House of Commons Journal Volume 6: 27 December 1649

Die Jovis, 27 Decembris, 1649.

Prayers.

Army Committee, &c.

AN Act for Continuance of the Committee of the Army, and Treasurers at War, was this Day read; and, upon the Question, passed.

East India Company.

Colonel Thompson reports from the Committee of the Navy, the State of the Business upon the Petition of the Governor and Company of Merchants of London trading to the East Indies; and the Resolution of that Committee thereupon; viz.

That the said Committee, upon Examination, do find, that, by an Act made 1° Jac. all Spices and Drugs garblable, imported into this Nation, were to be garbled and searched, before Sale and Delivery, upon Pain of Forfeiture thereof; the one Moiety to the King, the other to the Informer: Nevertheless it is thereby provided, that such as should bring in Spices and Drugs, had Liberty to transport the same, within Eight Months, without Penalty.

This Committee also find, That the said Company have, ever since the said Act, without Lett, sold to Transport their Drugs and Spices, by virtue of Letters Patents under the Great Seal, until the Twentieth Year of the late King: And that there doth not appear unto this Committee, that any Informations have been exhibited before that Time (Two only excepted) against the said Company, or any other Persons, for Buying or Selling of Spices to Transport, ungarbled; but that very many Informations have, since that Time, been exhibited, and divers Compositions made thereupon; but no Benefit thereby hath accrued or come to the State.

Resolved, by the said Committee, That all Proceedings upon Information, exhibited against the East India Company, and all other Persons, now depending in the Publick Exchequer, touching their Buying or Selling of Drugs, not garbled, to have been transported, be forthwith stayed, and surcease, without any further Prosecution therein: And that no other Informations shall hereafter be exhibited against any Person or Persons, for Buying or Selling of any Spices or Drugs, which were to have been transported, not being garbled; any thing in the Statute of 1° Jacobi, concerning Garbling of Spices, contained to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding.

The humble Petition of William Cutler, Deputy Garbler of the City of London (the Mayor and Commonalty being Garblers), was this Day read.

Ordered, That the said Business, upon the Petition of the Governor and Company of Merchants of London trading to the East Indies, and the said Report and Resolution of the Committee of the Navy, be re-committed: And all that come to have Voices: And this Committee have Power to hear all Parties concerned; and consider what is sit to be further done in this Business; and present their Opinions to the House.

Removing Delinquents.

The Earl of Pembroke reports from the Council of State, an Act, injoining all Papists, Officers, and Soldiers of Fortune, and other Delinquents, to remove from the Cities of London and Westminster, and late Lines of Communication, and Twenty Miles thereof.

Which was this Day read the First time.

And the Question being put, That the said Bill be now read the Second time;

It passed with the Assirmative.

And the said Bill was accordingly read the Second time.

And the Question being put, That the Blanks in the said Bill be filled up;

It passed with the Assirmative.

And the said Bill, being so amended, was, upon the Question, committed to the Members of this House that are of the Council of State; or any Three of them: And that the same be brought in To-morrow Morning, the first Business.

And the special Care hereof is committed to the Earl of Pembroke and Colonel Puresoy.