House of Commons Journal Volume 7: 26 May 1659

Thursday, the 26th of May, 1659.

Admiralty.

MR. Pury the elder reports Amendments to the Bill for constituting Commissioners for ordering and managing the Affairs of the Admiralty and Navy: Which were twice read; and, upon the Question, agreed unto.

The Question being put, That the Commissioners to be named in this Bill, shall have Salaries;

It passed with the Negative.

The Question being put, That the Number of the Commissioners to be named in this Bill, shall be One-and-twenty;

It passed with the Negative.

The Question being put, That the Number be Eleven;

It passed with the Negative.

Resolved, That the Number of the Commissioners to be named in this Bill, be Nine.

Hampshire Petition.

The House being informed, That some Gentlemen of Hampshire were at the Door;

They were called in; And being come to the Bar, Mr. Tulse, on the Behalf of himself and the rest, presented an humble Petition; and prayed, That the same might be read: Which was intituled, "The humble Petition and Representation of divers of the Well-affected of the County of Southampton:" And, after the Petitioners were withdrawn, was read.

And afterwards the Petitioners were again called in; And Mr. Speaker gave them this Answer:

"Gentlemen,"

"The House hath read your Petition; and find therein many sober and discreet Expressions of your Affections and Tenderness of the Good and Welfare of the Nation; and will take the Particulars in the Petition into their Consideration, in due time: And, for your good Expressions and Affections, the House have commanded me to give you their Thanks: And I do give you the Thanks of this House, accordingly."

Alisbury, &c. Petition.

The House being informed, That other Petitioners were at the Door;

They were called in: And being at the Bar, after a short Preamble, one of the Gentlemen, on the Behalf of all the Petitioners, said, They did desire humbly to present a few Lines to the Consideration of the House: And thereupon presented a Petition, intituled, "The humble Petition of the Baptized Congregations assembled at Alisbury in the County of Bucks, from several Parts of this Nation, on behalf of themselves and the several Congregations they are related to in Kent, Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire, Dorsetshire, Somerset, Berks, Wilts, Bucks, Hereford, Bedford, Northampton, Nottingham, Devon, Lincolneshire, and Herefordshire:" Which, after the Petitioners were withdrawn, was read.

The Petitioners being again called in, Mr. Speaker gave them this Answer:

"Gentlemen,"

"The House hath read your Petition; wherein they observe much Sobriety, and many temperate Expressions: And they have already, under their Consideration, some of the Particulars in your Petition; and they are seriously upon Consideration, not only of Settlement of the Nation in the Name, but also in the Nature, of a Commonwealth; And, for your good Expressions and Affections, the House hath commanded me to give you the Thanks of this House: And I do give you the Thanks of this House, accordingly."

Petition from Colchester.

The humble Petition of the Burgesses and Inhabitants of the Town of Colchester in the County of Essex, was this Day read.

Ordered, That this Petition be referred to a Committee; to examine the Particulars in the Petition mentioned, state Matter of Fact, and report it to this House: Viz. unto Sir Henry Mildmay, Lieutenant-General Fleetwood, Mr. Robinson, Mr. Garland, Mr. Say, Lord Chief-Baron Wild, Dr. Palmer, Mr. Ralegh, Lieutenant-General Ludlow, Baron Thorpe, Mr. West, Mr. Mayne, Mr. Blagrave, Mr. Cawley, Colonel Downe, Colonel Pyne, Mr. Corbet, Colonel Fleetwood, Mr. Holland; or any Five of them: And are to meet in the Duchy-Court, on Saturday, at Two of the Clock in the Afternoon.

Complaint against Col. Jones.

Ordered, That the Committee, concerning Colonel Philip Jones, be revived, and sit de die in diem; and that the Persons named of the last Committee be added to Colonel Jones his Committee: And that the Quorum of that Committee be any Five of them.

Spanish Merchants.

The House being informed, That other Petitioners were at the Door;

They were called in: And the Petitioners being at the Bar, one of them, on the Behalf of the Spanish Merchants, did humbly present a Petition, which he prayed might be taken into Consideration, being intituled, "The humble Petition of the Merchants trading to the Dominions of the King of Spaine:" Which, after the Petitioners were withdrawn, was read.

Ordered, That this Petition be referred to the Council of State, to take the same into Consideration.

Admiralty.

The House resumed the Debate upon the Bill for constituting Commissioners for ordering and managing the Affairs of the Admiralty and Navy.

The Question being propounded, That the Number of Nine consist of Members of this House;

The House was divided.

The Yeas went forth.

So it passed in the Negative.

Resolved, That Six of the Commissioners in this Bill be Members of this House: And that Three Persons out of the House be Commissioners in this Bill.

Resolved, That the Quorum of these Commissioners be Four.

The Question being propounded, That Sir Henry Vane be one of the Commissioners;

And the Question being put, That that Question be now put;

It passed in the Affirmative.

And the main Question being put; It was

Resolved, That Sir Henry Vane be one of the Commissioners.

The Question being propounded, That George Thompson Esquire be one of the Commissioners;

And the Question being put, That that Question be now put;

It passed with the Affirmative.

And the main Question being put; It was

Resolved, That George Thompson Esquire be one of the Commissioners.

The Question being propounded, That John Carew Esquire be one of the Commissioners;

And the Question being put, That that Question be now put;

It passed with the Affirmative.

