March 1587
On Thursday the 2d day of March there was
brought from the House of Commons one Bill,
which being for explanation of the Law touching certain ambiguous questions and strifes of
late risen about Fines and Recoveries levied before the Justices of the Common Pleas, where
unto they are parties, was read the first time.
Lect. sunt. The Amendments for the Bill to
avoid fraudulent Assurances made or to be made
in certain Cases by Traitors; & lect. sunt the
Amendments for the Bill of Horse-stealing and
other Felonies.
In the Journal-Book is no entrance or mention of any Amendments by the Committees
thought fit to be added to both or either of the
said Bills, nor of the delivery back of the said
Bills or either of them by the Committees into
the House, which seemeth to have been the Error of the Clerk by that which followeth on
Thursday the ninth day of March, where it is
plain that this was the first reading of these Amendments.
Dominus Capitalis Justiciarius de placito communi continuavit præsens Parliamentum usque in
diem Sabbati prox. horâ consuetâ.
On Saturday the 4th day of March the Bill for
the Explanation of the Law touching certain
ambiguous questions and strifes of late risen about Fines and Recoveries levied before the Justices of the Common Pleas, whereunto they are
parties, was read secundâ vice.
Dominus Capitalis Justiciarius de placito communi continuavit præsens Parliamentum usque in
diem Lunæ prox. horâ nonâ.
On Monday the 6th day of March the Bill for
the Explanation of the Law touching certain ambiguous questions and strifes of late risen about
Fines and Recoveries levied before the Justices
of the Common Pleas, whereunto they are parties, was read the third time, & communi omnium Procerum assensu conclusa.
Dominus Capitalis Justiciarius de placito communi continuavit præsens Parliamentum usque in
diem crastinum horâ octavâ.
On Tuesday the 7th day of March the Bill for
the restraint of Horse-stealing and other Felonies
was read tertiâ vice, & communi omnium Procerum assensu conclusa.
There was brought to the Lords from the
House of Commons the Bill for one entire Subsidy and two Fifteenths and Tenths granted by
the Temporalty.
On Wednesday the 8th day of March the Bill
for one entire Subsidy and two Fifteenths and
Tenths granted by the Temporalty, was read
primâ vice.
On Thursday the 9th day of March the Bill for
the Grant of one entire Subsidy and two Fifteenths and Tenths granted by the Temporalty
was read tertiâ vice, & communi omnium Procerum assensu conclusa.
Nota, That in the Journal-Book there is no
entrance or mention of the second reading of
this Bill, which doubtless happened through the
negligence of Mr. Anthony Mason at this time
Clerk of the Upper House.
The Amendments in the Bill to avoid fraudulent Assurances made or to be made in certain
cases by Traitors, were read.
On Saturday the 11th day of March three Bills
of no great moment were brought up to the
Lords from the House of Commons; of which
the first appointing the wideness of the Mask of
Nets for taking Herrings and Smelts in Oxford
Haven, and the Gull was read primâ vice.
Introducta est Billa pro Subsidio Cleri, quæ primâ & secundâ vice lect est & commiss' ad ingrossandum.
The Bill to avoid fraudulent Assurances made
in certain cases by Traitors was read tertiâ vice,
quæ communi omnium Procerum assensu conclusa est,
& tradit' Doctori Ford & servienti Gawdy in
Domum Communem deferend'.
A Bill for the better and more speedy execution of certain branches of the Statute made in the
23d year of the Queens Majesties Reign, intituled,
An Act to restrain the Queens Majesties Subjects
in their due obedience, was read primâvice.
The House of Commons made request to the
Lords to have Conference with some of their
Lordships what number it should please their
Lordships to appoint. Whereupon the Lords
made choice of these following, viz. the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Archbishop of York,
the Lord Steward, the Earl of Kent, the Earl
of Worcester, the Earl of Rutland, the Earl of
Hartford, the Earl of Leicester, the Bishop of
London, the Bishop of Winchester, the Bishop of
Salisbury, the Lord Hunsdon Lord Chamberlain,
the Lord Morley, the Lord Cobham, the Lord
Grey, the Lord Stafford, the Lord Stourton, the
Lord Cromwell, the Lord North, the Lord Delaware and the Lord Norris.
