House of Commons Journal Volume 4: 8 October 1645

Die Mercurii, 8 Octobris, 1645.

Prayers.

ACcording to former Order, the Grand Committee for Religion fat.

Mr. Whittacre in the Chair.

Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair.

Upon Mr. Whittacre's Report from the Grand Committee appointed to consider of the Matters of ChurchGovernment;

It is Resolved, &c. That a Person that keepeth a known Stews or Brothel-house, or that shall sollicit the Chastity of any Person, for himself, or any other, appearing to be such a one, upon just Proof, shall be suspended from the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper.

Resolved, &c. That Playing at Dice or Cards, or any other Game, upon the Lord's Day, shall be added to the Offences that are voted in the Profanation of that Day, to be a Cause of Suspension from the Lord's Supper.

Resolved, &c. That the Vote for the Standing-Committee of Parliament be added to the Ordinance.

Resolved, &c. That if any other notorious and scandalous Sin, besides those nominated in the Ordinance, which may be conceived to be a Cause to suspend from the Lord's Supper, shall be certified to any Classis, either from any Congregational Eldership, or otherwise, which the said Classis shall think sit to present to the StandingCommittee of Parliament, that the said Classis shall present the same to the said Committee; to the end that the Parliament (if need require) may hear and determine the same.

Resolved, &c. That Doctor William Gouch, Andrew Perne, Minister of Dunstan's West, Samuel Browne Esquire, Edmund Prideaux Esquire, William Ellis Esquire, William Prynne Esquire, shall be Tryers and Judges of such Persons as shall be chosen to be Elders for the Classis of the Two Serjeants Inns.

Lords Concurrence * *.

Ordered, That the Lord Mayor be desired to give notice of the Order of this House of 23 Septembris last, concerning Election of Elders, to the several Ministers within the Province of London; to be communicated by them to their respective Congregations: And Mr. Spurstoe, Mr. Vassall, Mr. Tate, Sir Robert Harley, Mr. Rous, or any Two of them, are to acquaint my Lord Mayor with this Order.

Mr. Whittacre presented, from the Grand Committee, an Ordinance for putting in Execution the several Votes, passed both Houses, concerning the Keeping of scandalous and ignorant Persons from the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper: The which was read the First and Second time; and, upon the Question, committed unto Sir Robert Harley, Mr. Samuel Browne, Sir John Cooke, Mr. Tate, Mr. Selden, Mr. Rous, Sir John Evelyn, Mr. Pierpoint, Mr. Prideaux, Mr. Hill, Sir Henry Vane junior, Sir Gilbert Gerrard, Sir Walter Erle, Serjeant Wilde, Mr. Maynard, Mr. Pury, Sir Thomas Widdrington, Mr. Whittacre:

This Committee are to consider thereof, as to the Form of it; and to put the same into Form: And are to meet To-morrow in the Afternoon at Two of the Clock, in the Exchequer-Chamber; and to report it to the House on Friday Morning: And Mr. Tate is to take care of it.

Resolved, &c. That such Person, Father or Mother, that shall consent to the Marriage of their Child to a Papist, or such Person as shall marry a Papist, shall be suspended from the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper: And that this Vote be added to the Ordinance.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee of the Three Counties of Oxon, Bucks, and Berks, to present Three sitting Persons to the House, of whom the House may make Choice of One, to be High-Sheriff of the County of Berks.

Ordered, That the Petition from Scarborough be referred to the Consideration of the Committee of the North, where Sir Thomas Widdrington hath the Chair; to bring in an Ordinance for the Settling of that Place.

Ordered, That Mr. Pury and Mr. Purefoy do confer with the Commissioners of Excise, upon some Expedient for allowing to Colonel Bridges his Troop, towards the Maintenance thereof, Five-and-twenty Pounds per Week, out of the Excise of Coventry and Warwickshire, without Prejudice to the general Receipts of the Excise, either in Precedent, or otherwise.

The humble Petition of the Officers of Colonel Devereux his Regiment was this Day read; desiring Pay for their Troopers.

Resolved, &c. That this House doth declare, That the General of the Scotts Army hath no Power to grant any Commission for raising any Forces within the Kingdom of England: And that all such Commissions are void.

Resolved, &c. That no Englishman ought to take any Commission from the General of the Scotts Army, for the Raising of Forces within the Kingdom of England.

Resolved, &c. That Mr. Leicester Devereux be forthwith summoned to attend the House.

An Ordinance for Discharge of the Delinquency and Sequestration of Edmund Sawyer, of Kettering, in the County of Northampton, Esquire, was this Day read; and, upon the Question, passed; and ordered to be sent to the Lords for their Concurrence.

Resolved, &c. That Lieutenant-General Cromwell and Mr. Lowrey be added to the Committee concerning the Business between the University of Cambridge and the Town.

Ordered, That all such Delinquents as shall come in and submit themselves to the Parliament, in pursuance of the Order of this House of 4 of this instant October, shall, within Twenty-four Hours after their coming within the Lines of Communication, present themselves to Mr. Speaker, to be sent by him, to make their Compositions with the Committee authorized thereunto.

Upon the Petition of Captain Henry Andrewes, in the Behalf of his Officers and Soldiers, this Day reported from the Committee of both Kingdoms;

It is Ordered, That Sir Arthur Heselrige and Mr. Pury do prepare a Letter, to be written from this House, to the Committee of Newport-Pagnell, to require them to pay Captain Henry Andrewes his Troop, in pursuance of the Letters sent to them to that Purpose from the Committee of both Kingdoms; and to take notice, in the Letter, of their Refusal to comply with the Directions they received in this Business from the Committee of both Kingdoms.

Ordered, &c. That Mr. Musgrave and Mr. Osmotherly be hereby required and injoined to answer to such particular Questions as shall be propounded unto them by the Committee to whom the Information against Mr. Barwis are referred, upon the said Papers of Informations, before Mr. Barwis give in his Answer; and, if they shall refuse, to report it to the House;

Ordered, &c. That the Committee, appointed to consider of the Informations against Mr. Barwis, do sit on Friday next, in the Afternoon.

A Message from the Lords, by Sir Edward Leech and Mr. Page;

The Lords have commanded us to deliver you this Letter: It came from the King of Denmarke; and is directed to them and you: They thought fit to send it to you: An Order for taking off the Sequestration of Edmund Southcote, with the Report and Certificates of the Case; they have agreed to it; and desire your Concurrence. They commanded us to put you in mind of an Order for the Placing of Colonel Barrowe to be Governor of Barkley-Castle; and of the Ordinance touching Captain Cannon.

Answer returned by the same Messengers; That the House hath considered your Message; and will send Answer by Messengers of their own.

The humble Petition of Samuel Warner, Alderman of the City of London, now Prisoner in the Fleete, was this Day read.

Ordered, &c. That the Committee of Accompts do certify this House the whole State of the Cause concerning the Commitment of Alderman Samuel Warner, committed by them Prisoner to the Fleete.