House of Commons Journal Volume 9: 11 November 1680

Jovis, 11 die Novembris, 1680.

Prayers.

Cricklade Writ.

ORDERED, That Mr. Speaker do issue out his Warrant to the Clerk of the Crown, to make out a new Writ, for the Election of a Member to serve in this present Parliament for the Borough of Cricklade in the County of Wilts, in the room of Hungerford Dunch Esquire, deceased.

Privilege- A person discharged.

A Petition of Mr. Richard Harnage, in Custody of the Serjeant at Arms, was read.

Ordered, That Mr. Harnage be discharged from the Custody of the Serjeant at Arms attending this House, paying his Fees.

Scotch Cattle.

A Bill against the Importation of Scotch Cattle being presented to the House;

The Question being put, That the said Bill be now read;

It passed in the Negative.

Bribery at Elections.

A Bill to prevent the Offences of Bribery and Debauchery in the Election of Members to serve in the Commons House of Parliament, was read the First time.

Resolved, That this Bill be read a Second time on Monday Morning next: And that the Bill for regulating Elections of Members to serve in the Commons House of Parliament be read at the same Time.

Haslemere Election.

Mr. Treby reports from the Committee of Elections and Privileges, That the said Committee, having taken into Consideration the Matter of the Election and Return for the Borough of Haslemere in the County of Surry; that the Committee had agreed upon Three Resolves to be reported to the House: Which he read in his Place: And are as followeth; viz.

Resolved, That Sir William Moore Baronet is not duly chosen a Burgess to serve in this present Parliament for the Borough of Haslemere in the County of Surry.

Resolved, That Denzil Onslow Esquire is duly chosen for the same.

Resolved, That Francis Dorington Esquire is duly chosen for the same.

He further reported, That it did appear to the said Committee, that William Rapley, Bailiff of the said Borough of Haslemere, did, upon the Thirtieth of August 1679, when the Election of Burgesses to serve in this present Parliament for the said Borough was made, freely and openly declare and proclaim, That Sir William Moore, and Denzil Onslow Esquire, were duly chosen Burgesses for the said Borough; and did sign and seal an Indenture purporting their said Election: But, about Three Weeks after that Time, he did sign and seal an Indenture purporting, That the said Sir William Moore Baronet, and James Gresham Esquire, were duly chosen Burgesses for the said Borough: Both which Indentures he delivered to the Sheriff, to be returned into the High Court of Chancery: And they were accordingly returned. And the said Bailiff, being examined by the Committee, and interrogated, Why he did make and return the said latter Indenture, said, He did it at the Instance of the said Mr. Gresham; who informed him, There was no Danger in so doing; and would not, nor did give any other Answer or Account concerning the same.

Which Report being delivered in at the Clerk's Table;

The First of the said Resolves being read;

Resolved, &c. That this House doth agree with the Committee, That Sir William Moore Baronet is not duly chosen a Burgess to serve in this present Parliament for the Borough of Haslemere in the County of Surrey.

The Second of the said Resolves being read;

Resolved, &c. That this House doth agree with the Committee, That Denzil Onslow Esquire is duly chosen for the same.

And the last of the said Resolves being read;

Resolved, That this House doth agree with the Committee, That Francis Dorington Esquire is duly chosen for the same.

Ordered, That the Clerk of the Crown, and the Bailiff of the Borough of Haslemere, do attend the House To-morrow Morning at Ten of the Clock, to amend the said Return.

Ordered, That William Rapley, Bailiff of the said Borough of Haslemere, be sent for in Custody of the Serjeant at Arms attending this House, to answer, at the Bar of this House, for the Misdemeanors by him committed in the Election and Return of Members to serve in this present Parliament for the Borough of Haslemere.

Informations to be printed.

Ordered, That Mr. Turberville and Mr. Jennison have the Leave of this House to print their several Informations relating to the horrid Popish Plot.

Address for Pardon of Jennison.

Ordered, That an humble Address be made to his Majesty, by such Members of this House as are of his Majesty's most honourable Privy Council, for a full Pardon to Mr. Jennison of all Treasons, and Misprisions of Treason, and other Misdemeanors by him committed, to the Time of the Discovery, made by him to the House, of the horrid Popish Plot.

Popish Plot in Ireland.

Mr. Hetherington, Mr. Murphy, Mr. John Fitzgerald, being called in, made a Discovery, at the Bar, of the Popish Plot in Ireland: And Mr. John Fitzgerald delivered his Information in Writing.

Mr. David Fitzgerald, being likewise called in, gave his Information, at the Bar, relating to the Plot.

Ordered, That all the Witnesses touching the Popish Plot in Ireland, do attend this House To-morrow Morning at Ten of the Clock.

