House of Commons Journal Volume 7: 14 March 1657

Saturday, the 14th of March, 1656.

Plymouth Minister.

A BILL for the Promoting and more frequent Preaching of the Gospel, and better Maintenance of a godly Ministry, in the Borough of Plymouth, in the County of Devon, was this Day read the Third time; and, upon the Question, passed.

Ordered, That his Highness the Lord Protector's Consent be desired to this Bill.

Arthur's Claims.

Doctor Clarges reports from the Committee, to whom the Petition of John Arthur Merchant was referred, The State of the Matter of Fact, and the Opinion of the said Committee thereupon, as followeth:

WHEREAS the humble Petition of John Arthur Merchant was, the 22th of December last, referred unto this Committee, upon the Hearing of the Matter therein contained, concerning divers Sums of Money which he hath disbursed for the Use of the Commonwealth, at several times; as hath appeared unto us by several Bills, subscribed by the Committee of the County of Dorsett, to the Sum of Two thousand Thirty-six Pounds Five Shillings and One Peny Principal, with single Interest amounting to One thousand Six hundred Sixty-one Pounds Six Shillings and Three-pence; so as the Whole, being due unto him to this Day, is the Sum of Three thousand Six hundred Ninety-seven Pounds Twelve Shillings and Four-pence:

That, in regard the Petitioner hath been so zealously affected to the Parliament, and ready to supply the State's Necessity in the low Condition of their Affairs, That, for the present Relief, and the pressing Necessities of the Petitioner, it is the Opinion of this Committee, The Petitioner may be allowed and paid the said Sum of Three thousand Six hundred Ninety-seven Pounds Twelve Shillings and Four-pence: And that it may please the Parliament to order the Payment thereof unto the said John Arthur.

Ordered, That this Business be re-committed; and that the Committee do state the Particulars, and report the same to the House; and, if they see Cause, to bring in a Bill, for the Petitioner's Satisfaction, out of Lands in Ireland, on Monday Sevennight.

Peck's Claims.

Sir Richard Onsloe reports from the Committee, to whom the Petition of Henry Peck Esquire was referred, the Matter of Fact, together with the Opinion of the Committee thereupon, as followeth;

Resolved, by this Committee, That they find no Ground, or Suspicion, to believe the Orders aad Ordinances of the 16th or 21st of October 1648 were unduly obtained: And therefore it is the Opinion of the Committee, That the Stop of the House, by their Order dated December 21st 1648, to inquire how the said Orders were obtained, should be taken off; and that the said Ordinance should stand still in Force, and Mr. Peck receive the Benefit of them, till he be fully satisfied.

Resolved, That when the Two Parts of the Estate of Sir Thomas Timpley, Sir Roger Martin, and Sir Francis Mannox, Recusants, were assigned to Mr. Peck for his Satisfaction; his Debt then appeared to be 4,281£. 18s. 4d. ob. upon several Reports: But Mr. Peck confessing he hath received upon the said Ordinances, 338£. 5s. there will remain 3,960£. 11s 3d. ob. due to Mr. Peck.

The First Clause in the Report being read;

The Question being put, That this House doth agree with the Committee in this First Part of the Report;

The House was divided.

The Yeas went forth.

So it was Resolved, That this House doth agree with the Committee, in this First Part of this Report, That the Stop of the House, by their Order dated December 21 1648, be taken off; and that the Ordinances aforesaid do stand in Force, and Mr. Peck receive the Benefit of them, till he be fully satisfied.

Deane Forest.

A Bill for the Mitigation of the Forest-Laws within the Forest of Deane, in the County of Gloucester, and for the Preservation of Woods and Timber within the said Forest, was this Day read the Third time.

The humble Petition of Dame Jane Leech, Relict and Executrix of Sir Edward Leech Knight, deceased, and of Robert Leech her Son, was this Day read.

A Proviso was tendered to this bill in these Words; viz. "Saving the Right of the Lady Jane Leech, by virtue of any Grant made to her by the late King, secured by the Forest of Deane:" Which was read the First time.

And the Question being put, That this Proviso be read the Second time;

It passed with the Negative.

A Clause was tendered to this Bill, in these Words; viz. "And it is, lastly, Enacted and Ordained, by the Authority aforesaid, That the Court of the Manor and Hundred of St. Bryavell's, usually held on Monday every Three Weeks, before the Constable of the Castle of St. Bryavell's, within the said Forest of Deane, or his Deputy, shall, from and after the Twenty-fourth Day of June, which shall be in the Year of our Lord 1657, be held on the Tuesday every Three Weeks; any Law, Custom, or Usage to the contrary in any-wise notwithstanding:" Which was read the First time; and, upon the Question, ordered to be read the Second time.

