The Life of John Milton, Volume 5 (of 7), 1654-1660: Narrated in Connexion with the Political, Ecclesiastical, and Literary History of His TimeMasson, David
History
The Life of John Milton, Volume 5 (of 7), 1654-1660: Narrated in Connexion with the Political, Ecclesiastical, and Literary History of His Time
Masson, David
Milton, John, 1608-1674; Poets, English -- Early modern, 1500-1700 -- Biography
and all who had married Roman Catholics or allowed their children to
marry such. For the rest, all persons of the voting sex, over the age
of twenty-one, and "of known integrity, fearing God, and of good
conversation," were to be eligible. One farther exception had been
made in the original _Petition and Advice_; to wit, all in holy
orders, all ministers or public preachers. "There may be some of us,
it may be, who have been a little guilty of that, who would be loath
to be excluded from sitting in Parliament," Cromwell had said
laughingly while commenting on this clause; and it had accordingly
been defined as excluding only regular pastors of congregations. He
had procured an important modification of another clause of the same
Article. It had been proposed that the business of examining who had
been duly elected, and the power of suspending members till the House
itself should decide, should be vested in a body of forty-one
commissioners to be appointed by Parliament; but, Cromwell having
pointed out that this would be a clumsy process, and that the
commissioners themselves might be "uncertain persons," and might
"keep out good men," it was agreed that the judgment of the House
itself, with a fine of £1000 on every unqualified person that might
take his seat, would fully answer the purpose.--Article V. related to
the Second House of Parliament, called simply "the other House." It
was to consist of not more than seventy nor fewer than forty persons,
qualified as by the last Article, to be nominated by the Protector
and approved by the Commons House, twenty-one to be a quorum, and no
proxies allowed. Vacancies were to be filled up by nominations by the
Protector, approved by the House itself. The powers of the House were
also defined. They were to try no criminal cases whatsoever, unless
on an impeachment sent up from the Commons, and only certain
specified kinds of civil cases. All their final determinations were
to be by the House itself, and not by delegates or
Committees.--Article VI. ruled that all other particulars concerning
"the calling and holding of Parliaments" should be by law and
statute, and that there should be no legislation, or suspension, or
abrogation of law, but by Act of Parliament.--Article VII. guaranteed
a yearly revenue of £1,300,000, whereof £1,000,000 to be for the Army
and Navy, and the remaining £300,000 for the support of the
Government, the sums not to be altered without the consent of
Parliament, and no part of them to be raised by a land-tax. There
might also be "temporary supplies" over and above, to be voted by the
Commons; but on no account was his Highness to impose any tax, or
require any contribution, by his own authority. By Cromwell's request
it was added that his expenditure of the Army and Navy money should
be with the advice of his Council, and that accounts should be
rendered to Parliament.--Article VIII. settled that his Highness's
Privy Council should consist of not more than twenty-one persons,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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