House of Lords Journal Volume 11: 17 May 1664

DIE Martis, 17 die Maii.

Domini tam Spirituales quam Temporales præsentes fuerunt:

REX.

PRAYERS.

Message from H. C. for a Conference on the Bill against Conventicles.

A Message was brought from the House of Commons, by the Lord Cornbury and others:

To desire a Free Conference, touching the Matter of the last Conference.

The Answer returned was:

Answer.

That this House will give a present Free Conference, in the Painted Chamber, as is desired.

The same Lords who managed the Conference Yesterday are appointed to report this Free Conference.

The House was adjourned during Pleasure, and the Lords went to the Free Conference with the House of Commons; which being ended, the House was resumed.

Report of the Conference.

Then the Earl of Anglesey reported the Effect of the Free Conference; and said, "That the House of Commons had considered of the Proviso delivered to them Yesterday concerning Quakers, to supply that which was missing. They have read it, and allowed of it to be a true Engrossment of the same; and they have perfected it with those Papers which they have, and have fixed the same in their right Places; and so have passed the whole Proviso, nemine contradicente."

Bill against seditious Conventicles.

Then this House read those Alterations which the House of Commons have inserted out of their Papers, and do approve of them to be the same as were before; and agree to the said Proviso as now it is; and orders, That it be added and made Part of the Bill to prevent and suppress seditious Conventicles, nemine contradicente.

King present.

The King sitting in His Royal Throne, adorned with His Regal Ornaments and Robes, the Lords being likewise in their Robes, sitting uncovered, His Majesty commanded the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod to let the House of Commons know, "That it was His Pleasure that House should presently attend His Majesty, with their Speaker."

Who being come, and after a low Obeisance made, he made this following Speech:

Speaker of H. C. Speech.

"May it please Your Most Excellent Majesty,

"At the Opening this Session, Your Majesty was pleased to recommend several Things to the Care of Your Two Houses of Parliament; the which we have deliberately considered, and unanimously presented our humble Advice thereupon."

"The First Thing we took into Consideration was, the Act made in the Sixteenth Year of the late King of Glorious Memory, for Triennial Parliaments: When we had given it a Reading, we found it derogatory to the essential Prerogative of the Crown, of calling, holding, and dissolving, Parliaments; we found it unpracticable, and only useful to learn the People how to rebel: Therefore we melted it down, extracted the pure Metal from counterfeit and drossy Alloys, and then presented it to Your Majesty, to be new stamped, and made current Coin, for the Use of the Nation. We do return our most humble Thanks to Your Majesty, that You were pleased to accept our Advice, and to pass our Bill; but more especially for those gracious Expressions Your Majesty was pleased to use at that Solemnity, whereby we are assured, not only of Your Personal Affection to Parliaments, but of Your Judgement also, that the Happiness of the Crown consists in the Frequency of Parliaments."

"In the next Place, we reviewed the Act for Chimney-money, which we intended a great Branch of Your Majesty's Revenue, although by some Mistakes it is fallen short: And, in Hopes Your Majesty may improve that Receipt, we have prepared a Bill for the collecting that Duty by such Officers as Your Majesty and Your Successors shall from Time to Time think fit to appoint."

"Whilst we were intent upon these weighty Affairs, we were often interrupted by Petitions, and Letters, and Motions, representing the unsettled Condition of some Countries, by reason of Fanatics, Sectaries, and Non-conformists. They differ in their Shapes and Species, and accordingly are more or less dangerous: But in this they all agree; they are no Friends to the established Government either in Church or State; and if the old Rule hold true, Qui Ecclesia contradicit non est pacificus, we have great Reason to prevent their Growth, and to punish their Practice. To this Purpose, we have prepared a Bill against their frequenting of Conventicles, the Seed-plots and Nurseries of their Opinions, under Pretence of Religious Worship. The First Offence we have made punishable only with a small Fine of Five Pounds, or Three Months Imprisonment, and Ten Pounds for a Peer. The Second Offence with Ten Pounds, or Six Months Imprisonment, and Twenty Pounds for a Peer. But for the Third Offence, after a Trial by a Jury at the General Quarter Sessions or Assizes, and the Trial of a Peer by his Peers, the Party convicted shall be transported to some of Your Majesty's Foreign Plantations, unless he redeem himself by laying down One Hundred Pounds: Immedicabile Vulnus Ense rescindendum, ne Pars sincera trabatur."

"We have had much Thought how to improve the Industry of the Nation, and prevent that Idleness and Licentiousness which too fast grows upon us, especially by excessive and disorderly Gaming. Men are not contented to sport away their precious Time, and play away their ready Money; but to lose or pawn their Houses and Lands, their Manors, and their Honours also. For the Prevention of the Growth of this Disease, we have prepared a Bill, to make all Securities for Money won at Play, whether Real or Personal, to be void."

"We have examined also the Reasons of the Decay of Trade. In the First Place, we found our Merchants are undermined by Fraud and Practice, and sometimes beaten out, in the East and West Indies, in Turkey, and in Affrica, by our Neighbours the Dutch, who, besides the unsufferable Indignities offered to Your Royal Majesty, have in a few Years spoiled Your Subjects to the Value of Seven or Eight Hundred Thousand Pounds; for Remedy whereof, we have made our humble Address to Your Majesty, and received a Gracious Answer; and have no Cause to fear but a short Time will produce a just and honourable Satisfaction."

