November, 1645
[18 November, 1645.]
Names of Committee for disposing of Rents of; Westminister Church and College.; To have powers of Dean and Prebends.; Lands.; Suspension of Dean and Prebends & all other Delinquent Officers of the College and Church.; Mr. Lambert Osbolston excepted.; Power to Committee to appoint to vacant offices,; And to elect scholars.
Whereas the Colledge and Collegiate Church of Westminster
have been heretofore governed and regulated by the Dean and
Prebends thereof, who have taken upon them the care and charge
of bringing in the Rents and Profits belonging thereunto, for
the maintenance of the Schollers of the Free-School, Almsmen,
Servants, and Officers belonging to the said Colledge and Collegiate Church: And forasmuch as the present Dean and Prebends thereof (except only Mr. Lambert Osbolston) have deserted
their charge or are become Delinquents to the Parliament,
whereby the said Colledge and Collegiate Church is destitute of
Government; And the said School, Almsmen, Servants and
Officers, deprived of all means of subsistence, by reason no person
is appointed to take care for the same; for remedy whereof. Be
it ordained by the Lords and Commons in this present Parlia
ment assembled, That the Earl of Northumberland, Earl of
Pembroke, Earl of Nottingham, Earl of Denbigh, Earl of Mancester, Lord Viscount Say and Seal, Lord Willoughby, Lord
North, Lord Montague, Lord Roberts, Lord Howard, Mr.
Solicitor, Mr. Rous, Sir Walter Earl, Mr. Wheeler, Sir Robert
Harley, Mr. Maynard, Sir Gilbert Gerrard, Sir William Strickland, Mr. Ashurst, Sir John Clotworthy, Mr. Reynolds, Mr.
Gourdan, Mr. Lisle, Mr. Recorder, Sir William Massam, Sir
Robert Pye, Sir John Trevor, Mr. Salloway, Mr. Hoyle, Sir John
Dreyden, Sir Henry Vane junior, and Bulstrode Whitlock Esq;
shall be and are hereby constituted and appointed the Committee
in this Ordinance; And that the said Committee or any seven or
more of them, shall have the same and the like power and Authority to all intents and purposes, as any Dean and Prebends have,
or of right ought to have had in the ordering, directing and disposing the Rents, Issues, and Profits belonging, or in any wise
appertaining to the said Colledge or Collegiate Church; And in
doing and executing all other Act or Acts, thing or things that
any way concerns the said Colledge or Collegiate Church: Provided the same extend not to the letting Leases of any houses or
lands belonging to the said Colledge for above the space of three
years, reserving at the least such yearly Rents, Profits and Services, as were formerly payable out of any such Lands or Houses
unto the said Colledge or Collegiate Church: And be it further
Ordained by the said Lords and Commons, That the said Dean
and Prebends, and all other Officers, Members and Servants belonging to the said Colledge or Collegiate Church, and every of
them that have absented themselves from their Offices and Places,
or are Delinquents, or have not taken the Covenant, shall (until
both Houses take order to the contrary) stand and be suspended
of and from their several Places and Offices, and of and from all
maner of benefit or profit that might accrew unto them or any of
them thereby, with the Arrears thereof, Provided this extend
not to the taking away such stipend or other allowance from the
said Mr. Osbolston, as of right he hath formerly received, or
ought to have received as a Prebend of the said Collegiate Church
of Westminster: And the said Committee or any seven or more
of them, are hereby Authorized to constitute and appoint fit and
able persons in the room and places of such Officers and Servants
belonging to the said Colledge or Collegiate Church, as are dead,
or have deserted their said places, or are Delinquents, or not,
taken the Covenant as aforesaid, whose Offices and Places they
shall finde necessary, to be continued for the use and service of
the said Colledge. And be it further Ordained, That the said
Committee or any seven or more of them, together with the
Master of Trinity Colledge in Cambridge, and the Master of the
said School in Westminster, shall hereby have the like power to
elect and chuse Schollers into the said School, and thence to
Trinity Colledge in Cambridge aforesaid, and to Christ Church in
Oxon, as by the Statutes of the said Colledge of Westminster was
invested in the Dean of Westminster and Christ Church, the
Master of Trinity Colledge and Westminster School aforesaid,
Provided neverthelesse, when the said Dean or Master of Christ
Church aforesaid, shall not be a Delinquent to the Parliament,
his right in the election aforesaid, according to the said Statutes,
shall not hereby be impeached.
Almsplaces.
And the said Committee or any seven or more of them, are
hereby further authorized to place poor men in such Almsplaces,
belonging to the said Collegiate Church, as shall from time to
time become void.
Allowances to Ministers for preaching in Westminster Abbey.
And whereas the upholding of preaching in the Abbey of Westminster aforesaid, upon the Lords days, and the daily morning
Lecture there, is a work much tending to the glory of God, and
comfort of the inhabitants of Westminster and places adjacent,
Be it therefore further Ordained, That the said Committee or
any seven or more of them, shall have power hereby to make such
allowances out of the Revenues belonging to the said Collegiate
Church, unto the Ministers that have or shall perform the said
service upon the Lords days, and week days aforesaid, as they
shall think fit.
Indemnity.
And it is lastly Ordered and Ordained, That all and every
person and persons that shall do or perform any thing in conformity to this present Ordinance, shall be saved and kept harmlesse by Authority of both Houses of Parliament.