Die Mercurii, 2 Decembris, 1646.

Prayers.

Ordered, &c. That the Petition of the Gentlemen of the County of Durham be read To-morrow Morning.

Ordered, &c. That the Petition of the Inhabitants of Richmondshire be read To-morrow Morning.

Ordered, &c. That it be referred unto the Committee of Gloucester, to consider of the Names of fit Persons to be presented to the House to be a Committee in the Ordinance for raising Assessments for the Maintenance of the Army under Sir Thomas Fairefaxe, in the County of Pembroke, and Haverfordwest.

It is likewise referred to this Committee, to consider of the Names of George Guyn, and Thomas Lewis, whether there be any Exceptions against them, that they may not be of the Committee of Radnorshire.

Resolved, &c. That this House doth agree with the Committee in the Proportions set:

Ordered, &c. That Mr. John Goodwyn be added to the Committee concerning the Creditors of Sir Allen Appsley.

Ordered, &c. That Sir John Curson, a Member of this House, shall have Leave to go into the Country.

Ordered, &c. That the Committee appointed for making Allowances to the Bishops, now their Lands are ordered to be sold, be revived; to sit this Afternoon, and so de die in diem, until they have dispatched.

Ordered, &c. That the Committee for regulating the Chancery, and the Exchequer, be revived; to meet this Afternoon, and so de die in diem, until they have dispatched.

Ordered, &c. That the Committees that are interrupted, and sine die, by reason of the continual Sitting of the House, be revived; and sit de die in diem.

Mr. Swinfen carried to the Lords, for their Concurrence, the several Votes concerning the Appointing of Sheriffs in several Counties: The Ordinance for bringing in the Arrears in the Eastern Association: The Ordinance for an Addition to be made to the Oath to be taken by the Surveyors: And the Order for dispensing with the Sheriff of the County of Mountgomery to live out of the said County.

A Message from the Lords, by Doctor Aylett and Mr. Page;

The Lords have commanded us to acquaint you, That they desire, that the Conference that should have been on Saturday last may be now this Morning, at the same Time and Place, if it may stand with your Conveniency. They have sent you these Three Reports from the Committee of the Admiralty and Cinque-Ports: The First is, concerning the Expiration of the said Committee: Whereupon the Lords have made this Order, to continue them for Six Months longer: Wherein they desire your Concurrence: The Second is, for placing certain Officers in the ViceAdmiralty of South-Wales: Which the Lords have agreed unto; and therein desire your Concurrence: The Third is, for the Place of the Judge of the Admiralty: Which the Lords desire you to take into Consideration. They have commanded us to put you in mind of an Ordinance concerning the Committee at Goldsmiths-Hall; and of the Lord Buckhurst's Petition: Both which they desire you to take into Consideration.

Resolved, &c. That this House doth agree to a present Conference, upon the Business for which the Conference was granted on Saturday last, as is desired.

The Order for continuing the Committee of Lords and Commons of the Admiralty and Cinque-Ports for Six Months longer was read; and was, upon the Question, assented unto; and was in hæc verba; viz.

Ordered, by the Lords and Commons, in Parliament assembled, That the Committee of Lords and Commons for the Admiralty and Cinque-Ports shall be continued for Six Months from the Date hereof, according to the Powers formerly granted unto the said Committee.

Resolved, &c. That, to the Report for Placing of certain Officers in the Vice-Admiralty of South-Wales, this House will send Answer by Messengers of their own.

Ordered, &c. That the Reports concerning the Navy and Trade, and concerning the Judge of the Admiralty, be taken into Consideration on Saturday Morning next: And that Saturday be wholly set apart for the Consideration of those Businesses.

Ordered, &c. That the Ordinance, sent from the Lords, concerning the Committee at Goldsmiths-Hall, be read the next time that any Reports are made from the Committee at Goldsmiths-Hall.

Ordered, &c. That the Lord Buckhurst's Petition be read on Saturday next shall be a Sevennight.

