House of Lords Journal Volume 20: 17 January 1717

Anno 3 Georgii Regis.

DIE Jovis, 17 Januarii.

Domini tam Spirituales quam Temporales præsentes fuerunt:

PRAYERS.

The Lord Chancellor acquainted the House, "That there was another Commission issued under the Great Seal of Great Britain, for the further proroguing of this Parliament."

The House was adjourned during Pleasure.

The House was resumed.

Then Five of the Lords Commissioners (in their Robes), being seated on a Form placed between the Throne and the Woolsack; the Lord Chancellor in the Middle, and the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury and Duke of Roxburgh on his Right Hand; and the Lord Steward and Lord Parker on his Left; commanded the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod to signify to the Commons, "That the Commissioners desire their Attendance in this House, to hear the Commission read."

Who being come, with their Speaker; the Commission was read, by the Clerk, as follows:

Commission for proroguing the Parliament.

GEORGIUS P. C. R.

Georgius, Dei Gratia, Magnæ Britanniæ, Franciæ, & Hib'niæ Rex, Fidei Defensor, &c. Reverendissimo in Christo Patri & Fideli Consiliario Nostro Will'o Archiepiscopo Cantuar. totius Angl. Primati & Metropolitano, Prædilecto & Fideli Consiliario Nostro Will'o Domino Cowper Cancellario Nostro Magnæ Britanniæ, Charissimis Consanguineis & Consiliariis Nostris Will'o Duci Devon. Præsidenti Concilii Nostri, Evelyn Duci Kingston Custodi Privati Sigilli Nostri, Hen'co Duci Kent Senescallo Hospitii Nostri, Carolo Duci Bolton Camerario Hospitii Nostri, Joh'i Duci Marlborough Capitaneo Generali Copiarum Nostrarum, Joh'i Duci Roxburgh Uni Primariorum Secretariorum Nostrorum, Carolo Comiti Sunderland, Carolo Comiti Carlisle, Ed'r'o Comiti Orford, & Prædilecto & Fideli Consilario Nostro Tho. Domino Parker Capitali Justiciario Nostro ad Placita coram Nobis tenend. assign. Salutem. Cum nuper, pro quibusdam arduis & urgentibus Negotiis, Nos, Statum & Defensionem Regni Nostri Magnæ Britanniæ & Ecclesiæ concernentibus, præsens hoc Parliamentum Nostrum, apud Civitatem Nostram Westmonaster. Decimo Septimo Die Martii, Anno Regni Nostri Primo, inchoari & teneri ordinaverimus; quo Die idem Parliamentum Nostrum inchoatum & tentum fuerat; & abinde, per separalia Adjournamenta, usque ad & in Vicesimum Sextum Diem Junii, Anno Regni Nostri Secundo, adjournatum & continuatum fuerat; & abinde, per separales Prorogationes, ad & in Diem Jovis, Decimum Septimum Diem instantis Januarii, prorogatum fuerat, apud Civitatem Nostram Westm prædictam, ibidem tunc tenendum & prosequendum: Sciatis tamen, quod, certis urgentibus Causis & Considerationibus Nos specialiter moventibus, idem Parliamentum Nostrum ulterius prorogandum duximus. De Fidelitate igitur, Prudentia, & Circumspectionibus vestris plurimum confidentes, de Avisamento & Assensu Concilii Nostri, assignavimus vos Commissionarios Nostros; dantes vobis, & aliquibus Tribus vel pluribus vestrum, Tenore Præsentium, plenam Potestatem & Auctoritatem, prædicto Die Jovis, ad præsens Parliamentum Nostrum, Nomine Nostro, usque ad & in Diem Jovis, Vicesimum Quartum Diem hujus instantis Januarii, apud prædictam Civitatem Nostram Westm. prorogandum & continuandum, ibidemque tunc tenendum & prosequendum; & ideo vobis mandamus, quod circa Præmissa diligenter intendatis, ac ea in Forma prædicta effectualiter expleatis. Damus autem universis & singulis Archiepiscopis, Ducibus, Marchionibus, Comitibus, Vicecomitibus, Episcopis, Baronibus, Militibus, Civibus, Burgensibus, & Commissionariis pro Comitatibus & Burgis, ac omnibus aliis quorum interest ad dictum Parliamentum Nostrum conventuris, Tenore Præsentium, firmiter in Mandatis, quod vobis, in Præmissis faciendis, agendis, & exequendis, pareant, obediant, & intendant, prout decet. In cujus Rei Testimonium, has Literas Nostras fieri fecimus Patentes.

"Teste Georgio Principe Walliæ, &c. Custode Regni Magn. Britann. & Locum Nostrum Tenente in eodem Regno, apud Westmonaster. Decimo Sexto Die Januarii, Anno Regni Nostri Tertio.

"Per Georgium Principem Walliæ, &c. Custodem Regni Magn. Britann. & Locum-tenentem Regis in eodem Regno, propria Manu signat."

"Wrighte.

Then the Lord Chancellor said,

Parliament prorogued.

"My Lords, and Gentlemen,

"By virtue of His Majesty's Commission now read, to us and others directed, we do, in His Majesty's Name, and by virtue of His Royal Authority, prorogue this present Parliament to Thursday the Twentyfourth Day of this Instant January, to be then here held: And this Parliament is accordingly prorogued to Thursday the Twenty-fourth Day of this Instant January."