House of Commons Journal Volume 4: 4 November 1645

Die Martis, 4 Novembris, 1645.

Prayes.

THE Grand Committee of the House, according to former Order, met, to take into Consideration the Business concerning Propositions to be sent to his Majesty, for a safe and well-grounded Peace.

Sir Thomas Widdrington in the Chair.

Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair.

Sir Thomas Widdrington reports, from the Grand Committee for Propositions for Peace, an Act for the further Discovery of Popish Recusants, and for the Education of their Children in the Protestant Religion, and for the better Levying of Penalties against Popish Recusants: An Act for the better Observation of the Lord's Day: An Act for the Taxing and Levying of Monies for the Payment and Satisfaction of the Debts and Damages of the Kingdom, and for other publick Uses: And an Act against the Enjoying of Pluralities of Benefices by Spiritual Persons, and Non-residency.

The Act for the further Discovery of Popish Recusants, and for the Education of their Children in the Protestant Religion, and for the better Levying of Penalties against Popish Recusants, was this Day read the First time.

The Act for the better Observation of the Lord's Day was this Day read the First time.

Ordered, That Sir John Danvers, Sir Benjamin Rudyard, Mr. Gott, Mr. Westrowe, Mr. Snelling, and Sir William Allenson, be, and are hereby, added to the Committee to whom the Consideration of the Letters, taken at the late Fight near Sherborne, in Yorkeshire, were referred, where Mr. Tate hath the Chair.

A Letter from Yorke, to Sir William Allenson, of ultimo Octobris 1645, with Seven Letters or Papers of the Lord Digbye's, taken at the late Fight near Sherborne, inclosed in it, were this Day read: And

It is Ordered, That these Seven Letters or Papers be referred to the Committee appointed, by former Order, to consider of the other Letters taken at Sherborne, where Mr. Tate hath the Chair.

An Ordinance for securing, out of the Receipts of Excise, the Sum of Three thousand Pounds, with Interest, to be employed for the Making of Provisions for the Service against Dennington-Castle, was this Day read; and, upon the Question, passed; and ordered to be sent to the Lords for their Concurrence.

Sir Robert Pye carried to the Lords, for their Concurrence, the Names of several Persons to be added to the Committee of Accompts: The Ordinance for Discharge of Sir John Tyrrell's Delinquency and Sequestration: The Ordinance for a weekly Assessment upon the Counties of Gloucester, Monmouth, and Hereford: The Ordinance for One hundred Pounds, out of the Excise, for Colonel Morgan: The Ordinance for enabling the Sub-Commissioners of Excise for Southampton to pay the Excise there to the Forces of that Garison: The Votes for the High-Sheriffs of the Counties of Gloucester, Essex, and Norfolke: The Vote for Colonel Hughes to be Governor of ChepstowCastle: The Ordinance for Satisfaction of the Debt to Mr. Hill and Mr. Pennoyer: The Ordinance for the Government of Sutton's Hospital: The Ordinance for an Assessment upon the Eastern Association, for reimbursing the extraordinary Charges of Alarms: And the Ordinance for Three thousand Pounds, out of the Excise, for the Service against Dennington-Castle.

He was also to desire the Lords, That the Quorum of the Committee of both Houses, formerly appointed to consider of the Manner of the Pass to be given to Prince Rupert, and Prince Maurice, and their Company, to go beyond Sea, may be Two Lords, and Four Commoners; and that they may meet presently.

Mr. Speaker left the Chair.

The Grand Committee of the House proceeded to take into Consideration the Business of Propositions, to be sent to his Majesty, for a safe and well-grounded Peace.

Sir Thomas Widdrington in the Chair.

Post Meridiem.

ORdered, &c. That where the Fines for Compositions with Delinquents shall not exceed the Sum of One hundred Pounds for each several Delinquent, that any Three such Persons, so compounding, shall be inserted into one Ordinance, and also into one Pardon, to be passed and sued forth for the Discharge of the Treasons, Delinquencies, and Sequestrations, of such Persons; and shall jointly pay the usual Fees, in other Cases due, for one Ordinance, and for one Pardon: And the Commissioners for the Great Seal of England, for the Time being, are hereby authorized and required, upon the Acceptance of the Fines of Delinquents, and the Passing of an Ordinance for the Ratifying of such Fine or Composition by both Houses of Parliament, to give Warrant to his Majesty's SollicitorGeneral for the Preparing and Signing of a Pardon unto the Persons so compounding, according to the Form of a Pardon passed both Houses in that Behalf; and to pass the same Pardon, so prepared and signed, under the Great Seal of England. Provided, That, if the said Pardon shall not be sued forth within One Month after the said Composition shall be perfected, then every such Composition to be void.

The Lords Concurrence to be desired herein.

A Message from the Lords, by Serjeant Aylisse and Doctor Heath;

The Lords have sent you these Two Orders; the one for the Pix in the Tower, London; to which they desire your Concurrence: The other for a Discharge of the Fine for Mr. Penn's Wardship; to which they do agree, with these Amendments; and desire your Concurrence.

