House of Commons Journal Volume 5: 24 February 1647

Die Mercurii, 24 Februarii, 1646. Dies Publicæ Humiliationis.

Preachers thanked.

ORDERED, That Sir Robert Harley do, from this House, give Thanks unto Mr. Green, for the great Pains he took in his Sermon preached on this Day at Margarett's, Westminster, before the House of Commons: And that he do desire him to print his Sermon: Wherein he is to have the like Privilege in Printing of it, as others in the like kind usually have had.

Ordered, That Mr. Leigh do, from this House, give Thanks unto Mr. Lightfoote, for the great Pains he took in his Sermon he preached on this Day, at Margarett's, Westminster, before the House of Commons: And that he do desire him to print his Sermon: Wherein he is to have the like Privilege in Printing of it, as others in the like kind usually had.

Preachers appointed.

Ordered, That Sir Henry Mildmay do, from this House, desire Mr. Cudworth to preach before the House of Commons at Margarett's, Westminster, on the next monthly Fast Day.

Ordered, That Sir William Strickland do, from this House, desire Mr. Johnson to preach before the House of Commons at Margarett's, Westminster, on the next monthly Fast Day.

The Covenant.

Mr. Wm. Edwards, Mr. John Carew, Sir Thomas Trevor, Mr. Thomas Greene, Mr. Richard Trefusis, Mr. Henry Wills, Mr. Edward Vaughan, Mr. Thomas Twisden, Mr. Foxwist, Mr. Wm. Jones, Colonel Thomas Rainborow, Mr. George Starre, Mr. John Ratcliff, Mr. Herbert Springett, Mr. Samuell Clerke, Mr. Richard Winne, Mr. John Nixon, Sir Thomas Mauleverer, Mr. Walter Strickland, Mr. Hugh Boscawen, this Day took the Covenant.

Church Government.

Ordered, That on Wednesday next, the first Business, the House do take into Consideration the Obstructions of the Church Government.

Mr. Prideaux.

Upon the Motion and Desire of Mr. Blakiston, a Member of this House, from the Mayor and Burgesses of the Town of Newcastle upon Tyne, concerning the Stay of Mr. Prideaux, a Minister of God's Word, now settled in Newcastle;

It is Ordered, That the said Mr. Prideaux be continued there to exercise his Function: And that an Ordinance be brought in to that Purpose.

Bell's Copyright.

Whereas Captain Henry Bell, having strangely found out a Book of Martin Luther's, call'd, "His last Divine Discourses;" which was, for a long time, marvelously preserved in Germany: The which Book the said Henry Bell, at his great Cost and Pains, hath translated into English, out of the German Tongue; and the Translation and Substance thereof is approved by Reverend Divines of the Assembly, as appears by a Certificate under their Hands: It is Ordered and Ordained, by the Lords and Commons, That the said Henry Bell shall have the sole Disposal and Benefit of printing the said Book translated into English by him, as aforesaid, for Fourteen Years, to commence from the Date hereof: And that none do print or reprint the same, but such as shall be licensed by the said Captain Bell, by Authority under his Hand.

Totnes Petition.

The humble Petition of the poor infected Inhabitants of Totnes, in Devon, was this Day read: And

It is Ordered, That, upon Wednesday the Tenth of March next, (formerly set apart for a Day of publick Humiliation, for the Growth and Spreading of Errors, Heresies and Blasphemies), a publick Collection be made in all the Churches, Places, and Chapels, within the Cities of London and Westminster, the Lines of Communication, and weekly Bills of Mortality: And that the one Moiety of the Money that shall be collected shall be paid and sent, by the said Collectors thereof, unto Mr. John Garrett, Minister of Great Bartholomew, near Smithfield, or his Agents; who is to return it, to be distributed to such of the poor Inhabitants of Totnes aforesaid, as shall most need it, according to the Discretion of the Mayor and Magistrates there: Who shall give an Account of what they receive and distribute accordingly: And the other Moiety of the said Collection to be distributed unto the Poor of the respective Parishes and Places in which such Collections shall be made, as other Contributions are used to be distributed: And the Lord Mayor of the City of London is desired to give Notice of this Order to the Ministers, Churchwardens, and other Officers of the several Churches, Places, and Chapels, within the Cities of London and Westminster, Lines of Communication, and weekly Bills of Mortality; to the end the said Petition, and this Order, may be then published and read by them: And that they exhort and stir up the People to contribute freely to so charitable a Work, as the speedy Supply of the Petitioners crying Wants and Miseries require.