On this Day in History ... 7th January

Chronicle of Walter of Guisborough. In the same year, the Count of Flanders, having suffered injury from the King of France, his liege lord, after having exhausted much of his own money in the service of the French king and realizing that he had laboured in vain, though he had earned much, renounced his allegiance to the French crown. To become more pleasing to the King of England, he expelled all Frenchmen from his lands. Observing that his territory had been greatly diminished, since his citizens could no longer obtain English wool and hides as they were accustomed to in trade, which were essential for their many textile workers, and noticing too that his fishermen were impoverished, lacking free access to the sea, he finally saw he could no longer resist the King of England. So, he sent envoys to King Edward, asking and pleading for peace and friendship. The king was pleased with the request, and praised the Count for expelling the French from his lands, commending him for it. He established a firm peace, had it publicly proclaimed, and, entering into a faithful alliance, the two became dear friends and allies.¹

Eodem anno comes Flandriæ a rege Francourum domino suo injuriam passus, cum jam multas pro eo exhausisset pecunias, vidensque se in vanum labourasse qui multa meruerat, a fide regis sui desilivit. Et ut regi Angliæ acceptior fieret, omnes a terra sua Francos eliminavit, consideransque terram suam quasi exinanitam eo quod cives sui lanas Anglicanas et coria non haberent, ut mercando habere consueverant, ad operandum, cum sint ibi operarii multi, piscatores etiam terræ suæ depauperatos eo quod liberum ad mare non haberent accessum, vidensque finaliter se ulterius non posse regi Anglorum resistere, misit ad eum nuncios, petens et rogans quæ pacis sunt et amoris; placuitque regi nostro rogatum, et in expulsione Francourum a terra sua eum commendando laudavit, statuitque ei firmam pacem, quam præconizari fecit, et inito fideli fœdere, cari quidem facti sunt et amici.

Note 1. The letter of confederation between the King and Guy Count of Flanders is dated on the 7th of January, 1297. Rymer, Fœdera, 1.850.

Rymer's Fœdera Volume 1. Letters of confederation between the Count of Flanders, with the assent of his sons, and the King of England; against the King of France, in perpetuity.

A. D. 1297. An. 25 Edw. I. Ex Orig. in Thesaur. Cur. Recept. Scacc.

We, Guy, Count of Flanders and Marquis of Namur, make known to all and desire that all should know the following: That certain persons of high estate and great power do not regard, as they ought, what is just, but rather follow their own will, relying on the strength of their power. Yet reason ought to be sovereign over all; and no one, no matter how great he may be, should have the power to oppose human nature, which among people has created and established a union, teaching that it is good to form alliances and to gain friends, so as to be strong enough to defend against violence and injury, and to uphold justice. Let everyone know, and it is the truth, that the high and mighty Prince Philip, King of France (to whom we have done homage as peers of France), by his own will, without reason and without our deserving it, has grievously wronged us and treated us harshly. He has attacked our honor and our rights, which he was bound, by reason of the fealty by which he once received us, to uphold and defend justly and loyally. He has denied us justice and, in many other ways, has acted wrongfully toward us, against God and against justice. And because he, being so willful, powerful, and strong, and recognizing no superior, has placed us in such necessity that we are forced to take up arms and seek allies against him, we have made, and hereby do make, between ourselves on one part, by the counsel of our prelates, barons, friends, and people, and between the most high and most noble Prince, our dear lord Edward, by the grace of God King of England, Lord of Ireland, and Duke of Aquitaine, on the other part, by the counsel of his prelates, earls, barons, and people, and by our mutual and free will and common assent on both sides, the following alliances and agreements, in the form set out below. Which alliances and agreements we desire, in good faith, to endure henceforth and forever, perpetually for us, Count of Flanders, and the King of England named above, and for our heirs, as Counts of Flanders and Kings of England.

