House of Commons Journal Volume 6: 12 October 1649

Die Veneris, 12 Octobris, 1649.

Prayers.

The Engagement.

ACCORDING to the Vote Yesterday, Mr. Speaker, and divers Members of the House, did this Day subscribe the Engagement.

Resolved, by the Parliament, That the Style heretofore used in the Orders and Acts of this House; viz. "by the Commons, in Parliament assembled;" be altered, and no more henceforth used; but instead thereof, these Words; viz. "by the Parliament."

Resolved, by the Parliament, That the Title of the Engagement be altered and made, "Resolved, by the Parliament."

Ordered, by the Parliament, That the General, and all the Officers and Soldiers of the Army, and also such as are in Garison, and all that be, and shall be, admitted into the Army, do subscribe this Engagement: And that a Letter be sent to the General, signed by Mr. Speaker, with the said Engagement inclosed, for that Purpose.

Resolved, by the Parliament, That the like Letter and Order be sent to the Lieutenant of Ireland, to observe the same Course in the Army and Garisons there.

Resolved, by the Parliament, That the like Letter and Order be sent to the Lords Commissioners for the Great Seal of England, and to the Chief Justices, and other the Justices of the several Courts at Westminster, that they subscribe the said Engagement: And that they cause the same to be subscribed by all the Serjeants at Law, Counsellors, Officers, Ministers, and Clerks, belonging to the said several Courts; and by all Attornies and Solicitors that practise in the said Courts respectively, before they be admitted to practise in any or either of the Courts.

Ordered, by the Parliament, That the like Letter to be written to the Lord Mayor of London, to subscribe, and cause the said Engagement to be subscribed by the Aldermen, Recorder, and Common Council of the said City: And that the Judges of the several Courts within the Jurisdiction of the said City; and all the Practisers, Officers, Ministers, and Clerks, in all and every the said Courts, do subscribe the said Engagement.

Ordered, by the Parliament, That the General, the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, the Lords Commissioners of the Great Seal of England, the Chief Justices of the Upper Bench, and Common Pleas, and Chief Baron of the Exchequer, do, by or before the First Day of January next, certify under their Hands respectively, the Subscriptions so made by or before them, close sealed up, to the Clerk of the Parliament, together with the Names of such Persons, as by the said Vote of Parliament are so to subscribe the said Engagement, and shall refuse or neglect to do the same by that time.

Ordered, by the Parliament, That the Lord Mayor of the City of London, for the Time being, do, by and before the First Day of January next, certify, under his Hand, unto the Clerk of the Parliament, close sealed up, the Subscriptions so made by the Persons aforesaid, together with the Names of such Persons, as shall refuse or neglect to do the same.

Ordered, by the Parliament of England, That the Generals of the Fleet at Sea, and all Officers, Mariners, and Seamen under them; and also the Commissioners of the Navy, and all Officers, Ministers, and others, serving in the several Yards belonging to the Navy; and likewise the Commissioners of the Customs, and all other Officers and Ministers of the Customs in the Port of London, and Out Ports, do forthwith subscribe the said Engagement.

Ordered, by the Parliament, That the Judges of the Court of Admiralty, together with all the Officers and Clerks belonging to the said Court; and likewise the Governors and Brethren of the Trinity House; be required to subscribe the said Engagement.

Ordered, by the Parliament, That Sir Nathaniell Brent do subscribe the said Engagement; and cause the same to be subscribed by all Civilians, Advocates, Proctors, and Agents, that practise in any of the Courts of the Civil Law; and all other Officers and Clerks belonging to the said Court, before they be admitted to practise.

Ordered, by the Parliament, That the Readers and Benchers of the several Inns of Court be required to subscribe the said Engagement; and to cause all Persons that shall hereafter be called to the Bar, of either of the said Inns of Court, to subscribe the said Engagement before their Call to the Bar be published.

Resolved, by the Parliament, That the Principals of every of the Inns of Chancery be required to subscribe the said Engagement; and to cause the same Engagement to be subscribed by all Persons who are, or shall be, Members of their several and respective Societies.

Ordered, by the Parliament, That all and every Person and Persons that now do, or shall any time hereafter, act as Members of any Committee, or as Commissioners, in any of the Counties within England and Wales, and all other Persons acting under, or by virtue of, any Act or Ordinance of Parliament, or as Commissioners in any Commission of Sewers, or charitable Uses, do subscribe the said Engagement: And that the Council of State do take care, that the same be done accordingly.

Ordered, by the Parliament, That all Stewards of Hundred Courts, Sheriffs Torns, Courts Leet, and Courts Baron, in the several Counties, and Bailiffs, and other Officers of the said several Courts, and all Masters of Hospitals, Keepers of Gaols and Prisons, in London, and all other Cities, Boroughs, and Towns Corporate, and all other Places in England, Wales, and Town of Berwick, do subscribe the said Engagement.

Resolved, by the Parliament, That the Lieutenant of the Tower of London, and all the Officers and Ministers under him, and all the Officers of the Office of the Ordnance and Mint, and all other Officers within the Tower of London, do subscribe the said Engagement.

Ordered, by the Parliament, That the several Governors of Plantations, now resident in England, with all their Deputies, Assistants, Agents, Ministers, and Officers, do subscribe the said Engagement, before they do execute or act any thing in their several and respective Places: And that the Council of State do take Order the same be done accordingly.

Ordered, by the Parliament, That all Officers and Ministers, in all Cities, Boroughs, and Towns Corporate, or that shall hereafter be admitted into any of the said Offices and Places within England and Wales, and Town of Berwick upon Tweede, do subscribe the said Engagement.

