DIE Sabbati, 24 die Januarii.
REX.
Domini tam Spirituales quam Temporales præsentes
fuerunt:
| His Royal Highness the Duke of York. |
Arch. Eborac.
Epus. London.
Epus. Winton.
Epus. Hereford.
Epus. Sarum.
Epus. Rochester.
Epus. Landaff.
Epus. Exon.
Epus. Oxon.
Epus. Bristoll.
Epus. Gloucester.
Epus. Bath & Wells.
Epus. Bangor. |
Dux Cumberland.
Ds. Finch, Ds. Custos Magni Sigilli.
Ds. Thesaurarius Angl.
Dux Bucks.
Dux Monmouth.
Marq. de Worcester.
Comes de Lyndsey, Magnus Camerarius Angl.
Comes de Brecknock, Senescallus Hospitii Domini Regis.
Comes St. Albani, Camerarius Hospitii Domini Regis.
Comes Kent.
Comes Bedford.
Comes Suffolk.
Comes Dorset.
Comes Sarum.
Comes Bridgwater.
Comes North'ton.
Comes Denbigh.
Comes Bristoll.
Comes Clare.
Comes Bollingbrooke.
Comes Westmerland.
Comes Manchester.
Comes Berks.
Comes Mulgrave.
Comes Petriburg.
Comes Dover.
Comes Carnarvon.
Comes Chesterfield.
Comes Scarsdale.
Comes Cardigan.
Comes Bath.
Comes Carlile.
Comes Craven.
Comes Aylisbury.
Comes Burlington.
Comes Arlington.
Comes Shaftsbury.
Vicecomes Hereford.
Vicecomes Conway.
Vicecomes Stafford.
Vicecomes Fauconberg.
Vicecomes Mordant.
Vicecomes Hallyfax. |
Ds. Awdley.
Ds. Berkley de Berk.
Ds. Fitzwalter.
Ds. Stourton.
Ds. Windsor.
Ds. Eure.
Ds. Paget.
Ds. Petre.
Ds. Lovelace.
Ds. Pawlet.
Ds. Maynard.
Ds. Howard de Esc.
Ds. Mohun.
Ds. Herbert de Cher.
Ds. Newport.
Ds. Byron.
Ds. Vaughan.
Ds. Widdrington.
Ds. Gerard de Brand.
Ds. Wotton.
Ds. Crofts.
Ds. Berkley de Strat.
Ds. Holles.
Ds. Delamer.
Ds. Townsend.
Ds. Fretchvile.
Ds. Arundell de Trer.
Ds. Butler de M. Park.
Ds. Duras.
Ds. Butler de Weston.
Ds. Grey de Rolleston. |
PRAYERS.
King present.
This Day His Majesty sitting in His Royal Throne,
adorned with His Regal Ornaments, the Lords being
also in their Robes; the Gentleman Usher of the Black
Rod had Directions to signify to the House of Commons His Majesty's Pleasure, "That they come up
presently to attend Him."
The Commons being come, with their Speaker; His
Majesty made this following Speech:
King's Speech.
"My Lords and Gentlemen,
"At the Beginning of this Session, I told you, as I
thought I had Reason to do, that The States Generall
had not yet made Me any Proposals which could be
imagined with Intent to conclude, but only to amuse.
"To avoid this Imputation, they have now sent
Me a Letter by the Spanish Ambassador, offering
Me some Terms of Peace, upon Conditions formally
drawn up, and in a more decent Stile than before.
It is upon this that I desire your speedy Advice; for,
if you shall find the Terms such as may be embraced, your Advice will have great Weight with Me;
and if you find them defective, I hope you will give
Me your Advice and Assistance how to get better
Terms. Upon the whole Matter, I doubt not but
you will have a Care of My Honour, and the Honour
and Safety of the Nation, which are now so deeply
concerned."
Then His Majesty withdrew, to unrobe Himself;
and the House was adjourned during Pleasure, that so
the Lords might put off their Robes.
The House being resumed;
The Earl of Arlington signified, "That he was commanded by His Majesty to deliver to their Lordships
the Translation of a Letter, and other Papers, which
His Majesty received from The States Generall, by
the Hand of the Spanish Ambassador."
Which the Lords commanded to be read, as followerh:
Proposals by The States General, for a Peace, by Letter to the King.
"SIR,
"Having observed that Your Majesty, in Your
Speech You made lately to the Parliament (which
was printed by Your Majesty's Order), seems still
to doubt the Sincerity of our Intentions, and accuses
us to have made Your Majesty Overtures of a Peace
only to gain Time, and without desiring to come to
any Confusion thereupon; we find ourselves obliged
to repeat to Your Majesty the Offers which our
Plenipotentiaries at Cologne have, we suppose, made
in our Name to those of Your Majesty; and to
send You a Project of a Treaty, which we are ready
to sign, without any further Conferences, or longer
deferring the Conclusion of a Peace, which we have
always so earnestly desired.
