House of Commons Journal Volume 9: 6 May 1678

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

This free content was digitised by double rekeying. All rights reserved.

'House of Commons Journal Volume 9: 6 May 1678', in Journal of the House of Commons: Volume 9, 1667-1687, (London, 1802) pp. 476-477. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/commons-jrnl/vol9/pp476-477 [accessed 25 March 2024]

Image
Image

In this section

Lunæ, 6 die Maii, 1678.

Prayers.

Illness of Mr. Speaker.

THE House being met, and Sir Robert Sawyer, the present Speaker, being indisposed in his Health; and having last Night sent a Letter to the Clerk of the House to be communicated to the House: Which Letter, being read by the Clerk of the House, is as followeth; viz.

Mr. Goldesbrough,

MY long Sitting the Two last Days, especially Yesterday, hath so disabled me to attend my Service in the Chair of the honourable House of Commons, that I cannot longer attend it, without apparent Hazard of shortening my Life. I find myself already under great Pain, and reduced to great Weakness of Body; from whence I apprehend severe Fits of the Stone. I have endeavoured this Day, by Physick, to prevent them, to the end I might be able to come to the House To-morrow; but my Pain and Weakness rather increase upon me this Evening: So that there will be a Necessity for me to enter into a Course of Physick; and I know it will be some Time before I can possibly be restored to a competent Measure of Strength to attend that Service. No Person should be readier to serve the House than myself, would the Constitution of my Body give me Leave: But it is too apparent it will not; and therefore I do humbly beg of the honourable Members of that House, that they would not only excuse me for my Non Attendance To-morrow, but discharge me from that Duty they have commanded me to; and that they would please to pitch upon some Person in my room, more fit for that Employment. I do assure you, that in case it should please God in a few Days to restore me to Strength enough to return to that Chair; yet I am assured that, without an extraordinary Providence, I should in a few Days after impair it by that Service. Pray present my humble Service, with this my humble and hearty Excuse, to the honourable Members of the House of Commons; and you will oblige,

Lincoln's Inn Fields,
May 5, 78.

Your Friend and Servant,
Robert Sawyer.

Mr. Seymour chosen Speaker.

After the Reading of which Letter, Mr. Secretary Williamson did also acquaint the House, That His Majesty had also received Intimation from Sir Robert Sawyer, the present Speaker, to the same Effect, with his Letter to the House, of his present Indisposition and Disability to attend the Chair: And to the end the publick Affairs may receive no Delay, His Majesty did give Leave to the House to chuse another Speaker. And it having pleased God to restore Mr. Edward Seymour, the former Speaker, to his Health again; and he being present in the House; Mr. Secretary Williamson did thereupon propose him to the House, as the fittest Person, both for his Ability, and long Experience for that Service: Of which the House was so sensible and satisfied, that Mr. Edward Seymour was unanimously called upon to the Chair: And being conducted thither by Mr. Secretary Williamson, and Sir Robert Carr, Chancellor of the Duchy; and, after some Pause, made a gratulatory Speech to the House, for their Favour and Respect to him; and that, if His Majesty should think fit to approve of their Choice, he would return to their Service, and discharge it with the best of his Ability and Integrity.

Mr. Speaker approved by the King.

A Message was delivered from his Majesty, by Sir Edward Carteret, Usher of the Black Rod;

Gentlemen of the House of Commons,

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

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

And his Majesty having approved and allowed of Mr. Speaker; the House, with Mr. Speaker, returned; the Mace being carried before him.

And Mr. Speaker having taken the Chair;

Answer to Vote respecting Alliances.

Mr. Secretary Williamson acquaints the House, That the Persons, appointed to attend his Majesty with the Votes of this House, on Saturday last, did Yesterday Morning wait upon his Majesty, and presented the said Votes to his Majesty; and did desire his Majesty's Excuse, that they were not presented to Him in the usual Form: And that his Majesty's Answer was, That He would consider of it, and return an Answer: And that he had accordingly received an Answer from his Majesty, this Morning, in Writing, under His own Hand: Which he delivered in to Mr. Speaker: And the same was by Mr. Speaker read to the House; and is as followeth, viz.

