Thursday, March 1st, 1659.

Prayers.

Religion.

ORDERED, That, every Morning, the House do receive Reports from the Committee for Religion; and spend one Hour therein every Morning: And that Mr. Speaker do put the House in mind thereof.

Custos Rot. of Middlesex.

Ordered, That Sir Gilbert Gerrard Knight be, and is hereby, constituted and appointed Custos Rotulorum for the County of Middlesex, to hold, exercise, and enjoy the said Office, as fully and amply, as any Person formerly might and ought to hold and execute the same.

New Forests.

Ordered, That Colonel Norton, Sir Wm. Lewis, Mr. Bulkley, Mr. Grove, Mr. Button, and Mr. Whitehead, be added Commissioners for Custody of the New Forest, for Preservation of the Timber-Wood and Vert in the said Forest: And that any Four of the said Commissioners be a Quorum.

Commrs of Assessments.

Ordered, That John Alderton, Mayor of Guilford, Henry Baldwin, and John How, be added Commissioners for the Assessments for the County of Surrey: And the said Commissioners be, and are hereby, authorized and required to sit and act as Commissioners for the Assessments, as fully, to all Intents and Purposes, as if they had been named in the Act, intituled, An Act for an Assessment of One hundred thousand Pounds, by the Month, upon England, Scotland, and Ireland, for Six Months.

Sequestrations.

Mr. Francis Bacon reports An Act for Repeal of Two Acts for Sequestrations: Which was this Day read the First time.

Resolved, That this Act be now read the Second time.

The said Act was now read the Second time; and, upon the Question, committed unto the Committee that brought in the said Act: And that Mr. Lechmere, Mr. Ansley, Sir Samuell Luke, Sir Walter Earle, Mr. AttorneyGeneral, Mr. Ralegh, Mr. Bulkley, Mr. Wm. Brereton, Sir Henry Cholmley, Colonel Rossiter, Mr. Doyley, Colonel John Birch, Mr. Grove, be added to that Committee: And they are to meet in the Inner Court of Wards, this Afternoon, at Two of the Clock.

Invalid Soldiers, &c.

Mr. Trenchard reports Matter of Fact touching the distressed Widows, Orphans, and maimed Soldiers, at Ely-House and Savoy Hospitals: Which was read; and is as followeth; viz.

A brief Account of the State and Condition of the distressed, sick, and maimed Soldiers, Widows, and Orphans, Pensioners, belonging to Ely-House and Savoy Hospitals:

THAT the Number of Pensioners at the said Hospitals are of late much increased, by reason of the Service in Flaunders and the West-Indies; and that divers, who received their Hurts in the Beginning of the Wars, had then Estates to maintain themselves; but are now reduced to very great Want and Necessity: Nevertheless the Allowance for the said Hospitals, in the Six Years last past, hath been less than before by about Three thousand Pounds per Annum, and the Number of Pensioners near Five hundred more.

That the frequent Interruptions (which have happened for this Five Years) in the Receipt of the weekly Allowance assigned for the sick and maimed Soldiers, &c. (there being an Arrear of above Forty-nine Weeks due and unpaid for them, Thirty-five Weeks whereof since April 1658), hath occasioned their Necessities, or rather Extremities, to be exceeding great, even above Expression; insomuch that some have been starved; others have attempted to destroy themselves; and many are daily like to perish, through Imprisonment, Hunger, Cold, and Nakedness: And the sick and maimed Soldiers, now under Cure in the said Hospitals, are also ready to perish for Want, being not able to stir out of their Beds, and having had no Pay this Four Weeks.

That there hath usually been about Three hundred and Fifty Patients constantly belonging to both the said Hospitals; and their Pay, with the Twenty-four Nurses attending them, as also for Physick, Coals, Candles, Washing, Bedding, and Linen, &c. for their Accommodation, amounts to about Ninety Pounds per Week.

That, by Order of Parliament, bearing Date ths 7th of January last, Four thousand Pounds was appointed to be paid, for the Relief of the said sick and maimed Soldiers, &c. whereof Two thousand Pounds hath been received, upon a Warrant from the late Council of State, dated the 16th of the said Month: And the Pensioners hath been paid, out of the same, a Fortnight's Pay, and the Patients a Month's Pay, then due in Arrear; with Contingencies for their necessary Accommodation: And the other Two thousand Pounds, for which there was a Warrant granted by the said Council the 15th of this instant February, is wholly unsatisfied.

That, by Direction of Parliament, Five hundred and five Pounds per Week was formerly duly paid from the Excise; as also the Moiety of Fines and Forfeitures there, which amounted to near Two thousand Pounds per Annum, together with Two hundred and Thirty Pounds per Week, from Goldsmiths-Hall; besides, about One thousand Pounds yearly, for sending Soldiers to the Bath: And likewise, Collections at the monthly Fasts; all constantly paid for their Relief: But, at present, they are under no weekly Establishment, as formerly; only receiving such contingent Payments as the Parliament doth order: Wherefore it is humbly offered, That the Allowance for the Relief of the said Poor Creatures may be charged upon the Post-Office, Recusants Estates, the Office for Probate of Wills, Customs, or Excise, or some other publick Treasury; and paid to the Treasurer for sick and maimed Soldiers.

Ordered, That the Sum of Two thousand Pounds, formerly ordered for Relief of the poor Widows, Orphans, and maimed Soldiers, be charged to be paid out of the first Monies that shall come in to the Exchequer, other than the Customs and Excise.

Ordered, That it be referred to a Committee, to consider, How, and in what manner, the said Widows, Orphans, and maimed Soldiers, at Ely-house and the Savoy, may be provided for, and paid, for the future, with least Prejudice, and most Ease to the Nation; and how a weekly Revenue may be settled for their Maintenance; and how the maimed Soldiers may be disposed of, so as the Nation may be eased of the Charge; and how they may be provided of a Preaching Minister; Viz. Sir Wm. Waller, Mr. Hodges, Sir Walter Earle, Colonel Feilder, Colonel Lee, Mr. Pryn, Sir Wm. Wheeler, Mr. Doyley, Mr. Pury, Colonel Thisslewaite, Mr. Trenchard, Mr. Brewster, Mr. John Nelthorpe, Colonel Popham, Sir John Lenthall, Mr. Serjeant Waller, Mr. Knightly; or any Five of them: And are to meet, at Two of Clock this Afternoon, in the Exchequer-Chamber.

Windsor poor Knights.

Ordered, That the Committee, concerning the poor Knights at Windsor, be revived; and joined to the Committee touching Widows, and maimed Soldiers, at Elyhouse and the Savoy: And that Mr. Scawen, Mr. Winwood, Sir John Lenthall, Mr. Wingate, Sir Samuell Luke, Sir John Evelyn of Surrey, be added to that Committee.

Maj. Balfore.

Ordered, That it be also referred to that Committee, to consider of Major Balfore's Business, How he may be relieved; and to state Matter of Fact; and report the same to the Parliament; with their Opinion therein.

Publick Revenue.

Ordered, That it be referred to a Committee, to take into Consideration the State of the Revenue of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland: And to represent to the Parliament, What the Charge of the Commonwealth is: What Obstructions hinder the bringing in the Revenue; and how the Revenue may be managed, for the best Advantage of the Commonwealth; and how the State of the Debts stand: Viz. unto Mr. Scawen, Colonel White, Colonel John Birch, Mr. Hodges, Colonel Thompson; or any Three of them: And are to meet in the Treasury-Chamber, at Three of the Clock this Afternoon; and so from Day to Day, and from Place to Place: With Power to send for Persons, Papers, and what else may conduce to the Business.

Commissioners of Assessments.

