House of Lords Journal Volume 34: October 1776

Die Martis, 15^o Octobris 1776.

Domini prsentes fuerunt:

The Lord Chancellor acquainted the House, That His Majesty had been pleased to grant a Commission under the Great Seal, for the further Prorogation of the Parliament.

Then Three of the Lords Commissioners, being in their Robes, and seated on a Form placed between the Throne and the Woolsack, the Lord Chancellor in the Middle, with the Archbishop of Canterbury on his Right Hand, and the Lord Viscount Weymouth on his Left, commanded the Yeoman Usher of the Black Rod to let the Commons know, The Lords Commissioners desire their immediate Attendance in this House, to hear the Commission read.

Who being come,

The Commission was read by the Clerk, as follows:

Commission for Proroguing the Parliament.

GEORGE R.
George the Third, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, and so forth; To Our most dear Brothers and faithful Counsellors, William Duke of Gloucester, Henry Duke of Cumberland; the Most Reverend Father in God, and Our faithful Counsellor Frederick Archbishop of Canterbury, Primate and Metropolitan of all England; Our most dear Cousin and Counsellor Henry Earl Bathurst, Our Chancellor of Great Britain; the Most Reverend Father in God, and Our faithful Counsellor Robert Archbishop of York, Primate and Metropolitan of England; Our most dear Cousins and Counsellors, Granville Earl Gower, President of Our Council; William Earl of Dartmouth, Keeper of Our Privy Seal; Edward Duke of Somerset, Charles Duke of Richmond, Augustus Henry Duke of Grafton, HarryDuke of Bolton, Thomas Duke of Leeds, George Duke of Marlborough, John Duke of Rutland, Peregrine Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven, Great Chamberlain of England; William Henry Duke of Portland, James Duke of Chandos, Henry Duke of Newcastle, Hugh Duke of Northumberland, George Duke of Montagu, Charles Marquis of Rockingham, William Earl Talbot, Steward of Our Household; Francis Seymour Earl of Hertford, Chamberlain of Our Household; Francis Earl of Huntingdon, Henry Earl of Suffolk and Berkshire, One of Our Principal Secretaries of State; Basil Earl of Denbigh, John Earl of Sandwich, Robert Earl of Holdernesse, Richard Earl of Scarbrough, William Henry Earl of Rochford, George Bussy Earl of Jersey, Thomas Earl of Kinnoul, John Earl of Breadalbane, Hugh Earl of Marchmont, John Earl of Bute, George Earl of Pomfret, John Earl of Ashburnham, John Earl of Buckinghamshire, Richard Earl Temple, Simon Earl Harcourt, Charles Earl Cornwallis, Philip Earl of Hardwicke, Stephen Earl of Ilchester, William Earl of Chatham, Wills Hill Earl of Hillsborough, Thomas Earl of Ailesbury, Thomas Earl of Clarendon, George Viscount Townshend, Thomas Viscount Weymouth, One other of Our Principal Secretaries of State; David Viscount Stormont, Hugh Viscount Falmouth; the Right Reverend Father in God, and Our faithful Counsellor Richard Lord Bishop of London; and Our Well-beloved and faithful Counsellors, Francis Lord Le Despencer, George Lord Edgecumbe, William Lord Ponsonby, William Lord Mansfield, Our Chief Justice assigned to hold Pleas before Us; Thomas Lord Lyttelton, William Lord Wycombe, Thomas Lord Grantham, Thomas Lord Pelham, Charles Lord Camden, Edward Lord Hawke, George Lord Cranky, and Jeffery Lord Amherst, Greeting: Whereas, We did lately, for divers difficult and pressing Affairs concerning Us, the State and Defence of Our Kingdom of Great Britain, and the Church, ordain this Our present Parliament to begin, and to be held at Our City of Westminster the Twenty-ninth Day of November, in the Fifteenth Year of Our Reign, on which Day Our Said Parliament was begun and held, and from thence, by several Adjournments and Prorogations, was adjourned and prorogued to and until Tuesday the Fifteenth Day of October next, then to be held, and fit at Our City of Westminster aforesaid: Know ye nevertheless, that for certain pressing Causes and Considerations Us especially moving, We have thought fit further to prorogue Our Said Parliament; therefore We, confiding very much in your Fidelity, Prudence, and Circumspection, have, by the Advice and Consent of Our Council, assigned you Our Commissioners, giving to you, or to any Three or more of you, by virtue of these Presents, full Power and Authority, from the Said Fifteenth Day of October next, in Our Name, further to prorogue and continue Our present Parliament at Our City of Westminster aforesaid, until and unto Thursday the Thirty-first Day of the Said Month of October now next following, there then to be held and fit: And therefore We command you that you diligently attend to the Premises, and effectually fulfil them in the Manner aforesaid: We also strictly command all and singular Our Archbishops, Dukes, Marquisses, Earls, Viscounts, Bishops, Barons, Knights, Citizens, Burgesses, and Commissioners for Our Counties and Boroughs, and all others whom it concerns, to meet at Our Said Parliament, by virtue of these Presents, that they observe, obey, and assist you in executing the Premises as they ought to do. In Witness whereof We have caused these Our Letters to be made Patent.
Witness Ourself, at Westminster, the Twentieth Day of September, in the Sixteenth Year of Our Reign.
By the King Himself, signed with His own Hand.
Yorke.

Then the Lord Chancellor said,

Parliament prorogued.

My Lords, and Gentlemen,
By virtue of His Majestys Commission under the Great Seal, to us and other Lords directed, and now read, we do, in His Majestys Name, and in Obedience to His Commands, prorogue this Parliament to Thursday the 31st Day of this instant October, to be then here holden; and this Parliament is accordingly prorogued to Thursday the 31st Day of this instant October,

Die Veneris, 8^o Decembris 1797.

Hitherto examined by us,

F. Bristol.

Napier.

Walsingham.