House of Lords Journal Volume 12: 24 October 1670

DIE Lunæ, 24 die Octobris.

Domini tam Spirituales quam Temporales præsentes fuerunt:

REX.

PRAYERS.

Ld. Howard of Castle Rising introduced.

The Lord Keeper acquainting the House, "That His Majesty hath been pleased to enoble Henry Howard, by granting a Patent under the Great Seal of England, for creating him Baron of Castle-Rysing; and that His Majesty hath also granted him a Writ of Summons to this Parliament:"

His Lordship attending their Lordship's Pleasure in the Lobby, the House directed he should be brought in; and accordingly he was introduced, between the Lord Arlington and the Lord Arundell of Warder, the Lord Great Chamberlain of England conducting them (all in their Robes), Garter King at Arms going before, and carrying the Patent and the Writ: And being come to the Lord Keeper's Woolsack, the said Patent and Writ being laid thereupon, the Lord Keeper delivered them to the Clerk of the Parliaments, who brought them to the Table, and read the Date of the Patent, which bears Date the 27th Day of March, Anno 21° Domini Regis Caroli Secundi; and then read the Writ of Summons, dated the 21 of October, Anno 22° Domini Regis Caroli Secundi; and afterwards his Lordship was seated at the lower End of the Barons Bench.

Ld. Lovelace take his Seat.

The House being informed, "That, upon the Death of John Lord Lovelace, His Majesty hath granted a Writ of Summons to this Parliament to his Son John Lord Lovelace:"

Which Writ being read, dated the 21 Day of October, Anno 22° Domini Regis Caroli Secundi, his Lordship sat in his due Place.

D. of Monmouth introduced.

The Lord Keeper acquainted the House, "That His Majesty hath been pleased formerly to grant a Patent under the Great Seal of England, for creating Sir James Scott Knight, Baron of Tindall, Earl of Doncaster, and Duke of Monmouth; and he hath now received a Writ of Summons to this Parliament."

His Lordship being attending in the Lobby, the House commanded he should be called in; and so he was introduced, in the usual Manner, between the Duke of Bucks and the Duke of Richmond.

And the Date of the Patent was read, which bears Date the Tenth Day of February, Anno 15° Domini Regis Caroli Secundi: And then the Writ of Summons, dated the 21 of October, A° Domini Regis 22° Caroli Secundi.

After this, he was conducted and seated in his right Place.

Bill to explain an Act concerning Falmouth Church.

ORDERED, That the Committee for the Bill concerning the Church at Falmouth do meet on Thursday next, at Three of the Clock in the Afternoon.

Bills of Midd. &c.

ORDERED, That the Committee formerly appointed to consider of the late Proceedings upon Bills of Midd. and Latitats, and Ac etiams, do meet on Thursday next, at Three of the Clock in the Afternoon, and proceed in that Business.

The Kingpresent.

His Majesty being sat in His Royal Throne, arrayed in His Robes (the Lords being likewise in their Robes), commanded the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod to give Notice to the House of Commons, "That they presently attend His Majesty, with their Speaker."

The Commons being come, His Majesty made this short Speech following; videlicet,

King's Speech.

"My Lords and Gentlemen,

"My principal Design being the Good of the Kingdom, and believing that will be best provided for when the Houses are fullest, I thought fit by My Proclamation to summon you all to be here.

"My Lord Keeper will open at large the Particulars I have to recommend to you at this present; and what you do, I would have dispatched before Christmas, that you may then have Leisure to return Home, and that your own domestic Affairs may not suffer by the Care you take of Me and the Public. You have given Me so many great Testimonies of your Zeal and Affection, that it were to do you an Injury to suspect your Want of Kindness at a Time when there is so much Need of it; and if you could possibly make any Question of the Value and Love I have for you, I should think Myself unhappy, since I have nothing more in My Heart than to give Evidences of it to the whole World."

Then the Lord Keeper spake as follows:

Ld. Keeper's Speech.

