Lords Sitting of 21 June 1809

THE LORDS COMMISSIONERS' SPEECH.
The Lord Chancellorstated to. their lordships, that the Lords Commissioners appointed by the king, had received two commissions from his majesty, signed by

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his own hand, one for giving the royal assent to a bill agreed to by both houses of parliament, and the other, for proroguing the parliament. After reading the first of which, the Lords Commissioners, viz.; the Lord Chancellor, the archbishop of Canterbury, and the earls of Camden, Dartmouth, and Westmoreland, took their seats on the woolsack. The Lords Commissioners then desired the attendance, of the House of Commons in the House of Lords to hear his majesty's gracious communication. On the Speaker's appearance at the bar, and about forty members of the House of Commons,
The Lord Chancellorin his majesty's name delivered the following Speech.
"My Lords and Gentlemen,
"We are commanded by his majesty to acquaint you, that his majesty has great satisfaction in being enabled, by the state of public business, to release you from your laborious attendance in Parliament.
"His majesty doubts not, that on your return into your respective counties, you will carry with you a disposition to inculcate, both by instruction and example, a spirit of attachment to those established laws and that happy constitution, which it has ever been his majesty's anxious wish to support and to maintain, and upon which, under Providence, depend the Welfare and prosperity of this kingdom.
"Gentlemen of the House of Commons,
"We have it in command from his majesty to thank you for the liberal provision which you have made for the services of the present year; and to express the satisfaction which his majesty derives from your having been enabled to provide for those services without any great and immediate addition to the burthens upon his people.
"His majesty particularly commands us to acknowledge your prompt attention to his wishes, respecting an increased provision for the poorer clergy; an object in the highest degree interesting to his majesty's feelings, and deserving the favourable consideration of Parliament.
"My Lords and Gentlemen,
"The atrocious and unparalleled act of violence and treachery by which the Ruler of France attempted to surprize and to en-
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slave the Spanish nation, while it has excited in Spain a determined and unconquerable resistance against the usurpation and tyranny of the French government, has, as the same time, awakened in other nations of Europe a determination to resist, by a new effort, the continued and increasing encroachments on their safety and independence.
"Although the uncertainty of all human events, and the vicissitudes attendant upon war, forbid too confident an expectation of a satisfactory issue to the present struggle against the common enemy of Europe, his majesty commands us to congratulate you upon the splendid and important success which has recently crowned the arms of the Emperor of Austria, under the able and distinguished conduct of his Imperial Highness the Archduke Charles.
"To the efforts of Europe for its own deliverance, his majesty has directed us to assure you, that he is determined to continue his most strenuous assistance and support, convinced that you will agree with him in considering that every exertion for the re-establishment of the independence and security of other nations, is no less conducive to the true interest, than it is becoming the character and honour of Great Britain."
Then a, Commission for proroguing the Parliament was read; after which the Lord Chancellor, by virtue of his majesty's commission, prorogued the Parliament to Thursday the 10th day of August next.