July 1778

DIE Martis, 14^o Julii 1778.

Domini præsentes fuerunt:

PRAYERS.

L. Thurlow introduced as Chancellor:

The Lord Viscount Weymouth signified to the House, That His Majesty had been pleased to create Edward Thurlow Esquire, Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, a Baron of Great Britain, by the Stile and Title of Baron Thurlow of Ashfield, in the County of Suffolk.

Whereupon, his Lordship taking in his Hand the Purse with the Great Seal, retired to the lower End of the House, and having there put on his Robes, was introduced between the Lord Osborne and the Lord Amherst, also in their Robes; the Yeoman Usher of the Black Rod, Clarencieux King at Arms (who in the Absence of Garter officiated upon this Occasion) in his Coat of Arms, carrying his Lordship's Patent, (which he delivered to him at the Steps before the Throne), and the Earl of Clarendon, (who officiated in this Ceremony in the Absence of the Lord Great Chamberlain of England) preceding. His Lordship (after Three Obeysances) laid down his Letters Patent upon the Chair of State, and from thence took and delivered them to the Clerk, who read the same at the Table; the said Letters Patent bearing Date the 3d Day of June, in the Eighteenth Year of the Reign of His present Majesty.

His Lordship's Writ of Summons was also read as follows:

George the Third, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, France and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, and so forth; To our Right Trusty and Well-beloved Counsellor Edward Thurlow of Ashfield, Chevalier, Greeting: Whereas, by reason of certain arduous and urgent Affairs concerning Us, the State and Defence of Our Kingdom of Great Britain and the Church, We did lately, with the Advice and Consent of Our Council, ordain Our present Parliament to be holden at Our City of Westminster, on the Twenty-ninth Day of November, in the Fifteenth Year of our Reign, which Parliament hath been from that Time, by several Adjournments and Prorogations, adjourned, prorogued and continued to and until the Fourteenth Day of this Instant July, at Our City aforesaid, to be then there held; We strictly enjoining, command you, under the Faith and Allegiance by which you are bound to Us, that considering the Difficulty of the said Affairs, and Dangers impending, all Excuses being laid aside, you be personally present at the said Day and Place with Us, and with the Prelates, Nobles and Peers of our said Kingdom, to treat of the aforesaid Affairs, and to give your Advice; and this you may in no wise omit, as you tender Us and our Honour, and the Safety and Defence of the said Kingdom and Church, and the Dispatch of the said Affairs.

Witness Ourself, at Westminster, the Sixth Day of July, in the Eighteenth Year of Our Reign.

"Yorke".

Takes the Oaths:

Then his Lordship came to the Table and took the Oaths, and made and subscribed the Declaration, and also took and subscribed the Oath of Abjuration, pursuant to the Statutes; and was afterwards placed on the lower End of the Barons Bench, and from thence went to the upper End of the Earls Bench, and sat there as Lord Chancellor; and then his Lordship returned to the Woolsack.

Pedigree delivered.

Clarencieux King at Arms delivered in at the Table his Lordship's Pedigree, pursuant to the Standing Order.

The Lord Chancellor acquainted the House, "That His Majesty had been pleased to issue a Commission under the Great Seal, for the further Prorogation of the Parliament."

Then Three of the Lords Commissioners, being in their Robes, and seated on a Form placed between the Throne and the Woolsack, the Lord Chancellor in the Middle, with the Duke of Chandos on his Right Hand, and the Duke of Montagu on his Left; commanded the Yeoman Usher of the Black Rod to let the Commons know, "The Lords Commissioners desire their immediate Attendance in this House, to hear the Commission read."

Who being come,

The Commission was read by the Clerk, as follows:
(videlicet,)

Commission for proroguing the Parliament.

GEORGE R.