Ordered, by the Parliament, That the Committees for regulating the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, do cause all the Heads of Houses, Colleges, and Halls, and all Fellows of Houses, in the several Universities, and all Graduates and Officers that are or shall be of and in the said Universities, or either of them, to take the said Engagement: And that from henceforth no Person be admitted to take any Degree, or bear any Office, in either of the said Universities, before he hath subscribed the said Engagement.

Resolved, by the Parliament, That all and every the Masters, Fellows, Schoolmasters, and Scholars, in all and every the Colleges of Eaton, Winchester, and Westminster, do take the said Engagement.

The Engagement.

Ordered, by the Parliament, That it be referred to the Council of State, to take care, and give Direction, that the said Engagement be subscribed, according to the Votes aforesaid; and to require Returns to be made to the said Council from the respective Persons before whom such Subscriptions are to be made; as also Certificites of the Names of the Persons refusing or neglecting to subscribe, by such convenient time as the said Councal shall appoint; so as the said Council may return the same to the Clerk of the Parliament at or upon the First Day of January next.

Ordered, by the Parliament, That no Minister be hereafter admitted to any Benefice, until he shall have subscribed the said Engagement.

Resolved, by the Parliament, That the Lords Commissioners of the Great Seal, Committee of plundered Ministers, and Committees in the several Counties, do take care, that the same be observed accordingly.

Resolved, by the Parliament, That no Minister, being a Member of the Assembly of Divines, shall sit or act as a Member of that Assembly, until be shall have first subscribed the aforesaid Engagement, before the Committee of plundered Ministers.

Resolved, by the Parliament, That neither the Committee of Goldsmiths Hall, the Committee of plundered Ministers, or any other Committee, do hereafter grant or allow any new Augmentation to any Minister, until such Minister shall have first subscribed the said Engagement.

Resolved, by the Parliament, That all such Ministers as now have Augmentations from any Committee of Parliament, or any Committees in the several Counties, and shall not subscribe the said Engagement, and cause the same to be certified, within Three Months now next coming, unto the Committee for plundered Ministers, be from thenceforth incapable of receiving any such Augmentation.

Resolved, by the Parliament, That no Person be paid, by the Committee of the Revenue, to any Person whatsoever, until he hath first subscribed this Engagement.

Ordered, by the Parliament, That these Orders and Votes be printed and published.

Resolved, by the Parliament, That every Minister, who shall hereafter be presented to any Benefice within England and Wales, and Town of Berwick, shall, within Six Months after such Presentation, subscribe the said Engagement publickly, in the Face of the Congregation, in that Church to which he is presented; or, in Default thereof, such Presentation to be void: And that Mr. Corbett do bring in an Act to that Purpose; and likewise to repeal the former Act of Parliament touching the Reading of the Book of Articles, &c.

Resolved, by the Parliament, That all such Members of this House as are admitted to sit in the House, be summoned to attend the Service of this House, on Thisday-month: And that the Committee for Admission of Members do prepare a Letter, to be subscribed by Mr. Speaker, to be sent to the several Sheriffs, to make the said Summons accordingly.

Resolved, by the Parliament, That it be referred to a Committee, to see the Subscription of all such Members of this House as have not subscribed this Engagement, and all others that shall be elected to sit in the House, before they be admitted: The Lord Commissioner Whitlock, Mr. Garland, Mr. Thomas Challenor, Mr. Millington, Mr. Trenchard, Mr. Leman, Colonel Venn, Colonel Rich, Mr. Holland, Mr. Nevill, Colonel Sidney, Mr. Hill, Mr. Myles Corbett, Mr. John Corbett, Mr. Lister, Mr. Oldsworth, Mr. Rawley, Mr. Long, Lord Lysle, Sir Henry Vane, junior, Mr. Robinson, Mr. Whittacre, Mr. Wylde, Mr. James Ashe, Sir James Harrington, Mr. James Challener, Colonel Fleetwood, Mr. John Ashe, Colonel Ludlowe, Colonel Harvey, Colonel Jones, Mr. Scott, Colonel Feilder, Mr. Hodges, Mr. Marten, Mr. John Goodwyn; or any One of them: With Power to take the said Subscriptions.

Resolved, by the Parliament, That no Person who shall be returned to serve as a Member of Parliament, do presume to sit in the House, until he shall have subscribed the said Engagement, and the House give Order for his Admission.

Malignant Ministers.

Resolved, by the Parliament, That the Lords Commissioners for the Great Seal of England be hereby authorized and impowered to examine such Abuses as have been put upon them, or any former Commissioners for the Great Seal, by Certificates given on the Behalf of malignant and ill-affected Ministers, who have thereupon obtained Presentations; and to revoke, annul, and make void, by Letters of Repeal, or otherwise, all such Presentations which have been granted, either by themselves, or by any former Commissioners of the Great Seal, upon such Certificates, or Misinformation, whereby they have been surprised or abused.

Crown Lands.

Ordered, by the Parliament, That the Debate touching the General's Letter, concerning Stay of the Sale of the Crown Lands, be taken up on Tuesday Morning next, the first Business; nothing to intervene: And that the Contractors, Trustees, and all other Officers for Sale of the said Lands, do forbear to send forth or publish any Surveys of any of the said Lands, or to make any Sale of any of the said Lands in the mean time.

Ordered, by the Parliament, That the House doth adjourn itself until Tuesday Morning next, at Eight a Clock.