Harley MS 161

Collection of papers in various hands.

Contents:

f. 1: List of peers of the realm. Headed: ‘Nomina Dominorum; a[nn]o 18 Jac. a[nn]o 1620. Die martis, die 30 Januarij’. January 1621.

f. 2-27: Short notes and papers of Simonds D’Ewes, apparently used in his collected journals of Parliament (later published as Journals of all the parliaments during the reign of Queen Elizabeth, 1682).

ff. 28-31: First person report by Peter Wentworth of the charges laid against him in the Star Chamber after his speech in Parliament, and his answers. Dated in another hand Wednesday 8 February 1575/6.

f. 32: Bills sent from one House of Parliament to the other, omitted from the Journals of the House of Lords. For the years 27, 28 and 29 of Queen Elizabeth I’s reign.

ff. 33-34: Copy of Sir Francis Michell’s petition to the House of Commons for relief against an unjust information made against him in Parliament, 1620. Dated 1625.

ff. 34-36: Speech of Sir Henry Yelvertone before the House of Lords. May 1621.

ff. 37-38: Two copies of a declaration made by the House of Commons pledging assistance to the King of Bohemia. In different hands.

ff. 39-40: Examinations of the Earl of Southampton, Sir Edwin Sands, then Earl of Oxford, and John Selden, regarding some proceedings of Parliament. July 1621.

ff. 41-42: Lord Digby’s report of his negotiation with Emperor, at the first meeting of the second session of Parliament. 1621.

f. 43: Letter from King James to Sir George Calvert, one of the principal Secretaries of State. Ordering him to explain his last message to the House of Commons. 16 December 1621.

f. 44r: Letter from King James I to Sir Thomas Richardson. Speaker of the House of Commons. 17 December 1621.

f. 44v: Address of the House of Commons to the King on his letter.

f. 45: A protestation from the House of Commons. Headed: ‘A Protestatyone made by the Comones House of Parleamente, touchinge theire Liberties and Freedome of Speeche in the same House. Which Protestatyon was by the Generall Ordere & Assente of the Whole House ordered to be entered in the Clarke of the parleaments booke, the xix day of December, Anno 1621’.

ff. 46-52: Reply of King James I to the petition of the House of Commons. Headed: ‘His Majesties Answeare to the apollogetticall Petition of the Howse of Commons, presented to His Majestie by a dozen of the members of the howse by their directions’. Dated at end 11 December 1621.

ff. 53-54: Main points of King Charles I’s message to the House of Commons, concerning supply. 10 March 1625.

ff. 55-56: Account the treasurers for the receipt of money for war expense, delivered to the House of Commons. Headed: ‘The Three Subsidies and three fifteenes, granted in Parliam[ent] for the warres [etc.]’. 1625.

ff. 57-58: Reply of King Charles I to the Earl of Bristol’s letter. 20 February 1625.

ff. 59-60: Six queries by Dr Turner delivered in the House of Commons. 11 March 1625.

f. 61: Dr Turner’s explanations of the queries.

f. 62: Letter from Dr Turner to Sir Heneage Finch, Speaker to the House of Commons, submitting himself to the Censure of the House. 16 March 1625.

f. 63: The Speaker of the House of Common’s speech to the King, in the Banqueting house at Whitehall, 13 March 1625.

ff. 65-66: Letter from Lord Conway to the Earl of Bristol, dated 23 March 1625 (i.e. 1626 new style), and the Earl of Bristol’s reply, dated 26 March 1626.

f. 67: Fragment of a Journal of the House of Commons for Tuesday June 21 (no year).

f. 68: Letter touching the cause of the dissolution of the Parliament at Oxford. 1625.

ff. 69-70: Speech by Sir John Elliot in the House of Commons. 27 March 1626.

ff. 71-72: Sir John Elliot’s epilogue before the Lords, after the other members of the Lower House had delivered their grievances against the Duke of Buckingham.

ff. 73-80: Speeches of King Charles I and the Lord Keeper to Parliament, at Whitehall. 29 March 1626.

ff. 81-88: Report to the Lower House of Parliament of speeches made by the Duke of Buckingham, Secretary Conway, and the Earl of Pembroke. 30 March 1626.

ff. 89-92: Remonstrance of the House of Commons delivered to the King. 5 April 1626.

ff. 93-94: Petition of the Marshal of Middlesex to the House of Commons Committee of Grievances. Endorsed (f. 94v): ‘The Marshal of Midlesex his Petition to the Comittee of Greevances of the Howse of Commones touching the resistance he met with in seizing Preestes Goods in the Prison of the Clinke in Southwarke, the 7th of April 1626’.

