The Journals of Parliaments, Journal 23
THE JOURNAL OF THE House of LORDS.
An exact and perfect Journal of the House of Lords in the Parliament holden at Westminster, Anno 39 Reginae Eliz. Anno Domini 1597. which began there on Monday the 24th Day of October, and then and there continued until the Dissolution thereof on Thursday the 9th Day of February Anno 40. Reginae ejusdem.
THIS Journal of the House of Lords and all the rest that have since followed both the Queens Reign and in the Reigns of King James and King Charles her Successors, unto this present year 1629. have been more exactly and largely taken than before. For Thomas Smith Esquire now succeeding unto Anthony Mason Esquire, formerly Clerk of the said House of Lords, was much more careful in observing and setting down the dayly passages thereof this Parliament than the said Mr Mason had been. In which, the said Sir Thomas Smith's successors (for he was afterwards Knighted) have much exceeded him also, by the large and diligent digesting of the particular agitations of every day upon which the said House did sit. Only the Return of the Vide Gul. Camd. Anno Regin. Eliz. edit. Lugdun Batavorum An. Dom. 1625. pag. 682.Proxies (as is presently more fully declared) was more distinctly entred by the abovenamed Mr Anthony Mason, than hath been since accustomed. At this Parliament also there succeeded a new Lord Keeper: For Sir John Puckering deceasing in A. D. 1596. the Custody of the Great Seal was committed unto Sir Tho. Egerton, then her Majesties Attorney General, who at this present and many years after supplied that place. Neither finally doth this ensuing Journal want either matter of rarity in respect of the Lord La Ware's right setling in his former place, which had been for a while discontinued, or matter of very good Precedent in respect of some Questions that arose betwixt the two Houses touching the manner and form of the Lord Keeper's delivering the Answer of the Lords to such Members of the House of Commons as should at any time be sent up unto their Lordships with any Message or Bill.
Before the particular Relation of each days passages in this present Parliament be inserted out of the Original Journal-Book of the Upper House, the extraordinary and unusual Proxies (entred also at the beginning thereof) which had been returned and delivered in unto the Clerk of the said House during the continuance of the same, are here in the next place to be transcribed and set down all of them together, and cannot be so orderly digested, and referred to each day on which they were returned, as formerly they have been. For whereas before this Parliament Henry Spilman and Anthony Mason Esquires, who had been successively Clerks of the said Upper House, did usually enter the said Proxies at the beginning of each Journal, upon the days on which they were introducted or returned; Now Thomas Smith Esquire succeeding the said Anthony Mason, did only generally enter them at the beginning of this present Journal, as had been formerly accustomed, without any distinct setting down the several days on which they had been introducted & delivered unto him. Which course having been also since followed unto this present year 1629. the said Proxies can be no more referred to their proper days, but must be once for all generally set down in this present Journal and in divers others ensuing before the beginning of the said Journal, in manner and form following.