House of Commons Journal Volume 7: 13 June 1657

Saturday, the 13th of June, 1657.

Publick Debts.

DOCTOR Clergis reports from the Committee, to whom the Debts upon the Publick Faith was referred, The Opinion of the said Committee, as followeth; viz.

UPON Consideration of the Debts upon the Publick Faith, and the Persons to whom the same is due; and how the same may be stated and ascertained in the several Counties; and the Ways and Means how the same may be satisfied; which were the Particulars referred to us by Order of Parliament, dated the 10th of December 1656;

It is the humble Opinion of this Committee, That the Persons to whom the Publick Faith is due, are such as advanced any Money, Plate, Horses, or other Things, upon the Propositions; or such from whom the Fifth, and Twentieth Part was received within Time limited; or such as lent Money, or any other Thing, upon any Act, Ordinance, or Order of Parliament, wherein it is enacted, ordained, or ordered, That the publick Faith shall be engaged for the same.

And, for the stating and ascertaining thereof, That the Commissioners for the Assessments in each City, Town, and County, be authorized and appointed to receive the Claims, within a certain Time limited, of all and every Person and Persons, and their Assigns, who have lent or advanced Money, Plate, Horses, or other Things, upon the Publick Faith, as aforesaid.

That, for Encouragement of such as have been faithful to the true Interest of the Commonwealth, the said Commissioners take care to distinguish betwixt such as voluntarily and freely lent, as aforesaid; and such as did pay by Compulsion: And likewise, that they distinguish betwixt such Loans for which there is Interest allowed, and such for which there is no Interest, nor no Way prescribed for the Payment thereof.

And, to prevent fraudulent Claims, That the said Commissioners be authorized to require all Treasurers, Receivers, Collectors, and other Accomptants for any thing received, or discharged that was lent upon the Publick Faith in such respective Cities, Towns, and Counties, at Guildhall in London, or elsewhere, to bring in to them, within a certain Time limited, a true and perfect Accompt of the same, in an Alphabetical Form: And out of the said Claims, Receipts, and Discharges, the said Commissioners shall ascertain the Sums due in their respective Counties; and return the same, so ascertained, with the Copies of the Claims, Receipts, and Discharges under their Hands and Seals, to Persons, to be thereunto authorized; who, upon the Whole, shall be required to state the Accompt, and present it to the Parliament, at their next Sitting.

And, as to the Ways and Means for Satisfaction thereof, That all the Forest-Lands in England and Wales, not yet disposed of; and all the Lands within the Four excepted Counties in Ireland, not yet disposed of; be put into a speedy Way of Sale, to that End; and that no further Disposition of the said Forest-Lands, or of the Lands in the Four excepted Counties in Ireland, as aforesaid, or any Part thereof, be made, until the said Debt of the Publick Faith be satisfied: And that a Bill be forthwith brought into the Parliament to these Purposes.

Resolved, That this House doth agree with the Com mittee, That the Persons to whom the Publick Faith is due, are such as advanced any Money, Plate, Horses, or other Things, upon the Propositions; or such from whom the Fifth, and Twentieth Part, was received, within the Time limited; or such as lent Monies, or any other Thing, upon any Act, Ordinance, or Order of Parliament, wherein it is enacted, ordained, or ordered, That the Publick Faith shall be engaged for the same.

Resolved, That the House doth agree with the Committee, That the Commissioners for the Assessments in each City, Town, and County, be authorized and appointed to receive the Claims, within a certain Time limited, of all and every Person and Persons, and their Assigns, who have lent or advanced Money, Plate, Horses, or other Things, upon the Publick Faith, as aforesaid.

Resolved, That the House doth agree with the Committee, That for the Encouragement of such as have been faithful to the Interest of the Commonwealth, the said Commissioners take care to distinguish between such as voluntarily and freely lent, as aforesaid, and such as did pay by Compulsion; and likewise, that they distinguish betwixt such Loans for which there is Interest allowed, and such which there is no Interest, nor no Way prescribed for the Payment thereof.

Resolved, That the House doth agree with the Committee, That the said Commissioners be authorized to require all Treasurers, Receivers, Collectors, and other Accomptants, for any thing received, or discharged, that was lent upon the Publick Faith, in such respective Cities, Towns, and Counties, at Guildhall in London, or elsewhere, to bring in to them, within a certain Time limited, a true and perfect Accompt of the same, in an alphabetical Form: And out of the said Claims, Receipts, and Discharges, the said Commissioners shall ascertain the Sums due in their respective Counties; and return the same, so ascertained, with the Copies of the Claims, Receipts, and Discharges, under their Hands and Seals, to Persons to be thereunto authorized; who, upon the Whole, shall be required to state the Accompt, and present it to the Parliament, at their next Sitting.

The Question being put, That this House doth agree with the Committee, That all the Forest-Lands in England and Wales, not yet disposed of; and all the Lands within the Four Counties in Ireland, not yet disposed of; be put into a speedy way of Sale, for Satisfaction of the Publick Faith Debts;

It passed with the Negative.

The Question being propounded, That the House doth agree with the Committee, That no further Disposition of the Forest-Lands, or of the Lands in the Four excepted Counties in Ireland, as aforesaid, or any Part thereof, be made, till the said Debt of the Publick Faith be satisfied;

Resolved, That these Words, "by Sale, or Gift," be inserted next after the Word "Disposition."

Resolved, That these Words be added to that Question, "until some Provision be made for Satisfaction of the said Debt of the Publick Faith," instead of these Words, "until the said Debt of the Publick Faith be satisfied."

And the Question being put;

It was Resolved, That no further Disposition by Sale or Gift of the Forest-Lands, or of the Lands in the Four excepted Counties in Ireland, as aforesaid, or any Part thereof, be made, until some Provision be made, for Satisfaction of the said Debt of the Publick Faith.

Resolved, That it be referred back to the same Committee, to prepare and bring in a Bill to the Purpose of these Votes: And that Mr. Pedley, Mr. Fowell, Mr. Carey, Mr. Bampfeild, Colonel Mathews, Colonel Carter, be added to this Committee: And they are to meet this Afternoon, at Three of the Clock, in the Place where that Committee met formerly.

Resolved, That this Bill be brought in on Wednesday next.

Debtors.

Resolved, That an Act, made the One-and-twentieth Day of December 1649, intituled, An Act for discharging from Imprisonment poor Prisoners, unable to satisfy their Creditors; and also an Act, made the Sixth Day of April 1650, intituled, An additional Act for the further Ease and Relief of poor Prisoners; be inserted into the Bill for Confirmation of Acts and Ordinances to be revived, and continued in Force for Twelve Months, from the Four-and-twentieth Day of June 1657, as to such Persons that are or shall be in Prison, within that Time.

Assessment for Ireland.

The House took up the Debate upon the Assessment in Ireland.

The Question being put, That Two thousand Pounds of the Ten thousand Pounds by the Month, for the Assessment upon Ireland for Three Years, be abated;

The House was divided.

The Yeas went forth.

So it passed in the Negative.

Resolved, That One thousand Pounds by the Month, of the Ten thousand Pounds by the Month upon Ireland, for Three Years, be abated.

Resolved, That the Proportion of England, for the Assessment for Three Years, be Five-and-thirty thousand Pounds by the Month.

Resolved, That the House be resolved into a Grand Committee, upon the Bill of Assessment for England, on Monday at Ten of the Clock.

Resolved, That the Committee to whom the Business touching the One Million Three hundred thousand Pounds by the Year was referred, do make their Report on Monday Morning, the first Business.