freedom of debate, and have free access to his Majefty. He declared that his Majefty had been graciously pleased to confirm and continue all their privileges, rights and immunities, in as full and ample a manner, as ever were granted in any time heretofore,

The Speaker now faid, he must again intreat them to accept The Speaker. of his warm thanks for the distinguished confidence which they had reposed in him, and the honour they had conferred in placing him in that chair. He could only add to his former declarations, that the only hope which he had of fucceeding in his arduous fituation, was in the affiftance which he trufted he fhould receive from every member of the Houfe; and he would affure them that zeal, attention, and affiduity, fhould not be wanting to make up for the weakness and inadequacy of his talents.

Mr. fpeaker alone, and then the other members prefent, took the oaths, and made and subscribed the declaration, and took and fubfcribed the oath of abjuration, according to the laws made for those purposes; and Mr, speaker, and such of the faid members as are by law required to deliver in to the Clerk of this Houfe an account of their qualification, and to take and fubfcribe the oath of qualification, delivered in fuch account, and took and fubfcribed the faid oath, accordingly. And then the Houfe adjourned till the next morning.

November 2.

Several other members prefent took the oaths, and delivered in to the Clerk of the Houfe an account of their qualification. And then the Houfe adjourned.

A bill, for the more effectually preventing clandeftine outlawries, was read the first time, and ordered to be read a fecond time.

Ordered, that the grand committee for religion do fit every Tuesday in the afternoon, in the House.

Ordered, that the grand committee for grievances do fit every Thursday in the afternoon, in the House.

Ordered, that the grand committee for courts of justice do fit every Saturday in the afternoon, in the House.

Ordered, that the grand committee for trade do fit every
Friday in the afternoon, in the Houfe.

Ordered, That a committee of privileges be appointed.
And a committee was appointed accordingly.

And they are to meet upon Friday fevennight, at feven of

D/2

the

the clock in the afternoon, in the speaker's chamber; and to fit every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, in the afternoon; and all who come are to have voices; and they are to take into confideration all fuch matters as fhall or may come in queftion, touching privileges; and to report their proceedings, with their opinion thereupon, to the Houfe, from time to time; and the committee are to have power to fend for perfons, papers, and records, for their information: and if any thing fhall come in question touching the matter of privilege of any member, he is to withdraw during the time the matter is in debate.

Ordered, that all perfons who will queftion any returns of members to ferve in Parliament, do queftion the fame within fourteen days next, and fo within fourteen days next after any new return fhall be brought in; and that all members who are returned for two or more places, do make their election by this day three weeks for which of the places they will ferve, provided there be no queftion upon the return for that place; and if any thing fhall come in queftion touching the return or election of any member, he is to withdraw during the time the matter is in debate; and that all members returned upon double returns do withdraw till their returns are determined.

Refolved, that no peer of this realm hath any right to give his vote in the election of any member to ferve in parliament. Refolved, that where this Houfe fhall judge any petition touching elections to be frivolous and vexatious, the House will order fatisfaction to be made to the perfon petitioned against.

Refolved, that, if it fhall appear that any perfon hath procured himself to be elected or returned a member of this Houfe, or endeavoured fo to be, by bribery or any other corrupt practices, this Houfe will proceed with the utmost feverity against fuch perfons.

Refolved, that if it fhall appear that any perfon hath been tampering with any witnefs, in refpect of his evidence to be given to this Houfe, or any Committee thereof, or directly or indirectly hath endeavoured to deter or hinder any perfon from appearing, or giving evidence, the fame is declared to be a high crime and mifdemeanor; and this Houfe will proceed with the utmoft feverity against fuch offender.

Refolved, that if it fhall appear that any perfon hath given falfe evidence, in any cafe, before this Houfe, or any committec thereof, this Houfe will proceed with the utmoft feverity against fuch offender.

Refolved,

Refolved, that it is a high infringement of the liberties and privileges of the Commons of Great Britain, for any Lord of Parliament or any Lord Lieutenant of any county, to concern themselves in the elections of members to ferve for the Commons in Parliament.

Refolved, that in all cafés of controverted elections for counties in England and Wales, the petitioners do by themfelves or by their agents, within a convenient time, to be appointed by the Houfe, deliver to the fitting members, or their agents, lifts of the perfons intended by the petitioners to be objected to, who voted for the fitting members; giving, in the faid lifts, the feveral heads of objection, and diftinguishing the fame against the names of the voters excepted to; and that the fitting members do, by themselves or by their agents, within the fame time, deliver the like lifts, on their part, to the petitioners or their agents.

Ordered, that the ferjeant at arms attending the House, do from time to time, take into his cuftody, any ftranger or ftrangers that he fhall fee, or be informed of to be in the Houfe, or gallery, while the Houfe, or any committee of the whole Houte, is fitting; and that no perfon, fo taken into cuftody, be discharged out of custody without the special order of the House.

Ordered, that the back door of the fpeaker's chamber be locked up every morning at the fitting of the House, and the key delivered to the clerk, to be locked up by him; and that he do not prefume to deliver the fame to any perfon whatsoever, without order of the Houfe; and that the ferjeant at arms attending this House, do take care to clear the fpeaker's chamber every day before the door is locked up.