Answer returned by the same Messengers;

The House hath considered your Message: And, as to the present Conference, and the Order for continuing the Committee of Lords and Commons for the Admiralty and Cinque-Ports, they do agree: And, as to the rest, they will send Answer by Messengers of their own.

A Message from the Lords, by Doctor Aylett and Mr. Hackwell;

The Lords have commanded us to bring you these Particulars: A Report from the Committee of the Admiralty and Cinque-Ports, concerning the Provision of Victuals for Five thousand Men to be employed in the next Summer's Fleet: An Ordinance for appointing Mr. John Bankes to be Minister of Ivy Church: An Ordinance for the better Observation of the monthly Fast: To which they do agree, with these Amendments: Wherein they desire your Concurrence: An Ordinance concerning the printing the Annotations on the Dutch Bible: And a Petition of the Lady Burgh: Which they specially recommend to your Consideration.

The Report from the Committee of Lords and Commons, from the Committee of the Admiralty and Cinque-Ports, was read: And

It is thereupon Resolved, &c. That this House doth agree with the Lords; and are of Opinion, That it is necessary to give present Order for the speedy Preparing of Sea-Victuals for Five thousand Men to be employed in the next Summer's Fleet.

Ordered, &c. That in respect of the Season of the Year, and the Conveniency of making timely Provisions for the next Summer's Fleet, that it be referred to the Committee of the Navy, to give Direction for the speedy Preparing of Sea-Victuals for Five thousand Men to be employed in the said Summer's Fleet, if they shall think fit.

Ordered, &c. That the Reports concerning the Settling of the Government of the Church be made on this Day Sevennight, the first Business: And, next after those Reports, that the Ordinances now remaining in this House, for Settling of Ministers in several Places, be read.

The Amendments, this Day sent from the Lords, to the Ordinance for the better Observation of the Fast-Day, were read; and, upon the Question, assented unto.

Ordered, &c. That the Ordinance for the better Observation of the Fast-Day be forthwith printed: And that the Knights and Burgesses, Members of this House, do take care of the sending down convenient Numbers of the said Ordinances unto the several Counties and Places for which they serve.

The Ordinance concerning the printing the Annotations upon the Dutch Bible, with a Certificate therein inclosed, were read the First time; and ordered to be read the Second time on this Day Sevennight, between the Hours of Ten and Twelve, after the Reports concerning the Settling of the Government of the Church, and the Ordinances for Appointing of Ministers in several Churches.

Answer returned by the Second Messengers;

The House hath considered your Message: And, as to the Providing of Victuals for Five thousand Men to be employed in the next Summer's Fleet, and the Amendments to the Ordinance for the better Observation of the Fast-Day, they do agree: And, as to the rest, they will send Answer by Messengers of their own.

Mr. Prideaux, Mr. Nicoll, Sir John Evelyn of Wiltes, Sir Wm. Lewes, are appointed Reporters of this Conference.

Mr. Prideaux reports from the Conference, That, at the Desire of the Earl of Northumberland, and the Earl of Pembroke, the Lords have appointed a Committee, to examine the Business concerning the said Earls; and have thought fit to acquaint this House therewith; and does desire them to appoint a Committee of this House, who may be present, if they think fit, at the Examination of this Business: And that the Lords have appointed their Committee to meet on Saturday next, the Fifth of December.

Mr. Holles, Mr. Prideaux, Sir Jo. Evelyn of Surrey, Sir Jo. Francklyn, Mr. Nicoll, Sir Peter Wentworth, Sir Philip Stapleton, Mr. Buller, Sir Ben. Rudyerd, Sir John Holland, Sir John Northcott, Mr. Grantham, Colonel Hervey, Mr. Miles Corbett, Mr. Lisle, Mr. Knightley, Mr. Wm. Stephens, Mr. Ashurst, Mr. Selden, Sir Rich. Onslowe;

This Committee is appointed to be present with the Committee of the Lords, at the Examination of the Business concerning the Earl of Northumberland, and the Earl of Pembroke.

