Letters Patent - Commission for the Custody of the Great Seal [1979-06-26]
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Transcript
E LIZABETH THE SECOND
BY THE GRACE OF GOD of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Our other Realms and Territories Queen Head of the Commonwealth Defender of the Faith
To Our right trusty and well beloved Counsellors JOHN PASSMORE BARON WIDGERY Officer of Our Most Excellent Order of the British Empire upon whom has been conferred the Territorial Efficiency Decoration Lord Chief Justice of England ARTHUR CHRISTOPHER JOHN BARON SOAMES Knight Grand Cross of Our Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George Knight Grand Cross of Our Royal Victorian Order Commander of Our Most Excellent Order of the British Empire Lord President of Our Privy Council MORYS GEORGE LYNDHURST BARON ABERDARE Chairman of Committees of Our House of Lords ALFRED THOMPSON BARON DENNING Master of the Rolls SIR EDWARD WALTER EVELEIGH Knight SIR ROBERT EDGAR MEGARRY Knight (Vice-Chancellor) Our trusty and well beloved SIR RALPH KILNER BROWN Knight Officer of Our Most Excellent Order of the British Empire upon whom has been conferred the Territorial Efficiency Decoration SIR JOHN DOUGLAS MAY Knight SIR MICHAEL ROBERT EMANUEL KERR Knight SIR JOHN LEWIS ARNOLD Knight SIR RAYMOND HENRY WALTON Knight SIR JOHN DEXTER STOCKER Knight upon whom have been conferred the Decoration of the Military Cross and the Territorial Efficiency Decoration SIR BARRY CROSS SHEEN Knight Greeting Whereas Our right trusty and well beloved Counsellor Quintin McGarel Baron Hailsham of Saint Marylebone Our Chancellor of Great Britain hath humbly besought Us to give him leave to be absent from Our United Kingdom from time to time during Our Pleasure and until We shall give him further order and directions herein and that such leave shall not in the absence of further order and direction by Us to the contrary determine by the return of him Our said Chancellor to Our United Kingdom or by the recommitment to him upon such return of the custody of Our Great Seal of Our Realm but that the same shall endure and be a continuing leave to Our said Chancellor to be absent from Our United Kingdom from time to time as to him in his discretion shall see fit until We shall give further order and direction therein to the contrary We are graciously pleased to condescend to his request and We Do accordingly grant leave to Our said Chancellor to be absent from Our United Kingdom from
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time to time during Our Pleasure and until We shall give further order and direction in relation thereto And so that such leave shall not in the absence of further order and direction by Us to the contrary determine by the return of Our said Chancellor to Our United Kingdom or by the recommitment of the custody of Our said Great Seal to Our said Chancellor upon any such return but that the shame shall endure and be a continuing leave to Our said Chancellor to be absent from Our United Kingdom from time to time as in his discretion shall seem fit until We shall give further order and direction therein to the contrary And to the end that Our service and the causes of Our Subjects may not in his absence from time to time receive any hindrance or delay Know Ye therefore that We of Our especial grace certain knowledge and mere motion have thought fit to commit and We do hereby commit the care and keeping of Our Great Seal of Our Realm and the passing under the same all such things as have ordinarily been used to be therewith sealed unto you the said John Passmore Baron Widgery Arthur Christopher John Baron Soames Morys George Lynhurst Baron Aberdare Alfred Thompson Baron Denning Sir Edward Walter Eveleigh Sir Robert Edgar Megarry Sir Ralph Kilner Brown Sir John Douglas May Sir Michael Robert Emanuel Kerr Sir John Lewis Arnold Sir Raymond Henry Walton Sir John Dexter Stocker Sir Barry Cross Sheen (hereinafter called Our Commissioners) or any two of you during the absence from time to time (until We shall give further order and direction in relation thereto) of Our said Chancellor to pass or cause to be passed under Our Great Seal aforesaid and are not yet passed but also all such grants commissions and proclamations and other things whatsoever as shall pass by Our Royal Warrant to pass under Our Great Seal aforesaid together with all such writs processes and commissions as are ordinarily used to be passed by Our Chancellor aforesaid for the time being Provided always and Our express will and Pleasure is that this Our Commission shall not cease or determine by the return of Our said Chancellor to Our United Kingdom or by the recommitment to him upon any such return of the custody of Our Great Seal and that the same shall endure and be (until We shall give further order direction therein to the contrary) a continuing Commission entrusting the care and custody of Our said Great Seal to Our Commissioners or any two of them during the absence from time to time of Our said Chancellor and so often as any such absence shall occur Provided always that the said Quintin McGarel Baron Hailsham of Saint Marylebone’s absence from time to time out of Our United Kingdom by force or in pursuance of Our License for that purpose or this Our Commission or the custody of Our said Great Seal by Our Commissioners or any other matter or thing to be had made or done by virtue or in pursuance thereof shall not be construed or interpreted to be any determination of the said Office or place of Our Chancellor of Great Britain or of his estate or interest or of Our Will and Pleasure herein or relating thereto but that Our said Chancellor or upon his return from time to time into Our United Kingdom shall enter upon hold and execute the said Office of Chancellor and receive the profits thereof and have and receive all other things as fully and amply to all intents and purposes as if he had all along remained and continued in Our United Kingdom and that without any new or other Commission
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Letters Patent or authorities to be made had or granted for the purposes or in relation thereto and also provided and Our Will and Pleasure is that from time to time immediately upon his return unto Our United Kingdom Our said Great Seal shall and is to be immediately recommitted to and be in the custody of the said Quintin McGarel Baron Hailsham of Saint Marylebone without any further warrant commission or authority in that respect In Witness whereof We have caused these Our Letters to be made Patent Witness Ourself at Westminster the twenty-sixth day of June in the twenty-eighth year of Our Reign
By The Queen Herself
Bourne
Warranty
Seal Type
Ornamentation
Royal name is capitalized along with "by the Grace of God" and begins with a drop cap. Royal name and style are written in a larger hand.
Text after the royal name and style is handwritten.
Special Features
Unlike subsequent instruments, this Commission entrusts the Great Seal to specific individuals rather than the holders of certain offices.
Although this Commission granted Lord Hailsham of St. Marylebone leave to be absent from the United Kingdom, he still had to seek the Queen's permission to go abroad.
This document is inconsistent in its use of "Lord" in officeholders' titles. The Lord Chancellor is referred to as "Our Chancellor," but the Lord Chief Justice and Lord President of the Council both have "Lord" in their titles. While the latter usage was traditionally avoided, it has become increasingly common in modern times (cf. this 2019 Commission for Opening Parliament or this 2023 Commission for Royal Assent and Prorogation).
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