The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-10-21

OLD MANUSCRIPTS.
Interesting Find in the State
Historical society's
Library.
VOLUME THREE CENTURIES OLD
Journal Of the British House. Of
Commons From 1647 to 1919
Some Extracts.
VOLUME THREE CENTURIES OLD

bound volumes of the journal of the Brit
ish House of Commons from May 10. 1647,
to July IA, 1919. The minutes, Of course,
are written out and on rough faced and
rough edged paper. No lines are used ex-
cept four red ones, running back about an
inch from the margin. The binding is of
heavy calf and well done. though now be-
ginning to SHOW that a lapse of $50 years
is liable to leave its impress Upon any
binding. The paper is of a splendid quail
ity and texture, zach sheet measuring
about 10x1S inches, says the Newark "Ad-
yertiser.,
How these precious manuscript volumes
ever came to America is a question that
cannot be answered at the present. And
whether they are copies or not themselves
the original journals is another mystery.
Each days doings of the House of Com
mons the scribe records is opened by
prayers. What followed the prayer is
very hard to tell In many cases. as the
writing is apparently hastily DONE, prop
er names are hardly d~ecipherable. and so
many queer words and phrases are used
as to be quite unintelligible to the mod
ern reader.
In those days the Commons met on Sun
Qdg ~ well rs III tHS WCCh, dlld lie
members seemed to choose that to audit
accounts and pass bills. On Sunday, Sep
TENDER 5, 164S, they passed the pay of
| several officers and divided booty among
them to the value of over 5000 pounds
sterling. They also ordered that 200
pounds be paid unto Captain Wilkinson
out of the segnestratione of Yorkshire, in
satisfaction of his losses and charge of
- z-5 80 f-~ 49, - ,,fo 1f
the parliament
Major General Massey is allowed leave
"to goe into the countrey and to stay
ther until Tuesday come fortnight" and
"A letter from Sloigo of the IA of August
164S from the offisers in the army for the
parliam't in Ireland was this day reed"
A later entry showed that this letter was
being considered at Derby House. :.
Sir Gilbert Gerard Barronett, Tres"
reported that the receipts of the Kingdom
from August. 1912, to March, 1874, had
that the disbursements during the same
| period had been G1, los, S26, 8 shillings and
6 pence. They allowed him the munificent
sum of 40 shillings a day for his services,
or a total of 'sthe sumo of eleven hundred
four score and twelve pounds" His clerks
received two shillings a day.
Later on, Daniel Walker, of Oxford,
and William Godolphin, of Cornwall, were
hauled up for being in arms against the
| Parliament. They were fined GS56 and
ESQ respectively, and, as Walker had
| killed somebody while up in arms, he
was fined 9427 extra, and then pardoned.
Sir Walter Wrotlesby, of Stafford, Kent,
however, had to pay a fine of &l,232 be-
cause he gave a horse to each, to Prince
Rupert and Prince Maurice, with whom
the Parliament was then at odds, and
then the House adjourned until 5 to-
on December %. 164S, DR.. Pomer
Chamberlain was granted the sole MAX
ing of baths and bath stones in the
Kingdom OF England and Ireland and
Dominion of Wales, for fourteen years
from this lay"
An excise bill is also noted, the par
ticulars of which are too hazy to at
tempt any detailed description. Another
law was one to hang any man who was
caught transporting "coyne or bullion, !"
and giving a certain reward to the in
former.
Tho King and his family that year
Q64) received 46o.0 600 for their allow
ance n expenses, and ships were or
dered capable of accommodating S,042
men.
Around January, 1854, matters were
getting strained between the Lords and
Commons, and on the I'd of the month
the Commons arose in their wrath and
declared
That the Commons of England, in
Parliament assembled. doe declare that
the people of England are (under God
the original of all just power.
And doe also declare that the Com
mons of England in Parl't assembled be-
ing chosen by and representing the peo-
pie, have the supreme power in this ma
tion,
And doe also declare whatever is en-
acted or declared for law by the Com
mons hath the form OF law and all the
people of this nation are bound thereby
although the consent and concurrence Of
King or House of Lords be not had
thereto therefore be it
'tOrdered:-That the &c, &C.
The row soon reached the King, and he
tried to escape, but on the sixth of that
month the Commons ordered that his per-
son be secured. 1t was done, and later
his head was removed.
The throne was declared vacant and
abolished on January, 80, 1854, and the next
day was ordered the trial of the King,
and 1870 pounds reward was ordered paid
to the troopers who captured he Duke
of Hamilton.
The last three volumes deal with the
Impeachment. trial and condemnation to
death Of the King and the. declaration of
The ProtectOrate.
penses of the war, both in England and
in Ireland, all OF which is now familiar
history.
point where the Lord Protector was at
the zenith of his power and fame.
The KIN volume of the archives of the
New Jersey Historical Society, which has
and readable account Of the many curious
events that occurred between 175l and
1852. Inc EOluI1it reflects great circuit
upon its editor, William Nelson, the Cor
responding Secretary of the society. He
shows rare taste and discrimination in
his selections and nhance both by his
dirsctness and purity OF style.
The first little extract to attract notice
is from the New York Weekly Post
Box under date of August &c, 1754, in
which is announced that
tsWe hear from Newark, Second River
and Haclkensack that last Thursday and
Friday SEN night the Rains were SO great
that all the Rivers and Brooks in those
Neighbourhoods overiow'd their Banks.
and FreshetS came down with such Sud-
denness and Rapidity, as to carry away
several Mills. Dams n Bridges. besides
much Hay and Corn, And the Damages
in general sustained thereby, is greater
than ever were known in those Parts be-
fore
In those days Newark had a college of
which it was proud. and the New York
"Mercury'' Of September 30. 1854, gave a
long account of the commencement exer-
cises. saying:-
9His Excellency. Governor Belcher. and
a great number of the Clergy and Gentle
men of Education. as well a Multitude
If the Common People. were convened on
the Occasion. The Exercises We're con-
Quoted with great Solemnity and Deco
rum" THE Degrees Of Bachelors of Art
were conferred or ten young Gentle
men After a very opposite Prayer in
n nss yI.t CATARRH