This study considers the procedures of the House of Lords
in the early eighteenth century (Part One). It also
elucidates how Lord Treasurer Godolphin managed the upper
House (Part Two).
Chapter one deals with ceremonial business and the proceedings of political significance which were neither
legislative nor judicial. Above all it analyses how
Godolphin co-operated with the leading politicians and
wrote the Queen's speeches. He also tried to control the
process through which the address to the Queen was made.
However because of party strife he could not achieve his
desired end. This chapter also surveys divisions, proxies
and the Lords' protests. Party leaders thought much of
these matters, especially protests which were often used
by the High Tories as a means to criticise government
policies.
Chapter two treats the legislative business of the House.
Leading peers, especially the Junto lords, fully made use
of the procedures to turn proceedings to their advantage.
Select committees also became arenas of party politics.
Chapter three discusses 'political' trials. An analysis is
made of how the High Tories used these cases to attack the
government.
Chapter four discusses relations between the Lords and the
Commons. Above all it deals with the controversial matter
of the superiority of the Commons over money bills, and
makes it clear that disputes over this did not come to an
end in the first parliament of Queen Anne, but continued
until the end of 1706/7 session.
Chapter five investigates the proposition that patronage
was the most important resource for the Lord Treasurer to
control the behaviour of the peers in the House. When he
distributed patronage, Godolphin constantly adopted a
divide et impera policy.
Chapter six considers how skilfully the Lord Treasurer
managed debates in the Lords. It makes clear that he was
expert in avoiding divisions and remodelling motions to
his advantage.
Chapter seven deals with the first two elections of the
Scottish representative peers. It considers the political
struggle between the Lord Treasurer, who hoped to fill the
sixteen with the Court candidates, and the Junto lords and
the Squadrone Volante.
The conclusion assesses Godolphin's achievement in managing
the upper House. Until the final session of his ministry, he generally succeeded in keeping control of it.