Friday, December 27.
The Speaker thus chosen, the Commons went up to the Lords
Bar to present him to his Majesty, where Mr Seymour spoke to
this effect:
"May it please your Majesty, The Knights, Citizens, and Burgesses, in Parliament assembled, in obedience to your Majesty's
command, have made choice of a Speaker, and have unanimously
chosen me: And now I am come hither for your Majesty's Approbation, which if your Majesty please to grant, I shall do them
and you the best service I can."
The Lord Chancellor's Answer:
"Mr Seymour, The approbation which is given by his Majesty to the choice of a Speaker, would not be thought such a favour as it is and ought to be received, if his Majesty were not
at liberty to deny as well as to grant it. It is an essential Prerogative of the King to refuse, as well as approve of, a Speaker.
This is a matter which by mistake may be liable to misinterpretation, as if the King did dislike the persons that chose, or the
person chosen. As to the first, there can be no doubt. They
are old Representatives of his people, whom he hath a desire to
meet; and there can be no doubt of the latter; nor has his Majesty any reason to dislike you, having had great experience of
your ability and service. But the King is the best judge of men
and things. He knows when and where to employ. He thinks
fit to reserve you for other service, and to ease you of this. It is
his Majesty's pleasure to discharge this choice; and accordingly,
by his Majesty's command, I do discharge you of this place you
are chosen for; and in his Majesty's name command the House of
Commons to make another choice, and command them to attend here to-morrow at eleven o'clock (fn. 1) ."
The Commons then came back to their House; where
Sir John Ernly said,] I shall propose a Gentleman of
experience, and without exception, Sir Robert Meres (by
a mistake for Sir Thomas.)
Mr Sacheverell.] I take it to be a great misfortune,
that, after a House had made choice of a Speaker, the
King, by any information, to promote and carry on the
designs of particular persons, should gratify them, rather
than this House in their choice of Seymour, &c. And I
am the rather induced to believe it, because no exceptions
have been made against Seymour in the Chancellor's
Speech. But if it be proved that the King has always
granted, and never denied the choice, I suppose the thing
will be given up. There is but one Precedent of the
King's denial, and that was in the case of Thorp. It is
strange that this House must be made a second. I see
many worthy faces that were not here the last Parliament: And therefore I shall say, it is very hard, there
having, for an hundred years together, never been so much
as one excuse made by a Speaker chosen by the Commons, nor one allowance or disallowance made in Parliament, that it should be so now. It was usually excused by compliment, and this Parliament has complimented itself out of its Right. But I would not lose a
hair's breadth of the King's Right, nor the subjects. They
are enemies to the Nation, that, at this time, throw a bone
betwixt the King and us—After all this danger and distraction we are are in, must this House be made the next
Precedent? I would not take the least Right from the
King. I move, "that the Clerk may put the Question
for adjourning the House till to-morrow," and in the interim the Records may be searched for Precedents in this
matter, and then we may inform the King how much
this manner of proceeding is to his prejudice and yours.
Mr Williams.] This is now a Question of Right. I am
sorry that our time, at the beginning of a Session, should
be thus lost, by the starting this Question. Here is a
worthy person named, Sir Thomas Meres, and we named
and presented to the King a worthy one too. The Commons have been without a Speaker, nor was their having
a Speaker originally from the Crown, but by the Commons—Till Hen. IV's time, not one Precedent of presenting a Speaker, &c. The Chancellor tells us, "That
the King's favour may not turn to his prejudice, &c."
This being put to a Question of Right, we must stand
upon our Right. There is no Reason from the Electors
or the Elected, why he should be rejected; therefore I
adhere to Mr Seymour.
Sir Thomas Clarges.] I desire to inform the House, because there are a great many new Members that were not
of the last Parliament; that we have power of adjourning ourselves by the Clerk—In time of sickness of the
Speaker, it has been done from day to day. Gentlemen,
our lives and liberties are preserved by this House, and
the Privileges of it are inheritable to us. I must inform
you; that Mr Seymour attended the King yesterday, and
he acquainted his Majesty with the unanimous choice of
him to be Speaker, "and that he hoped to have the
King's good liking." The King said, "He liked very
well the choice."—If so, this alteration of the King's
mind must be from evil-disposed people about the King,
who would create discontent between the King and his
people. The King said once, "He would have no favourites but the Commons of England." If you will
not think fit to cause Mr Seymour to declare what the
King said to him, I acquiesce. But I move that you will
adjourn.
Mr Garroway.] I am one that have sat here long, and
have seen great Miscarriages, Prorogations, and Dissolutions. I am not afraid of it now, and I hope no man
else here is afraid of it. I would not give the King offence, but not part with one hair of our Right. If you
will not stand to it here, you will have a great many
things put upon you. I am satisfied that we could not
fix upon a fitter person for Speaker than Mr Seymour; he is
a Privy Counsellor, Treasurer of the Navy, and has done
the King very good service here, which makes me wonder he should not be approved of by the King. I thought
we could not have obliged the King more. The King
said, "He would have no favourite but his people"—And
thus to have your Speaker rejected, what will you think
of it! Pray, Gentlemen, let us sleep upon it, and let the
Clerk put the Question for adjourning till to-morrow.
Sir Thomas Lee.] I see it is the universal opinion to adjourn, &c. therefore I shall say but a little. The last
Parliament, a little before the Prorogation, information
was given the House of the danger of the King's Person,
and the House addressed the King, "To have a care of
his Person, &c." The Answer was, "The King was then
busy, but we should have an account of our Message;"
but for three weeks we heard nothing, and we were prorogued. I take notice only how things grow by degrees.
We came up to this Parliament with great joy, and expectation of doing good, and now we are thus interrupted! This being our condition, and we having Precedents plain in the case for us, I would adjourn till tomorrow, and then make a Representation of the thing to
the King.
Colonel Birch.] I am heartily sorry this has happened.
This is an unlucky stumble at the threshold, before we get
into the House. I came hither with an intention (God
is my witness) to make this "a healing Parliament." I
have always heard here, that it is the undoubted Right of
this House to chuse their Speaker, &c. I have reason to
believe Mr Seymour very proper for the employment, and
that he would be acceptable to his Majesty; but he that
did this with the King may do more. I would adjourn
till to-morrow, and make a Representation of our Right
to the King.
Mr Powle.] This gives me apprehension that there is
some person too near the King, who is afraid of this Parliament. I have observed that, of late, those things of
the greatest moment are done without any Council at all;
done in a corner. As for the Prorogation and the Dissolution of the last Parliament, there was not one word of
the advice of the Privy Council in it. I fear no advice
was asked, but given for supporting the designs of private men. I have ever taken the Record to be, that no
man was ever refused being Speaker when presented to
the King, but for some disability of body; as in Sir John
Popham's case, who desired to be excused from that service by reason of disability of body from wounds he had
received in the wars, 28 Hen. VI. And lately Sir Job
Charlton, not being able to endure the employment, by
reason of disability of body—But nothing of this can be
objected against Mr Seymour. Must any private person
inform the King of his unfitness, &c. without any cause
assigned? I know not what may come of it. Corruption, in the former Parliament, was complained of for
private malice, but I doubt not but Gentlemen come to
this with clear thoughts. I do protest before God, that I
think the greatness of the Nation is under the Privileges
of this House. A people can never heartily support
that Government that does not protect them—A slavish
people can never heartily support the Government.
Those that come after us here, if we are dissolved upon
this point, will speak the same language—I fear not Dissolution. Let us adjourn till to-morrow morning, and
consult our own hearts what is fit to be done.
Then the Clerk put the Question for adjourning, &c.