House of Commons Journal Volume 7: 16 February 1660

Thursday, 16 February, 1659.

Plundered Ministers.

ORDERED, That the Committee for plundered Ministers be, and are hereby, impowered and authorized to sit every Tuesday and Thursday, in the Afternoon, in every Week.

Commissioners of Assessment.

Ordered, That the Mayor of the City of Oxford for the Time being, Richard Croke Esquire, Martin Wright, John Nixon, Humphrey Whistler, Thomas Weekes, William Wright, Aldermen, Thomas Dennis, Walter Cave, Mathew Langley, Richard Millar, Thomas Williams, John Lamb, Thomas Berry, and William Baily, Gentlemen, be and are hereby appointed to be, Commissioners for the Assessment within the City of Oxford: And that they, and every of them, be and are hereby impowered and authorized to sit and act as Commissioners for the Assessments, as fully, to all Intents and Purposes, as if they had been named in the Act, intituled, An Act for an Assessment of One hundred thousand Pounds by the Month, upon England, Scotland, and Ireland, for Six Months.

Nominating Sheriffs.

Resolved, That Paul Fletcher Esquire be, and is hereby nominated and appointed Sheriff for the County of Derby: And that the Lords Commissioners of the Great Seal do pass a Commission, under the Great Seal, unto the said Paul Fletcher, to be Sheriff for the County of Derby accordingly.

Resolved, That Robert Waters be, and is hereby nominated and appointed Sheriff for the County of Yorke: And that the Lords Commissioners for the Great Seal do pass a Commission, under the Great Seal, unto the said Robert Waters, to be High Sheriff of the County of Yorke, accordingly.

Ordered, That on Saturday Morning next, the Names of Sheriffs for the respective Counties be brought in, for the Approbation of the Parliament.

Probate of Wills Office.

Mr. Pury reports from the Committee of the Army, That, in pursuance of the Order of Parliament, of the Third of February Instant, this Committee have sent to the Office for Probate of Wills, &c.; and have spoken with Mr. Suckley about the Three thousand Pounds ordered to be paid out of the Profits of the said Office to the Treasurers at War: And have received Answer, That, by reason of a Stop, put by the Commissioners of the Great Seal, upon passing the Commission for constituting the said Court, the said Three thousand Pounds is not paid; and, in regard the Term is elapsed, wherein a good Part of the said Money was expected, it is humbly offered, That the Parliament will grant their Order, according to the Substance of the annexed Paper; whereby the said Court will be settled, and the said Money be in the most speedy Way of Advance for the Publick Service.

Whereas there are Commissions prepared by Mr. Attorney-General for Dr. Walker, as First Judge; Dr. Turner, as Second Judge; and Mr. Cawley, as Third Judge; for the Admiralty, and Court of Probate of Wills; with their Salaries, ordered by the Parliament to be inserted in the said Commissions; which are signed by the said Attorney-General, and Mr. Speaker, by Order of Parliament; It is Ordered, That the said respective Commissions, so prepared and signed, be forthwith passed by the Lords Commissioners, under the Great Seal; and sent or delivered to the said respective Judges, with all Speed; that Justice may be executed in the said Courts.

Army Pay.