The said Clause was read the Second time; and, upon the Question, ordered to be Part of this Bill: And was read the Third time.

Resolved, That this Bill, as it is now amended, shall pass.

Ordered, That his Highness the Lord Protector's Consent be desired to this Bill.

Ordered, That the Petition of the said Dame Jane Leech, and of Robert Leech her Son, be referred to a Committee, to examine the Matter of Fact; and report it, with their Opinion therein, to the House: Sir Richard Onsloe, Mr. Holland, Major-General Boteler, Mr. Bond, Sir Lislebon Long, Lord-Chief-Justice, Mr. Fleetwood, Colonel Ingoldsby, Mr. Nath. Bacon, Mr. Godfrey, Mr. Dunch, Colonel Mathews, Colonel Jones, Mr. John Dunch, Colonel Clerk, Captain Hatsell, Mr. AttorneyGeneral, Lord Commissioner Whitelock, Mr. Lucy, Mr. Timbs, Major Burton: And are to meet this Afternoon, at Three of the Clock, in the Inner Court of Wards.

Ordered, That a Bill be brought in for confirming the Returns of the Perambulation of Forests, by virtue of the Act of Parliament 17 * *; and touching the ForestLaws: And that Lord Chief-Justice Glyn, and Sir Richard Onsloe do prepare and bring in the same.

Ordered, That, in the said Bill, Provision be made for discharging the Fines imposed by the Justices in Eyre, &c. And that it be recommended to the Barons of the Exchequer, to take care the People be not troubled for those Fines.

Leave of Absence.

Resolved, That Judge-Advocate Whalley have Leave to go to Ireland.

Resolved, That Captain Hatsell have Leave to go to Oxford.

Recusants.

Ordered, That the Bill for Recusants be reported on this Day Sevennight.

Preventing Buildings.

A Bill for the Preventing of Multiplicity of Buildings in and about the Suburbs of London, or within Ten Miles thereof, was this Day read the First time; and, upon the Question, ordered to be read the Second time on this Day Sevennight, next after the Bill for Recusants.

Assessments.

Ordered, That the Bills for the Assessments for Scotland and Ireland, be read the First time on Saturday Morning next.

Captives at Tunis.

The humble Petition of Thomas Scarlett, in Behalf of his Son John Scarlett, and of Catharine Prenton and Sarah Prenton, of the Parish of Deale, in the County of Kent, Bridgett Warren, and Alice West, in Behalf of their Husbands, now Captives at Tunis, and One hundred more, was this Day read.

Ordered, That this Petition be referred to a Committee: With Power to bring in a Bill for Redemption of Captives: Mr. Bampfeild, Sir John Treavor, Mr. West, Doctor Clarges, Mr. Brookes, Sir Richard Lucy, Mr. Moody, Captain Baines, Mr. Goodwyn, Mr. Buller, Mr. Bacon, Colonel Shuttleworth, Mr. Burton, Sir John Thorogood, Mr. Godfrey, Sir Christofer Pack, Mr. Grove, Mr. Holland, Mr. Bedford, Mr. Briscoe, Colonel Mathews: And are to meet on Monday next, at Three of the Clock, in the Court of Wards.

Countess of Worcester's Estate.

The humble Petition of Margaret Countess of Worcester was this Day read.

Ordered, That this Petition be referred to a Committee, to consider of the Petition, and to offer something to the House, What Means they think fit for the Petitioner's Relief: Viz. to Mr. Attorney-General, Mr. West, Mr. Lucy, Colonel Fitz-James, Mr. Dunch, Major Burton, Sir John Thorogood, Mr. Bacon, Sir John Reynolds, Mr. Brisco, Colonel Twisleton, Captain Mason, Sir John Trevor, Mr. Gorges, Mr. Vowell, Mr. Bodurda, Doctor Clarges, Mr. Williams, Colonel Bennet, Colonel Jones, Mr. Godfrey, Sir Christofer Pack, Mr. John Dunch, General Disbrow, Colonel Grosvenor, Mr. Waller, Captain Baines, Mr. Stonehouse, Mr. Fiennes, Mr. Hampden, Colonel Mathews, Alderman Tigh: And are to meet on Monday Morning next, at Seven of Clock, in the Inner Court of Wards.

Dunwich, &c. Haven.

Ordered, That the Gentlemen of Norfolk and Suffolk be added to the Committee for the Bill for Dunwich.

Ld. Mohun's, &c, Petition.

Ordered, That the Petition of Warwick Lord Mohun and others, be read on Monday Morning next.