House of Commons Journal Volume 4: 10 January 1645

Die Veneris, Januarii 10, 1644.

Prayers.

THE humble Petition of Peter de la Salle, MerchantStranger, was this Day read: And

It is Ordered, That this Petition, and the whole Business thereupon depending, be referred to the Commissioners of the Great Seal, the Judges, and the Master of the Rolls; to certify the true State of the Business to the House.

Ordered, That this Business of transporting Butter into Duynkirke, by one Tatham, be referred to the Examination of the Committee of the Navy; to certify their Opinions upon the Business; and to consider, whether it may be advantageous for the Kingdom that Butter be transported, many Parts of the Kingdom being in great need of Provisions; and to consider of course, how such Commodities as lie upon the Counties may be taken off, and disposed to the best Advantage of the Kingdom, and of those Parts that are in Distress.

And the House doth further Order, That the Butter, endeavoured by Tatham to be transported, be stayed, until the House take further Order; and to give an Account to the House, by what Warrant this Butter was to be transported.

The Extract of a Letter, written from Colonel Jephson, from Portesmouth, of Januarii 7, was this Day read.

Ordered, That the Committee of the Revenue do pay for such Provisions, as by Colonel Jephson's Order shall be laid into the Garison of Portesmouth, not exceeding Five hundred Pounds, out of the Establishment of Portesmouth: To be deducted out of the Pay of that Garison.

Ordered, That the Particular in the Letter concerning a Thousand Pounds out of Haberdashers-Hall, be referred to the Committee of Haberdashers-Hall: And that the Gentlemen of Hants do repair to that Committee, to see what hath been done in that Business; and to take their best Care, that the said One thousand Pounds may be advanced.

Resolved, &c. That this House doth set the Fine of Three thousand Pounds upon Sir John Hewet, for his Delinquency, to be paid in Three Weeks; the first Payment to begin on Friday next: And that Five-and-twenty Hundred Pounds, of the said Monies, be paid to the Treasurer at Wars; to be by him paid, according to several Ordinances, for the Relief of divers Widows, Officers, and Waggoners; and the remaining Five hundred Pounds to Mr. Trenchard; to be paid to Waggoners of Sir Wm. Waller's Army: And that he be referred to the Committee of Goldsmiths-Hall to be treated with, and to secure him, as they shall see Cause: And that upon the Payment of the said Sum of Three thousand Pounds, or giving good Security for the true Payment thereof, to the Satisfaction of the Committee at Goldsmiths-Hall, that the Sequestration of his Estate be taken off: Otherwise, that the Committee shall have Power to bring in an Ordinance for the Sale of his Lands.

Resolved, &c. That Ward and Hurte, formerly sent for as Delinquents, by Order of this House, for breaking the Privilege of Parliament, in entering upon the Possessions of Mr. Maynard, a Member of this House, be forthwith discharged from any further Restraint.

Ordered, That on Monday next, peremptorily, the Letters from my Lord Admiral, the Ordinance for Tonage and Poundage, and the whole Business concerning the Navy, be taken into Consideration: And that the Report from the Committee, touching the Petition of Merchants, Masters, and Owners of Ships, be then read.

Resolved, &c. That Captain Onele be forthwith sent for in safe Custody; and all such Papers and Petitions as are about him to be seized: And that, until he be examined, no Man be permitted to speak with him.

Resolved, &c. That Colonel Sterling be forthwith summoned to be examined by a Committee of this House: And that the Earl of Manchester be desired to send for him up accordingly.

Ordered, That Captain Oneile, and Colonel Sterling, and likewise the whole Business concerning the procuring and carrying on a Petition from the Officers of the Earl of Manchester's Army, touching the Ordinance That no Member of either House shall bear Office, &c., with all the Circumstances of the Proceedings therein, be referred to the Examination of the Committee for regulating my Lord General's Army, where Mr. Tate has the Chair: And they are to meet upon it this Afternoon.

