Sir Walter Earle. We must not spend time in compliment.*

Mr. Speaker moved to call the House.

Mr. Scawen moved, not to call it, till the House be full. Resolved, that the Committee for Elections and Privilegest do, in the first place, consider of those returns, where more than ought to be are returned for one place, and make their report thereof speedily to the House.

Resolved, that all such as will question any elections now already returned, shall do the same by petition, within twenty-eight days from this day, and that those that shall question any elections, to be hereafter returned, shall likewise do the same within twenty-eight days after the return thereof.

Resolved, that the Committee for elections and privileges, do mark and read the petitions to be delivered in to them, concerning questionable elections, in order as they shall be delivered in; and that they do appoint days for hearing and proceeding upon the same, accordingly; and report the same to the House, in order as they shall be determined.

Resolved, that the Committee of elections and privileges do, in the first place, examine the mistake concerning the return of Colonel Salmon, to be one of the members of this House, and do first report the same to the House.

Resolved, that the Committee this day appointed for elections and privileges, do sit, notwithstanding the adjournment

"It was moved by Serjeant Dendy, with a studied preamble, that thanks might be returned to Dr. Goodwin that preached yesterday, but that was presently cried down, as well in regard that he was not appointed or desired by the Parliament to preach, as for that in truth sufficient care was not taken to give that respect to the members which was fit, in preserving rooms and accommodation of places for them, for Sir Walter Earle affirmed, he could not get any room to hear it." Goddard MS. p. 108.

+ Consisting of 147 members. The names annexed in the MS. are exactly the same as in the printed Journals,

of the House. John Smythe, Clerk of the Parliament, to attend the petitions.*

"Some moved for the calling over of the House, but that was thought not yet seasonable, in regard many returns were not yet come up, and some thought it rather fit that the Committee of Elections should be first nominated. It was objected that unless the House were called over, many might sit upon double returns, or otherwise, who had no right, but that was thought good reason to proceed to the naming of a Committee of privileges, which might examine, and prevent that inconvenience, but not to hasten the calling over the House, when it could not yet be justly accounted a fault in any man that was yet so early absent.

"Therefore, it was unanimously desired that the Committee of Privileges might forthwith be made, that such persons as were unduly kept out by false or double elections, might be brought in, and such other as did sit without good right might be cast out.

"Thereupon a Committee was named, of which myself was one, to sit in the Star Chamber this afternoon, at two of the clock, and so afterwards upon Saturdays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, in the afternoon.

"The powers and instructions were to hear all matters of privilege concerning elections. 2dly, That double returns shall be first considered. 3dly, That all Petitions shall be received by the Committee, and marked as they were received, and shall be proceeded in, and reported in the same order as they were marked, that men might the better know how to attend and prepare themselves in their business.

"After this Committee was settled, and the House ordered to be called over on Monday morning, the House adjourned over until that time, only a breach of privilege was moved, as offered to the person of a particular member of the House, which happened to be my brother Bish, who, being chosen with one Mr. Turgis, for the borough of Gatton, in Surrey, one Audley, who had been a kind of Major, had stood in competition with them, but Mr. Turgis and my brother Bish, being returned by the officer, and Audley not returned, he conceived himself thereby grieved, and meeting with my brother Bish in Westminster-hall he accosted him with very passionate words. At length, he called Mr. B. rascal, several times, and base fellow, and that he was no gentleman, and that he would set him out in his colours, and, in fine, provoked him to go out of the hall with him, and challenged him plainly to fight with him, and although Mr. Bish did let him know, that he was returned a member of Parliament, yet Audley desisted not. This being represented to the House by Mr. Knightley, and after seconded by Mr. Bulkeley, and thirded by Sir A. Haslerigge, and a precedent by him cited, which, in truth, was his own case against one Holford, who, after Sir A. Haslerigge and another had been elected knights for the county of Lei

Saturday, January 29, 1658-9.*

The Committee of Privileges this day adjourned from the Star-Chamber, to the House, in the forenoon, where the case of Reading, between an election made of Mr. Henry Nevile,† and Mr. Blagrave one way, and another election made of other persons, another way, took up almost the whole fore

noon's debate.

