House of Commons Journal Volume 3: 30 April 1644

Die Martis, ultimo Aprilis, 1644.

PRAYERS.

Reflections on Parliament.

ORDERED, That Mr. Tate be put in the room of Mr. Strode, at the Committee for Examination of the Words reflecting upon the Honour of both Houses.

Ordination of Ministers.

The humble Advice of the Assembly of Divines, now sitting at Westminster, concerning the Doctrinal Part of Ordination of Ministers; and likewise concerning a Directory for Ordination of Ministers; was this Day read; and ordered to be read again on Thursday next: And that the House do sit, on Thursday next, on Purpose to consider of this Business, though otherwise, the House would not have sat that Day.

Army.

Mr. Solicitor reports, from the Committee of both Kingdoms, That my Lord General, and many of his Officers, were there: That they had appointed a Place for the Rendezvous; and that the Officers had undertaken to march on Friday, if possible; otherwise on Saturday, at farthest.

Resolved, &c. That this House doth undertake that the Second Ten thousand Pounds for my Lord General's Army, shall be paid into the Army wheresoever it shall then be; either on Saturday next, or within Three Days after, at farthest.

Mr. Green, Mr. Prideaux, and Mr. Bond, are appointed to take special Care with the Commissioners of Excise, that this Business fail not.

Ordered, That Mr. Scawen be immediately sent for, to report the Establishment of the Army.

Earl of Manchester's Forces.

Mr. Crew presents, from the Committee, Reasons to be offered to the Lords at a Conference, for maintaining the Opinion of this House, for adhering to the Ordinance for the maintaining of the Forces under the Earl of Manchester, as it went up from hence, without Alteration.

Message to Lords.

Sir H. Mildmay went up to the Lords, to desire a Conference, by a Committee of both Houses, so soon as it may stand with their Lordships Conveniency, concerning the Amendments sent down from their Lordships to the Earl of Manchester's Ordinance.

He likewise carried up to the Lords, the Order for Nine hundred Pounds out of Haberdashers Hall, for Mr. Berisford's Powder; The Order for Billet in the County of Northampton; The Order for a Thousand Pounds, for Arms for Pembrokeshire, out of Haberdashers Hall; and was to acquaint the Lords, that this House had agreed to the Ordinance for settling Mr. Shadwell in the Clerk's Place, for making the Writs Diem clausit extremum.

County Committees.

An Ordinance for making, constituting, and nominating of Committees for the several and respective Counties of Southampton, Sussex, Surry, and Kent, was this Day read; and, by Vote upon the Question, passed; and ordered to be sent unto the Lords for their Concurrence.

Answer from Lords.

Sir H. Mildmay brings Answer, That the Lords do agree to the Orders carried up by him; and that they will grant a present Conference, as is desired.

Army Pay &c.

A Letter from Sir Wm. Waller, from Farneham, of the Twenty-ninth of April, 1644, directed to Mr. Speaker, concerning Supplies of Money for Pay for his Soldiers, to be sent unto him; and concerning the Regiment at Farneham Castle; was this Day read; and ordered, as to the first Part, concerning Monies and the Pay of the Soldiers, to be referred to the Committee of the West; and, as to the second Part, concerning the Regiment at Farneham Castle, to be referred to the Committee for the Surry Petitions.

Conference.

The House, according to the Resolution of Yesterday, went up to the Conference.

Mr. Rolle.

Ordered, That Mr. Recorder do bring in the Business concerning Mr. Rolle, on Tuesday next.

Letters read.

An Extract of Letters from Edinburgh; and the Copy of a Letter from the Peers at Oxon, to the Estates of Scotland; and their Answer to the said Peers, concerning their Expedition and Entry into England; were this Day read: And the Extract of the Letters immediately delivered back to Mr. Pierrepont, who presented it from the Committee of both Kingdoms.

Sequestrations.

