House of Commons Journal Volume 4: 21 January 1646

Die Mercurii, 21 Januarii, 1645.

Prayers.

THE Grand Committee of the House sat, to take into Consideration the Business of keeping of scandalous Persons from the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper.

Mr. Whittacre in the Chair.

Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair.

Resolved, &c. That Doctor Wincopp shall have the Books of Doctor Bray at the Value of Eighty Pounds; at which Rate they have been valued: The said Eighty Pounds to be deducted out of the Monies due unto him upon his Entertainment as a Member of the Assembly.

Resolved, &c. That this House doth nominate and appoint Sir Edward Coke Baronet to be Sheriff of the County of Darby: And that the Commissioners for the Great Seal of England do grant him a Commission, accordingly.

The Lords Concurrence to be desired herein.

Resolved, &c. That a Warrant shall be issued, under the Hand of Mr. Speaker, directed to the Clerk of the Crown in Chancery, for the Issuing of a Writ, under the Great Seal of England, for the Election of a Burgess for the Borough of Cardiff, to serve in this Parliament, in the place of William Herbert Esquire, disabled, by Judgment of this House, to sit or serve in this Parliament, and sithence deceased.

Resolved, &c. That a Warrant shall be issued, under the Hand of Mr. Speaker, directed to the Clerk of the Crown in Chancery, for a Writ, to be issued under the Great Seal of England, for the Election of a Burgess for the Borough of Radnor, in the place of Philip Warwick Esquire, disabled, by Judgement of this House, to sit or serve as a Member of this Parliament.

Upon Mr. Whittacre's Report from the Grand Committee for Religion:

It is Resolved, &c. That Renouncers of the true Protestant Religion, prosessed in the Church of England, appearing to be such upon just Proof, shall be suspended from the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper.

Resolved, &c. That any Person that shall, either by Preaching or Writing, maintain any such Errors as do subvert any of those Articles, the Ignorance whereof do exclude Men from the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, appearing to be such a one upon just Proof, shall be suspended from the said Sacrament.

Resolved, &c. That all Persons guilty of notorious and scandalous Offences, shall be suspended from the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper.

Resolved, &c. That the Tryers of Elections of Elders shall have Power to hear and determine all Exceptions brought unto them concerning undue Elections, as well as to receive them; and also to call before them all Persons elected to be Elders and accepting such Election, against whom any Exceptions shall be brought in; and to send for such Witnesses as shall be nominated to them by such Persons as shall bring in the said Exceptions: And shall have Power to examine, upon Oath, both the Persons bringing in such Exceptions, and the said Witnesses, concerning any undue Proceedings in the Manner of the said Election; and concerning all Matters of Ignorance and Scandal objected against the Person elected, and expressed, in any Ordinance of Parliament, to be a sufficient Cause of Suspension from the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, and of which any Eldership, by Ordinance of Parliament, hath Cognizance and Jurisdiction, and that shall be proved to have been committed within one whole Year before the Exceptions exhibited: And that the Person against whom the Exceptions are taken, shall have the like Liberty to produce Witnesses, to be examined in like manner, on his Behalf.

Resolved, &c. That the Tryers shall have Power to examine, Whether the Elders that are to be chosen, be so qualified as is expressed in the Ordinance which hath passed both Houses.

Resolved, &c. That the Savoy Parish shall be put into the Eleventh Classis of the Province of London.

Resolved, &c. That there shall be Commissioners appointed in every Province; who shall have Power to judge of any scandalous Offence presented unto them, for which a Person guilty of it may be suspended from the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, and is not enumerated in the Ordinances or Votes of both Houses.

Resolved, &c. That, upon the Certificate of the Judgment of the said Commissioners to the Eldership, That such an Offence presented to them is scandalous, the said Eldership may suspend from the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, in like manner as upon such scandalous Offences as are enumerated in the Ordinances or Votes of both Houses.

