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The Diary of Thomas Burton: 31 March 1656-7

Page 397

Diary of Thomas Burton Esq: Volume 1, July 1653 - April 1657. Originally published by H Colburn, London, 1828.

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Citation:

Tuesday, March 31, 1657.

The House rose at eleven of the clock: and Mr. Speaker, attended by the whole House, repaired to the Banquettinghouse at Whitehall, to present unto his Highness the Lord Protector, the humble Petition and Advice.

His Highness, attended by the Lord President of the Council, and other officers of state came thither: where, after a learned speech made to his Highness by Mr. Speaker, he presented, in the name of the Parliament, the said humble Petition and Advice; which was read by the clerk of the Parliament. And that being done his Highness gave answer therein. (fn. 1)

Footnotes

  • 1. Thus the Journal of this day doses. The authors of the Parliamentary History complain of being "at a loss as to the result of this meeting," except from notices in Mercurius Politicus, No. 356. That journalist quotes a few sentences from the Speaker's speech, and from the reply of the Protector; about a page; "only some short heads of what was much more copiously.and elegantly spoken by his Highness to the Parliament, with that majesty and authority which appeared most eminent in all his public actions; in the repetition whereof" the journalist "had only to crave pardon, lest he had been injurious to the dignity of so wise and so serene a person." Part. Hist. xxi. 59, 61. The following pages will contain both speeches, copied verbatim, and now probably printed, for the first time, from the source described, Supra, p. 370, note†.