House of Commons Journal Volume 8: 28 May 1660

Monday, 28th May, 1660.

Prayers.

Proceedings against the Regicides.

A LETTER from Robert Fowler, from Rochester, of the 26th of May 1660, certifying, that he hath made Stay of Two Trunks, Two Hampers, Thirteen Bundles of Bedding, and Hangings, with some Chairs, in all Twenty-seven Parcels, of the Goods of Mr. Andrew Broughton, one of the Clerks in the High Court of Justice, when his late Majesty was there arraigned, was read.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Members of this House, of the Council of State, to take care that the said Goods, and also the Goods of Mr. Phelpes, and Mr. Dendy, be inventoried and secured.

Ditto.

The House being informed, that a rich Coach, heretofore bought by Oliver Cromwell, and paid for at the publick Charge, is seized by the Serjeant at Arms attending this House, but detained by a Coachmaker, upon Pretence of an Attachment for a Debt;

Ordered, That it be referred to the Members of this House, who are of the Council of State, to examine the Matter; and whether there be any such real Debt; and to give such Order for the securing the same, for his Majesty's Service, as, upon Examination, they shall find just and meet.

Great Seal.

Resolved, That the Great Seal, in the Custody of Sir Thomas Widdrington, and the rest of the late Commissioners of the Great Seal, be brought into this House this Forenoon, before the Rising of the House, by the said late Commissioners, or those Two of them that are Members of this House, to be here defaced.

Cornwall Election.

Upon Report made by Mr. Turner, from the Committee for Privileges and Elections, on the double Return for the County of Cornwall, that the Committee are of Opinion, that, in respect of the Sheriff of the said County his Contempt in not attending the Committee, to give an Account of his Proceedings at the said Election, upon several Orders by them in that Behalf made, the Sheriff be sent for in Custody;

A Person ordered in Custody.

Resolved, That the Sheriff of the County of Cornwall be forthwith sent for, in safe Custody, to this House, in respect of his Contempt in not attending the Committee for Privileges and Elections, upon several Orders by them in that Behalf made, to give an Account, touching his Proceedings about the late Election of Knights for that County.

Forcible Entries.

Mr. Pryn reports from the Committee, appointed to withdraw, on Saturday last, an Order; which was read; and was in these Words; viz.

Whereas Complaint hath been made, that several Riots have been committed, and forcible Entries made, upon the Possessions of divers Persons, Ecclesiastical and Temporal, who have been settled in the said Possessions by Order of one or both Houses of Parliament, or other lawful or pretended Authority; and That without any Order of Parliament, or legal Eviction; to the Disturbance of the publick Peace, whilst these Matters are under the Consideration of the Parliament: It is therefore Ordered, by the and Commons, in Parliament assembled, that no Person or Persons, Ecclesiastical or Temporal, shall presume, indirectly or forcibly, to enter upon or disturb the said Possessions, or any of them, till the Parliament take Order therein, or an Eviction be had by due Course of Law.

Resolved, That this Order be re-committed to the same Committee, to put it into the Form of a Proclamation, to be offered to the King's Majesty; omitting the Word "indirectly."

Letter from the King.

The Lord Faulkland presented to the House a Letter from the King's Majesty, with this Superscription, "To Our trusty and well-beloved the Speaker of Our House of Commons, to be communicated to the Members of that House; and given at his Majesty's Court at Canterbury, Twenty-sixth Day of May 1660, in the Twelfth Year of his Majesty's Reign;" which was read by Mr. Speaker, standing up in his Chair.

Assessment.

A Bill ingrossed, for putting in Execution an Ordinance mentioned in the said Bill, was this Day read the Third time; and, upon the Question, passed.

Irish Rebels.

Mr. Finch gave an Account to the House of a Conference had with the Lords upon the Declaration touching the Rebels in Ireland; and that the Lords think fit to put the same into the Way of a Proclamation: Which Proclamation was read the First time, and after read again.

Resolved, That after the Word "assembled," in the Sixth Line of the First Sheet, these Words "in Parliament," be inserted.

Resolved, That in the Second Folio, Line the Ninth, after the Words "of the," the Word "said" be inserted.

