His Majefty's gracious COMMISSION to fearch into, and examine the pretended Sales and Purchases of the Honours, Mannors, Lands, and Hereditaments, of and belonging to his MAJESTIE, his Royal Mother, the Archbishops, Bifhops, Deans and Chapters, Prebends, and other Ecclefiaftical Perfons; giving fuch Powers and Authorities, as is neceffary for the Ends, Intents, and Purposes, in and by the faid COMMISSION fpecified and expreffed. Printed in 1660.

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HARLES the Second, by the Grace of God, King of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, &c. to our Trufty and right Well-beloved Counfellour Edward Lord Hyde Lord High Chancellour of England; and to our right trufty and right well-beloved Coufins and Counfellours Thomas Earl of Southampton Lord Treasurer of England, and the Lord Chancellour, Lord High Treasurer of England, and the Chancellour of the Exchequer for the Time being: And to our right trufty and intirely beloved Coufin and Counsellour George Duke of Albemarle, and to our right trufty and right well-beloved Coufins and Counsellours, James Marquis of Ormond Steward of our Houshold, Edward Earl of Manchester Chamberlain of our Houfhold, and to our right trufty and right well-beloved Coufin Jerome Earl of Portland, and to our trusty and right well-beloved Counsellour John Lord Roberts, and to our trusty and right well-beloved John Lord Finch, Francis Lord Seymour Chancellor of our Dutchy of Lancaster, and to the Chancellour of our Dutchy of Lancefter for the Time being, John Lord Lucas; and to our trufty and well-beloved Counsellours, Denzil Hollis, Efq; Sir Edward Nicholas and Sir William Morris, Knights, our Principal Secretaries of State, Sir Anthony Afbly Cooper, Bart. Arthur Annesley, Efq; and to our trufty and well-beloved Sir Robert Fefter, Knt. Chief Juftice of our Bench, Sir Orlando Bridgman, Kt, and Bart. Lord Chief Juftice of our Court of Common Pleas, Sir Robert Hyde, Kt, one other of the Juftices of our faid Court of Common Pleas, Sir Edward Atkins and Sir Chriftopher Turner, Knights, two of the Barons of our Court of Exchequer, and to the Barons of our Exchequer for the Time being, Sir Jeffrey Palmer, Kt, and Bart. our Attorney General, Sir Hencage Finch, Knight and Baronet, our Sollicitor General, Sir Charles Harbord, Knight, our Surveyor General, and to our Attorney, Sollicitor and Surveyor General for the Time being, Sir Edward Turner, Sir Allen Broderick, Knights, Samuel Brown and Matibw Hale, Serjeants at Law, John Crewe, Efquire, Richard Kinfman, one of the Auditors of our Revenue, Job Charleton, Serjeant at Law, Thomas Bevery, Esquire, Francis Phill ps and Richard Newman, Elquires. As it is our Duty, to be ever mindful of the great Mercies of Almighty God, vouchfafed to us and our late oppreffed People, in reftoring us