Ordered, that no member of this Houfe do prefume to bring any ftranger or ftrangers into the House, or gallery thereof, while the Houfe is fitting.

Ordered, that the conftables and other officers of Middlefex and Westminster, do take care, that from eleven of the clock in the morning till one in the afternoon, and from four till fix in the afternoon, during the feffion of Parliament, the paffages through the ftreets between Temple-Bar and Weftminfter-Hall fhall be kept free and open; and that no obftructions be made, by cars, drays, carts, or otherwise, to hinder the paffage of the members to and from this House; and that the ferjeant at arms attending this Houfe, do give notice of this order to the officers aforesaid.

Ordered, that the conftables in waiting do take care, that there be no gaming or other disorders in Westminster-Hall,

or

or the paffages leading to the House, during the fitting of Parliament, and that there be no annoyance, by chairmen, footmen or otherwife, therein, or thereabouts.

Ordered, that the faid orders be sent to the high bailiff of Westminster, and that he do fee the fame put into execution. Ordered, that no footman be permitted to be within the lobby of the Houfe; or upon the ftairs leading thereto.

Ordered, that the ferjeant at arms attending this House do take care, that there be no gaming or other diforders in the room appointed for the footmen attending the members of this Houfe to wait in.

Ordered, that the ferjeant at arms attending this House, do take into his cuftody fuch footmen as fhall prefume to disobey the orders of the Houfe; and that no fuch footmen be difcharged out of cuftody but by the special order of the House,

Ordered, that, to prevent the intercepting or lofing of letters directed to members of this Houfe, the perfon appointed to bring letters from the General Poft Office to this Houfe, or fome other perfon to be appointed by the poft mafter general, do, for the future, every day, during the feffion of Parliament, Sundays excepted, conftantly attend, from ten of the clock in the morning till one in the afternoon, and for two hours at least immediately after the rifing of the House, and also from five of the clock in the afternoon till seven, at the place appointed for the delivery of the faid letters; and take care, during his ftay there, to deliver the fame to the feveral members to whom they fhall be directed, or to their known fervant or fervants, or others bringing notes under the hands of the members fending for the fame,

Ordered, that the faid officer do, upon his going away, lock up fuch letters as shall remain undeliverd; and that no letter be delivered but within the hours aforefaid.

Ordered, that the faid orders be fent to the Poft mafter general.

Ordered, that when any letter or packet directed to this Houfe, fhall come to Mr. speaker, he do open the fame; and acquaint the House, at their next fitting, with the contents thereof, if proper to be communicated to this House.

Ordered, That the ferjeant at arms attending this House do, from time to time, when the Houfe is going to prayers, give notice thereof to all committees; and that all proceedings of committees in a morning, after fuch notice, be declared to be null and void.

Ordered, that the votes of this House be printed, being first perufed by Mr. fpeaker; and that he do appoint the

printing

printing thereof; and that no perfon but fuch as he fhall point do prefume to print the fame.

ap

The Houfe taking notice, by the book of returns that the fheriffs of the city of Coventry had not returned any citizens to ferve in this Parliament for the faid city; and that they had made a fpecial return why they had not returned such citizens; the faid return was read, and is as followeth :

"By virtue of the writ of election to us directed (to which this is annexed) proclamation being firft made of the premises in the faid writ mentioned, and of the day and place, as by the faid writ is directed, we, the within-named theriffs, did, in obdience thereto, on the ninth day of September, in the twentieth year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord the King, proceed in order to caufe two citizens of the most fufficient and difcreet of our faid city, freely and indifferently to be chofen, according to the form of the ftatutes in fuch cafe made and provided, when there appeared as candidates Edward Roe Yeo, and John Baker Holroyd, efquires, Sir Thomas Halifax, knight, and Thomas Rogers, efq. and thereupon a poll was opened in the ufual and accustomed manner, and proceeded in a peaceable and orderly way for about the space of half an hour, at the end of which space of time divers perfons, and particularly colliers, and others, not inhabitants. or freemen of the faid city, to the number of five hundred and more, with a blue flag carried before them, and having blue and white cockades in their hats (being the marks and badges by which the party of the faid Edward Roe Yeo and John Baker Holroyd where diftinguished) tumultuously and riotoufly affembled together at the place of election, and did disturb and impede the faid election; and did, in our view, violently, riotoufly, and outrageoufly affault, beat, ftrip, bruife, and otherwife ill-treat a great number of voters attending at the place of election, and offering to poll for the faid Sir Thomas Halifax and Thomas Rogers, efq. and then and there disturbed, impeded, and obftructed the said voters from giving their votes ; the faid rioters and disturbers at the fame time openly and publicly threatening that no perfon fhould come up to poll for the faid Sir Thomas Halifax and Thomas Rogers, efq. Whereupon we adjourned the faid poll to Monday the eleventh of the faid month of September, and continued the fame, by divers other adjournments, from day to day, to the eighteenth of the faid month, in order that the faid election might be made; but the faid poll was disturbed and impeded from time to time, by like tumults, riots, and by affaults and outrages, committed upon the perfons of 1 many