100. An Ordinance by the Protector for Elections in Ireland.
[June 27, 1654. Civil War Tracts, Press Mark E 1064, p. 439. See Commonwealth and Protectorate, iii. 173.]
Whereas by the Government of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland, publicly declared at Westminster the 16th day of December, 1653, it is declared, that the distribution of the persons to be chosen for Ireland, and the several counties, cities and places within the same, shall be according to such proportions and number as shall be agreed upon and declared by the Lord Protector and the major part of the Council, before the sending forth writs of summons for the next Parliament: And whereas his Highness and the major part of the Council, before the sending forth of any writs of summons aforesaid, did agree and declare the distribution of the persons to be chosen for Ireland, according to the proportions and numbers hereafter mentioned; it is therefore ordained, declared and agreed by his Highness the Lord Protector, with the consent of the Council, that the persons to be chosen for Ireland, and the several counties, cities and places within the same, shall be according to the proportion and number hereafter expressed; that is to say, for the province of Leinster, ten: that is to say, for the counties of Meath and Louth, two: and the place of meeting for the election of such persons shall be at Drogheda. For the counties of Kildare and Wicklow, two; for the county and city of Dublin, two; and the place of meeting for the election of such persons shall be at Dublin. For the counties of Carlow, Wexford, Kilkenny and Queen's, two; and the place of meeting for the election of such persons shall be at Carlow. For the counties of "Westmeath, Longford and King's, two; and the place of meeting for the election of such persons shall be at Mullingar. For the province of Ulster, seven, that is to say, for the counties of Down, Antrim and Armagh, two; for the towns of Carrickfergus and Belfast, one; and the place of meeting for the election of such persons shall be at Belfast. For the counties of Derry, Donegal and Tyrone, two; for the towns of Derry and Coleraine, one; and the place of meeting for the election of such persons shall be at Derry. For the counties of Cavan, Fermanagh and Monaghan, one; and the place of meeting for the election of such persons shall be at Enniskillen. For the province of Munster, nine; that is to say, for the counties of Kerry, Limerick and Clare, two; and the place of meeting for the election of such persons shall be at Rathkeale. For the city and county of the city of Limerick and Killmallock, one; and the place of meeting for the election of such persons shall be at Limerick. For the county of Cork, one; for the towns of Cork and Youghall, one; and the place of meeting for the election of such persons shall be at Cork. For the towns of Bandon and Kinsale, one; and the place of meeting for the election of such persons shall be at Bandon. For the counties of Waterford and Tipperary, two; and the place of meeting for the election of such persons shall be at Clonmel. For the cities of Waterford and Clonmel, one; and the place of meeting for the election of such persons shall be at Waterford. For the province of Connaught, except the county of Clare, four; that is to say, for the counties of Sligo, Roscommon and Leitrim, two; and the place of meeting for the election of such persons shall be at Jamestown. For the counties of Galway and Mayo, two; and the place of meeting for the election of such persons shall be at Galway.
And it is further ordained by his said Highness the Lord Protector, with the consent of the Council aforesaid, that for the effectual and orderly election of the persons aforesaid, to be chosen to sit and serve in Parliament, as in the said Government is declared, several writs under the Great Seal of England shall issue, and be directed to the several Sheriffs of the aforesaid counties and cities, to make the respective elections of the respective persons to serve in Parliament, for the said respective counties, cities, towns and boroughs, according to the distributions hereinbefore declared; which writs the Chancellor, Keeper, or Commissioners of the Great Seal of England for the time being shall seal, issue and send forth.
Hen. Scobell,
Clerk of the Council.
Tuesday, 27th June, 1654.
Ordered by his Highness the Lord Protector and the Council, that this Ordinance be forthwith printed and published.
Hen. Scobell,
Clerk of the Council.