Page:English Historical Review Volume 35.djvu/118

 no PROCEEDINGS IN PARLIAMENT January that their Speaker and certeine of the said lower house might be admitted to ioyne with certeine of the lordes of this house to preferre theire saide peticion to her maiestie in the name of all the Lordes and Commons in this parliament assembled. Whereupon all the lordes dyd verie willinglye assent, And thereupon made choise of theis lordes following, videlicet. . . [the same as stated in Lords^ Journals, ii. 121']. Afterwardes upon twesdaye the fiftenth daye of Nouember ^ the lorde Chauncellor declared unto the whole house that upon saterdaie then last past being the twelueth of the same, the saide lordes the Comittees and the speaker and certeine of the lower house had presented and delyuered in writing their saide peticion to her maiestie, and had in moste humble and instante manner besought and moved her highnes in regard of the safEetye and preservacion of her maiesties moste Royall person and the Common weale and good estate of the whole Realme, to graunt unto them the effect of that their most iust and himible sute, And that her maiestie receaving their saide peticion in most gracious manner did thereupon use unto them a moste godlie graue and princelye speche, which was uttered with such maiestye and conteyned matter of such rare and singuler wisdome that he coulde not nor would presume to reporte the same unto them. But for theire satisfaccion and comforte to touch summarilie somme fewe partes thereof, which were theis. That her maiestie dyd yeald unto Almightie god her most humble thanckes for his contynuall and infynitt goodnes and mercies towardes her who had soe many tymes and soe myraculously preserued her, and in this most speciallie That as she came to the Crowne with the willing hartes of her Subiectes, soe now after eight and twentie yeares Raigne she perceived in them noe dyminucion but rather increase of their good will, for which as she dyd acknowledg her self moste depelie bounden to his dyvine maiestye, soe she did moste gratiously and thanck- f ullye accept the entyre love and most dutifuU affeccion and good will of her moste loving Subiectes. She declared her exceading greate care for the maintayning of the true Relligion of Almightie god, and for the preseruacion and happie estate of her people and the Common Weale committed to her chardg, desiring not to lyue longer then her lief might be ymployed therein, and wishing to giue her lief to thend her death might procure them a better prince, She protested unto them what exceading griefe she conceaved that either they should haue occacion to offer or she to receaue any such peticion as this which was presented unto her. And fjoiallie her highnes saide that for that the matter was rare waighty and of greate consequence, and that her manner was not in matters of faric lesse moment to giue spedye aunswere without due consideracion, soe in this being of such ympor- taunce, she would with moste earnest prayer (which she thought verie requisite), beseche Almighty god to direct her with his grace, that she might doe and determine that which shoulde tende to the establishment of his true Religion and the prosperitie of her most loving Subiectes and this Common Weale, and thereupon woulde with all conveniencye resolue of her answere imto them. He declared further that on Monday following being the fourtenth of Nouember her maiestye upon deliberacion had of their peticion aforesaide did giue him in Conunaundment to signifye
 * There is no business for this day in Lords' Journals, ii. 122.