unto them That as she dyd take greate comfort and did giue god most humble thanckes in that it pleased hym of his infynite mercy to giue unto her soe loving and faithfull Subiectes, so she was greately greved that she should be occasioned for the saffety of her self and her Realme to use soe severe and sharpe a course contrarie to her owne disposicion and nature as the saide lordes and Commons assembled in the saide parliament did by their peticion move and urge her unto and namely against one of that estate and quallity, soe nere of her bloud and of her owne sexe, And that therefore her maiestie did will and require them to consult and deuise according to their wisdomes to the uttermost of their understanding and skill, yf any other meanes could be prouided for her maiesties safetye and the preseruacion of the Realme and Common Weale, which yf they coulde doe, she woulde most gladlye followe and better like of.
Afterwardes on saterdaye the nyntenth of November many wise and graue speeches being made touching the saide question propounded by the lorde Chauncellor by her maiestes commaundment, all which in thend tended to one effect, That their lordshippes after longe consultacion and greate deliberacion thereupon had coulde not fynd any other waye then was alreadye sett downe in their peticion. Then the lordes agreed that the matter shoulde be put to the Question. And being particulerly asked, euery one his seuerall voice, they all aunswered (not one gain-saying) that they could fynde none other waye of saffetye for her maiestie and the Realme.
Item the same day certeine of the Common house desired the lordes to appoincte somme of the lordes of the higher house to conferre with them upon somme questions moved unto them by her maiesties commaundment touching the matter of their peticion aforesaide. Whereupon the lordes made choise of theis following, (videlicet) [The same committee as in Lords' Journals, ii. 119 b, with Lords Zouche, Stourton, and Sandes, in place of Lumley and Buckhurst.] And their meting was appointed to be in the saide utter parliament chamber the Mondaie following at two of the clock in the afternoone.[1]
Afterwardes oh twesdaye the two and twentith daye of Nouember the lordes the comittees dyd make reporte to the whole house, that upon further conference had betwene them and the Committees of the commons house They did understand that her maiestye had sent her Commaundement to her Commons of the lower house to such like effect as she had donne to the lordes of the higher house, And that thereupon they the saide Commons dyd spende seuerall dayes and long tyme in debating of the said Question aswell by a chosen nomber of Comittees
- ↑ On 19 November there is no business entered in the Lords' Journals, ii. 122, and the two items given above appear under 22 November. As regards the first item it seems more probable that the debate on Tuesday's message took place at the next sitting, which was on the 19th. In the case of the second item the Lords' Journals are supported by the Commons' Journals (D'Ewes, p. 404 b). Yet if the roll is in error it is curious that place, date, and time of the committee meeting are given. The procedure of entering these very particulars upon a sheet of paper along with the names for each committee was probably developed already, in which event the clerk would very likely have had the memorandum by him (cf. State Papers, Dom., Eliz., vol. 265, nos. 18, 52, and 58).
