February 1650: Act Constituting a Council of State.

February, 1650

[13 February, 1649/50.]

Bee it Enacted by this present Parliament and the Authoritie thereof that Bazill Earle of Denbigh Henry Roll Lord Chiefe Justice of the upper bench Oliver St. John Lord Chiefe Justice of the Common bench John Wilde Lord Chiefe Baron of the Court of the Exchequer John Bradshaw Serjeant at Law, Thomas Lord Fairfax Captame Generall of the Parliaments forces, Thomas Lord Grey of Groby Oliver Cromwell Lord Lieutenant of Ireland Major Generall Philip Skippon Henry Martin Esq Isaac Pennington Alderman of London Sir Gilbert Pickering Barronett Rowland Wilson Alderman and Sheriffe of London Anthony Stapeley Esq Sir William Masham Barronett William Heveningham Esq Bulstrode Whitlocke Serjeant at Law one of the Lords Commissioners for the Great Seale of England Sir Arthur Heslerigg Barronett Sir James Harrington Knight Robert Wallop Esq, John Hutchinson Esqr, Sir Henry Vane junr Knight Dennis Bond Esq, Philip Lord Lisle Alexander Popham Esq, Sir William Armyne Barronett Valentine Wauton Esq, Sir Henry Mildmay Knight William Purefoy Esq Sir William Constable Barronett John Jones Esq John Lisle one of the Lords Commissioners of the great Seale of England Edmund Ludlow Esq Thomas Scott Esq William Earle of Salisbury Cornelius Holland Esq and Luke Robinson Esq or any nine of them shall bee and are hereby Constituted and appointed to be a Councell of State untill the seventeenth day of February which shall be in the years of our Lord one thousand six hundred and fifty unlesse the Parliament shall otherwise order the same And shall have hereby power and are Authorized to putt in execution these following Instructions.

1. You are hereby authorized and required to oppose and suppresse whomsoever shall endeavour or goe about to sett up or maintaine the pretended title of Charles Stuart eldest Sonne to the late King, or any other of the said late Kings issue or claimeing under him or them Or the pretended title or claime of any other single person whomsoever to the Crowne of England or Ireland dominion of Wales or to any other of the dominions or Territories to them or either of them belonging.

2. You are hereby Authorized and impowred to order and direct all the Militias & forces both by Sea and Land of England and Ireland and the Dominions to them or either of them belonging for preserveing the peace and safety thereof and for preventing resisting and suppressing all tumults and insurrections that shall happen to rise in them or either of them or any invasions of them from abroad. And also upon any emergencies to raise and arme such Forces as you shall judge necessary for the ends above expressed. And to give Commissions under the seale of the Councell to such Officers as you shall judge necessary for the leading Conducting and Commanding of the said forces And for the prosequution and pursuance of these Instructions or of any other Instructions you shall receive from the Parliament.

3. You are hereby Authorized and required to use all good wayes & meanes for the reduceing of Ireland, the Isles of Jersey Guernsey Silly and the Isle of Man and all other parts and places belonging to the Commonwealth of England nott yett reduced.

4. You shall take care That the stores and Magazines of all Military provisions both for the land service and for the Sea be from tyme to tyme well and sufficiently furnished and that the same be issued as you shall by warrant direct And you are also from time to time to take care of the repaire of the shipping belonging to the Commonwealth and to build such others as you shall judge necessary for the defence and safety thereof.

5. You are to use all good waies and meanes for the secureing Advancement and encouragement of the Trade of England and Ireland and the Dominions to them belonging And to promote the good of all forreigne plantations and factories belonging to this Commonwealth or any the Natives thereof

6. You shall advise order and direct concerning and entertaineing keeping renewing or setling of Amity and a good Correspondencie with Forreigne Kingdomes and States and for preserveing the rights of the people of this Nation in forreigne parts and Composing of their differences there and you are hereby Authorized to send Ambassadors Agents or Messengers to any Forreigne Kingdome or State and to receive Ambassadors Agents or Messengers from them for the ends aforesaid.

7. You are to advise and Consult of anything concerning the good of this Commonwealth and report your opinions concerning the same as you finde occasion to the Parliament.

8. You are hereby Authorized to send for any person or persons whatsoever to advise with them in pursuance of these or any other Instructions that shall be given unto you.

9. You have hereby power and are Authorized to send for any records writings Accompts bookes or papers that you shall thinke fitt for your Information in any cause matter or thing in agitation before you in pursuance of these or any other Instructions that shall be given you by the Parliament.

10. You have hereby power and are Authorized in case of danger to the Commonwealth to Administer an Oath to any person or persons for the discovery of the truth.

11. You are hereby Authorized and impowered to send for and imprison or otherwise to secure by takeing bond in Recognizance any such person or persons as shall bee offenders against these or any other Instructions which you shall receive from the Parliament And all such as shall continue or be refractory to any your Commands directions or Orders in pursuance of the said Instructions.

12. You have hereby power and are Authorized to charge the publique revenue by warrant under the Seale of the Councell with such summe and summes of money from tyme to tyme as you shall finde necessary for defraying all charges of forreigne negotiations Intelligence and other incidencies and for the Salary of all such subordinate Officers and attendants as you judge fitt to employ And for the effectuall carrying on of the service by these Instructions committed to you or by any other Instructions hereafter to be given you from the Parliament.

13. You are also to observe and putt in Execution such further Orders as you shall receive from time to time from the Parliament.

14. You have also hereby power to appoint committees or any other person or persons for examinations receiving of Informations and preparing of business for your debates or resolutions.

15. You are to meet att Whitehall on Saturday next being the sixteenth of February instant and soe from tyme to time and from place to place as you shall see cause and in such manner as you shall thinke fitt for the execution of your Instructions.

Die Martis 19° February 1649–50,

Bee it enacted by this present Parliament and by the Authority thereof That the Councell of State appointed by Authority Parliament for the Yeare ensueing shall have and exercize and such power Jurisdiction and Authority and are hereby Authorized and enabled to doe and execute all such things as pertaine to the Office of Lord Admirall of England and Lord Warden of the Cinque ports and all such other powers and Authorities as were vested in the Councell of State for the Yeare past by force of an Act of Parliament entituled an Act repealing the powers formerly given to the Lord Admirall and transferring it to the Councell of State.