House of Commons Journal Volume 6: 10 January 1651

Die Veneris, 10 Januarii, 1650.

Prayers.

Marriages.

AN Act impowering the Lords Commissioners for Custody of the Great Seal to issue Commissions of Delegates, in Cases of pretended Marriages, was this Day read.

A Proviso was tendered to the said Act: "Provided also, That if any Person whatsoever, that hath never been married, and hath a Father or Mother living, shall marry without the Consent of the Father, or of the Mother, the Father being dead, that such Person being, in the Manner aforesaid, convicted of the said Offence, shall suffer Twelve Months Imprisonment, and forfeit a Moiety of their Portion to the State: And that the Person that shall be married to any such Person, being convicted in manner aforesaid, shall suffer Two Years Imprisonment; and forfeit Two Thirds of their Estate to the Benefit of the State."

Which was read the First time; and laid aside.

Resolved, That "and," in Two several Places in this Act, be made "or;" and that "Chapter the Second," and "Chapter the Third," be put out of the Act.

The Question being propounded, That this Bill be Committed;

The House was divided.

The Yeas went forth.

So it passed with the Negative.

The Question being put, That this Bill be ingrossed;

The House was divided.

The Yeas went forth.

So it passed with the Negative.

The said Act, being put to the Question, passed: And ordered to be forthwith printed and published.

Administrations.

Ordered, That the Bill touching Administrations be brought in on Thursday Morning next.

Screw Mills, &c.

Ordered, That it be referred to a Committee, to bring in an Act for preventing the Mischiefs by Screw Mills, and other Instruments of like Nature, for breaking open Doors and Houses: Viz. unto Mr. Stephens, Alderman Allen, Colonel Dove, Mr. Strickland, Mr. Pury, Colonel Morley, Sir Henry Mildmay, Mr. Lechmere, Mr. Garland, Mr. John Goodwin, Mr. Browne, Mr. Robinson, Mr. Challoner; or any Three of them.

Embassy from Portugall.

Resolved, That Eleven Members of this House be nominated and appointed a Committee, to go and give Audience to the publick Minister of the King of Portugall; and to receive what he shall offer; and report it to the Parliament: Viz. unto Sir Henry Vane, Sir William Armyn, Mr. Bond, Lord Commissioner Whitelock, Lord Commissioner Lisle, Major General Harrison, Mr. Attorney, Sir John Danvers, Sir John Hippisley, Colonel Marten, Mr. Thomas Challoner.

Marriages.

Resolved, That a Committee be appointed to bring in An Act to avoid Abuses in Marriages: Viz. Sir Thomas Widdrington, Mr. Stephens, Mr. Hill, Mr. Lechmere, Mr. Pury, Mr. Dormer, Mr. Hodges; or any Three of them: And this Committee are to meet this Afternoon at Two of the Clock, in the Speaker's Chamber; and so de die in diem: And Sir Thomas Widdrington, and Mr. Hill are to have Care of it.

Apprehending Thieves, &c.

Sir Henry Mildmay reports from the Council of State,

" That this Council is informed, That the Highways near London are very much insested with Thieves and Robbers: That the Parliament be therefore moved, that the Act, made last Year, for the Suppressing of them, may be again put in Force for such Time as they shall think sit; and with such further Encouragement to those who shall apprehend such Thieves and Robbers, as to them shall seem meet."

Resolved, by the Parliament, That such Person or Persons who shall at any time within the Space of One whole Year, viz. from the Tenth Day of January 1650, unto the Tenth of January 1651, apprehend, and bring in safe Custody, before any Justice of Peace, or any other Officer of Justice, any Person that hath committed, or shall commit, any Burglary, or any Robbery on the Highway, or that hath or shall break open any Dwelling-house, or enter into any such House, and there use any Violence upon any Persons or their Goods, dwelling or residing there, upon the Conviction of such Person apprehended, shall have a Reward of Ten Pounds for every such Person so apprehended and convicted.

