Saturday, 12th May, 1660.
Prayers.
Assessment.
THE House, this Day, proceeded in reading the
Names of Commissioners for the Assessment of
Seventy thousand Pounds by the Month, for Three
Months (reported as Amendments) the Second time;
which, being read, were agreed unto.
Resolved, That the Day for paying in the Three Months
Assessments to the Receiver General be so timely, as the
whole Sum may be paid in to the Receiver General, at
or before the first Day of August next.
Resolved, That this Bill, thus amended, be ingrossed.
Debts owing to the Public.
Mr. Pryn acquaints the House, that there is an Offer
made of a Discovery of Two hundred thousand Pounds,
due to, and concealed from, the Commonwealth.
Ordered, That Mr. Pryn, Alderman Frederick, Alderman Robinson, Mr. Rich, Col. Gorges, Mr. Spry, Mr.
Jolliffe, Col. Bowyer, Major General Browne, or any
Three of them, be a Committee to receive and examine
the said Discovery: And they are to meet this Afternoon
in the Inner Court of Wards; and to adjourn from Time
to Time, and Place and Place, as they shall see Cause:
And they have Power to send for Persons, Papers, and
Witnesses, and what else may conduce to this Business.
Assessments.
Ordered, That it be referred to Mr. Annesley, Serj.
Maynard, Mr. Pryn, Serj. Glyn, and Mr. Turner, forthwith to withdraw, and prepare the Draught of an Order
for quickening the Commissioners for the monthly Assessments, to proceed effectually for the getting in of the
Monies due and unpaid, upon the Act for Six Months
Assessments, commencing from the Twenty-fifth of December last; and to report it to the House.
Affairs of Ireland.
A Message from the Lords, by Mr. Glascock and
Mr. Giles, Masters of the Chancery;
Mr. Speaker, Upon the Address made to the Lords
from the Commissioners for the Kingdom of Ireland,
their Lordships have passed this Order, wherein they desire the Concurrence of this House;-and therewith delivered in the Order, made by the Lords; which Order was
read, and was in these Words; viz.
Upon the humble Address of the Commissioners,
employed from the Kingdom of Ireland, shewing, that
in regard his Majesty's Letters, and Declarations to both
Houses of Parliament, do not at all mention Ireland, or
any the Concernments of that Kingdom; which, by reason of the said Consequences of the late bloody Rebellion
there, hath been cast into great Disorder and Confusion,
and so doth necessarily require speedy and healing Provisions and Remedies; and therefore desiring the Assistance and Concurrence of the Houses to his Majesty,
for the Calling and Holding of a Parliament there, as
formerly, for Remedy of the unsettled Condition of that
Kingdom: It is Ordered, by the Lords and Commons
in Parliament assembled, that it be offered and presented,
and it is hereby offered and presented, as the Advice
and Desire of the Parliament that his Majesty may be
graciously pleased, upon the Repair of Commissioners to
him from that Kingdom, with all convenient Speed to
call a Parliament in Ireland, to consist of Protestant Peers
and Commons, as being the most visible Means for the
regulating and settling of the respective Interests in that
unsettled Kingdom.
Resolved, &c. That this House doth concur with the
Lords in this Order.
The Messengers being again called in, Mr. Speaker
gave them this Answer;
Gentlemen, The House have considered of the Order
you brought from the Lords; and they do concur with
the Lords therein.
Pardon and Oblivion.
An Act of General Pardon, Indemnity, and Oblivion,
was this Day read the Second time.
Some Votes in the Journal of the Twelfth of December 1650, concerning the Trial of the late King, were
read.
A Journal, intituled, A Journal of the Proceedings of
the High Court of Justice, erected by Act of the Commons of England, intituled, An Act of the Commons
assembled in Parliament, for erecting of a High Court of
Justice, for the Trying and Judging of Charles Stewart,
King of England, was read.
Divers Members of this House, now present, who were
named Commissioners in the said Act, did severally express,
how far they were concerned in the said Proceedings, and
their Sense thereupon.
Exceptions to a Member's Words.
Some Exception was taken to some Words spoken by
Mr. Lenthall, a Member of this House, in the Debate
of the Bill of General Pardon, to the Effect following;
viz. "He that first drew his Sword against the King,
committed as high an Offence, as he that cut off the
King's Head:"
Mr. Lenthall, standing up in his Place, explained himself; and withdrew.
