In the interval of five years since her last Parliament Elizabeth had faced an uprising of rebellion fomented by Catholic nobles in the north of England, and received a bull of excommunication from Pope Pius V.K.J. Kesselring, The Northern Rebellion of 1569. Discontent and pressure for change was mounting on both sides of the Elizabethan Settlement of religion.
Among the British Library’s Cotton manuscripts survives an eyewitness account of ‘Th’order in proceedinge to the Parliament on Tuesdaie 12 January’ 1563, a day later than intended due to ‘fowle wether’ and the queen being ‘somewhat sick of a styche’. It details Elizabeth’s procession from Whitehall with “trumpetters soundinge”, to the palace of Westminister and all the day’s ceremonies.
Although divers things that are due to be done here in Parliament might by means be reformed without Parliament, yet the Queen’s majesty, seeking in her consultations of importance contentation by assent and surety by advice, and therewith reposing herself not a little in your fidelities, wisdoms and discretions, meaneth not at this time to make any resolution in any matter of weight before it shall be by you sufficiently and fully debated, examined and considered.
It has not been ascertained even approximately when most (64%) of the families who sent Members to Elizabethan Parliaments emerged from obscurity. Of those identified MPs whose family background is known, 104 (4%) were of eleventh to twelfth century origin; 248 (10%) thirteenth to fourteenth century; 341 (13%) fifteenth century, to 1485, and 206 (8%) later than 1485.
Altogether there were 42 Marian exiles returned to the Parliaments of Elizabeth. Their numbers varied from 26 in 1563 to none at all in 1597 and 1601. The greatest concentration was in the first four Parliaments of the reign, with 19 in 1559, 26 in 1563, 17 in 1571 and 20 in 1572. Thereafter, the totals decline: only 9 were in the Parliament of 1584, 6 in 1586 and 1589, and 3 in 1593.This appendix has been contributed by Dr. Kenneth R. Bartlett, University of Toronto.
Effective dates of session: 27 Oct.-19 Dec. 1601.
| Speaker: | (Sir) John Croke III | |
| Clerk: | Fulk Onslow | |
| Deputy: | Cadwallader TydderD’Ewes, 623. |
Privy Councillors in the Commons:
(Sir) Robert Cecil
Effective dates of sessions: 24 Oct.-20 Dec. 1597 11 Jan.-9 Feb. 1598
| Speaker: | (Sir) Christopher Yelverton | |
| Clerk: | Fulk Onslow | |
Privy Councillors in the Commons:
(Sir) Robert Cecil (Sir)
John Fortescue I
(Sir) William Knollys
Effective dates of session: 19 Feb.-10 Apr. 1593.
| Speaker: | (Sir) Edward Coke | |
| Clerk: | Fulk Onslow | |
Privy Councillors in the Commons:
(Sir) Robert Cecil
(Sir) John Fortescue I
(Sir) Thomas Heneage
Effective dates of session: 4 Feb.-29 Mar. 1589.
| Speaker: | Thomas Snagge I |
| Clerk: | Fulk Onslow ‘and his sufficient deputy or deputies’.D’Ewes, 431. |
Privy Councillors in the Commons: