House of Commons Journal Volume 5: 18 February 1648

Die Veneris, 18 Februarii, 1647.

Prayers.

Leave of Absence.

Ordered, That Sir John Young, Mr. Ellys, and Mr. Rigby, Members of this House, shall have . . . . . to go into the Country.

Mayor of Carlisle.

The House being informed, that the well-affected Inhabitants of the City of Carlisle, considering how much it conduceth to the Well-regulating of the said City, and to the Keeping of it in Obedience to the Parliament, to have a well-affected Person Mayor of the said City, have made Choice of Richard Barwis, Esquire, a Member of this House, to be Mayor of the said City;

The House doth approve of the said Choice; and doth order, That the said Mr. Barwis have Leave to execute the said Place: And that he be dispensed with for his Attendance during the same Term of his Mayoralty.

Consession of Faith.

According to former Order, the House proceeded in the Consideration of the Advice of the Assembly of Divines, concerning a Consession of Faith; and resumed the Consideration of the Fourth Paragraph of the Four-andtwentieth Chapter, intituled, "Of Marriage and Divorce:" And

It is Resolved, &c. That this House doth agree to the First Clause of the said Fourth Paragraph, in hæc verba; viz. " Marriage ought not to be within the Degrees of Consanguinity or Affinity forbidden in the Word."

The Question was propounded, For agreeing to that Clause of the Fourth Paragraph of the Four-and-twentieth ....."Of Marriage and Divorce;" viz. "Nor can such incestuous Marriages ever be made lawful by any Law of Man, or Consent of Parties, so as those Persons may live together as Man and Wife:"

And the Question being put, Whether this Question shall be now put;

It passed with the Affirmative. And

It is Resolved, &c. That this House doth agree to this Clause; viz. "Nor can such incestuous Marriages ever made Lawful by any Law of Man, or Consent of Parties, so as those Persons may live together as Man and Wife."

The Question being put, "For agreeing to the last Clause of the Fourth Paragraph of the Four-and-twentieth Chapter, "Of Marriage and Divorce;" viz. "The Man may not marry any of his Wife's Kindred nearer in Blood than he may of his own; nor the Woman of her Husband's Kindred, nearer in Blood than her own;

The House was divided.

The Yeas went forth.

So that the Question passed with the Negative.

Message to Lords.

Sir Robert Pye carried to the Lords, for their Concurrence, the Alterations of the Names of Mr. Games and Mr. Walbeuf: An Ordinance for the Sale of the Leaden Steeple in Worcester, for the Use of the Poor, and repairing some Churches: Commissioners for disbanding the Forces in South Wales: Ordinance . . . Mr. Cross and Mr. Button to be Proctors of the University of Oxon: An Ordinance for Mr. Edward Reynolds to be Vice Chancellor of Oxon.

Answer.

Sir Robert Pye brings Answer, That the Lords do agree to all the said Orders and Ordinances carried up by him.

Intercepted Letters to the King.

A Letter from the Governor of the Isle of Wight, of 14 Februarii 1647; with Letters intercepted, endeavoured to be delivered to the King, brought by Major Boswell, under the Name of John Fox, and directed, under a Cover, to Mr. Mildmay; in which were a Letter from the Queen, from St. Germaines, of 11 Februarii, to the King; and another from the Princess Elizabeth to the King; with divers other Letters and Characters: The which were all read: And

It is Ordered, That this Business, and these Letters, be referred to the Committee at Derby House.

Disbanding Forces.

Resolved, &c. That Colonel James Lewis be added to those Commissioners, Yesterday by Order appointed, for the Service of disbanding the Supernumeraries in South Wales, according to the former Instructions and Ordinances.

The Lords Concurrence to be desired herein.

Ordinance for Assessments.

Ordered, That the Ordinance for the monthly Assessments of Twenty thousand Pounds, be forthwith printed and published.

King's Attendants.

A Letter from the General, from Queenstreet, of 16 Februarii 1647, with a List, inclosed, of Persons represented by the General to attend the Person of the King: The which were read.

Resolved, &c. That it be wholly left to Colonel Robert Hammond, Governor of the Isle of Wight, to appoint such Persons as shall attend the King, not exceeding the Number of Thirty; and, from time to time, to place and displace such of them as he shall think fit.

Plymouth Garison.

A Letter from the Governor of Plymouth, from Plymouth, of 14 Februarii 1647, representing the Necessities of the Soldiery of that Garison; and to what Height of mutinous Carriage their great Necessities have brought them unto; was this Day read.

Ordered, That the Sum of Six thousand Pounds be forthwith advanced for the present Service of the Garison of Plymouth, over and above the Ten thousand Pounds formerly appointed to be advanced for the Service of the said Garison.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee of Plymouth, to treat and confer with the Treasurers of the Army, for the present Advance of the said Six thousand Pounds; and to treat with them about the Security they do expect for the said Six thousand Pounds: And that they shall have Power to propound such Security to them as they shall think fit.

Ordered, That it be left to the Committee of Plymouth, to take Course for the demolishing such Works about Plymouth, and in such Manner, as they shall think fit; and to dispose the Materials, and to restore such Ordnance as are upon the Works, that belong to the Town, and to such other Places and Persons as they do belong; and otherwise ascertaining Matters and reconciling Differences upon the Disbanding, as they shall conceive necessary.

Receiver of Yorkshire.

Ordered, That, on Tuesday Morning next, Sir Henry Mildmay do make Report of the Business concerning the Receiver of Yorkshire.

Answer to Scotts.

Ordered, That, on Monday Morning next, the Answer to the late Scotts Papers, touching the Bills and Propositions last presented to the King, be reported and read.

Sir J. Astley.

Ordered, That the Committee at Goldsmiths Hall do give a Ticket to Sir Jacob Astley to stay in Town, he being upon his Composition according to the Ordinance: And that they do free the said Sir Jacob Astley from his Restraint; he being apprehended for staying in Town, notwithstanding his being upon his Composition.

Attainting Jenkins.

An Ordinance for attainting David Jenkins, late of Greie's Inn in the County of Middlesex, Esq. of High Treason, was this Day read the Second time; and, upon the Question, committed unto the same Committee that was appointed to present it: And they are to make ready the Proofs, and to bring them in, with the Ordinance, with all Speed.