March 1660
[15 March 1659–60]
Whereas the lord General Monke and others in and by one
Act made this Parliament bearing date the 25th of Feb: 1659 are
appointed a Councell of State. Bee it Enacted that they or any
nine of them in Councill assembled be further Authorized to send
for and examine any person or persons by them suspected to be
dangerous to the publique peace or safety of these Nations, and
to prison or secure him or them by bond or otherwise if that they
or any nine of them shall in their Judgements think that the
same be fit and requisite to be done for the said peace and safety.
And it is further Enacted That the said Councill Acting therein
or otherwise in pursuance of Instructions given by Parliament in
order to the publique safety dureing the Intervall of Parliament
shall be Indempnified therein, And the Judgement thereof is
reserved only to the Parliament.
Be it enacted by the present Parliament and the authority
thereof That in case there shall fall out to be any Obstruction in
the levying and rayseing of Moneyes intended to be leavyed and
raysed by an Act intituled an Act for an Assessment of 100000li
by the Month upon England Scotland and Ireland for six Months
beareing date January 26 1659 not sufficiently provided for by the
said Act, That it shall and may be lawfull to and for the Councell of
State appointed by Parliament either by nameing New Commissioners out of such as are Commissioners for the Militia or removeing such Commissioners as they find shall obstruct the leavying or
payment of the same, or by such other ways and meanes in
pursuance of the said Act as they judge best for the advantage
of the Commonwealth to remove the said Obstructions, And all
orders by them made In pursuance thereof shalbe as good
and effectuall in the Law to all intents and purposes as if the
same had been expressly provided for in the Act aforesaid Any
Law Statute or Ordnance to the Contrary in any wise
Notwithstanding.
[12 March 1659–60]
Mr. Annesly reports from the Councell of State That power
may be giuen to the Councell of State to issue their Warrants
to the Commissioners for the great Seale for the authorizeing
them to passe under the great Seale such Commissioners or
plenipotencies as the Councell shall find necessary for forraigne
Ministers imployed from this Comonwealth and perticularly for
those imployed to Sweden—which was read.
Resolued &c. That this further power be granted to the
Councell of State.
[17 March 1659–60]
Resolved &c.
That the Parliament doth agree with the Councell of State
that this further Instruction be giuen to the Counsell of State
That the Councell of State Doe authorize all Justices of the
peace in the seuerall Sheriffdomes of Scotland and such
others as the Commissioners for manageing and Governeing
of the affaires of Scotland shall appoint to be Commissioners
for the present Assessment there, and that such others named
for Commissioners being named in the Commissions of the
peace and shall not act as Justices of the peace, Doe not
intermeddle as Commissioners for the Assessments in any case.