After Conference had with the Committee of
the Lower House, this present day the said Committee made Report unto the whole House, that
the House of Commons made humble Suit unto
their Lordships to have their Lordships to joyn
with them in a Contribution or Benevolence for
the Charges of the Low Countries Wars, which
they of the House of Commons meant to offer
unto her Majesty. How they meant to proceed
therein was opened by the Archbishop of Canterbury. Upon which Report of the Committee
the Lords thought good to defer their Answer
until Monday next.
But it appeareth not by the Original JournalBook of the Upper House or of the House of
Commons, that any such Answer was given by
their Lordships upon the said Monday being the
13th day of this instant March ensuing. Vide
die Mercurii die 15° Martii sequentis in fine diei.
On Monday the 13th day of March six Bills of
no great moment had each of them one reading;
of which the first being the Bill for one Subsidy
granted by the Clergy was read tertiâ vice, and
the Bill touching Oxford Haven was read secundâ
& tertiâ vice.
On Tuesday the 14th day of March the Bill for
confirmation of the Sale of Edward Fishers Lands
made towards satisfaction of his Debts, Charges
and Incumbrances, was brought from the House
of Commons, and read primâ vice. Vide plus concerning this matter on the day following.
The Bill for Confirmation of the Attainder of
Thomas late Lord Paget and others was read tertiâvice, & communi omnium Procerum, assensu conclusa & expedita, dissentiente Domino Darcy, who
is sometimes called the Lord Darcy of Meinel.
Two Bills of no great moment had each of
them one reading, being the last reading, and
thereupon passed; of which the second being
the Bill for the more speedy and due execution
of certain branches of the Statute made in the
23d year of the Queens Majesties Reign, instituled, An Act to retain the Queens Majesties Subjects in their due obedience, was expedited communi omnium Procerum assensu, dissentiente solummodò Comite Rutland. Which two Bills aforesaid
were sent down to the House of Commons by
the Queens Attorney and Doctor Carew.
Two Bills were brought up to the Lords from
the House of Commons, whereof the first being
an Act of one Subsidy granted by the Clergy was
returned expedited; and the other was the Bill
for the payment of the Debts and Legacies of Sir
Gerrard Croker Knight deceased and of John Croker Esq; his Son.
On Wednesday the 15th day of March the Bill
for the payment of the Debts and Legacies of
Sir Gerrard Croker Knight, and of the Debts of
John Croker Esq; his Son, was read primâ vice.
Two Bills were brought up to the Lords from
the House of Commons, whereof the first being
a Bill touching Errours in Records of Attainders
of High Treason was read primâ vice & commissa;
and the second being a Bill for repealing of a Statute made in the 23d year of the Queens Majesties
Reign touching the bringing in Fish into this
Realm, was read primâ vice & commissa.
The Bill for the confirmation of the Seal of
Edward Fishers Lands made towards the satisfaction of his Debts, Charges and Incumbrances
was read secundâ vice. Whereupon the Lords
ordered that Edward Fisher now in the Fleet
should be brought before them to morrow at
nine of the Clock, and that the should bring his
learned Counsel with him: And that the Parties
who follow the said Bill, should have like warning to be there with their learned Counsel.
Nota, That this very Bill or some other to the
same purpose had divers readings, and was often
debated in the Parliament, both in the Upper
House and in the House of Commons, but passed
not. And there it seemeth, that the same or a
new Bill to the like purpose was now again offered unto the House. Vide the first reading of it
upon Tuesday immediately foregoing.
