House of Commons Journal Volume 6: 26 December 1650

Die Jovis, 26 Decembris, 1650.

Prayers.

Room to be cleared.

RESOLVED, That the outer Room be cleared from all Persons whatsoever; the Officers of the Parliament only excepted.

Melting Iron, &c.

A Bill, intituled, A Bill for granting and conferring of Privileges, for a reasonable Term of Years, unto Jeremy Buck Esquire, and his Assigns, of a new Invention of his, Good and Profit to the Commonwealth, for the Melting down of Iron Ore and Cinders into Raw Iron, as also of other Ore into other Metals, with Stone Coal, without Charking thereof, was this Day read the First time; and ordered to be read the Second time on This-day-sevennight.

Marriages.

A Bill enabling the Lords Commissioners of the Great Seal to grant out Commissions to Commissioners to send out Summons, in the Case of Mrs. Puckering and Joseph Welsh; and, in like Cases of pretended forcible Contracts and Marriages, to hear, determine, and annul, the said pretended forcible Contracts and Marriages (if there be just Cause); was this Day read the First time; and ordered to be read the Second time on This-day-sevennight.

Way Navigation.

A Bill for making the River of Way navigable, from Way Bridge to the Town of Guilford, and from thence to the River of Thames, was this Day read the First time; and ordered to be read the Second time This-day-sevennight, after the Bills before appointed to be that Day read.

Pardon of Kinsey, &c.

A Bill for the Pardoning of Richard Kinsey and Francis Mathewes, of all Treasons, for Levying of War in the City of London, and other Offences, was this Day read the First and Second time; and, upon the Question, committed nhto Mr. Attorney General, Mr. Hill, Mr. Long, Alderman Pennington, Alderman Atkins, Major Lister, Mr. Love, Mr. Strickland, Mr. Garland, Mr. Robinson, Mr. Pury, Mr. Carey, Mr. Corbett; or any Three of them: And they are to meet this Afternoon at Three of Clock, in the Speaker's Chamber; and so de die in diem.

Maj. Wither.

Ordered, That the Report touching Major Wither be made on Wednesday next.

Late King's Property.

Ordered, That the additional Act for Sale of the King's Goods, be read on Wednesday next, when the Speaker takes the Chair.

Highways, &c.

Ordered, That the several Acts for amending the Highways, touching the Needlemakers and Carmen, be read This-day-fortnight; nothing to intervene.

Embassy from Spaine.

The House being informed by the Serjeant, that the Lord Ambassador from the King of Spaine was ready, and did attend to present himself to the Parliament;

The Serjeant with his Mace, went to attend the Lord Ambassador to the House.

So soon as the Lord Ambassador was entered, he uncovered himself: And Mr. Speaker, and all the Members, stood up bare.

When the Lord Ambassador was come as far as the Bar, the Master of the Ceremonies and the Serjeant attended him, the one on the Right Hand, and the other on the Left, until the Lord Ambassador came to the Chair appointed for that Purpose: Which was placed on the North Side of the House, upon a Turkey Carpet, with a Cushion in it, and a Footstool before it.

The Ambassador's Name was Don Alfonso de Cardenas: who, after a few Words addressed to Mr. Speaker, he presented his Letters Credentials: Which were, by the Master of the Ceremonies, delivered to Mr. Speaker: And afterwards declared the Substance of his Embassy; and the great Desire of establishing a Peace, and good Correspondence, to this Commonwealth: Delivering likewise a Copy, in English, of what he delivered by Word in the House; and Two other Papers, whereof he made mention in his Speech.

Mr. Speaker informed the Ambassador, by the Master of the Ceremonies, That he would acquaint the Parliament therewith.

And then the Lord Ambassador, with the Master of the Ceremonies and the Serjeant at Arms attending him, withdrew.

The Letters Credential, under the Hand and Seal of the King of Spaine, were read; being in Latin; and the Superscription being thus, "Parliamento Reipublico Angliæ;" and subscribed, "Philippus."

Resolved, by the Parliament, That Mr. Speaker do make Report thereof to the Parliament on Tuesday Morning, the first Business.