House of Commons Journal Volume 7: 15 December 1654

Friday, the 15th of December, 1654.

Prayers.

Settling the Government.

THE House resumed the Debate upon the Government; and proceeded upon the Clause in Debate Yesterday.

Resolved, That these Words; viz. "shall pass into and become Laws, within Twenty Days after their Presentation to the Lord Protector, although he shall not give his Consent thereunto;" shall be Part of this Question.

And the whole Question being put; It was thus resolved;

Resolved, That, without the Consent of the Lord Protector and Parliament, no Law or Statute be made for the restraining of such tender Consciences, as shall differ in Doctrine, Worship, or Discipline, from the publick Profession held forth; and shall not abuse this Liberty to the Civil Injury of others, or the Disturbance of the publick Peace: Provided, that such Bills as shall be agreed upon by the Parliament, for the restraining of Atheism, Blasphemy, damnable Heresies, to be particularly enumerated, Popery, Prelacy, Licentiousness and Profaneness; or such as shall preach, print, or avowedly maintain any thing contrary to the fundamental Principles of Doctrine held forth in the publick Profession, which shall be agreed upon by the Lord Protector, and the Parliament; or shall do any Overt or publick Act, to the Disturbance thereof; shall pass into and become Laws, within Twenty Days after their Presentation to the Lord Protector, although he shall not give his Consent thereunto.

The Question being put, That Leave be given to speak against these Words, in the last Vote, that is to say, "damnable Heresies, to be particularly enumerated;"

It passed in the Negative.

Resolved, That in the last Vote, next after the Word, "enumerated," these Words, viz. "by this Parliament," be inserted.

And so it was Resolved, That, without the Consent of the Lord Protector and Parliament, no Law or Statute be made for the Restraining of such tender Consciences as shall differ in Doctrine, Worship, or Discipline, from the publick Profession aforesaid; and shall not abuse this Liberty to the civil Injury of others, or the Disturbance of the publick Peace: Provided that such Bills as shall be agreed upon by the Parliament, for the Restraining of Atheism, Blasphemy, damnable Heresies, to be particularly enumerated by this Parliament, Popery, Prelacy, Licentiousness, or Profaneness; or such as shall preach, print, or avowedly maintain any thing contrary to the fundamental Principles of Doctrine held forth in the publick Profession, which shall be agreed upon by the Lord Protector and the Parliament; or shall do any Overt or Publick Act, to the Disturbance thereof; shall pass into, and become Laws, within Twenty Days after their Presentation to the Lord Protector, although he shall not give his Consent thereunto.

Resolved, That the House do now proceed with the Fundamentals.

The First Article was read in these Words:

"The Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the Word of God, and the only Rule of knowing him savingly, and living unto him in all Holiness and Righteousness, in which we must rest; which Scriptures whoso doth not believe, but, rejecting them, doth, instead thereof, betake himself to any other way of discovering the Mind of God, cannot be saved."

Post Meridiem.

Settling the Government.

RESOLVED, That the House do proceed with the Government, notwithstanding the former Order.

Resolved, That the Acts and Ordinances of Parliament, made for the Sale or other Disposition, of the Lands, Rents, and Hereditaments of the late King, Queen, and Prince, of Archbishops and Bishops, Deansand Chapters, the Lands of Delinquents, and Forest Lands, or any of them, or of any other Lands, Tenements, Rents, and Hereditaments, belonging to the Commonwealth, shall no way be impeached or made invalid, but shall remain good and firm: And that the Security given by Act and Ordinance of Parliament, for any Sum or Sums of Money by any of the said Lands, the Excise, or by any other publick Revenue; and also the Securities given by the publick Faith of the Nation, and the Engagement of the Publick Faith, for Satisfaction of Debts and Damages; shall remain firm and good, and not be made void or invalid, upon any Pretence whatsoever: Provided, that the Articles given to, or made with, the Enemy, and afterwards confirmed by Parliament, shall be performed and made good to the Persons concerned therein: Provided also, that all Appeals or Petitions, that were made or exhibited since the 16th of July 1651, and before the 3d of September last, for Relief concerning Bills for Sale of Delinquents Estates, may be heard and determined this Parliament.

Resolved, That the Words "3 d of September last" in the last Vote, shall be omitted; and, instead thereof, these Words inserted, "1st of December instant:" And so it was

Resolved, That the Acts and Ordinances of Parliament, made for the Sale or other Disposition of the Lands, Rents, and Hereditaments of the late King, Queen, and Prince, of Archbishops and Bishops, Deans and Chapters, the Lands of Delinquents, and Forest Lands, or any of them, or of any other Lands, Tenements, Rents and Hereditaments, belonging to the Commonwealth, shall no way be impeached, or made invalid, but shall remain good and firm: And that the Security given by Act and Ordinance of Parliament, for any Sum or Sums of Money, by any of the said Lands, the Excise, or by any other publick Revenue; and also the Securities given by the Publick Faith of the Nation, and the Engagement of the Publick Faith for Satisfaction of Debts and Damages; shall be made firm and good, and not be made void or invalid, upon any Pretence whatsoever: Provided, that the Articles given to, or made with, the Enemy, and afterwards confirmed by Parliament, shall be performed, and made good to the Persons concerned therein: Provided also, that all Appeals or Petitions, that were made or exhibited since the 16th of July 1651, and before the 1st of December instant, for Relief concerning Bills for Sale of Delinquents Estates, may be heard and determined this Parliament.

The Question being propounded, That the present Lord Protector, and every future Lord Protector, immediately after his Election, and before he enter upon the Government, shall take and subscribe a solemn Oath, in order to the good Government of these Nations;

Resolved, That these Words be inserted in this Question; viz. "The due Calling of Parliaments." And so it was

Resolved, That the present Lord Protector shall take and subscribe a solemn Oath for the due Calling of Parliaments, and the good Government of these Nations; and every future Lord Protector, immediately after his Election, and before he enter upon the Government, shall take and subscribe the same solemn Oath, for the due Calling of Parliaments, and good Government of these Nations.

Resolved, That such Oath shall be taken in Parliament, if the Parliament be then sitting; and, in the Intervals of Parliament, in such publick Place and Manner as the Council shall appoint.

Resolved, That such Persons as shall be of the Council, before they shall take their Trust upon them, shall take a solemn Oath for the faithful Discharge of their Duty in that Employment: Which Oath shall be taken in Parliament, sitting the Parliament; and, in the Intervals of Parliament, before the Lord Chancellor, Lord Keeper, or Lords Commissioners of the Great Seal, for the Time being.

The Form of an Oath to be administered to the Lord Protector, reported, was this Day read.

Resolved, That these Words, "Reformed Protestant," be inserted into the Form of the Oath, between the Words "true" and "Christian."

Resolved, That these Words, "as it is contained in the Holy Scripture of the Old and New Testament," be inserted in the Form of the Oath, next after these Words, "Christian Religion, in the Purity thereof."

Resolved, That these Words, "any of," be inserted into the Form of the Oath, next after the Word "infringe."

And the Oath, so amended, being put to the Question, was agreed, in these Words following;

I DO, in the Presence, and by the Name of God Almighty, promise and swear, That, to the uttermost of my Power, I will uphold and maintain the true Reformed Protestant Christian Religion, in the Purity thereof, as it is contained in the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament; and encourage the Profession and Professors of the same: And that I will not violate nor infringe any of the Matters and Things contained in the; and will in all things, to the best of my Understanding, govern according to the Laws, Statutes, Rights, Customs, and Liberties of the Parliament and People of these Nations; and will seek their Peace and Welfare, according to those Laws, Customs, and Liberties; and cause Justice and Law to be equally and duly administered.

Resolved, That this shall be the Oath to be administered to the Lord Protector.

Resolved, That immediately after the Death of every Lord Protector, if a Parliament be not then sitting, or not then already summoned, a Parliament be summoned to meet forthwith: And that it be referred to the same Committee who are appointed to prepare a Bill upon the Votes for the Government, to pen a Clause to this Purpose, and to bring it in To-morrow Morning: And that also to bring in another Clause, upon the present Debates of the House.

Nat. Bill.

A Bill for the Naturalization of several Persons was this Day read the First time.

Court of Wards.

Mr. Bulkly reports a Bill for taking away the Court of Wards: Which was this Day read the First time; and ordered to be read again the Second time on Thursday next.

Lincoln Fens.

The humble Petition of divers Lords of Manors, and Owners of Commons and Inter-commoners, being Fen Grounds, in the Isle of Ely, and Counties adjacent, in Behalf of themselves, the Tenants, and others, was this Day read; and committed to the Committee for the Fens of Lincolnshire.

Purveyances.

An Act for taking away of Purveyance, and Compositions for Purveyance, was this Day read the First time; and ordered to be read the Second time on Thursday next.

Monson's Petition.

The humble Petition of John Monson was this Day read.

Ordered, That the said Petition be referred to the Committee for the Fens of Lincolnshire.

Forde's, &c. Petition.

A Petition was tendered, on the Behalf of Richard Ford, Nathaniell Manton, and Thomas Papillon, of London, Merchants.

The Question being put, That this Petition be now read;

The House was divided.

The Yeas went forth.

So it was Resolved, That this Petition be now read.

The said Petition was accordingly read.

The Question being put, That this Petition be committed;

The House was divided.

The Yeas went forth.

So it passed with the Negative.