March, 1646
[19 March, 1645/6.]
Ordinance concerning the Great Seal
The Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled do Order
and Ordain, and be it Ordained, That the Great Seal of England
shall be committed to the Custody and Keeping of the Persons
hereafter named, who are hereby ordained Commissioners for that
Purpose, for and during the Time of Six Months from the passing of this present Ordinance; that is to say, unto Henry Earl of
Kent and Oliver Earl of Bolingbrooke, Members of the House
of Peers; and unto Oliver St. John Esquire His Majesty's
Solicitor General, John Wild Serjeant at Law, Samuell Browne
and Edmond Prideaux Esquires, Members of the House of
Commons, which said Persons are hereby constituted and
appointed to be Commissioners for the Custody of the said
Great Seal of England, during the Time aforesaid; and they, or
any Three or more of them (whereof One of the said Earls, or
both of them, to be present), shall have, and are hereby
authorized to have, the Custody, Keeping, Ordering, and
Disposing thereof; as also all such and the like Powers and
Authorities as any Lord Chancellor, or Lord Keeper, or Commissioners of the Great Seal, for the Time being, hath lawfully
had and used, or ought to have had or used.