House of Commons Journal Volume 1: 26 April 1621

Jovis, 26o Aprilis

Highways, &c.

Mr. Speaker delivereth a Message from the King, concerning Highways. - Shacbolt and Norton commanded by him to attend the House, or a Committee.

- Bridges also.

Committed, generally for all England, to all Knights of Shires : And whosoever will come, to have Voice. -

Specially to provide against all extraordinary great Carriages. Mr. Solicitor specially to attend. - Tuesday next, in the Afternoon, in the Star-chamber.

This Committee to consider also of all Bills, in the House, for Highways, or Bridges.

Catechizing.

L. 1a. An Act for the Catechizing and Instruction of Children. - Delivered by Mr. Savage.

Pluralities

L. 1a. An Act against Plurality of Benefices, and Non-residency.

Recusants.

L. 1a. An Act for the Explanation of former Laws made against Popish Recusants, and for the Preventing or Avoiding of the Evasions practised for the Defrauding of the true Execution of those Laws.

Merchants of the Staple.

L. 1a. An Act restoring the free Trade of the Merchants of the Staple, for the Exportation of Cloth, and all other Manufactures made of Wools, into Parts beyond the Seas.

Kendall Tenants.

Sir Tho. Trevor reporteth the Bill for Kendall Tenants, with Amendments ; which twice read. - Engrossetur.

Pomfrett Return.

Monday next, for the Sheriff of Yorke to bring in his Return for Pomfrett.

Women Felons.

L. 3. An Act concerning Women convicted of small Felonies : - Upon Question, passed.

Durham Franchise.

L. 3a. An Act that the County Palatyne of Durham shall have Knights, Citizens, and Burgesses, to serve in the Commons House of Parliament: - Upon Question, passed.

Grievances, &c.

Sir Ro. Phillippes : - By a Committee to take a View of the Grievances; to have the principal selected ; and the most best and publick Bills to be preferred: And for Reformation of Trade. - To defer the rest, till next Session.

French Patent.

Sir ... Newport delivereth in a Petition against the French Patent.

Grievances.

Mr. Hackwyll: - A little Time spent, to set Businesses in Order, will husband much Time. - Particularly mentioneth the Grievances here condemned. - The Clerk to collect a Catalogue of the Things condemned here: Then a Committee, of some 12, may be appointed, to consider of those already condemned, and of those which shall be.

- That a Report may be made from the Committee. -

That certain Days may, by this Committee, be appointed, for hearing Grievances of Patents; and the Particulars be resolved upon before, that they may attend accordingly.

Committee of Statutes.

For Committee of Statutes ; that those who have the Charge therein, may be spared in other Committees. -

Bills.

This Committee to select out the most fit Bills, and proceed with them. -

Pardon.

A Petition to be made to the King, for the Enlargement of the Pardon. - Divers Precedents hereof. - A Committee for this.

Sir Sam. Sands: - Not to petition the King about the Pardon, nor appoint any Committee about it. - The King delivered to us his Resolution to do more for us than we could desire. - Not to pre-occupate the King's Grace. - For the Grievances, concurreth with Sir Ro. Phillippes. - A Committee, to survey the State of the Business of the House. The general Bills first, then the private.

Mr. Wentworth: - Two Causes now to take special Care of the Pardon: 1. To let the King know, how the Grace of Pardons have declined ever sithence 5 or 13 Eliz. 2ly, 50o Ed. III. because that a Jubilee, would make a large Pardon. - This the first Parliament after the King's Age of 50, and being a King. - That the Business for Rectifying Courts of Justice, may specially be respected.

Sir H. Poole: - Not fit now to meddle with the Pardon, lest it stir that we would not be willing to hear. - Omnia tempus habent.

Business of the House.

A Committee, to consider of the State of all the Business of the House, and to report to the House.

Sir Edw. Sands: - That the Sub-committees of the Vacation may report to the Committee now to be named, their Proceedings. - Ordered. -

All the Privy Council of the House, Sir Ro. Phillippes, Sir Edw. Sands, Sir Sam. Sands, Sir Francis Darcy, Sir Francis Barrington, Sir Francis Seymor, Mr. Jo. Cooke, Sir Tho. Low, Sir Edw. Gyles, Mr. Alford, Sir D. Digges, Sir Peter Fretchwell, Mr. Hackwill, Mr. Drake, Sir Nath. Rich, Mr. Pymme, Mr. Glanvyle, Sir Ro. Vernon, Sir Francis Goodwynn, Sir Rich. Tichborne, Sir Jo. Jephson, Sir H. Poole, Sir Edw. Mountagew, Sir Geor. Moore, Sir Ro. Askew, Sir H. Withrington, Sir Tho. Barrington, Mr. Chancellor Duchy, Sir Edw. Cecill, Mr. Mallory, Mr. Wentworth, Sir Wm. Strowde, Sir Rich. Lovelace, Sir Rich. Weyneman, Sir Wm. Herbert, Mr. Wentworth, Sir Myles Fletewood, Sir Tho. Hobby, Sir Jo. Crompton :

- This Afternoon, at Two of the Clock in the Star-chamber.

