Folios 157-158. Ja [James] Vernon reporting to Ambassador [Joseph] Williamson. Parliament...

Folios 157-158. Ja [James] Vernon reporting to Ambassador [Joseph] Williamson. Parliament is prorogued till next month. The King has knighted Sir Bartholomew Gracedieu and Sir James Collett, sheriffs, Alderman Bedingfield and Cudden, chamberlain. Bills were sent to Ireland: for the more easy recovery of small debts, and those for confirming Lord Romney's and Lord Coningsby's grants. Mr Keightley has a bill of the same nature but it could not yet be approved. In Ireland the bill of outlawries was almost miscarried at the second reading, by a mistake in the transcription, for which Palmer, deputy clerk of the council, was blamed; orders were given fo it to be engrossed. Some bills prepared by the bishops were rejected: for the real union and division of parishes; for enabling ecclesiastical persons to make leases for 21 years; and for the better collecting certain duties called Ministers' money. The bill against simony was passed. The Duke and Duchess of Ormonde came to Dublin, and the next day the Duke went to the House of Lords. The Duke of Shrewsbury hopes to obtain his Majesty's leave to remove to his house in Gloucestershire. Vernon also encloses letters from Lord [Thomas] Coningsby (not included in this volume), with the request that they may be forwarded to Utrecht [Holland].