House of Commons Journal Volume 1: 28 November 1621

Mercurii, 28o Novembris

French Captures.

Mr. Lasher tendereth Two Petitions to this House, from some Merchants, who have their Goods taken away by the King of Fraunce his Ships of War. -

The Privy Council to take Care hereof.

Statutes.

Bill for Continuance and Repeal of Statutes, - Saturday, in the House; and all, that will come, to have Voice.

Bills of Grace.

Four Bills of Grace; viz. Pleading in the Exchequer; Estates of attainted Persons; General Issue; Relief against Forfeitures for Non-payment of Rent, &c. and the Bill for the free Trade for the Staplers; sent up by Sir Edw. Coke.

Informers.

For the Bill of Informers, which came down from the Lords with so many Amendments, that they cannot be put into the ingrossed Bill; it is Ordered, The said Bill with the Amendments, shall be newly ingrossed.

Elections.

L. 2a. An Act for the Election of Knights, Citizens, and Burgesses, to serve in Parliament. -

Sir Geor. Moore: - A necessary Bill: Something unfitting in it; viz. the Committing to the Gaol, and disabled from giving his Voice after. To add, that no Member of this House shall, during the Parliament, be elected Sheriff.

Sir H. Poole: - To have some Provision against Letters Solicitations, &c. for chusing Knights. - Blanks by some Boroughs, to put in what Burgess they will, to whom they delivered it. - That Men should not stand to be Knights. - They to be chosen, whom the Country chuseth of themselves; and not they, that desire it. This Competition bringeth a great Charge.

Sir Edw. Coke: - To commit it. - Not to clog this Bill too much: For will breed too many Questions hereafter. - Is against a Certainty of 100l. per Annum, for a Knight of the Shire. - That Certainty the Way to make him 100l. in Subsidy. - To put in -

Mr. Weston: - To have no Knight, or Burgess, chosen, being under 21 Years: Because unfit to make Laws, which cannot dispose of his own Estate.

Mr. Alford: - To provide -

Committed to Sir Edw. Coke, Mr. Alford, Sir H. Poole, Mr. Murrey, Sir Francis Darcy, Sir D. Digges, Sir Geor. Moore, Sir Guy Palmes: All, that will come, to have Voice: - Monday next. Two of the Clock, in the House.

Committee.

Mr. Mallory: - That the Order Yesterday, for the Committee this Day, may be read.

Sir W. Earle moveth, to have this now ordered; because Yesterday it passed not the Question.

But Resolved, That, when a general Vote of the House concurreth in a Motion, propounded by the Speaker, without any Contradiction, there needeth no Question.

Lawyers sent for.

All the Lawyers to be presently sent for by the Serjeant, to attend the House.

Privilege.

Sir Ro. Phillippes (some calling for a Report of Lepton's Business) - That now unfit.

Chairman of a Committee.

There being Question at the Committee, whether Sir Ed. Coke, or Sir D. Digges, should have the Chair; Mr. Speaker directed to go up again to his Chair, to put the Question, Whether Sir Edw. Coke, or Sir D. Digges.

Great Difference, whether the Question should be put, of Sir Edw. Coke, or Sir D. Digges.

Sir Edw. Sackvyle : - To take neither, but Sir Sam. Sands: - Who excuseth himself, by Want of Hearing and Sight.

Sir N. Rich mentioneth Mr. Recorder.

Sir Edw. Coke pressed to the Chair.

Religion, &c.

Sir Edw. Coke reporteth an Agreement from the Committee, for a Committee, to consider of a Petition to his Majesty, for Religion, and Execution of the Laws against Jesuits, Papists, &c. and for passing Bills, and the End of a Session before Christmas. -

Subsidy.

That they have agreed upon One Subsidy, for the present Supply of the Palatinate, to be paid before the End of February; wherein recusant Papists to pay double Subsidy; and to be assessed at their Mansions, whither by Law confined : The Recusants to be assessed by the Commissioners.

Religion, &c.

Upon Question, a Petition to his Majesty to consider of the Advancement of Religion; and for an End of this Session before Christmas.

Subsidy.

Upon Question, One Subsidy, for the present Relief of the Palatinate, to be paid in February next; without One Negative.

Upon Question, convicted, or known, Recusants, to pay double Subsidy, as Strangers; and to be taxed by the Commissioners, in that Place, where their Mansion-houses are, or where their Lands lie, or where they be found resident, if they have no Mansions; and for those Lands, whereof they take the Profits, or any other to their Use.

Statutes.

Mr. Noy moveth concerning the Bill of Continuance and Repeal of Statutes; and that a Committee may be appointed, to draw a Bill, to keep all Bills, and other Matters, that shall not now pass, in eodem statu, as now, till the next Session. - Ordered. - Mr. Noye, Mr. Crew, and Mr. Hackwill, to draw it.

Commission for Subsidy.

Sir Ro. Bevill: - That no Man, that hath a Recusant to his Wife, shall be put into the Commission for the Subsidy.

Sir Edw. Gyles moveth, that whosoever hath a Wife, Child, or Servant, a Recusant, may pay double Subsidy, as a Stranger.

Sir Talbott Bowes: - This not to be, except himself be a Non- communicant.

Mr. Noye moveth, to except the Lord Archbishop of Yorke, who hath a Son a Recusant; yet himself is none.

Mr. Solicitor, - against this Clause. - Many a good Father may have a Son a Recusant, against his Will.

Pardon.

Mr. Mallory: - To have some undertake to bring in a Pardon.

Sir N. Rich: - That those, which stand accused, in this House, of any Crime, may be excepted out of this Pardon.

Subsidy, &c.

Resolved, That Sir Ro. Seville's Motion, and Sir Edw. Gyles' last Motions, concerning Recusants, shall be put into the Bill of the Subsidy ; and then to be debated: And Sir Nath. Rich his last Motion, into the Pardon, and then to be debated.