House of Commons Journal Volume 6: 4 December 1649

Die Martis, 4 Decembris, 1649.

Prayers.

Irish Affairs.

A LETTER from the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, of the Fourteenth of November 1649, with a Letter, inclosed, from Colonel Robert Blake, from Cork Haven, of Novembris 5, 1649; and a Letter from the Mayor of Youghall, and others, of 7 Septembris 1649; were all this Day read.

A Letter from the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland to Mr. Scott, from Rosse, of the Fourteenth of November 1649, was this Day read.

Ordered, That Colonel Jones do bring in the Act for settling Five hundred Pounds per Annum on Lieutenant General Jones, of Lands of Inheritance in Ireland, Thisday-sevennight.

The Question being propounded, That Major General Ireton shall be constituted President of Munster, during the Pleasure of the Parliament;

It passed with the Affirmative.

And the main Question being put;

It was Resolved, That Major General Ireton shall be constituted President of Munster, during the Pleasure of the Parliament: And that Mr. Scott bring in an Act for that Purpose, and for passing a Patent under the Great Seal accordingly.

Ordered, That Two hundred Pounds be paid to the Use of the Lord Broghill, for the Transportation of his Lady into Ireland.

Ordered, That the Council of State be required to give Order for the Payment of the said Two hundred Pounds forthwith accordingly.

Writs of Error.

An Act for Redress of Inconveniencies, by granting Writs of Error, was this Day read the First time; and, upon the Question, ordered to be read the Second time on Thursday Morning next, the first Business; nothing to intervene.

Regulating the Law.

Ordered, That the Committee for regulating the Proceedings in Law be revived: And that the Committee meet To-morrow in the Afternoon, in the Exchequer Chamber; and so de die in diem: And that the Lord Mounson and Sir Arthur Hesilrige do take care hereof.

Reports deferred.

Ordered, That on Friday Morning next, the Reports from the Council of State touching publick Business, be made.

Sequestrations.

Ordered, That the Bill touching the Business of Sequestrations be brought in on Thursday Morning next, after the Bill touching the Writs of Error.

Reduced Officers.

Ordered, That, on Tuesday next, the Act touching the reduced Officers of the North be read.

Irisn Affairs.

Ordered, That, it be reserred to the Council of State, to see the Letters of the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, and other late Transactions there, forthwith printed and published.

Sabbath-breaking; &c.

The House being informed, that divers of the Aldermen and Common Council of the City of London were at the Door;

They were called in; and presented a Petition; Which (after the Petitioners were withdrawn) was read; and was intituled, "The humble Petition of the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Commons of the City of London, in Common Council assembled."

Ordered, That the Committee who are appointed to consider of some further Course to be taken against Swearing and Cursing, do sit: And all that come to that Committee are to have Voices.

And the special Care hereof is committed to Mr. Weaver and Mr. Gurdon.

Ordered, That the same Committee be appointed to conser with such Persons as shall be appointed by the City, touching the Laws already made against Engrossing; and likewise against the Prosanation of the Sabbath, Swearing, and Drunkenness; and to consider wherein the same are defective; and to receive from them any thing that they shall propound, for any supplemental and additional Laws and Penalties to be added, for the better Preventing and Punishing of the Offences aforesaid; and to report the same to the House.

Resolved, &c. That the Petition of the City of London be taken into Consideration, by Heads, on To-morrow sevennight.

Resolved, That such Committees as have under their Consideration any of the Particulars which are contained in this Petition, this Day presented to the House by the City, do sit; and prepare their Reports to be made touching the same to the House, on Wednesday-sevennight.

A Member disabled from sitting.

The Question being propounded, That Major General Browne be discharged from being a Member of this House, and disabled from sitting in Parliament, during this present Parliament;

The Question was put, That that Question be now put;

And it passed with the Affirmative.

And the main Question being put;

It was Resolved, That Major General Browne be, and is, discharged from being a Member of this House, and disabled from sitting in Parliament, during this present Parliament.

Resolved, * * * * (fn. 1).

Sahbathbreaking, &c.

The Aldermen, and others, who presented the Petition, being again called in; Mr. Speaker gave them this Answer;

Mr. Aldermen, and you the rest of the Gentlemen of the City;

The House hath taken your Petition into Consideration; and, upon that which concern the City in particular, they have spent a great deal of their Time since your Withdrawing: They find the Petition contains Matters of great Weight, and publick Concernment, and that which doth manifest your good Affections to the Publick: They have therefore appointed a Day for the Taking of the Particulars thereof into serious Consideration; and shall do their Utmost therein, for the Advancing of the Honour of God, suppressing Prosaneness, and promoting the publick Good: In the mean time they have commanded me to mind you of some Laws, whereof you may take hold for the present, against profaning the Sabbath, Swearing, Drunkenness, and also against Engrossing, a thing of so great Abuse and Mischief at this present: It may be, the Laws are defective in them, and do not reach home to that Reformation which you desire, and the Parliament do aim at, and endeavour: But they do recommend it to the Lord Mayor and yourselves, and other the Aldermen and Magistrates of the said City, that you would put them instantly in Execution: And, to the end what is wanting in them may be supplied, they have appointed a Committee to meet with such Persons as the City shall appoint, to consider of, and receive from them, any thing that shall be offered for supplemental and additional Laws or Penalties, for the preventing and punishing those Offences. The House doth take notice of the good Affections of the City, in this direct Petition, containing so many Particulars tending to the Publick Good; and they have commanded me to return, in their Names, their hearty Thanks to the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Council: And I do, in their Names, give unto you, and them, the hearty Thanks of this House, for your good and publick Affections therein.

Southwark Petition.

The House being informed, that divers Inhabitants of the Borough of Southwark were at the Door;

They were called in; and presented their Petition.

Which (after the Petitioners were withdrawn) was read; and was intituled, "The humble Petition of the Inhabitants of the Borough of Southwark, and the adjacent Parishes on the South Side of the River of Thames, within the weekly Bills of Mortality."

Ordered, That the said Petition be referred to the Committee for the several Boroughs: And that the said Committee do give an Account thereof to the House.