John Pym's interrogation after the dissolution of the 1626 Parliament

 

This transcript omits superscript letters and has partially modernised the spelling of the original in Heath’s papers.

                                                                                                                                           

 

British Library

Egerton Ms.2978

 

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                           Questions delivered the 18^th of June 1626 by Mr

                           Attorney General to divers members of the Commons

                           House of the late dissolved Parliament,

                           together with the Answer of John Pym

                           esquire one of the same members.

 

            In the Charge which was delivered by the Commons House to the

            Lords in the last Parliament dissolved the 15^th of this Month

            of June, against the Duke of Buckingham, which did consist

            of many particulars, who were produced or offered as witnesses

            to prove the several parts of that Charge to your knowledge

            or best remembrance, deliver the names of them, also

            what other proof was offered to any of those particulars,

            to the end I may send for those Witnesses, or send

            for those other proofs for my better instruction ?

 

            Whether do you yourself of your own knowledge know

             any thing which may be useful unto me as you believe

             in proving any Part of those Charges, & which of them ?

 

John Pym esquire one of the Members of the Commons House in the late

Dissolved Parliament being straightly required in his Majesty’s name by

Mr Attorney General, to make answer to the Questions above recited

Least he should any way impeach the Liberties of the Commons House,

or prejudice the late proceedings in Parliament against the Duke

of Buckingham maketh this humble protestation, That he cometh

not to this answer by his own free will but inforced by his

Necessary Duty and obedience to his Majesty’s Comand, desiring

that nothing which he shall do or say herein may be interpreted

to be of force or Efficacy; further then shall stand with the Priviledge

of Parliament, and with his Duty to the late House whereof

he was a Member, under which protestation he for Answer

to the said Questions saith,

 

1 That he knoweth no man produced or offered as a witness to any part

of the Charge against the Duke mentioned in these Interrogatories, but only such as were thereunto Commanded or Summoned by warrant or direction of the House, or of some Committee of the House thereunto authorised

 

2ly That to the Article Concerning the Ship called the St Peter

of Newhaven, Sir Allen Appesly knight Lieutenant of the Tower,

Gabriell Marshe servant to the Duke of Buckingham, and divers others

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both English men, and frenchmen, (whose names he remembreth not)

were examined in his presence.

 

3d That to an other Article concerning the sale of places of Judicature

he heard Sir Henry Mildmay examined.

 

4ly That touching the delivery of the Ships to the french, Mr

Nicholas a servant to the Duke was examined in his presence.

 

5ly That Concerning the exhausting and misemploying the Kings Revenue, the Auditor of the Rates, the other Auditors of the Revenue, both of the Exchequer, and of the Duchy, and on[e] underclerk in the Pipe office whose name he remembreth not were examined touching some

Records, and Entries in their several Offices.

 

6ly That to the Article touching the Physic administered to his late Majesty of happy Memory Dr Atkins Dr Ramsy. Dr Beton; Dr Lister Dr Cragge and as he taketh it some other Physicians whose names he

remembreth not, Mr Heyes and Mr Primrose Surgeons were examined as

Witnesses.

 

7ly That he doth not remember any other Witnesses examined in his

presence, because he did seldom attend the Committees to whom these

Examinations were referred But if any members of the House, did

Deliver their knowledge to any of those Charges, he humbly desireth

to be excused in answering thereunto. And as for other kind of

proof useful in this cause he cannot discover any, but only such

Letters Patents, Privy Seals and other Records, Evidences, & proofs,

Signified to the Lords, together with the Charge, or mentioned in the

Schedule annexed to the same, to which he referreth himself

 

8ly He was Commanded to speak his own knowledge touching the

forest of Blackmore and Pewsam granted to the Earl of

Anglesey, and that he himself of his own knowledge doth not

know any other thing which he conceiveth may be Necessary or useful in proving any part of those Charges.

 

Lastly he saieth That how far the House of Commons would have

made use of any of the Testimonies of the parties aforementioned,

and what other proofs they would have used according to the liberty

reserved to themselves, either for maintenance of their Charge, or upon

the reply which they intended to make, he neither knoweth, nor can

undertake to deliver. But sure he is, that whatsoever was Contained in

the same Charge did pass upon question as the Judgement

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of that House, and as he then Conceived upon very good and

sufficient proof, although the particulars of the proofs then

insisted upon, he doth no further remember, then is Conteyned

in this his Answer.

                                                 Jo: Pym

                                             [Autograph signature]

 

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                           Mr Pimm