That we, Guy, Count of Flanders, named above, have agreed and promised for ourselves and for our heirs, Counts of Flanders, to the said King of England, for him and for his heirs, Kings of England, that if it should happen that the King of France, or his heirs the Kings of France, were to come with a mustered army against the King of England who now is, or against his heirs the Kings of England; or should send, on his behalf, such a great force against the said King of England or his heirs, Kings of England, that they could not withstand or defend themselves against it: then we are bound to aid, and will aid, the said King of England and his heirs, Kings of England, against the said King of France and his heirs, Kings of France, and against all their supporters, with all our power, loyally and in good faith, and together with all our allies, in the manner that follows: that is to say;

That for the people whom we shall send, we will provide, at our expense, sea passages, replacement horses, and wages; and likewise all other means so that the said King of England, and his said heir, King of England (if they should lack provisions), may obtain them in our land in due time, for their money, because they would be in a foreign country. And the King of England and his heirs, Kings of England, must likewise assist us and our heirs, the Counts of Flanders, in the manner set forth in the land we hold from him. And it is to be known that we, during the war which our dear lord, the King of England aforesaid, presently has with the said King of France, promise and are bound to commence war against the said King of France within two months after the said King of England shall have notified us. And let all know that all our children and all our allies shall, for the duration of this war, be included in this alliance. Furthermore, we wish all to know that neither we nor our heirs, Counts of Flanders, may or shall make any peace, truce, or agreement of ceasefire with the aforesaid King of France and his heirs, Kings of France, now or at any future time, whether from the King of England and his heirs to the King of France and his heirs, or from the King of France and his heirs to us or our heirs, Counts of Flanders, without the assent, approval, and consent of the said King of England and his heirs, Kings of England. And likewise, the said King of England and his heirs, Kings of England, shall not make peace or truce, in this war or in any other, without the assent, approval, and consent of us and of our heirs, the aforesaid Counts of Flanders.

Neither we nor our children, nor any of our descendants, may or shall make peace, truce, or any agreement with the aforementioned King of France or his heir, King of France, during this present war that the abovenamed King of England now has with him, without the assent, approval, and consent of the said King of England and his heir, King of England. And, should this said war come to an end such that peace is made, and if any other war should afterward arise between the abovenamed King of France and his heir, King of France, and the said King of England and his heir, King of England, or between the said King of France and his heir, King of France, and us and our heir, Count of Flanders, our descendants, and the Count of Flanders' line, then, even if we are not directly involved against the said dear lord the King of England and his heir, King of England, neither we nor our heirs, Counts of Flanders, nor the said King of England nor his heirs, Kings of England, shall ever assist the King of France or his heirs, nor give them counsel in any way, nor shall we receive them in any manner whatsoever. Let it be known to all that the alliances which we, for ourselves and for our heirs, Counts of Flanders, and the abovenamed King of England, for himself and his heirs, Kings of England, have made, may never at any time, for any reason that may occur or could occur, be undone, neither by command nor request of the pope or any other person; nor by anything that is or may be granted, or even in the future be sought or obtained from the pope or any other person; nor for any cause whatsoever, unless we both, and our aforementioned heirs, Count of Flanders and King of England, jointly give our mutual consent and agreement. And if any such commands or requests are made, or any approvals should be given, of whatever kind, that might tend toward breaking this agreement, we must not and will not act upon them in any way, unless both of us, by our common consent and agreement, and likewise our said heirs, agree to do so. All these things, as described and declared above, each and every one of them, we have loyally agreed to uphold and fulfill, for ourselves and for our said heirs, Counts of Flanders, in good faith to our aforementioned dear lord the King of England, for himself and for his said heirs, Kings of England; and this by the oath made on our soul, and in our name, and by our command, upon the holy gospels, physically touched, by our procurators whom we have appointed for this purpose, for ourselves and for our heirs, Counts of Flanders, and in our own name; namely, the noble men, our dear and loyal knights, Henry, lord of Blamont, and John, lord of Kuc: what they have promised, sworn, pledged, and done in our name and for us, we have accepted and approved, and we hereby accept and approve.

