House of Commons Journal Volume 7: 6 August 1659

Saturday, August the 6th, 1659.

Union with Scotland.

THE House, according to former Order, was this Day resolved into a Grand Committee, upon the Bill for Union of Scotland with England.

Mr. Speaker left the Chair.

Mr. Garland took the Chair.

Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair.

Mr. Garland reports from the said Grand Committee, That the said Grand Committee desire the Leave of this House to sit on Wednesday Morning next, upon this Bill for Union.

Ordered, That this House be resolved into a Grand Committee, upon the Bill for the Union of Scotland with England, on Wednesday Morning next: And that Mr. Speaker do forbear to take the Chair.

Scotch Affairs.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Council of State, to take care to prepare something concerning the Settling of the Administration of Justice, and Levying of the Assessments, in Scotland; and present it to this House, for their Consideration.

Leave of Absence.

Ordered, That Mr. West have Liberty to go into the Country for a Week, to settle the Militia.

Ordered, That Mr. Weaver have Leave, after Monday Morning next, to go into the Country for some time, for Recovery of his Health.

Army Appointment.

Resolved, That Major Arthur Evelyn be, and is hereby, nominated and appointed Captain of the Life-Guard to the Parliament and Council of State.

Resolved, That Major Arthur Evelyn shall have the Pay of a Major of Horse, so long as he continueth Captain of the Life-Guard to the Parliament.

Petition from Scotland.

The humble Petition of divers Shopkeepers and Traders in Scotland was read.

Ordered, That this Petition be referred to the Council of State, to hear all Parties; and examine the Matter of Fact; and report the same, with their Opinion therein, to this House.

Dover Port.

Colonel Dixwell reports from the Council of State, That it be humbly offered to the Parliament, That, if they think fit, the Persons mentioned in the List given in to the Council; viz. the Mayor of Dover for the Time, his Deputy for the Time being, Mr. Wm. Cullen, Mr. Tho. Day, Mr. Thomas Whitt, Mr. John Price, Mr. John Briant, Mr. Tho. Brome, Jurats; Captain Tho. Wilson, Mr. Wm. Stratford Town Clerk of Dover, Mr. Wm. Eaton, Mr. Frederick Devock, Mr. Nicholas Cullen, Mr. Basset Kenitt, Mr. Richard Rosse, Mr. John Jenifer Clerk of the Passes; Mr. Tho. Reynolds; to be Searcher; or any Three of them; have the like Power, as others formerly had, to do and perform all Things appertaining to the Care and Charge of the Passage at the Port of Dover; with a List of the Persons Names, and a Copy of their former Power.

Ordered, That this Report be referred to the Council of State, to give Instructions to such of the Persons named in this Report, as they shall think fit for Commissioners; and likewise for the Clerk and Searcher of the Passage; for settling of the Passage at the Port of Dover; till further Orders.

Army Appointments.

Sir Arthur Hesilrig reports from the Commissioners for Nomination of Commission-Officers, That the Persons hereafter named be nominated, and humbly presented to the Parliament for their Approbation, to be CommissionOfficers in the Garisons of the Islands of Scilly; viz.

Joseph Hunkin, Captain and Governor; John Lavington, Lieutenant.

Wm. Appletree, Captain; James Hurd, Lieutenant.

John Horseman, Preacher; Robert Sheires, Keeper of the Stores, and Marshal; Phil. Turpin, Surgeon; John Hancock, Master-Gunner.

That the Persons hereafter named be nominated, and humbly presented to the Parliament for their Approbation, to be Commission-Officers in the Garison of Pendennis-Castle; viz.

Captain John Fox, Governor; Robert Roberts, Lieutenant; Tho. Parsons, Ensign.

John Wood, Captain; Samuel Kempthorne, Lieutenant; Digory Browne, Ensign.

John Bradshaw, Marshal and Storekeeper.

That Colonel Robert Bennet be nominated, and humbly presented to the Parliament for their Approbation, to be Governor of St. Michael's Mount in Cornwall: Which was read.

Militia Commissioners.

Ordered, That Colonel John Disbrowe and Colonel John Okey be added Commissioners for the Militia in the Counties of Cornwall, Devon, Sommerset, Dorsett, Wilts, and for the City of Bristoll, Gloucestershire, and for the County of Worcester and City and County of the City of Worcester, Herefordshire, and for the City of Hereford, and for South-Wales, and for the County of Monmouth: And that they be, and are hereby, impowered and authorized to act as Commissioners in the several Counties, Cities, and Places, respectively, as fully, to all Intents and Purposes, as if they had been named Commissioners in the Act intituled, An Act for settling the Militia in England and Wales; and as fully as any other Commissioners named in the said Act are, by the said Act enabled and impowered to do.