Resolved, &c. That if any Person shall commit any scandalous Offence upon the Day of the Administration of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, in the Face of the Congregation, after it is assembled, the Minister of the Congregation may forbear to administer the Sacrament to such a Person for that Time.

Resolved, &c. That a Certificate of this Offence and Forbearance shall be made to the Commissioners within Eight Days after, if the Offence be not of the Number of those that are enumerated in the Ordinances or Votes of both Houses.

Resolved, &c. That this Certificate shall be made by the Minister that hath so forborn to administer the Sacrament.

Resolved, &c. That, upon Certificate made of such a scandalous Offence, not contained in the Enumeration of Offences, passed by both Houses, unto the Commissioners appointed for that Purpose, the said Commissioners shall make Certificate of the Case, with their Opinions thereof, to both Houses of Parliament, with all Speed.

Resolved, &c. That, upon such Certificate made to both Houses, they shall proceed to a final Determination of the Case; and send the same, so determined, to the Parish where such Offence shall have been committed.

Resolved, &c. That as often as the like Cafe shall fall out in any Congregation, the several Elderships shall proceed thereupon, as in case of other Offences enumerated in the Ordinances or Votes of both Houses.

Resolved, &c. That, after Examination and Proof of such a scandalous Offence, as aforesaid, in like manner as is to be done in the Offences enumerated, Certificate shall be made thereof to the Commissioners, by the Eldership of that Congregation where the said Offence hath been committed: Which Eldership shall certify also the Proofs taken before them: And the Party accused shall have Liberty to make such Defence as he shall think fit before the said Eldership, and before the Commissioners, before any Certificate be made thereof to the Parliament.

Ordered, That these several Votes be sent unto the Lords for their Concurrence.

Mr. Samuel Browne, Mr. Hill, Mr. Recorder, Mr. Selden, Mr. Whitelock, Sir Dudley North, Mr. Whittacre, Sir John Francklyn, Mr. Nathanael Fiennes, Sir Tho Trenchard, Sir John Burgoyne, Sir John Evelyn of Wiltes, Alderman Atkyn, Mr. Bainton, Mr. Corbett, Mr. White, Mr. Purefoy, Mr. Vassall, Mr. Ellys, Mr. Sydenham, Mr. Scott, Mr. Rous, Mr. Tate, Sir Gilbert Gerard, Mr. Swinfen, Mr. Bond, Sir Thomas Soame, Mr. Bacon, Colonel Hunt, Sir Edward Partherich, Mr. Francis Allen;

This Committee, or any Five of them, is to consider of putting White-Fryers, and all other Places formerly exempt, within the Province of London, under the Government of the Classes and Elderships, as other Places not exempt are; and to join them in the Way of Government to other Elderships and Classes, as they shall think most convenient: And they are to meet upon this Business To-morrow at Two of the Clock in the Afternoon, in the Court of Wards and Liveries: And have Power to send for Parties, Witnesses, Papers, and Records, &c.

Mr. Rous reports the Amendments to the Ordinance for regulating the University of Cambridge: The which were read; and, upon the Question, assented unto: And the Ordinance, with the Amendments, ordered to be ingrossed.

Resolved, &c. That this House doth approve of the Exchange of Colonel Thomas Weston, Prisoner to the Parliament, for Richard Jennings Esquire, a Member of this House, and Prisoner to the Enemies Forces: And that he be permitted upon his Parole; and to have Liberty for Twenty Days, to go and effect this Exchange: And it is referred to the Committee for Prisoners, to take his Parole accordingly.

Resolved, &c. That this House shall now proceed to the Nomination of a Governor for the Kingdom of Ireland.

The Question was propounded, Whether this House doth nominate and approve of Philip Lord Lisle to be the Chief Governor of the Kingdom of Ireland:

And then the Question being put, Whether this Question should be now put;

It passed with the Affirmative.

Resolved, &c. That this House doth nominate and approve of Philip Lord Lisle to be the Chief Governor of the Kingdom of Ireland.

Ordered, &c. That the Petition of the Lord President of Munster be read To-morrow Morning.