and
as the Upper House resumed the business of the day, heedless of all
these marks of respect, the Commons departed.

CHAPTER VII.

STORMS OF MEN ARE WORSE THAN STORMS OF OCEANS.

The doors were closed again, the Usher of the Black Rod re-entered; the
Lords Commissioners left the bench of State, took their places at the
top of the dukes' benches, by right of their commission, and the Lord
Chancellor addressed the House:--

"My Lords, the House having deliberated for several days on the Bill
which proposes to augment by L100,000 sterling the annual provision for
his Royal Highness the Prince, her Majesty's Consort, and the debate
having been exhausted and closed, the House will proceed to vote; the
votes will be taken according to custom, beginning with the puisne
Baron. Each Lord, on his name being called, will rise and answer
_content_, or _non-content_, and will be at liberty to explain the
motives of his vote, if he thinks fit to do so.--Clerk, take the vote."

The Clerk of the House, standing up, opened a large folio, and spread it
open on a gilded desk. This book was the list of the Peerage.

The puisne of the House of Lords at that time was John Hervey, created
Baron and Peer in 1703, from whom is descended the Marquis of Bristol.

The clerk called,--

"My Lord John, Baron Hervey."

An old man in a fair wig rose, and said, "Content."

Then he sat down.

The Clerk registered his vote.

The Clerk continued,--

"My Lord Francis Seymour, Baron Conway, of Killultagh."

"Content," murmured, half rising, an elegant young man, with a face like
a page, who little thought that he was to be ancestor to the Marquises
of Hertford.

"My Lord John Leveson, Baron Gower," continued the Clerk.

This Baron, from whom were to spring the Dukes of Sutherland, rose, and,
as he reseated himself, said "Content."

The Clerk went on.

"My Lord Heneage Finch, Baron Guernsey."

The ancestor of the Earls of Aylesford, neither older nor less elegant
than the ancestor of the Marquises of Hertford, justified his device,
_Aperto vivere voto_, by the proud tone in which he exclaimed,
"Content."

Whilst he was resuming his seat, the Clerk called the fifth Baron,--

"My Lord John, Baron Granville."

Rising and resuming his seat quickly, "Content," exclaimed Lord
Granville, of Potheridge, whose peerage was to become extinct in 1709.

The Clerk passed to the sixth.

"My Lord Charles Montague, Baron Halifax."