House of Commons Journal Volume 9: 24 October 1678

Jovis, 24 die Octobris, 1678.

Prayers.

Papists not to sit in Parliament.

A BILL for hindering Papists to sit in either House of Parliament, was read a Second time.

Resolved, &c. That the Bill be committed to Mr. Crouch, Sir Nich. Carey, Serjeant Rigby, Sir John Talbot, Sir Court. Poole, Mr. Westfaling, Sir Ad. Browne, Lord Longford, Sir John Trevor, Serjeant Gregory, Serjeant Stringer, Sir John Ernle, Mr. Osborne, Mr. Williams, Sir Tho. Meeres, Sir John Knight, Mr. Powle, Sir Rich. Francklyn, Sir Anth. Irby, Sir Wm. Franckland, Sir Jonath. Trelawney, Mr. Weld, Sir Sam. Bernardiston, Mr. Love, Mr. Sachaverell, Sir John Lowther, Sir Edm. Windham, Mr. Jones, Mr. Browne, Sir Lan. Lake, Sir Edm. Jenings, Sir Edw. Deering, Mr. Henly, Sir Thomas Littleton, Lord Russell, Mr. Stockdale, Sir Hen. Capell, Sir Wm. Hickman, Serjeant Mainard, Sir Gilbert Gerrard, Mr. John Wright, Sir Geo. Downing, Lord Cavendish, Sir Rob. Thomas, Sir Ch. Harbord, Sir Eliab Harvy, Mr. Price, Colonel Birch, Mr. Williams, Sir Tho. Lee: And all that come are to have Voices: And they are to meet this Afternoon, at Three of the Clock in the Speaker's Chamber.

Address for Safety of King's Person.

Ordered, That it be made Part of the Address to be presented to his Majesty, That his Majesty would be pleased to have a more strict Regard to the Preservation and Safety of his Person; and to give Order, that there may not be so great a Freedom of Resort to his Majesty's Court; and likewise to give Order, that the Cities of London and Westminster, and Parts adjacent, may, during the Time of the Sitting of the Parliament, be secured and guarded by the Militia.

Ordered, That the Members, who are appointed to draw up the Address, do withdraw, and prepare a Clause to be added to the said Address, pursuant to the said Order.

Murder of Sir E. Godfrey.

The House being acquainted, that Mr. Mulys was attending, according to the Order of the House;

And Mr. Mulys being called in; and having delivered his Information to the House;

And being withdrawn;

And a Paper being delivered in, signed by Mr. Mulys, containing his Information;

And Mr. Mulys being called in to the Bar; and owning the Contents of the said Paper;

Which Paper, being read to the House, is as followeth;

"About Five or Six Days before Sir Edmundbury Godfrey was missing from his House, I met him in St. James's Parke: and in Discourse told him, That I understood he examined Mr. Oates about a Plot, that was much discoursed of; and desired to have such an Account from him as might be fit to be communicated. Whereupon he gave me some short Relation, agreeing, for the most Part, with what was the common Discourse of the Town.

"After much Discourse, he added his Prayers, That God would preserve my Master; for he was in Danger. I asked him, Which of my Masters he meant. He replied, My Lord Duke of Ormond. I took him by the Hand, and prayed him to speak a little more to that Point; and to let me know Particulars: Whereupon, shaking his Head, he said, The Duke of Ormond was to be destoryed: But I must not talk much, said he, for I lie under ill Circumstances: Some great men blame me for not having done my Duty; and I am threatened by others, and very great ones too, for having done too much. He then pressed to leave me: And, without saying much more, we parted."

Ri. Mulys.

Address for Safety of King's Person.

Sir John Trevor reports from the Committee appointed to draw up a Clause to be added to the Address to be presented to his Majesty, That the Committee had agreed upon a Clause: Which he read in his Place; and afterwards delivered the same in at the Clerk's Table: Where the same was twice read; and, upon the Question, agreed to be made Part of the Address; and is as followeth:

"And whereas the Safety and Preservation of Your Majesty's Sacred Person is of so great Consequence and Concernment to the Protestant Religion, and to all Your Subjects, we do further most humbly beseech Your Majesty to command the Lord Chamberlain, and all other the Officers of Your Majesty's Houshold, to take a strict Care, That no unknown or suspicious Persons may have Access near Your Majesty's Person: And that Your Majesty will likewise please to command the Lord Mayor and the Lieutenancy of London to appoint sufficient Guards of the Trained Bands within the City of London, during this Session of Parliament; and likewise the Lords Lieutenants of Middlesex and Surrey, to appoint the like Guards of the Trained Bands in Middlesex, Westminster, Southwarke, and other Places adjacent, as shall be thought necessary."

Murder of Sir E. Godfrey, and Popish Plot.

The Papers of Examinations taken by Sir Edmundbury Godfrey touching the Plot and Conspiracy mentioned in his Majesty's Speech, which were delivered in by Mr. Michael Godfrey, were opened; and, by Mr. Speaker, read to the House.

Ordered, That the Chairman of the Committee appointed to examine concerning the Murder of Sir Edmundbury Godfrey, do take into his Custody the Papers of the Examinations taken by Sir Edmundbury Godfrey, concerning the Plot mentioned in his Majesty's Speech: And that the Committee do prepare an Abstract thereout, to be entered in the Journal.

