House of Commons Journal Volume 6: 22 June 1649

Die Veneris, 22 Junii, 1649.

Prayers.

Haslemore Writ.

ORDERED, That Mr. Speaker do issue forth his Warrant to the Clerk of the Crown in Chancery, to issue forth a Writ for Election of a Burgess to serve in this present Parliament for the Borough of Haslemore in the County of Surrey, in the place of Sir Poynings Moore, deceased.

Lynne Writ.

Ordered, That Mr. Speaker do issue forth his Warrant to the Clerk of the Crown in Chancery, to issue forth a Writ for Election of a Burgess to serve in this present Parliament for the Town of Lynne in the County of *, in the place of * Hudson.

Berkshire Committee.

Ordered, That William Stroud, of Rascombe, William Nutkins, of Okeingham, John Godhard, of Hidden, in the Parish of Hungerford in the County of Berks, Gentlemen, and John Webb, Alderman of Reading, be added to all the Committees for the said County of Berks.

Gloucester Assessment.

Ordered, That Sir William Constable Knight, George Reymond Esquire, John Braine Esquire, John Gaynesford, Esquire, James Cartwright Esquire, William Best Esquire, Thomas Hill, Jasper Clutterbooke, and Anthony Edwards, of the City of Gloucester, Esquires, be added to the Committee for the Assessment of Ninety thousand Pounds per mensem, in the County of Gloucester.

Lancaster Assize.

An Act for keeping a Session or Assize in the Castle of Lancaster, in the County Palatine of Lancaster, on the Seventh Day of September next ensuing, was this Day read the First and Second time; and, upon the Question, committed unto Mr. White; Mr. Love, Mr. Corbett, Mr. Reynolds, Mr. Garland, Mr. Holland, Mr. Hallowes, Colonel Lassells, Mr. Lechmere, Colonel Wasthall, Mr. Lister, Colonel Martyn, Mr. Challener, Colonel Jones; or any Five of them: Who are to sit this Afternoon in the Duchy Chamber.

Letter to be read.

Ordered, That the General's Letter, touching Sir John Worstenam, and Sir Thomas Harrison, be read on Tuesday next, the first Business.

Rooms for Judges.

Ordered, That the Surveyor * * * *, and Mr. Kinnersley, do take care to make the Painted Chamber, and the Room adjoining, ready and fitting for the Judges that are appointed to sit there, touching Articles; and to furnish the same with Hangings, and other necessary Furniture.

Army Accompts.

Mr. Pury reports from the Committee of the Army, the Accompts of Colonel Axtell's Company.

Ditto.

Ordered, That the Committee of Accompts, sitting at Worcester House, be appointed the Committee mentioned in the Act, intituled, An Act for the present examining and stating the Accompts of the Officers and Soldiers now in the Parliament's Service, within this Nation, for receiving the several Certificates, Accompts, Oaths, Examinations, and other Evidences, whereupon the Accompts are grounded; which shall be returned, and sent, by the Hands of some Commission Officer or Officers, under their respective Commands; and to proceed further thereupon, according to the said Act.

I. of Ely Judge.

Colonel Wauton reports an Act for making a Steward and Judge of the Court of Pleas of the Isle of Ely, quam diu se bene gesserit.

Which was read.

Resolved, &c. That Robert Bernard Serjeant at Law be named in this Act, to be Steward and Judge of the said Court.

And the said Act, being so amended, was, upon the Question, passed.

General Cromwell.

Mr. Scott reports from the Council of State, the Commission of Lieutenant General Cromwell, to be Commander in Chief over the Forces in Ireland, and Governor General of Ireland.

Which was this Day read the First time in Latin; and afterwards was read again in English.

Resolved, &c. That the Civil and Military Power in Ireland shall be, for the present, conjoined in one Person.

Resolved, &c. That the Time of the Continuance of this Commission be Three Years.

The Blanks in the Commission being filled up, and some Alterations made at the Table, . . . . . . was, upon the Question, passed.

