House of Commons Journal Volume 1: 16 February 1607 (2nd scribe)

Lunae, 16o die Februarii, 1606

Exceptions to a Member's Words;

UPON Friday last Sir Chro. Piggott, One of the Knights for Buckinghamshire, entered into a rude Invective against the Matter of the Union, uttering, amongst other, These Words;

" Let us not join Murderers, Thieves, and the roguish Scotts, with the well-deserving Scotts. -

As much Difference between them, as between a Judge and a Thief. -

He would speak his Conscience, without Flattery of any Creature whatsoever. -

They have not suffered above Two Kings to die in their Beds, these Two Hundreth Years. -

Our King hath hardly escaped them : They have attempted him. -

Now he is come from amongst them, let us free him from such Attempts hereafter."

Noticed by the King.

These, and such other Speeches, were informed to the King; and were very heavily taken, and much stirred in ; specially, because the House had not interrupted his Speech, or committed him, upon it, before the King had taken Knowlege of it.

This Day a Motion was made, by Sir Geo. Moore, touching the sudden and distempered Speech of Sir Chro. Piggott. -

Fresh in Memory. -

Leves curae loquuntur, ingentes stupent, -

To speak reproachfully of a Nation, with whom we are joined in an Union of Language, Subjection ; in a Time of Union in Question ; in a Parliament House : This the Way to disunite. -

Grande exordium inimicitiarum, maledicere. -

Qui amice fert vitia, fert sua.

Moved, that he may be sent for, and heard.

Ordered, That he should be sent for to the House,

The Serjeant goeth with his Mace presently.

A Committee, to consider wherewith to charge him : - Moved by Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Attorney : - Found a maestum silentium. -

It fell within that Case, wherein Salomon said, " Give not an Answer." -

He might have a loyal Affection, because he tendered that One Person, the King. -

Taste the Affection of the House, by One Speaker. -

A Committee, to charge him.

Mr. Solicitor: - The Preacher at Paules his Speeches were taken by a Committee; ergo, in this.

Mr. Martin: - We ought not to speak slanderously of any Particular, much less a Nation. -

That we should censure him of our own Knowlege, and have no Committee ; being so apparent.

Sir Tho. Holcroft: - Because some were not here, they cannot give Consent to charge him : Therefore a Committee.

Sir Wm. Morrice: - Rather believe us all than believe a Committee : Therefore no Committee.

Sir Rob. Wingfield: - That it might be debated in the House, and by that Means to discover.

Mr. Alford: - That he may deliver his Words himself.

Sir Herbert Crofts: - That the Generality of hisDistemper may be pressed against him, and not any particular Accusation; but that the Words may be put in Oblivion.

Sir John Herbert: - It will not give Satisfaction to the King, to the Council, or to the Nation, or any other, to condemn him generally.

Sir Wm. Strowde, e contra.

Sir Fr. Bacon: - Where the Man is taken with the Manor; where it is in the Face of the Court; both Judges and Witnesses. - No Particularity. -

Mr. Speaker to charge him generally.

Sir Francis Hastings remembereth the Precedent of Parry, - No private Committee in his Case. - The Precedent of Throckmorton. - No Precedent for a Committee, of any Words spoken in this House.

Mr. Tate: - We know not whether maliciously, or rashly. - Let him be heard. -

We shall stay. -

In the Common Place : - " Commissus fuit prisonae pro stulto dicto suo" -

"Alia enormia ei intulit." - He must not be punished for it. That, which is nameless, is * - 35 E. III. King's Bench.

Mr. Speaker delivered, what the Judgment should be : That he uttered a Speech, far from Modesty, Discretion, Comeliness ; full of Dishonour, full of Scandal, full of Dishonour to a Nation wherewith we were joined.

Sir Chro. Piggott came to the Bar, and said, he never meant generally to any Nation; but said, that those which had been a Mean to save the King's Life, should be severed from such as were Murderers of his Father.

- The faithful Achates. - That there should be some Probation of them, afore ....

Sir Robert Wingfield, and Mr. Moore : - That he might be sent to the Tower.

Sir Edw. Mountague: - That he might be dismissed his Place in the House; and a new Warrant.

Sir Francis Bacon: - That the first Judgment was pronounced, without Hearing of Adam and Eve. - Wisheth, without other Circumstance, that he may be punished.

Sir John Savill: - That there might be, some Care that he might be freed from other Punishment.

Mr. Martin: - He cannot be punished by any other Means. - Resolutely.

Mr. Hyde, - against his dismissing; because we can go no further in our Punishment; and he excusing himself, to moderate our Judgment.

Sir Edwyn Sandys, Sir Tho. Beamount, - against his dismissing.

Sir Wm. Twysden, Sir Walter Cope, - for the highest Censure.

No Question to be made of it.

Sir Chro. called in ; and Mr. Speaker pronounced, that the House held it not fit to repeat any Particulars, but to proceed according to the Heinousness of the Offence, being as detestable, and as great, as any Speech, ever in this House.

Committed to the Tower.

Jud'm. That he should be carried to the Prison of the Tower, and there remain, during the Pleasure of theHouse.

Dismissed.

That he should be dismissed from the House; and a new Writ issue for a new Choice.

Jointuresses.

1. Reading : - B. To make Jointuresses of an Estate in Tail, apres possibilitie del issue extinct, punishable for Waste.