House of Commons Journal Volume 7: 26 March 1659

Saturday, the 26th of March, 1659.

Prayers.

Leave of Absence.

RESOLVED, &c. That Mr. Knightley, one of the Members of this House, shall have Leave to go into the Country for Three Weeks.

Serjeant at Arms.

At the humble Desire of Edward Birkhead Esquire, Serjeant at Arms attending this House; and, in regard of his frequent Indisposition of Health; he may have an Assistant for the better carrying on the Service of the House, and Discharge of the Duty and Attendance incumbent on his Office;

Resolved, &c. That Henry Middleton Esquire, Serjeant at Arms, be assistant to the said Edward Birkhead, Serjeant at Arms attending on this House: And that he do supply the Place of the said Serjeant, and attend for him, as Occasion shall require.

Privilege- Returning Officers misconduct.

The House being informed, that one John Vaughan, one of the Sheriffs of the County-Borough of Carmarthen; who, for a great Misdemeanor and Offence committed by him, and one Griffith David, the other Sheriff of the said County-Borough, in making a false Return of Rowland Dawkins Esquire to serve as Burgess for the said Town, was sent for in safe Custody, was apprehended, and was without at the Door;

He was, by the Command of the House, brought to the Bar, as a Delinquent: And, after he had kneeled down, and, by Command of the House, stood up again, Mr. Speaker told him, That he, with his Fellow-Sheriff, had made an undue Return of Rowland Dawkins Esquire, who had not above Twenty Voices, to serve Burgess for the said Borough in this Parliament; and had not returned David Morgan, Esquire, who was chosen for the said Borough by One hundred and Eight Voices; for which the House had ordered him and his Fellow-Sheriff to be brought to the Bar, in the Serjeant's Custody; and that now they required of him the Reasons of that false Return.

The said John Vaughan, standing at the Bar, made Answer, That he and his Fellow-Sheriff brought up Twenty Witnesses to have made good their Return; which they would not have done, unless they had hoped to have justified themselves therein; but that they were betrayed by their Solicitor; and that the Lawyer, who was retained by the Solicitor, had indeed confessed the Return to be undue; and that, if the House pleased, he would return the Indenture for the Election of Mr. Morgan, according to the former Order: That he had done it before, if he had not been prevented by his being taken into Custody: And humbly prayed, That he might be discharged of his Offence and Imprisonment: And that, in case the House were otherwise minded, that then he might be further heard.

Resolved, &c. That John Vaughan and Griffith David, Sheriffs of the Town and County-Borough of Carmarthen, be set at Liberty, and discharged of their Contempt.

Debt due to Browne.

The House being informed, that a Debt of Nine thousand and Sixteen Pounds, adjusted, and appointed to be paid to Major-General Browne in the Year One thousand Six hundred Forty-and-seven, together with Interest for the same, remained still unsatisfied to him; It is

Resolved, &c. That it be referred to a Committee, to consider of the Debt due to Major-General Browne, and of the Interest due for the Forbearance thereof; and to report their Opinion to the House, how the same may be speedily satisfied.

Captain Stone, Mr. Knightley, Mr. Cary Raliegh, Mr. John Trevor, Colonel Birch, Mr. Annesley, Mr. Gerard, are appointed a Committee to consider of Major-General Browne's Debt, and the Interest due for it, according to the Vote above mentioned: And they, or any Three of them, are to meet, concerning the same, this Afternoon, at Two of the Clock, in the Speaker's Chamber.

Resolved, &c. That the Vote of the late Parliament, of the Fourth of December 1649, for discharging and disabling of Major-General Browne from being an Alderman of the City of London, be vacated: And that he be restored unto, and capable of, all Offices, Privileges, and Precedencies there, as if the said Vote had never been made.

Resolved, &c. That the Lord Mayor, and Court of Aldermen of the City of London, be required to see the the Vote above-mentioned, concerning Major-General Browne, put in effectual Execution.

Respecting the Other House.

Resolved, &c. That the House do resume the Question of transacting with the Persons now sitting in the Other House, and Additions to that Question, upon Monday Morning; and that nothing else do then intervene.

This House adjourns itself until Monday Morning, at Eight of the Clock.