Resolved, That in the Fourth Sheet, First Line, after the Word "assembled," these Words be put in, viz. "as aforesaid."

Resolved, That the Word "English," in the Third Sheet, and Ninth Line, after the Word "our," be omitted.

Resolved, That these Words, "the Second," in the First Sheet, and First Line, after the Word "Charles," be omitted.

Resolved, That this House doth agree to this Proclamation, with these Amendments; and that the same be returned to the Lords for their Concurrence: And Mr. Finch is to carry it to the Lords.

Assessment.

Ordered, That Mr. Knightly do go to the Lords with this Message, that this House doth agree to the Ordinance of Assessment of seventy thousand Pounds by the Month, with the Additions, Alterations, and Proviso, sent by the Lords to this House: And that he also carry to the Lords the Bill, this Day passed, for putting in Execution of the Powers in the said Ordinance.

Great Seal.

The late Lords Commissioners of the Great Seal did, according to the Order of this House, bring the Great Seal in their Custody to the Clerk's Table; and there delivered the same to Mr. Speaker: And it is ordered, that the same be forthwith defaced in this House; and that a Smith be sent for, to break in Pieces and deface the same accordingly.

Excise and Customs.

Resolved, That it be referred to a Committee, to prepare a Bill or Bills for Excise and Customs, in such a Way as may be most for Advancing of Trade, and best Advantage of the Publick: And that Col. Birch, Mr. Pryn, Mr. Annesley, Mr. Finch, Mr. Gott, Mr. Weston, Mr. Knightly, Sir Wm. Doyley, Mr. Earneley, Sir Anth. Irby, Mr. Bainton, Mr. Powell, Sir John Potts, Mr. Francis Gerrard, Mr. Clapham, Sir Tho. Belhouse, Col. White, Col. Jones, Col. King, Mr. Jolliffe, Mr. Foley, Mr. Swale, Col. Bowyer, Mr. Ellison, Mr. Rich, Mr. Fowell, Lord Aungier, Mr. Smyth, Alderman Frederick, Sir John Pelham, Sir Richard Temple, Mr. Andrews, or any Three of them, be the said Committee: And they have Power to send for Persons and Papers: And they are to meet in the Exchequer Chamber, on Wednesday next, at Two of the Clock in the Afternoon; and to adjourn from time to time, as they shall see Cause: And Col. Birch is to take care herein.

Ordered, That the humble Petition of Christopher Metcalfe, Surveyor General of the Customs, be referred to the same Committee.

Ordered, That the humble Petition of Thomas Morris and William Dodson, Farmers of the Customs and Excise in Ireland, be referred to the said Committee.

Assessment.

Mr. Knightly brings Answer, that, according to the Commands of this House, he did deliver the Message from this House, "that this House did agree with the Lords, in the Alterations, Additions, and Proviso, to the Ordinance of Assessment of Seventy thousand Pounds by the Month;" and that, as to the Act for putting the Powers in that Act in Execution, the Lords will take it into present Consideration, and return Answer by Messengers of their own.

Leave to attend the General.

Ordered, That Col. Knight, and the Officers of the Army, Members of this House, have Leave to go to wait on the General to Black Heath.

Guard to Whitehall.

Ordered, That Col. Knight do appoint a Guard, to attend betwixt Westminster and Whitehall, To-morrow, for accommodating the Passage of the Members of this House, to Whitehall.

Judicial Proceedings.

Mr. Finch reports Amendments to the Bill for Continuance of Process and Judicial Proceedings; which were twice read; and, upon the Question, agreed to.

Ordered, That this Bill, thus amended, be ingrossed.

Great Seal defaced.

The Smith, according to the Order of this House, came to the Bar of this House; and there, sitting the House, broke the Great Seal in several Pieces: And the same, so broken, was delivered to the late Commissioners, as their Fees.

Maimed Soldiers, &c.

Ordered, That the Committee for maimed Soldiers, &c. do meet in the Court of Wards, this Afternoon at Three of the Clock.

A Person ordered into custody.

Ordered, That Thomas Tyllam, who hath lately made some Disturbance at Colchester, be sent for in Custody by the Serjeant at Arms attending this House.