"My Lords; and you Knights, Citizens, and Burgesses, of the House of Commons;

"When the Two Houses were last adjourned, this Day (as you well know) was prefixed for your Meeting again. The Proclamation (since issued) requiring all your Attendances at the same Time, shews, not only His Majesty's Belief that His Business will thrive best when the Houses are fullest, but the Importance also of the Affairs for which you are so called; and important they are.

"You cannot be ignorant of the great Forces, both for Land and Sea Service, which our Neighbours of France and The Low Countries have raised, and have now in actual Pay; nor of the great Preparations which they continue to make, in levying of Men, building of Ships, filling their Magazines and Stores with immense Quantities of all Sorts of Warlike Provisions.

"Since the Beginning of the last Dutch War, the French have increased the Number and Greatness of their Ships so much, that their Strength by Sea is Thrice as much as it was before; and since the End of it, the Dutch have been very diligent also in augmenting their Fleets.

"In this Conjuncture, whilst our Neighbours arm so potently, even common Prudence requires that His Majesty should make some suitable Preparations, that He may at least keep Pace with His Neighbours (if not outgo them) in the Number and Strength of His Shipping; for, this being an Island, both our Safety and our Trade, our Being and our Well-being, depend upon our Force at Sea.

"His Majesty, therefore, of His Princely Care for the Good of His People, hath given Order for the fitting out of Fifty Sail of His greatest Ships against the Spring (besides those which are to be for Security of our Merchants in The Mediterranean); as foreseeing that, if He should not have a considerable Fleet whilst His Neighbours have such Forces both at Land and Sea, Temptation might be given, even to those who now seem not to intend it, to give us an Affront (at least), if not to do us a Mischief.

"To which may be added, that His Majesty, by the Leagues which He hath made for the common Peace of Christendom and the Good of His Kingdoms, is obliged to a certain Number of Forces, in case of Infraction thereof, as also for the Assistance of some of His Neighbours in case of Invasion: And His Majesty would be in a very ill Condition to perform His Part in the Leagues, if (whilst the Clouds are gathering so thick about us) He should (in Hopes that the Wind would disperse them) omit to provide against the Storm.

"My Lords and Gentlemen,

"Having named the Leagues made by His Majesty, I think it necessary to put you in Mind, that, since the Close of the last War, His Majesty hath made several Leagues, to His own great Honour, and of infinite Advantage to the Nation: One, known by the Name of the Triple Alliance, wherein His Majesty, the Crown of Sweden, and The States of the United Provinces, are engaged to preserve the Treaty at Aix la Chapelle, concerning a Peace between the Two then warring Princes; which League produced that Effect, that it quenched the Fire which was ready to have set all Christendom on a Flame; and (beside other great Benefits by it which she still enjoys) gave Opportunity to transmit those Forces against the Insidels, which would (otherwise) have been embrued in Christian Blood.

"Another, between His Majesty and the said States, for a mutual Assistance, with a certain Number of Men and Ships, in case of Invasion by any others.

"Another, between His Majesty and the Duke of Savoy, establishing a free Trade for His Majesty's Subjects at Villa Franca, a Port of his upon The Mediterranean, and through the Dominions of that Prince, and thereby opening a Passage towards a rich Part of Italy and Part of Germany, which will be of very great Advantage, for the vending of Cloth and other our Home Commodities, and bringing back Silk and other Materials for Manufactures here.

"Another, between His Majesty and the King of Denmark, whereby those Impositions which were lately laid upon our Trade there are taken off, and as great Privileges are granted to our Merchants as ever they had in former Times, or as the Subjects of any other Prince or State do now enjoy.

"And another League upon a Treaty of Commerce with the Crown of Spayne, whereby there is (not only) a Cession, and giving up to His Majesty, of all their Pretensions to Jamaica, and other the Islands and Countries in The West Indies, in the Possession of His Majesty or His Subjects; but withal, free Liberty is given for His Majesty's Subjects to enter their Ports, for Victuals and Water, and Safety of Harbour; and Return, if Storms or other Accidents bring them thither: Privileges which were never before granted by them, either to the English or any others.

