House of Commons Journal Volume 10: 26 December 1688

26 die Decemb', 1688, post Meridiem.

Address to Prince of Orange.

MR. Hamden reports from the Committee to whom it was referred to prepare an Address to be presented to his Highness the Prince of Orange, that they had met, and agreed upon an Address: Which he delivered in at the Table; and was read by the Clerk:

And then Mr. Hamden acquainted the Assembly, That the Committee had found, upon Debate, that it would be very inconvenient for the respective Officers that were to execute the Prince's Letters, to give Ten Days Notice, at the least, of the intended Elections; as also, to give Notice in all the Churches within their several Counties; and that, in their Opinions, it would be fit, that some shorter Time of Notice were assigned; and that the Publication at the Market-towns would be sufficient, without sending Messengers about to every Parish.

Whereupon the Assembly, taking the said Particulars into Consideration, did resolve,

That the Time of Notice for electing Members to serve for Counties, should be Five Days at the least; and of the Cities, Universities, Boroughs, and Cinque Ports, Three Days at the least; and that the Publishing of the Prince's Letters in the Churches of the several Counties, should be wholly omitted: And the Clerk was ordered to amend the same at the Table: Which was done accordingly; and the Address, thus amended, being put to the Question, was agreed to, and ordered to be ingrossed; and is as followeth:

WE who have served as Members of the Parliaments during the Reign of the late King Charles the Second, together with the Court of Aldermen, and Members of the Common-council of the City of London assembled at your Highness' Desire, in this extraordinary Conjuncture, do, with an unanimous Consent, tender to your Highness our most humble and hearty Thanks, for your coming into this Kingdom, exposing your Person to so great Hazards, for the Preservation of our Religion, Laws, and Liberties, and rescuing us from the Miseries of Popery and Slavery:

And do desire your Highness, that, in pursuance of those Ends, and for the Preservation of the Peace of the Nation, your Highness will take upon you the Administration of publick Affairs, both Civil and Military, and the disposal of the publick Revenue.

We do also desire that your Highness will take into your particular Care the present Condition of Ireland, and endeavour, by the most speedy and effectual Means, to prevent the Dangers threatening that Kingdom.

All which we desire your Highness to undertake, and execute until the Meeting of the intended Convention, the Two-and-twentieth of January next.

We do likewise desire your Highness to cause Letters to be written, and subscribed by your Highness, to the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, being Protestants, and to the several Counties, Universities, Cities, Boroughs, and Cinque Ports, of England, Wales, and to the Town of Berwick upon Tweed: The Letters for the Counties to be directed to the Coroners of the respective Counties, or any One of them, and, in Default of Coroners, to the Clerk of the Peace of the respective Counties; and the Letters for the Universities to be directed to the respective Vice-chancellors; and the Letters to the several Cities, Boroughs, and Cinque Ports, to be directed to the chief Magistrate of each respective City, Borough, and Cinque Port, containing Directions for the choosing, in all such Counties, Cities, Universities, Boroughs, and Cinque Ports, within Ten Days after the Receipt of the said respective Letters, such a Number of Persons to represent them, as are of Right to be sent to Parliament.

That for such Elections, and the Times and Places thereof, the respective Officer shall give Notice in Manner following; that is to say, as to the Elections for the Counties, Notice to be published in all Market-towns in the respective Counties; by the space of Five Days, at least, before such Election; and Notice of the Elections for the Cities, Universities, Boroughs, and Cinque Ports, to be published in the respective Places, by the Space of Three Days before, at the least.

That the said Letters, and the Execution thereof, be returned by such Officer and Officers who shall execute the same, to the Clerk of the Crown in the Court of Chancery, so as the Persons so to be chosen, may meet and sit at Westminster on the Two-and-twentieth Day of January next.

This we humbly offer your Highness, as our best Advice, in this Exigency of Affairs, for attaining the Ends of your Highness's Declaration, and as the best Means tending to such an Establishment, as that our Religion, Laws, and Liberties, may not be in Danger of being again subverted.

Ordered, That the said Address be ingrossed.

Ordered, That the Earl of Wilts, Sir Rowland Gwyne, and Mr. Herbert, do wait on the Prince, to know his Pleasure, what time his Highness will please to appoint for this Assembly to present their Address.

And then the Assembly adjourned till Ten a Clock To-morrow Morning.