The Lords Committees made Report unto the
whole House, that upon divers Conferences had
with the Committees of the Lower House touching their Request made to the Lords to joyn
with them in Petition to her Majesty about a
Benevolence or Contribution, which they of the
House of Commons thought good to offer unto
her Majesty; the said Lords Committees thought
it not fit, for divers reasons, to joyn with the
House of Commons herein. Which reasons
when the whole House had heard and considered, their Lordships did resolve that the House
of Commons should be left to themselves, and
their Lordships would take such order therein
for themselves as to them should seem convenient.
Vide plus concerning this matter on Saturday the
11th day of this instant March foregoing.
On Thursday the 16th day of March the Committees in the Bill for the repealing of a Statute
made in the three and twentieth year of the
Queens Majesties Reign touching the bringing in
of Fish into this Realm, according to the Lords
appointment delivered their opinions and reasons
by the Lord Chief Baron touching the said Bill;
which when the Lords had heard and considered,
they ordered that the said Bill for the Repeal
of the said Statute should be rejected.
This day was chosen a new Committee to resolve upon somewhat touching the Contribution,
viz. the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Archbishop of York the Lord Steward, the Earl of
Kent, the Earl of Worcester, the Earl of Rutland, the Earl of Hartford, and the Earl of Leicester; the Bishop of London, the Bishop of Winton, and the Bishop of Salop; the Lord Chamberlain, the Lord Morley, the Lord Cobham, the
Lord Gray, the Lord Stafford, the Lord Stourton, the Lord Cromwell, the Lord North, the
Lord Delaware and the Lord Norris.
The Lords Committees last named upon Conference had betwixt them in respect of the great
Charges that her Majesty hath sustained heretofore, and that her Highness shall be enforced
hereafter to be at for the defence of this Realm
and other her Majesties Dominions, did resolve
amongst themselves freely to give to her Majesty
two shillings in the pound, after the rate of the
valuation of the Subsidy of the Temporality
granted in this present Session of Parliament, to
be paid unto such persons and at such time as it
shall please her Majesty to appoint. Which being after openly declared to the whole House,
the Temporal Lords (in as much as the Lords
Spiritual had made former offer of Contribution
unto her Majesty) did all together with one consent most willingly ratifie the said resolution,
both touching the Sum and the payment thereof;
and ordered that this their free gift should be entred upon Record: And that such of the Lords of
her Majesties Privy Council as were there present,
should signifie the same to her Highness in all
their Names.
On Friday the 17th day of March a Bill touching Errours in Records of High Treason was read
secundâ & tertiâ vice & conclusa.
On Saturday the 18th day of March the Bill
for the confirmation of the Sale of Edward Fishers
Lands made towards the satisfaction of his Debts,
Charges and Incumbrances, with certain amendments in a Schedule added unto the said Bill, was
read tertiâ vice & communi omnium Procerum
assensu conclusa, & tradita Doctori Barkely &
Doctori Carew in Domum Communem deferend'.
Vide concerning this matter on Tuesday the 14th
day, and on Wednesday the 15th day of this instant March foregoing.
Two Bills were brought up to the Lords from
the House of Commons; of which the first being
a Bill touching Exemplifications and Constants of
Original Conveyances made to the Queens Majesty, was read primâ vice.
On Monday the 20th day of March two Bills
of no great moment had each of them one reading; whereof the second being a Bill for the limitation of time touching Writs of Errour upon
Fines and Recoveries, was read secundâ vice.
Six Bills of no great moment were this day,
lastly, brought up to the Lords from the House
of Commons; of which the first being for the
Sale of Edward Fishers Lands was returned expedited; and the second was a Bill for the more
speedy and due Execution of certain branches
of the Statute made in the twenty third year of
the Queens Majesties Reign, intituled, An Act
to retain the Queens Majesties Subjects in their
due obedience, with an amendment, and a provision annexed, quæ communi omnium Procerum
assensu conclusa & expedit'; and the third being
the Bill for continuance of Statutes was read primâ vice.
