House of Commons Journal Volume 7: 12 February 1659

Saturday, the 12th of February, 1658.

Prayers.

Privilege- Members expelled.

THE House being informed, That Mr. Edmund Jones, Attorney-General of South-Wales, who was returned to serve as a Member of this present Parliament, had, during the late unnatural War, been in Arms against the Parliament, and had compounded for his Delinquency; Mr. Jones stood up in his Place, and gave his Answer to the House, concerning the said Information: And then withdrew.

Resolved, &c. That Mr. Edmund Jones, who is returned to serve as a Member of this present Parliament for the County of Brecon, be, for his Delinquency, expelled this House; and that he be disabled from sitting as a Member in this present Parliament, or in any other Parliament, for the future.

The House was informed, that a Gentleman, that sat as one of the Members of this House, had, during the late unnatural War, marched in the Head of a Regiment of Foot, or of a Regiment of Dragoons, against the Parliament; that some called him Mr. Danvers, some Mr. Villiers; and that he had been a Papist, as well as in Arms against the Parliament.

Mr. Danvers, being present in the House, stood up in his Place; and gave his Answer to the House, concerning the said Information: And then withdrew.

The House being further informed, That one Colonel Touchett could testify, That the said Mr. Danvers had been in Arms against the Parliament; and that he was without, at the Door;

Ordered, That Colonel Touchett be called in, to the Bar of this House, to give in his Testimony, what he knoweth concerning the said Mr. Danvers, or of his being in Arms against the Parliament.

The Serjeant, by the Command of the House, called down Mr. Danvers from the Committee-Chamber, where he was withdrawn, to hear the Testimony and Information of Colonel Touchett.

And Mr. Danvers having taken his Place in the House, near the Bar;

The Serjeant, by the Command of the House, brought in Colonel Touchett: Who informed the House, That he had known Mr. Danvers in Italy, and afterwards in England: That, during the Time of the late War, he the said Colonel Touchett being Captain of a Troop of Horse in Prince Rupert's Regiment, the said Mr. Danvers quartered with him in one House in Shropshire: That they quartered there for One Night only: That Mr. Danvers had only his own Servants then with him, who attended him: That they parted the next Morning: That, some short time after, not far from Bridgsnorth, he did see Mr. Danvers march in the Head of a Regiment of Foot, raised against the Parliament: And, being asked, If he knew the Gentleman again, looking upon Mr. Danvers in his Place, where he sat near to him, said This is the Gentleman.

And afterwards, Colonel Touchett, by Command of the House, withdrew.

Mr. Danvers having heard the Information of Colonel Touchett, stood up in his Place; and made his Answer thereunto.

And, by the Command of the House, withdrew.

The Question being propounded, That Mr. Robert Villiers, returned by the Name of Robert Danvers, to serve as a Member of this present Parliament, for the Borough of Westbury in the County of Wiltes, be for his Delinquency expelled this House;

The Question was put, That these Words, "and that he be disabled from sitting as a Member in this present Parliament, or in any other Parliament, for the future," be added to the Question.

It passed in the Affirmative.

And the main Question being put; It was

Resolved, &c. That Mr. Robert Villiers, returned, by the Name of Robert Danvers, to serve as a Member of this present Parliament, for the Borough of Westbury in the County of Wiltes, be for his Delinquency expelled this House; and that he be disabled from sitting as a Member in this present Parliament, or in any other Parliament, for the future.

The Question being propounded, That Mr. Robert Villiers, otherwise called Robert Danvers, be committed to the Tower, during the Pleasure of this House;

The Question was put, That this Question be now put.

The House was divided.

The Noes went forth.

So the Question passed with the Negative.

Privilege- Petition against a Member.

Mr. Streete being present in the House, was required to give his Answer to the House, concerning the Matters contained in the Petition, formerly delivered in to this House, in the Name of the well-affected Inhabitants of the City of Worcester: Whereupon he presented to the House the humble Petition and Certificate of many of the well-affected and substantial Citizens of the City and County of the City of Worcester: The which was read: And made his Answer to the Matters alleged against him in the former Petition.

The humble Petition of the well-affected Inhabitants of the City of Worcester, formerly read, was again this Day read.

Ordered, That these Petitions, and the Matters contained in them respectively, bereferred to the Committee of Elections and Privileges; and that the said Committee do take the same into Examination, on Tuesday next shall be a Sevennight; and make a speedy Report therein to the House.

Brecon Writ.

Resolved, &c. That a new Writ be issued, for the Election of a Knight to serve in this present Parliament, for the County of Brccon, in the Place of Edmund Jones Esquire, disabled to serve as a Member of Parliament: And that Mr. Speaker do send his Warrant to the Clerk of the Commonwealth in Chancery, for the Issuing of a new Writ, for the Election of a Knight to serve for the County of Brecon, accordingly.

Westbury Writ.

Resolved, &c. That a new Writ be issued, for the Election of a Burgess to serve in this present Parliament for the Borough of Westbury in the County of Wilts, in the place of Robert Villers, otherwise Danvers, Esquire, disabled to serve as a Member of Parliament: And that Mr. Speaker do send his Warrant to the Clerk of the Commonwealth in Chancery, for the Issuing of a new Writ, for the Election of a Burgess to serve for the Borough of Westbury, accordingly.

Old Sarum Writ.

Resolved, &c. That a new Writ be issued, for the Election of a Burgess to serve in this present Parliament for the Borough of Old Sarum, in the County of Wiltes, in the place of Richard Hill Esquire, deceased: And that Mr. Speaker do send his Warrant to the Clerk of the Commonwealth in Chancery, for the Issuing of a new Writ, for the Election of a Burgess to serve for the Borough of Old Sarum, accordingly.

Heytesbury Writ.

Resolved, &c. That a new Writ be issued, for the Election of a Burgess to serve in this present Parliament for the Borough of Heytesbury in the County of Wiltes, in the place of John Ash Esquire, deceased; and that Mr. Speaker do send his Warrant to the Clerk of the Commonwealth in Chancery, for the Issuing of a new Writ, for the Election of a Burgess to serve for the Borough of Heytesbury, accordingly.

St. Germans Writ.

Resolved, &c. That a new Writ be issued, for the Election of a Burgess to serve in this present Parliament for the Borough of St. Germans in the County of Cornewall, in the place of John Glanvile Serjeant at Law, being a Person not qualified to sit in this House: And that Mr. Speaker do send his Warrant to the Clerk of the Commonwealth in Chancery, for the Issuing of a new Writ, for the Election of a Burgess to serve for the Borough of St. Germans, accordingly.

Recognizing Protector's Title.

Resolved, &c. That, according to the former Order, the House do take into Consideration a previous Vote, upon the Matter of the Debate of the House, the first Business, on Monday Morning next; and that nothing else do then intervene.

The House was adjourned to Monday Morning, at Eight of the Clock, accordingly.