House of Commons Journal Volume 2: 29 December 1640

Die Martis, 29 Decembr. 1640.

PRAYERS.

Army, &c.

2^a vice lecta, AN Act for the Relief of the King's .., and the Northern Parts of this Realm; and, upon Question, committed to a Committee of the whole House, to meet upon it Thursday Morning next at Eight of Clock.

Customs.

Ordered, That the several Officers of the Custom-house respectively, to whom it may anyway appertain, be forthwith enjoined and required, not to make any Issues or Payments of their Receipts there, without special Order from this House; unless it be the ordinary Assignments, for the Use of his Majesty's Houshold.

And it is likewise Ordered, That a Copy of this Order be forthwith sent to the said Officers of the Custom-house.

Ratcliffe's Impeachment.

The Articles against Sir Geo. Ratcliffe, read.

Resolved, upon the Question, That this House shall accuse Sir Geo. Ratcliffe Knight, of High Treason, in the Name of all the Commons of England:

That these Articles thus read, shall be the Ground of this Accusation:

That a Message shall be forthwith sent to the Lords, to accuse Sir Geo. Ratcliffe Knight, of High Treason, in the Name of this House, and of all the Commons of England, and that very speedily they will bring Articles against him.

Resolved, upon the Question, That the Articles, prepared by the Committee against Sir Geo. Ratcliffe, and read here, shall be ingrossed, against To-morrow Morning, to be sent to the Lords, as a Charge against him.

Ditto.

A Message sent from the Lords, by the Master of the Rolls, and Judge Reeves;

The Lords have commanded us to say, that, whereas there came a Message from this House, to accuse Sir Geo. Ratcliffe of High Treason, they would know, whether they should presently take care to make safe his Person.

Answer returned, by the same Messengers, that this House has taken their Lordships Message into Consideration; and will forthwith return them Answer, by Messengers of their own.

Mr. Pimme went up to the Lords, to acquaint them, that this House gave no Instructions to their former Messenger, concerning the Committing of Sir Geo. Ratcliffe, because his Person is already in safe Custody, in the Gatehouse; and they intended to have acquainted their Lordships with it, when they had produced the Articles against him; which would have been very shortly: But, since they are prevented by their Lordships, they refer what to do in it to their Lordships; and to desire their Lordships to put this Cause under Examination, in as speedy and secret Way, as their Lordships, in their Judgment, shall think fittest; and as was done in the Case of the Earl of Straford.

Bastwick's Petition.

Ordered, That Dr. Bastwick's Petition be referred to the Committee for Mr. Burton's Petition.

Hull Writ.

Ordered, A Warrant to issue under Mr. Speaker's Hand, directed to the Clerk of the Crown in Chancery, for a new Writ, to choose another Burgess, in the Room and Stead of Sir Jo. Lister, chosen One of the Burgesses for Hull, and since dead.

Privilege.

Ordered, That Tho. Shepheard, Esquire, * *, Headborough, be forthwith sent for, as Delinquents, by the Serjeant at Arms attending on this House, to answer their Contempts, and Breach of the Privileges of this House; And that Timothy Baites, now a Prisoner in Newgate, committed by the said Mr. Shepherd, be set at Liberty forthwith, notwithstanding the said Commitment, to prosecute his Complaints here against the said Mr. Shepherd, and .. Headborough.

Proceedings against Ratchffe.

Mr. Pimme brings Answer, from the Lords, of his Message; that concerning the safe Custody of Sir Geo. Ratcliffe, they had sent for him, and had taken Order in it; and touching the Receiving of the Examinations in his Cause, there should be the same Course observed in them, as was in the Earl of Straford's.