By W. W. Ravenhill, Esq. 



143 



Lord Protector preferred to leave them to the ordinary proeeedure of 

 a commission of oyer and terminer. 1 He had not forgotten the 

 petition of right then not quite thirty years old. Accordingly we 

 find an entry in the books of the Council of State. 2 



" March 22d. Present His Highness, Lord President Lawrence, Lord Lisle, 

 Lord Lambert, Sir Charles Wolsely, Col Fiennes, Mr. Rous, Col Jones, Earl of 

 Mulgrave, Major -General Skippon, Sir Gilbert Pickering, Mr. Strickland. 



That letters be sent to Lord Chief Justice St. John, and Mr. Justice Atkins, 

 to desire them to repaire forthwith to His Highness. 



Ordered by His Highness and the counsell. That Commissions of Oyer and 

 Terminer be issued forthwith into the several County es for the Try all of the 

 persons who have been in the late insurrection. 



Ordered that it be referred to Sir Charles Wolsely, Col Jones, Lord Lambert 

 Mr. Strickland, Earl of Mulgrave, Lord Viscount Lisle, Sir Gilbert Pickering 

 and Major-General Skippon any 3 of them to speake with the Counsell learned 

 of His Highnesse the Lord Protector and to consider the whole business touching 

 the tryall of the persons in the late insurrection, and to offer the names of the 

 persons to be inserted into the severall commissions and Mr. Secretary Thurloe 

 is desired to be assisting to this committee. 



March 23rd, Friday. Present Lord President Lawrence, Lord Lambert 

 Major-General Skippon and Colonel Fiennes. 



Sir Charles Wolsely makes report. 



Recorder of London to be written to, to come up speedily. 



That a Commission of oyer and terminer be directed to S r . Francis Thorpe 

 one of the Barons of the Exchequer, John Glynn, Sergeant at Law, William 

 Steele, Sergeant at Law, Recorder of the City of London, John Haggot Esq. 

 one of the Justices of the Countyes of Carmarthen, Pembroke and Cardigan, 

 Sir John Evelin [Evelyn] Robert Wallop, Esq., Alexander Popham Esq., John 

 Sadler Esq. one of y* Masters of y e chancery, Thomas Estcourt Esq., one of 

 y e Masters of y e ohancery, William Stephens, Doctor of the Lawes, Richard 

 Norton Esq., George Cooper, Nicholas Greene, Richard Lucy, Thomas Boureman, 



1 1 do not stop here to discuss Cromwell's administration of the law. He is 

 admitted by every one to have thoroughly done so in all causes between man 

 and man. Is it not too much to expect from those times, and the nature of his 

 authority, that he should allow his government its origin, power and purpose to 

 be discussed in Court ? At least we can remember with pleasure how he asserted 

 the Majesty of Justice in the case of Don Pantaleone Sa. 



2 State Papers. Interregnum. Domestic Series, Entry or Fair Order Book of 

 the Council of State. 1653 — 1655. No. 103. In the same volume under date 

 March 16th, 1655, the usual wholsome remedy for Government antagonists, 

 is prescribed on the present occasion. 



" March, 16th.— A letter to be sent to the Sheriffs of the severall counties for inventring and se- 

 curing the personall estates of severall persons was read and agreed to. The Commissioners of the 

 Treasury are to fill up the names of the Sub-commissioners, and Mr. Sccietary is to give the 

 names of the persons whose estates are to be secured in the severall couutyes," 



