“The King to William, Viscount Mansfield.
“1621, March 10. The Palace of Westminster.—Permitting him on account of his wife’s sickness to be absent from Parliament, but directing him to send up his proxy to some fit person. Signed. Seal of Arms. Countersigned, ‘Windebank’.”
How many a modern legislator would be thankful to be allowed to send a proxy to the House!