House of Commons Journal Volume 6: 9 January 1650

Die Mercurii, 9 Januarii, 1649.

Prayers.

Danger from Powder in London.

ORDERED, by the Parliament, That it be referred to the Committee of the Army, to confer with the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Council of the City of London, or such of them as shall be by themselves appointed, touching the best Ways and Means for avoiding all Mischiefs and Inconveniences that may happen by Powder, and other combustible Matter, in private Houses, and other Magazines, within the City of London; and to present to the House what they shall think fit to be done therein, for the Safety of the City, in that Behalf.

Parliaments and Elections.

Sir Henry Vane junior reports from the Committee appointed to take into Consideration the Settling of the Succession of future Parliaments, and regulating their Elections, the Proceedings of that Committee; and their Votes, as Heads, to be the Grounds of the Debate of the House.

Heads debated and resolved on by the Committee, to be presented to the House, in pursuance of their Order of the Fifteenth of May 1649, for the better and more equal Distribution of Members to be chosen to serve in Parliament, and for the settling the Succession of future Parliaments.

"That the several Counties, Cities, Boroughs, and Places, within the Commonwealth of England, herenamed, shall have the several Numbers hereafter expressed, to be by them, from time to time, elected to sit and serve in Parliament; which shall consist, in the Whole, of Four hundred, and not above; viz."

"For the County. Bedford, and all Places within the same, Six."

"For the County. . Buckingham, and all Places in the same, Nine."

"For the County of Berks, and all Places within the the same, Six."

"For the County of Cornwall, and all Places within the same, Ten."

"For the County of Cumberland, and all Places within the same, Four."

"For the County of Cambridge, and all Places within the same, Eight."

"For the County of Chester, and all Places within the same, Five."

"For the County of Derby, and all Places within the same, Five."

"For the County . . Devon, and all Places within the same, Twenty."

"For the County of Dorsett, and all Places within the same, Eight."

"For the County of Duresme, and all Places within the same, Four."

"For the County of Essex, and all Places within the same, Fourteen."

"For the County of Glocester, and all Places within the same, Eight."

"For the County of Hartford, and all Places within the same, Six."

"For the County of Hertford, and all Places within the same, Six."

"For the County of Huntington, and all Places within the same, Four."

"For the County of Kent, and all Places within the same, Eighteen."

"For the County of Leicester, and all Places within the same, Six."

"For the County of Lincoln, and all Places within the same, Fifteen."

"For the County of Lancashire, and all Places within the same, Twelve."

"For the County of Middlesex, and all Places within the same (except the City of London) Six."

"For the City of London, and Liberties thereof, Seven."

"For the County of Norfolk, and Places within the same, Fourteen."

"For the County of Northampton, and all Places within the same, Eight."

"For the County of Nottingham, and all Places within the same, Six."

"For the County of Nerthumberland, and all Places within the same, Eight."

"For the County of Oxford, and all Places within the same, Six."

"For the County of Rutland, and all Places within the same, Two."

"For the County of Stafford, and all Places within the same, Six."

"For the County of Salop, and all Places within the same, Eight."

"For the County of Surrey, and all Places within the same, Seven."

"For the County of Southampton, and all Places within the same, Thirteen."

"For the County of Suffolk, and all Places within the same, Sixteen."

"For the County of Somersett, and all Places within the same, Fourteen."

"For the County of Sussex, and all Places within the same, Fourteen."

"For the County of Westmerland, and all Places within the same, Three."

"For the County of Wiltes, and all Places within the same, Thirteen."

"For the County of Warwick, and all Places within the same, Seven."

"For the County of Worcester, and all Places within the same, Seven."

"For the County of York, and all Places within the same, Twenty-four."

"For the County of Anglicey, and all Places within the same, One."

"For the County of Brecknock, and all Places within the same, Two."

"For the County of Cardigan, and all Places within the same, Two."

"For the County of Carnarcon, and all Places within the same, One."

"For the County of Denbigh, and all Places within the same, Two."

"For the County of Flint, and all Places within the same, One."

"For the County of Glamorgan, and all Places within the same, Three."

"For the County of Merioneth, and all Places within the same, One."

"For the County of Monmouth, and all Places within the same, Three."

"For the County of Montgomery, and all Places within the same, Two."

"For the County of Pembroke, and all Places within the same, Three."

"For the County of Radnor, and all Places within the same, Two."

Resolved, That the Proportion of Members to serve in Parliament, before expressed, be reported to the House for their Approbation: And that the Pleasure of the House be known, whether there shall be a particular Distribution of the said Proportions upon several Places within each respective County.

Second Head;

"Resolved, That the Right and Privileges of Electing and Sending of Members to Parliament for ever hereafter, according to the said Proportions respectively, be granted and confirmed, by Act of this present Parliament, unto the said Counties, and Places within the same."

Resolved, That this Second Head be reported to the House, for their Approbation: And that the Pleasure of the House be known, as to what Time certain, once in every Years, shall be declared for the People's Electing of Members into successive Parliaments.

Third Head.

"Resolved, That, in the said Act, there be presented the Manner how the said Elections, from time to time, shall be made, together with the Qualifications of the Electors, and Elected; and other Rules, for the due ordering the said Elections: And that it be Declared and Enacted, That the Persons, so chosen, as aforesaid, and assembled in Parliament, are, and shall be, in Name and Deed, the true and rightful Parliament of England; and have, and shall have, the full Power and Jurisdiction of the same, to all Intents and Purposes."

Parliaments and Elections.

Fourth Head:

"Resolved, That all Election of Members, from and after the Date of passing the said Act, which are to be made into this present Parliament, shall be made according to the Proportion granted, and Qualifications prescribed, in the said Act, for succeeding Parliaments; that is to say, Every County or Place, authorized to choose by virtue of the said Act, shall have their complete Number and Proportion, in that Act, limited to sit and serve in this present Parliament; accounting those Members now sitting in Parliament, and serving in Behalf of the said Counties and Places, to be Part of the said Proportion: And that all Counties and Places, within this Commonwealth, shall, by the said Act, be disenabled, for ever hereafter, to elect Members to sit and serve in this, or in future Parliaments, by virtue of any Grant, Usage, or Custom, heretofore had, unless they be particularly, and by Name, authorized to make Election of Members to Parliament, by the said Act, or by some future Act of Parliament."

"Resolved, That the above-mentioned Heads be reported to the House, the First Opportunity, as the Opinion of this Committee, for Ground of the Debate of the House, in pursuance of their Order of the Fifteenth of May 1649."

The House took into Debate the Matter of the Report, by Parts.

The Question being propounded, That the Number of Persons, that shall be elected for the Commonwealth to sit and serve in Parliament for this Nation, as Members thereof, shall not exceed Four hundred;

The Question being put, That this Question be now put;

It passed with the Affirmative.

And so the main Question being put;

It was Resolved, by the Parliament, That the Number of Persons, that shall be elected for the Commonwealth, to sit and serve in Parliaments for this Nation as Members thereof, shall not exceed Four hundred.

Resolved, That this be one Head of the Bill to be presented to the House.

Resolved, That the Remainder of the Report be referred to a Grand Committee of the House; to take into Consideration the several Heads reported, according to the Number of Four hundred; and, upon their Debate, to prepare a Bill, to be presented to the House.

Resolved, That the House be resolved into a Grand Committee, to take these Things into Consideration, on Wednesday next: And that Mr. Speaker do forbear to take the Chair.