Militia Appointments.

A Letter from the Commissioners for the Militia in the County of Kent, from Maidstone, of the 3d of August 1659; with the Names of Colonels, and other Commission-Officers, for several Regiments of the Militia in the County of Kent; was read.

The Question being propounded, That, as to the Two Competitors to be Colonel of the Regiment of Horse raised by the said Militia, it be referred back to the Commissioners for the Militia;

And the Question being put, That this Question be now put;

It passed with the Affirmative.

And the main Question being put; It was

Resolved, That, as to the Two Competitors to be Colonel of the Regiment of Horse raised by the said Militia, it be referred back to the Commissioners for the said Militia.

Army Appointments.

Resolved, That this House doth approve of Colonel Dixwell to be Colonel of a Regiment of Foot.

Resolved, That this House doth approve of Colonel Ralph Welden to be Colonel of a Regiment of Foot.

Militia Commissioners.

Ordered, That Colonel John Okey, John Blackmore, Christofer Marten, Henry Fitz-Williams, Major Searle of Honiton, Francis Roll, Wm. Venner, and Samuell Slade, Esquires, be added Commissioners of the Militia in the County of Devon: And that John Whitehorne, Timothy Allein, Barnard Sparke, and John Cooke, be added Commissioners of the Militia for the City of Exon: And that they be, and are hereby authorized and impowered to act as Commissioners in County and City aforesaid, as fully, to all Intents and Purposes, as if they had been named Commissioners in the Act intituled, An Act for settling the Militia in England and Wales; and as fully as any other Commissioners named in the said Act, are, by the said Act, enabled and impowered to do.

Governor of Scilly.

Resolved, That Colonel Hunkin be Governor of the Isle of Scilly, and Captain of a Company of Foot there.

Army Commissions.

The House being informed, That some Officers of the Army were at the Door;

They were called in: And, being come to the Cork's Table, Mr. Speaker acquainted them with the Trust reposed in them; and that the Parliament expected Faithfulness from them, according to their Trust: And thereupon delivered them their Commissions; viz.

To Colonel Mathew Alured, his Commission to be Colonel of a Regiment of Horse, and Captain of a Troop of Horse:

To Colonel Joseph Hunkin, his Commission to be Governor of the Isle of Scilly, and Captain of a Company of Foot.

Insurrection in Cheshire.

The House being informed, That divers Gentlemen of Chester were at the Door;

They were called in: And, being come to the Bar, one of the Gentlemen, on the Behalf of himself, and some few of the Parliament's constant, faithful, and suffering Servants, did humbly offer an Expedient for the Quelling of the Rising of their old Enemies, and apostatizing Friends, in the County of Chester: Which, after the Petitioners were withdrawn, was read; and was intituled, " The humble Petition and Remonstrance of some few of your Honours constant, faithful, and suffering Servants."

Ordered, That this Petition be referred to the Members of this House of the Council of State; to bring in an Act and Declaration, according to the Substance of the Petition, and the Debate of this House, on Monday Morning next.

Prisoners concerned in Conspiracy.

Colonel Downes reports from the Council of State, That the Council finding it necessary, that a convenient House should be provided for the Safe-keeping of such Persons as in great Numbers are daily brought up Prisoners, being of those that have engaged in this late Design against the Parliament and Commonwealth, they did therefore agree with Mr. Hardy of Lambeth, for the Gatehouse, and some other convenient Rooms there, at the Rent of Sixty Pounds for one Year: And accordingly, on Wednesday last, in the Evening, about Fifty Prisoners being brought to that Place, and the said Mr. Hardy at that Instant refusing to admit those Prisoners, the Council, finding that they could not, at that Season, be carried elsewhere, without the Hazard of losing many of them in the Dark, did give Order to the Soldiers that guarded them, That they should put them into the said Gatehouse at Lambeth: Which, accordingly, was performed: And it is humbly desired, That the Parliament will be pleased to declare their Pleasure concerning the making use of the said Gatehouse, and other Rooms, hired as aforesaid, for the Safe-keeping of Prisoners.

Resolved, That this House doth agree with the Council of State, That, according to the Agreement made by the Council of State with Mr. Hardy, for the Gatehouse at Lambeth-House, and some other convenient Rooms there, at the Rent of Sixty Pounds for one Year, for the Safekeeping of such Persons as are brought up Prisoners, as engaged in the late Design against the Parliament and Commonwealth, the Council of State do make use of the said Gatehouse, and other Rooms, hired as aforesaid: And that the Council do pay the said Rent to the said Mr. Hardy, according to their Agreement, as the same shall become due.