On Tuesday the 21th day of March primâ, secundâ & tertiâ vice lect' sunt the Amendments of the
Bill to avoid fraudulent Assurances made in certain cases by Traitors, quæ communi omnium Procerum assensu conclusa, & tradit' servienti Gawdy &
Doctori Carew in Domum Communem deferend'.
Two Bills also of no great moment had each
of them one reading; of which the first being
a Bill for limitation of time touching Writs of
Errours upon Fines and Recoveries, was read
tertiâ vice, & communi omnium Procerum assensu
rejecta est.
Two Bills were sent up to the Lords from the
House of Commons, which (as it seemeth) were
of so little moment, as that they are omitted in
the very Original Journal-Book of the Upper
House.
On Wednesday the 22th day of March the Bill
for the continuance and perfecting of divers Statutes was read secundâ & tertiâ vice, and sent to
the House of Commons by Serjeant Gawdy and
Doctor Carew, being first passed by the Lords
with an Amendment.
The first reading of this Bill appeareth not in
the Original Journal-Book of the Upper House;
and by that which followeth on Thursday the
23d day of this instant March following, it is
plain that the Entrance of the several readings of
this Bill with the Amendments thereof, is much
mistaken and confounded through the great negligence of Mr Anthony Mason, at this time Clerk
of the Upper House.
A Bill for the Sale of Thomas Hanford's Lands,
was brought up to the Lords from the House of
Commons.
The Lords having before passed a Bill to the
same effect, and sent it down to the House of
Commons, and they having rejected it without
any Conference first desired and had with their
Lordships; therefore the Lords thought it a Precedent so strange and so far different from the
Orders of this House, that they of the House of
Commons should reject a Bill sent from this
House without Conference, and frame a new
Bill to the same effect and send it up, that they
did resolve to put it to the Question, Whether
this new Bill should by the Orders of this House
be read here or not. The whole House being
particularly asked their opinions herein with one
assent, concluded (not one gainsaying) that it
should not be read.
On Thursday the 23d day of March the Bill for
the continuance and perfecting of divers Statutes
was read secundâ & tertiâ vice, & communi omnium Procerum assensu conclusa, with the Amendments. Vide concerning this matter in the beginning of the day immediately foregoing being
Wednesday; for it should seem that the Bill it
self was then read primâ & secundâ vice, and the
Amendments only at this time, although they be
both set down very confusedly through the negligence of the Clerk of the Upper House.
The Bill for the Queens Majesties most gracious, general and free Pardon communi omnium
Procerum assensu conclusa, & tradit' servienti
Gawdy & Doctori Carew in Domum Communem
deferend'. Which said Bill was brought back
again this morning from the said House of Commons unto the Lords, with another Bill which
was for the continuance and perfecting of divers
Statutes.
There is no other or further business of this
day set down in the Original Journal-Book of
the Upper House, save only her Majesties Royal
Assent given to divers Bills which had passed both
Houses, although she her self was absent, which
was done by her Majesties Letters Patents under
the Great Seal. Which because of the rarity of
the Precedent, are here verbatim transcribed,
together with the manner and solemnity of this
days meeting, out of the said Original JournalBook in manner and form following, viz. Hodie
quum omnes Proceres Robis Parliament aribus induti in suo quisq; loco sederent, & Prolocutor de
Domo Communi unà cum omnibus qui ad hoc præsens Parliamentum summoniti fuerant, & Militibus, Civibus & Burgensibus accersitis præssò esset
Edmundus Anderson Miles, Capitalis Justiciarius
de placito communi, quia Cancellarius nondum convaluit, exponit omnibus Regiam Majestatem magnis
& urgentissimis quibusdam negotiis adeò esse impeditam, ut non queat impræsentiar' commodè interesse : Tamen, inquit, sua Majestas imperavit mihi,
ut suo nomine vobis hˆ præsentibus declarem, quibus Legibus seu Statutis à vobis in hoc præsenti
Parliamento pro vestra parte stabilitis velit Regium
assensum suum adhibere, sine quo Legum vigorem
obtinere non debent, sicuti vos probè nôstis. Et
hiis dictis protendit Clerico Parliamentor' quasdam
Literas sub magno Sigillo Angliæ Patentes, quas
ipse publicè legit. Literæ autem scriptæ fuerunt in
hæc verba.