Ordered, &c. That when the Report concerning the Business referred touching Sir Poynings Moore shall be made, that, at the same time, the Business formerly reported, concerning Sir Richard Onslowe, be taken into further Consideration; and determined.

There was this Day delivered, unto divers Members of this House, a Paper, intituled, "A Protestation, attested before Anthony Luther Esquire, one of the Justices of the Peace for the County of Essex, upon June 10 1644, as the Causes why the Protestators could not hear in the publick Assemblies of the Church of England, and so join in Worship."

Resolved, &c. That the Party that distributed these Papers, be forthwith sent for, as a Delinquent, by the Serjeant at Arms attending on this House.

Ordered, &c. That the Examination of this Business be referred to the Committee of Complaints; to consider of the Making of the Protestation abovesaid, of the Printing and Dispersing of the Protestations: And have Power to send for Parties, and Persons concerned.

A Copy of a printed Petition, intituled, "The humble Petition of many well-affected Freemen and Covenantengaged Citizens of the City of London," directed to the Lord Mayor, the Aldermen, and Commons of the City of London, in Common-Council assembled, was this Day read: And

It is Ordered, upon the Question, That the Examination of this Business be referred to the Committee for Complaints; to examine and inquire out the Authors, Dispersers, Printers, and Publishers; and to send for Parties and Persons; and to report their Opinions, what is fit to be done in this Business; and, in the mean time, to suppress the Dispersing of them.

The humble Petition of Thomas Cullum and Simon Edmonds, Sheriffs of the City of London, was this Day read: And

It is Resolved, &c. That the Sheriffs of London be, and are hereby, injoined and required to bring the Body of Mr. Francis Simpson, now Prisoner in WoodstreetCompter, London, to the Bar of this House, To-morrow Morning at Ten of the Clock, together with the Causes of his Detainer: And that the House do then take into Consideration what they shall think fit to be further done thereupon.

Mr. Swynfen brings Answer, That the Lords will send Answer to all the Messages carried to them by him, by Messengers of their own.

Mr. Prideaux, Mr. Whitelock, Mr. Selden, Mr. Sollicitor, Mr. Gott, Serjeant Wilde, Mr. Pury, Mr. Ball, Mr. Maynard, Mr. Lisle, Mr. Samuel Browne, Sir John North cott Sir John Young, Mr. Knightley, Mr. Challoner, Mr. Robinson, Mr. Corbett, Mr. Fenwick, and all the Lawyers of the House;

This Committee, or any Five of them, are appointed to meet this Afternoon at Three of Clock, in the Queen's Court; and so de die in diem: And are to consider of the whole Matter of Fact, touching Writs of Habeas Corpus, issued to the Serjeant at Arms, and Lieutenant of the Tower, for the Bringing of Prisoners to the King'sBench Bar; and to consider in what Condition such Prisoners, as are in their Custody, are, for whom the Habeas Corpora are desired to be granted; and to report the whole Matter of Fact, and their Opinions thereupon, to the House.

And the Care of this Business is especially recommended to Mr. Samuel Browne and Mr. Whitlocke.

Mr. Speaker acquainted the House, That, according to their Commands, he had, by a Servant of his, sent to the Commissioners of Scotland the Answer of this House to their Papers of the Twentieth, and Letter of the Four-and-twentieth, of October last, together with a Letter from himself, all sealed: That his Servant, after the Delivery of them, was desired to stay awhile: That the Commissioners withdrew; and, after a little Stay, returned again; and delivered him a Letter directed to the Speaker; and returned the Answer, sealed up as it was, and wrapped in a clean Cover: That his Servant replied, That, if it were the same Papers he delivered, he had no Warrant to receive them. They pressed him to receive the Letter, and the Papers: Which he did.

The Letter was from Worcester-House, of 1 Decembris, directed to Mr. Speaker, and subscribed by Five of the Commissioners; and was read.

Ordered, That, To-morrow Morning, the first Business, the House do proceed in the further Consideration of the Amendments to the Ordinance for maintaining the Army under the Command of Sir Thomas Fairefaxe, by monthly Assessments upon the several Counties.