14th March 1624

SUNDAY, 14 MARCH 1624

I. DIARY OF JOHN HOLLES, BL, HARL. MS 6,383

[f. 100v]

Sunday, the 14th of March

The committees of both Houses attended the King in the Banqueting [f. 101] House at Whitehall at 4 of the clock, where my Lord of Canterbury, in name of both Houses, presented the King with their answer that upon his declaration to break both the treaties in pursuit of their advice, they would assist him with their persons and abilities in a parliamentary way.

The King answered, upon generalities, he could not proceed. He demanded 5 subsidies and 10 fifteens for the wars, and one subsidy and two fifteens yearly until his debts were paid.

II. DIARY OF SIR THOMAS JERVOISE, HAMPSHIRE RECORD OFFICE, 44M69/F4/20/1

[p. 65]

[14 March 1624]

The Archbishop of Canterbury's speech to the King in the name of both the Houses of Parliament, 14th of March, in the Banqueting House at Whitehall.

III. ANONYMOUS DIARY, KENNETH SPENCER RESEARCH LIBRARY, UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS, MS E237

[f. 101v]

[14 March 1624]

[The King had agreed to meet with the committees of both Houses at Whitehall on Sunday] ... where we attended his Majesty in the banqueting room at 4 of the clock in the afternoon. And after my [Lord] of Canterbury had delivered the message of both Houses, his Majesty answered that he had great cause to thank God for such a loving people who had made him such an offer as never king had made [to] him for the maintenance of his honour, but said we were mistaken in some words and he would not have us [f. 102] take another man's words for his, nor his for another man's, and that he never spoke of insincerity or word[s] of like or dislike of the King of Spain in his former speech.

But he said that the offer we had made his Majesty was in the general, and therefore he would go to particulars with us, and propounded that if we would give him by way of subsidy or otherwise five subsidies and to every subsidy 2 fifteens for the war, and he would give us leave to nominate committees of both Houses for the disbursing of it to that use, and also give himself towards the payment of his debts every year a subsidy and 2 fifteens until his debts were paid, then he would give us his resolution which he could not do on a sudden. For he must not only consider what was fit for him to do at home but he must advise and contract with his neighbours abroad, and this would give some time for the collecting of the money and to resolve his conscience of the justness or unjustness of the war, which collection he desired might be done with all possible speed that yet before he died he might take off that great clog that lay upon his conscience to see his debts paid; and at Michaelmas we should have a sessions [sic] and another in the spring to make good laws to reform the abuses of the commonwealth.

[f. 105v] My Lord of Canterbury's speech from both Houses delivered to the King at Whitehall the 12th [sic] of March 1623.

IV. DIARY OF SIR WALTER EARLE, BL, ADD. MS 18,597

[f. 78v]

[14 March 1624]

The Lord of Canterbury's preamble on Sunday, March 14, at the presentment to the King of the manifesto of the Lords and Commons.

V. JOURNAL OF SIR SIMONDS D'EWES, BL, HARL. MS 159

[f. 26]

[14 March 1624]

The Archbishop's speech of Canterbury [sic] to his Majesty in the Banqueting House the 14th of March, being Sunday, 1623, at Whitehall.

[f. 26v] His Majesty's answer to this speech of the Archbishop's and the schedule he read after it, presently uttered by him in the Banqueting House at Whitehall on the 14th of March, being Sunday in the afternoon, 1623, the Prince's Highness being there with the greater part of both the Houses of Parliament, the committees of either House standing before his Majesty next him, which speech, upon the first apprehension, gave much discomfort but was after salved by the Prince's Highness and Duke of Buckingham as may appear.

[f. 79v]

14⁰ [March], Sunday

At 2 o'clock at Whitehall, the message and resolution of both Houses was delivered by my Lord of Canterbury to the King and he made answer to it.