Mr. Sam. Browne is appointed to go to the Lords, to desire them to pass the Ordinance That no Member of either House shall bear Office, &c.; and to acquaint them, that this House is very sensible of the great Inconveniencies occasioned by the Delay of this Business; and that they conceive, that a Delay herein, is not only dangerous, but destructive.

A Message from the Lords, by Doctor Aylett and Doctor Heath;

The Lords have commanded us to deliver you a Petition from the Archbishop of Canterbury: They conceive it to be reasonable; and recommend it to the Consideration of this House. They have likewise received a Petition from divers Waggoners and Carters; which they likewise refer to the Consideration of this House.

The humble Petition of Wm. Archbishop of Canterbury, * *.

Resolved, &c. and it is *, That, as to this Petition, the House will send Answer by Messengers of their own: And likewise to the Petition of the Waggoners.

Answer returned by the same Messengers; That this House has considered their Lordships Message: And, as to both the Petitions, they will send Answer by Messengers of their own.

Mr. Browne brings Answer, That the Lords will take this Ordinance into present Consideration; and send Answer by Messengers of their own.

Mr. Knightley presents to the House my Lord General's Answer, in Writing, to the Order of the House, requireing an Account, Why the Line was not kept, according to the Directions and Orders of the Committee of both Kingdoms: The which was read in bæc verba:

I Shall desire to return my humble Acknowledgments for the Favour the Honourable House of Commons did me, in letting me know any thing, that might prejudice me in their good Opinions, which I am, and have been ever, ambitious of; and whereby I have a Means given me to clear myself, that I have done nothing in Disobedience to any Order I received. I confess I had Orders for Horse-Quarters at Swallowfeild and Stratfeild-Say; whereupon I acquainted the Committee of both Kingdoms, that my Lord of Manchester's Forces had lain there so long, and the Army since, That there was not Subsistence for Horse: And, having no further Order thereupon, I conceived the Committee had been satisfied with my Answer: But I did give Order, that Horse should quarter as near there, as they might, with Accommodation, to be kept together. Touching the Sending of Horse to Sir Wm. Waller's Line, instead of Sir Wm. Waller's that were to go for the West, I was not to do That, as the Committee of both Kingdoms know, till I received Notice from him of the Removal of His; of which I never heard: The Reason whereof he can best give to the Honourable House.

Sir John Evelyn reports the Answer of the Earl of Manchester to the said Order, to this Effect:

"That the Earl of Manchester said, He had not, to his Knowledge, disobeyed any Orders of the Committee of both Kingdoms."

"That, to the Putting of Horse and Foot into Hildesden House and Buckingham, he had consulted with his Officers; and that the Foot would all have been lost, if they had been put there; and that it was a very bad Quarter for the Horse: That he had acquainted the Committee of both Kingdoms therewith. Where his Horse and Foot now are, he cannot say, in regard they are upon present Motion, by Order of the Committee."

Resolved, &c. That this House doth expect, That Obedience be henceforth yielded to the Orders of the Committee of both Kingdoms by my Lord General and the Earl of Manchester.

Resolved, &c. That the Armies, and the Treaty; the Church, and the Navy; shall be taken into Consideration, peremptorily, the first Business: And that no other Business shall intervene, or be admitted, whatsoever, until these Businesses be settled.

The Lords to be acquainted with this Order.

Resolved, &c. That To-morrow the Business of the Armies; on Monday the Business of the Treaty; on Tuesday the Business of the Church; on Wednesday the Business of the Navy; be peremptorily taken into Consideration: And that no other Business whatsoever intervene, or be admitted, upon those respective Days. And Mr. Speaker is to put the House in mind of the particular Business assigned on these particular Days.

Upon Report this Day made to the House by Mr. Pelham;

It is Resolved, &c. That Mr. John Archer shall be desired, from this House, to return into the Country; and have Encouragement from this House chearfully to go on in the Service of the Parliament: And Mr. Ellis and Mr. Pelham are ordered to give Mr. Archer Thanks from this House, for the good Services he hath already done for the Parliament.