"And that Your Majesty may the better comprehend how far You have Reason to be satisfied with
our Proposals which we make, and with how much
Reason we promise ourselves a happy Issue upon
them, we beseech Your Majesty to consider in the
First Place, that the Renewal of the Treaty of
Breda, which we offer, is the most solid Foundation
of a firm and durable Friendship, as we have already
shewn in our Letter of the 9/19; of December; and
that, upon the same Consideration, we add to it the
Marine Treaty concluded at The Hague in the Year
1668.
"But, seeing the 19th Article of the said Treaty of
Breda has been indifferently interpreted, and that Your
Majesty (against what we have always judged) has
pretended, that, by virtue of this Article, our whole
Fleets, as well as single Ships, were obliged to strike
their Flags and their Topsails, upon meeting of the
least Man of War of Your Majesty's; we have
thought, that we cannot give Your Majesty any
greater Testimony of the Respect we have for Your
Royal Person, and of our earnest Desires to obtain
anew the Honour of Your Good-will, than by yielding to Your Majesty in The Brittish Seas what You
have demanded from us in that Particular, and by
regulating the Ceremony of the Flag according to
the Project Your Majesty's Plenipotentiaries sent us
themselves from the French Camp at a Time when
our Commonwealth was reduced to the greatest
Streights.
"The Second Article, by which we agree to the
Nomination of Commissioners within Three Months
after the Conclusion of the Peace, for a Regulation
of the Trade in the Indies and other Places, is also
according to the abovementioned Project which was
sent us from the French Camp, and to the Proposal
made to us by the Mediators at Cologne the 19th of
July last, with the Knowledge of Your Majesty's Plenipotentiaries.
"For what concerns Surinam, we have made an Article of it only for Your Majesty's Satisfaction in
particular; being (without any new Obligation), as
we have hitherto been, and shall always be, most
ready to give the English Inhabitants at Surinam
Leave to transport themselves elsewhere, whenever
they desire it.
"The Fourth Article, though in reciprocal Terms,
manifests sufficiently to what Degree we desire to
meet Your Majesty's Affection; seeing we offer Your
Majesty the Restitution of so considerable an Acquisition as The New Netherlands, without hoping for
any Thing in Exchange.
"And the last Article, by which we confirm what
the most Serene King of Spaine's Ambassador hath
offered to Your Majesty in Pursuance of the Treaty
between Spain and us in August last, is a clear Proof
that our Desires of advancing the Peace are above
all other Considerations; seeing we have agreed to
give so considerable a Sum, when we cannot be accused with Justice of the least Contravention against
the Treaties between Your Majesty and us.
"And, to let Your Majesty see how far we are persuaded of our Innocence in this respect, we declare
hereby again to Your Majesty, as we have already
done in our abovementioned Letter, That we are
ready to enter into an Examination before Your Majesty about all the Infractions we are accused of;
with a solemn Promise to make Reparation for all
the Wrongs and Injuries Your Majesty or Your
Subjects may have received, unknown to us, from
us or our Officers, from the Treaty of Breda till
the Beginning of this War; offering further the
Guarantee of our Allies for the Performance of this
Promise, and consenting that it may be inserted into
the Treaty, to make it more authentic.
"The abovementioned Five Articles contain in the
most clear and best Manner all what Your Majesty
has demanded in Your Answer to the Marquis Del
Fresnos Memorial, excepting what concerns the
Fishery; upon which we are obliged to tell Your
Majesty, that we cannot believe, that after all the
Advances which we have made to give Your Majesty
all possible Satisfaction, and after the Offer we make
of so honourable a Peace, and so advantageous to
Your Majesty and Your Kingdoms, You would stop
the Conclusion thereof upon a Motive or Consideration of this Kind, and oblige us to grant what Your
Majesty's Predecessors have never stipulated in any
Treaty which has been concluded between Them and
our Commonwealth, and of which Your Majesty
Yourself has not made the least Mention, neither in
the Treaty of 1662, nor that of 1667; and seeing
also that Article was never any Part of Your Majesty's Complaints, that it has nothing relating to the
War Your Majesty has declared against us, and that
lastly we only desire in this Particular what our
Inhabitants have without Interruption enjoyed for
some Ages, and without the arising of any Difference
upon this Account, which did alter the Friendship and
good Correspondence between the Two Nations.
