Die Jovis, 2 Aprilis, Car. IIdl Regis.

Prayers.

MRS. Abigall Holland, Daughter of Sir John Holland Baronet, did, this Day, take the Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance at the Clerk's Table, in order to her being naturalized.

Restoring Wadeson.

Ordered, That Mr. Knight, Mr. Aldworth, Mr. Trelawney, Sir Tho. Meres, Mr. Rashleigh, Mr. Specot, be added to the Committee to which the Bill concerning Mr. Wadeson is committed.

Exchequer Decrees.

A Bill for Confirming of Two Decrees made in the Exchequer, was this Day read the First time.

Resolved, &c. That this Bill be read the Second time, on Saturday Morning next.

Enfeild Chace.

A Petition of divers Inhabitants in Enfeild Chace, was this Day read.

Ordered, That this Petition be committed to the same Committee to which the Bill concerning the Poor of Enfeild Chace is committed.

Briscoe's Portion.

Sir John Birkinhead reports from the Committee to which the Bill for the Impowering of Sir John Drake Knight and Baronet, and others, to make Sale of the Manor of Limington in the County of Somerset, for Payment of the Portion of Ellen Briscoe Widow, one of the Daughters of Sir John Drake Knight, deceased, was committed, several Amendments to the said Bill: Which he read, with the Coherence, in his Place; and, after, delivered the same in at the Clerk's Table: And the Amendments, being twice read, were, upon the Question, severally agreed to.

Resolved, &c. That the Bill, with the Amendments agreed to, be ingrossed.

Huntington, &c. Roads.

A Petition of the Inhabitants of the Towns of Huntington, Goodmanchester, and other Towns in Huntingtonshire, was read.

Resolved, &c. That this Petition be referred to the same Committee to which the Bill for Repair of the Highways of Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire, is committed; to consider, whether they can conveniently make Provision, in that Bill, for the Repairing of Highways, mentioned in the Petition; or, whether it be not fit to have a new Bill brought in for that Purpose.

London Streets, &c.

Ordered, That the Committee appointed to review the Act for repairing the Highways and Sewers, and for paving and keeping clean the Cities of London and Westminster, and for the Regulating and Licensing of Hackney Coachmen, do take an Account, from the Commissioners, what they have done in that Work; and what Money is received, and disbursed therein; and do hasten their Report upon that Act.

Lyndsey Level.

Sir John Birkinghead reports from the Committee to whom the Two Bills concerning the Draining of Lyndsey Level are committed, the Opinion of the Committee, That the House be desired to appoint a Day for the Hearing of the whole Matter at the Bar of their House; thereby to determine by whom the said Fens shall be drained.

Resolved, &c. That the Matter upon the Two Bills depending in this House, for the Draining of Lyndsey Level, be heard at the Bar of this House, on this Day Month.

Ministers Maintenance.

The House then resolved itself into a Committee of the whole House, to proceed on the Bill for the Increase of the Maintenance of Ministers in Cities, Towns Corporate, and Market Towns.

Mr. Speaker left the Chair.

Sir Thomas Meres took the Chair of the Committee.

Mr. Speaker re-assumed the Chair.

Sir Thomas Meres reports, That the Committee had made some further Progress in the said Bill; and the Opinion of the Committee, That the House would, on Saturday next, at Ten of the Clock in the Morning, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to take the said Bill into further Consideration.

Resolved, &c. That the House, on Saturday next, at Ten of the Clock in the Morning, will resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to take into further Consideration the Bill for Increase of the Maintenance of Ministers in Cities, Towns Corporate, and Market Towns.

A Message from the Lords, by Sir Thomas Bennett and Sir Justinian Lewen;

Lords desire a Conference.

Mr. Speaker, The Lords have sent us to acquaint you, That they desire a present Conference in the Painted Chamber, touching a Message newly received from his Majesty.

The Messengers being called in; Mr. Speaker does acquaint them, That the House had agreed to a present Conference with the Lords in the Painted Chamber.

Ordered, That Mr. Solicitor General, Sir Job Charlton, Sir Robert Atkyns, Mr. Mountague, Mr. Vaughan, Serjeant Keeling, and Sir John Holland, do attend this Conference with the Lords; and report the same to the House.

Sir Heneage Finch reports from the Conference had with the Lords, That the Effect of it was, to communicate a Message to this House, which the Lords had received from his Majesty (with Directions to impart it to the House of Commons), in Answer to the Petition of both Houses, presented to his Majesty: Which Answer being in Writing, was read; and after, delivered in at the Clerk's Table; and then read again: Which is as followeth; viz.

Charles R

Answer to Representation.

HIS Majesty having seriously considered and weighed the humble Representation and Petition of his Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, and the great Affection and Duty with which the same was presented unto him; and after having made some Reflections upon Himself, and His own Actions; is not a little troubled, that his Lenity and Condescensions towards many of the Popish Persuasion, which were but natural Effects of His Generosity and Good-nature, and after having lived so many Years in the Dominions of Roman Catholick Princes, and out of a just Memory of what many of them had done and suffered in the Service of his Royal Father, of blessed Memory, and of some eminent Services performed by others of them towards His Majesty Himself, in the Time of His greatest Affliction, have been made so ill Use of, and so ill deserved, that the Resort of Jesuits and Priests, into this Kingdom, hath been thereby increased; with which his Majesty is, and hath long been, highly offended: And, therefore, His Majesty readily concurs with the Advice of His Two Houses of Parliament; and hath given Order for the Preparing and Issuing out such a Proclamation as is desired; with the same Clause, referring to the Treaty of Marriage, as was in the Proclamation, which, upon the like Occasion, issued out, upon the Advice of both Houses of Parliament, in the Year 1640: And His Majesty will take further care, that the same shall be effectual, at least to a greater Degree than any Proclamation of this Kind hath ever been: And his Majesty further declares, and assures both His Houses of Parliament, and all His loving Subjects of all His Dominions, That, as His Affection and Zeal for the Protestant Religion, and the Church of England, hath not been concealed, or untaken Notice of in the World; so He is not, nor ever will be, so solicitous for the settling His own Revenue, or providing any other Expedients for the Peace and Tranquillity of the Kingdom, as for the Advancement and Improvement of the Religion established; and for the using and applying all proper and effectual Remedies, to hinder the Growth of Popery: Both which He doth, in Truth, look upon as the best Expedient to establish the Peace and Prosperity of all His Kingdoms.

Given at Our Court at Whitehall, the First Day of April 1663, in the Fifteenth Year of Our Reign.

Thanks for Message.

Resolved, &c. That the humble Thanks of this House be returned to the King's Majesty, for his gracious Message.

Resolved, &c. That the Concurrence of the Lords be desired to this Vote: And that Mr. Solicitor General do go to the Lords, to desire their Concurrence.

Marq. of Worcester's Water Engine.

A Message from the Lords, by Sir Thomas Bennet and Sir Justinian Lewen;

Mr. Speaker, The Lords have sent you down a Bill to enable Edward Marquis of Worcester to receive the Benefit and Profit of a Water-commanding Engine, by him invented; One Tenth Part whereof is appropriated for the Benefit of the King's Majesty, his Heirs and Successors: To which they desire the Concurrence of this House.

Ordered, That this Bill be read To-morrow Morning.

And then the House adjourned till To-morrow Morning, Eight of the Clock.