House of Lords Journal Volume 13: 1 February 1678

DIE Veneris, primo die Februarii.

REX.

Domini tam Spirituales quam Temporales præsentes fuerunt:

PRAYERS.

Count of Lincoln's Nat. Bill.

Hodie 1 vice lecta est Billa, "An Act for the naturalizing of Jane de Galiere, Countess of Lincolne, the Daughter of Peter de Galiere, Lord of Verune, in the Province of Languedoc, in the Kingdom of France, the now Wife of the Right Honourable Edward Earl of Lincolne."

Rodes's Bill.

Hodie 1 vice lecta est Billa, "An Act for Confirmation of a Decree made in the Court of Chancery, the 24th Day of February, A° Regm Regis Caroli Secundi 27°, in a Cause between Sir Francis Rodes Baronet, since deceased, and Dame Martha his Wife, Petitioners, and William Thornton an Infant, by Cyprian Thornton his Guardian, and John Thornton and the said Cyprian Thornton Defendants, and several Conveyances and Assurances made by the said Sir Francis Rhodes in Pursuance thereof, as well for Payment of his Debts, [ (fn. 1) as for Provision] for his Wife and Children."

Sir R Bankes's Bill.

Hodie 2^a vice lecta est Billa, "An Act to enable the Trustees of Sir Ralph Bankes to sell Lands, for Payment of Debts."

ORDERED, That the Consideration of this Bill is committed to these Lords following, videlicet,

Their Lordships, or any Five of them; to meet on Tuesday the 5th of this Instant February, at Three of the Clock in the Afternoon, in the Prince's Lodgings; and to adjourn as they please.

Cliston's Bill.

Hodie 2^a vice lecta est Billa, "An Act to confirm such Sale as hereafter shall be made of the Manor of Alwoodly, in the County of Yorke, by Sarah Clifton, the Widow of Robert Cliston, deceased."

ORDERED, That the Consideration of this Bill is committed to the same Committee as the Bill to enable the Trustees of Sir Ralph Bankes is.

Bill against Blasphemy.

Next, the House was adjourned into a Committee, to consider of the First Part of the Bill for punishing Atheism and Blasphemy.

The House being resumed;

The Earl of Bridgwater reported, "That the Committee have made some Progress in the said Bill; but there being some Words in the Bill, videlicet, ["or shall use any contemptuous and reproachful Words of any of those Three Persons,"] which may be subject to several Interpretations; to word them to appear there clearly, the Committee have appointed the whole Bench of the Lords the Bishops as were present this Day, or any Five of them, to be a Sub-committee, to word the said Clause according to the Sense of the Debate; and that the Lords the Bishops do desire that Two Judges may assist them in this Business."

Hereupon the House appointed the Lord Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas and Justice Scroggs to assist the Lords Bishops herein.

The Lord Ferrers was added to the Committee for Privileges and the Committee for Petitions.

Deeping Fen Bill.

Hodie 1^a vice lecta est Billa, "A supplementary Act for the better Draining of Deeping Fenn."

L. Stafford, Privilege.

Upon Complaint made to this House, and the Oaths of Ralph Lawson, John Cooke, and Richard Morse, taken at the Bar, "That John Cox, of Tarleton, in the County of Gloucester, an Attorney at Law, did, on the Twelfth Day of October last, in the Time of Privilege of Parliament, put near Forty Beasts upon the Lands of the Lord Viscount of Stafford, in the Manor of Thornbury, in the said County of Gloucester, then and several Years before in the actual Possession of the said Lord Stafford, and kept them there about Five Weeks, endeavouring by Force and Violence to put the said Lord Stafford out of his Possession; and caused the said Ralph Lawson, a menial Servant of the said Lord Stafford, to be arrested:"

Cox to be attached, for driving Cattle on his Land at Thornbury, and arresting Lawson his Servant.

All which Proceedings being contrary to the Privilege of Parliament, it is thereupon ORDERED, by the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parliament assembled, That the Serjeant at Arms attending this House, or his Deputy, shall forthwith attach the Body of the said John Cox, and bring him in safe Custody to the Bar of this House for his said Offence: And this shall be a sufficient Warrant on that Behalf.

To Sir George Charnock Knight, Serjeant at Arms attending this House, his Deputy and Deputies, and to all Mayors, Sheriffs, Bailiffs, Constables, and other His Majesty's Officers, to be aiding and assisting in the Execution thereof.

Adjourn.

Dominus Cancellarius declaravit præsens Parliamentum continuandum esse usque in diem Lunæ, quartum diem instantis Februarii, hora decima Aurora, Dominis sic decernentibus.