“RATS! MR SPEAKER, SIR!”

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume I, Issue 115, 29 April 1911, Page 1 (Supplement)

“RATS! MR SPEAKER, SIR!”

M.F.s WHO HAVE DEFIED THE FIRST COMMONER.

"I have only been really afraid of two men in my life,” a well-known M.P. recently declared, "and they were Dr. Temple my head-master at Rugby, and Mr. Speaker Peel. Of the two, the Speaker was much the more formid-

Such is the reverence that hedges the Chair to-day. How different it was in some past centuries the following extracts from rhe “Journals of the House” tell us. Thus: “The House was informed by Mr. Speaker that Sir E. Herbert put not off his hat to him, but put out his tongue and popped his mouth with his finger in scorn.” And again: "The House was informed by Mr. Speaker that Mr. T ——, in a loud and violent manner, standing near the Speaker’s chair, cried "Bawl’ Ln the Speaker’s ear, to the great terror and concernment of the Speaker and the members of the House.”

A third irreverent member, who had drunk 'not wisely but too well, once v actually called on “Mr. Speaker for a songl” It ta smalt wonder that in those days the Speaker -was thus openly flouted and laughed at. for he was mostly a weak-kneed creature of the Court or of a faction—a gilded lackey who cringed and bowed the knee.

Rich grovelled before Henry .VIII., and compared him for justice to Solomon, for strength to Samson, and for beauty and comeliness to Absalom. Even More fell on his knees to Wolsey with abject humility. Yelverton apoicgised humblv for his small stature find soft and bashful nature; and Tintoft besought tolerance for his 'lack of sense.”

Of a very different metal, however, was Sir Edward Seymour, the haughtv and autocratic, who, when Charles 11. summoned him to attend in the Upper House, sent back answer that he would be _ “torn bv wild horses sooner than quit the Chair.”

WHfcRE THE WEEKS WENT. When _ Sergeant Pemberton once passed him -with a familiar nod, Seymour promptly gave him into arrest; and on another occasion, when his own osrriage broke down cn the way to the* House, he'stopped the next vehicle that came along, turned'its occupant Stt. and took his place, saying: “Sir, it sfe. more proper tor yon to walk in the streets than the Speaker of the House of Commons.”

Sir John Tiploft,, another autocrat of the weak-kneed days, once gave his ‘ Sovereign a severe lecture, and told him that he and his house were “no better than they ought to be” ; and Sir Fletcher Norton read .George HI, a homily on his extravagance, which cost him Jiis. Chair. Among many remarkable Speakers cf past centuries were Sir John Popham and Sir John Trevor. Popham was kidnapped as a child, brought up among gipsies, played role of. highwayman—more for fun. be it cpid, than for profit—and ended his days as Lord Chief Justice. It was Ponham, by the way, Who. w'hen Queen Bess asked him “w'hat hath passed in the Lower House,” gravely answered, twinkle in his eye: “Seven weeks, your Majesty.” Trevor’s career was equally adventurous. From office-boy to a lawyer, he, rose .to be Speaker of the Commons, filled his pockets with bribes, and finally had to proclaim his own dishonour. by- declaring from the Chair the decision of the House that "Sir John Trevor is guiltv of the high crime of misdemeanour.” * Among Trevor’s many phvsical peculiarities was an abominable squint’, which made the process of “catching his eve” so full of confusion that it was found necessarv to call ihe Member by name—a practice which has since prevailed.

Speaker William Tresham was killed by highwaymen, Thomas Thorne died on the scaffold, and Sir John Wen lock was cloven through the ' skull on Tewkesbury Field.