House of Commons Journal Volume 9: 15 December 1680

Journal of the House of Commons: Volume 9, 1667-1687. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1802.

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'House of Commons Journal Volume 9: 15 December 1680', in Journal of the House of Commons: Volume 9, 1667-1687, (London, 1802) pp. 679-680. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/commons-jrnl/vol9/pp679-680 [accessed 25 March 2024]

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In this section

Mercurii, 15 die Decembris, 1680.

Privilege- a person discharged.

Ordered, That Samuel Gibbs, late Mayor of the Borough of Westbury in the County of Wilts, in Custody of the Serjeant at Arms attending this House, be brought to the Bar; and do receive the Censure of the House, upon his Knees; and be then discharged, paying his Fees.

Which was done accordingly.

A person to be brought up.

Ordered, That Mr. Sherridon be brought forthwith to the Bar of this House.

Leave of Absence.

Ordered, That Sir Thomas Exton, a Member of this House, have Leave to repair into the Country.

Privilege- a person discharged.

A Petition of George Bell, in Custody of the Serjeant at Arms attending this House, was read.

Ordered, That the said George Bell be brought to the Bar; and do receive the Censure of the House, upon his Knees, from Mr. Speaker; and be then discharged, paying his Fees.

Which was accordingly done.

Bankrupts.

A Bill for supplying the Laws made against Bank rupts, was read the First time.

Message to attend the King.

A Message from his Majesty, by Sir Edward Cartarett, Usher of the Black Rod;

Mr. Speaker,

The King commands this honourable House to attend Him immediately in the House of Peers.

And accordingly Mr. Speaker, with the House, went up to attend his Majesty.

The House being returned;

The King's Speech reported.

Mr. Speaker acquainted the House, with the Effect of his Majesty's Speech: And that, his Majesty making use of a Paper, Mr. Speaker, to prevent Mistakes, had sent to desire a Copy of the same.

And Mr. Speaker receiving a Copy thereof; the same was, by Mr. Speaker, read to the House: And is as followeth;

My Lords and Gentlemen,

AT the Opening of this Parliament, I did acquaint you with the Alliances I had made with Spaine and Holland, as the best Measures that could be taken for the Safety of England, and the Repose of Christendome.

But I told you withal, That, if our Friendship became unsafe to trust to, it would not be wondered at, if our Neighbours should begin to take new Resolutions; and, perhaps, such as might be fatal to us.

I must now tell you, That our Allies cannot but see how little has been done since this Meeting, to encourage their Dependence upon us: And I find by them, That, unless we can be so united at home, as to make our Alliance valuable to them, it will not be possible to hinder them from seeking some other Refuge, and making such new Friendships, as will not be consistent with Our Safety. Consider, That a Neglect of this Opportunity is never to be repaired.

I do likewise lay the Matter plainly before you, touching the Estate and Condition of Tangier: I must now tell you again, That, if that Place be thought worth the Keeping, you must take such Consideration of it, that it may be speedily supplied; it being impossible for Me to preserve it at an Expence far above My Power.

I did promise you the fullest Satisfaction your Hearts could wish, for the Security of the Protestant Religion; and to concur with you in any Remedies which might consist with preserving the Succession of the Crown in its due and legal Course of Descent.

I do again, with the same Reservations, renew the same Promises to you: And, being thus ready, on My Part, to do all that can reasonably be expected from Me, I should be glad to know from you, as soon as may be, how far I shall be assisted by you; and what it is you desire from Me.

Sir R. Peyton censured and discharged.

Ordered, That Sir Robert Peyton, being in Custody of the Serjeant at Arms attending this House, be brought to the Bar; and do receive the Censure of this House, upon his Knees, from Mr. Speaker: And that he be then discharged from further Confinement, paying his Fees.

Which was accordingly done.

The King's Speech to be considered.

Resolved, That this House will, on Saturday Morning next, take into Consideration his Majesty's Gracious Speech this Day made to both Houses of Parliament.

A person examined.

Mr. Sherridon, being called in, gave the House an Account touching the libellous Paper found in his Lodging.

Security against Popery.

The House then, according to their Order, resolved into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of Ways and Means to secure this Kingdom against Popery and Arbitrary Power.

Mr. Speaker left the Chair.

