Peter Wentworth’s questions on parliamentary privilege, 11 November 1566 (SP 12/41 f.33)
The queen’s angry response to the parliamentary delegation was followed, on 9 November, by a verbal ‘gagging order’ to Parliament, forbidding them to debate matters of the succession. Their response was no less vitriolic. The issue of monarchical versus parliamentary power was one that would have explosive consequences for Elizabeth’s successors.
Transcript
Whether hyr hyghnes’ commandment, forbyddyng the Lower Howse to speake or treate any more of the succession or of any theyre escewsses in that behalffe, be a breache of the lybertie of the free speache of the howse or not?
Wheter Mr Controller, the vicechamberlaine, and Mr Secretarye pronowncyng in the Howse the sayd commandment in hyr hyghness’ name, are of awthorytye suffycyent to bynde the howse to silence in that behalffe, or to bynde the howse to acknowledge the same to be a direct and sufficient commandment or not?
Yf hr hyghness’ said commandment be no breache of ye lybertie of the howse, or yf the commandment pronownced as afore is sayde be a suffycyent commandment to bynd the howse to take knoledge theroff, then what offence is it for anye of the howse to err in declaryng his opynyon to be otherwys?