Charles R

HIS Majesty having been acquainted with the Votes of this House, of the Fourth Instant, was very much surprised, both with the Matter and Form of them: But if His Majesty had had Exception to neither, yet His Majesty, having asked the Advice of Both Houses, does not think fit to give any Answer to any thing of that Nature, till he hath a concurrent Advice from both Houses. Given at the Court at Whitehall, the Sixth Day of May, 1678.

Privilege.

Sir Tho. Meers reports from the Committee of Privileges and Elections, to whom the Matter of the Complaint of Breach of Privilege committed against Mr. Joseph Mainard, a Member of this House, was referred to examine, That the Committee had taken the same into Consideration; and had ordered him to make this Report:

That one John Skelton says, A Footman of my Lord Mulgrave's having his Livery on, justled Mr. Mainard, as he was going along; and Two or Three of them fell upon Mr. Maynard's Servant, he coming to assist his Master: And he saw Mr. Mainard himself down on the Ground; and one of the Footmen held him by the Hair, whose Hand the Examinant loosened out of his Hair: And says, One John Wilkinson, formerly Servant to the Duke of Buckingham, beat Mr. Mainard, whilst the other held him by the Hair.

Mr. Gray and Mr. Broxholme say, That my Lord Mulgrave told them, That he had discharged his Servants from his Service, and did no longer own them as his Servants.

Lord Castleton says, That my Lord Duke of Buckingham told him, that Wilkinson was none of his Servant, he having discharged him before.

The House having taken the said Report into Consideration;

Ordered, That John Wilkinson be sent for in Custody of the Serjeant at Arms attending this House, for his Breach of Privilege, committed against Mr. Joseph Mainard, a Member of this House, in assaulting and beating him and his Servant: And that the other Persons likewise be sent for in Custody, so soon as their Names can be known.

Radnor Election.

Sir Thomas Meeres reports from the Committee of Elections and Privileges, touching the Election for the County of Radnor, That Mr. Samuell Powell, by his Letters and Friends, desired his Petition and Claim might be dismissed: That Sir Thomas Littleton, at the Desire of Mr. Samuell Powell, withdrew the said Mr. Samuell Powell's Petition, by the Permission and Consent of the Committee: And that the Committee came to this Resolution thereupon:

Resolved, That the Petition and Claim of Mr. Samuell Powell, to be elected for the County of Radnor, and the whole Cause and Question of Return and Election, be totally dismissed.

And that the said Committee were of Opinion, that Richard Williams Esquire be reported well elected to serve in this present Parliament, as Knight of the Shire for the County of Radnor.

Resolved, That this House doth agree with the Committee, That the Petition and Claim of Mr. Samuell Powell, to be elected for the County of Radnor, and the whole Cause and Question of Return and Election, be totally dismissed: And that Richard Williams Esquire is well elected to serve in this present Parliament as Knight of the Shire for the County of Radnor.

Westbury Election.

Sir Thomas Meeres reports from the Committee of Privileges and Elections, That the Committee had taken the Matter of the Return for Westbury into their Examination; and that, upon Perusal of the Return, and Consideration thereof, the Committee did come to a Resolution thereupon: Which he read in his Place; and afterwards delivered the same in at the Clerk's Table: Where the same was again read; and is as followeth; viz.

Resolved, &c. That the present Return of Henry Bertie Esquire, as Burgess for the Borough of Westbury in the County of Wilts, is a good Return.

The House being informed, That the said Return was procured by the Practices, and the Threats and Menaces, of one Mr. Christian, to the Under Sheriff of the County of Wilts; and that the same was not examined at the Committee;

And a Motion being made, That the same may be heard at the Bar of the House;

Resolved, &c. That the further Examination of the Matter, concerning the Return for the Borough of Westbury in the County of Wilts, be heard at the Bar of this House, on this Day Sevennight: And that the High Sheriff and Under Sheriff for the said County of Wilts, and the Mayor of the Borough of Westbury, and Mr. Edward Christian, do then attend the House: And that the Clerk of the Crown do then likewise attend, with the Return.

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