Tuesday, August 7th, 1660.

Prayers.

Leave of Absence.

ORDERED, That Sir Thomas Thyn, a Member of this House, have Leave to go into the Country.

New Windsor Poor.

The humble Petition of the Mayor, Aldermen, Burgesses, and Inhabitants of his Majesty's Borough of New Windsor, in the County of Berks, was read.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Justices of Peace, to take care of the Poor Women and Children, who are commanded out of the Castle of New Windsor, to dispose of the said Women and Children according to Law.

Publick Records.

Ordered, That Mr. Aloffe have leave to proceed to sort the Books, Papers, Writings, and Evidences, touching the Lands of Archbishops, Bishops, Deans and Chapters, remaining at the Office in Broadstreet, in the Presence of the Officers to whose Charge they are committed, and with their Assistance, without removing any of them out of the said Office: And that all the said Writings, Books, Papers, and Evidences do still remain and continue in the said Office, until this House take further Order: And the Officers are to take care, that they be not removed out of the said Office, but continued there accordingly.

Howard's Estate.

A Bill for Confirmation of Conveyances of Land, made by Sir Robert Howard, by virtue of a pretended Act of Parliament, was this Day read the Second time; and, upon the Question, committed unto Sir John Evelyn of Surrey, Sir Anthony Irby, Sir Wm. Wild, Mr. Harris, Mr. Annesley, Mr. Charlton, Serjeant Hales, Sir Henage Finch, Mr. Rainsford, Lord Herbert, Colonel Edward Harley, Mr. Sherrard, Mr. Bampfeild, Sir Richard Lewis, Mr. Hinson, alias Powell, Mr. Newton, Mr. Cox, Mr. Rich. Lewis, Sir Wm. Waller, Mr. Grey, Mr. Doddeswell, Sir Edward Turner, Sir Edmund Bowyer, Serjeant Glyn, Mr. Chaffe, Mr. Throckmorton, Mr. Hall, Mr. Ellison, Mr. Yong, Sir Geo. Browne, Mr. Hungerford, Colonel Archer, Sir John Lowther, Mr. Hide, Mr. Newton, Mr. Buller, Mr. Barnard, Major Harley, and all the Knights and Burgesses of Shropshire, Herefordshire, and Worcestershire: And they are to meet in the Duchy Court, To-morrow in the Afternoon, at Two of Clock: And they have Power to send for Persons Papers, Witnesses, and what else may conduce to the Business.

Poll Bill.

The Amendments to the Poll Bill, formerly agreed unto, being ingrossed in Parchment, were this Day read.

Ordered, That the Schedule of Names for the Cinque Ports, affixed to the Bill for Poll Money by the Lords, be taken off.

And the Clerk took the same off accordingly. And it was sent to the Lords in its Place, severed from the Bill.

Ordered, That Mr. Annesley, do carry this Bill to the Lords.

Lords reminded of Bills.

Ordered, That the Lords be put in mind, by Mr. Annesley, of the several Bills sent to the Lords; viz.

The Act of General Pardon, Indemnity, and Oblivion.

The Act for Confirmation of Judicial Proceedings.

The Act for Confirmation of Magna Charta, and Privileges of Parliament, &c.: And

The Declaration to put the Acts in Execution against Popish Priests and Jesuits:

And to desire the Lords to give Dispatch to them.

Poll Bill.

Mr. Annesley brings Answer, that he delivered the Poll Bill, with the Amendments, to the Lords.

Excise.

A Bill intituled, An Act for Excise, was this Day read the Second time.

Ordered, That this House be resolved into a Grand Committee upon this Bill, To-morrow, at Ten of the Clock.

Ordered, That a Clause or Proviso be added to the Bill of Excise, to charge the Debts due to Sir Richard Browne, and Sir Edward Massey, upon the Excise, in Course; viz. Sir Richard Browne's, in such Manner as by Act of Parliament, the 15th of March last, was directed; and Sir Edward Masseye's, according to the Order or Orders of this House.

Public Debts.

Ordered, That the Committee for publick Debts do sit this Afternoon; and so de die in diem.

Ordered, That Sir Thomas Dacre's Petition be referred to the Committee for publick Debts; to examine the Matter of Fact; and report it, with their Opinion, to this House.