And along with all this, we further promise to uphold and fulfill it without ever doing or causing anything against it, neither by ourselves, nor through others, neither wholly nor in part. And to this end, we bind ourselves, and all our heirs, Counts of Flanders, entirely and perpetually, and all that is ours, to the said King of England and to his said heirs. And by the same oath, faith, and agreement, we have entirely renounced and do renounce all things by which any of the matters contained in these letters could be annulled, hindered, or delayed, in whole or in part. And we will that this renunciation be valid in all respects and in all cases, just as if every exception and specific clause had been expressly stated. And we also renounce the legal principle that general renunciations shall have no effect. And to make all these things more secure, more reliably kept and more firmly upheld, we, in the name of memory and testimony, have caused these present letters to be sealed with our seal. And we command our dear and beloved sons, Robert, our eldest son and our most apparent heir to the county of Flanders; William of Flanders; Philip of Flanders; John of Namur; and Guy, to add their seals to this letter along with ours, in testimony of their counsel, assent, and agreement concerning all the matters above declared, insofar as they concern and may concern them, each in his own right and person, according to the stipulations, terms, and words maintained and contained in this letter. And that they approve and affirm them to the extent that they concern them and each of them individually, as said. And we, the aforesaid sons of the Count of Flanders, Robert of Béthune, Lord of Arras, Béthune, and Termonde; William of Flanders; Philip of Flanders; John of Namur; and the aforementioned Guy, by the command and will of our most high and noble lord and father, in testimony of our counsel, assent, and agreement on all the aforesaid matters, and that we affirm, approve, and will firmly uphold them insofar as they concern us and may concern us, each in his own right and person according to the terms and stipulations contained in this letter, have placed our seals on these present letters alongside the seal of our most dear and beloved lord and father, Guy, Count of Flanders and Marquis of Namur, as named above. Given at Wynendaele, the day after the Epiphany [7th January 1297], in the year of grace 1297. Sealed with five seals, hanging from cords of silk of saffron color.

Litteræ de confœderatione inter comitem Flandrice, cum assensu filiorum suorum, & Regem Angliæ; contra Regem Francia in perpetuum.

NOUS Guys, cuens de Flandres, & marchis de Namure, faisons savoir a tous, & volons ke tout sachent; cheu, ke aucunes personnes, de haut estat, & pour de grande poisance, ne reswardent mie, si come il deveroient, a raison, mais a lour volentei, en le fianchie de leur pooir: & raisons doit estre souveraine de touz. Et chascuns, come grans k'il soit, n'ait mie a des pooir, par lui, de che contrester nature humanie, ke entre le gent, a fait & ordenei une liguie, ensegne bien a faire alliances, & acquerre amys, pour estre poiscant de deffendre violenses & injuries, & de maintenir droiture. Chascuns seit, & voirs est qe haus prinches & poisscans Philippes, Roys de Franche (ou cui homage nous avons festei come pers de Franche) par sa volentei, sanz raison, & sanz nostre deserte, nos a greveis, & dur porteis, & entrepris sour nostre honour, & sour le nostre, le quell il estoit tenus, par le raison de la feautai, a la quele il nos reschuit jadis, de rewardir, & nous maintenir par raison, & en loialtei. Et nos a defalt de droit, & en moult d'autres manieres s'est meffais vers nous, encontre DIU, & encontre justiche. Et, pour che, k'il, ki tant est de sa volentei, & poiscans, & fors, & ne reconoist nul souverain, nos a mis en tiele necessitei, k'il convient ke nous guerrons, & pourchasons amis encontre lui. Nous avons fait, & faisons entre nous de une part, par le conseil de nos prelas, de nos barons, de nos amis, & de nos gens, & entre treshaut & tresnoble prinche, no chier seigneur, Edward, par la grasse de Diu, Roy d'Engleterre, seignur d'Yrland, & duc d'Aquitaine, d'autre part, par le conseil de ses preias, de ses contes, de ses barons, & de ses gens, de nostre commune & bone volente, & de nostre commun assens, de une part & d'autre, alliances & couvenences en la maniere ki s'ensuit, Les queles alliances & convenences nous volons en bone foi, ke elles durent, de sore en avant, a tous jours perpetuelment pour nous, conte de Flandres, & Roy d'Engleterre desus nomeis, & pour nos hoirs, aussi contes de Flandres, & Roys d'Engleterre; chest a savoir.