Ordered, That Mr. Attorney General be required to give Order for a Commission to be prepared for Passing under the Great Seal of England, according to the Form now agreed on, for Lieutenant General Cromwell: And that the Lords Commissioners for the Great Seal be authorized and required to pass the same under the said Great Seal accordingly.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Council of State, to prepare Instructions for Lieutenant General Cromwell, mentioned in his Commission; and report it to the House with Speed.

Officers, &c. Arrears.

Mr. Luke Hodges reports from the Committee for Ireland, sitting in the Star Chamber, in these Words following; viz.

Whereas this Committee have this Day taken into Consideration the Resolution and Order of the Commons assembled in Parliament, dated the Tenth Day of May last, upon the Report of Colonel Sydney, for considering what Proportions or Sums of Money are fit to be allowed, upon Account, to the several Officers hereunder named, with reference to their respective Necessities and Conditions; and how the same may be speedily paid unto them; and reporting their Opinions to the House: Forasmuch as, by the Accompts of Pay for those Officers formerly audited, and then reported to the House of Commons, by the said Colonel Sydney, there appeared to rest in Arrear, to the Officers hereafter named, these several Sums respectively following; viz.

Resolved, &c. That this House doth concur with the said Committee, in the First Part of the Report; viz. That, for the Relief and Satisfaction of those Officers as was done for other Officers of that Province, Order may be taken for respiting One Third Part of the said Sum, being Three thousand Eight hundred Threescore and Fifteen Pounds Three Shillings and a Peny, to answer any Surcharge which may be justly brought upon them, or any of them, within the Space of Two Years now next following: That another Third Part, being Three thousand Eight hundred Threescore and Fifteen Pounds Three Shillings and a Peny, may, in a just Proportion to each of those Officers respective Share, be charged upon Lands in Ireland, after the Adventurers, and former Orders, are satisfied: And that the other Third Part, being the like Sum of Three thousand Eight hundred Threescore and Fifteen Pounds Three Shillings and a Peny, may be paid to those Officers, as their Proportions and Shares respectively amount unto, out of the Monies not engaged, and yet coming in, by the weekly Assessments for Ireland, upon the Ordinances of Parliament of the Eighteenth of October 1644, and Fifteenth of August, and Ninth of March, 1645.

Mrs. Bodevile.

Lieutenant General Cromwell reports from the Committee of Complaints, their Opinion touching Mrs. Anne Bodevile.

Alimony.

Be it Enacted, by this present Parliament, and the Authority thereof, That the Lords Commissioners for the Great Seal of England, for the Time being, be enabled and authorized to hear and determine all such Cases, as shall, at any time hereafter, be brought or come before them, by Petition or Bill, touching Alimony; and to make such Provision of Maintenance in all and every such Cases, as they shall find just and agreeable to Equity and good Conscience, upon Consideration as well of the Portion or Estate that hath been paid or come to the Husband by such Wife as shall so pray Relief by herself, or her Friends, as other Matters of Equity; and to make Decrees, and take an effectual Course, for Payment thereof, accordingly, out of the Estate of such Husband.

Business to be done.

Mr. Marten reports from the Council of State, their Opinion, What things are necessary to be taken into Consideration before the Recess, in hæc verba; viz.

According to Order of Parliament, requiring the Council of State to certify their Opinion, What Acts and Things are necessary to be passed, and taken into Consideration, before the intended Recess; the Council of State humbly present their Opinion therein as followeth;

1. That such Bills as are now depending in the House, of which the Parliament shall yet judge necessary for the making effectual their former Resolutions concerning the Levies of Monies, whether by Assessment, Compositions at Goldsmiths Hall, Excise, or Customs, may be forthwith brought in, and receive Dispatch.

2. That the Bill for the Militia be likewise passed.

3. Thirdly, That a general Pardon, to be prepared by Mr. Attorney General, containing as large and beneficial Clauses and Concessions as at any time have been formerly, and by Parliament, usually granted; and some further Favours to be added; with a Declaration of the Nullity thereof to all such as shall in future disturb the Peace of this Commonwealth, by adhering to the Enemies thereof, by seditious Practices, or by occasioning a new War; and with due Restrictions and Exceptions of such Persons as are not yet thought fit to be received into this Grace and Favour.

