House of Commons Journal Volume 7: 22 August 1659

Monday, 22d August, 1659.

Prayers.

Report deferred.

ORDERED, That the Report touching Mr. Sympson be made on this Day Sevennight.

General Overton.

Ordered, That the Report touching Major-General Overton be made the first Business, on Thursday Morning next.

Letter read.

A Letter from Colonel Tho. Birch, from Northwich in Cheshire, dated August 20th 1659, was read.

Sequestering Estates.

Ordered, That an Act be prepared, and brought in, To-morrow Morning, for sequestering Delinquents Estates: And that the Committee of Inspections do bring in the said Act, accordingly.

Success in Cheshire.

A Letter from the Lord Lambert, of the 19th of August 1659, from Nantwich, was read.

Captain Browne, who brought the said Letter, being at the Door, was called in: And, being at the Bar, he made a Relation to the Parliament of the late Defeat given to the Rebels in Cheshire.

Ordered, That Captain Browne have Fifty Pounds given to him: And it is

Ordered, That the Council of State do see the said Fifty Pounds forthwith paid to him, accordingly.

Ordered, That a Letter be sent to the Lord Lambert, acknowleging his good Service, and giving him the Thanks of this House.

Ordered, That Colonel White do write this said Letter: And that Mr. Speaker do sign it.

Sequestering Estates.

Ordered, That Major Salwey, Mr. Robinson, and Colonel White, do withdraw; and pen an Order for sequestering Estates, upon the Debate of the House.

Embassy from France.

Ordered, That the Earl of Salisbury, Sir Peter Wentworth, and the Earl of Pembrooke, do accompany the Lord Ambassador from the King of France to his Audience.

Kent Militia.

A Letter from Maydstone, of the 18th of August 1659, from the Militia of the County of Kent, was read.

Ordered, That this Letter be referred to the Council of State, to do therein as they shall think fit.

Correspondence with Sweden.

Sir Arthur Hesilrig reports from the Council of State, A Letter to be sent to the King of Sweden, in Answer to a Letter received from the said King: Which Letter was read.

Resolved, That this House doth agree to this Letter: And It is

Ordered, That this Letter be sent to the King of Sweden: And that Mr. Speaker do sign and seal the same.

Parliament Seal.

Mr. Thomas Chalenor reports A Seal to be used by the Speaker of the Parliament, with this Inscription; viz. "The Seal of the Parliament of the Commonwealth of England;" and the Arms of England, Scotland, and Ireland, engraved thereon.

The humble Petition of Thomas Symon, Chief Graver of the Mint and Seals, was read.

Ordered, That all Monies due to the Petitioner Tho. Symon for making this Seal, and for all other Work by him done for this Parliament at their former Sitting, or since their last Sitting, be forthwith paid unto the said Thomas Symon.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Council of State, to agree with the Petitioner for making the said Seal, and other former Work done by him for this Parliament; and pay him for the same.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee for Inspections, to examine, What Debt is due to the Petitioner, how the same became due; and report their Opinion to this House, What they think fit to be done therein,

Resolved, That this House doth approve of the said Seal to be the Seal of the Parliament, to be used by the Speaker to all Letters, or other Writings, to be signed by Mr. Speaker, by Order of the Parliament.

Ordered, That this Seal be kept in the Custody of the Speaker of the Parliament, for the Time being.

Poor.

A Proposition, touching maintaining the Poor without Begging, was read.

Ordered, That the Committee for the Poor be revived: And that they consider of the Act touching the Poor, formerly referred to the Committee; and of all other Acts and Ordinances for Relief of the Poor; and report to this House, What they think fit to be done therein: And all that come, to have Voices: And this Committee, or any Five of them, are to meet this Afternoon at Three of the Clock, in the Speaker's Chamber.

Embassy from France.

The Earl of Pembrooke reports from the Committee nominated to accompany the Ambassador from the King of France to his Audience, That they did, according to the Order of this House, accompany the said Lord Ambassador from his House to the Inner Court of Wards; where the said Lord Ambassador attends the Pleasure of this House, to have his Audience.

Afterwards the Earl of Pembrooke, and the rest of the said Committee, did again go to the said Lord Ambassador; and accompanied him to this House: And the Serjeant, with his Mace, went to attend the Lord Ambassador to the House.

So soon as the Ambassador was entered, the Ambassador uncovered himself: And the Speaker, and all the Members, stood up bare.

When the Ambassador was come as far as the Bar, the Master of the Ceremonies, and the Serjeant attending him, the one at the Right Hand, the other at the Left, until the Ambassador came to the Chair, which was placed, on the North Side of the House, upon a Turkey Carpet, with Two Cushions in it.

The Ambassador being set, the Master of the Ceremonies stood on his Right Hand; and the Serjeant, with the Mace, on the Left.

The Bar being let down, and the Doors left open for his Gentlemen, and others, to come in, the Ambassador began his Speech in the French Tongue: And, when the Members were covered, he proceeded in his Speech; and, as he named the Commonwealth of England, or the King his Master, he was uncovered, and the Members likewise.

And, having ended his Speech, the Speaker told him, He would acquaint the House with what he had offered.

After the Ambassador had had Audience, he delivered his Letters Credential in the French Tongue, and a Copy of his Speech in French and in English And afterwards, making Obeisance several times, went out of the House; the Earl of Salisbury, Sir Peter Wentworth, and the Earl of Pembrooke, accompanying him out of the House.

After the said Lord Ambassador from the King of France was withdrawn, the Letter of Credence of the said Lord Ambassador, and the Speech by him now made, was read.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Council of State, from time to time, to confer with the Lord Ambassador from the King of France; and to hear what he hath further to say.

Ordered, That Sir Oliver Fleming, Master of the Ceremonies, do give Notice, to the Lord Ambassador of the King of France, of the said Order.

Sequestering Estates.

Colonel White reports from the Committee appointed to withdraw, to pen an Order, touching sequestering the Estates of the Persons in Rebellion: Which was read; and, upon the Question, committed: With Power to bring in an Act, and Instructions for Commissioners, touching this Business; and report it to this House: Viz. Major Salwey, Mr. Robinson, Colonel Bennett, Mr. Richard Darley, Mr. Anlaby, Sir Henry Mildmay, Colonel White, Mr. Solicitor Reynolds, Mr. Holland, Colonel Temple, Mr. Brewster; or any Three of them: And are to meet this Afternoon, at Two of the Clock, in the Speaker's Chamber.