House of Commons Journal Volume 1: 23 April 1604

Lunae, 23o Aprilis, 1604

Rodney's Estate.

L. 1. B. FOR the quiet Establishing and Settling of the Lands and Possessions, late of Sir Geo. Rodney Knight, deceased.

Exchequer.

B. Touching Process and Pleadings in the Exchequer, reported from the Committee by Sir Rob. Nappier, without Alteration or Amendment; and upon the Question, ordered to be ingrossed.

Sea-Coal.

L. 1. B. Of Explanation of the Statute enacted in the One-and-Twentieth Year of H. VIII. Cap. 18.

Newcastle Sea Coal.

Committees.

Committees adjourned.

Frivolous Actions.

B. For restraining frivolous Actions, secondly read, and committed to Mr. Crewe, Mr. Moore, Mr. Winch, Sir Rob. Oxenbridge, Mr. Serjeant Snig. Mr. Serjeant Tanfield, Sir John Scott, Mr. Yelverton, Sir Henry Mountague, Sir Francis Hastings, Mr. Hext, Mr. Hoskins, Mr. Attorney of the Wards, Mr. Nath. Bacon: - To meet on Friday, in the Middle Temple Hall.

Ale-houses.

L. 1. Two Bills concerning Ale-houses: - Delivered to Mr. Pettus [a].

Union with Scotland.

Sir Francis Bacon reporteth the late Conference with the Lords.

It was said, That generally the Name and Style is not prejudicial, but particularly in some Instance: But, Quod dubiles, ne feceris; et libera sint suffragia. -

That this Treaty was a notable Opportunity to mend our State.

More Silence than was meant, for Want of Warrant.

Advice : - That there might be free Mandate and Commission to debate, but not to conclude of any thing.

If a Man say more than he ought, the Hurt of his Fortune: -

If he smother that which he ought to say, the Hurt of his Conscience.

The Dispute renewed, and followed by Mr. Percyvall, Sir Rich. Spencer, Sir Wm. Paddy, Mr. Wentworth, Sir Francis Hastings, Mr. Hackwell, Sir Francis Goodwin, Sir Edw. Hobby, Mr. Secretary Herbert, Sir Roland Litton, Sir Arthure Atye.

After these had spoken, Mr. Speaker put the Question:

Whether the Committee for the Union shall consider, whether, and how, the Name and Style may be yielded unto? - Resolved: - And to consider of the Method of their Conference.

After the Question, for better Direction to the Committee, the Dispute was continued by Sir Herbert Crofts, Sir Walter Cope, Mr. Crewe, Mr. Yelverton, Sir Henry Mountague, Mr. Fuller, Mr. Serjeant Barker.

It was said, The King, deliciae humani generis, desireth no Innovation, but a Repetition of an ancient Name: - Ut novi status novus author haberetur. - Two Bodies joined, without Confusion of Members. - No Privilege abrogated or altered. - The Name will beget Love: - Such a Name, ut sit forma perennis. - To think the King worthy the greatest Name. - Unity in Diadem, in Name, in Government. - Quando duo jura concurrunt in una persona, aeque ac in uno.

Mr. Percyvall: - The Name of our Mother England to be kept: Our Desire natural and honourable. - She hath nursed, bred, brought us up to be Men, able to

serve at home for Justice, abroad for Victories. The Spanyard hath dispersed our Fame.

Brittaine our Grandmother ; therefore the King's Desire honourable, and just : Honourable, for the Fame ; just, because it is the King's Right.

To reconcile these, viz.

Our Grandmother, Brittaine

Our Mother, England,

Our Sister, Scotland

To join, if but in vestibulo.

For that Purpose, a Project offered, by the Speaker, and read in these Words :

[a] "Not only in all your publick Letters, to acknowlege yourself King of the whole united Realm of Brittaine, but to use, and command to be used, as your Majesty's Style and Name, this Appellation following: James, by the Grace of God, of Great Brittaine (that is to say, of England and Scotland) and of France, and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, &c. And further, that your Majesty would be pleased to give your Royal Assent, that the Lords and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, may respectively nominate such Commissioners, as, for the Part of England, may convene, consult, and treat, with Commissioners to be appointed on the Part of Scotland, upon the solving and deciding, &c.

A Mischief, that we cannot tell how to write the Year of the Reign : Therefore thus in the same Project [b] :

" This Indenture, &c. in the Year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord James (that is to say) of England and Scotland, France and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, &c. viz. of England, France, and Ireland, the second, and of Scotland the thirty-seventh."

Yield for the Name with these Reservations.

This a Consultation of Peace, not of War.

The Name of Emperor is impossible : - No particular Kingdom can make their King an Emperor. - The Name of King a sweet Name : - Plenitude of Power in it : - A Name, which God taketh upon him.

A Proviso, that none but of our own Nation may have Offices of the Crown.

Another, that our own Nation keep our Bulwarks, &c.

The Parliament to be by Prorogation, and the same Burgesses, &c.

Motions made for the Course of Proceeding :

Conference: - Commissioners to be nominated respectively by both Houses : -

That the Lawyers may consider of the Doubts in Law, in the Change of the Name :

That the Heralds may be called :

To have the Lords Opinion before we grow to a Resolution : -

All Gentlemen of Sufficiency or Learning to yield their Opinion : -

Not to forestall any Man's Opinion by Threats : -

To yield an Afternoon's Sitting in the House: - Resolved. The Committees to meet this Afternoon in the Exchequer Chamber, to prepare for the Conference.

To speak' freely without Limitation or Restraint.

To be inserted in the Act.