House of Commons Journal Volume 7: 16 August 1651

Saturday, the 16th of August, 1651.

Prayers.

Love, &c. not to be respited.

THE House this Day, according to former Order, resumed the Debate touching Mr. Love, and Mr. Potter, and Mr. Gibbon.

The humble Petition of Christopher Love, a condemned Prisoner in the Tower of London, together with a Narrative, under his Hand, of the whole Design, were this Day read.

The humble Petition of divers well-affected Citizens of the City of London was this Day read.

The humble Petition and Acknowledgment of divers Ministers of the Word, in the County of Worcester, was this Day read.

Resolved, That the Door be shut.

The Question being put, That the Parliament do give a further respite of the Execution of Mr. Christopher Love;

The House was divided:

The Yeas went forth:

So it passed with the Negative.

Resolved, That the Clerk be ordered to send this Resolution of the Parliament to the High Court of Justice.

Resolved, That the Business concerning Mr. Gibbons and Mr. Potter be taken up on Monday next, the first Business, nothing to intervene; and that the Business touching Mr. Gibbons be first taken up.

Excise Payments.

Alderman Allein reports, from the Council of State, the humble Representation of the Commissioners of Excise; which was this Day read; viz. as followeth.

To the Right honourable the Committee of the Council of State for Irish and Scotte Affairs.

The humble Representation of the Commissioners of Excise.

BY virtue of a Certificate from the Treasurers for Money, doubled upon the Credit of the Ordinance of the 16th of November 1646, being the first 400,000£. we are given to understand, that there remains due to several Persons as advancers thereof, the Sum of 36,261£. 18s. 8d. besides Interest; according to whose Certificate, and by virtue of the said Ordinance, we are charged and chargeable to proceed to Payment, when we have one fourth Part of the whole Debt that remains due to the Lenders, when the same shall become payable in Course.

And whereas we have in ready Money more than the Proportion limited, we hold our Duty to proceed to Payment thereof, according to the Tenour of the said Ordinance: Yet, forasmuch as we understand that several Purchasers stand indebted to the Commonwealth for Moneys due upon second Moieties; and that it is the Pleasure of this honourable Committee, that we should forbear the Payment of those Moneys till further Order; we humbly pray, That the Treasurers at Gurney-House may be ordered to certify unto us, by what Names we shall find the Persons distinguished, whose Moneys shall be appointed to be made Stay of; the rather, because we are called upon by some Members of Parliament, and of the Council of State, to do our Duty in the said Payments, that the Burden of Interest may not, through any Neglect of ours, be continued, nor the Treasure of the Commonwealth exposed to Hazard.

All which we do most humbly offer to the Consideration of this honourable Committee.

Tho. Bulstrode, Wm. Parker, Maurice Thompson, Rich. Downes.

Resolved, by the Parliament, That it be referred back to the Council of State to consider of the Particulars in the said Certificate, and state the whole Matter of Fact, and report it to the Parliament; and, in the mean time, the Commissioners of Excise are required to forbear Payment of any Part of the 36,261£. 18s. 8d. till the Parliament give further Order.