8th Parliament of Elizabeth I

The Speaker, Edward Coke

The 8th Parliament of Elizabeth I was summoned by Queen Elizabeth I on 4 January 1593 and assembled on 19 February following. At the state opening of Parliament the Lord Keeper Sir John Puckering informed the house that the reasons for summoning the Parliament were the threat of Spanish invasion and the Queen's "extraordinarye and most excessive expenses". Edward Coke, the Solicitor-general and Member of Parliament (MP) for Norfolk, was appointed speaker.

On 24 January Peter Wentworth, the MP for Northampton, sought leave to present a bill for "for intayling (restricting) the (royal) succession", for which he was sent to the Tower of London and four other colluding MPs locked in the Fleet Prison for the duration of the session.

James Morice, the MP for Colchester, wanted to introduce two bills to restrict the jurisdiction of the bishops, but the Queen was highly offended and ordered Parliament not to get involved in ecclesiastical affairs. Morice was put under house arrest for the duration of the Parliament.

After a great deal of debate on the issue of raising money to deal with the threat of invasion a compromise was eventually reached on a subsidy. Two other bills were passed restricting the rights and freedoms of Catholics. In total 14 public and 13 private statutes received the royal assent.

The Parliament was dissolved on 10 April 1593.

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