House of Commons Journal Volume 6: 23 March 1649

Die Veneris, 23 Martii, 1648.

London Poor, &c.

AN Act for constituting Aldermen, that have been Sheriffs of London, Justices of Peace within the said City of London, for Relief and Employment of the Poor, and for Punishment of Vagrants, within the said City of London, and Liberties thereof, was this Day read the First and Second time; and, upon the Question, committed to Mr. Garland, Colonel Venn, Mr. Martyn, Alderman Penington, Alderman Atkins, Alderman Wilson, Sir James Harrington, Mr. Boone, Mr. Dove, Mr. Prydeaux, Mr. Robinson, Mr. Love, Colonel Fenwick, Mr. Lister, Mr. Gurdon, Mr. Weaver, Mr. Scott, Mr. Whittacre, Sir Gregory Norton, Sir John Hippisley, Colonel Thompson, Sir William Armyn, Mr. Hallowes, Mr. Cawley, Lord Munson; or any Five of them: And all that come to have Voices: And they are to meet in the Exchequer Chamber, To-morrow at Two of the Clock in the Afternoon: And the more particular Care hereof is committed to Mr. Garland.

Proclaiming Abolition of Monarchy.

Ordered, That the Lord Mayor and Sheriff of the City of London be required forthwith to proclaim the Act for abolishing the Kingly Office in England, Ireland, and the Dominions thereunto belonging, in Cheapeside, and the Old Exchange, and in all other Places where Proclamations are usually made; and at the usual Times: And that the said Lord Mayor and Sheriff be required to be present in Person at the said Proclamations; and to give an Account to this House of their Proceedings herein: And the Citizens and Burgesses of the said City are to give notice hereof to the said Lord Mayor and the Sheriff.

Incest and Adultery.

Ordered, That Mr. Salloway do give this House an Account of the Bill touching Incest and Adultery, on Wednesday next.

Naval Martial Law.

Colonel Wawton reports from the Council of State, That an Act be passed for Martial Law at Sea.

Ordered, That Colonel Wawton do bring in an Act, giving Power to the Judges of the Admiralty to proceed in the Tryal of such Person or Persons as have been taken at Sea, according to Law Martial.

Form of Writs.

The Form of a Writ, directed to the Clerk of the Parliament, to certify an Act of Parliament into Chancery; and of a Writ for proclaiming such Act of Parliament by the Mayor, &c. of Cities or Towns, and by the Sheriffs of Counties, mutatis mutandis; were this Day read; and, upon the Question, agreed unto; and were in hæc verba, viz.

CUSTODES Libertatis Anglie, Auctoritate Parliamenti, J. B. Armigero, Clerico Parliament, Salutem. Volentes certis de Causis certiorari super Tenore cujusdam Actus in instanti Parliamento apud Westmonasterium facti et ordinati, intitulati, "An Act for the, &c." Vobis mandamus, quod tenore Actus predicti, cum omnibus illis tangentibus, in Cancellariam, sub Sigillo vestro clauso, distincte et aperte fine Dilatione mittatis: Et hoc Breve. Teste, &c.

The Form of a Writ to the Mayor, &c. of a City or Borough, and to the Sheriffs of Counties, mutatis mutandis, for proclaiming an Act of Parliament.

CUSTODES Libertatis Anglie, Auctoritate Parliamenti, Majoribus et Ballivis Civitates, Salutem. Vobis precipimus, quod statim, visis Presentibus, in singulis Locis infra Civitatem predictum, tam infra Libertates, quam extra, ubi magis expedire videritis, publice et solemniter proclamari faciatis quendam Actum instantis Parliamenti conceptum et factum, quem in quibusdam Schedulis huic Brevi annexis Vobis mittimus; mandantes preterea, quod, immediate post Proclamationem, sic, ut premittitur, per vos factam, omnes et singulas hujusmodi Schedulas inseparatas distincte, et publicis Locis, ut plenius apparere poterit, in Tabulis et Postibus assigi et poni similiter faciatis: Et hoc, sub Periculo incumbenti, nullatenus omittatis. Testibus Nobis ipsis, &c.