Ke nous Guys, cuens de Flandres desus nomeis, avons conuent & promis pour nous, & pour noz hoirs, contes de Flandres, au dit Roy d'Engleterre, pour lui, & pour ses hoirs, Roys d'Engleterre, ke s'ensi estoit ke li Roys de Franche, ou ses hoirs Roys de Franche, venist, a ost bannie, sour le Roy d'Engleterre, ki ore est, ou sur ses hoirs, Roys d'Engleterre: ou envoiast de par lui aisi grant forche sour le dit Roy d'Engleterre, ou ses hoirs Roys d'Engleterre ke souffrir, ne defendre ne se peuscent; nous, le dit Roy d'Engleterre ou ses hoirs Roys d'Engleterre, aider devons, & aiderons contre le dit Roy de Franche, & ses hoirs Roys de Franche, & encontre tous leur aydans, de tout nostre poir, loiatment & en bone foy, a tous nos alloyes, en la maneire ki ensuit: chest a savoir;

Ke as gens, ke nous i envoierons, nous ferons trouver, a nos coustenghes, passages de Mer, restor de chevaus & gages, ensi toutes voies ke li dis Roys d'Engleterre, & si dit hoir Roi d'Engleterre (s'il avoient defaute de vitaille) leur seroient avoir en le terre avenament, pour lour deniers, pour che k'l seroient en estrange pays. Et li Roys d'Engleterre, & si hoir Roy d'Engleterre, nos dovent ausi aydier, & nos hoirs contes de Flandres, en la maniere contenue en la terre ke nous avons de lui. Et est a savoir ke nous, durant la guerre, ke nos chiers sires, li Roys d'Engleterre desus diz, a orendroit au dit Roy de Franche, promettons & devons commenchier guerre au dit Roy de Franche, dedens les deus mois ke li dis Roys d'Engleterre le nos avera mandei. Et sachent tout ke tout nostre enfant, & tout nostre allyet, doivent estre, toute cheste guerre de ore durant, en cheste alliance. Derechief, nous volons ke tout sachent ke nous, ne nostre hoir, conte de Flandres, de cheste guerre, ke li dis Roys d'Engleterre a orendroit au desus dit Roy de Fraunche, ne de autre, ki avenir puist, a nul jour, don dit Roy d'Engleterre & a ses hoirs Roys d'Engleterre au desus dit Roy de Franche, & a ses hoirs Roys de Franche: & don dit Roy de Fraunche, & de les hoirs Roys de Franche a nous, ou a nos hoirs contes de Flandres; pais ne trives, ne soufrance ne poons, ne devons faire, ne ne ferons, sanz le assens, le otroy, & le consens dont dit Roy d'Engleterre, & de ses hoirs Roys d'Engleterre: Et non plus ne doivent faire le dis Roys d'Engleterre, ne si hoir d'Engleterre desus dit, ne de ceste guerre, ne de nulle autre, sans l'assens, le otroy, & le consens de nous, & de nostre hoir conte de Flandres desusdit.

Ne nus, ne nos autres enfans ne puer de doet faire pais, truves, ne soufrance, au desusdit Roy de Franche, ne a son hoir Roy de Franche, durant cheste guerre, ke li desus nomeis Roys d'Engleterre a orendroit a lui, sans l'assens, otroy, & consens dou dit Roy d'Engleterre, & de son hoir Roy d'Engleterre. Et, se cheste dite guerre estoit finie, ensi ke pais en fust faite, & aucune autre guerre soursist en apres entres le desusdit Roy de Franche, & son hoir Roy de Franche & le desunomei Roy d'Engleterre, & son hoir Roy d'Engleterre, & entre le dit Roy de Franche, & son dit hoir Roy de France, & nous, & nostre hoir conte de Flandres, & nostre enfant le conte de Flandres, ne seront, mie fuscent encontre ne desusnomei chier seignor le Roy d'Engleterre, & son hoir Roy d'Engleterre; nous, ne nos hoirs, cuens de Flandres, ne li dis Roys d'Engleterre, ne ses hoirs Roys d'Engleterre, ne seriemes, tant come il fuscent contrarie a nous, & a lui, aydant, & eaus ne consellant en nulle maniere, ne les recepteriemes nullement. Et soit conneue chose a touz, ke les alliances, ke nous pour nous, & pour nos hoirs contes de Flandres, & li desusnomeis Roys d'Engleterre pour lui, & pour ses dis hoirs Roy d'Engleterre, avons faites, ne puent jamais, a nul jour, pour rien ki aviegne, ne avenir puist, estre defaites: ne par commandement, ne pourkach de apostole, ne de autruz: ne pour chose ki soit impetree, ne otroye, ne ke ou paist jamais, a nul jor, impetrer de apostole, ne de autruz, ne ke ou puist otroyer, ne pur occasion nulle, quele ke elle soit ne puist estre; se nous ambedoi, & nostre desusdit hoir conte de Flandres, & Roy d'Engleterre, ni mettons nostre commun accord & assens, & nou dit hoir le leur. Et s'il avenoit ensi ke commandements & pourkars en sust fais, & aucune otruoysons avenist, quele ke elle fust ki deust a che mouvoir, si nen devons nous de rien user, ne ne userons, se nous ambedoi, de nostre commun accord, ni assenstons, & nostre desusdit hoir. Toutes ches chozes, desus devisees & dittes, & cascune de elles, avons nous en conuent lo alment pour nous, & pour nos desus diz hoirs, contes de Flandres, a tenir, & à implir, en bone foi, au desusnomei no chier signor le Roy d'Engleterre pour lui, & pour ses desusdis hoirs Roys d'Engleterre, & par le sagrement fait en nostre ame, & en nostre non, & par nostre commandement, sour les sains evangiles, touchez corporelment, par procureurs ke nous, pour chou faire, pour nous, & pour nos hoirs contes de Flandres, & en nostre non mesmes; chest a savoir, nobles homes, nos chiers & foiables, Henri seignor de Blanmont, & Jehan seignor de Kuc, chivalers, l'avons promis & fianchie; & che, ke par eus en a estei promis, jurei, fianchie, & fait, come fait en nostre non & pour neus, l'avons greei, & approuei, & le greons, & approuens.

