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The Fifth Session of the First Parliament of James I
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 23 February 2010
Abstract
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- Type
- Parliamentary Debates in 1610
- Information
- Camden Old Series , Volume 81: Parliamentary Debates in 1610. Edited, from the notes of a Member of the House of Commons , August 1862 , pp. 126 - 146
- Copyright
- Copyright © Royal Historical Society 1862
References
page 127 note a Member for Minehead.
page 128 note a See Appendix D, for the reasons by which the King was probably moved to change his ground.
page 129 note a Member for Bossiney.
page 129 note b This looks as if the King had demanded that the whole 200,0001. should be raised out of the land. If he did, his speech has not been clearly reported. The same inference may be drawn from Sir T. Beaumont's speech.
page 130 note a Member for Monmouth.
page 131 note a “2” in MS.
page 131 note b “15” in MS.
page 131 note c After this follows in the MS.: “A bill read against preaching, and publishing books against the lawes of the land, sub pend, for the first offence, losse and forfeiture of bene-fice and fellowshipps, and all ecclesiasticall dignities; and (if he be a lay man) the forfeiture of all his lands during his life to the lord of whom they be holden.”
page 132 note a “over” MS. Marginal note, “Motus trepidationis.”
page 133 note a Marginal note, “34;” i. e. 34 and 35 Henry VIII. cap. 59.
page 133 note b Member for Tewkesbury.
page 134 note a Samuel Lewknor, member for Bishop's Castle.
page 136 note a Either this must be a mistake, or the date of Nov. 17, which fell on a Saturday, is wrong.
page 136 note b Eldest brother of Sir Edwin Sandys.
page 136 note c In the State Paper Office, James I. Dom. lviii. 21, is an address of the Speaker to the Commons, endorsed Nov. 17, and either delivered at the end of the debate, or read by him when the House met on the 18th:—
“Whearas it pleased His Majesty to send a declaration to the House by me, the Speaker, concerning the contract for His Majesty's tenures, and many other things contayned in a large memoriall, whereupon this Howse resolved to retourne His Majestie their answer in writing, which was delivered by certayne Committes of this Howse in humble and plaine termes.
“And where it pleased His Majestie since that tyme to let us know that, having compared our answer with the reasons contayned in his declaration, he found no ground whereupon to build any assurance or expectation to receave any suche proportion of helpe from us as he did ever expect before he wold bind himselfe and his posteritie to any absolute bargaine concerning that buisines, wherein he had from the first to the last so constantly professed and declared that nothing could invite him to depart with so many antient flowers of the Crowne without such a contribution as might so farr repayre and establishe his estate, as neyther he nor his posteritie (except in violent causes of warr, and such like) should be driven to press upon his subjects, so as you have no more cause to except against the sinceritie of his playne and royall proceedinge then he hath of yours in respect of your playne and humble declaration, wherein you expressed that you found yourselves unable to satisfie his expectation. Forasmuch as it hath pleased His Majestie to take an occation since that tyme to send for diverse gentlemen (some of them his owne servants, all of them his subjects) with purpose only to conferre with them as private men, wherein he was so far from dealing with them for anything that they had spoken in Parliament, or for any thing he would wish them to speak, as he disclaymed from hearing or speaking anything to them as members of that Howse, having no other end nor purpose in this conference, but onely to make them see how unwilling he would be to suffer any thing to be mistaken that may have passed heretofore upon any occation eyther out of Parlement or in Parlement from him or them (concerning his care of the common good of his loving subjects). The particulars of which conference, and all the circumstances thereof, he leaveth to their owne report. His Majestie hath now bene pleased also to command me to say thus much unto you before his going out of towne, which is that now he doth now require you to take direct knowledge from him that, although he intendeth not to intertayne any further speech about the contract, for the reasons already delivered on both sids, which now he declareth to be at an end, neverthelesse, becawse he can be content you should better understand his inclination, as well concerning matter of impositions as some other things whereof be hath heard many reports by diverse members of that Howse at severall tymes, and upon diverse occations since this session; he doth now require you to forbeare for the present any further speech concerning the supply of him or his estate, until you shall have heard something from him, which shalbe within few dayes. In which respect, he hath commanded me to adjourne the sitting of this howse until Wednesday next, about which tyme it shall well appere unto you that he will be far from seeking to press you any further then you yourselves (all circumstances considered) shall think as fit to offer to your King, as he to require it.
page 138 note a Member for Radnor.
page 138 note b It seems that this proposal had been previously made in the House of Commons, though it is not mentioned in these notes; for, on the 21st, Sir T. Lake, who was with the King at Royston, wrote to the Earls of Salisbury, Northampton, Suffolk, and Worcester (State Paper Office, James I. Dom. lviii. 26), telling them that the had on he preceding evening given to the King a paper concerning “the points of the contract, and wherein this one point of the maryages was contayned at the last.” The King complained of the Parliament, but would give a favourable reply if they would offer support as well as supply.
