November 1645: An Ordinance for Constituting and appointing a Committee of Lords and Commons for the better ordering, directing and disposing of the Rents, Issues and Profits belonging to the Colledge and Collegiate Church of Westminster.

November, 1645

[18 November, 1645.]

Names of Committee for disposing of Rents of; Westminister Church and College.; To have powers of Dean and Prebends.; Lands.; Suspension of Dean and Prebends & all other Delinquent Officers of the College and Church.; Mr. Lambert Osbolston excepted.; Power to Committee to appoint to vacant offices,; And to elect scholars.

Whereas the Colledge and Collegiate Church of Westminster have been heretofore governed and regulated by the Dean and Prebends thereof, who have taken upon them the care and charge of bringing in the Rents and Profits belonging thereunto, for the maintenance of the Schollers of the Free-School, Almsmen, Servants, and Officers belonging to the said Colledge and Collegiate Church: And forasmuch as the present Dean and Prebends thereof (except only Mr. Lambert Osbolston) have deserted their charge or are become Delinquents to the Parliament, whereby the said Colledge and Collegiate Church is destitute of Government; And the said School, Almsmen, Servants and Officers, deprived of all means of subsistence, by reason no person is appointed to take care for the same; for remedy whereof. Be it ordained by the Lords and Commons in this present Parlia ment assembled, That the Earl of Northumberland, Earl of Pembroke, Earl of Nottingham, Earl of Denbigh, Earl of Mancester, Lord Viscount Say and Seal, Lord Willoughby, Lord North, Lord Montague, Lord Roberts, Lord Howard, Mr. Solicitor, Mr. Rous, Sir Walter Earl, Mr. Wheeler, Sir Robert Harley, Mr. Maynard, Sir Gilbert Gerrard, Sir William Strickland, Mr. Ashurst, Sir John Clotworthy, Mr. Reynolds, Mr. Gourdan, Mr. Lisle, Mr. Recorder, Sir William Massam, Sir Robert Pye, Sir John Trevor, Mr. Salloway, Mr. Hoyle, Sir John Dreyden, Sir Henry Vane junior, and Bulstrode Whitlock Esq; shall be and are hereby constituted and appointed the Committee in this Ordinance; And that the said Committee or any seven or more of them, shall have the same and the like power and Authority to all intents and purposes, as any Dean and Prebends have, or of right ought to have had in the ordering, directing and disposing the Rents, Issues, and Profits belonging, or in any wise appertaining to the said Colledge or Collegiate Church; And in doing and executing all other Act or Acts, thing or things that any way concerns the said Colledge or Collegiate Church: Provided the same extend not to the letting Leases of any houses or lands belonging to the said Colledge for above the space of three years, reserving at the least such yearly Rents, Profits and Services, as were formerly payable out of any such Lands or Houses unto the said Colledge or Collegiate Church: And be it further Ordained by the said Lords and Commons, That the said Dean and Prebends, and all other Officers, Members and Servants belonging to the said Colledge or Collegiate Church, and every of them that have absented themselves from their Offices and Places, or are Delinquents, or have not taken the Covenant, shall (until both Houses take order to the contrary) stand and be suspended of and from their several Places and Offices, and of and from all maner of benefit or profit that might accrew unto them or any of them thereby, with the Arrears thereof, Provided this extend not to the taking away such stipend or other allowance from the said Mr. Osbolston, as of right he hath formerly received, or ought to have received as a Prebend of the said Collegiate Church of Westminster: And the said Committee or any seven or more of them, are hereby Authorized to constitute and appoint fit and able persons in the room and places of such Officers and Servants belonging to the said Colledge or Collegiate Church, as are dead, or have deserted their said places, or are Delinquents, or not, taken the Covenant as aforesaid, whose Offices and Places they shall finde necessary, to be continued for the use and service of the said Colledge. And be it further Ordained, That the said Committee or any seven or more of them, together with the Master of Trinity Colledge in Cambridge, and the Master of the said School in Westminster, shall hereby have the like power to elect and chuse Schollers into the said School, and thence to Trinity Colledge in Cambridge aforesaid, and to Christ Church in Oxon, as by the Statutes of the said Colledge of Westminster was invested in the Dean of Westminster and Christ Church, the Master of Trinity Colledge and Westminster School aforesaid, Provided neverthelesse, when the said Dean or Master of Christ Church aforesaid, shall not be a Delinquent to the Parliament, his right in the election aforesaid, according to the said Statutes, shall not hereby be impeached.

Almsplaces.

And the said Committee or any seven or more of them, are hereby further authorized to place poor men in such Almsplaces, belonging to the said Collegiate Church, as shall from time to time become void.

Allowances to Ministers for preaching in Westminster Abbey.

And whereas the upholding of preaching in the Abbey of Westminster aforesaid, upon the Lords days, and the daily morning Lecture there, is a work much tending to the glory of God, and comfort of the inhabitants of Westminster and places adjacent, Be it therefore further Ordained, That the said Committee or any seven or more of them, shall have power hereby to make such allowances out of the Revenues belonging to the said Collegiate Church, unto the Ministers that have or shall perform the said service upon the Lords days, and week days aforesaid, as they shall think fit.

Indemnity.

And it is lastly Ordered and Ordained, That all and every person and persons that shall do or perform any thing in conformity to this present Ordinance, shall be saved and kept harmlesse by Authority of both Houses of Parliament.