Et avoec tout che, le promettons a faire tenir & a emplir, sanz venir, ne faire jamais rien encontre, ne par nous, ne par autre, ne en tout, ne en aucune partie. Et quant a che nous obligons au si desusnomei Roi d'Engleterre, & a ses dis hoirs, tout le nostre entirement, & nos hoirs, contes de Flandres, perpetuelment a tous jors, & tout le leur. Et, per le meyme fairement, foy, & covenence, nous, quant a toutes ches chozes entirement, & cascune de elles, avons renunchiet, & renunchons a toutes les chozes, par les queles les chozes, ki sunt contenues en ches lettres, porroient, en tout, & en aucune partie, estre defaites, empaechies, & delayes. Et volons ke cheste renunciation vaille en tous poins, & en tous cas, tout ensement, ke ce expressement, & specialment fuscent mis avant. Et renunchons aussi au droit ki vint, ke generaus renunciations ne doit valor. Et, pour chou ke toutes ches chozes soient plus seures, & tenues, & wardees mius, & plus fermement, nous, en non de souvenanche & de tesmognage, avons ches præsentes lettres fait saeler de nostre seel: Et mandons a nos chiers & ames fius, Robert nostre ainsnei fil, & nostre plus apparunt hoir de le contei de Flandres, Williame de Flandres, Philippe Flandres, Jehan de Namur, & Guyot, & volons kil, en tesmognage de lor consel, assens, & consens, sour toutes les chozes desus dittes, de tant ke elles les touchent, & pueent touchier, cascun, en droit lui, & en sa personne, selonc les devises, ordenances, & parolles maintenues & contenues en cheste lettre, mittent a cheste ditte lettre leur seaus avoec le nostre; Et kils ses greent & appruevent de tant, ke elles touchent a eaus, & a cascun d'eaus, en se persone, si comme dit est. Et nous, ainsnes fius au conte de Flandres desusnomei, Robers Adnoes d'Arras, sires de Bethune, & de Tenremonde, Williammes de Flandres, Philippes de Flandres, Jehans de Namur, & Guyros desusdit, eau mandment, & a le volentei de haut a noble homme, no treschier & tresamei signor & pere, en tesmognage de nostre consell, assens, & consens, sour toutes les chozes desus dittes: & ke nous les greons, & approuvons, & les tenrons fermement de tant ke elles nos touchent, & pueent touchier; cascun endroit lui, & en sa persone, selonc les devises, ordenances, & paroles maintenues & contenues en chestre lettre, avons (avoec le seel no treschier & tresamei signur & pere G. conte de Flandres, & marchis de Namur devant nomei) fait mettre nos seaus a ches presentes lettres; faites & donnees a Winendale, l'endemain de le Thyphane, l'an de Grasse mill' deus cens, quatre vins, & sayze. Sub quinque sigillis, pendentibus à filis sericis crocei coloris.