Elizabeth by the Grace of God Queen of
England, France and Ireland, Defender of
the Faith, &c. To our right Trusty and right
well-beloved the Lords Spiritual and Temporal,
and to our Trusty and well-beloved the Knights,
Citizens and Burgesses, the Commons in this
present Parliament Assembled, Greeting. We
have seen and perfectly understand divers and
sundry Acts and Ordinances annexed and affiled
to these Presents, agreed and accorded by our
loving Subjects the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and the Commons in this our present Parliament assembled, and severally indorsed by you
as hath been accustomed; The Titles and names
of which Acts hereafter do particularly ensue
(that is to say) an Act for the Confirmation of
the Attainders of Thomas late Lord Pagett and
others; An Act concerning Errors in Records of
Attainders of High-Treason; An Act to avoid
frandulent Assurances made in certain Cases by
Traitors; An Act to prevent Extortion in Sheriffs,
Under-Sheriffs and Bailiffs of Franchises or Liberties in Cases of Execution; An Act for the Continuance and perfecting of divers Statutes; An Act
for the more speedy and due Execution of certain Branches of the Statute made in the 23d
year of the Queens Majesties Raign intituled An
Act to retain the Queens Majesties Subjects in
their due obedience; An Act for the Confirmation of the Sale of Edward Fishers Lands made
towards satisfaction of his Debts, Charges and
Incumbrances; An Act of one Subsidy granted
by the Clergy; An Act for the Grant of one entire Subsidy and two Fifteenths and Tenths
granted by the Temporalty; An Act for the
Queens Majesties most gratious, general and free
Pardon: And albeit the said several Acts and
Ordinances by you our said Subjects the Lords
and Commons in this our present Parliament
Assembled be fully agreed and consented unto,
and seem very necessary and profitable for the
Commonwealth, which nevertheless be not of
any force or effect in the Law without our Royal Assent given and put to the same Acts and Ordinances and every of them; And forasmuch
as for divers great and urgent Causes and Considerations, We cannot conveniently as this present be personally in our Royal Person in our
Higher House of Parliament, being the place accustomed to give our Royal Assent unto such
Acts and Ordinances as have been agreed upon
by our said Subjects the Lords and Commons;
We have therefore caused these our Letters Patents to have been made, and have signed and
caused the same to be Sealed accordingly, And
by the same do declare and notify as well to you
the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and the Commons aforesaid, as to all and singular other our loving Subjects, That we by these Presents do give &
put our Royal Assent to all and singular the said
Acts and Ordinances, and to all Articles, Clauses
and Provisions in them contained, and be fully
agreed and consented to all and every the said
Acts, willing that the said Acts and every Article, Clause, sentence and provision in them contained, from henceforth shall be of the same
strength, force and effect as if we had been personally present in the said Higher House, and
had openly and publickly in the presence of
you all assented to the same; Commanding
also by these Presents as well our Chancellor of
England to seal these our Letters Patents with
our great Seal, as our Trusty and well-beloved
Sir Edmund Anderson Knight our Chief Justice
of our Common Pleas, to declare and notify
this our Royal Assent in our absence in the said
Higher House in the presence of you the said
Lords Spiritual and Temporal and the Commons of our Parliament there to be assembled
for that purpose, and the Clerk of our Parliament to Indorse the said Acts with such Terms
and Words in our Name as is requisite and hath
been accustomed for the same; And also to Inrol these our Letters in the said Parliament
Roll; and these our Letters Patents shall be to
every of them sufficient Warrant in that behalf:
And finally declare and will that after this our
Royal Assent given and passed by these Presents, and declared and notified as is aforesaid,
That then immediately the said Acts and every of
them shall be taken, accepted and admitted
good, sufficient and perfect Laws, to all intents,
Constructions and purposes, and to be put in due
Execution accordingly, the Continuance or Dissolution of this our Parliament, or any other
Use, Custom, thing or things to the contrary
thereof notwithstanding.