Mr. Pury also reports, Another Order of the said Committee for the Army; which was read; viz. "That, upon Computation of One Month's Pay to the Forces quartering in and about London, in pursuance of the Order of Parliament of the Tenth of February instant, they find the same amounts unto the Sum of Sixteen thousand Six hundred Thirty-five Pounds Five Shillings and Eightpence, or thereabouts; for Discharge whereof, there is, in the Hands of the Treasurers at War, the Sum of Five thousand Pounds; and there is expected to be paid to the said Treasurers, upon Bills of Exchange from the Receivers of the Assessments in the Country, the Sum of Seven thousand Pounds; and there is ordered to be paid unto them, from the Office of the Probate of Wills, and granting Letters of Administration, the Sum of Three thousand Pounds; in all, the Sum of Fifteen thousand Pounds: But so it is, that the Seven thousand Pounds, expected upon Bills of Exchange, is not paid to the said Treasurers, nor any Part thereof possibly may not be paid in more than one Month's time; and that the Three thousand Pounds, expected from the Office of Probate of Wills, is not paid, nor any Part thereof, by reason of some Dissatisfaction in the Commissioners of the Great Seal, to pass the Commission for constituting the said Court under the Great Seal: And that this Committee have, in pursuance of an Order of Parliament, of the 13th of February instant, sent to the several Treasuries and Publick Receipts (except Customs and Excise), and do not find any considerable Sum in any or all of them: So that, until the said Sum of Seven thousand Pounds, upon Bills of Exchange, and the said Sum of Three thousand Pounds, be paid, as aforesaid, there will be wanting, to discharge the said Sum of Sixteen thousand Six hundred Thirty-five Pounds Five Shillings Eightpence, the Sum of Eleven thousand Six hundred Fortyfive Pounds Five Shillings Eight-pence, or thereabouts: Which they humbly tender to the Parliament's Consideration; to make such Provision therein, as to their Wisdom shall seem meet.

Discovery of Delinquent's Estate.

Mr. Blagrave reports, from the Committee of Inspections, A Proposal of a Discovery to be made; viz.

The Discovery amounts to Twenty thousand Pounds, and upwards.

The Money was hid by a Delinquent that is dead: He has left Three or Four Children unprovided for.

1. The Discoverer propounds, That a Third Part may be allowed the Children.

2. A Third Part to the Discoverers, and the Payment of Publick Debts; out of which, a Fifth Part of the Whole to the Discoverers, and the Remainder to satisfy such Debts of the Commonwealth as the Proposer shall nominate.

3. The other Third Part to the Commonwealth.

Resolved, That the Parliament doth agree with the Proposal.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee of Inspections, to grant such Warrants as they shall think fit to the said Discoverer: And the said Committee are authorized and required to take care, that good and sufficient Security be given by the Discoverers, to make good all Damages that shall be done, or caused to be done, by Search or otherwise, upon the said Discovery.

The Engagement.

Colonel White reports Amendments to the Bill touching the Engagement to be taken by the Members of the Council of State: Which were twice read; and, upon the Question, agreed unto. And the said Bill, so amended, was, upon the Question, passed.

Members serving.

Colonel Harvey reports from the Committee for what Counties, Cities, and Boroughs, the Members now sitting in the Parliament do serve.

Members Qualifications.

Mr. Say reports, from the Committee Yesterday ordered to withdraw, some Qualifications to be added to the Bill for Qualifications of Persons to be elected to sit and serve in Parliament: Which were twice read; and recommitted to Mr. Nevill, Mr. Lechmere, Mr. Say, Mr. John Corbet, upon the Debate of the House.

Writs.

Mr. Attorney-General brought in Precedents of Writs for Knights and Burgesses, with Returns thereof: Which were read.

The House adjourned till Three a Clock in the Afternoon.

Thursday Afternoon, February 16th, 1659.

Members Qualifications.

MR. Say reports Amendments to the Bill of Qualifications referred to the Committee ordered to withdraw in the Morning: Which were twice read.

Resolved, That, in Folio 1. Line 12. after the Word "Election," these Words; viz. "and the said Sheriff, and other Person and Persons to whom the Return of such Election doth belong, are hereby authorized to administer the said Engagement;" be added.

Resolved, That, in Fol. 1. Line 19. after the Word "Engagement," these Words; viz. "before them, or any Two or more of them; which the said Lords Commissioners are hereby authorized to administer;" be added.

And the said Amendments reported, so amended, were, upon the Question, agreed unto.

Resolved, That, in Page 1. Line 24. of the Qualifications, between the Word "him" and the Word "by," these Words, "in Arms," be inserted.

The Question being put, That Addition be made to the Qualifications;

The House was divided.

The Yeas went forth.

So it was Resolved, That Addition be made to the Qualifications.

Resolved, That this Debate be adjourned until Tomorrow Morning.