Wednesday, 17th June, 1657.

Assessment.

MR. Nathaniell Bacon reports from the Grand Committee to whom the Bill for an Assessment upon England for Three Years, was committed, Amendments to the said Bill; having therein pursued the Order of the House for shortening the Bill: Which Amendments contained that which is to come instead of the whole Bill, except the last Proviso: And likewise reports, Additional Names to the Commissioners for the County of Wiltes:

Which Amendments were twice read.

Resolved, That, instead of the Word "Threescore," in the Seventh Line of the First Folio, the Word "Sixty" be inserted.

And the Amendments, so amended, were, upon the Question, agreed.

A Proviso was tendered to this Bill, in these Words; viz. "Provided always, That neither this Act, nor the said Act for the said Assessment of Sixty thousand Pounds by the Month, or any thing therein contained, shall extend or be construed to authorize or impower the said Commissioners, or any Person or Persons whatsoever, to raise or levy the said Tax hereby assessed or taxed, or any Part thereof, by free Quarter, or by Quartering of Soldiers; any thing in this Act, or in the said Act for the said Monthly Assessment, to the contrary notwithstanding."

Which was, by Order upon the Question, read the First time.

Resolved, That this Proviso be read the Second time.

And the same was read accordingly; and, upon the Question, ordered to be Part of the Bill.

Mr. Bacon reports from the same Grand Committee, the Opinion of the said Grand Committee, That the County of Cardigan shall be abated the one Half of their Assessment: And that the County of Pembroke shall be abated One Third Part of the Assessment that they formerly paid.

Resolved, That this House doth agree with the Committee, That the County of Cardigan shall be abated the One Half of their Assessment.

The Question being put, That the House doth agree with the Committee, That the County of Pembroke be abated One Third Part of their Assessment;

The House was divided.

The Yeas went forth.

So it passed in the Negative.

Resolved, That the Sum upon the County of Cardigan, in this Bill, be made One hundred and Six Pounds and Fifteen Shillings: And that the Bill be amended accordingly.

A Clause was tendered to this Bill, for the Raising of Six thousand Pounds by the Month for Three Years, in Scotland: Which was read the First and Second time.

Divers Names being presented by several Persons of the House, to be added to the Commissioners for Assessments in several Counties and Places, to be inserted into the Bill; the same were severally put to the Question; and ordered to be put into the Bill.

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

Resolved, That this Clause, now read, touching Scotland, be committed to the Committee for Scotland, to set down the Proportions on the several Counties, Cities, Boroughs, and Places, according to the Proportions in the Bill for the Fifteen thousand Pounds: And that they bring in the same in Parchment, to be added to this Bill: And the Committee are to meet this Afternoon, at Two of the Clock, in the Speaker's Chambers.

Resolved, That the Committee for Ireland do bring in a Clause in Parchment, to be added to this Bill, for the Assessment upon Ireland, for Three Years; with reference to the former Act: And they are to meet this Afternoon, at Two of the Clock, in the usual Place of Meeting.

Resolved, That the Report for the Customs be made the first Business this Afternoon.

Publick Debts.

A Bill for the Stating and Ascertaining the Debts upon the Publick Faith, and providing Security for the same, was this Day read the First time; and, upon the Question, ordered to be read the Second time, To-morrow Morning.

Irish Rebels.

Major Morgan reports, Amendments to the Bill for Attainder of the Rebels in Ireland:

Which were read.

Resolved, That the Debate upon these Amendments be adjourned until To-morrow Morning, the first Business.

Immoderate Living.

A Bill for punishing such Persons as live at high Rates, and have no visible Estates, Profession, or Calling, to maintain the same, was this Day read the Second time; and, upon the Question, committed to Colonel Shapcott, Sir John Thoroughgood, Sir Tho. Pryde, Sir John Barksteed, Colonel Cox, Major-General Kelsey, Major-General Berry, Mr. Margetts, Mr. Lockard, Mr. Scotton, Mr. Bampfeild, Major Audley, Mr. Fowell, Mr. Smyth, Lord Whitelock, Colonel Chadwick, Mr. Godfrey, Colonel Cox, Mr. Beamond, Mr. Duncomb, Mr. Briscoe, Major-General Bridg, Mr. Gorges, Colonel Jones, Colonel Winthrop, Colonel Purefoy, Mr. Hall, Mr. Hussey: To meet To-morrow Morning, at Seven of Clock, in the Speaker's Chamber: With Power also to fill up the Blanks in the Bill.

Hereford Writ.

Ordered, That Mr. Speaker do issue his Warrant to the Clerk of the Commonwealth, for a Writ for the Election of a Knight for the County of Hereford, in the Place of Major General Berry, who hath made his Election to serve for * *.

Post Meridiem.

Customs.

CAPTAIN Baines reports from the Grand Committee to whom the Bill for the Customs was referred, Amendments to the said Bill: Which were twice read.

And the Question being put, That this House doth agree with the Committee, for omitting the Word "until," in the First Line of the Second Folio;

The House was divided.

The Yeas went forth.

So it was Resolved, That the House doth agree with the Committee for omitting the Word "until," in the First Line of the Second Folio.

Resolved, That the House doth agree with the Committee, That the Proportion of the Custom for the Scottish Coals shall be Four Shillings the Ton, upon Natives; and Eight Shillings on Foreigners.

And the rest of the Amendments, being put to the Question, were agreed.

