House of Commons Journal Volume 7: 9 September 1653

Friday, the 9th of September, 1653.

Grant to Hammond.

COLONEL Montagu reports from the Council of State, That there is Four hundred Pounds per Annum charged on the Revenue, to be paid to Colonel Robert Hamond, till Four hundred Pounds per Annum, Lands of Inheritance, be settled on him; and that the Council conceive it will be for the Service of the Commonwealth, in lieu of That Four hundred Pounds per Annum, to settle on him Five hundred Pounds per Annum in Ireland; whereby the said Charge of Four hundred Pounds per Annum upon the Revenue may be taken off.

Resolved, That the Consideration of this Business, and the Payment of the Pension aforesaid, be suspended, until further Order.

Relief of Creditors, &c.

Mr. Anlaby reports from the Committee for Prisons, a Bill, intituled, An Act for the Relief of just Creditors, and poor Prisoners: Which was this Day read the First and Second time; and, upon the Question, committed to the Committee for Prisons and Prisoners: And to meet this Afternoon, at Two of the Clock, in the usual Place: And Mr. Freere is added to that Committee for this Purpose.

Barking Meeting-Place.

Colonel Mathewes reports from the Committee for Petitions, The humble Petition of divers Inhabitants of the Parish of Barking, in the Forest of Waltham in Essex; together with the humble Opinion of the Committee; that one Acre of Ground, in some convenient Place near the Petitioners Dwellings, be assigned, within the said Forest, whereon to build a House for a Meeting Place; and that Twenty Timber-Trees be also set out of the said Forest, towards the Building thereof: And that Colonel Mathewes and Mr. Brewster do see the said Ground and Trees assigned, and set out, accordingly.

Ordered, by the Parliament, That one Acre of Ground in some convenient Place near the Petitioners Dwellings, be assigned within the said Forest, whereon to build an House for a Meeting-Place: And that Twenty TimberTrees be also set out of the said Forest, towards the Building thereof: And that Colonel Mathewes and Mr. Brewster do see the said Ground and Trees assigned, and set out, accordingly: And that a Bill be brought in to this Purpose.

Counterfeiting Briefs.

The House being informed of several Abuses, committed by divers Persons counterfeiting Letters Patents or Orders from the Council of State in the Nature of Licences, for Collection of Monies upon charitable Pretences, whereby the People have been cheated and abused, under Colour of Authority; It is Ordered, by the Parliament, That it be referred to the Council of State, to take an effectual Course, as well for the suppressing of such as are now on Foot, as for preventing the like Abuses, and Deceit of the People, for the future.

Court of Admiralty.

A Bill, intituled, An Additional Act for the more speedy Administration of Justice in the Court of Admiralty, was this Day read the First and Second time; and, upon the Question, committed to the Committee of the Law.

Raising Money.

Some Proposals for raising Money were this Day read.

Alderman Titchborne reports from the Council of State;

Scotch Registers in the Tower.

THAT it be humbly offered to the Parliament, as a Thing necessary for the Dispatch and ready Administration of Justice in Scotland, and Ease of the People there, that such Registers in the Tower, as relate to and concern private Persons Rights, Securities, and Conveyances, of Lands, Bonds, and Contracts, betwixt Party and Party, with their Warrants, and all Process of Plea, be forthwith sent down to Scotland, to be disposed of as the Commissioners for Administration of Justice there shall find expedient for the Good of that Service.

Ordered, by the Parliament, That it be referred to the Council of State, to take Care, and to give Order, that such Registers as concern private Persons Rights, Securities, and Conveyances, of Lands, Bonds, and Contracts, between Party and Party, with their Warrants, and all Process of Plea, be sent back to Scotland, to be disposed of as the Commissioners for the Administration of Justice there, shall find expedient for the Good of that Service; and that such as are of publick Concernment, and for the Benefit and Advantage of the Commonwealth, be preserved and kept; and that the Council of State do likewise take Care of the safe Keeping of the Records in the Tower: And it is also Ordered, That such Person and Persons as shall have the Custody of the Registers which are to remain here, be impowered and authorized to give Extracts out of the same unto such Persons as shall desire it: And that such Extracts shall have the like Faith, and be of the like Validity, in Scotland, as Extracts made there from such Registers have usually had.

Col. Rowe.

WHEREAS by a Vote of the late Parliament, of the 19th of April 1653, the Sum of Five thousand Sixty and Five Pounds Seventeen Shillings and Six-pence is acknowleged to be due from the Commonwealth to Colonel Owen Rowe; and the same is ordered to be satisfied by Lands in Ireland, in the same Proportion as the Adventurers for Lands in Ireland, are to have for so much Money by the Acts and Ordinances in that Behalf; It is Ordered, by the Parliament, That the Commissioners of Parliament in Ireland be authorized and required to set out unto the said Colonel Owen Rowe, his Heirs and Assigns, out of the Lands forfeited to the Commonwealth in Ireland, Lands of Inheritance, to the Value of Five thousand Sixty-five Pounds Seventeen Shillings and Six-pence, at the same Rates as the Adventurers for Lands in Ireland are to have, by the Act or Ordinances in Parliament in that Behalf; and to settle the said Colonel Owen Rowe, his Heirs or Assigns, into the Possession thereof, to be held and enjoyed by the said Colonel Owen Rowe, his Heirs and Assigns, in full Satisfaction and Discharge of the said Debt of Five thousand Sixty-five Pounds Seventeen Shillings and Six-pence.

Leave of Absence.

Resolved, That Mr. Clerk have Leave to go into the Country.

Papists Compositions &c.

Resolved, That the House do take into Debate, To-morrow Morning, the Business touching Composition of Papists, and Forest Lands.