Thursday, the 16th of December, 1652.
Prayers.
Marshalsey Prisoners.
ORDERED, That the Lord Chief Justice Rolle be
authorized and required to pay, or cause to be paid,
unto such Person or Persons as the Council of State shall
appoint, all such Sum and Sums of Money as have
been paid unto him from the several Counties upon the
Act of 43 Elizabethæ, for Relief of the Prisoners in
the Marshalsey, and are now in his Hands, to be employed
for the Relief of the maimed Mariners.
Sir R. Gurney.
Ordered, That the Report touching Sir Richard Gurney be made on this Day Fortnight.
Publick Faith.
Ordered, That the Report touching the Publick Faith
be made on this Day Sevennight.
Cheshire.
Ordered, That the Report touching the Cheshire Gentlemen be made on this Day Fortnight.
Weavers-Hall Bills.
Alderman Allein reports from the Committee to whom
it was referred to consider of the State of the Business
touching Weavers-Hall Bills, An Act for the Ascertaining the Time of Payment of the Monies due upon Weavers-Hall Bills: Which was this Day read the First and
Second time.
Resolved, That the Blank in this Act be filled with the
Word "Eight."
The Question being put, To agree to the Proviso in
this Act;
It passed with the Negative.
The Question being put, That this Act be ingrossed;
It passed with the Negative.
The said Act, so amended, being put to the Question,
passed.
Excise.
Resolved, That the Excise be continued from the
Day of September next, for Two Years, from thence next
following: And that the Committee of Excise do prepare
and bring in an Act accordingly, upon the present Debate of the House.
Embassy from Portugall.
Resolved, That the Earl of Salisbury, Colonel Rich, and
Mr. Ralegh do accompany the Lord Ambassador from
the King of Portugall to his Audience this Day.
The House being informed, that the Lord Ambassador Extraordinary from the King of Portugall was ready
to attend the Parliament, in order to his Audience, the
Serjeant, by the Command of the House, went with his
Mace to attend him from the Court of Wards: And,
when the Lord Ambassador was entered within the
House, he uncovered his Head: Mr. Speaker, and the
Members of the House, being likewise uncovered, stood
up; and, from the Bar, the Master of the Ceremonies and
the Serjeant at Arms attended him the one on the Righthand and the other on the Left, to a Chair with Elbows,
placed on the North Side of the House: Where, being
set, he made an Oration, in the Portugall Tongue; which
he presented in Writing, in Latin and in English, by the
Master of the Ceremonies.
Mr. Speaker informed the Lord Ambassador, by the
Master of the Ceremonies, That he would acquaint the
Parliament therewith: And, after the usual Civilities performed mutually, the said Ambassador departed out of
the House; and was attended by the Master of the Ceremonies and Serjeant of Arms to the Court of Wards.
Mr. Speaker, by way of Report, acquaints the House
with what was delivered by the said Lord Ambassador:
Which was read.
Resolved, That the Sum for the full Clearing of this
Account, upon the Fourth preliminary Article, be Fifty
thousand Pounds.
Ordered, That it be referred to the Council of State,
to settle the Security for the Payment of the said Sum
of Fifty thousand Pounds; and the Time of Payment
thereof.
Ordered, That the Council of State be authorized to
proceed with the Treaty of the Peace between this Commonwealth and the King of Portugall.
Ordered, That the Consideration of the Portugall Ships
and Goods, now in Question in the Admiralty, be particularly referred to the Council of State.
Ordered, That it be referred to the Council of State to
take Care that those Articles which concern the Merchants be effectually put in Execution.