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Papers of Sir William Williams (1634-1700), speaker of the House of Commons and Secretary-General. Arranged into legal papers, 1620-1693 (1-49), political papers, 1680-1698 (50-65) and miscellaneous papers, 1567-1694 (66-74).

[Cf. NLW Wynnstay MS L402-3.].

Copy Arguments of Mr Wallop and Mr Smith, counsel for the Earl of Shaftesbury. [For this and no's 8-11 cf. T. B. Howell, State Trials, vi, cols 1270-1310].

Act Of Parliament (4 Henry VIII, c. 8) declaring that all suits brought against MPs for their speeches or actions in Parliament should be void. The act was passed following the imprisonment of Richard Stroud, a burgess for Plumpton, Devon, by the Stannary courts who disliked a bill he introduced about tin works. Copy (which Williams had made so as to prepare his defence against an information filed against him for licensing, as Speaker in 1680, the publication of Thomas Dangerfield's libellous Narrative. His main defence was that of parliamentary privilege. In the event Williams allowed judgement to go against him by default. For the Narrative see no. 58 and cf. no. 56, ff. 253-75].

It should be noted that Williams' plea to the jurisdiction of the King's Bench vis à vis parliamentary privilege was also overruled.

(Ii) 1688, May 4. Order Of Privy Council that the above should be read in all churches on two successive Sundays and that the bishops distribute the same throughout their respective dioceses to be read accordingly. Printed. Damaged. Endorsed: 'Brief The King ag[ains]t W[illia]m Archb[isho]p of Canterbury to be tried at the Kings Bench at Westminster the 29th of June being Friday 1688'.

Brief for the prosecution against the Seven Bishops for seditious libel [for the trial see T. B. Howell, State Trials, xii, cols 183-434].

Volume bound in Russian leather comprising the following:. F. 1. Title page : Votes / of the / House of Commons, 1680. F. 2. Title page : His Majesties / Gracious / Speech / To both Houses of / Parliament, 21 Oct. 1680. F. 3. A List of both Houses of Parliament Prorogued to the 26th of January 1679/80. Ff. 4-7. His Majesties / Gracious / Speech / To both Houses of / Parliament, 21 Oct. 1680. Ff. 8-9. His Majestie's / Message / To The Commons / in Parliament, 9 Nov. 1680. Ff. 10-11. The / Address / To His / Majesty / From the / Commons, 13 Nov. 1680. Ff. 12-18. Votes / Of the House of / Commons, 21 Oct.-30 Oct. 1680. Ff. 19-36. Votes / Of the House of / Commons, 1 Nov.-23 Nov. 1680. F. 37. The / Address / Of The / Commons in Parliament / To His / Majesty, / To Remove / Sir George Jeffreys / Out of all Publick Offices, 22 Nov. 1680. Ff. 38-9. Votes / of the House of / Commons, 24-5 Nov. 1680. F. 40. The / Address / Humbly presented to His / Majesty / From Both Houses / Of / Parliament / For A / Day of Humiliation. / With His / Majesties Gracious Answer, 26 Nov. 1680. F. 41. Votes / of the House of / Commons, 26 Nov. 1680. F. 42. The Humble / Address / Of The / Commons in Parliament / Presented to His / Majesty, / To Remove / George Earl of Halifax / From his Presence and Counsels. / With His Majestie's Answer 26 Nov. 1680. F. 43. Articles / of Impeachment / Against / Edward Seymour, esq., 26 Nov. 1680. Ff. 44-6. Votes / of the House of / Commons, 27, 29 Nov. 1680. Ff. 47-55. His / Majesties / Message / To The / Commons in Parliament, / Relating to Tangier. / And The Humble / Address / Of The / Commons / To His / Majesty, / In Answer to that Message, 29 Nov. 1680. Ff. 56-69. Votes / Of the House of / Commons, 30 Nov.-15 Dec. 1680. Ff. 70-1. His Majesties / Most Gracious / Speech / To both Houses of / Parliament, 15 Dec. 1680. Ff. 78-82. The / Report / Of The / Committee / for Receiving / Informations / Concerning The / Popish Plot; / Upon the Complaint of / Mr Peter Norris, 9 Dec. 1680. Ff. 83-5. Votes of the House of Commons, 23-4 Dec. 1680. Ff. 86-92. The Humble / Address / Of The / House of Commons, / Presented To His / Majesty. / In Answer To / His Majesties / Gracious / Speech / To both Houses of Parliament, 21 Dec. 1680. Ff. 93-4. Votes / of the House of / Commons, 30 Dec. 1680. F. 95. Title Page: The / Resolutions / Of The / House of Commons, / For The / Impeachment / of / Sir William Scroggs Knt / Chief Justice of the Court of / King's Bench, 23 Dec. 1680. Ff. 96-102. The / Report / Of The / Committee / Of The / Commons, / Appointed to Examine / The / Proccedings / Of The / Judges, etc. 23 Dec. 1680. Ff. 103-4. The / Resolutions / Of The / Commons, / For The / Impeachment / Of The Said / Judges, 5 Jan. 1680/1. Ff. 105-11. Articles / Of / Impeachment / Of / High Treason, / And other great Crimes and Misdemeanors against Sir / William Scroggs / Chief Justice of the Court of / King's Bench, [3 Jan. 1680/1]. Ff. 112-13. Votes / Of the House of / Commons, 31 Dec. 1680. Ff. 114-18. The / Report / From The / Committee of the Commons in Parliament, / Appointed by the Honourable / House of Commons, / To consider the Petition of / Richard Thompson / of Bristol, clerk; / And To / Examine Complaints against him. / And the Resolution / Of the Commons in / Parliament / Upon this Report, / For His / Impeachment / Of High / Crimes and Misdemeanours, 24 Dec. 1680. Ff. 119-20. Votes / of the House of / Commons, 3-4 Jan. 1680/1. Ff.121-2. His Majesties / Gracious / Message / To the / Commons / in / Parliament, 4 Jan. 1680/1. Ff. 123-7. Votes / of the House of / Commons, 5-10 Jan. 1680/1. Ff. 128-235. The / Tryal / Of / William, Viscount Stafford / For / High Treason, 1680/1.

King Harry the Ninth's / Speech / To both Houses of P[arliament] / The 31st Day of November 1647. (No imprint.).