"The Matter being thus, nothing remains but the
perfecting a Work already so advanced; and whether
Your Majesty desires the Thing may be done at London or Cologne, the whole Negotiation, if Your Majesty pleases, will only consist in putting the Project
we send Your Majesty into the Form of a Treaty;
hoping that Your Majesty will not suffer the Quiet
of Your People, and the Good of Your Kingdoms,
to depend upon particular Interests of the Crown of
France, which continues entirely to stop the Conferences at Cologne, by refusing to give Passports to
the Duke of Lorraine's Ministers, and to receive him
into the Negotiation of the Peace (in which he must
necessarily be admitted, in virtue of the Treaties concluded between His Imperial Majesty, the Most Serene King of Spain, and us), without other Aim but
of engaging Your Majesty further and further in this
sad War, so destructive to all Europe, the continuing
whereof may have so ill Consequences. And as the
Offers we here make Your Majesty are real and sincere, we are ready to execute them bona Fide, if Your
Majesty be pleased to conclude a Treaty of Peace
with us, without Dependence upon Foreign Interests,
which can only make this Negotiation ineffectual.
"We have many Things to add, in Answer to the
Complaints without Ground made by the Lord Keeper
of us in his Speech, and to the unjust Interpretations
he makes of our Conduct: But, as we are willing to
believe and flatter ourselves with the Hopes that
what we offer here to Your Majesty will give You an
entire Satisfaction, and put an End to our unhappy
Differences; we believe it better to forget and pass
over whatever there might be of Animosities and
Sharpness, than longer to keep open Wounds we
desire to heal.
"In the mean while, in Expectation of Your Majesty's Answer, we pray to God, &c.
"Hague, January 24th, 1674."
Articles for it.
Then was read the Paper of Articles following:
"That the Treaty of Breda be confirmed, and renewed; and the Marine Treaty, made at The Hague,
in the Year 1668.
"Article 1st. It is also agreed, That the Ships and
Vessels belonging to The United Provinces, as well
Men of War and Ships of Defence as others,
whether they be single or in Fleets, which shall happen to meet the King of Great Brittain's Men of
War in The British Seas, whether they also be single
or more in Number, provided they carry the King's
Flag, shall strike their Flag, and lower their Topsail;
and the said States of The United Provinces shall order
all the Commanders of their Ships and Fleets fully
and bona Fide to comply with this Article.
"Article 2d. And to the End that the Security of
the mutual Friendship between the said King and the
said States Generall, their Subjects and Inhabitants,
may be the more sincerely observed, and that all
Occasions of future Difference and Contentions may
be taken away, it is also agreed, That certain convenient Laws concerning Trade and Commerce be
established, which may reduce the Navigation and
Commerce of both Parties, in The Indies and other
Places out of Europe, to an exact and reciprocal Rule,
and limit the same within certain Laws to be perpetually observed: And because this Matter seems of
too great Difficulty to be out of Hand perfected,
both Parties consent it shall be deferred to a more
opportune Occasion; and that Commissioners be
nominated within the Space of Three Months after
the Conclusion of this Peace, without further Delay,
who shall meet at London, and agree upon some Certainty, as well concerning the Designing and Circumscribing within a certain Bound the Kinds of Merchandizes, as concerning Laws of Navigation and
Commerce, and define the same with new and mutual
Articles of Convention; but upon Condition, that
this whole Matter shall be transacted in an amicable
Way and Manner.
"Article 3d. And that this Peace, Friendship, and
Consederation, may be established upon a firm and
unshaken Foundation, and that from this Day all
Occasions of new Differences and Disputes may be
taken away, it is further agreed, That whereas
the Colony of Surinam has been acquired by the
said States Generall, by Right of War, upon certain
Articles agreed upon between Captain Abraham
Quirini and William Biam, March 6th, in the Year
1667; and that, by the 5th Article of the same, it
is agreed, "That in case any of the Inhabitants of the
said Colony should desire, then or afterwards, to remove
from the said Colony elsewhere, they should have
Liberty freely to sell their Estates and Goods; and
that the Governor in such case should take Care to
provide a Conveniency of Transportation for them
and their Goods, at a moderate Rate;" and also, by
the Nineteenth Article of the said Agreement, "That
the Governor Quirini should give Letters of safe
Conduct and Passports to such who should have a
Mind to go away, and that they might carry their
Slaves with them; provided still that they should be
obliged to depart and sail together with our People:"
And whereas the said King of England judges and
believes that the said Articles have not been well
observed, and that divers English Inhabitants remain
there, who still desire to leave the Place with their
Goods in Pursuance of the said Articles; the said
States Generall do, by these Presents promise, That
they will most sincerely and bona Fide take Care that
the said Articles, and what was agreed upon at the
Congress held afterwards at London concerning the
Execution of them, and the Orders from the said
States Generall in Pursuance thereof, be speedily
executed, and complied with; and that also the Space
of Three Months shall be allowed to the said Inhabitants, for the selling of their Estates, according
to a moderate Rate, (fn. *) whither they will; and that
they shall be permitted to carry away their Slaves
with them.