Proclaiming Abolition of Monarchy.

Ordered, That Mr. Lysle, one of the Lords Commissioners for the Great Seal, be authorized and required to give Warrant to the Clerk of the Crown in the Chancery, to prepare Writs, according to these Forms, to be issued to all Sheriffs, Mayors, &c. in England and Wales, for proclaiming the Act intituled, An Act for Abolishing the Kingly Office in England, Ireland, and the Dominions belonging thereunto; and also the Act for abolishing the House of Peers: And that Mr. Lysle, in the Absence of the other the Lords Commissioners for the Great Seal, to seal the said Writs under the Great Seal of England; and to cause the same to be sent abroad accordingly.

Absent Members.

Ordered, That the Committee appointed to take Satisfaction from absent Members of this House, do sit at Darbey House, between Two and Three a Clock, every Day whereon the House doth not fit; to whom the Members may resort from time to time, if they please.

Navy.

Sir Henry Vane junior reports from the Council of State, a List of the Fleet to be appointed for this Summer's Expedition; with an Account, Where they now are, and when they will be ready to put to Sea.

He likewise reports an Estimate of the Charge of the whole Fleet, for this Summer's Expedition.

He likewise reports the Resolution of the Council of State, in these Words following; viz.

"It is Resolved, That Four of the great Ships mentioned in the Estimate, and formerly appointed by this Council to be set to Sea, manned with the Number of One thousand Men, shall be forborn to be set out; and shall only be in a Readiness to be employed, when this Council shall give Order for the same."

"Secondly, That, whereas Demand is made in the Estimate for Twenty-three Merchants Ships, manned with 1650. . . . . in the Place whereof some of the State's Ships are employed in this Expedition; It is therefore Ordered, That so many of them as One thousand Men were intended to man, shall be forborn to be set out; and only so many shall be provided, and set to Sea, as shall bear the Proportion of Six hundred and Fifty Men."

"Thirdly, That, in Consideration of the Two thousand Men abated, as aforesaid, the whole Fleet, which before was to be set out but for Six Months, shall now be continued out for Eight Months; which the Estimate, as now drawn, with the Alterations, as aforesaid, will bear."

"Fourthly, That the Four great Ships, which are appointed to be forborn to be set out, shall nevertheless be proceeded in, in the Hull, Carpenters-work and Rigging, to be in Readiness to set out to Sea, as this Council shall hereafter appoint."

He likewise reports an Estimate of the Debts and Credits of the Navy, per Estimation.

Resolved, &c. That this House doth approve of the Settling of the Summer's Fleet, as it is presented in the Report from the Council of State.

Resolved, &c. That this House, in their present ordering and settling Money, and the Receipt thereof, will take effectual Course for the certain Supply of the Sums demanded, in the Estimate, for this Year's Service of the Naval Affairs, and at the Times propounded.

Ordered, That the Commissioners for the Excise be required forthwith to pay, to the Use of the Navy, the Sum of Ten thousand Pounds, in Part of the Monies charged on the Excise, for the Three hundred Pounds per Week, on the Arrears of the Isle of Ely and Croyland.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee of the Navy, to see this done accordingly.

Ordered, That the Treasurers at Goldsmiths Hall be required and injoined forthwith to pay, to the Use of the Navy, the Eight thousand Pounds, Residue of the Forty thousand Pounds, formerly ordered for the Service of the Navy, out of Fifty thousand Pounds to the Scotts.

And if, upon the Report of that Business now in Mr. Allen's Hands, it shall appear to this House, that the said Eight thousand Pounds ought not to have been paid by that Treasury; then the same shall be repaid to the said Treasurers, out of the Monies belonging to the Navy: And the Committee of the Navy is hereby required to see the same done accordingly.

Late King's &c. personal Estate.

