him the Lord President humbly to desire His Majesty to be pleased to let them know unto what Point of the said Petition he takes this Exception. And that His Majesty willed him (the said Lord President) to say this of himself from Him: videlicet,

"The Exception that the King takes is at the Peremptoriness of the Term, to have a present Answer; and the King wonders at their Impatience, since He hath promised them an Answer in convenient Time."

Petition to the King, touching the Earl of Arundell altered.

Hereupon the House altered their former Petition; leaving out the Word present; and appointed the former Committee humbly to present the same unto His Majesty, at such Time as the Lord Chamberlain shall signify unto them when His Majesty will be pleased to admit them to His Presence.

Message from the Commons, by
Sir Nathaniell Rich and others:

Message from the H. C. desiring the D. of Bucks may be committed.

The Knights, Citizens, and Burgesses, of the Commons House of Parliament, taking into their serious Consideration the manifold Mischiefs and Inconveniencies which this Renowned Kingdom doth now suffer, threatening apparent Danger unto the King and Commonwealth, have, by Search and Disquisition into the Causes thereof, found that they do principally slow from the exorbitant Power and abusive Carriage of the Duke of Buckingham; whereof he hath this Parliament been impeached before your Lordships by the Commons; besides an Accusation of a Peer in your own House, who hath charged him (as they are informed) with High Treason. They therefore, with one Voice, make entire Declaration, That they hold it a Thing of dangerous Consequence, both for the present and future, that a Man of so great Eminency, Power, and Authority, being impeached and accused of such high Crimes and Offences, should yet enjoy his Liberty, hold so great a Part of the Strength of the Kingdom in his Hands, sit as a Peer in Parliament, and be acquainted with the Counsel thereof; whereby inevitable Mischief may suddenly fall upon the Kingdom; (fn. 1) wherefore they have thought it their Duties to recommend this their unanimous Desire to your Lordships, as agreeable to Law and Reason, that you would be pleased forthwith to commit the Person of the said Duke to safe Custody.

Answered:

Answer.

The Lords will, in due Time, take your Message into their Consideration, and return an Answer by Messengers of their own.

The Commons being departed; the Duke of Buckingham said:

My Lords,

D. Buck's Speech.

"If I should hold my Peace, it would argue Guilt; if I should speak, it may argue Boldness, being so foully accused. Your Lordships see what Complaints are made against me by the House of Commons; how well I stood in their Opinions not long since, your Lordships know; and what I have done since, to lose their good Opinions, I protest I know not.

"I cannot so distrust my own Innocency and my Heart (which abhors Guilt), as to offer to decline any Course or Court of Justice. And, had not they brought my Cause to your Lordships (I so much trust in the Justice and Equity of this House), that it should have been my Work to have done it; so as in this only they have done me a Favour, to deliver me out of their Hands into your Lordships.

"And now, my Lords, while I protest mine Innocency, I do not justify myself from all Errors, as if I were an Angel amongst Men. I know not who may do that: Offices of Trust and Places of Eminency cannot be discharged by Men whose Abilities are better than the best of mine, but the managing of them may lie open to Exception.

"The King and the State shall have few to serve them, if for their Favour, if for their Reward of Service, if for every Particular that may happen in the Success of Things, or for doing Things better than some would wish, or refusing to do all they wish, they shall be given up, in the Times of their Masters Wants, for a Grievance or a Sacrifice; but this I shall say confidently, for such Crimes as truly deserve public Punishment from the State, I hope I shall ever prove myself free, either in Intention or Act.

"My Lords, I speak not this arrogantly; nor will I speak any Thing else to cast Dirt at those who have taken Pains to make me soul; but to protect my Innocency in that Measure which I shall ever hope to prove it, nay am confident, being before so just Judges.

"I humbly beseech your Lordships to be sensible of me in this Point, what Dishonour I have sustained, not only at Home, but Abroad; wherefore I humbly desire your Lordships to hasten my Trial as soon as may be, that I may no longer suffer than I must needs; and yet I desire further of your Lordships, that no such Precipitation may be used as may disadvantage or prejudice my Cause.

"And here, my Lords, I had a Purpose to offer unto your Lordships my voluntary Absence from this Place, even now in the Beginning of the Handling of my Cause, as your Lordships may perceive in Part by my former Carriage towards the Earl of Bristol; for, doubting left my Presence might any Way disturb him, and put him into Passion, or any other Way disadvantage him in his Cause, I did voluntarily (as your Lordships saw) absent myself. But, now that my Accusers (fn. 2) are not only content to make my Process, but to prescribe your Lordships the Manner of my Judgement, and to purge me before I am heard, I shall not give Way in my own Particular to any of their unjust Demands; but yet submit myself in this and all Things else to your Lordships Consideration."

D. Buck's Impeachment to be reported.

The Lord President signified to the House, That the Eight Lords appointed to report what was delivered by the Commons had agreed to confer their Notes together, and had allowed unto each Lord what Part thereof he should report; for which they were not yet ready.

And it was Agreed, That this Report shall be made on Saturday next; and that all that was delivered unto them shall be reported to the House; and that it may be done fully and entirely, they may (and they please) read the same out of their Notes thereof. And it was further Agreed, That each Lord is and ought to report all to the House, and not to qualify the same in any Part; and nothing so spoken or delivered to be imputed to the Reporter; and that they might help their Memories with the Gentlemen of the House of Commons who spake at that Conference.

The Lord President also reported an Order for the Four Sons of Sir William Essex, Baronet: videlicet,

Sir W. Essex's Children's Petition.

The Lords Committees for Petitions, having heard Counsel on both Sides, upon the Petition of the Sons of Sir William Essex, Baronet, for certain Annuities granted unto them by the Feoffees of the said Sir William, out of the Upper Broad Leasowes, in Beccot, in the County of Berks, the which Lands the said Sir William Essex did (after the Grants of the said Annuities) sell unto one Roger Glover, in Fee, and canceled, and by his Deed revoked, the said Annuities, upon a Power alledged for the Revocation thereof reserved unto the said Sir William, and in the several Grants of the said Annuities contained; their Lordships think fit, That the Petitioners take their Course in Law or Equity against the said Roger Glover, his Heirs, and Assigns, for Recovery of the said Annuities, if the same were not legally revoked by the said Sir William; and, in respect of the extreme Wants of the Petitioners, their Lordships think fit that One Hundred Pounds be paid equally amongst them out of Four Hundred Pounds left by the said Sir William Essex in the Hands of Henry Elsynge, for his Counter-security of Bonds and Conveyances entered into by the said Henry, for the said Sir William; and that the said Henry Elsynge shall be forthwith and for ever acquitted of the said One Hundred Pounds, and of all Troubles concerning the same. And the said Henry Elsinge to be cleared and freed of all that is contained in the said Petition, concerning the said Annuities."

All which was Ordered accordingly.

Adjourn.

Dominus Custos Magni Sigilli declaravit præsens Parliamentum continuandum esse usque in diem Sabbati proximum, videlicet, 13^m diem instantis Maii, hora nona, Dominis sic decernentibus.