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to the Exercise of our Royal Authority, by a calme and miraculous Hand of Divine Providence, thereby delivering them from the Violence and Tyranny of the late ufurped Powers, to the peaceable Enjoyments of their antient Rights, eftablished by the known Laws of this Nation: So we have been moft careful to purfue our Declaration made before our Return from beyond the Seas, in fecuring the Lives, Liberties and Eftates of our good Subjects, by paffing an Act of General Pardon, and fuch other Acts as have been tendered unto us by our Parliament, whereby we hope we have given a general Satisfaction to them, as we have received much Comfort and Contentment in their Expreffions of their Affections to us and our Government. And albeit by the Vote of our Commons, as by the Order of the Parliament affembled, we have been restored to the immediate Poffeffion of our Lands, and might in Juftice as well as divers of our Subjects, have entered and taken the Profits thereof, from the four and twentieth Day of June laft; yet that it may appear how really we intend to perform all our gracious Promifes and Profeffions made to the Officers and Soldiers of our Army, who did correfpond or join with our faid General, or Sir George Booth, in their Defign towards our happy Reftauration, and to fuch other of our Subjects, as have been induced to purchase and to poffefs any of our faid Lands, or those of the Jointure of our dear Mother the Queen, or any of the Lands or Poffeffions of any Archbishop, Bifhop, Dean and Chapter, Prebend or other Ecclefiaftical Perfon; we were graciously pleafed to accept the humble Petition of the faid Officers, and Soldiers, prefented unto us in July laft, and to commend the fame to the Commiffioners of our Treafury, as we have fince done to our High Treasurer of England, who have authorised our Surveyer General to receive fuch Particulars of our Lands purchased and claimed by the faid Officers and Soldiers, to their own ufes, and not in trust for others, as they fhould tender under their Hands, and thereupon to keep them in the quiet Poffeffion of the fame without Accompt (which hath been duly obferved) until we fhould be informed of the true States of their feveral Interefts, and fhould thereupon declare our further Pleafure touching their Satisfaction. And we were alío graciously pleased to accept of another Petition prefented unto us, in the Names. of all the Purchafers of our Lands, together with certain Proposals touching the fame; which by Advice of our Privy Council, we did refer to the Confideration of our Chief Baron, and other the Barons of our Court of Exchequer, and our Surveyor General, who taking the fame into ferious Confideration, did reprefent unto us, and our faid Council, the various Natures of the faid Purchases, and that it will require much Time and Induftry to examine and confider the particular Interefts of the feveral Purchafers, before it will be poffible to make any Report upon their faid Petition and Propofals, fit for our Judgment therein.. Whereupon we were pleafed, and did command that our faid Surveyer General fhould allow unto them all their Arrears of Rent due before the four and twentieth Day of June laft, to their own ufe without Account, and the Michaelmas Rent alfo fince due, upon fuch Security as he fhould think reasonable to be answerable for the fame, which hath been accordingly pursued by him as we commanded, and we do hereby ratify and confirm the fame. Now to the end. that we may leave nothing undone, which Honour and Juftice can require at our Hands, for the Eftablishment of the juft Rights and Interefts of all Perfons,

and quiet their Minds, and reconcile their Affections, which the Injury of the late Times of Change, and abfolute, arbitary Power, hath corrupted and alienated from us, and divided amongst themselves: We have thought fit to ffue this our Commiffion, and do thereby require, and authorife you the faid Edward Lord Hyde, Thomas Earl of Southampton, the Lord Chancellour, Lord Treasurer of England, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer for the Time being, George Duke of Albemarle, James Marquis of Ormond, Edward Earl of Manchester, Jerome Earl of Portland, John Lord Roberts, John Lord Finch, Francis Lord Seymore, Chancellor of our Dutchy of Lancefter, and the Chancellor of our Dutchy of Lancaster for the Time being, John Lord Lucas, Denz l Hollis, Sir Edward Nicholas, Sir William Morris, Sir Anthony Afbley Cooper, Arthur Annefley, Sir Robert Fefter, Sir Orlando Bridgeman, Sir Robert Hyde, Sir Edward Atkins, Sir Chriftopher Turner, Barons of the Exchequer for the Time being, Sir Jeofry Palmer, Sir Heneage Finch, Sir Charles: Harbord our Attorney, Solicitor, and Surveyor General for the Time being, Sir Edward Turner, Sir Allen Brodricke, Matthew Hale, Samuel Brown, John Crew, Richard Kinfman, Job Charleton, Thomas Beverly, Francis Phillips, and Richard Newman, to be our Commiffioners, for and touching the Premiffes, hereby giving and granting unto you, or any five or more of you, full Power and Authority, to call, and caufe to appear before you, as well the faid Officers and Soldiers, and all other Perfons, who have purchafed, or do claim any of the faid Lands of us, or of the Jointure of our dear Mother, or of any the faid Archbishops, Bifhops, Deans, and Chapters, Prebends, and other Ecclefiaftical Perfons whatsoever, and every, or any of them, as alfo the Officers, Servants, or Agents of the faid Archbishops, Bishops, Deans and Chapters, Prebends, or other Ecclefiaftical Perfons, all, or any of them, by your good Difcretion, and to enquire and inform yourselves, or by fuch other lawful Ways or Means, as you in your Difcretion fhall think meet, which of the faid Lands, Honours, Mannors, Lordships, Caftles, Parks, Chafes, Forefts, Houses, Timber, Trees, Woods, Underwoods, Mills, Mines, Fee-Farm-Rents, or other Rents, or Hereditaments, Leafes, or Farms, were fold, given, or granted by or under the late pretended Parliament, or ufurped Power or Authority; and to enquire and find out the true Value of the faid Lands, Honours, Mannors, Lordships, Castles, Parks, Chafes, Forefts, Timber Trees, Woods, Underwoods, Mills, Mines, Fee-Farm-Rents, or other Rents or Hereditaments, Leafes, or Farms, as the fame were then worth by the Year, or otherwife by your Judgments and Difcretion, and how much ready Money was then, or at any Time fince really, and bona fide paid for the fame, and how much in true Bills and Debentures, as they were then worth in ready Money, and whether any Bills or Debentures, which have been allowed upon any of the faid Sales or Purchafes, were counterfeited or altered in part, or in all, and by whom the fame were done, and to what Value and Proportion, and how far the fame have been discovered, and when, and by whom, and what manner; and what Profits, or Sums of Money have been raised, or made by any of the Purchasers or Poffeffours, or pretended Owners of any the faid Lands, or other Premiffes fo fold or given as aforefaid, or any Part thereof by after Sales or Exchanges of Land, or by Sale of Woods or Timber, or

