House of Commons Journal Volume 9: 24 November 1680

Mercurii, 24 die Novembris, 1680.

Prayers.

Privilege.

ORDERED, That George Bell of Carlisle in the County of Cumberland, Attorney at Law, be sent for in Custody of the Serjeant . . Arms attending this House; to answer, at the Bar of the House, for a Breach of Privilege by him committed against Sir Richard Graham, a Member of this House.

Ditto.

Ordered, That Arthur Yeamans, of Cardiffe in the County of Glamorgan, be sent for in Custody of the Serjeant at Arms attending this House; to answer, at the Bar of this House, for a notorious Breach of Privilege by him committed against this House.

Ditto.

Ordered, That William Jordan, of Gloucester, be sent for in Custody of the Serjeant of Arms attending this House; to answer, at the Bar of this House, for a Breach of Privilege by him committed against this House.

Ditto.

Ordered, That Mr. Henry Aulnett be sent for in Custody of the Serjeant at Arms attending this House; to answer, at the Bar, for a high Breach of Privilege by him committed against this House.

King appoints to be attended.

Mr. Secretary Jenkins acquaints the House, That his Majesty having been attended by such Members of this House as are of his Majesty's most honourable Privy Council, to know his Majesty's Pleasure, When this House should attend him with an Address; his Majesty had appointed Three of the Clock this Afternoon for the House to attend him in the Banqueting House at Whitehall.

Bankrupts.

Ordered, That Leave be given to bring in a Bill to supply the Laws against Bankruptcy.

Court of Marches.

Ordered, That Leave be given to bring in a Bill to take away the Court held before the Lord President and Council, in the Marches of Wales.

Protestant Dissenters.

A Bill for Repeal of an Act made in the Five-andthirtieth Year of Queen Elizabeth, Chapter the First, was read a Second time.

And no Exceptions being made to the same;

Ordered, That the said Bill be ingrossed.

Address respecting Protestant Dissenters.

Resolved, That an humble Address be made to his Majesty, from this House, by such Members thereof as are of his Majesty's most honourable Privy Council, to desire his Majesty to give Orders, That all Protestant Dissenters, who are prosecuted upon any penal Laws made against Papists, may be admitted to a Composition in the Exchequer, without paying any Fees.

Bill respecting them.

Ordered, That Leave to bring in a Bill, declaring, That the Acts of Parliament made in the Reigns of Queen Elizabeth and King James, against Popish Recusants, shall not be extended against Protestant Dissenters.

Uniting Protestants.

Ordered, That the Committee appointed to prepare and bring in a Bill for the better Uniting of all his Majesty's Protestant Subjects, have Power to bring in one or more Bill or Bills for that Purpose.

Proclamation against Petitioning.

Mr. Attorney General being called in, and examined touching the Manner of issuing forth the Proclamation, styled, "A Proclamation against tumultuous Petitions;"

And giving an Account to the House, That Sir Francis North, Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas, was advising and assisting in the Drawing and Passing of the said Proclamation;

And a Debate arising in the House thereupon;

Sir F. North impeached.

Resolved, Nemine contradicente, That the Evidence, this Day given to the House, against Sir Francis North, Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas, is a sufficient Ground for this House to proceed upon an Impeachment against him, for high Crimes and Misdemeanors.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee appointed to examine the Proceedings of the Judges in Westminster Hall, to prepare Heads of an Impeachment against the said Sir Francis North; and to present the same to the House: And the said Committee is to sit de die in diem.

Privilege- A person to be censured.

Ordered, That William Rapley, Bailiff of Haslemere in the County of Surrey, being in Custody of the Serjeant at Arms attending this House, be brought to the Bar of this House To-morrow Morning at Ten of the Clock, to receive the Censure of the House.

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