Diary of John Nicoll. 7th January 1661. For, upone Monday thaireftir, being the fevint of Januar 1661, the magiftrates and counfell of Edinburgh caufit the timber and fklaites nerreft to that pairt of the Tolbuitli quhair the Erles heid was pricked and fixt to be takin doun, and maid a lairge fcaffold thairon, quhair findry pepill and trumpettoris founding wer placed, wayting thair difcoverit till his corps wer raifit, and brocht in from the Burrow mure. In the meintyme, the Toun of Edinburgh airlie, about nyne in the clok, fet out four of thair captanes with thair companyes, all of thame in thair airmes and difplayit cullouris; quha, eftir a lang fpace marching up and doun the ftreitis, went out thaireftir to the Burrow mure quhair his corps wer bureyit, and quhair findry nobles and gentrie, his freindis and favorites, both hors and fute, wer thair attending; and thair, in prefence of findry nobles, erles, lordis, barones, and utheris convenit for the tyme, his graif wes raifit, his body and bones takin out, and wrappit up in curious clothes, and put in a coffin, quhilk, under a cannopy of riche velwet, wer careyit from the Burrow mure to the Toun of Edinburgh; the nobles, barones, and gentrie on hors, the Toun of Edinburgh, and many thowfandis befyde, convoyit these corpis all along, the cullouris fleying, drumes towking, trumpettis founding, mufketis craking, and cannones from the caftell roring; all of thame walking on till thai come to the Tolbuith of Edinburgh, fra the quhilk his heid wes very honorablie and with all dew refpectis takin doun and put within the coffin under the cannopie with great acclamatioun of joy; all this tyme the trumpettis, the drumes, cannounes, gunes, the difplayit cullouris, geving honor to these deid corps. From thence, all of thame, both hors and fute, convoyit these deid corps to the Abay kirk of Halyrudhous, quhair he is left inclofit in ane yll, till farder ordour be by his Majeftie and Eftaites of Parliament for the lolempnitie of his buriall.

Greville Memoirs. 7th January 1832. Gorhambury [Map]. Came here to-day. Berkeley Paget and Lushington; nobody else. Had a conversation with Lady C. before I came away; between Palmerston, Frederick Lamb (age 49), and Melbourne she knows everything, and is a furious anti-Reformer. The upshot of the matter is this: the question about the Peers is still under discussion; Lord Grey and the ultra party want to make a dozen, now, the others want only to yield five or six. Lord Grey wrote to Palmerston saying the King had received his proposition (about the Peers) very well, but desired to have his reasons in writing, and to-day at twelve there was to be another Cabinet on the subject, in order probably that the 'reasons' might go down by the post. The moderate party in the Cabinet consists of Lansdowne, Richmond, Palmerston, Melbourne, and Stanley. Palmerston and Melbourne, particularly the latter, are now heartily ashamed of the part they have taken about Reform. They detest and abhor the whole thing, and they find themselves unable to cope with the violent party, and consequently implicated in a continued series of measures which they disapprove; and they do not know what to do, whether to stay in and fight this unequal battle or resign. I told her that nothing could justify their conduct, and their excuses were good for nothing; but that there was no use in resigning now. They might still do some good in the Cabinet; they could do none out of it. In fact, Durham and the most violent members of the Cabinet would gladly drive Palmerston and Melbourne to resign if they could keep Stanley, who is alone of importance of that squad; but he is of such weight, from his position in the House of Commons, that if he can be prevailed upon to be staunch, and to hold out with the moderates against the ultras, the former will probably prevail. Durham wants to be Minister for Foreign Affairs, and would plague Lord Grey till he gave him the seals, unless his other colleagues put a veto upon the appointment. But the anxiety of the Reformers to make Peers has not reference to the Reform Bill alone; they undoubtedly look further, and knowing their own weakness in the House of Lords, they want to secure a permanent force, which may make them stronger than their antagonists in that House. Otherwise they would not be so averse to all questions of conciliation, express their disbelief in conversions, and trumpet forth their conviction that any individual of the late majority will vote just the same way again. The earnest desire of the moderate party in the Cabinet is that those who will vote for the second reading shall make haste to declare their intention, and I have written to Lady Harrowby (age 59) to endeavour to get Lord Harrowby to take some such step. I had already written to De Ros, urging him to speak to Wharncliffe (age 55), and get him to take an opportunity of giving the King to understand that the necessity for a creation of Peers is by no means so urgent as his Ministers would have him believe.