"The next Obstruction to our Trade hath been, a base and dangerous Practice of some Seamen, who are willing to be robbed by Pirates, that they may share in the Prize. We have therefore prepared a Bill for the Punishment of such treacherous Actions, and for the just Reward of those honest Seamen that shall preserve their Owners Goods, and manfully maintain the Honour of our English Nation."

"Some other Discoveries we have made, which may be the Subject Matter of future Bills; but, in respect of Your Majesty's Intimation of a short Session, we were not willing to attempt more than we could reasonably dispatch."

And now, Great Sir, give me Leave with Joy to remember that unparalleled Unanimity that hath this Session attended our Counsels. Our Constancy and Resolution hath been tried beyond the Precedent of former Parliaments, or any other Session of this Parliament.

The Heathens were wont to observe, and envy the Christians, for their Unity and Love of one another: Ecce ut invicem se diligunt Christiani! And may this happy Correspondence between Your Royal Majesty and Your Two Houses of Parliament increase, and grow to be the Envy of the World, till all Your Majesty's Enemies are forced to cry, Ecce ut invicem se diligunt Anglicani!"

This Speech being ended, the Clerk of the Crown read the Titles of these Acts following; videlicet,

Bills passed.

"An Act to prevent the Disturbances of Seamen and others; and to preserve the Stores belonging to His Majesty's Navy Royal."

"An Act for collecting the Duty arising by Hearthmoney by Officers to be appointed by His Majesty."

"An Act to prevent the Delivering up of Merchants Ships."

"An Act for Continuance of a former Act for regulating the Press."

"An Act against deceitful, disorderly, and excessive Gaming."

"An Act to prevent and suppress seditious Conventicles."

To these Public Bills the Clerk of the Parliaments pronounced the Royal Assent in these Words,

"Le Roy le veult."

"An Act for vacating certain Conveyances, made by Sir John Pakington Baronet, to Christopher Henne and others."

"An Act for the Sale of the Manor of Ingoldsby, and divers Lands in Ingoldsby, in the County of Lyncolne, for raising Portions for the Two Daughters and Coheirs of Sir William Armin the Younger, Baronet, deceased."

"An Act for the Sale of certain Lands, for Payment of the Debts of Sir Sackvile Glemham."

"An Act to enable Trustees for Sir William Keyte to sell Lands, for the Payment of Debts."

"An Act for Confirmation of the Enclosure and Improvement of Malverne Chace."

"An Act for settling the Charitable Gift of Abraham Colfe Clerk, for erecting and endowing Two Freeschools, and an Alms-house, at Lewisham, in Kent."

"An Act for naturalizing of Dame Katherine Sayer and others."

"An Act to enable Francis Cottington, or Charles Cottington, to settle and dispose of Lands in Jointure, for any Wife or Wives they shall take in Marriage."

"An Act to enable Charles Cotton Esquire to make Leases of Lands, for Payment of Debts."

"An Act for the making of the Church erected at Falmouth a Parish Church, and no Part of the Parish of Gluvias, or Chapelry of St. Budock."

To which Private Bills the Royal Assent was pronounced severally in these Words.

"Soit fait come il est desiré."

After this, His Majesty made the Speech following:

King's Speech.

"My Lords and Gentlemen,

"I did desire and conjure you, at the Opening of this Session, that you would keep a very good Correspondence together, that it might not be in the Power of any seditious or factious Spirits to make you jealous of each other, or either of you jealous of Me; and I desired you to be ready for a Session within Two Months or thereabouts."

"I must confess to you, you have complied very fully with Me, for which I can never thank you enough: You have performed those good Respects towards Me, and kept so very good Correspondence towards each other, that you have exceedingly disappointed those ill Men, who both at Home and Abroad had raised great Hopes and Expectation of new Troubles and Confusions; you have gratified Me in all I desired, and are now ready for a Session within the Time proposed. This Harmony will (with GOD's Blessing) make us all esteemed Abroad, and secure at Home; and these Obligations cannot but make Me think the Time long till we meet again. The Season of the Year and your own Affairs will invite you into the Country; and your Presence there is of great Importance to My Service, and to the Public Peace. You will watch those unquiet Spirits, which are still lurking and ready to embrace all Opportunities to involve the Nation in new Distractions, under what specious Pretences soever; and you will carefully inform the People, how much it is in their own Power to be as happy as they can wish to be: Indeed, if they are truly sensible of their present Happiness, it will quickly be improved. I will add no more, but that I thank you all and every one of you; and if GOD bless us till November, we will meet here again: I name November to you, because, if nothing extraordinary fall out, I resolve not to meet till then: But, because somewhat extraordinary may fall out, you shall be at present prorogued but till August; and before that Day you shall have seasonable Notice, by Proclamation, not to give your Attendance, except there be Occasion; and then November will be the Time. And accordingly I have commanded the Chancellor to prorogue you."

Then the Lord Chancellor declared, "That the King doth prorogue this Parliament until the Twentieth Day of August next. And accordingly this Parliament is prorogued until the Twentieth Day of August next, 1664."

Hitherto examined by us,
Dorset.
J. Bridgewater.
Bolingbrooke.
Ja. Say & (fn. 1) Sale.
Chandos.