page 138 note c Sir Jamea Scudamore, member for Herefordshire.
page 139 note a “About fifteen days since, the day before the King went to Roiston, His Majesty called thirty of the Parliament House before him at Whitehall.” (John More to Win wood, Dec. 1, 1610, Winw. Mem. iii. 235.)
page 140 note a Talbot Bowes, member for Richmond.
page 140 note b Sir Carew Raleigh, brother of Sir Walter, and member for Downton.
page 141 note a It is probable that the question of bargaining for the marriage of heirs was discussed in this debate, though it is not noticed in the text. Salisbury wrote to the King at noon and again at midnight. In consequence, on the 23rd James wrote to Salisbury and the three other lords to accept any overture which might be made by the Commons for a conference on the subject, if it seemed likely that they would offer support and supply. (The King to the Lord Treasurer, &c, State Paper Office, Dom. lviii. 30.) If the Commons persisted in “extravagant demands,” or the overture about marriages failed, the King's “resolution is then, you shall put the matter of supply to the question, preparing men as well as you can, and warning his servants and well-willers to be present ai the day. For His Majesty thinketh he can take no more dishonor in denying of it (if it fortune to be denyed, which His Majesty hopes will not be utterly,) then in dissolving the Parlement without moving it at all.” (Lake to Salisbury, Nov. 23, Dom. lviii. 31.)
page 142 note a Anthony Dyott, member for Lichfield.
page 142 note b This figure and the next are “3” and “4” in the MS.
page 143 note a Marginal note, “Rebus sic stantilus.”
page 143 note c A full report of thia speech is printed in the Somers' Tracts, ii. 151, as “A memorable speech in the House of Commons, 1611.” At the commencement, Fuller quoted Salisbury as saying “that he did well perceive that we had a great desire to have effected that great contract, that the King's Majesty had willingly given his assent to the same, and that nevertheless it proceeded not, wherein they could not find the impediment but that God did not bless it.”
page 143 note c Sir Henry Montague.
page 144 note a Property bequeathed by Mrs. Venables to the Puritan ministers who had been for-bidden to preach. The will was not allowed to be carried out.
page 144 note b This speech gave particular offence to the King, who was anxious to punish the speaker, as Queen Elizabeth had punished his “father and many others by commitment.” The Council had great difficulty in persuading him to desist from his intention. (Lake to Salisbury, Dec. 2 and 6. State Paper Office, Dom. lviii. 54 and 62.)
page 145 note a “His Majesty thinketh it fitt that they may remayn in hope to meet again, and not instantly to be dissolved,” so that “if any hope remayne with your Lordship of obtayning supply it may be putt to a tryall at the next meeting.” (Lake to Salisbury, Nov. 24, State Paper Office, Dom. lviii. 32.)
On the following day Lake writes that the King has received “a copie of the order sett down against the next meeting of the Howse, which His Majesty doth collect into three points; first, to give reasons why they should yeald to no supply; secondly, to examyne the aunsweares to the greivances, and whearin they are not satisfactory; and, thirdly, to consyder what further immunityes and easements are to be demanded for the people. His Majesty doth also perceave both by my Lord of Montgomery, and by Sir Roger Ashton, that you could wish that His Majesty and your Lordships might have a meeting to consult of his affaires in Parlement.
“To both these His Majesty willeth this, to be written; that he maketh no doubt but that the cause of your late advise to adjorn the Howse was for that you foresaw they would doe worse on Saterday then they had done on Friday. And how you are now assured that when they meet again on Thursday, they will not be in the same mood, His Majesty wold be glad to know; for he assureth him selfe that if Your Lordships thought the Howse wold follow the same humor you wold not advise their meeting. His Highness wisheth Your Lordship to calle to mynde that he hath now had patience with this assembly these seven yeares, and from them receaved more disgraces, censures, and ignomonies, then ever Prince did endure. He followed Your Lordship's advises in having patience, hoping for better issue. He cannot have asinine patience, he is not made of that mettall. For his part he is resolved, though now at their next meeting they wold give him supply, were it never so large, and sauce it with such taunts and disgraces as have been uttered of him and those that appertain to him (which by consequence redound to himselfe), nay, though it were another kingdome, he will not accept it.”
He will not meet them, as the only object to be gained by seeing them no longer exists. The only thing to be considered is how to dissolve the Parliament “with fairest shew.” He wishes to have a particular account of what took place on Friday; as some of the speeches were either treasonable, or “at least so scandalous (as His Majesty is informed), that he thinketh he shall have just ground to call the speakers to an account for them.” (Lake to Salisbury, Nov. 25, State Paper Office, Dom. Iviii. 35.)