Floyd's Case
In 1621, when he was in the Fleet Prison at the instance of the Privy Council, he was impeached in the House of Commons for having said:
I have heard that Prague is taken; and Goodman Palsgrave and Goodwife Palsgrave have taken their heels; and as I have heard, Goodwife Palsgrave is taken prisoner.
These words, it was alleged, were spoken by him in a scornful manner, to insult the Prince Palatine and his wife Elizabeth of Bohemia, who was daughter to James I of England. The case led to an important constitutional decision. Shortly before the case, the Commons had looked for precedents supporting their judicial role. They found none except in cases of contempt for the house. During the proceedings against Floyd they obfuscated these findings, but later had to concede the point.
Read more about this topic: Edward Floyd
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