by:

by plowing up, or improving the fame Lands, or any other Part of the Premiffes, or by Sale of any Iron, Stone, Lead, Timber, or other Materials of Churches, Chappels, or other Houses that have been pulled down, altered or defaced, or by the Receits, or Rents, or by any ways or means whatsoever, and when, and by whom, and for whose Use and Benefit the fame have been fo raised or made. And to enquire and find out which of the Purchasers of any of the faid Lands or Premiffes were made by the Tenants themselves to preferve their Houfes, Tenuaries, Lands, Woods or Eftates, from Waste or Injury, and which of them were made by others for Gain and Advantage, and when, and by whom the fame was done, and what Profit, Gain or Advantage hath been made thereby. And to inquire and find out what Dammage or Danger hath accrewed, or may arise to us, and these our Kingdoms, by the Deftruction or Waste of Timber-Trees from off any the Premiffes that were ferviceable for our Navy, or otherwise, and to enquire which of the faid Purchafers, or late pretended Owners of any of the faid Lands or Premiffes, have relinquifhed or offered up the fame unto us, or any of the faid Ecclefiaftical Perfons, or fhall yield up the fame unto you for our ufe, or for the use of any of the faid Ecclefiaftical Perfons, or any of them. And alfo to enquire and find out all other Things which you in your Difcretion fhall think meet for your perfect Information, in and touching the Premiffes. And thereupon you are to proceed and, compofe all Differences arifing between the faid Archbishops, Bishops, Deans and Chapters, Prebends and other Ecclefiaftical Perfons, and the faid Purchasers or pretended Owners, and thereupon to make Orders and Agreements between them in Writing under your Hands and Seals, and in fuch manner as you in your Discretion fhall find juft and reasonable with their Contents, and in cafe of Refufal or Difagreement on either Part, then you are forthwith to certify the fame unto us, and our Council, whereupon you fhall receive fuch further Order therein as fhall be meet, and you are then also to propose unto the faid Officers and Soldiers, and other Purchasers of our Lands, fuch Satisfaction for and in refpect of their feveral pretended Interefts in the fame, as upon Confideration of their feveral Interefts, you fhall think fit to advise in that behalf, and thereof you fhall certify us with all convenient Speed. And for your better Information and Proceeding in the Premiffes: We do hereby will and authorize you to fend for and convene before you all fuch Treafurers, Receivers, Accountants, Regifters, Witneffes, Clerks, Officers and other Perfons as you fhall think fit, and to examine all or any of them upon their corporal Oathes to be adminiftered unto them, or any of them by your Difcretion, and to fend for and perufe all fuch Books of Account, Register Books, Surveyes and other Writings, as you fhall think meet for your better Discovery, and finding out of the Truth in all Things touching the Premiffes, and what Monies have been raised by the faid Sales, and to whom the fame hath been paid, and how the fame hath been accounted for and difpofed of, and how much remains in the Trea furers, Receivers or Accountants Hands, or any others, and how long it hath remained. And we do alfo hereby will and authorife you, to enquire by the Oathes of good and lawful Men of every County, City, or priviledged Place," wherein the faid Lands and Premilles or any of them do lie, of all things comprehended in this our Commiffion. Hereby willing and commanding all our Sheriffes, Mayors, Bailiffs, and all other Officers and Minifters whom it may

