House of Commons Journal Volume 7: 18 September 1656

Thursday, the 18th of September, 1656.

House to keep Fastday.

RESOLVED, That a Day be set apart for solemn Fasting and Humiliation for this House.

Publick Fast.

Resolved, That another Day be set apart for a publick Fast and Humiliation throughout the Three Nations of England, Scotland, and Ireland.

Resolved, That Wednesday next, being the 24th Day of September instant, be a Day appointed for Fasting and Humiliation, to be kept by this House.

Resolved, That this Day for Fasting and Humiliation be observed by the House in Publick.

Resolved, That the Place for keeping the said Fast, by the House, shall be Margarett's Church in Westminster.

Ordered, That Mr. Philip Nye be desired to be assisting in carrying on the Work of the Day, appointed for solemn Fasting and Humiliation, by this House, to be kept in Margarett's Church Westminster, on Wednesday next, being the 24th Day of September instant: And that Major General Kelsey do give Notice to Mr. Nye hereof.

Ordered, That Mr. Joseph Caryll be desired to be assisting in carrying on the Work of the Day, appointed for solemn Fasting and Humiliation, by this House, to be kept in Margarett's Church Westminster, on Wednesday next, being the 24th Day of September instant: And that Mr. John Ashe do give him Notice hereof.

Ordered, That Mr. Manton be desired to be assisting in carrying on the Work of the Day, appointed for solemn Fasting and Humiliation by this House, to be kept in Margarett's Church Westminster, on Wednesday next, being the 24th Day of September instant: And that Major-General Whalley do give him Notice hereof.

Resolved, That Wednesday next come Five Weeks being the 29th Day of October next, be set apart for a Day of publick Fasting and Humiliation, throughout England, Scotland and Ireland: And the Lord Broghill, Sir George Booth, Mr. Drake, General Disbrow, and Mr. Rous, be a Committee appointed to prepare a Declaration, shewing the Grounds of this Fast: And report the same to the House, to be presented to his Highness the Lord Protector for his Approbation.

Ordered, That Doctor Owen, Dean of Christ Church, and Vice-Chancellor of Oxford, be desired to be assisting in carrying on the Work of the Day of publick Fasting and Humiliation, appointed to be kept by this House, in the Church of Margarett's, Westminster, on Wednesday the 29th of October next: And that Major-General Kelsey do give him Notice hereof.

Ordered, That Mr. George Griffith be desired to be assisting in carrying on the Work of the Day of publick Fasting and Humiliation, appointed to be kept by this House, in the Church of Margarett's Westminster, on Wednesday the 29th of October next: And that MajorGeneral Whalley do give him Notice hereof.

Ordered, That Doctor Thomas Goodwyn be desired to be assisting in carrying on the Work of the Day of publick Fasting and Humiliation, appointed to be kept by this House, in the Church of Margarett's Westminster, on Wednesday the 29th of October next: And that Sir William Strickland, and Colonel Fitz-James do give him Notice hereof.

Ordered, That the Lecturers who preach the Morning Lecture, in the Abbey at Westminster, be desired to begin their Sermon at Seven of the Clock, and to end at Eight of the Clock: and then to resort to the House to pray with them daily, before they enter into their daily Work: And that Mr. Scobell, the Clerk of this House, do give Notice to the Ministers hereof.

Clerk Assistant.

Ordered, That Ralph Darnall Esquire, at the Request of the Clerk of this House, be approved by this House to be Clerk-Assistant to the Clerk of this House.

Committee of Privileges.