George the Third, by the Grace of God of Great Britain, France and Ireland, King, Desender of the Faith, and so forth; To Our Most Dear Brothers and faithful Counsellors, William Duke of Gloucester, Henry Duke of Cumberland; the Most Reverend Father in God, and Our faithful Counsellor Frederick Archbishop of Canterbury, Primate and Metropolitan of all England; Our Well-beloved and faithful Counsellor Edward Lord Thurlow, Our Chancellor of Great Britain; the Most Reverend Father in God, and Our faithful Counsellor William Archbishop of York, Primate and Metropolitan of England; Our Most dear Cousins and Counsellors Granville Earl Gower, President of our Council; William Earl of Dartmouth, Keeper of Our Privy Seal; Edward Duke of Somerset, Charles Duke of Richmond, Augustus Henry Duke of Grafton, Harry Duke of Bolton, Thomas Duke of Leeds, George Duke of Marlborough, John Duke of Rutland, Peregrine Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven, Great Chamberlain of England; William Henry Duke of Portland, James Duke of Chandos, Henry Duke of Newcastle, Hugh Duke of Northumberland, George Duke of Montagu, Charles Marquis of Rockingham, William Earl Talbot, Steward of our Household; Francis Seymour Earl of Hertford, Chamberlain of our Household; Francis Earl of Huntingdon, Henry Earl of Suffolk and Berkshire, One of Our Principal Secretaries of State; Basil Earl of Denbigh, John Earl of Sandwich, Frederick Earl of Carlisle, Robert Earl of Holdernesse, Richard Earl of Scarbrough, William Henry Earl of Rochford, George Bussy Earl of Jersey, Thomas Earl of Kinnoul, John Earl of Breadalbane, Hugh Earl of Marchmont, John Earl of Bute, George Earl of Pomfret, John Earl of Ashburnham, John Earl of Buckinghamshire, Richard Earl Temple, Charles Earl Cornwallis, Philip Earl of Hardwicke, Henry Earl Bathurst, Wills Earl of Hillsborough, Thomas Earl of Ailesbury, Thomas Earl of Clarendon, William Earl of Mansfield, Our Chief Justice assigned to hold Pleas before Us; George Viscount Townshend, Thomas Viscount Weymouth, One other of Our Principal Secretaries of State; David Viscount Stormont, Hugh Viscount Falmouth, the Right Reverend Father in God and Our faithful Counsellor Robert Lord Bishop of London, and Our Well-beloved and faithful Counsellors Francis Lord Le Despencer, Francis Lord Osborne, George Lord Onslow, George Lord Edgcumbe, William Lord Ponsonby, Thomas Lord Lyttelton, William Lord Wycombe, Thomas Lord Grantham, Thomas Lord Pelham, Charles Lord Camden, Edward Lord Hawke, and Jeffery Lord Amherst, Greeting: Whereas, We did lately, for divers difficult and pressing Affairs concerning Us, the State and Defence of Our Kingdom of Great Britain, and the Church, ordain this Our present Parliament to begin, and to be held at Our City of Westminster the Twenty-ninth Day of November, in the Fifteenth Year of Our Reign, on which Day Our said Parliament was begun and held, and from thence by several Adjournments and Prorogations, was adjourned and prorogued to and until Tuesday the Fourteenth Day of this instant July, then to be held, and sit at our City of Westminster aforesaid: Know ye nevertheless, that for certain pressing Causes and Considerations Us especially moving, We have thought sit further to prorogue Our said Parliament; therefore, We, considing very much in your Fidelity, Prudence and Circumspection, have, by the Advice and Consent of Our Council, assigned you Our Commissioners, giving to you, or to any Three or more of you, by virtue of these Presents, full Power and Authority, from the said Fourteenth Day of this instant July, in Our Name, further to prorogue and continue Our present Parliament at our City of Westminster aforesaid, until and unto Tuesday the First Day of September, now next following, there then to be held and sit: And therefore We command you, that you diligently attend to the Premises, and effectually fulfil them in the Manner aforesaid: We also strictly command all and singular Our Archbishops, Dukes, Marquisses, Earls, Viscounts, Bishops, Barons, Knights, Citizens, Burgesses and Commissioners, for Our Counties and Boroughs, and all others whom it concerns, to meet at Our said Parliament, by virtue of these Presents, that they observe, obey, and assist you in executing the Premises as they ought to do. In Witness whereof We have caused these Our Letters to be made Patent.

Witness Ourself, at Westminster, the Tenth Day of July, in the Eighteenth Year of our Reign.

"By the King Himself, signed with His own Hand.

"Yorke."

Then the Lord Chancellor said,

Parliament prorogued.

My Lords, and Gentlemen,

By virtue of His Majesty's Commission under the Great Seal, to us and other Lords directed, and now read, we do, in His Majesty's Name, and in Obedience to His Commands, prorogue this Parliament to Tuesday the First Day of September next, to be then here holden; and this Parliament is accordingly prorogued to Tuesday the First Day of September next.