Excise.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee of the whole House, to whom the Bill for the Excise is referred, to consider of the humble Petition and Case of the Inhabitants of Northwich and Leftwich, in the County of Chester, on the Behalf of themselves, and others of the Owners of Salt-works, and Salt-makers, within the said County, and the County of Flint; who are to consider thereof; as also of the whole Manufacture of Salt in Lancashire, and other Parts of this Nation; and to report their Opinion to this House.

Ordered, That the humble Petition of the Mayor, Sheriffs, Citizens, and Commonalty of the City of Norwich, be referred to the Committee of the whole House to whom the Bill for Excise is referred; to consider thereof, and report their Opinion to the House.

Message from the King- Clergy Maintenance.

Sir Allen Broadrick communicates to the House a Message from his Majesty: Which he was desired to reduce into Writing: And was accordingly delivered by him in Writing, and is as followeth;

"I was commanded by his Majesty to inform this House, that his Majesty had written to the several Bishops, Deans, and Chapters, not to let Leases of any impropriate Tythes, till Maintenance were settled on the several Vicarages, or Curates Places, where no Vicarages were endowed, to the Value of Fourscore Pounds per Annum, or more."

He also presents one of his Majesty's Letters, to the Purport aforesaid: Which was read; and is as followeth:

CHARLES, Rex.

AS nothing is more in Our Desires, than to provide, that the Church of England, under Our Reign, may be furnished with a religious, learned, sober, modest, and prudent Clergy; so We are ready to give Encouragement to their Labours and Studies, in their several Degrees and Stations; that they may give Check to all Profaneness and Superstition; and do zealously affect to remove all Scandal and Reproach from them, and their Calling. Conceiving, therefore, a competent Maintenance to be a necessary Encouragement; and that all other Persons, who have Power to dispose of Tythes, may be invited to cherish learned and godly Ministers; We do resolve, that because, where Tythes have been appropriated to the Support of Bishops, Deans, and Chapters, Collegiate Churches and Colleges, and other single Persons, they have not taken due Care to provide and ordain sufficient Maintenance for the Vicars of the respective Places, or for the Curates, where Vicarages were not endowed; to settle, for the future, some good Addition and Increase on such Vicarages, and Curates Places. Our Will therefore is, that, forthwith, Provision be made for the Augmentation of all such Vicarages and Cures, where the Tythes and Profits are appropriated to you and your Successors, in such Manner, that they who are immediately attending upon the Performance of Ministerial Offices in every Parish, may have a competent Portion out of every Rectory impropriate to your See. And, to this End, Our further Will is, that no Lease be granted, of any Rectories or Parsonages belonging to your See, belonging to you, or your Successors, until you shall provide, that the respective Vicarages, or Curates Places, where are no Vicarages endowed, have so much Revenue in Glebe, Tythes, or other Emoluments, as commonly will amount to Fourscore Pounds, per Annum, or more, if it will bear it; and in good Form of Law settled upon them, and their Successors: And, where the Rectories are of small Value, and cannot admit of such Portion to the Vicar and Curate; Our Will is, that one Half of the Profits of such Rectory be reserved for the Maintenance of the Vicar or Curate: And it any Leases or Grants of such forenamed Rectories have been made by you, since the First Day of June last past; and you did not ordain competent Augmentations of the Vicarages or Cures in the respective Places; Our Will is, that out of the Fines which you have received, or are to receive, you do add such Increase to the Vicars and Curates, as is agreeable to the Rates and Proportions formerly mentioned. And Our further Will is, that you do employ your Authority and Power, which by Law belongeth to you, as Ordinary, for the Augmentation of Vicarages, and Stipends of Curates; and that you do with Diligence proceed, in due Form of Law, for the raising and establishing convenient Maintenance for those who attend holy Duties in Parochial Churches: And if any Prebendary in any Church, the Corps of whose Prebend consists of Tythes, shall not observe these Our Commands; then We require you, or the Dean of that Church, to use all due Means in Law, where you or he hath Power, to compel them; or otherwise, that you report to the Bishop of the Diocese, where the said Corps do lie, that he may interpose his Authority for the fulfilling this Our Order: And if any Dean, or Dean and Chapter, or any that holdeth any Dignity or Prebend in that Cathedral, do not observe these our Commands; that you call them before you, and see this Our Will obeyed: And if you, or any Bishop, do not their Duty, either in their own Grants, or in seeing others to do it, then We will, that, upon Complaint, the Archbishop of the Province see all performed, according to this Our Declaration, Will, and Pleasure. And, whereas there are divers Rural Prebends, where the Vicarages are not sufficiently endowed; We require you to see, that these Our Commands be fully observed by them. And we do declare our Will and Pleasure, in all the Particulars forecited, to be, that if you, or any of your Successors, or any Dean, or Dean and Chapter, of that Our Cathedral Church, or any other Person, holding any Office, Benefice, or Prebend in the same, do, or shall, refuse or omit to observe these Our Commands; We shall judge them unworthy of Our future Favour, whensoever any Preferment Ecclesiastical shall be desired from them by Us. And, lastly, Our Will and Command is, that you and your Successors do, at or before the First Day of October, in every Year, render an Account to the Archbishop of how these Our Orders and Commands are observed; and the Archbishop may afterwards represent the same unto Us.