con

Part of the PreLer Materials of down, altered or eans whatsoever, fame have been he Purchafers of nts themselves to from Wafte.or Advantage, and. n or Advantage mmage or Danns, by the DeEs that were fer-he faid Purchaffes, have relinfiaftical Perfons, f any of the faid. ind out all other perfect Informato proceed and Bishops, Deans - faid Purchafers ements between ner as you in and in cafe of h to certify the uch further Orto the faid Offfaction for and as upon Conin that behalf, And for your ereby will and ers, Receivers, Perfons as you poral Oathes to and to fend for nd other Writing out of the ave been raifed how the fame os in the Trea w long it hath nquire by the viledged Place, Il things com nding all our whom it may

con

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TRACTS on all SUBJECTS.

concern, upon your Precepts and Warrants to return good and fu for the better Inquiry and finding out of the Truth of the Premiff obedient, aiding and affilting unto you in all things, ténding to t of this our Commiffion. And whatfoever you or any five or mor do or cause to be done in or about the Premiffes, we do hereby ra and approve of. And our Will and Pleafure is, and we do hereb faid Archbishops, Bishops, Deans and Chapters, Prebends, and o ftical Perfons by themfelves or by other Perfons fufficiently authori to appear before you, when they fhall be fo required, to the end t diation and Interpofition may be the more effectual: We in no of their readiness to comply with us in the end of this Commiffion they will accept fuch reasonable Conditions as fhall be tendered to t on the behalf of fuch as have been Purchasers of any Lands held f their respective Churches, according to the feveral Confiderations o and their Interests, and that they will do no Act to the Prejudic chafers, by granting any new or concurrent Leafes, whereby thei tereft or Poffeffion may be hurt or disturbed, whilft the fame is un liberation, and until our Pleafure be further known. In Witneff have caufed thefe Letters to be made Patents. Witneffe ourself a the Seventh Day of October, in the Twelfth Year of our Reign.

The JUDGMENT of Sir ORLANDO BRIDGE clared in his CHARGE to the JURY at raingment of the Twenty-nine Regicides (the M of King CHARLES the First, of most Memory) began at Hicks's-Hall, on Tuesday t of October 1660, and continued at the Seffio in the Old-Baily, until Friday the Nineteen fame Month.

These are the very Words of Sir Orlando Bridgeman, p. 10. z of the Trials.

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Muft deliver for plain and true Law, that no Authority, no S no Community of Perfons, not the People collectively, or rep have any coercive Power over the King of England; and, I do not fpe Senfe, but the Words of the Laws unto you

It was the Treafon of the Spencers in King Edward the Secon Calvin's Cafe, in the 7th Report; the Spencers had an Opinion, mage and Allegeance was due to the King by reafon of the Cro called it; and thereupon (fay the Books and Records) they drew our t Inference (among others) That if the King did not demean himself Right, because he could not be reformed by Law, he might per Afpe by fharp Imprisonment.