ff. 95-96: Letter from the Earl of Bristol to the Lord Keeper. Concerning his summons to Parliament yet being prevented from appearing there by a letter missive. 12 April 1626.

f. 97: Message of the Chancellor of the Exchequer from the King to the House of Commons. 13 April 1626.

f. 98: Remonstrance of the peers concerning the Earl of Arundel. 18 April 1626.

f. 99: Message from King Charles I to the House of Lords, delivered by the Lord Keeper. Against the Earl of Bristol. 21 April 1626.

f. 100: Order in the House of Lords for preserving the Earl of Bristol’s testimony against the Duke of Buckingham. 1 May 1626.

ff. 101-102: Charges brought in Parliament against the Duke of Buckingham by the Earl of Bristol, 1 May 1626. Header: ‘Articuli quidam criminales adversus Bokamiae Ducem, a Comite Bristoliae, die Lunae, 1 Maij A.D. 1626, utrique Magni Concilij sive Parliamenti Conventioni delati.’

ff. 103-108: The House of Commons’ declaration and impeachment against the Duke of Buckingham. 8 May 1626.

ff. 109-122: Schedule annexed to the grievances delivered to the Lord by the House of Commons against the Duke of Buckingham. Title of schedule (f. 23): ‘Grants and Gifts to the Duke himselfe, or to his mediate Use’. 8 May 1626.

f. 123: Speech by King Charles I to the House of Lords. 11 May 1626.

f. 124: Message of the House of Commons to the Lords concerning the Commitment of the Duke of Buckingham. 9 May 1626.

ff. 125-126: Speech of Dudley Carleton to the House of Commons, the day after the commitment of Sir Dudley Digges and Sir John Eliot. 12 May 1626.

f. 127: Protestation of the Lower House of Parliament for clearing Sir Dudley Digges. 13 May 1626.

ff. 128-129: Headed: ‘Reasons why the Lords should not give waye of Judgement against the Earle of Bristoll, till the Cause be examined in the House of Peeres, and found to be a Consequent for such Proceedings’.

f. 130: Three items concerning the restitution of the Earl of Arundel to the House of Lords:

• Reply of the King to the House of Lords. 26 May 1626.
• Second reply of the King, by the Lord Keeper. 26 May 1626.
• The Lords’ petition to the King. 24 May 1626.

f. 131: Message from King Charles I by Sir Richard Weston to the Lower House, concerning Sir Dudley Digges and Sir John Elliot. 26 May 126.

ff. 132-136: Narrative of the election of the Duke of Buckingham as Chancellor of the University of Cambridge. 1 June 1626.

ff. 137-138: Letter from King Charles I to the Speaker of the House of Commons. 9 June 1626.

ff. 139-140: Speech intended to have been made to Parliament, 1626, in the House of Commons.

f. 141: Petition intended to have been presented to the King by the House of Lords to prevent the dissolution of Parliament 15 June 1626.

ff. 142-149: Speeches of King Charles I and the Lord Keeper to the House of Lords. 17 March 1627.

f. 150: Speech of Sir Francis Seymour in Parliament, concerning the liberty of the subject. 22 March 1627.

f. 151: Speech of Sir Thomas Wentworth in the House of Commons, concerning the liberty of the subject. 22 March 1627.

f. 152: Speech by Sir Edward Coke in the House of Commons, on whether the resolution of Judges of the Kings Bench, that a prisoner detained by the King without cause is not bailable, is contrary to English law and to liberty of the subject. 25 March 1628.

ff. 153-154: Case by Mr Wainsford to the House of Lords when he delivered the 13th article of the grievances presented by the House of Commons against the Duke of Buckingham.

f. 155: Speech of King Charles I to Parliament. Headed: ‘The Kings most Excellent Speach, to the Parliament’.

ff. 156-159: Speech by Francis Ashley, the King’s Sergeant, to assist the attorney-general Sir Robert Heath, at the conference of both Houses to debate the liberties of the subject. Headed: ‘Mr Serjeant Ashley secondinge M Attorney in the behalfe of his Ma[jestie]’.

ff. 160-169: Historical precedents. Endorsed in the hand of Simonds D’Ewes ‘Mr Selden’s Presidents, if I mistake not, presented in Parliament anno 4to Regis Caroli’ (1628-1629).

f. 170: Report by Francis Rous delivered in the Commons against Roger Manwaring for his two sermons published as Religion and Allegiance. 1628.

ff. 171-172: Speech by Sir John Finch, the Queens Attorney, upon his appointment as Speaker to the House of Commons.