By his Majesty's Command,

Edw. Nicholas.

Thanks for Message.

Ordered, That the Members of this House, who are of his Majesty's Privy Council, and Sir Allen Broadrick, do present to his Majesty the humble Thanks of this House, for his gracious Message, this Day communicated by Sir Allen Broadrick; and the great Joy they take in the Goodness and Favour therein expressed to his People.

Bill ordered.

Resolved, That the Committee to whom the preparing of a Bill for restraining the granting Leases by Ecclesiastical Persons do hasten the perfecting thereof; and that they likewise prepare, and bring in, another Bill taking notice, in the Preamble thereof, of the Substance of his Majesty's Message, this Day communicated; and making Provision, pursuant thereunto, for settling a competent Maintenance out of Impropriations and Appropriations, for the Persons who shall officiate the Cure in such Rectories: And that Sir Henage Finch do take care hereof.

Ordered, That a Copy of his Majesty's Letter, this Day read, be delivered to Sir Henage Finch.

Dunkirk.

Whereas by an Order of the late Council of State, dated 20th April 1660, Order was taken for the paying, at the Receipt of Exchequer, by the Moiety of the Excise of Beer, Ale, Perry, Cyder, and Metheglin, to Edward Backwall Alderman of the City of London, the Sum of Four thousand Eight hundred Pounds, to be by him remitted to Dunkirk, for the Pay of the Forces of that Garrison; upon which Order there was paid, towards the said Sum of Four thousand Eight hundred Pounds, the Sum of Three thousand Seven hundred Seventy-four Pounds Seventeen Shillings and a Peny, and no more, according to a Certificate under the Hand of Sir Robert Pye, Auditor of the Receipt of Exchequer, dated the Tenth of July last; and so there remains unpaid, to complete the same, the Sum of One thousand Twenty-five Pounds Two Shillings Eleven-pence: And whereas by another Order of the said Council of State, dated 17th May 1660, Order is taken for paying, at the said Receipt, to the said Alderman Edward Backwell, for the Use aforesaid, the further Sum of Four thousand Eight hundred Pounds; of which the said Sir Robert Pye, by his Certificate, dated the Tenth of July last, certifies no Part to be paid:

Ordered, That the said Residue of the first Four thousand Eight hundred Pounds, viz. One thousand Twenty-five Pounds Two Shillings Eleven-pence, and the said second Four thousand Eight hundred Pounds, both amounting to Five thousand Eight hundred Twenty-five Pounds Two Shillings Eleven-pence, be paid at the said Receipt of Exchequer to the said Alderman Edward Backwell, or his Assigns; in full Satisfaction of the said Orders, to the Use therein expressed; and that the said Sir Robert Pye, and all other Officers of the said Receipt, whom the same concerns, do take care, in their respective Places, that the same be paid accordingly, out of the Money coming into the said Receipt by the Moiety of the said Excise. And this Order, together with the said Alderman Backwell's Acquittance, shall be a sufficient Discharge to the Person or Persons who shall pay the same.