The Order concerning the Pix in the Tower, London, was read; and was, That the Trial of the Monies in the Pix in the Mint of the Tower of London shall be made on Monday next, the Tenth of this instant November, at the usual Place near the Star-Chamber; and was, upon the Question, assented unto.

Ordered, &c. That the Commissioners of the Great Seal, that are Members of this House, and the Committee of Revenue, do join as a Committee with the Earl of Kent and Earl of Bolingbrooke, for the Taking of the Examination and Trial of the Pix in the Tower of London, on Monday next, being the Tenth of this instant November, by Nine of the Clock in the Morning, at the usual Place, near the Star-Chamber.

The Amendments to the Ordinance concerning the Discharge of Mr. Penn's Wardship were twice read.

Answer returned by the same Messengers;

The House hath considered your Message: And, as to the Order concerning the Pix in the Tower, they do agree: And, as to the Amendments to the Ordinance concerning Mr. Penn's Wardship, they will send Answer by Messengers of their own.

The House being informed, That, by reason of a Vote passed in this House the Twentieth of September last, That the Court of Wards should be taken away, divers Wardships, Liveries, Primier Seisins, and Mean-Rates, which heretofore fell and happened, are not compounded for, and fued out, as they ought to be; For Remedy whereof, it is hereby Declared, That all Wardships, Liveries, Primier Seisins, . . . Mean-Rates, which heretofore have happened, or hereafter shall fall and happen, before the Court of Wards shall be put down by the Parliament, shall be answered for to the Commonwealth: And the Master and Council of the said Court are required to proceed effectually in granting and compounding for Wardships, and pressing the Suing forth of Liveries, of all Persons whatsoever from whom they shall be due, and in prosecuting Suits there; any Pretence of Privilege, or Order to the contrary, notwithstanding: And the Master and Council are required to grant the Wardships to any that will compound for them; in case those enabled by the Instructions to compound do not come in within their Times. Provided always, That this Declaration, or any thing therein contained, shall not extend to any, whose Ancestors, being Officers or Soldiers, have been slain or died in the Service of the Parliament.

Ordered, &c. That the Committee, sitting at Goldsmiths-Hall, do pay the Sum of Three hundred and Fifty Pounds, being the Fine and Composition for Sir John Cotton's Delinquency, unto the several Persons hereafter named; viz. to Mrs. Heath Fifty Pounds; to Thomas Bywater Fifty Pounds; to William Cave Fifty Pounds; to Lieutenant-Colonel Grimes Fifty Pounds; to Mrs. Babington Forty Pounds; to Cornet Palmer Forty Pounds; to Mrs. Halsey, the Widow of Cornet Halsey, Forty Pounds; to Captain Jessop Thirty Pounds: Whose several and respective Acquittances shall be a sufficient Warrant and Discharge unto the Treasurer at GoldsmithsHall for so much.

Resolved, &c. That the Word "Excise" shall be added to the Ordinance of 26 Novembris 1644, concerning the Exemption of the Traders to and from New-England from Paying of Customs.

The Lords Concurrence to be desired herein.

The House being informed, That a Messenger, with Letters from Denbigh, was at the Door;

He was called in; and informed the House of the Manner and Particulars of the Defeat given to the King's Forces under Sir Wm. Vaughan, by the Forces of the Parliament under the Command of Colonel Mitton.

A Letter from Denbigh Town, of 1 Novembris 1645, from Colonel Mitton, and some of the Committee there, with a Letter inclosed from thence, of the same Date, from Mr. Nathanael Lancaster, Minister, relating the Success of the Parliament's Forces under Colonel Mitton, against the King's Forces under Sir Wm. Vaughan; a Letter from Chester Suburbs, of 31 Octobris 1645, from the Committee there, desiring Supplies of Monies and Ammunition; with other Letters from thence, of the same Date, from Sir Wm. Brereton; were all read; and ordered to be printed.

Resolved, &c. That the Minister that brought these Letters, and the good News of the Routing of the King's Forces under Sir Wm. Vaughan, shall have the Sum of Fifty Pounds bestowed upon him for his Pains. And

It is further Ordered, That the Committee of Lords and Commons for Advance of Monies, sitting at Haberdashers-Hall, do pay the said Fifty Pounds to him accordingly.

The Lords Concurrence to be desired herein.

Ordered, &c. That To-morrow, being the Fifth of November, and set apart to praise God for his great Mercies to this Kingdom, in the Deliverance from the PowderTreason; and the respective Ministers of the several Churches and Chapels within the Cities of London and Westminster, Lines of Communication, and weekly Bills of Mortality, being, by former Order, appointed to take notice of the great Mercy of God in Preserving and Keeping together of this Parliament, now Five Years complete, notwithstanding the Practices of the Enemy to dissolve and destroy it; and of God's Mercy in defeating the Enemies Forces under the Lord Digby, in Scotland; It is this Day further Ordered, That they do likewise give Thanks to Almighty God for his further Mercies to the Forces of the Parliament under the Command of Colonel Mitton, in defeating the Enemies Forces under Sir Wm. Vaughan, in Wales: And that the Letter from Mr. Lancaster, relating this Success, be likewise read: And that they do earnestly stir up the People to a serious and hearty Thankfulness to Almighty God for all these several Mercies: And my Lord Mayor is desired to give them notice of this Order: And Mr. Vassall is to acquaint my Lord Mayor herewith accordingly.

