Monday, the 4th of September, 1654.
Protector attended.
THE House met together at Eight of the Clock;
and went from thence to the Abbey:
Where his Highness the Lord Protector came,
attended with the Lords Commissioners of the Great
Seal, the Commissioners of the Treasury, and divers of
the Council, being also Members of the Parliament;
and there heard a Sermon preached by Mr. Thomas
Goodwyn:
Protector's Speech.
And from thence came into the Painted Chamber:
Where his Highness made unto them a large Narration
of the Grounds of their being called together, and the
Weightiness of their Employment: And then desired
them to repair to their House, and exercise their own
Liberty in choosing their Speaker, that they might lose
no Time from their great Business.
Clerk and Serjeant.
Thereupon the Members repaired to the House:
Where, being sat, some Exception was taken by Two
Members, that the Clerk and the Serjeant came into the
House, before they were chosen by the House: Whereupon both of them voluntarily withdrew: And, after a
while, a Member of the House came forth, and called
in the Clerk; who coming within the Door, William
Lenthall Master of the Rolls, sitting in the Chair as
Speaker, acquainted him, that the House had chosen
him to be their Clerk; and commanded him to come to
his Place: Who, being come to the Bar, desired Leave
to speak; and the same being granted, he declared, That
he did not presume to come into the House out of Ambition to that Place, but because it was his Duty to be
there; and that before the House sat: Nor did he seek
that Place at first, but was called to it (as Mr. Speaker
knew well) by a Command from that Chair, when
nothing else could have brought him thither: That the
Parliament which called him did, by an Act of Parliament, appoint and constitute him Clerk of the Parliament, during his Life; and also granted him a Patent
under the Great Seal: But nevertheless, if his Right did
not consist with the Service of the House, he should
accept of an easy Dismission; and did lay both the Act
of Parliament, and Patent, at their Feet.
Whereupon the Speaker again commanded him to
come to his Place: Which he did.
It being moved by a Member of the House, That,
since the House had chosen a Speaker when no Clerk
was present to enter it, that some Vote might be passed
for the Entry thereof;
And thereupon the said Motion being seconded;
It was
Mr. Lenthall chosen Speaker.
Resolved, by the Parliament, That the Clerk do make
an Entry, that Mr. Lenthall Master of the Rolls was
called to the Chair, as Speaker.
Clerk and Serjeant chosen.
Resolved, by the Parliament, That the Clerk do enter,
that Henry Scobell Esquire was chosen by the House to
be the Clerk, and Edward Birkhead Esquire, to be the
Serjeant, attending this House.
Fast-day.
Resolved, by the Parliament, That a Day be set apart
for Publick Fasting and Humiliation for this House, and
the whole Nation.
Resolved, That Wednesday next come-sevennight, being
the 13th Day of September instant, be the Day of Fasting
and Humiliation for this House, and for all Places within
the Cities of London and Westminster, and late Lines of
Communication, and weekly Bills of Mortality.
Resolved, That Wednesday the 4th of October shall be
the Day for a Publick Fast and Humiliation in all Places
through England and Wales, and the Town of Berwick
upon Tweed.
Resolved, That the same Day be appointed for a Day
of Publick Fasting and Humiliation in all the Places in
Scotland.
Resolved, That Wednesday, the First Day of November,
be appointed for a Day of Publick Fasting and Humiliation, in all the Places in Ireland.
Resolved, That it be referred to some Members of the
House, to prepare a Declaration of the Grounds of this
Fast; viz. Colonel Fines, Sir William Masham, Sir James
Harrington, Major-General Skippon, Sir Arthure Hesilrige, Mr. Recorder, Lord Bradshaw, or any Two of
them; and present it to the House.
Resolved, That Mr. Marshall be desired to be assisting
in Carrying-on the Work of the Day of Publick Fasting
and Humiliation, on the 13th of September instant: And
that Sir William Massam do give him Notice thereof.
Resolved, That Dr. Thomas Goodwyn be desired to be
assisting in Carrying-on the Work of the Day of Publick
Fasting and Humiliation, on the 13th of September instant: And that Mr. Lawrence, Lord President of the
Council, do give him Notice hereof.
Resolved, That Dr. Francis Cheinell be desired to be
assisting in Carrying on the Work of the Day of Publick
Fasting and Humiliation, on the 13th of September instant: And that Mr. Fagge do give him Notice hereof.
Preachers thanked.
Resolved, That Sir Wm. Masham do give the Thanks
of this House to Mr. Stephen Marshall, for his great Pains
in his Sermon preached Yesterday before the Parliament:
And that he be desired to print his Sermon: And it is
Ordered, That none shall presume to print it without his
Appointment.
Resolved, That Mr. Lawrence, Lord President of his
Highness's Council, do give the Thanks of this House
to Dr. Thomas Goodwyn, for his great Pains in his Sermon preached this Day before the Parliament: And that
he be desired to print his Sermon: And it is Ordered,
That none shall presume to print it, without his Appointment.
Fast-day.
The Question being put, That the Parliament do
keep the Day of Fasting and Humiliation on the 13th
Day of September instant, in Margarett's Church, Westminster;
And the Question being put, That that Question be
now put;
It passed in the Affirmative.
And the main Question being put; It was
Resolved, by the Parliament, That the Parliament do
keep the Day of Fasting and Humiliation on the 13th
Day of September instant, in Margarett's Church, Westminster.
Prayers in the House.
Resolved, That the Governors of the School and Almshouse of Westminster do take care, that such of the Morning Lecturers, as preacheth on the respective Days, do
attend, each Morning that they preach, to pray in this
House.
Call of the House.
Resolved, That the House be called To-morrow Morning: And that the Book returned by the Clerk of the
Commonwealth, be then brought in.
Mayors, &c.
Prima vice lecta est Billa, Bill against the Election and
Swearing of Mayors, &c. on the Lord's Day.