House of Commons Journal Volume 4: 29 January 1645

Die Mercurii, Januarii 29, 1644. Dies publicæ Humiliationis.

AN Ordinance for Repressing of the Sins of Incest, Adultery, Whoredom, Drunkenness, Swearing, and Blaspheming of the Name of God, was this Day read the Second time; and committed to Mr. Maynard, Mr. Rous, Serjeant Wilde, Mr. Stevens, Sir Walter Erle, Mr. Holland, Mr. Grimston, Mr. Young, Sir Peter Wentworth, Mr. Heveningham, Sir Roger North, Sir John Franclyn, Mr. Purefoy, Mr. Hill, Mr. Jennour, Mr. Reynolds, Sir John Potts, Sir Jo. Clotworthy, Sir John Trevor, Sir Beauchamp St. John, Mr. Oldesworth, Sir Wm. Lewes, Sir Richard Onsloe, Mr. Long, Mr. Gourdon, Mr. Ash, Mr. Cawley, Sir Thomas Dacres, Sir Simonds D' Ewes, Mr. Knightley, Sir Robert Harley, Sir Edw. Patriche, Mr. Nicoll, Sir Wm. Massam, Mr. Nicholas, Sir Wm. Strickland, Sir Christopher Wray, Sir Anth. Irby, Mr. Tate: And are to meet To-morrow at Two in the Afternoon, in the Exchequer-Chamber: And have Power to send for Parties, &c.: And the Care hereof is committed especially to Mr. Serjeant Wilde and Mr. Maynard: And all that will come are to have Voices: And are to bring it in on this Day Sevennight.

Ordered, That, To-morrow Morning, Mr. Samuel Browne do make Report of the Business in his Hands concerning the great Blasphemy informed of: And that Mr. Speaker put the House in mind hereof.

Sir Jo. Evelyn junior, Sir John Potts, Sir Samuel Roll, Sir Wm. Drake, Colonel Ralph Ashton, and Mr. Perigrin Pelham, this Day took and subscribed the Solemn League and National Covenant.

Ordered, That the Solemn League and Covenant be, on every Day of Fast and publick Humiliation, publickly read in every Church and Congregation within the Kingdom: And that every Congregation be injoined to have one of the said Covenants fairly printed, in a fair Letter, in a Table fitted to hang up in some publick Place of the Church to be read; together with the Names of the Lords and Commons that have taken the same.

The Lords Concurrence to be desired herein.

Mr. Rous is appointed to carry it up.

Ordered, That the Members of this House, that have not taken the Vow and Covenant of June 1643, do take the same on the next Fast-Day.

Mr. Pierrepoint reports, from the Commissioners of Scotland, their Answer to the Vote touching the Instructions concerning the Treaty: The which was read.

That the Propositions concerning Religion, the Militia, and Ireland, shall be treated upon, Three Days apiece, alternis vicibus, during the Space of Twenty Days; beginning first with the Propositions of Religion; which, as it is of most Excellency, so it is to be sought after, and finally agreed upon, in the first Place, before any final Agreement be made upon either of the other Propositions, or the King's Answers thereunto be taken into Consideration by the Parliaments of the respective Kingdoms.

Resolved, &c. That these Words, "or the King's Answers thereunto be taken into Consideration by the Parliaments of the respective Kingdoms," be left out: And that the House doth assent to the Proposition, those Words being left out.

Resolved, &c. To agree to the Explanation following of this precedent Vote; videlicet,

That, by the Agreement upon the Propositions for Religion, before a final Agreement be made upon any of the other Propositions, we understand the Approving of the Covenant; the Directory for Worship; the Votes given in by the Assembly of Divines concerning ChurchGovernment, and passed the Houses; the Assenting to the Bill against Episcopacy, &c.; the Ratisying of the Ordinance for the Calling of the Assembly of Divines, &c.; and so much as shall pass both Houses before the Expiring of the Twenty Days.

The Lords Concurrence to be desired herein.

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

The Lords have commanded us to deliver unto you this Paper: They have received it from the Scotts Commissioners: They agree unto it; and desire your Concurrence, that it may be added as one of the Instructions: And have appointed to sit at One of Clock; and desire this House to do the like, if it may stand with their Conveniency.

