House of Commons Journal Volume 7: 2 December 1653

Friday, 2d of December, 1653.

Committee for Trade.

ORDERED, That the Committee for Trade have Power, and are hereby authorized, to send for Persons, Papers, and Records; and to examine upon Oath.

Admiralty.

The Question being propounded, That it be referred to the Council of State, to bring in, To-morrow Morning, a Bill for constituting Commissioners for the Admiralty and Navy, with the Names of Persons and the Powers;

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

It passed in the Affirmative.

And the main Question being now put; It was

Resolved, by the Parliament, That it be referred to the Council of State, to bring-in, To-morrow Morning, a Bill for constituting Commissioners for the Admiralty and Navy, with the Names of Persons, and the Powers.

Naval Appointments.

Resolved, That General Robert Blake be continued one of the Generals at Sea.

Resolved, That General George Monck be continued one of the Generals at Sea.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Council of State, to take Consideration of the present Debate touching another General at Sea; and of the Time of their Continuance.

Correspondence with Dantzick.

Mr. Speaker, by way of Report, acquaints the House, That he hath received a Letter from the Proconsul and Consuls of the City of Dantzick, of the 10th November 1653: Which was read.

Ordered, That this Letter be referred to the Council of State, to consider thereof; and to give such Directions therein as they shall think fit.

Ejecting Scandalous Ministers.

Mr. Sadler reports from the Committee for Tythes.

THAT it be presented to the Parliament as the best way for ejecting ignorant, profane, and scandalous Ministers, that Commissioners be sent from hence into all Counties, divided into Six Circuits, besides London and Middlesex; Three Commissioners into each Circuit, to join with Four or Six in every County, and each Riding in Yorkshire to be as a County: And that in every County the said Persons, or Five of them, Two of the Commissioners sent from hence being always present, be impowered to eject all Ministers of that County, that are not of good Behaviour, and Holy in Conversation, or that are not apt and able to teach, or, in Teaching, hold not fast the Faithful Word, or be not diligent, or labour not in the Word and Doctrine, or be greedy of filthy Lucre; and be also impowered to settle Godly and able Persons to preach the Gospel in all void Places; and to unite Two or Three Parishes together, so that none be above Three Miles from the Publick Meeting-Place.

That it be presented to the Parliament, That Doctor Arrowsmith, Colonel Goff, Major Haines, Mr. John Owen, Mr. Tho. Goodwyn, Mr. Ben of Dorchester, Mr. Tomes, Mr. Martin Holbeck, Mr. Cradock, Mr. Jessey, Mr. Arthur Barnadiston, Mr. Fairecloth the elder, Mr. Lockier, Mr. Carill, Mr. Stephen Marshall, Mr. Worthington, Mr. Turner, Mr. Wm. Greenhill, Colonel Campfield, Mr. Dyke, Mr. Stallam, may be sent Commissioners, by Three in a Circuit, for ejecting and settling Ministers, according to the Rules prescribed.

Resolved, That it be presented to the Parliament, That all such as are or shall be approved for publick Preachers of the Gospel in the public Meeting-Places, shall have and enjoy the Maintenance already settled by Law; and such other Encouragement as the Parliament already hath appointed, or hereafter shall appoint:

And that where any scruple Payment of Tythes, the Three next Justices of the Peace, or Two of them, shall, upon Complaint, call the Parties concerned before them; and, by the Oaths of lawful Witnesses, shall duly apportion the Value of the said Tythes, to be paid either in Money, or Land by them to be set out according to the said Value, to be held and enjoyed by him that was to have the said Tythes: And, in case such apportioned Value be not duly paid, or enjoyed, according to the Order of the said Justices, the Tythes shall be paid in Kind, and shall be recovered in any Court of Record.

Upon hearing and considering what hath been offered to this Committee touching Propriety in Tythes of Incumbents, Rectors, Possessors of Donatives, or Propriate Tythes, it is the Opinion of this Committee, and Resolved to be so reported to the Parliament, that the said Persons have a legal Propriety in Tythes.

Leave of Absence.

Ordered, That Mr. Nicholas Greene have Leave to be absent in the Country for a Month.