In Witness whereof We have caused those our
Letters to be made Patents. Witness our self at
Westminster the 23th day of March in the 29th
year of our Reign.
Per ipsam Reginam.
Nota, That the Clerk of the Parliament having read the said Letters Patents before set
down, Sir Edmund Anderson Knight Lord Chief
Justice of the Commons Pleas (still supplying the
place of Sir Thomas Bromley Knight Lord Chancellor) delivered other Letters Patents unto the
said Clerk openly to be read, whereby eight several Commissioners were nominated and authorized to dissolve the Parliament, viz. The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Archbishop of York,
the Earl of Shrewsbury Earl Marshal of England,
the Earl of Darby Lord Steward, the Earl of
Kent, the Earl of Leicester Master of her Majesties Horse, the Lord Howard Lord Admiral of
England, Lord Hunsdon Lord Chamberlain, and
the Lord Cobham Lord Warden of the CinquePorts. For doubtless unless a new Commission
had come forth by which these before-named Honourable Personages had been de novo nominated
to this purpose, the three Commissioners at first
appointed in the beginning of this Parliament
(which see at large upon Saturday the 29th day
of October foregoing) might without any other
new authority though not have Dissolved the Parliament, yet have Prorogued it to a further day,
as they had formerly Adjourned it upon Friday
the second day of December foregoing unto Wednesday the 15th day of February next ensuing,
which was for ten weeks space at the least: but
that former Authority being now at an end by
these new Letters Patents, the manner of their
delivery, the removal of the new Commissioners in them nominated, and the Commission
lastly it self are thus verbatim set down in the
Original Journal-Book of the Upper House.
Postquam verò Clericus Parliament. has Literas
palàm perlegisset, Edmundus Anderson Miles alias
etiam Literas Patentes eidem Clerico Parliamenti
publicè legendas tradidit: at que hîc, not andum est
omnes Dominos Commissionarios in Literis patentibus
nominatos locis suis relictis in medio banco consedisse dum dictæ Literæ legerentur: Earum autem
tenor hic sequitur.
Elizabetha Dei gratiâ Angliæ, Franciæ & Hiberniæ Regina, sidei Defensor, &c. Reverendissimo in Christo Patri ac Consiliario suo Johanni Cantuarien' Archiepiscopo, totius Angliæ
Primati & Metropolitano, ac Reverendissimo in
Christo Patri Edwino Archiepiscopo Eboracen.