This Committee also to consider, and report, which Businesses they think fittest to have Priority.

Irish Affairs.

Sir Jo. Jephson moveth concerning the Abuses in Ireland. - The late Rebellion there occasioned by Defects in Government. Ireland as ready now to shake off the Yoke of this Kingdom, and as just Cause now, as ever. As great Abuses now there, as ever. A general Defection there to Popery. - Religion the best Tye to Princes.

- Wrong, Robbery, and Oppression, in the Guides and Lights there. - A Tale, - Monopolies not many there, the Country affordeth not Means; yet some, and sharp ones. - Hath himself, these Two Years past, paid, for a Monopoly for Timber upon his own Grounds, 70l. per Annum, - Few Inns. - 6d. for every Christening, to a Monopolist: So for Marrying, Burying, - Moveth Consideration thereof here, for Redress. - The Plantation there, by English, no Security. - A Committee for this; that, by us, the King may be informed.

Serjeant Davys: - Ireland a Member of England. If therefore such Grievances there, we ought to commiserate them. - Greater Reformation there sithence the King's Time, than ever sithence the Conquest. - The Monopoly of Christenings, &c. and of Ale-houses, complained of: The King heard it, and took away the Alehouses, and restrained the other. -

That we cannot make an Act of Parliament, to bind Ireland.

Sir J. Perrott; - Many grievous Oppressions in Ireland.

- Heretofore, as sore Arms To this Body; now, as withered Arms. - Selling of Sheriffwicks by the Deputy.

Sir Ro. Phillippes: - 1. To consider of the Grievances there. 2ly, To have a Committee appointed for it. - That the Irish Gentlemen, and Officers, now in Town, may attend the Committee, and inform of the State of that Country.

Sir Edw. Coke: - This Cause weighty; therefore our Proceedings wary. - An licet, an convenit; the Two main Props of all Consultations. - Ireland never totally reduced, till the King's Time: Ever a Back-door in the North there. The King now the Honour to reduce that torn Kingdom into a Monarchy. - If Ireland, our Backdoor, not safe, we may be undone : If Ireland safe, our Navy in Order, the Low Countries our Friends, careth not for Turke, Pope, nor any other Enemy whatsoever. -

If we can learn any thing, that may hinder the Perfecting of this good Work, or may prejudice that Kingdom, and consequently this, we bound to make it known to the King. -

- Never knew any Complaint, made to the King, of any Abuse, out of Parliament, but the King gave Order to reform it.-

That the King hath reduced the Charge of Ireland to 20,000 l. per Annum. - If all the Grist to the right Mill, might advance the King's Revenue, and cost him nothing.- -

Every Parliament, and so this, hath received Petitions for Grievances of Ireland. - A Member of England; The Laws like ours. A Writ of Error from Ireland into the King's Bench here. A Parliament there now sithence Poyninges Law, 10 H. VII. - All the Grievances of Ireland never complained of out of Parliament: Those, now here complained of against great ones, would never have been out of Parliament. -

1. A Committee : 2ly, To confer - the Lords.

All the Privy Council, Sir Edw. Coke, Mr. Chancellor Duchy, Sir Jo. Jephson, Mr. Jo. Cooke, Sir Peter Hamon, Sir Sam. Sands, Serjeant Davys, Sir Rich. Morrison, Sir Ro. Phillippes, Mr. Jo. Murrey, Sir Edw. Cecill, Sir H. Fane, Sir J. Perrott, Lord Cavendish, Sir Edm. Morgan, Captain Brett, Sir Char. Mountague, Sir Tho. Jermyn, Mr. Nicholles, Sir Ro. Vernon, Sir Francis Barrington, Mr. Nevill, Sir Geor. Manners: All, that will come, to have Voice: - Tuesday, Two of the Clock, in the Star-chamber. This Committee Power to send for any Irish Gentlemen, or others, being in Town, to inform them, &c.

Informers.

Sir Edw. Coke reporteth from the Conference with the Lords, concerning the Bill of Informers. - That they told the Lords, if these Caterpillars not removed, the King could have no Supply. That the Lords have expressed a great Liking. -

" Penal Statutes," put in for " Law or Statute." - Would have had the Indictment to be out. - Not consented to : For would have been never a whit the better. -

Lord Treasurer, as full for the Bill as any. - Lake, Sheffeild, Wentworth, Russell. -

That the King's Attorney at Liberty, by this Bill: This now helped, by restraining, that he shall not inform, but in the proper County. -

That the Officers no Will, this Bill should have passed.

- Newgate stuck much in their Stomack. - This Bill hath been read upon. -

" Or in usual Places," for " the same County."

Justices of Peace.

Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer to inform the King of the Desire of this House, to have the Multitude of the Justices of Peace reformed.

Master of the Wards: - That this Matter moved here, in the Beginning of this Parliament, by Sir D. D. That the Lord Chancellor confessed to the King, it was out of Order. That he, being by, moved, it might be reduced to the Number in the Queen Eliz. Time. That not embraced by the Lord Chancellor; but consented, a View should be taken, in Presence of some principal Men of each Shire.

This to be further advised upon.