f. 173: Speech by Francis Rous in the House of Commons, on the growth of popery, Arminianism, etc. 1628/9.

f. 174: House of Commons resolution on their understanding of the Articles of Religion established 1571, headed ‘A Resolution of the Commons House, the 29 of Januarie, 1628’. Written in the hand of Joseph Mead.

ff. 175-176: Charge of the House of Commons against Roger Manwaring concerning the two sermons preached before the King, 31 May 1628.

ff. 177r: Headed ‘Propositions to be taken into Consideration for the present necessary Supplyes’. 26 March 1628.

ff. 177v-178: Several speeches made at Parliamentary debates concerning the King’s propositions for supply. 20 April 1628.

ff. 179-181, 184-185: Speeches by the King at the council chamber, 4 April 1628, and the Duke of Buckingham to the King at Whitehall.

f. 182: Resolution of the House of Commons concerning civil liberty. 3 April 1628.

f. 183: Speech by Sir John Elliot in answer to the report of the messages of the King and the Duke of Buckingham, delivered in the House of Commons by Mr Secretary Cooke. 4 April 1628.

f. 186: Message of the King, 7 April 1628. Set down and delivered to the House of Commons by Sir John Cooke, 7 April 1628.

ff. 187-195: Edward Littleton’s argument on liberty of the subject before the Lords and Commons in the Painted Chamber, reported next day by the Earl of Hertford to the House of Lords, 9 April 1628.

f. 196: Message from the King to the House of Commons, delivered by Sir John Cooke. 12 April 1628.

ff. 197-198: Arguments of Mr Noye and Mr Glanville on imprisonment without case. 16 April 1628.

ff. 199-200: Report of the Lords to the Commons, delivered by the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, and the Lords’ propositions. 25 April 1628.

f. 201: Message from the King to the House of Commons, by Secretary Cooke. 1 May 1628.

ff. 202-205: Speech by William Hackwell (or Hakewill) of Lincolns Inn in the Lower House of Parliament. 1 May 1628.

f. 206: Speech delivered by Secretary Cooke. 3 May 1628.

ff. 207-208: Sir Edward Coke’s preamble, delivered in the presence of both Houses of Parliament in the Painted Chamber, when he presented the petition of the rights of the subjects of England to the House of Lords, by command of the House of Commons, 8 May 1628. With Propositions offered by the Bishop of Lincoln to be added to the petition for the liberty of the subject, 16 May 1628.

ff. 209-210: Fragment of a Journal of the House of Commons, for the year 1628.

f. 211: Letter from the King to the Upper House of Parliament, claiming power to imprison men without showing cause, etc. 12 May 1628.

ff. 212-218: Objections of the King’s Council against the declaration of the Commons; and the answers to them by John Littleton. 16 May 1628.

ff. 219-224: Document headed ‘Touching the addition to the Petition of Right of Parliament’. 22 May, 1628.

ff. 225-232: Speech by John Pym to the Lords, at the conference of both houses, when he presented the charge of the House of Commons against Roger Manwaring. 31 May 1628.

f. 233: Sentence of the House of Lords against Dr Manwaring, and his Sermons. 14 June 1628.

ff. 234-236: Submission by Roger Manwaring in the House of Commons, upon his Knee, at the Bar. 20 June 1628.

ff. 237-242: Remonstrance of the House of Commons touching the dangerous state of the Kingdom, and the grievances of the Commonwealth presented to the King, by their Speaker in the Banqueting-House at Whitehall. 17 June 1628.

ff. 243-244: Remonstrance voted to be delivered to the King touching the subsidy of tonnage and poundage, the day Parliament ended. 26 June 1628.

ff. 245-247: Petition of both Houses of Parliament touching the putting into execution the laws against Jesuits, seminary priests and recusants. Presented March 1628.

f. 248: The King’s first verbal answer touching religion, when the petition of ff. 245-247 was delivered. 31 March 1628.

ff. 249-250: The King’s full answer to the petition concerning matters of religion presented by both Houses of Parliament. 1628.

ff. 251-252: Speech of the Lord Keeper to Parliament. 1628.

f. 253: Answer of the Duke of Buckingham, Lord Admiral, set up upon the Pissing Cundet in London, during the Parliament. Answering a letter sent him from the Soldiers and Mariners. 1628.

f. 254: Address or petition of Parliament to the King to put the laws in execution against Jesuits, seminary priests, etc. 1628.

f. 255: The answer of the King to the petition concerning matters of religion presented by both Houses of Parliament.

f. 256: Returns of representatives in Parliament made by boroughs in various counties.