Die Veneris, 22 Septembris, 1648.

Prayers.

Excise.

AN Ordinance for Discharge of the Commissioners of the Excise for their Accompts, commencing the Twenty-ninth of September 1645, and ending the Twentyninth of September 1646, was this Day read; and, upon the Question, passed; and ordered to be sent to the Lords for their Concurrence.

Mr. Miles Corbett is appointed to carry it to the Lords.

Leave of Absence.

Ordered, upon the Question, That Mr. Ellison, a Member of this House, have Leave to go into the Country.

Message from Lords.

A Message from the Lords, by Dr. Page and Dr. Bennett;

The Lords have sent unto you Two Petitions: The one concerning Charles Moore and John Moore, Orphans of Arthur Moore, Son to the Lord Viscount Moore; the other concerning the poor Widows in Ireland: Which they desire you to take into your serious Consideration.

The Lords command us to put you in mind of the Order for printing, and Title of the lesser Catechism, that the said Catechism may be forthwith printed and published: And of a Petition of Dr. Chamberlayne; which they desire you to take into Consideration.

C. and J. Moore.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee for the poor distressed Protestants of Ireland, where Mr. Annesley has the Chair, to consider of the sad and indigent Condition of Charles and John Moore, the Orphans of Arthur Moore, Son to the Lord Viscount Moore, How there may be some Means provided for their Subsistence and Education; and to report it to the House on Friday Morning next.

Soldiers Widows.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee for poor distressed Protestants, that are come out of Ireland, where Mr. Annesley has the Chair, to consider of the Petition of those poor Widows, now read, whose Husbands lost their Lives in the Parliament Service in Ireland; to state the whole Matter of Fact, together with their Opinions of some Course for their Relief.

Invalid Soldiers.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee for maimed Soldiers, to send down such maimed Soldiers unto their Countries, as are cured, that they may receive their Pensions, according to Ordinance of Parliament; and to take Care, that the rest be provided for, and be sent to Hospitals: And that Colonel Birch be added to the said Committee for maimed Soldiers.

Catechism.

An Order for printing the shorter Catechism, and the Title thereto, were read; and agreed unto, with the Addition of a Proviso for the Continuance of restraining the Printing of this Catechism, that it shall continue for a Twelvemonth, and no longer: And

It is Ordered, That the Lords Concurrence be desired herein.

Baths and Bath Stones.

An Ordinance, formerly sent from the Lords, for granting to Dr. Peter Chamberlaine the sole Making of Baths and Bath Stones, within the Kingdoms of England and Ireland, and Dominion of Wales, for Fourteen Years, was this Day read the First and Second time; and, upon the Question, committed unto Mr. Wheeler, Colonel Birch, Sir Ben Rudyard, Colonel Copley, Sir John Danvers, Mr. Hodges, Mr. Annesley, Sir John Trevour, Sir Wm. Waller, Mr. Knightley, Sir H. Mildmay, Mr. Green, Mr. Ashe, Colonel Ludlow, Sir John Clotworthy, Sir Symonds Dewes, Colonel Rigby, Mr. Holland, Mr. Lisle, Mr. Bond, Mr. Povey, Mr. Peck, Sir Wm. Armyn, Sir Robert Pye, Mr. Hoyle, Mr. Lister, Dr. Palmer; or any Five of them: And are to meet this Afternoon, at Two of Clock, in the Exchequer Chamber: And have Power to send for Parties, Witnesses, Papers, Records.

Answer to Lords.

Answer returned by the same Messengers; That this House has taken the Particulars of this Message into Consideration; and will send Answer by Messengers of their own.

Detention of a Ship.

Upon Report from the Committee of the Navy, to whom the Business concerning the Stay of the Ship with Firelocks, otherwise called Barbary Guns, stayed at Dartmouth. . . .;

It is Ordered, That the said Ship, together with the said Firelocks, or Barbary Guns, be forthwith released and discharged.

Lady Brook.

Ordered, That the growing Interest from this Day, for the Four thousand Pounds appointed to the Lady Brook, be charged upon the Sequestration of Sir Edward Bishop's Estate; and the Order so amended.

And it was so amended accordingly; and carried to the Lords for their Concurrence, by Mr. Gurdon.

Delinquents.

Resolved, &c. That this House doth declare and order, That no Person or Persons whatsoever, within any the Counties in the Kingdom of England, or Dominion of Wales, that are ill-affected to the Proceedings of Parliament, and have shewn their Disaffection in any the late Insurrections, or otherwise shall be in the Commission of the Peace, or be Deputy Lieutenants, or of any Committee, or be Commissioners, or be in any other publick Trust or Employment.

Well-affected of Essex.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Members of this House that are of the County of Essex, or any Three of them, to deliver, unto the Commissioners of the Great Seal, the Names of Persons well-affected to the Proceedings of Parliament, sit to be in Commission: And that the Names of all others be left out.

Draper's Petition.

Ordered, That Captain Mathew Draper's Petition be read To-morrow Morning.

Transporting Coin.

