Die Sabbati, 17 Februarii, 1648.
Prayers.
Justices of Peace, &c.
AN Act for further enabling and authorizing Justices
of Peace, Sheriffs and other Ministers of Justice
therein named, to act and proceed in the Execution of
their Offices and Duties, until their several Commissions
shall come to them, was this Day read the First and Second Time; and, upon the Question, passed; and ordered
to be forthwith printed and published.
Dissents to the Vote 5 Dec.
Mr. Challener reports from the Committee appointed
to take the Dissents and Disapprovals to the Vote of 5
Decembris last, That Colonel Fenwick doth dissent to the
said Vote.
Courts of Justice.
An Act for better Settling of Proceedings in Courts of
Justice, according to the present Government, was this
Day read; and, upon the Question, passed; and ordered
to be forthwith printed and published.
Seals of Courts.
Ordered, That the Time for continuing the Seals of
the Upper Bench, of the Common Pleas, of the Court
of Exchequer, of the Duchy Court, of the County Palatine of Chester, and of the original and judicial Seals
for the Counties of Wales, be enlarged until the Tenth
Day of March next.
Ordered, That the old Seal of the Court of Exchequer
be made use of for Sealing of the Writs, Process, and
Proceedings of the said Court, until the Tenth Day of
March next.
Great Seal.
An Act for settling competent Salaries upon the Commissioners of the Great Seal of England was this Day
read the First and Second Time; and, upon the Question,
passed.
* * * * (fn. [a]) .
Grant to Thorpe.
Ordered, That the Committee of Revenue be required
forthwith to pay unto Mr. Serjeant Thorpe the Sum of
Two hundred Pounds, in Consideration of his Expence
in the former Service of the State; and for defraying his
Charges in the Northern Circuit for this next Assizes.
Absent Members.
Ordered, That the Committee that are to consider of
the Matter touching absent Members, be required to
meet this Afternoon; and consider, What is fit further
to be done; and report it to the House on Monday
Morning.
Cirencester Election.
Colonel Harvey reports from the Committee appointed
to consider of the Business of the Burgesses chosen for
Cirencester, That the Clerk of the Crown, by Certificate
dated the Twenty-eighth of January 1646, and filed with
the Clerk of this House, did certify, "That Sir Thomas
Fairefax Knight, and Nathanael Rich Esquire, are chosen
Burgesses for the Borough of Cirencester in the County of
Gloucester, as may appear by Three several Indentures in
my Custody, one under the Sheriff's Hand of the said
County, another under the Bailiff's Hand, and the Third
under the Burgesses and Townsmen of the said Borough,
to serve in this present Parliament, in the room of Sir
Theobald Gorges, and John George Esquire, disabled to sit
any longer in the House of Commons during this present Parliament."
Ordered, That the Clerk of the Crown be required to
take off the Indentures now affixed to the Writ for election of Burgesses for Cirencester: And that he do affix
the Indenture returned unto him for the Election of Sir
Thomas Fairefax and Colonel Rich, unto the said Writ:
And that the said Burgesses, so returned, be required to
attend the Service of this House, according to their Duties, and the Votes of this House touching the Rights of
their Elections.
Council of State.
Mr. Lysle reports from the Committee that were to
bring in Names for a Council of State, several Particulars touching the Act; viz. The Title of the said Act, in
these Words, "An Act of this present Parliament for
constituting a Council of State for the Commonwealth of
England:" Which was read, and agreed.
And some new Instructions: Which, with some Amendments offered at the Table, were read; and, upon the
Question, assented unto.
Resolved, &c. That every Instruction shall go in the
general "You are hereby authorized;" without Mention
of any Quorum in each Instruction.
Army.
Ordered, That the Regiment of Horse under Colonel
Reynolds, being entertained, and to be sent, for the Service of Ireland, shall, in the mean time, be paid by Assignment from the Committee of the Army, as other
Forces of the Army, that they may be taken off from
Free Quarter: And the Committee of the Army are to
take care, and give Order, accordingly.
Watermen's Petition.
Ordered, That a Copy of the Petition of the Watermen, for a personal Treaty with the late King, be sent to
the High Court of Justice; with the Names of the Petitioners.
Scotch Affairs.
Commissary General Ireton reports a Declaration in
Answer to the Scotts Letters and Papers: Which was read
by Parts; and, every Paragraph thereof being severally
put to the Question, was assented unto; and ordered to
be forthwith printed and published.
Council of State Seal, &c.
Ordered, That the Council of State do prepare Two
Seals, a greater and a less, for the Use of the Council, each
of them to have for Impression the Arms of England and
Ireland; the Impression to be, "The Seal of the Council
of State, appointed by the Parliament of England."
Ordered, That Whitehall be prepared for the Council
of State: And that the Committee of Whitehall may be
appointed to see it accommodated for that Purpose.
Harrison's Claims.
The humble Petition of Colonel Ralph Harrison, Citizen and Merchant of London, was this Day read.
Ordered, That the said Petition of Colonel Ralph Harrison be recommended to the Lord Pawe, Ambassador
Extraordinary to the States General; to recommend it to
the High and Mighty Lords the States General, to take
it into Consideration; and to take some Course, that
Right may be speedily done to the Petitioner.
Ordered, That Lieutenant General Cromwell and
Major General Skippon do, from this House, wait on the
Lord Pawe with this Petition and Recommendation.
Scotch Affairs.
Ordered, That the Declaration in Answer to the Scotts
Letters and Papers, be sent to the Scotts Commissioners:
And that it be printed and published. And the especial
Care hereof is recommended to Commissary General
Ireton.
Prince Elector.
Ordered, That Mr. Speaker do present the Prince Elector's Letter to the House, the first Business, on Monday
Morning.