The Question being propounded, That Mr. Lenthall
be called to the Bar; and there receive the Reprehention
of this House;
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 Mr. Lenthall be called to the Bar; and
there receive the Reprehension of the House.
The Serjeant, with his Mace, went to Mr. Lenthall,
who was withdrawn into the Speaker's Chamber, and
brought him to the Bar of this House; who there kneeling, Mr. Speaker bid him rise; and alte; according to
the Order of the House, gave him a sharp Reprehension,
to the Effect following:
Mr. Lenthall, The House hath taken very great Offence at some Words you have let fall, upon Debate of
this Business, of the Bill of Indemnity; which, in the
Judgment of this House, hath as high a Reflection on
the Justice and Proceedings of the Lords and Commons
in the last Parliament, in their Actings before 1648, as
could be expressed. They apprehend there is much of
Poison in the Words; and that they were spoken out of
Design to set this House on Fire; they tending to render
them that drew the Sword to bring Delinquents to
condign Punishment, and to vindicate their just Liberties, into Balance with Them, that cut off the King's
Head; of which Act they express their Abhorrence and
Detestation; appealing to God, and their Conscience bearing them Witness, that they had no Thoughts against
his Person, much less against his Life. Therefore I am
commanded to let you know, that, had these Words
fallen out at any other time, but in this Parliament; or
at any Time in this Parliament, but when they had Considerations of Mercy, Pardon, and Indemnity, you might
have expected a sharper and severer Sentence than I am
now to pronounce: But the Disposition of his Majesty is
to Mercy; he hath invited his People to accept it; and
it is the Disposition of the Body of this House, to be
Healers of Breaches, and to hold forth Mercy to Men
of all Conditions, so far as may stand with Justice, and the
Justification of themselves before God and Man: I am
therefore commanded to let you know, that That being
their Disposition, and the present Subject of this Day's
Debate being Mercy, you shall therefore taste of Mercy;
yet I am to give you a sharp Reprehension; and I do as
sharply and severely as I can (for so I am commanded)
reprehend you for it.
Resolved, That the Debate of this Bill of General
Pardon and Oblivion, be adjourned until Monday Morning next, at Eight of Clock, the first Business.
Wootton Basset Writ.
The House being informed, that the Lord Herbert,
being elected to serve as Knight of the Shire for the
County of Monmouth, and as a Burgess for the Borough
of Wootton Basset in the County of Wiltes, made Choice
to serve for the County of Monmouth, and waves his
Election for the Borough of Wootton Bassett aforesaid;
Ordered, That a new Writ be issued for the Election
of a Burgess to serve in this present Parliament for the
Borough of Wootton Basset aforesaid; and that Mr.
Speaker do send his Warrant to the Clerk of the Crown
in Chancery, for the Issuing of a new Writ for the
Election of a Burgess to serve in this present Parliament
for the said Borough of Wootton Basset: And the Lords
Commissioners of the Great Seal, or any Two of them,
are hereby required to issue out and pass the same under
the Great Seal accordingly.
Message from Lords.
A Message from the Lords, by Mr. * and Mr. Harrington, Two of the Masters of Chancery;
Mr. Speaker, The Lords desire your Concurrence to
an Order for preventing the demolishing or defacing of,
or committing of Wastes in the King's Houses, Woods,
and Lands; wherein they desire the Concurrence of this
House: And therewith delivered an Order from the
Lords; which Order was read.
Ordered, That this Order be referred to the Committee
to whom it is referred to consider of a Revenue to be
settled on the King's Majesty; to consider of it, and
report their Opinion therein to this House.
The Messengers were again called in; and Mr. Speaker
gave them this Answer;
Gentlemen, The House hath considered of the Order
that you have brought from the Lords; and they will
return you Answer by Messengers of their own.
Confirming Sales, &c.
Ordered, That the Bills for Confirmation of Sales; and
touching Religion; be proceeded in by this House, in
Course, next after the Bill of General Pardon, Indemnity,
and Oblivion.
The House adjourns itself until Monday Morning
next, Eight of the Clock.