The case was, that the Mayor was elected and chosen in August last, and sworn the first Monday after Michaelmas, according to usual course. Not long after, upon the noise of a Parliament, some debate happened in the Council Chamber, between the Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Council, concerning the manner of their elections, the Mayor declaring for free and open public elections by all the Commons out of the House. Some of the members of that House conceiving the right of election to remain with them in the House, apprehended that the Mayor went about to betray and lose the privileges of the House, which being resented by others, and heat of the debate begetting unkindness, the major part of the House displaced the Mayor, ejected and removed him from his place, and did choose and swear another Mayor in his place. This new Mayor makes an election in the House of two Burgesses, and returns them. The old

cester, spake openly while the Indentures were sealing, and before they were delivered, or returned, that the county had made good choice of one, but the other was unworthy, or to that effect; yet for these words Holford was sent for up to the bar, committed to the Tower, and fined to the party, and forced to be in prison until Sir A. Haslerigge moved for his freedom.

"Hereupon it was ordered that Audley should be sent for up to the bar, in safe custody, to answer the said complaint, and after to be proceeded against as justice and the privilege of the House required." Goddard MS. pp. 109, 110.

*Several pages of the MS. Diary, after Jan. 28, are left entirely blank, designed, no doubt, to contain the Parliamentary proceedings of the 29th and 31st. What can now be recovered of these, are here supplied, from the Goddard MS. pp. 110-112.

+ Author of Plato-Redivivus.

Mayor, and the Commons at large, make another election of Mr. Nevile and Mr. Blagrave. Whether of these two elections were good and warrantable was the question.

Reported by the Committee, and so ordered by the House, that the return and election of Mr. Nevile and Mr. Blagrave was good, and the other not.

Monday, January 31, 1658-9.

Calling the House, and something concerning the Scotch

members.

Reports from the Committee of Privileges.

A warrant for apprehending Major Audley.

The cases of Oxford and Reading, about elections.

Tuesday, February 1, 1658-9.

Mr. Speaker took the chair at half an hour past eight.
Mr. Cooper* prayed.

"Ian. 31. Resolved, that Mr. Cooper, who prayed with the House this morning, be desired to continue to officiate and perform the duty of prayer in this House, every morning, during this session of Parliament." Journals.

The remuneration of their Chaplain appears to have been almost the final proceeding of the House. April 22, 1659, (their last day) "Resolved that the sum of 50%. be given and bestowed upon Mr. Cooper, the minister, for his great labour and pains, in attending the House daily,” &c. &c. "That a Committee be appointed of five," (among whom was Vane and Haslerigge) " to attend his Highness, to desire him to grant his Privy-seal, for the payment of the sum." Journals.

William Cooper, A. M., was Minister of St. Olave, Southwark, whence he was ejected in 1662. He is described by Dr. Calamy, as " a critical linguist, no mean philosopher, a quick disputant, and well versed in controversies, a learned expositor, a celebrated historian, and a fine poet, especially in Latin." Yet he appears to have published scarcely anything besides "a thanksgiving sermon before the Parliament, and some papers of Latin verses."

Mr. Cooper was first beneficed by Laud, whose patronage he attained by some acceptable performances of his wife's father, "a considerable

Mr. Speaker acquainted the House with a message from the judges of the Common Bench, touching Henry Nevile's case against the sheriff, about an election last Parliament.

They desired me to take the record hither. I would not do it without your directions. It is a new case, prima impressionis.

Mr. Gewen. I would have this debated in a full House, when the lawyers are present.

Sir Arthur Haslerigge. I love not to hear it, that there is a lameness in this House. I know no law-book for you to be directed by. It is not a case of such difficulty. Yourself is now the greatest man in England. I look upon you so, except what is to be excepted. I had almost forgot myself, but I am pretty right yet; if I can hold myself there.

I say I look upon you as the greatest man in England; the Speaker of the Parliament of England or Commons, what you will call it I would give no offence. It is not fit for you to take a record from any inferior court. Your clerk is more

:

proper than yourself to send for it. Make an order for the judge's clerk to bring it up. That is more proper and fit than to send your clerk.

Mr. Starkey. It seems there is causa difficultatis found by the judges in this case; and they desire your directions.

1. It concerns not any member or right of election, this present Parliament; so is no concern to you; it being of the last Parliament, now ended and determined.

2. It is not proper to bring the record hither. It should rather be brought to the Lords' House. I hope it is no offence for me to call it so here. I would not wade farther into this

Dutch limner." At length, "proving a Puritan," he found it convenient, like another Puritan, flying from persecution, to go "beyond Canterbury," and became " Chaplain to the Queen of Bohemia," grandmother of George I., residing "for several years, in her family at the Hague." There he "had free conversation, in clean Latin, with the foreign envoys that resorted to her; and became so well versed in the affairs of Europe, as to be reckoned no small politician." See Dr. Calamy's Account, (1713,) p. 22.