Henry Scobell

File:H.S.E.C.P. (Henry Scobell), Memorials of the Method and Manner of Proceedings in Parliament in Passing Bills (3rd ed, 1670, title page).jpg (3rd ed., 1670),{{citation|author=H.S. E. C.P. [Henry Scobell, Esquire, Clerk of Parliament]|title=Memorials of the Method and Manner of Proceedings in Parliament in Passing Bills. Together with several Rules & Customs, which by Long and Constant Practice have Obtained the Name of Orders of the House. Gathered by Observation, and out of the Journal Books from the Time of Edward 6|edition=3rd|location=London|publisher=s.n.|year=1670|oclc=7185722}}. written by "H.S. E. C.P." (Henry Scobell, Esquire, Clerk of Parliament)]]

Initially under-clerk of the parliaments, Scobell became Clerk of the House of Commons from 5 January 1649, his predecessor Henry Elsynge having resigned. Scobell also held a position as censor of publications, and then was Clerk of the Parliaments for life with effect from 14 May 1649.{{citation|author=C[harles] H[arding] Firth|author-link=Charles Harding Firth|chapter=Introduction|editor=C. H. Firth|editor2=R[obert] S[angster] Rait|title=Acts and Ordinances of the Interregnum, 1642–1660|chapter-url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=56673|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905172156/http://www.british-history.ac.uk/no-series/acts-ordinances-interregnum/iii-xxxviii|archivedate=5 September 2015|location=London|publisher=His Majesty's Stationery Office|year=1911|volume=3|oclc=277167908}}. He was the first editor, from 9 October 1649, of Severall Proceedings in Parliament, an early official newspaper, and the second of Parliament's publications.{{citation|author=Joad Raymond|title=The Invention of the Newspaper: English Newsbooks, 1641–1649|location=Oxford; New York, N.Y.|publisher=Clarendon Press; Oxford University Press|year=1996|page=75|isbn=978-0-19-813002-4}}; {{citation|author=Adolphus William Ward|author-link=Adolphus William Ward|author2=A. W. Waller|author3=William P. Trent|chapter=The Beginnings of English Journalism|title=The Cambridge History of English and American Literature: An Encyclopedia in Eighteen Volumes. Volume VII. Cavalier and Puritan|chapter-url=http://www.bartleby.com/217/1504.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150910041343/http://www.bartleby.com/217/1504.html|archivedate=10 September 2015|location=New York, N.Y.|publisher=Bartleby.com|year=2000|oclc=43357720}}.

In the Rump Parliament, Scobell found himself in the middle of the clashes leading to its dissolution in 1653.{{citation|title=The Clerk of the House [General Series; factsheet G13]|url=http://www.parliament.uk/documents/upload/G16.pdf|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20030915023429/http://www.parliament.uk/documents/upload/g16.pdf|archivedate=15 September 2003|publisher=House of Commons Information Office|date=January 2003|page=4}}. He remained Clerk to Barebone's Parliament.{{citation|author=Austin Woolrych|author-link=Austin Woolrych|title=Commonwealth to Protectorate|location=Oxford; New York, N.Y.|publisher=Clarendon Press; Oxford University Press|year=1982|page=152|isbn=978-0-19-822659-8}}.

From 1655 Scobell became Clerk to the Council of State, a large jump in status, in succession to John Thurloe and sharing the position with William Jessop.{{citation|author=Robert Thomas Fallon|title=Milton in Government|location=University Park, Pa.|publisher=Pennsylvania State University Press|year=1993|page=130|isbn=978-0-271-00904-9}}. Up to then he had been for a period an assistant secretary to the council.{{citation|author=Philip Aubrey|title=Mr Secretary Thurloe: Cromwell's Secretary of State, 1652–1660|location=London; Rutherford, N.J.|publisher=Athlone Press; Fairleigh Dickinson University Press|year=1990|page=38|isbn=978-0-8386-3388-5}}.

In 1658, as a preliminary to the Savoy Assembly, Scobell called together elders of Independent churches from the London area, in the house of George Griffith (bishop).{{citation|author=Richard L. Greaves|title=Saints and Rebels: Seven Nonconformists in Stuart England|location=Macon, Ga.|publisher=Mercer University Press|year=1985|page=[https://archive.org/details/saintsrebelsseve0000grea/page/86 86]|isbn=978-0-86554-136-8|url=https://archive.org/details/saintsrebelsseve0000grea/page/86}}. He himself was an elder of the Congregational church of John Rowe, meeting in Westminster Abbey.{{citation|author=Peter Toon|author-link=Peter Toon|chapter=The Savoy Declaration of Faith|chapter-url=http://www.anglicanbooksrevitalized.us/Peter_Toons_Books_Online/History/puritanscalvinism.htm|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120205185530/http://www.anglicanbooksrevitalized.us/Peter_Toons_Books_Online/History/puritanscalvinism.htm|archivedate=5 February 2012|title=Puritans and Calvinism|location=Swengel, Pa.|publisher=Reiner Publications|year=1973|oclc=701999}}; {{citation|editor=Francis J. Bremer|editor2=Tom Webster|title=Puritans and Puritanism in Europe and America: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia|location=Santa Barbara, Calif.|publisher=ABC-CLIO|year=2006|page=533|isbn=978-1-57607-678-1}}.

In October 1659 he was one of those calling on George Monck to intervene in the vacuum of power after the death of Oliver Cromwell.{{citation|author=Dai Liu|title=Discord in Zion: The Puritan Divines and the Puritan Revolution 1640–1660 [Archives internationales d'histoire des idées; 61]|location=The Hague|publisher=Martinus Nijhoff Publishers|year=1973|page=[https://archive.org/details/discordinzionpur0000liut/page/165 165]|isbn=978-90-247-5156-3|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/discordinzionpur0000liut/page/165}}.

• {{citation|title=Memorials of the Method and {{sic|Ma|ner|hide=y}} of Proceedings in Parliament in Passing Bills. Together with Several Rules and Customs, which by Long and Constant Practice have Obtained the Name of Orders of the House. Gathered by Observation, and out of the Journal Books from the Time of Edward 6|location=London|publisher=Printed by Henry Hills and John Field, printers to His Highness|year=1656|oclc=606895390}}.
• {{citation|title=A Collection of Acts and Ordinances of General Use, Made in the Parliament, Begun and Held at Westminster, the Third Day of November, anno 1640: And since, unto the Adjournment of the Parliament Begun and Holden the 17th of September, Anno 1656, and formerly Published in Print, which are here Printed at Large with Marginal Notes, or Abbreviated: Being a Continuation of that Work from the End of Mr. Pulton's Collection: In 2 Parts: Together with Several Tables of the Titles of, and Principal Matters Contained in the said Acts and Ordinances, and likewise of such as being of more Private and Particular Concernment, or less Use, or Omitted|location=London|publisher=Printed by Henry Hills and John Field ...|year=1657–1658|oclc=802073701}}.
• {{citation|title=The Povver of the Lords and Commons in Parliament in Point of Judicature briefly Discours'd. At the Request of a Worthy Member of the House of Commons|location=London|publisher=s.n.|year=1680|oclc=228723004}}.

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• {{DNB Cite|wstitle=Scobell, Henry}}
• [https://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/evolutionofparliament/parliamentwork/offices-and-ceremonies/collections/clerk-of-the-hoc/charles-trial/ Henry Scobell: King Charles I Trial - UK Parliament Living Heritage]

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Category:17th-century births

Category:1660 deaths

Category:Clerks of the House of Commons

Category:Clerks of the Parliaments