Whereas a Commission was lately issued, under the Seal of his Majesty's Court of Exchequer, unto Edward Watkins Esquire, and others, Commissioners for Discovery of Transporters of Coin and Bullion, and of several other Deceits practised upon the Coins of this Kingdom: And whereas it may so fall out, that some Persons of meaner Condition, who are themselves, in some sort, guilty of Transporting of Coin and Bullion, or have been employed by others for the Buying up of Coin, to be transported; or for culling the weightiest Coin, to the end the same might, for Gain, be melted down again, or for Clipping, or Washing, of Coin, may, and would discover divers others, greater or more subtle Offenders, which would be a good Service in them to the Commonwealth, were it not for the Greatness of the Penalties and Forseitures, which, upon their Confessions, they will be liable unto: It is therefore thought fit, and Ordered, That every Person and Persons, making any such Discovery of such other Offenders, shall (upon a Certificate under the Hands and Seals of the Commissioners in the aforesaid Commission named, or any Two or more of them, whereof the said Edward Watkyns to be one, with the Approbation of the Attorney, or Solicitor General, for the Time being, made, and delivered unto the Barons of the Exchequer for the Time being, of such Discovery of such other Offenders) be, by the said Barons, discharged and freed of and from all Penalties and Forfeitures to be imposed on him or them, for so much as he or they shall so confess, and as shall or may concern him or themselves only, and no more: And his Majesty's Attorney and Solicitor General for the Time being, respectively, are not to proceed against any the said Person or Persons, for or by reason of the Premises, but that the said Parties so declaring as aforesaid, be discharged by the said Attorney or Solicitor's Confession, or otherwise, according to Course of the said Court of Exchequer in the like Cases.

The Lords Concurrence to be desired herein.

Private Business.

Ordered, That no private Business be entertained for Fourteen Days now next ensuing, either upon Motion of any Member of the House, or upon Message from the Lords.

Assessments.

Ordered, That the Letter from the Army, for collecting the Assessments, be read, the first Business, To-morrow Morning.

Excise.

Whereas the Receipts of divers Rates of Excise, and new Impost set and imposed by Four several Ordinances of the Lords and Commons, assembled in Parliament; that is to say, the First of the said Ordinances concerning the Eleventh of September, which was in the Year of our Lord God 1643, and is commonly called the Grand Excise; the Second of the said Ordinances, bearing Date the Ninth Day of January, in the said Year 1643; the Third of said Ordinances, bearing Date the Eighth Day of July, which was in the Year of our Lord God 1644; and the Fourth of the said Ordinances, bearing Date the Twentyfourth Day of November, which was in the Year of our Lord God 1645; to have Continuance for one whole Year, from the Times of the Commencement of the said Four several Ordinances respectively; have, sithence, by several other Ordinances of the said Lords and Commons; been continued in the Hands, and under the Regulation, Order, and Government of the Commissioners in the said first-recited Ordinance of the Eleventh of September 1643, named and appointed, and the Survivors of them, in such manner, and during such time, as, in and by the said several Ordinances, passed for their Continuance accordingly, is expressed: And whereas by one other Ordinance of the Lords and Commons, bearing Date the Fourth Day of October, which was in the Year of our Lord God 1645, it is ordered and appointed, That all and every the Accompts of the said Excise, and new Impost, should then all determine upon the Twenty-ninth Day of September 1645, and afterwards quarterly upon the Four usual Feast Days or Terms of the Year; as by the last-recited Ordinance, Relation being thereunto had, more fully may appear: And whereas, in pursuance thereof, the Accompts of Thomas Foote, John Kendrick, and Thomas Cullum, and Symond Edmonds, Esquires, and Aldermen of the City of London, John Lamott, and Edward Plaxton, of the same, Esquires, chief Commissioners and Governors, as aforesaid, of all and every the said Receipts, for one whole Year, ended the Twenty-ninth of September 1646, upon the said several Ordinances, of the Eleventh of September, and Ninth of January 1643; as also upon the said Ordinance of the Eighth of July 1644; and upon the aforesaid Ordinance of 24 Novembris 1645, from the Commencement thereof, until the said Twenty-ninth of September 1646; have been duly audited, examined, and pricked over, with the Vouchers Entries, and Books of Accompts thereof, in the several . . . . . throughout the Kingdom by Wm. Bond Esquire, sole Auditor of the said Receipts, in that Behalf, appointed, according to the Directions prescribed in and by several Ordinances of Parliament: which said Accounts have been likewise presented by the said Auditor, upon the Committee of Lords and Commons for regulating the Excise: and by them considered of, examined, and allowed: Be it therefore Ordained, by the Lords and Commons, in Parliament assembled, That the said Thomas Foote, John Kendrick, Thomas Cullum, Simon Edmonds, John Lamott, and Edward Claxton, Chief Commissioners of Excise, and every of them, their and every of their Heirs, Executors, and Administrators, respectively, hereby now are, and from time to time, and at all times for ever hereafter, by Authority of Parliament, shall be saved harmless, and defended for and concerning all and every Act and Acts whatsoever, by them, or any of them, or by their, or any of their Sub-commissioners, Deputies, or Under Officers whatsoever, by their Direction, or any of them, done or executed, in or concerning the Collecting of the said Rates of Excise, and new Impost, or in, or concerning the Ordering and Governing thereof: And that the said Thomas Foote, John Kendrick, Thomas Cullum, Simon Edmonds, John Lamott, and Edward Claxton, and every of them, their Heirs, Executors, and Administrators respectively, are hereby and for ever hereafter shall be, acquitted and discharged of and from all Receipts, Payments, Reckonings, Accompts, Questions, and Demands whatsoever, of, for, touching, and concerning the said Four several Ordinances of Parliament herein first recited, for the several Terms before specified, respectively, ending the Twenty-ninth of September 1646. And, lastly, be it Ordained, by Authority aforesaid, That the said Thomas Foot, John Kendrick, Thomas Cullum, Simon Edmonds, John Lamott, and Edward Claxton, and every of them, their Heirs, Executors, and Administrators, are and shall be liable for such Sums of Money of the Debts and Surcharges set over insuper, upon the Sub-commissioners and Debtors in the said Accompt named, and for all such other Sums of Money due for Excise, by virtue of the said Ordinances until the said Twenty-ninth of September 1646, before named, as already have, or hereafter shall come to their or any of their Hands, and no more.