It will, doubtless, have been observed by most persons who have much attended to the matter, that, for the period from the Restoration to the year 1743, the two last mentioned works, that is to say, those of Timberland and Chandler, have hitherto been regarded as a regular and complete collection, and the only regular and complete collection, of the Proceedings in Parliament; and that, as such, they have been introduced into, and enjoyed a distinguished place in, almost every public and great private library in the kingdom. Therefore, in preparing the present volume for the press, it might naturally have been expected, that considerable assistance would have been afforded by these works. It is, however, a remarkable fact, which may be verified by a reference to the proceedings of any single session, that very little assistance indeed has been received from them. To say the truth, a discovery of the extreme imperfectness of these works produced one of the motives which led to the present undertaking. On comparing their contents with those of the authentic works before enumerated, they were found to be so extremely defective and incorrect, that they could, in hardly any case, be relied upon with safety. In them, King's Speeches are, in numerous instances, either wholly omitted, or very much curtailed. Scarcely any of the Speeches of the different Lord Chancellors, delivered at the opening of the several Sessions, though those speeches generally contain an outline of the state of the national affairs, are preserved. The Journals appear to have been rarely consulted. Scarcely a Motion or Resolution, is given as it stands in those authentic records. Explanatory notes there are none; and, in only one or two instances have the compilers deemed it necessary to favour the reader with information as to the source, whence they have drawn their materials; which would seem, indeed, to have been moulded into the form of volumes for the mere purpose of filling up a chasm in a book-case.. Besides resorting to the above-recited works, recourse has been had to the best historians, and contemporary writers. From Burnet, Echard, Kennet, Oldmixon, Rapin, North, Ralph, Marvell, Reresby, Temple, Walpole, and the Work of the late Mr. Fox, recently published, many Notes, historical and biographical, have been introduced; and, for the sake of connection, a short account of the principal Occurrences, during each recess of Parliament, has, where necessary, been inserted. " By way of Appendix to this volume, is subjoined a Collection of scarce and valuable Tracts, purely parliamentary, taken from the State Tracts, privately printed in the reign of Charles II, and James II.; from the Harleian Miscellany; and from the noble Collections of Lord Somers. Through these, a more lively image of the times is conveyed, than could be received from any general description, from however eloquent a pen it might proceed. From their scarceness, it is impossible that they should, in their separate state, be generally known; and, as the utility of them, when accompanying the Parliamentary History of the times in which they were written, must be manifest to every one, the compiler does certainly consider them as not the least valuable part of his work. June 24, 1808. Proceedings of the House of Commons Solemn Thanks given to General Monk May 1. The King's Letter to the House of Peers The King's Declaration from Breda The King's Letter to the House of Commons The King's Letter to General Monk and the Council of State The King's Letter to the Lord Mayor and City of London 10. Instructions for the Commissioners appointed to go to the King-Mr. Hollis's Necessaries to be provided for the King's Household Mr. Lenthall severely reprimanded by the Speaker 16. The late King's Statue, now at Charing Cross, discovered Expence of the King's Reception Charge on the Revenue by the Council of State List of the Navy of England at this time 18. Proceedings against the late King's Judges 23. Letter from the Committee of Lords sent to the King 25. Letter from the Speaker of the House of Lords to the King 28. The King's Letter to the Lords after his landing 29. p. m. Both Houses wait upon the King at Whitehall-Speech of the Speaker of the House of Lords to the King-The King's Answer-Speech of the Speaker Account of the King's Entry into London The King comes to the House of Lords-Thanks returned to the Committee sent The Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance to be taken by the Members, &c.— Act of Indemnity-Mr. Lenthall's Letter to the Speaker 12. The King's Message relative to the Act of Indemnity Debate in the Commons on the Act of Indemnity. July 9, Debate in the Commons on Religion 11. The Act of Indemnity passes the Commons July 13. General Monk created Duke of Albemarle 20. The Earl of Bristol's Speech on the Act of Indemnity 27. The King's Speech on the Act of Indemnity 30. The King's Message releasing all Arrears to the Crown Debate in the Commons, whether the Money Bill should precede the Act Debate in the Commons on the Ministers' Bill 11. The Act of Indemnity sent down to the Commons-Their Debate upon it- The Lord General's Plan for disbanding the Army-Debate thereon Debate on the King's Declaration concerning Ecclesiastical Affairs Debate on the Restitution of the Title of the Duke of Norfolk +155 ARTICLES OF IMPEACHMENT against Mr. Drake for publishing a Pamphlet in- 156 FIRST SESSION OF THE SECOND PARLIAMENT OF KING CHARLES II. COMMONLY |