Ordered, That the original Paper of the Heads of Mr. David Fitzgerald's Information, now in the Hands of the Clerk of this House, be returned to the Clerk of the Lords House, he giving a Receipt for the same.

Address on King's Message.

Sir William Jones reports from the Committee appointed to draw up an Address to his Majesty upon the Debate of the House, in Answer to his Majesty's Gracious Message, An Address agreed upon by the Committee: Which he read in his Place; and afterwards delivered the same in at the Clerk's Table: Where the same being read, was, upon the Question, agreed to by the House: And is as followeth;

May it please Your most Excellent Majesty,

WE Your Majesty's most Loyal and Obedient Subjects, the Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, having taken into our most serious Consideration, Your Majesty's Gracious Message, brought unto us the Ninth Day of this Instant November by Mr. Secretary Jenkins, do, with all Thankfulness, acknowledge Your Majesty's Care and Goodness in inviting us to expedite such Matters as are depending before us, relating to Popery and the Plot: And we do, in all Humility, represent it to Your Majesty, That we are fully convinced, That it is highly incumbent upon us, in Discharge both of our Duty to Your Majesty, and of that great Trust reposed in us by those whom we represent, to endeavour by the most speedy and effectual Ways, the Suppression of Popery within this Your Kingdom; and the Bringing to publick Justice all such as shall be found guilty of the horrid and damnable Popish Plot: And though the Time of our Sitting, abating what must necessarily be spent in the Choosing and Presenting a Speaker, appointing Grand Committees, and in taking the Oaths and Tests, injoined by Act of Parliament; hath not much exceeded a Fortnight; yet we have, in this time, not only made a considerable Progress in some Things, which to us seem, and when presented to Your Majesty in a Parliamentary Way, will, we trust, appear to your Majesty, to be absolutely necessary for the Safety of your Majesty's Person, the effectual Suppression of Popery, and the Security of the Religion, Lives, and Estates of Your Majesty's Protestant Subjects; but, even in relation to the Tryals of the Five Lords, impeached in Parliament, for the execrable Popish Plot, we have so far proceeded, as we doubt not but, in a short time, we shall be ready for the same: But we cannot, without being unfaithful to Your Majesty, and to our Countries, by whom we are intrusted, omit upon this Occasion, humbly to inform Your Majesty, That our Difficulties, even as to these Tryals, are much increased by the evil and destructive Counsels of those Persons who advised Your Majesty first to the Prorogation, and then to the Dissolution of the last Parliament, at a time when the Commons had taken great Pains about, and were prepared for, those Tryals; and by the like pernicious Counsels of those who advised the many and long Prorogations of the present Parliament, before the same was permitted to sit; whereby some of the Evidence, which was prepared in the last Parliament, may possibly, during so long an Interval, be forgotten or lost; and some Persons who might probably have come in as Witnesses, are either dead, have been taken off, or may have been discouraged from giving their Evidence: But of One mischievous Consequence of those dangerous and unhappy Counsels we are certainly and sadly sensible; namely, That the Testimony of a material Witness against every of those Five Lords, and who could probably have discovered and brought in much other Evidence about the Plot in general, and those Lords in particular, cannot now be given viva voce; forasmuch as that Witness is unfortunately dead between the Calling and the Sitting of this Parliament.

To prevent the like or greater Inconveniencies for the future, We make it our most humble Request to Your Excellent Majesty, That, as you tender the Safety of Your Royal Person, the Security of Your Loyal Subjects, and the Preservation of the true Protestant Religion, You will not suffer Yourself to be prevailed upon by the like Counsels, to do any thing which may occasion, in Consequence, though we are assured never with your Majesty's Intention, either the Deferring of a full and perfect Discovery and Examination of this most wicked and detestable Plot; or the Preventing the Conspirators therein from being brought to speedy and exemplary Justice and Punishment: And we humbly beseech Your Majesty to rest assured, notwithstanding any Suggestions which may be made by Persons, who, for their own wicked Purposes, contrive to create a Distrust, in Your Majesty, of Your People, That nothing is more in the Desires, and shall be more the Endeavours of us Your Faithful and Loyal Commons, than the Promoting and Advancing of Your Majesty's true Happiness and Greatness.

Ordered, That such Members of this House as are of his Majesty's most honourable Privy Council, be desired to know his Majesty's Pleasure, When this House shall attend him with the said Address.

Disabling the Duke of Yorke.

An ingrossed Bill to disable James Duke of Yorke to inherit the Imperial Crown of England and Ireland, was read a Third Time.

Resolved, That this Bill do pass: And that the Title be, An Act for the Securing the Protestant Religion, by disabling James Duke of Yorke to inherit the Imperial Crown of England and Ireland, and the Dominions and Territories thereunto belonging.

Ordered, That the Lord Russell do carry up this Bill to the Lords for their Concurrence.

Committees.

Ordered, That all Committees be adjourned.

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