House of Commons Journal Volume 7: 1 October 1653

Saturday, the 1st of October, 1653.

Officers of Excise.

MR. Stone reports, from the Committee for inspecting the Treasuries, and regulating Officers and Salaries:

RESOLVED, That the Parliament be humbly informed, That it is the Opinion of this Committee, that the Office of Secretary to the Commissioners of Excise be laid aside, as useless; the present Secretary having been remiss in his Attendance; and the Salary for Execution thereof, being Two hundred and Fifty Pounds per Annum.

Resolved, That in case Mr. Samuell Bartlett shall be approved by the Parliament to execute the Office of Comptroller of the Excise, That the Parliament be humbly moved, that Mr. John Hieron may be appointed to the Execution of the Office of Solicitor to the Commissioners of Excise.

Resolved, by the Parliament, That the Office of Secretary to the Commissioners of Excise be laid aside, as useless.

Resolved, by the Parliament, That Mr. John Hieron be appointed to execute the Office of Solicitor to the Commissioners of Excise.

He likewise reports, from the same Committee,

That it be humbly propounded unto the Parliament, that the Office of Auditor of the Excise, and his Clerks, be laid aside, as a useless Office, the Execution whereof putteth the Commonwealth to the Charge of Eight hundred Pounds per Annum:

That it be humbly offered to the Parliament, as the Opinion of this Committee, That the Charges of Eleven hundred Pounds per Annum, settled upon the Comptroller of the Excise, and his Six Clerks, be reduced to Five hundred Pounds per Annum.

That it be humbly propounded to the Parliament, That Mr. Fawconberge, and his Deputies, be removed from the Place of Comptroller; and that Mr. Samuell Bartlett be presented to the Parliament, to execute the said Office of Comptroller.

Resolved, by the Parliament, That the Office of Auditor of the Excise, and his Clerks, be laid aside.

Resolved, by the Parliament, That the Salaries of Eleven hundred Pounds per Annum, settled upon the Comptroller of the Excise, and his Clerks, be reduced to Five hundred Pounds per Annum.

Resolved, by the Parliament, That Mr. Fawconberge, and his Deputies, be removed from the Place of Comptroller; and Mr. Samuell Bartlett be settled in the Execution of the said Office of Comptroller.

Resolved, That Samuell Bartlett shall leave those Places of Profits which he already holds.

Dick's Claims.

Mr. Sadler reports, from the Committee of Publick Debts:

IN pursuance of an Order of Parliament, of the 25th of July 1653, in the Business of Sir Wm. Dick; this Committee is satisfied, That the Orders of Parliament, cited in the Report from Haberdashers-Hall, in the said Case, are rightly cited: That the Sum of Nineteen thousand Eighteen Pounds Twelve Shillings and Four-pence, with the Interest since the 3d of February 1647, was a true Debt from this Commonwealth, due to the said Sir Wm. Dick: That the said Debt standeth still charged upon the Treasury at Goldsmiths-Hall, to be paid out of the Receipts by Fines and Compositions made, and to be made, with Papists and Delinquents, or by Sale of Papists and Delinquents Estates: And that the Treasurers at Goldsmiths-Hall, and all other Treasurers that now have, or shall have, the Receipts of such Monies, are impowered and authorized to pay the said Debt to the said Sir Wm. Dick, his Assignee or Assigns respectively: And that their respective Acquittances should be a sufficient Discharge to the said Treasurers: And that the said Sir Wm. Dick hath received no Part thereof, nor any Satisfaction for the same, save only One thousand Pounds from the Treasurers at Goldsmiths-Hall, by an Order of this present Parliament of the 6th of August last, 1653: And although there hath been Enquiry made of some of the late Commissioners in Scotland, and others, concerning the said Sir Wm. Dick, yet there doth nothing appear to this Committee, why he ought not to be paid, or that the said Debt is forfeited: He hath also deposed, That, without speedy Payment, he is utterly ruined: It is therefore humbly presented by this Committee, as their Opinion, That the said Sir Wm. Dick should enjoy his present Security: And that the Treasurers at Goldsmiths-Hall, or other Treasurers who have, or shall have, the Receipts of such Monies as shall come in by Fines, Compositions, or Sale of Papists and Delinquents Estates, may be ordered forthwith to pay to the said Sir Wm. Dick, or his Assigns, the said Sum of Nineteen thousand Eighteen Pounds, Twelve Shillings and Four-pence, with Interest; deducting the said One thousand Pounds, lately paid unto him by the said Treasurers at Goldsmiths-Hall.

Resolved, by the Parliament, That this Debt of Nineteen thousand Eighteen Pounds Twelve Shillings and Four-pence, with Interest, to Sir Wm. Dick, deducting the Thousand Pounds lately paid him, be continued upon the former Security.

Council of State.

Colonel Sidenham reports from the Council of State, The Necessity of Ten thousand Pounds to be speedily ordered and provided for the Use of the Council's Contingencies, out of such Treasury as they shall think fit; there being some Affairs of pressing Concernment, which cannot be carried on without a speedy Advance of Money.

Resolved, That the Sum of Ten thousand Pounds be charged upon Goldsmiths-Hall, for the Contingencies of the Council of State, to be paid to such Person and Persons as the Council of State shall appoint to receive the same: And that the Commissioners for Compounding be authorized and required to issue their Warrants to the Treasurers of that Receipt, to pay the same, accordingly.

Army Accompts.

Colonel Clerk reports, from the Committee of the Army, A Bill, intituled, An Act impowering the Committee for the Army, to state and determine the Accompts of all Officers and Soldiers, and others, employed by them, for Monies by them received, from the 5th of October 1647, until the 25th of July 1653: Which was this Day read the First and Second time; and, upon the Question, ordered to be ingrossed.

Gen. Monck thanked.

General Monck, one of the Admirals at Sea, came this Day into the House; and took his Place as a Member.

Mr. Speaker, by Order of the House, did give the Thanks of the Parliament to the said General Monck, for his great and faithful Services to the Parliament, and this Commonwealth.

Petition from Hambleton.

Mr. St. Nicholas reports, from the Council of State, The humble Petition of many of the Inhabitants of the Town of Hambleton in the County of Rutland, exhibited to the Council: Which was this Day read.

Resolved, That this Petition be committed to a Committee.

The Question being put, That it be referred to the Committee of Petitions;

It passed in the Negative.

Major Horsman, Colonel Sidenham, Major-General Desborow, Mr. Lucy, Mr. Strickland, Major Barton, Colonel Jones, Colonel Cromwell, Mr. Bawdon, * Brooks, Mr. Highland, Mr. Taylor, Mr. Anlaby, Mr. Barrington, or any three of them, are to consider of this Petition; and to examine the Business, and state the Matter of Fact to the Parliament; with Power to send for Persons, Papers, Witnesses; and to examine upon Oath: And this Committee are to meet on Monday next, at Two of the Clock in the Afternoon, in the Court of Wards: And Major Horseman is to take special Care of it.

Recusants Estates.

Resolved, The Report of Amendments to the Bill for disposing the Two Thirds of Papists Estates, be made on Wednesday Morning next.