Mr. Powle took the Chair of the Committee.

Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair.

Mr. Powle acquaints the House, That the Committee, receiving Intimation, That there was a Message waiting at the Door from the Lords, had ordered him to leave the Chair: And moved from the said Committee, That the House would be pleased, as soon as such Message should be received, to resolve again into a Committee of the whole House.

Protestant Dissenters.

A Message from the Lords, by Sir John Hoskins and Sir Adam Oakely;

Mr. Speaker, The Lords have commanded us to acquaint this House, that they have agreed to the Bill sent from this House, intituled, An Act for the Repeal of a Statute made in the Thirty-fifth Year of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth, with some Amendments; to which they desire the Concurrence of this House.

Security against Popery.

The House again resolved itself into a Committee of the whole House.

Mr. Speaker left the Chair.

Mr. Powle took the Chair of the Committee.

Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair.

Mr. Powle reports from the Committee of the whole House, That the Committee, having taken the Matters to them referred into Consideration, had agreed upon certain Resolves: Which he read in his Place; and afterwards delivered them in at the Clerk's Table: Where the same being read, are as follows; viz.

Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That One Means for the Suppressing Popery is, That the House be moved, That a Bill be brought in, to banish immediately all the considerable Papists out of the King's Dominions.

Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That, as long as the Papists have any Hopes of the Duke of York's succeeding the King in the Kingdoms of England and Ireland, and the Dominions thereunto belonging, the King's Person, the Protestant Religion, and the Lives, Liberties, and Properties of all his Majesty's Protestant Subjects, are in apparent Danger of being destroyed.

Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That the House be moved, That a Bill be brought in, for an Association of all his Majesty's Protestant Subjects, for the Safety of his Majesty's Person, the Defence of the Protestant Religion, and the Preservation of his Majesty's Protestant Subjects, against all Invasions and Oppositions whatsoever; and for the preventing the Duke of Yorke, or any Papist, from succeeding to the Crown.

The First of the said Resolves being read a Second time to the House;

And a Motion being made, for the adding the Words "of England," after the Word "Papists" in the said Resolve;

Which being agreed to by the House; and the same being inserted at the Clerk's Table;

Resolved, Nemine contradicente That this House doth agree with the Committee, That One Means for the Suppressing Popery is, That a Bill be brought in, to banish immediately all the considerable Papists of England out of the King's Dominions.

The Second of the said Resolves being read a Second time;

Resolved, Nemine contradicente, That this House doth agree with the Committee, That, so long as the Papists have any Hopes of the Duke of York's succeeding the King in the Kingdoms of England and Ireland, and the Dominions thereunto belonging, the King's Person, the Protestant Religion, and the Lives, Liberties, and Properties of all his Majesty's Protestant Subjects, are in apparent Danger of being destroyed.

The Third of the said Resolves being read a Second time;

Resolved, Nemine contradicente, That this House doth agree with the Committee, That a Bill be brought in, fro an Association of all his Majesty's Protestant Subjects, for the Safety of his Majesty's Person, the Defence of the Protestant Religion, and the Preservation of his Majesty's Protestant Subjects, against all Invasions and Oppositions whatsoever; and for preventing the Duke of Yorke, or any Papist, from succeeding to the Crown.

Ordered, That a Committee be appointed to prepare and bring in a Bill, pursuant to the First of the said Resolves.

And it is referred to Sir William Jones, Sir Francis Winnington, Mr. Powle, Mr. Hamden, and Sir John Hotham, or any Two of them, to draw up the said Bill.

Mr. Powle moving the House, from the Committee of the whole House, That the House would be pleased again to resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, To-morrow Morning at Ten of the Clock;

Resolved, That this House will, To-morrow Morning at Ten of the Clock, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, further to consider of Ways and Means to secure the Kingdom against Popery and Arbitrary Power.

Middlesex Writ.

Ordered, That Mr. Speaker do issue out his Warrant to the Clerk of the Crown, to make out a new Writ for the Election of a Knight to serve in this present Parliament for the County of Middlesex, in the room of Sir Robert Peyton, expelled this House.

Committees.

Ordered, That all Committees that were to sit this Afternoon be adjourned.

And then the House adjourned to Eight of the Clock To-morrow Morning,