Resolved, &c. That the personal Estate of the late King, Queen, and Prince, shall be inventoried, appraised, and sold: except such Parcels of them as shall be thought fit to be reserved for the Use of State.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Council of State to consider and direct, What Parcels of the Goods and personal Estates aforesaid are fit to be reserved for the Use of the State.

Resolved, &c. That certain Commissioners, being no Members of this House, shall be elected and chosen to inventory, secure, and appraise the said Goods, and personal Estate, of the said late King, Queen, and Prince: And that other Commissioners, being no Members of this House, be appointed to make Sale of the said personal Estate, to the best Value.

Resolved, &c. That the Money to be raised by such Sale shall be employed towards the Payment of such Debts of the said late King, Queen, and Prince, for Houshold Expences, as were contracted before this War, and to Persons not Delinquents; and for publick Uses of this Commonwealth.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee for the Act for inventorying and preserving the Goods of the said late King, or any Three of them, to bring in an Act to the Purpose of these Resolutions, on Monday Morning: And Mr. Holland, Sir Gilbert Pickering, Commissary General Ireton, and Mr. Robinson, be added to that Committee: And the Care hereof is especially recommended to Mr. Holland, and Mr. Allen.

Ordered, That the First Thirty thousand Pounds to be raised by such Sale of the Goods and personal Estate of the late King, Queen, and Prince, shall be paid to the Treasurer of the Navy, to the Use of the Navy; and shall be repaid, by the Treasurer of the Navy, to such Persons as the same shall be ordered, for the Uses before appointed.

Crown Lands.

The Question being propounded, That it be referred to the Council of State, to consider, What decayed Trees in the Several Forests and Parks belonging to the Crown, are sit to be sold, for the Use of the Publick; and to give Directions for the Sale thereof accordingly;

And the Question being put, That that Question be now put;

It passed with the Affirmative.

And the main Question being put; It was

Resolved, &c. That it be referred to the Council of State, to consider, what decayed Trees, in the several Forests and Parks belonging to the Crown, are sit to be sold, for the Use of the Publick; and to give Directions for the Sale thereof accordingly.

Ordered, That the Quorum of the Committee for Sale of Parks and Forests be reduced to the Number of Five.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee for advancing the Revenue, to consider of some way, How the Parks may be forthwith lett for one Year, for the Benefit of the State; and Report the same on Monday next.

Deans and Chapters Lands.

Ordered, That the Committee for the Act for Deans and Chapters Lands do bring in the said Act on Friday.

Navy.

Ordered, That, upon bringing in the Act touching Deans and Chapters Lands, the House will resume the Debate touching the Navy.

Seals of Courts.

An Act for altering the former Seal of the Court lately called the King's Bench, and now the Upper Bench, was this Day read; and, upon the Question, passed.

An Act for altering the Seal of the Court of Exchequer was this Day read; and, upon the Question, passed.

An Act for altering the Seal of the Court of Common Pleas was this Day read; and, upon the Question, passed.

Declarations of Parliament.

Ordered, That Two thousand of the Declarations touching the late Proceedings of this House, be printed for the Service of the State: And that the Members of this House do cause them to be sent down and dispersed into the respective Counties.

Assessment.

Mr. Pury reports from the Committee of the Army, the Rates and Propositions for each County, in the Assessment of Ninety thousand Pounds per mensem, for Payment of the Forces in England and Ireland.

The Question being propounded, That it be referred to a Grand Committee of the House, to consider of the Proportions now brought in from the Committee, for the last Three Months in the said Act; and Report it to the House;

The Question was put, Whether this Question should be now put;

It passed in the Affirmative.

And so the main Question being put;

It was Resolved, That it be referred to a Grand Committee of the House, to consider of the Proportions now brought in from the Committee, for the last Three Months in the said Act; and report it to the House.

Adjournment.

Resolved, &c. That the House, notwithstanding the former Order, be adjourned till To-morrow, Eight of the Clock: And that Mr. Speaker do forbear to take the Chair; but that the House be resolved into a Grand Committee, upon this Bill.