Ordered, That a Committee of Privileges be appointed; viz. Mr. John Ashe, Mr. Attorney-General, Sir Richard Onslow, Lord Broghill, Mr. Barkley, Sir George Booth, Mr. Waring, Mr. Rous, Mr. Onslow, Lord Cleypoole, Mr. Grove, General Disbrow, Colonel Shapcott, Lord Commissioner Fiennes, Colonel Norton, Mr. Edmund Fowell, Colonel Edwards, Colonel Wood, Major Beake, Mr. Barnard, Colonel Coker, Mr. Bodwrda, Colonel John Jones, Mr. How, Lord Ewre, Mr. Haies, Mr. Downing, Sir Wm. Strickland, Mr. Leige, Mr. John Upton, Major Bourman, Major-General Goff, Major-General Kelsey, Mr. Hildesley, Colonel Crompton, Sir James Macdowell, Colonel Markham, Major Dewey, Colonel Wilton, Colonel Blackwell, Sir Thomas Honywood, Mr. Wintropp, Mr. Duncomb, Mr. Butler, Major-General Whalley, Lord Lambert, Major-General Lilburne, Captain Hatsell, Colonel Rous, Colonel Jones, Mr. Drake, Colonel Carter, Sir Charles Wolseley, Major-General Packer, Mr. Hopkins, Lord Commissioner Lisle, Colonel Sydenham, Mr. Solicitor-General, Lord Richard Cromwell, Colonel Grosvenor, Colonel White, Major-General Bridg, Colonel Clerk, Colonel Purefoy, Colonel Thistlethwaite, Colonel Whetham, Mr. Williams, Colonel Chadwick, Mr. Swynton, Colonel Cox, Major Brooks, Colonel Beamont, Sir Edward Rhodes, Colonel Twisleton, Major Asten, Sir Theoph. Jones, Mr. King, Colonel Fowkes, Sir Alexander Wedderborne, Mr. Disbrow, Earl of Tweddale, Sir John Hobart, Sir Wm. Roberts:

This Committee is to meet at Two of the Clock this Afternoon, in the Exchequer-Chamber: And so to sit de die in diem: And they have Power to receive Petitions and Complaints touching Elections; and to consider of them: And to send for Persons, Papers, Witnesses, and Records.

Ordered, That such as have any Complaints against Elections in England, do exhibit their Petition to the Committee of Privileges, within Fourteen Days: And that after that Time none shall be received.

Ordered, That such as have any Complaints against any Elections in Scotland or Ireland, do exhibit their Petition to the Committee for Privileges, within Twenty Days: And that after that Time they shall not be received.

Grand Committees.

Ordered, That a Grand Committee of the whole House be appointed for Religion, to sit in the House on Friday in each Week, in the Afternoon.

Ordered, That a Grand Committee of the whole House for Grievances do sit in the House on Tuesday in each Week, at Two of the Clock in the Afternoon.

Ordered, That a Grand Committee of the whole House be appointed for Courts of Justice: And do sit in the House on Wednesday in every Week, in the Afternoon.

Ordered, That a Grand Committee for Trade do sit in the House on Thursday, at Two of the Clock in the Afternoon; and so on Thursday in every Week.

Ordered, That each of the said Committees have Power to receive Petitions touching the Matter for which they are appointed: And to send for Persons, Papers, Witnesses, and Records.

House to rise.

Ordered, That the House do rise at Twelve of the Clock, every Day: And that Mr. Speaker do put the House in mind thereof.

Renouncing Right of Car. II.

Sir Charles Wolseley presents a Bill, intituled, An Act for renouncing and disannulling the pretended Title of Charles Stuart, &c.-

Letter read.

Sir George Booth presents a Letter to the House, directed to the Speaker, and subscribed by several Persons: Which Mr. Speaker having read privately, by the Directions of the House, the Names of the Persons who subscribed the same were read; and the Letter afterwards read.-

Renouncing Right of Car. II.

The Bill, intituled, An Act for renouncing and Disannulling of the pretended Title of Charles Stuart, &c. was read the First time; and appointed to be read the Second time To-morrow Morning.-

Letter from excluded Members.

The Letter before-mentioned was again read, being in these Words:

Sir,

WE whose Names are subscribed, with others, being chosen, and accordingly returned to serve with you in this Parliament; and, in Discharge of our Trust, offering to go into the House, were, at the Lobby Door, kept back by Soldiers: Which, lest we should be wanting in our Duty to you, and to our Country, we have thought it expedient to represent unto you, to be communicated to the House, that we may be admitted thereinto.

Clerk in Chancery to attend.

Ordered, That the Clerk of the Commonwealth in Chancery be commanded to attend this House at Ten of the Clock To-morrow Morning, with all the Indentures of Returns of Knights, Citizens and Burgesses, chosen to serve in this Parliament: And then the House will take this Business into Consideration.