An Ordinance for the regulating, better collecting, and bringing in, of the Sequestrations, was this Day read the Second time; and, upon Question, committed to Mr. Wheler, Mr. Trenchard, Sir Hen. Vanejun. Mr. Strode, Mr. Maynard, Sir Tho. Barrington, Sir Anth. Irby, Mr. Holles, Sir Tho. Dacres, Mr. Ashherst, Mr. Rose, Sir Jo. Corbett, Mr. Whitelock, Mr. Bond, Sir M. Lumley, Sir H. Mildmay, Mr. Pelham, Sir Wm. Strickland, Mr. Grimston, Sir John Francklyn, Sir Hen. Heyman, Mr. Millington, Mr. Green, Mr. Ellis, Mr. Lisle, Mr. Selden, Sir Dud. North, Sir Gilbert Pykering, Mr. Sam. Browne, Mr. Vassall, Mr. Jo. Ashe, Mr. Serjcant Wylde: And are to meet this Afternoon, at Two of Clock, in the Exchequer Chamber: And the Care of it is especially referred to Mr. Ellis: And they are to bring it in with all convenient Speed: And it is referred to this Committee, to consider of and examine the particular Abuses now informed of to be committed by Sequestrators, and other Officers in the Matter of Sequestrations, and in not sequestering the Estates of such Persons as are sequestrable by the Ordinances of Sequestrations. And they have Power to send for Parties, Witnesses, Papers, Records.

Church Government.

Resolved, &c. That Mr. Salwey do, from this House, desire the Assembly of Divines to proceed to the expediting and settling the Government of the Church.

Message from Lords.

A Message from the Lords, by Sir Edw. Leech and Mr. Page;

Archbishop of Canterbury's Trial.

The Lords, by reason of the Conference this Morning had, they could not intend the Tryal of the Archbishop of Canterbury; and have therefore put it off till Saturday next, Nine of Clock.

Mervyn's Petition.

The have received a Petition from Sir Hen. Meroyn, for some Islands not yet discovered, which they thought good to send down to this House; and have appointed a Committee of their House, of Six Lords, to meet this Afternoon at Three of Clock, in the Lord Keeper's Lodgings: And desire this House to appoint a Committee, of a proportionable Number, to meet at the Time and Place appointed.

The Petition was read.

Answer returned by the same Messengers; That this House will give an Answer, by Messengers of their own, as to the Petition; and take Notice of the Day of Trial of the Bishop of Canterbury.

Report deferred.

Ordered, That Mr. Scawen report To-morrow at Eight of Clock.

Person committed.

Ordered, That Darby O Molrion, an Irish Rebel, be committed Prisoner to Winchester House.

Payment to Berisford.

Whereas there is a Contract made with Mr. John Berisford, Gunpowder-maker, for Six hundred Barrels of Powder, towards the furnishing of the Armies; of Two Thirds whereof he is already satisfied: There being Nine hundred Pounds remaining due unto him, which is payable on the Twenty-fourth Day of June next ensuing; It is, by the Lords and Commons, Ordered and Ordained, That the said Sum of Nine hundred Pounds shall be accordingly paid unto the said Mr. Berisford, by the Committee at Haberdashers Hall, on the Twenty-fourth Day of June aforesaid.

Earl of Manchester's Ordinance.

Reasons offered to the Lords at a Conference this Thirtieth of April, for adhering to the Earl of Manchester's Ordinance, as it went from hence.

1. It was thus desired by the Committee at Cambridge, as a Committee for the whole Association: When the Ordinance was first in the House of Commons: They had little hope to raise and maintain an Army at their own Charge, without this; and, according to their Desire, it has thus passed both Houses for Four Months.

2. If they should not be consulted, they may be drawn forth when they have most Need of them.

3. The same Burthen, Thirty-six thousand Pounds a Month, is imposed by this Ordinance, upon the Association which was formerly; it is therefore likely they will expect the same Conditions.

4. This Army hath been raised, not by a general Tax, but by the particular Charge of the Association: And therefore, though the Safety of Part must yield to the Safety of the Whole, yet should the Question be betwixt the Defence of a County within the Association, and a County without it, where there is a Parity of other Respects, the Association hath a greater Interest in this Army, and may, in the first Place, challenge Protection from it.

5. Their former Expence, which, with this Encouragement, hath fitted their Army for Service, will be all lost; and considerable Forces, now upon Action, are like to be disbanded, by Distractions and Discontentments, which are like to rise upon this Alteration.

6. The Earl of Manchester hath been ready to obey my Lord General's Commands, in sending out of the Association.

7. If there should be reason to change; yet the Army being now upon March, and the Ordinance being but for Three Months, they think it not a seasonable time.