Ordered, That Sir John Coventry and Mr. Hopkins be added to the Committee appointed to examine touching the Murder of Sir Edmundbury Godfrey.

Address for removing Papists.

A Message from the Lords by Sir Miles Cooke and Sir John Hoskins;

Mr. Speaker, The Lords have commanded us to acquaint you, That they have agreed to the Address to be presented to his Majesty, to remove the Papists from London; with some Amendments: To which they desire the Concurrence of this House.

Persons to attend.

Ordered, That Mr. Bailes and Mr. Robinson, Two of the Justices of the Peace for the County of Middlesex, be summoned to attend at the Bar of the House; to give an Account concerning Sir Edmundbury Godfrey.

Address for removing Papists.

The House then proceeded to the Consideration of the Amendments made by the Lords to the Address for Removing of Papists from London.

The First Amendment being, for filling up the Blank in the First Folio, with the Words, "Lords Spiritual and Temporal," was twice read; and, upon the Question, agreed.

The Second Amendment, Folio Third, Line Twenty-two, being for leaving out of the Words, "or any of them, or"; and after the Word "otherwise" to add, "than at the Council Board;" was, with the Addition of these Words, "to be signed by Six of the Lords of the Privy Council, whereof the Lord Chancellor, Lord Treasurer, or Principal Secretary of State, to be One," upon the Question, agreed.

Murder of Sir E. Godfrey.

Mr. Robinson, being called in, to give an Account concerning Sir Edmundbury Godfrey, informed the House, that he met Sir Edmundbury Godfrey at the Sessions at Westminster, on Tuesday and Wednesday before he was missing: And that he asked him, Whether he had any Hand in taking the Informations touching the Plot: And that he made him Answer, That he had taken them, though very unwillingly: And, desiring of him, that he might see them, he told him, That he could not; for that he had left them with my Lord Chief Justice Scroggs: And that, dining with him on Wednesday, and discoursing concerning the Plot, and the Examinations touching the same, Sir Edmundbury Godfrey said these Words to him; "I have taken them; and I know not what will be the Consequence of them; but I believe I shall be the first Martyr:" And that he desired him to give him his Reasons for such his Apprehensions: Which he refused to do.

Popish Plot.

Mr. Oates being called in; and having given in a further Information to the House, touching the said Plot and Conspiracy;

Ordered, That the Justices of the Peace for the County of Middlesex, and City of Westminster, do withdraw, and take the Examination of Mr. Oates upon Oath.

Ordered, That Sir Jo. Trevor, Mr. Sachaverell, Mr. Williams, Sir John Heath, Sir Geo. Downing, Mr. Papillon, or any Three of them, be appointed to search Mr. Richard Langhorne's Papers, and other Writings, in his Study, in the Inner Temple: And that the now Treasurer of that Society, he desired to assist the said Committee, accordingly.

Ordered, That Mr. Richard Langhorne's Brother be summoned to attend at the Bar of this House To-morrow Morning, at Ten of the Clock.

Ordered, That the Benchers of the Inner Temple be desired to search Mr. Langhorne's Brother's Chamber.

Ordered, That the Members who are Justices of the Peace for the County of Middlesex, and City of London, do issue out their Warrant for the Searching the House of Mr. Langhorne's Brother; and for seizing of such Papers and Writings as they shall there find relating to the Plot and Conspiracy.

Ordered, That Sir Adam Browne, and other the Members, who are Justices of the Peace for the County of Surry, do issue out their Warrant for Searching of Caerlisle House, in Lambeth Marsh: And they are desired to see the same executed.

The House being acquainted, that the Justices of the Peace for the County of Middlesex had taken the Examinations of Mr. Oates upon Oath;

Ordered, That the Members of the House who are Justices of the Peace for the County of Middlesex, and City of Westminster, do issue out their Warrants, pursuant to the Examinations by them taken, for the Apprehending of all such Persons, and Searching all such Houses, and Seizing of all Papers and Writings, as are within their Liberties and Jurisdictions.

Ordered, That my Lord Chief Justice be desired forthwith to repair to the House: And that Mr. Speaker be desired to signify to him the Pleasure of the House, by a Letter.

Which was accordingly done; and sent by Sir John Trevor, and Mr. Solicitor General.

Ordered, That Mr. White, alias Whitebread, and Mr. Mico, be removed from the House where they now are, to Newgate, in case they be in a fit Condition to be removed.

Mr. Solicitor General acquaints the House, That, in pursuance of the Order of the House, they had delivered Mr. Speaker's Letter to my Lord Chief Justice: And that my Lord Chief Justice was come along with them.

And, my Lord Chief Justice being called in; Mr. Speaker acquainted him with the Reasons why the House had sent for him.

And my Lord Chief Justice being withdrawn into Mr. Speaker's Chamber;

Ordered, That Mr. Speaker do wait upon his Majesty this Night; and communicate to Him the Informations the House has this Day received, of the Danger that his Majesty, and the Nation, lies under.

Ordered, That Mr. Oates do attend again To-morrow Morning.

Ordered, That the Thanks of the House be returned to my Lord Chief Justice, for his great Care and Diligence in the present Affairs.

And my Lord Chief Justice being called into the House; Mr. Speaker did accordingly give him the Thanks of the House.

And then the House adjourned till To-morrow Morning, Eight of the Clock.