Angliæ Primati & Metropolitano; ac etiam charissimis Consanguineis & Consiliariis suis Georgio
Comiti Salop Comiti Marescallo; Angliæ, Henrico
Comiti Darbiæ magno Seneschallo; necnon charissimo Consanguineo & Consiliario suo Henrico Comiti Kantiæ, ac charissimo Consanguineo & Consiliario suo Roberto Comiti Leicestr. Magistro Equorum suorum; ac etiam prædilectis & fidelibus Consiliariis suis Carolo Domino Howard magno Admirallo suo Angliæ, Henrico Domino de Hunsdon
Domino Carmerario suo, & Willielmo Domino
Cohham Domino Gardiano quinq; Portuum suorum, Salutem. Cùm nuper pro quibusdam arduis
& urgentibus negotiis, nos, statum & desensionem
Regni nostri Angliæ ac Ecclesiæ Anglicanæ concern'
præsens hoc Parliamentum nostrum apud Civitatem
nostram Westmonasterii decimo quinto die Octobris ultimo præterito inchoari & teneri ordinaverimus, in & à quo die idem Parliamentum nostrum
usq; ad & in vicesimum septimum ejusdem mensis
Octobris prorogat' fuerat, eodémq; die idem Parliamentum nostrum usq; ad & in vicesimum nonum
diem dicti mensis Octobris prorogat' fuerat, ac ibid'
tunc tent' & continuat' fuerat usq; ad & in secundum diem Decembris tunc proximum sequentem;
Eodémq; die idem Parliamentum nostrum usq; ad
& in decimum quintum diem Februarii tunc prox'
sequent' adjournat' fuit; Eodémq; die idem Parliamentum nostrum tunc & ibidem tent' & continuat' fuer at usq; ad & in vicesimum tertium diem
instantis mensis Martii: Sciatis tamen certis urgentibus causis & considerationibus nos specialiter
moven' idem Parliamentum nostrum hoc instante
vicesimo tertio die Martii duximus dissolvend'. De
fidelitate igitur, prudentiâ & circumspectione vestris plurimùm confident' de avisamento & assensu
Concilii nostri assignavimus vos & aliquos tres vel
plures vestrum Commissionarios nostros, dantes vobis & aliquibus tribus vel pluribus vestrum, tenore
præsentium, plenam potestatem, facultatem & authoritatem hoc instante vicesimo tertio die Martii
ad dictum Parliamentum nostrum Nomine nostro
plenar' dissolvend'. Et ideo vobis Mandamus quòd
vos, aliqui tres vel plures vestrum idem Parliamentum nostrum eodem instante vicesimo tertio die Martii virtute harum Literarum Patentium Nomine nostro plenè dissolvatis & determinetis. Et ideo vobis Mandamus quòd circa præmissa diligenter intendatis, ac ea in forma prædicta effectualiter expleatis & exequamini. Damus autem universis &
singulis Archiepiscopis, Marchionibus, Comitibus,
Vicecomitibus, Episcopis, Baronibus, Militibus, Civibus & Burgensibus, ac omnibus aliis quorum interest ad dictum Parliamentum nostrum conventur'
tenore præsentium firmiter in mandatis, quòd vobis
in præmissis pareant, obediant & intendant in
omnibus prout decet. In cujus rei testimonium has
Literas nostras fieri fecimus Patentes. Teste meipsa apud Westmonasterium vicesimo tertio die Martii Anno Regni nostri vicesimo nono.
Per ipsam Reginam.
Powle.
It should seem that the reading of these Commissions and the Dissolution of this Parliament
were all of them finished this Thursday the 23th
day of this instant March in the Forenoon, for
else there must have been some other continuance
of it by the Lord Chief Justice of the Common
Pleas supplying the place of the Lord Chancellor
upon the rising of the Lords to dinner unto some
hour in the Afternoon; which may very well
be, in respect that although the Queens Majesty
came usually in Person to give her Royal Assent
in the Afternoon, yet that being now performed
after an unusual and extraordinary manner by
her Majesties Letters Patents, or a Commission
under the Great Seal, the time was also altered:
So that though this Parliament were not long in
continuance (for both the meetings thereof put
together make but ten weeks at the most) yet it
had many weighty matters debated in it, and
this Journal of the Upper House is richly stored
with rarer Precedents than any other of all the
Queens time.
Finally, Her Majesties loving Subjects considering the great Charges she sustained by the
maintenance of the Low Countries Wars, and
withal in a manner foreseeing the stupendious
preparations of Spain (at this time most intentive
in providing and furnishing of that mighty Armado stiled afterwards Invincible) did not only
grant unto her Majesty one entire Subsidy and
two Fifteenths and Tenths (as the Clergy had
also granted unto her one other Subsidy) but did
likewise consult in either House severally (for
the Lords refused to joyn with the House of
Commons therein) concerning a Contribution
to be bestowed upon her Majesty in like sort also
towards the further and better support of those
foresaid continual and chargeable Wars of the
Netherlands.