g for the Clerk of the Commonwealth
in Chancery, stood there, with tickets certifying that such and such
members had been duly returned and also "_approved by his
Highness's Council";_ the doors of the House were guarded by
soldiers; and none but those for whom the tickets had been made out
were allowed to enter. About ninety-three found themselves thus
excluded; among whom, were Hasilrig, Scott, Irby, Sir Harbottle
Grimston, the Earl of Salisbury, Maynard, four of the six members
for the city of London, and Sir Anthony Ashley Cooper. The residue,
who had received tickets, proceeded to constitute the House, and
unanimously elected Sir Thomas Widdrington, Sergeant at Law and one
of the Commissioners of the Treasury, for their Speaker. Almost the
only other business that day was to thank Dr. Owen for his sermon,
and order it to be printed.[1]

[Footnote 1: Commons Journals, Sept. 17, 1656; and Parl. Hist. III.
1484-1487.]

The next day there was read in the House a letter to the Speaker,
signed by a number of the excluded, informing him of the fact and
desiring to be admitted. Through that and the two following sittings,
an inquiry into the circumstances of the exclusion formed part of the
proceedings. The Clerk of the Commonwealth in Chancery, being
required to attend, did at last present himself, and explained that
he had but obeyed orders. He had received a letter from Mr. Jessop,
the Clerk of the Council, ordering him to deliver tickets only to
such of the persons elected as should be certified to him as approved
by the Council; and he had acted accordingly. With some reluctance,
he produced the letter; and the House then resolved to ask the
Council for their reasons for excluding so many members. These were
given, on the 20th, by Fiennes for the Council. They were to the
effect that Article XXI. of the constituting Instrument of the
Protectorate, called _The Government of the Commonwealth_ (Vol.
IV. pp. 542-544), required the Clerk of the Commonwealth in Chancery,
for the first three Parliaments of the Protectorate, to report to the
Council what persons had been returned, and empowered the Council to
admit those duly qualified and to exclude others, and also that, by
another clause in the same Instrument (Art. XVII.), it was required
that the persons elected should be "of known integrity, fearing God,
and of good conversation." All which being undeniable, it was
resolved by the House, after debate, Sept. 22, by a