Page:A new and general biographical dictionary; containing an historical and critical account of the lives and writings of the most eminent persons in every nation v1.djvu/423

 ATTERBURY. he acquainted the fpcaker of the houfc of common?, by a letter, thai he was determined to give that houfc no trouble, in relation to the bill depending therein j but (hould be ready to make his defence -agaiiiil it, when it fhould he argued in another [Joule, of which he had the honour to be a member. On the gth, the bill palled the houfe of commons [v/J, and was the fame day fent up to the houfe of lords for their concurrence. May 6, being the day appointed by the Lords for the firft reading of the bill, bifliop Atterbury was brought to Weflminfter [xj, to make his defence. The counlel for the bifhop were, fir Conftantine Phipps, and William Wynne, Efq. For the king, Mr. Reeve, and Mr. Wearg. 3*7 foil, or by his counfel before the houfe of commons, to anfwer any accuf.iti'.n there. Tlie debates among the lords, upon this occalion, were many ; the privileges peculiar to thtir houfe were largely infifted on, and the late en- croachments, made upon them by the commons, loudly complained of; but at lad it was carried, by a majority of fiivcnty-eigiit to thirty-two, ihac the bilhop being only a lord in parliament, and no peer, might, without any dimi- nution to the honour of that houfc, appear, if he thought fit, in the houfe f commons, anJ in what manner he thought fit, make his dttcnte and vin- dication there. The bifhop, however, was not pleafed with this concefiion, nor willing to trull his caufe, where he thought himfelf injured, and even pre- judged. , [w] The tenor of it was this: " That after the fir ft of June, 1723, " ecclefiaftical whatsoever, and that, " from thenceforth, the fame mail be <c dead ; that he ihall tor ever be dif- 41 holding or enjoying any office, dignity, ' or any other his majefty's dominions j ' as allb from exercifmg any office, ec- " clefiaftical or fpiritual, whatever ; " that he fhall fuffer perpetual exile, " and be for ever baniihed this realm, " and all other his Mjjefty's dominions ; " that he fhall depart out of the fame " by the 5th of June next ; and if he u return into, or be found within this '!* realm, or any other his Maje!)y's do- " minions, afterthe faid 2jth of June, " he, being thereof lawfully convifted, " fliall fufTer as a felon, without bene- " fit of clergy, and fhall be utterly in- " capableof any pardon from his Ma- " jefty, his heirs or fuccefibrs : Thac ' ; all perfons, who fhall be aiding and " alTifting to his return into this realm, " or any other his Msjofly's domi- " r.ions, or fhall conceal him within " the fame, being lawfully convifted " thereof, ihall be adjudged guilty of " felony, without benefit of clergy ; cc that if any of his majenVs fubjetl* " (except fuch perfons as fhall be li- '' cenfed for that purpofe under th<r " fign manual) fhall, afterthe 25^ of ' June, hold any corrcfpundence in " peribn with him, within this realm, " or without, or hy letters, meflages, " or otherwife, or with any perfora " employed by him, knowing fucri " perfon to be fo employed, they fhall, " on conviction, be adjudged felons, " without benefit of Clergy : And lafl- " ly, that offences again ft this adl, " committed out of this realm, maybe " tried in any county within Grer.t- " Britain. [x] The firft day, he was difturbed in his pafTage thither, by the clamours and iniults of the mob; but, upon his application to the hcule of lords for fafety and protection, ftrict orders were given to feize and fecure all who fhould, be guilty of fuch inhumanity, and a guard appointed to defend his perfon j fo that, all the week ^t'ter, he pafRd along the flreets very cjuiatly, ui'.hout moleftation, being [-itieJ, rather than reviled. C C 2 The
 * ' he ili .11 be deprived of all his offices,
 * ' dignities, promotion*, and benefices,
 * ' actually void, as if he were .naturally
 * abled, and rendered incapable, from
 * ' or emolument, within this realm,