Friday, the 24th of November, 1654.

Prayers.

Supply Bill; Assessment.

ORDERED, That the Act for an Assessment of Sixty thousand Pounds a Month, for Three Months, to be set on England, be prepared; and reported to the House, on Tuesday Morning next: And that it be referred to Colonel Clerke, Mr. Lucy, Mr. Hildesley, Major Horsman, and Captain Baines, or any Three of them, to prepare and bring in the same, accordingly.

Ordered, That, on Monday Morning next, the House do take into Consideration an Assessment, to be set upon Scotland and Ireland.

Settling the Government.

Mr. Hoskins reports from the Committee of the whole House for the Government, The Report of the SubCommittee, to whom the Eleventh, Twelfth, and Thirteenth, &c. to the 22th Article, were referred by the Committee of the whole House for the Government.

Resolved, That Mr. Hoskins do make the whole Report.

Mr. Hoskins reported, The Form of an Oath to be ministered to the Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland: And also the Form of the Oath to be administered to the Council of the Lord Protector: Which were all this Day read.

Resolved, That a Parliament be summoned to meet and sit at Westminster, the Third Monday of October 1656.

Resolved, That a Parliament shall be summoned, to meet and sit at Westminster, upon the Third Monday in October 1659; and so likewise on the Third Monday in October, in every Third Year, successively.

Resolved, That neither this present Parliament; nor the Parliament which shall be summoned to meet on the Third Monday of October 1656; nor the Parliament that shall be summoned to meet on the Third Monday of October in the Year 1659; nor any succeeding Triennial Parliament; shall, during the Time of Six Months, to be accounted from the Day of their first Meeting, be adjourned, prorogued, or dissolved, without their own Consent.

Resolved, That neither this present Parliament; nor the Parliament which shall be summoned to meet on the Third Monday of October 1656; nor the Parliament that shall be summoned to meet on the Third Monday of October in the Year 1659; nor any successive Triennial Parliament; shall have Power to continue to sit above Six Months, without the Lord Protector's Consent; to be by Act of Parliament; in which Act there shall be a limited Time for their Sitting, not exceeding Three Months.

The Question being propounded, That the Lord Protector, with the Advice of the major Part of the Council, shall, at any other time than is before expressed, when the Necessities of the State shall require it, summon Parliaments in manner hereby expressed; which shall not be adjourned, prorogued, or dissolved, without their own Consent, during the first Three Months of their Sitting; nor shall have Power to continue to sit beyond that Time, without the Consent of the Lord Protector, to be by Act of Parliament; in which Act there shall be a limited Time for their Sitting, not exceeding One Month;

And the Question being put, That this Proviso, viz. "Provided, that such Parliament shall end, and be determined, before the summoning of such Parliaments as are before hereby appointed," be Part of this Question;

It passed with the Affirmative.

And the main Question being put; It was

Resolved, by the Parliament, That the Lord Protector, with the Advice of the major Part of the Council, shall, at any other Time than is before expressed, when the Necessities of the State shall require it, summon Parliaments in manner hereby expressed; which shall not be adjourned, prorogued, or dissolved, without their own Consent, during the first Three Months of their Sitting; nor shall have Power to continue to sit beyond that time, without the Consent of the Lord Protector, to be by Act of Parliament; in which Act there shall be a limited Time for their Sitting, not exceeding One Month: Provided, that such Parliament shall end, and be determined, before the Summoning of such Parliaments as are before hereby appointed.

Resolved, That the Summons to Parliament shall be by Writ, under the great Seal of England, directed to the Sheriffs, and other Officers, according to Law, of the several and respective Counties and Places, in Manner and Form following:

The Form of the Writ of Summons was read by Parts.

Resolved, That, instead of these Words, "Triennial Parliaments be duly held," in the Fifth Line of the Writ, these Words be inserted, "Parliaments shall be duly held, in such manner, as therein is expressed."

The Question being put, That these Words, viz. "The true Protestant Christian Religion," do stand in the Writ;

It passed with the Affirmative.

And the whole Writ, so amended, being put to the Question, was assented unto, in these Words following; viz.

OLIVER, Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland, and the Dominions thereunto belonging: To the Sheriff of the County of greeting: Whereas, in the Parliament held at Westminster the 3d Day of September 1654, it is, amongst other things, Enacted, That Parliaments shall be duly held, in such manner as is therein expressed:

And to the end that a Parliament be held at the City of Westminster the Day of next coming, there for Us to consult with the Knights, Citizens, and Burgesses of the said Commonwealth, of the weighty and urgent Affairs concerning Us, the State, and Defence of the said Commonwealth, and the Maintenance of the true Reformed Protestant Christian Religion in the Purity thereof: We do command you, firmly enjoining, That Proclamation being made of the Day and Place aforesaid, in every Market Town within your County, you cause, according to the Form of the said Statute, to be freely and indifferently chosen by them who shall be present at such Election of the most fit and discreet Persons, to serve as Knights, with their Swords girt, for the County of; and for the City of, Citizens of the more discreet and sufficient; and for the Borough of, Burgesses of the more discreet and sufficient: And the Names of the same Knights, Citizens, and Burgesses so to be chosen, whether present or absent, you cause to be certified in certain Indentures thereupon to be made, between you and them who shall be present at such Choice: And that you cause them to come at the Day and Place aforesaid, so that the said Knights severally may have full and sufficient Power for themselves, and the People of that County, and the said Citizens and Burgesses, severally for themselves, and the People of the Cities and Boroughs, aforesaid, to do and consent unto those things, which then and there, by Common-Council of the said Commonwealth in Parliament, by God's Blessing, shall be ordained upon the weighty Affairs, aforesaid; so that for Defect of such Power, or by reason of improvident Choice of the Knights, Citizens, and Burgesses, aforesaid, the said Affairs may not be left undone in anywise.

And We will, That you be not chosen to serve as a Knight for your said County: And that the said Choice in your full County, distinctly and openly so to be made, you forthwith certify to Us, in our Chancery, under your Seals, and the Seals of them which shall be present at such Choice, sending to Us the other Part of the said Indentures annexed, together with this Writ: And, in your Proceedings and Execution thereof, We will, that you pursue and observe the several Directions limited and appointed by the said Act of Parliament: Witness Ourselves, &c.

Which said Writ the Chancellor, Keeper, or Commissioners of the Great Seal, shall seal, issue, and send abroad, by Warrant from the Lord Protector.

In the Afternoon, 24 Novembris, 1654.

Settling the Government.

RESOLVED, That in case the Lord Protector shall not, before the 1st Day of July 1656, give Warrant for issuing Writs of Summons for a Parliament to meet the Third Monday in October 1656; and before the 1st Day of July 1659, give Warrant for issuing Writs of Summons for a Parliament to meet on the Third Monday in October 1659; and before the 1st Day of July in every Third Year, after that Time, give Warrant for issuing Writs of Summons for a Parliament to meet on the Third Monday in October, in every Third Year successively: That then the Chancellor, Keeper, or Commissioners of the Great Seal for the Time being, shall, without any Warrant or Direction, within Seven Days after the respective Times aforesaid, seal, issue, and send abroad Writs of Summons, to the several and respective Sheriffs of England, Scotland, and Ireland, for summoning the Parliament to meet at Westminster the Third Monday in October 1656; and for summoning one other Parliament to meet at Westminster the Third Monday in October 1659; and for other Parliaments to meet at Westminster on the Third Monday in October, in every Third Year successively.

The next Clause being read;

The Question being propounded, That, instead of these Words, "appoint some convenient Time and Place for the County to meet in," these Words be inserted; viz. "appoint some convenient Day, and the usual or some other convenient and indifferent Place, for the Electors of each County and Place to meet in;"

The Question being put, Whether the Word "usual" do stand in the said Question;

It passed in the Affirmative.

Resolved, That these Words be inserted into this Clause, viz. "appoint some convenient Day, and the usual or some other convenient and indifferent Place, for the Electors of each County and Place to meet in."

The Question being put, Whether these Words in this Clause, viz. "shall proceed to the Election, betwixt the Hours of Eight and Eleven before Noon," shall stand in this Clause;

It passed in the Affirmative.

And the Clause, so amended, being read, was agreed as followeth:

"And that the said Sheriffs, and other Officers respectively, shall, within Ten Days after the Receipt of such Writs, as aforesaid, cause the same to be proclaimed and published in every Market Town, within his County, upon the Market Days thereof, between Twelve and Three of the Clock; and shall then also publish and declare the certain Day of the Week and Month, and the certain Place for electing of Members, to serve in Parliament for the Body of the said County, according to the Tenour of the said Writ: Which Election shall be within Six Weeks after the Date of the said Writ; but not until Fourteen Days after all the Proclamations made, as aforesaid: For which Purpose, the said Sheriff shall appoint some convenient Day, and the usual or some other convenient and indifferent Place, for the Electors of each County and Place to meet in; and shall proceed to Election, betwixt the Hours of Eight and Eleven before Noon; and shall send Precepts for Elections to be made in all and every City, Town, Borough, or Place, within his and their County and Place, where Elections are to be made to the Mayor, Sheriff, or other Head Officer and Officers of such City, Town, Borough, or Place, within Six Days after the Receipt of such Writ and Writs: Which the said Mayor, Sheriffs, and other Officers respectively, within Eight Days after Receipt of the said Precept, are to make Publication of, and of the certain Day for such Elections, to be made in the said City, Town, or Place, aforesaid; and to cause Elections to be made accordingly, within Eight Days after Proclamations of the said Precept made, as aforesaid."

The next Clause in the Report was read.

The Question being put, That Candles be now brought in;

The House was divided.

The Yeas went forth.

The Question being propounded, That the Debate upon this Clause of the Report, be adjourned till Tomorrow Morning;

And the Question being put, That that Question be now put;

It passed in the Affirmative.

And the main Question being put; It was

Resolved, That the Debate upon this Clause in the Report, be adjourned till To-morrow Morning.