4. The Act to be passed touching the prohibiting the Transportation of Wool and Fullers Earth.

5. An Act for the farther and better Preventing of the Exportation of Gold and Silver.

6. An Act for punishing of revolting Seamen and Mariners, and authorizing the Judges of the Admiralty, and others, for that Purpose.

7. An Act for Relief of Tenants oppressed by their malignant Landlords, for their Affections and Adherency, to the Parliament.

8. An Act for preventing and punishing the Printing, Contriving, and Publishing, of scandalous seditious Pamphlets; and Regulation of the Press.

9. The Act touching restraining and punishing the Licentiousness of the Pulpit, in seditious and derogatory Expressions, touching the Parliament, and their Proceedings.

10. The Act for revoking the penal Clauses in the Statute of 35 Elizabethæ, and other Statutes against pretended Sectaries.

11. The Act for the Relief of poor Prisoners, not able to pay their Debts.

12. The Act for securing the Soldiers their Arrears, out of the King's Lands.

13. The Act touching the Probate of Wills, and granting Administrations, and the Way of investing Ministers presented to Churches; no Course being therein yet settled.

Things to be put in a way, during the Recess, to ripen them for the Judgment of the House, at their Meeting again.

1. THAT a Commission be granted to fit Persons, in the several Parts of this Nation, for the Valuing of Tythes throughout England, in order to the Taking them away, and settling, in their room, an honourable and competent Means for the Preachers of the Gospel.

2. That the Business depending before a Committee for the Settling of future Parliaments, may be proceeded in during the Recess, to be ready for the Consideration of the House at their next Meeting.

3. That the Regulating of the Proceedings in Law, and Courts of Justice and Equity, for preventing the Tediousness of Suits, and Abuses burdensome to the People, now under Commitment, may be proceeded in during the Recess; and an Account thereof to be given at the next Meeting after the Adjournment: And the same Committee to consider what unnecessary or inconvenient Laws are fit to be repealed; and their Opinion to be therein proposed.

These, as at present thought fit to be proposed, are submitted to the Consideration of the honourable House: Whereto probably more may be added; whereof, as Occasion shall be, a further Account will be speedily prepared.

Ordered, That Mr. Attorney General be authorized to prepare a general Pardon accordingly; and present it to the House.

Resolved, &c. That this House doth resolve to proceed on the Consideration of the particular Bills, mentioned in this Report, on Monday next; and so de die in diem, the next Week, excluding all other Business.

Midhope's Arrears, &c.

Mr. Scott reports from the Council of State, the Petition of Colonel Midhope.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Council of State, to examine who were the discoverers of the Fifteen hundred Pounds forfeited to the State; and to reward them, as they shall think fit; and to pay some Part of the Arrears, due to Colonel Midhope, out of the said Fifteen hundred Pounds, discovered as aforesaid.

And it is further Ordered, That the Executor of Sir John Pennington, to whom the said Fifteen hundred Pounds was payable, be injoined to deliver to the Council of State the Bond given by the Earl of Northumberland for Payment of the said Fifteen hundred Pounds.

Ordered, That the Committee of the Revenue do forthwith pay the Sum of Fifteen hundred Pounds unto the Council of State, in Part of the Money to be paid to the Earl of Northumberland out of the Revenue: And thereupon, and, upon the Earl of Northumberland's Acquittance, given for the said Fifteen hundred Pounds, to the said Committee of Revenue, the said Bond shall be delivered to the said Earl of Northumberland.

Col. Bulstrode.

Ordered, That the Report touching Colonel Bulstrode be made on Wednesday next, the first Business.

Acts to be read.

Ordered, That the Act for Letters of Mart, and the Act for Dr. Walker to be Judge of the Admiralty, be read on Monday Morning next.

Army Arrears.

Ordered, That the Committee to whom the Act for securing the Soldiers Arrears is referred, do meet this Afternoon; and make Report to the House forthwith.

Publick Accompts.

Ordered, That the Act touching the Accompts of the Kingdom be brought in To-morrow Morning.