House of Commons Journal Volume 7: 23 March 1659

Wednesday, the 23d of March, 1658.

Prayers.

Haslemore Election.

MR. Serjeant Waller reports from the Committee of Privileges and Elections, The State of the Case concerning the Election of Henry Fitz James Esquire, and of Mr. John Hooke, to serve in this present Parliament as Burgesses for the Borough of Haslemore in the County of Surry; namely,

THAT the said Henry Fitz James was duly elected, and returned: but that the Question, upon the Election of Mr. Hooke, being, Whether the Freeholders of the said Borough, which were not Inhabitants there, had Votes in the Election of Burgesses to serve in Parliament; upon Examination thereof, the Committee were of Opinion, That such Freeholders only, as are Inhabitants within the said Borough, have Votes in the said Elections: And that, upon Consideration thereof, and of the Petition of John Westbrooke Esquire, alleging, That he the said Mr. Westbrooke, and the said Henry Fitz James were duly elected Burgesses for the said Borough, by the major Part of such as have Voices, and ought to elect; it appeared to the Committee, and they were of Opinion, That the said John Westbrooke was duly elected by the major Part of such as had Votes in the said Election; and ought to have been returned accordingly: And that the said John Hooke was unduly returned.

Resolved, &c. That this House doth agree with the Committee, That John Westbrooke Esquire, being elected by the major Part of such as have Votes in the Election of Burgesses to serve in Parliament for the Borough of Haslemore in the County of Surry, was duly elected; and ought to have been returned to serve as a Burgess in this present Parliament for the said Borough; and that the said John Hooke is unduly returned to serve for the said Borough.

Resolved, &c. That the Indenture by which Henry Fitz-James Esquire, and Mr. John Hooke, are returned Burgesses to serve for the Borough of Haslemore in the County of Surry, in this present Parliament, be amended by the Bailiff of the said Borough, at the Bar of this House: And that the Name of Mr. John Hooke be put out; and the Name of John Westbrooke Esquire, who is duly elected to serve as one of the Burgesses for the said Borough, be inserted and put into the said Indenture, instead of the Name of the said John Hooke: And that the Clerk of the Commonwealth in Chancery do attend, with the Bailiff of the said Borough, at the Bar of this House, with the aforesaid Indenture, and the Writ wherewith it is returned, to amend the said Indenture, accordingly.

Dartmouth Election.

Mr. Serjeant Waller reports from the Committee of Elections and Privileges, The State of the Case, concerning the double Return upon the Election of Burgesses to serve in this present Parliament for the Borough of CliftonDartmouth-Hardnes in the County of Devon: Wherein the Question being, Whether the Election ought to be by the Mayor, Bailiffs, and Freemen only of the said Borough, or by the Mayor, Bailiffs, Freemen, and other Inhabitants, of the said Borough, though not free: And that the Opinion of the Committee was, That the Inhabitants of the said Borough have not Voices, together with the Freemen of the said Borough, in the Election of Burgesses to serve in Parliament for the said Borough.

The Question being put, That this House doth agree with the Committee in this Report;

The House was divided.

The Noes went forth.

So the Question passed with the Negative.

Resolved, &c. That this Report be re-committed, upon the Debate had thereupon in the House.

Irish Members.

According to the Order made Yesterday, the House took into Debate the Matter concerning the Sitting of the Irish Members.

The Question being propounded, That the Members returned to serve for Ireland shall continue to sit as Members in this present Parliament;

The Question was put, That this Question be now put.

And it passed with the Affirmative.

And then the main Question being put;

The House was divided.

The Yeas went forth.

So it was Resolved, &c. That the Members returned to serve for Ireland shall continue to sit as Members in this present Parliament.