And the main Question being put: It was

Resolved, That Mr. John Carew be one of the Commissioners.

Resolved, That Richard Salwey Esquire be one of the Commissioners.

Resolved, That Colonel Wauton be one of the Commissioners.

The Question being propounded, That Mr. Say be one of the Commissioners;

And the Question being put, That that Question be now put;

It passed with the Affirmative.

And the main Question being put; It was

Resolved, That Mr. Say be one of the Commissioners.

Resolved, That John Langley be one of the Commissioners.

Ordered, That it be referred to these Persons named Commissioners, to name the other Two Commissioners: And that they be inserted into the Bill when it is ingrossed.

Resolved, That this Bill be ingrossed.

Navy.

Sir Henry Vane reports from the Council of State; That it is humbly offered to the Parliament, as the Opinion of this Council, upon Consideration had of the Distance which the Fleet of this Commonwealth is at, in the Sound; and the present State of Affairs nearer home; That there be a further Addition of Ships fitted out to Sea:

That Captain John Lawson be humbly tendered to the Parliament, to command in Chief the Ships in the Narrow Seas, for this Summer's Expedition; and to command, in the Capacity of Vice-Admiral, over the said Ships, if the Parliament think fit:

That, in regard of the pressing Necessities for Monies for the Army and Navies, and other Emergencies of the Commonwealth, the Parliament will please to expedite all possible Means for the Bringing in of Monies.

Resolved, That it be referred to the Council of State, to take care, that a further Addition of Ships be fitted out to Sea.

Resolved, That Captain John Lawson do command in Chief the Ships in the Narrow Seas, for this Summer's Expedition, in the Capacity of Vice-Admiral.

Resolved, That the Names of the Ships so to be fitted out to Sea, and of the Captains to be employed therein, be reported to this House for their Approbation.

Customs, &c.

Colonel White reports, Amendments to the Bill for levying and bringing in the Arrears of the Customs, Excise, and Prize-Goods: Which were twice read.

Resolved, That the Blank, in the Ninth Line of the First Folio, be filled up with these Words, "before the First Day of October 1659:"

And that the Blank in the Fourteenth Line of the First Folio, be filled up with the Word "Three."

And the said Amendments, being put to the Question, were agreed unto.

He also reports, The Names of Commissioners to be inserted into this Bill.

The Question being propounded, That Luke Robinson Esquire be one of the Commissioners in this Bill;

And the Question being put, That this Question be now put;

It passed with the Affirmative.

And the main Question being put; It was

Resolved, That Luke Robinson Esquire be one of the Commissioners in this Bill.

Resolved, That Adam Baynes Esquire be one of the Commissioners in this Bill.

Resolved, That Dr. William Parker be one of the Commissioners in this Bill.

Resolved, That Mr. John Jackson be one other of the Commissioners in this Bill.

The Question being propounded, That Colonel White be one other of the Commissioners;

And the Question being put, That that Question be now put;

It passed with the Affirmative.

And the main Question being put; It was

Resolved, That Colonel White be one other of the Commissioners:

That the Blank, in the Eleventh Line of the Second Folio, be filled up with these Words; viz. "the Twentyfifth of March next."

The Names of the said Commissioners were inserted in the Bill.

Resolved, That this Bill, thus amended, do pass as a Law.

Council of State.

Colonel Sydenham reports from the Council of State, That the Power given to the Committee of Safety, for the Issuing forth of Monies, being ceased, there can be no more Issues made to the Army, Navy, or the Payment of maimed Soldiers or Widows; which will occasion very great Inconveniencies, if not forthwith remedied; the Council's Power, as to the Charging of the publick Revenue, relating only to foreign Negotiations, Intelligence, and other necessary Incidents and Salaries: That the Parliament would, therefore, be pleased to take into Consideration, How that Power that was given to the Committee of Safety, for the Charging and Disposing of any Part of the publick Revenue, may be settled for the present, and until the Parliament shall take further Order for the more regular Management of the publick Revenue.

That for the present Relief of the sick and maimed Soldiers, Widows, and Orphans, belonging to Ely-House and the Savoy, the Sum of Three thousand Pounds be paid by the Treasurer of the Navy to the Persons intrusted with the Payment of Pensions at Ely-House; to be by them issued forth, as formerly, to the said Soldiers, Widows, and Orphans.

Resolved, That Power be given to the Council of State, to charge any publick Revenue of this Commonwealth with such Monies as they shall judge necessary to carry on the Affairs of this Commonwealth both by Sea and Land, for one Month.

Ordered, That the Council of State shall have Power to charge any publick Revenue of this Commonwealth with the Sum of Three thousand Pounds, for the present Relief of the sick and maimed Soldiers, Widows, and Orphans belonging to Ely-House and the Savoy; to be paid to the Treasurer of the Navy to the Persons intrusted with the Payment of Pensions at Ely-House; to be by them issued forth, as formerly, to the said Soldiers, Widows, and Orphans.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee to whom Colchester Petition is referred, to consider, What maimed Soldiers and Pensioners are paid at Ely-House, and the Savoy; and how they shall be provided for the future; and how far the publick Receipt may be retrenched, as to that Particular.

Assessment.

Ordered, That the Bill for the Assessment be brought in on Saturday Morning next.