House of Commons Journal Volume 1: 24 January 1581

Martis, 24o Januarii, 1580

Alien's Children.

1. The Bill, that Children of Aliens, not being Denizens, and born in England, should not be accounted English. - The first Reading.

Counterfeit Seals.

1. The Bill against Instruments, under the counterfeit Seal of Offices, &c. - The first Reading.

Actions.

1. The Bill, that Actions upon the Case shall be brought in proper Counties. The first Reading.

Queen's Displeasure concerning Publick Fast.

Mr. Speaker declareth himself, for his own Part, to be very sorry for the Error that happened here, in this House, upon Saturday last, in resolving to have a Publick Fast; and sheweth her Majesty's great Misliking of the Proceeding of this House therein; declaring to fall out in such Sort, as he before did fear it would do; and, advising the House to a Submission in that Behalf, further moved them to bestow their Time and Endeavour hereafter, (during this Session) in Matters proper and pertinent for this House to deal in; and to omit all superfluous and unnecessary Motions and Arguments, with all due Regard and Consideration to the Orders of the House.

Mr. Vicechamberlain, declaring a Message from her Majesty, to this whole House, by her Highness' Commandment, sheweth unto them her great Admiration of the Rashness of this House, in committing such an apparent Contempt against her Majesty's express Commandment, very lately before delivered unto the whole

House, by the Lord Chancellor, in her Highness' Name, as to attempt, and put in Execution, such an Innovation, as the same Fast, without her Majesty's Privity and Pleasure first known; blaming first the whole House, and then Mr. Speaker; and declaring her Majesty's Protestation, for Allowing of Fasting and Prayer, with the Use and Exercise thereof, in her own Person; but, reproving the undutiful Proceedings of this House, as against the Duty of Subjects, did nevertheless very eloquently, and amply, setting forth her Majesty's most honourable and good Acceptation of the Zeal, Duty and Fidelity of this whole House, towards Religion, the Safety of her Highness' Person, and the State of this Commonwealth (in respect whereof, her Majesty hath so long continued this Parliament without Dissolution); declareth further, to the great Joy and Comfort of this whole House, that her Majesty nevertheless, of her inestimable and princely good Love and Disposition, and of her Highness's most gracious Clemency, construeth the said Offence and Contempt, to be a rash, unadvised, and inconsiderate Error of this House; proceeding of Zeal, and not of the wilful or malicious Intent of this House, or of any Member of the same; imputing the Cause thereof, partly to her own Lenity towards a Brother of that Man, which now made this Motion; who in the last Session was, by this House, for just Causes, reprehended and committed; but by her Majesty graciously pardoned and restored again: And, after many excellent Discourses and Dilatations of her Highness' most honourable and loving Care for the Advancement of Religion, and the State, wherein she had before signified her Prohibition to this House, by the Lord Chancellor, sheweth, that her Highness hath already deeply consulted upon those Matters, in all due and needful Respects; and prepared fit and apt Courses to digest them, meet and ready to be delivered unto this House, from her Highness, by such Direction as her Majesty thinketh most convenient: And so, persuading this House to employ the Time about the necessary Service of the Queen's Majesty, and of the Commonwealth, with due and grave Regard to the antient Orders of this House, concludeth, that he thinketh it very meet, that this whole House, or some One of the House, by Warrant of the House, in the Name of the whole House, do make most humble Submission unto her Majesty, acknowleging the said Offence and Contempt; and, in most humble and dutiful wise, to pray Remission of the same at her Highness' Hands; with full Purpose hereafter to forbear Committing of the like Offence.

Submission and Petition to the Queen.

Mr. Comptroller, Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Seckforde Master of the Requests, and others, acknowleging the rash and unadvised Error and Contempt of this whole House, in the said Proceeding touching the said Fast, do for their own Parts humbly submit themselves therein to her Majesty's Clemency, praying to be remitted; and do wish and exhort the whole House to do the same; some of them advising also, that Mr. Vicechamberlain, who brought the said Message from her Majesty to this House, might likewise carry and tender the humble Submission and Request of this House unto her Majesty: Whereupon it is, upon the Question, resolved, with whole Consent, that Mr. Vicechamberlain, who delivered unto this House the said Message from her Majesty, do also tender unto her Highness, the most humble Submission of this whole House; with their like most humble Suit unto her Majesty, to remit and pardon their said Error and Contempt.