A Clause was tendered to this Bill, in these Words; viz. "And be it further Enacted, by his Highness, and this present Parliament, That one Act of Parliament, made the Twelfth of March 1649, intituled, An Act for the better Packing of Butter, and Redress of Abuses therein, shall be, and is hereby, revived; and that all the Clauses, Matters, Authorities, and Things in the said Act contained, shall be, from and after the First Day of August, in the Year of our Lord 1657, in full Force, Virtue, and Power: And for the Prevention of the like Abuses in Scotland and Ireland, be it further Enacted; and it is hereby Enacted; That from and after the Five-and twentieth Day of March, which shall be in the Year of our Lord 1658, the said Act shall be in Force, and upon the like Penalties, in Scotland and Ireland:"

Which was twice read, and ordered to be Part of the Bill; and the Bill, with these Amendments, ordered to be ingrossed.

A Bill being tendered, concerning Colouring of Aliens Goods, &c.

The Question being put, That the same shall be now read;

The House was divided.

The Yeas went forth.

So it passed in the Negative.

Resolved, That this Bill be read To-morrow Morning.

Sequestered Parsonages, &c.

An Act for the quiet Enjoying of sequestered Parsonages and Vicarages, by the present Incumbent, was this Day read the Third time.

The Question being put, That the Word "such," and the Words "as they shall think fitting," shall stand in the Clause of the Bill touching Allowance to ejected or sequestered Ministers;

It passed in the Negative.

The Question being put, That these Words, "or Children," do stand in the Bill in the former Clause;

It passed in the Negative.

The Question being put, That these Words, "his Wife," do stand in the same Clause;

The House was divided.

The Yeas went forth.

So it was Resolved, That these Words; "his Wife," do stand in the same Clause.

Resolved, That the Word "or" be inserted before the Words "his Wife."

The Question being put, That the First Blank in the Bill be filled up with the Words "Fifty Pounds;"

It passed in the Negative.

The Question being put, That the First Blank be filled up with "Forty Pounds;"

The House was divided.

The Yeas went forth.

So it passed in the Negative.

Resolved, That the first Blank be filled up with these Words, "Thirty Pounds."

A Proviso was tendered, to authorize Five Justices of Peace, instead of the Commissioners, with the same Powers, in case they failed.

And the Question being put, That this Proviso be now read;

It passed in the Negative.

Another Proviso was tendered to the Bill, in these Words, "Provided, that the said sequestered Minister do not live and continue in the Place, wherein the Living lies, out of which he was ejected."

Which was read the First and Second time; and, by the general Consent of the House, was waved.

And another Proviso was tendered, in these Words; viz. "Provided, that no ejected or sequestered Minister shall have or receive any Benefit or Advantage, by virtue of this Act, that without the Consent of the Incumbent resides and remains in the Parish or Place out of which he is ejected or sequestered, during such Residence; any thing before in this Act, or any other Matter or Thing to the contrary hereof, notwithstanding."

Which was read the First and Second time.

The Question being put, That these Words, "without the Consent of the Incumbent," do stand in this Proviso;

It passed in the Negative.

Resolved, That this Proviso, thus amended, be Part of the Bill.

Another Proviso was tendered to this Bill, on the Behalf of Lambert Osbaldston, as to the Rectory and Parsonage of Whethampsted.

And the Question being put, That this Proviso be read;

It passed in the Negative.

The Words, ingrossed in Parchment, were tendered to this Bill; viz. "or Ecclesiastical Benefice:" Which were twice read; and, by general Consent, laid aside.

And another tendered, in these Words, "or Hospital."

Which was twice read; and upon the Question, ordered to be Part of the Bill.

A Proviso was tendered to this Act, in these Words, "Provided always That this Act, or any thing therein contained, shall not extend to give or confirm unto Anthony Lapthorne the present Minister of Sedgfeild in the County of Durham, any Right or Title to the Profits of the Rectory of Sedgfeild, save only to so much thereof as shall amount unto the Sum of Two hundred Pounds per Annum, allowed to him out of the Profits of the said Rectory, by the Committee of the late Parliament for plundered Ministers; any thing in this Act contained to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding."

Which was twice read; and, upon the Question, ordered to be Part of the Bill.

Another Proviso was tendered, in these Words, "Provided always, and be it enacted, by the Authority aforesaid, That it shall and may be lawful to and for any Patron or Parson, having Right of Presentation, and not being a Papist or Delinquent, to present unto any Church or Chapel, where the Incumbent hath been Delinquent, and sequestered; and in which any Minister hath been placed by Authority of Parliament, that is since deceased, and such Church or Chapel not supplied or presented unto before the Seventeenth Day of June 1657; any thing in this Act, or any other Matter or Thing to the contrary hereof, notwithstanding."

Which was twice read; and, upon the Question, ordered to be Part of the Bill.

Another Proviso was tendered to this Bill, as Leases, made before the First of December, by such sequestered Parsons, or Vicars, &c.

And the Question being put, That this Proviso be now read;

It passed in the Negative.

Another Proviso was tendered to this Bill, to make void Contracts made in lieu of Fifths.

And the Question being put, That this Question be now put, That this Proviso be now read;

It passed with the Negative.

The Question being put, That the Day of December 1656 do stand;

It passed with the Negative.

Resolved, That these Words, viz. "the First Day of July 1657," be inserted, instead thereof.

The Question being put, That this Word; viz. "December," aforesaid, do stand;

It passed in the Negative.

Resolved, That the Word "July" be inserted, instead thereof.

Another Proviso was tendered to this Bill: That it might be lawful for an ejected or sequestered Minister, upon a Licence from Five of the Commissioners, to reside in the Parish out of which he was sequestered, without losing his Fifths.

And the Question being put, That this Proviso be read;

It passed with the Negative.

Another Proviso was tendered to this Bill; That this Act extend not to settle any Minister that had been formerly sequestered, in any sequestered Living.

And the Question being put, That this Proviso be read;

It passed in the Negative.

And the said Bill, so amended, with the Schedules annexed, being put to the Question, passed.

Ordered, That this Bill be presented to the Lord Protector, for his Consent.