Ordered, &c. That Mr. Recorder do prepare a Letter of Thanks, to be signed by Mr. Speaker, and sent to Colonel Mitton, for his good Service in this Defeat given to the Enemies Forces in Wales; and to desire him to give the Officers also, under his Command, Thanks from this House, for this and their other good Services to the Parliament.

Ordered, &c. That the Members of both Houses, that are of the Committee of both Kingdoms, do grant a Commission to Colonel Pope, and the Officers under him, to command the Regiment of Foot lately raised, or to be raised, by him, for the Service of the Parliament.

The Lords Concurrence to be desired herein.

Ordered, &c. That the Members of both Houses, that are of the Committee of both Kingdoms, do grant a Commission to Colonel Mitton to be Commander of Oswestree.

The Lords Concurrence to be desired herein.

An Ordinance for securing to the Commissioners of Excise the Sum of Two thousand Pounds, lent by them for the Service of the Forces in Lancashire, with Interest for the same, out of the Receipts of the Excise, was this Day read; and, upon the Question, passed; and ordered to be sent unto the Lords for their Concurrence.

Resolved, &c. That these Words, viz. "Which Moiety shall be paid to the Treasurer for the said Town and County for the Time being, whose Receipt shall be a sufficient Discharge to the chief Commissioners of Excise, and their Sub-Commissioners, in that Behalf," shall be, and are hereby, added to the Ordinance of both Houses, of the Sixth of September 1645, for the Granting of a Moiety of the Excise to the Town and County of Derby.

Ordered, &c. That it be referred to the Committee of the Navy, upon the Information given of many Barks prepared for the Transportation of Soldiers out of Ireland into England, that they take especial Care to employ Ships for the Guard of those Coasts, for preventing the Mischief that may happen by any such Transportation of Soldiers.

The Messenger was again called in: And Mr. Speaker, by the Command of the House, rendered him Thanks.

Ordered, &c. That Twenty Barrels of Powder be forthwith provided and furnished out of the publick Stores, for the Service of the Siege of Chester, over and above the Fifty Barrels of Powder formerly granted for that Service: And it is recommended unto the Committee for Powder, Match, and Bullet, to take care for providing them accordingly.

Ordered, &c. That Mr. Recorder, Alderman Pennington, Mr. Vassall, and Colonel Venn, do, from this House, recommend it to the next Common-Council the Borrowing of Six thousand Pounds upon the Credit of an Ordinance formerly passed upon the Excise, to be paid the Interest Half-yearly, after the Rate of Eight Pounds per Centum per Annum, for the Forbearance thereof, to be presently employed for the Service of the Forces against Chester; and to press the important Necessity of the Furnishing of these Monies, for the present Advance of this so great and necessary Service. This Six thousand Pounds to be accounted as Part of the Ten thousand formerly granted, with Interest, upon the Excise, for the Service of the said Forces.

Ordered, &c. That the Committee of Goldsmiths-Hall do take care of the Payment of the Eight hundred Pounds assigned to be paid to Mr. Francis Allen, for the Jewel given by this House to Sir Thomas Fairefaxe, General of the Parliament's Forces.

The humble Petition of Colonel John Were was read: And

It is Ordered, That Colonel John Were be forthwith bailed, upon Security to be allowed by the Committee of the West; and to be referred to the Committee of the West, to be employed in such manner as they shall think fit.

The humble Petition of Captain Hercules Huncks was this Day read: And

It is Ordered, That he shall have Three hundred Pounds out of such Delinquents Estates as he shall discover to Haberdashers-Hall, not yet discovered or sequestred.

Ordered, &c. That Mrs. Farrer shall have Five hundred Pounds, out of the first Delinquents Compositions as Mr. Speaker shall by his Warrant send to Goldsmiths-Hall, paid unto her, upon Account, to be deducted out of the Arrears of Entertainment due and payable unto Colonel Farrer her Husband, slain in the Parliament's Service.

It is further Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee of Accompts, to state the Accompts of the said Colonel Farrer.

Resolved, &c. That Four-pence in the Pounds shall be allowed unto Mr. Knight, Treasurer for the Counties of Oxon, Bucks, and Berks, for his Pains in the Receiving and Paying out of the Monies upon that Receipt: And that the Committee of Accompts, upon the Passing of the Accompt, do make him Allowance thereof accordingly.

Resolved, &c. That the House be adjourned till Thursday next, at Eight of Clock.