CONTENTS Speech to Parliament, declar Mr. Wandesford, on the Posset given by the Duke of Bucking- Sir Dudley Charleton, recommending conciliatory Measures Mr. Creskeld, on the Detention of some Members of the House 46 The Earl of Warwick, on the Habeas Corpus Mr. Waller, on the Supply - in his own Defence - Lord Digby, on frequent Parliaments on the Earl of Stafford's Impeachment Sir John Wray, on the Success of Parliament 126 151 Mr. Lenthall's (the Speaker) Address of Thanks to General Secretary Thurloe's Vindication of the Bill to tax the Royalists 143 Richard Cromwell, on meeting the Parliament Charles the Second's Speech to both Houses Lord Clarendon Speech at the Restoration - Lord Bristol, on the Test Act - Kart of Nottingham's (Lord Keeper) Address to both Houses 175 another on the same Occasion 179 Colonel Birch on the Bill of Exclusion Mr Boscawen, on the same Subject Sir Charles Sedley, on the Taxes Sir Richard Steele, on Annual Parliaments Sir Robert Walpole, on the Bill to limit the Number of Peers on the Army - on the Establishment of the Excise on Religious Tests Bishop Atterbury's Defence of himself Lord Bathurst's Speech in favour of the preceding in Defence of the Ministry Mr. Campbell, on excluding Officers of Government from Par- liament - Mr. Sandys, in Reply Earl of Chesterfield, on the Marriage of the Princess Royal on the Play-House Bill - - 363 - 396 Sir Watkin William Wynne, on shortening the Duration of Par- Sir John Barnard, on the same Subject - 391 Lord Lyttleton, on feudal Jurisdiction on the Jew Bill - Pag 483 521 Mr. Pitt (afterwards Lord Chatham,) on the Prince's Marriage 394 on the Motion for an Address Parliamentary Speeches. KING CHARLES I. Came to the crown in 1625, and was beheaded in 1648. The following is his speech from the throne on meeting his first parliament. It contains nothing very remarkable, but may serve as a specimen of the style that was in use at the time. The chief subject of the speech is the war with Spain, in which the country was then engaged. There is also an allusion to the plague, which at that time prevailed in London. King Charles the First's Speech at opening the Session. My lords spiritual and temporal, and you gentlemen of the house of commons, in this parliament assembled: I may thank God, that the business to be treated on at this time is of such a nature, that it needs no eloquence to set it forth; for I am neither able to do it, nor doth it stand with my nature to spend much time in words. It is no new business, being already happily begun by my father of blessed memory, who is with God, therefore it needeth no narrative: I hope in God you will go on to maintain it, as freely as you advised my father to do it. It is true, he may seem to some to have been slack to VOL. I. 1 |