"Not to mention the Leagues formerly made with Sweden and Portugall, and the Advantages which we enjoy thereby; nor those Treaties now depending between His Majesty and France, or His Majesty and The States of The United Provinces, touching Commerce, wherein His Majesty will have a singular Regard to the Honour of the Nation, and also to the Trade of it, which was never greater than now it is.

"In a Word, almost all the Princes of Europe do seek His Majesty's Friendship, as acknowledging they cannot secure, much less improve, their present Condition without it.

"His Majesty is confident, that you will not be content to see Him deprived of all the Advantages which He might procure hereby to His own Kingdoms, nay even to all Christendom, in the Repose and Quiet of it; that you will not be content Abroad to see Your Neighbours strengthening themselves in Shipping so much more than they were before, and at Home to see the Government struggling every Year with Difficulties, and not able to keep up our Navies equal with theirs.

"He finds, by His Accompts, that from the Year 1660, to the late War, the ordinary Charge of the Fleet (communibus Annis) came to about Five Hundred Thousand Pounds a Year, and it cannot be supported with less: If that Particular alone takes up so much, add to it the other constant Charges of the Government, and the Revenue (although the Commissioners of the Treasury have managed it with all imaginable Thrift) will in no Degree suffice to take off the Debts due upon Interest, much less give Him a Fund for the setting out this Fleet, which, by Estimate thereof, cannot cost less than Eight Hundred Thousand Pounds.

"His Majesty, in His most Gracious Speech, hath expressed the great Sense He hath of Your Zeal and Affection for Him: And as He will ever retain a grateful Memory of your former Readiness to supply Him in all His Exigencies, so He doth with particular Thanks acknowledge your frank and cheerful Gift of the new Duty upon Wines, at your last Meeting: But the same is like to fall very short in Value of what it was conceived to be worth; and should it have answered Expectation, yet far too short to ease or help Him upon these Occasions.

"And therefore, such a Supply as may enable Him to take off His Debts upon Interest, and set out this Fleet against the next Spring, is that which He desires from you, and recommends it to you as that which concerns the Honour and Support of the Government, and the Welfare and Safety of yourselves and the whole Kingdom.

"My Lords and Gentlemen,

"You may perceive, by what His Majesty hath already said, that He holds it requisite that an End be put to this Meeting before Christmas: It is so, not only in reference to the Preparation for His Fleet, which must be in a Readiness in the Spring, but also to the Season of the Year: It is a Time when you would be willing to be in your Countries, and your Neighbours would be glad to see you there, and partake of your Hospitality and Charity; and you thereby endear yourselves unto them, and keep up that Interest and Power amongst them which is necessary for the Service of your King and Country. And a Recess at that Time (leaving your Business unfinished till your Return) cannot be either convenient for you, or suitable to the Condition of His Majesty's Affairs, which requires your speedy, as well as affectionate, Consideration.

"This is all I have in Command to say at this Time."

His Majesty, after this, withdrew.

Thanks to the King, for His and the Lord Keeper's Speeches.

ORDERED, That the humble Thanks of this House be presented to His Majesty, for His Gracious Speech this Day, and that of the Lord Keeper by His Appointment; and that His Majesty would be pleased to give Order for the printing and publishing of them both. And the Lord Chamberlain of His Majesty's Household is appointed to attend His Majesty for that Purpose.

Order to prevent Stoppages in the Streets leading to the Parliament.

ORDERED, by the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parliament assembled, That the Order of this House, made the 30th Day of October, 1669, (in the last Session of this Parliament) for preventing Stoppages in the Streets of Westminster, be, and is hereby, revived; and that the Lord Chamberlain of His Majesty's Household (as he is High Steward of the City of Westminster) be, and is hereby, desired to take special Care that the said Order be put into due Execution.

Adjourn.

Dominus Custos Magni Sigilli declaravit præsens Parliamentum continuandum esse usque in diem Jovis, videlicet, 27^um diem instantis Octobris, hora decima Aurora, Dominis sic decernentibus.