"Article 4th. It is also agreed and concluded, That
if either Party shall, during this War, have taken,
or possessed themselves of, any Countries, Islands,
Towns, Forts, Colonies, or other Places, belonging
to the other Party, all and every of the same, without any Distinction of Place or Time, shall be immediately and bona Fide restored, in the same Condition they shall happen to be in when Notice
shall come of the Conclusion of this Peace to those
Places.
"Article 5th. And to the End that all Occasions
and Causes of new Questions, Pretensions, and
Actions, may be quite rooted out, of what Sort soever
they be, or by what Name or Pretext soever claimed,
and that the Foundations they seem to stand upon
may be wholly destroyed and removed, the said
States Generall promise to pay to His Majesty Eight
Hundred Thousand Patacoons; which Sum the said
States Generall of The United Netherlands have for
certain Reasons promised to pay, by a Treaty made
in the Year 1673 between the King of Spain and
them the said States, and which the Ambassador of
the said King hath offered, in their Name, to the
King of Great Brittain; the said Sum to be paid
at certain Days, as followeth; videlicet, a Fourth
Part thereof as soon as the Ratifications shall be exhibited; and the rest, the Three ensuing Years, by
equal Portions."
Then the Earl of Arlington acquainted the House
with the Steps how this Treaty had been proceeded
in.
Thanks to the King.
ORDERED, by the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in
Parliament assembled, That this House do wait on His
Majesty, to give Him most humble Thanks, for His
most Gracious Speech made this Day, and communicating to them the Letter of The States Generall of The
United Provinces, and their Proposals to His Majesty for
a Peace.
Letter and Proposals of Peace to be considered.
ORDERED, That the Consideration of the Letter and
Proposals sent by The States Generall of The United Provinces to His Majesty, for a Peace, shall be taken up,
by a Committee of the whole House, on Monday Morning next, at Ten of the Clock; and no other Business
to intervene.
King's Pleasure when He will be attended.
ORDERED, by the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in
Parliament assembled, That the Lord High Treasurer of
England, the Lord Great Chamberlain, the Lord Steward,
and the Lord Chamberlain of His Majesty's Household,
the Lord Maynard, and Lord Newport, do wait on His
Majesty this Afternoon, to know what Time His Majesty
will please to appoint for this House to present their
humble Thanks to His Majesty, for His most Gracious
Speech made in this House this Day, and communicating
the Letter and Articles of The States Generall for a
Peace.
House upon Consideration of the King's Speech, at the Opening of the Session.
The House took into Consideration His Majesty's
Speech, made 7° Januarii; which was read.
And upon Consideration of that Particular of securing the Protestant Religion, ORDERED, That it be referred to the Consideration of a Committee of the whole
House, to prepare and digest into a Bill, or Bills, these
Heads following:
"1. That the Children of the Royal Family may
be educated in the Protestant Religion, as it is
established in the Church of England.
"2. How to secure the Marriages of those of the
Royal Line with Protestants.
"3. The disarming of Romish Recusants.
(fn. *) This 4th Head was revised and altered by the House, the 5th of Feb. and accordingly entered that Day.
"4. That the English Romish Priests, and English
Papists, in the Queen's Family, may be regulated.
"5. How to suppress Atheism and Profaneness."
ORDERED, That the further Debate of this Business
shall be resumed on Thursday Morning next.
Bill to regulate the Trial of Peers.
ORDERED, That the Consideration of the Bill for regulating the Trial of the Peers of England is appointed
to be on Tuesday Morning next, in a Committee of the
whole House.
Ly. O Brian's Claim.
ORDERED, That Wednesday next is appointed for
the Judges to deliver their Opinion concerning the
Claim of the Lady O Brian.
Adjourn.
Dominus Custos Magni Sigilli declaravit præsens Parliamentum continuandum esse usque in diem Lunæ, 26um
instantis Januarii, hora decima Aurora, Dominis sic decernentibus.
Lords take the Oath of Allegiance.
AFTER the Adjournment of this House this Day,
the Lords Temporal whose Names are underwritten did,
in the Presence of the Lord Keeper and a competent
Number of the Lords of His Majesty's Privy Council,
kneeling at the Woolsack whereupon the Lord Keeper
sits, take the Oath of Allegiance provided and mentioned in the Parliament A° 3 Regis Jacobi.
The Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod held the
Bible, and the Deputy to the Clerk of the Parliaments
read the Oath.
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Lord Windsor. |
Lord Wotton. |
Hitherto examined by us,
Dorsett.
J. Bridgewater.
Craven.
Stafford.
Will. Pagett.