Ordered, That the several Commissioners for the Assessments in the several Counties, Cities, and Boroughs of this Commonwealth, do take the especial Care to put the Act, intituled, An Act for an Assessment of One hundred thousand Pounds, by the Month, upon England, Scotland, and Ireland, for Six Months, in speedy and effectual Execution: And that the Members of Parliament, who serve for the respective Counties, Cities, and Boroughs, do send down this Order into the respective Counties, Cities and Boroughs: And that this Order be printed and published.

Leave of Absence.

Ordered, That Justice Nicholas be dispensed with, as to his Attendance in Parliament, by reason of his Indisposition of Health.

Trinity House.

The humble Petition of the surviving Warden and Assistants, with Brethren, of the Trinity-House of Debtford-Strand, for Relief of distressed Mariners, their Orphans, and Widows, which are fallen into Necessity, Poverty, and Need, was read.

Ordered, That the Petition be referred to a Committee; to consider of this Petition; examine the Business; state Matter of Fact; and report their Opinion therein to the Parliament; Viz. unto Mr. Pryn, Mr. Bence, Lord Chief-Justice St. John, Colonel Thompson, Sir Tho. Barnardiston, Mr. Vassalls, Sir Antho. Ashley Cooper, Mr. Brewster, Mr. West, Alderman Atkin, Mr. Weaver; or any Three of them: And are to meet this Afternoon, at Three of the Clock, in the Duchy-Court.

Dissolving Parliament.

The Question being propounded, That the Time of the Dissolution of this Parliament shall be at, or before, the Fifteenth Day of this instant March;

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

It passed with the Affirmative.

And the main Question being put; It was

Resolved, That the Time of the Dissolution of this Parliament shall be at, or before, the Fifteenth Day of this instant March.

Militia.

Resolved, That, after the Business concerning Religion be over, every Morning, the House do proceed upon the Bill for settling of the Militia, until it be finished.

Ordered, That the Members that serve for the several Counties, Cities, and Boroughs, do bring in the Names of Commissioners for the Militia.

Forests, &c.

Mr. Ansley reports from the Council of State, That the Parliament be humbly moved to declare their Pleasure, Who shall have the Trust of ordering the Houses, Forests, Chaces, and Parks, belonging to the Commonwealth; and of disposing the Care and Custody thereof; and of the Places and Services relating thereunto; and of the Timber and Wood growing and being in any of the said Forests, Chaces and Parks; as shall be, from time to time necessary, for the best Advantage of the Commonwealth.

Resolved, That this be a further Instruction to the Council of State, That the Council of State have the Trust of ordering the Houses, Forests, Chaces, and Parks, belonging to the Commonwealth; and of disposing the Care and Custody thereof; and of the Places and Services relating thereunto; and of the Timber and Wood growing and being in any of the Forests, Chaces and Parks; as shall be from time to time necessary, for the best Advantage of the Commonwealth.

Col. Lambert.

Mr. Ansley also reports, Two several Letters of Colonel John Lambert; the one dated the 29th of February: As also, The Copy of a Letter from him, inclosed in the said Letter; directed to the last Council of State: Which were read.

Resolved, That this House doth dispense with Colonel Lambert his not appearing, upon the Proclamation issued forth against him: And that it be referred to the Council of State, that, taking Security of Colonel Lambert for his peaceable Demeanor, he be permitted to live quietly at his own House, in the Country.

New Forest.

Ordered, That Sir Anthony Ashley Cooper be added a Commissioner for Custody of the New Forest.

Letter read.

A Letter from the Commissioners for the Customs, dated the First of March 1659; with a Case therein inclosed; were read.

Loan by the City.

Ordered, That Sir Gilbert Gerrard, Colonel John Birch, Sir Wm. Lewis, Alderman Atkin, Major-General Browne, Mr. Scawen, Sir Anth. Ashley Cooper, Mr. Gott; or any Three of them; do repair to the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Commons of the City of London; and propound unto them the Desire of the Parliament, That they will forthwith advance so much Money as the Assessments for the City will amount unto for the present Service of the Army and Navy, instead of the Money by them offered to be advanced, upon Security of the Assessments.