Ordered, by the Parliament, That all and every the Sheriff and Sheriffs of the respective Counties in England and Wales, where such Apprehension and Conviction shall be made and had, be required, upon the Certificate of the Judge, or under the Hands of Two or more Justices of the Peace, before whom such Conviction shall be made, to pay unto such Person or Persons who shall apprehend such Offender, the Reward aforesaid of Ten Pounds, for every Offender so apprehended and convicted, out of the Publick Monies received by him in that County: And that the same shall be allowed unto him, upon his Accompts, in the Exchequer.

Ordered, by the Parliament, That these Two last Orders be forthwith printed and published.

Sheriff of Kent.

Resolved, by the Parliament, That George Curtis, of Charta, Esquire, be, and is hereby nominated and approved of to be, Sheriff of the County of Kent for the Year next ensuing: And that the Lords Commissioners for the Great Seal of England do issue forth a Commission to him to be Sheriff of the said County, accordingly.

Guarding Treasuries.

Resolved, That Colonel Barksted be, and is hereby, required to appoint Four of his Soldiers to lodge every Night at Worcester House; and Four other of his Soldiers to lodge every Night at Guildhall; for the better securing the Treasuries there, from time to time, as the Treasurers at War shall appoint.

Gift to Lewis.

Resolved, That George Lewis have Five Pounds out of the Box: And that the Serjeant at Arms attending the House do pay the same to him, accordingly.

Members Fine.

Resolved, That the Order for paying Twelve-pence to the Poor, by all such Members as shall not attend the Service of the House by Nine of the Clock, be from henceforth taken off: And that the Arrears of the said Twelvepence be paid.

Army Committees, &c.

An Act for the Continuance of the Committees of the Army, and Treasurers at War, was this Day read the First and Second time.

And the Question being put, That the said Act be committed;

It passed with the Negative.

And the Question being put, That the said Act be ingrossed;

It passed with the Negative.

And the Act, being put to the Question, passed: And

It is Ordered, That the said Act be forthwith printed and published.

Receipts and Issues.

Ordered, That the Act for Receipts and Issues be reported on Tuesday sevennight, the first Business; nothing to intervene: And that Mr. Speaker put the House in mind thereof.

Ordered, That Mr. Speaker do take the Chair on Wednesday Morning, Ten of Clock.

Delinquents Estates.

Ordered, That the Debate concerning the Bill for Sale of Delinquents Estates be adjourned until Tuesday Morning next.

Embassy from Portugall.

Lord Commissioner Whitelock reports from the Committee appointed for giving Audience to the publick Minister of the King of Portugall, The Manner of giving him Audience.

" That the Committee appointed for that Purpose met in the Place appointed for giving him Audience; and he, being attended thither by the Master of the Ceremonies, the Committee being set, came in uncovered; whom the Committee received with the like Compliment; and, after mutual Salutations performed, he sat down in a Chair appointed for that Purpose; and, covering his Head, the Committee did the like: That thereupon the Lord Commissioner Whitelocke, being appointed by the Committee to the Chair, did declare unto the Agent, That that Committee were authorized, and had Commission from the Parliament, to give him Audience: And thereupon the Order of Parliament for that Purpose was read. And Notice being given to him, by the Master of the Ceremonies, to whom he should address himself; the publick Minister did present unto them a Letter, which, he said, were his Letters Credential from the King of Portugall; and, by Word of Mouth declared, unto the Committee, in the Portugall Tongue, what he likewise presented unto them in Writing, both in Latin and English."

Which the Reporter now presented to Mr. Speaker.

And the English Copy was now read.

Resolved, That the Speaker do take the Chair on Wednesday next at Ten of the Clock; and that then the House do take this Business into Consideration: And, in the mean time, the Council of State are to prepare all the Papers, Letters, and Matters, now with them, concerning the Transactions between the Parliament and Portugall, from the first till last, to be then reported to the House.

The House, according to former Order, adjourned itself to Tuesday Morning next, Eight of Clock.