House of Commons Journal Volume 6: 7 February 1649

Die Mercurii, 7 Februarii, 1648.

* * * * (fn. 1).

Preachers appointed.

ORDERED, That Mr. Marshall be desired to preach at Margaret's, Westminster, before this House, the next Day appointed for Publick Humiliation.

Mr. Gurdon is to give him notice thereof.

Ordered, That Mr. Cardicott be desired to preach at Margaret's, Westminster, before this House, the next Day appointed for Publick Humiliation.

Mr. Weaver is to give him notice hereof.

Irish Affairs.

A Letter from Bristoll, of the Fifth of February 1648, from William Cunn, Mayor of Bristoll, and Richard Aldworth; and another Letter from Bristoll, from the said Wm. Cunne, Richard Aldworth, and Roger Pyke, of the Fifth of February 1648, touching a Peace concluded between the Irish Rebels and the Englishe in Ireland; with the Examination of John Pyne therein inclosed, of the Fifth of February 1648; were all this Day read.

Sheriff of Suffolk.

Ordered, That Mr. * Wright * be nominated and approved of to be High Sheriff of the County of Suffolk: And that the Commissioners of the Great Seal of England do issue a Commission to him to be Sheriff of the said County accordingly.

Trying Earl Cambridge, &c.

Ordered, That all such Papers, Examinations, Letters, and Writings, which may concern the Process and Tryal. before the High Court of Justice, of James Earl of Cambridge, Earl of Holland, Lord Goring, Lord Capell, and Sir John Owen, or any of them, be brought with all Speed into the said Court of Justice, and delivered to the Clerk of the said High Court, by those Persons in whose Custody the said Papers and Writings be now remaining.

Abolishing Monarchy.

According to former Order, the House this Day took into Debate the Business of Kingship.

And the Question being propounded, That the House be turned into a Grand Committee, to debate the said Business;

It passed with the Negative.

Resolved, &c. That it hath been found by Experience, and this House doth declare, That the Office of a King in this Nation, and to have the Power thereof in any Single Person, is unnecessary, burdensome, and dangerous to the Liberty, Safety, and publick Interest of the People of this Nation; and therefore ought to be abolished: And that an Act be brought in, to that Purpose.

Ordered, That it be referred to the same Committee that is to bring in an Act for abolishing the House of Lords, to bring in this Act: And the Lord Grey and Mr. Challener are added to that Committee: And the especial Care hereof is commended to Mr. Lysle.

Seals of Courts.

Ordered, That the several Persons in whose Custody the Seals of the Exchequer, King's Bench, Common Pleas, Duchy, and the Seals for Statutes, . . . be required to deliver up the said several Seals unto the Committee appointed to consider for the Alteration of the Seals.

Ordered, That Sir Nathanael Brent be required to alter the Seal of the Prerogative Court, after the Form of the Great Seal.

Committee of Safety, &c.

Ordered, That the Committee of Safety, and the Committee at Derby House, and the Powers to them, and either of them, given, by any Order or Ordinance of Parliament, be absolutely dissolved, and taken away.

Council of State.

Ordered, That there be a Council of State erected, to act and proceed according to such Instructions as shall be given to them by this House: Mr. Lysle, Mr. Holland, Mr. Scott, Colonel Ludlow, Mr. Robinson, are to present to this House Instructions to be given to the Council of Estates; and likewise the Names of such Persons as they conceive fit to be of the Council of Estates, not exceeding the Number of Forty; with Power to send for Papers and Writings from Darbey House, or elsewhere.

Judges Commissions.

Ordered, That the Clerk of the Crown be required to prepare Commissions for the several Justices of the several Benches, and Barons of the Exchequer, with Blanks for the Names to be inserted into the several Commissions: And that the Commissions be drawn according to the Act for Alteration of Writs.

Great Seal.

Ordered, That the new Great Seal be brought to the House To-morrow Morning.

Judges Oath

Mr. Whitlock, Mr. Say, Mr. Love, Sir Thomas Widdrington, are to present to the House the Form of an Oath to be taken by the Judges, with such Alterations as they find convenient; and to bring it in To-morrow Morning.

Great Seal.

Ordered, That Sir Thomas Widdrington and Mr. Whitelock, Members of this House, and Two of the Commissioners for the Great Seal, be required to bring the Great Seal into this House To-morrow Morning.

Master of the Rolls.

Ordered, That the Clerk of the Crown be required to prepare a Commission for Mr. Speaker, as Master of the Rolls, to hear and determine Causes in the Chancery.

Judges.

Ordered, That the Lords Chief Justices and other Justices of the several Benches, the Lord Chief Baron and Barons of the Exchequer, be required to meet, with Mr. Speaker, Mr. Love, Mr. Say, and Mr. Hill, To-morrow Morning at Seven of the Clock, at the Rolls.

Sequestrations in Wales.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee of the Army, to confer with the Commissioners for Compositions in Wales; and thereupon to consider of taking off the Sequestrations of the poorer Sort in Wales; and report to this House.

Trial of Earl Cambridge, &c.

Ordered, That the Earl of Cambridge, Earl of Holland, Lord Goring, Lord Capell, and Sir John Owen, be brought to such Place, as the High Court of Justice, for the Trial of these Persons, shall appoint, to be under the Jurisdiction and Command of that Court.

Delinquents.

Ordered, That it be referred to a Committee, to bring in an Act for Discharging of all such Persons whose real and personal Estate is not of the Value of Two hundred Pounds, and who did not engage in the last War, from all Penalty of Composition or Sequestration; and pardoning their Delinquency: And Mr. Allen, Colonel Harvey, and Sir Wm. Brereton, are to bring in an Act to that Purpose.

Great Seal.

Ordered, That Mr. Love do bring in an Act to enable the new Commissioners of the Great Seal, and such as shall act upon it; and for nominating Sir Thomas Widdrington, and Mr. Whitelock, Two of the Persons in the said Act, for acting as Commissioners upon the said Great Seal.