Ordered, That the Members of this House, that are of the Committee of both Kingdoms, or any Four of them, do, upon the Report made to this House, conser with the Scotts Commissioners upon the Alteration, made by this House, in the Paper reported from the Scotts Commissioners; and report an Answer at One of Clock.

Answer returned by the same Messengers; That this House has considered their Lordships Message: And, as to the Paper, they will send Answer by Messengers of their own: And have resolved to fit this Afternoon at One of Clock.

A Letter from Colonel Ennys, and one from Portesmouth, of January the Twenty-seventh, from Colonel Jephson, were both this Day read; and referred to the Committee of both Kingdoms; to be taken into present Consideration: And the House doth Declare, That they will put the Monies for the Army into some certain and speedy Way.

Resolved, &c. That the One thousand Pounds formerly ordered to be advanced and paid out of HaberdashersHall, to the Garison of Portesmouth, be forthwith paid by the said Committee accordingly: And that they do give Credit for Five hundred Suits of Cloaths to be provided and forthwith sent to the Garison of Portesmouth, over and above the said One thousand Pounds.

The Lords Concurrence to be desired herein.

Ordered, That a Message be sent up to the Lords, at their next Sitting, to desire them to take the Ordinance for raising and maintaining the Army, according to the new Model, into speedy Consideration; in regard of the Importance of it.

Mr. Purefoy is appointed to go up with this Message.

Resolved, &c. That Sir Wm. Waller do forthwith go down, and command in Chief the Forces designed for the West; and bring those Forces speedily into a Body, and to their Rendezvous; and take all Advantages against the Enemy, for the Service of the Publick.

Resolved, &c. That the House be forthwith resolved into a Grand Committee, to take into Consideration the Ordinance concerning the Excise.

Mr. Speaker left the Chair.
Mr. Green called to the Chair.

Mr. Green reports the Amendments to the Ordinance for continuing the Ordinances of Excise: The which were twice read; and assented unto: And the Ordinance, with the Amendments, upon the Question, passed; and carried up to the Lords for their Concurrence, by Mr. Nicoll.

Ordered, That Mr. Reynolds and Sir Thomas Widdrington do bring in an Ordinance, That no Traders or Merchants be Sub-Commissioners of the Excise; and likewise concerning Cheques upon the Accounts of the Commissioners of Excise.

Ordered, That a Message be sent to the Lords, to desire, That the Committee of both Kingdoms may meet presently upon the Rising of the Houses.

Mr. Erle is appointed to go with this Message.

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

The Lords have commanded us to deliver unto you a Letter from the Governor of Farnham to my Lord General. They have sat a good while; and do desire, That if this House have any thing to communicate unto them for the Dispatch of the Commissioners, that it may be speedily communicated unto them.

Mr. Pierrepoint reports the Answer of the Scotts Commissioners to the Alteration made in the Paper brought from the Scotts Commissioners: The which was read, to this Purpose; videlicet,

The Commissioners for the Kingdom of Scotland are content the last Clause, viz. "or the King's Answers, &c." be left out, so as the Word "finally" be also left out; or that "that finally" be keeped in, and that "finally" be added, and prefixed immediate before these Words, "agreed upon," in the Sixth Line of the Paper; and that "a," in the same Line, be made "any;" and, upon the Question, assented unto: And

Ordered, That a Conference be desired with the Lords upon them.

Mr. Nicoll brings Answer, The Lords do agree to the Ordinance for the Continuance of the Excise.

Answer returned by the same Messengers; That this House has considered their Lordships Message; and will presently send Answer by Messengers of their own.

Mr. Erle likewise desired a Conference by Committees of both Kingdoms, concerning the Dispatch of the Commissioners to Uxbridge.

Mr. Erle brings Answer, That the Lords do agree, That the Committee of both Kingdoms do meet presently upon the Rising of the Houses; and will give present Meeting, at a Conference, by Committees of both Houses, in the Painted Chamber.

Mr. Pierrepoint and Mr. Recorder are appointed Managers of the Conference.

Ordered, That Mr. Nicoll do repair to the Commissioners of Excise; and desire them forthwith to pay in the Ten thousand Pounds, formerly assigned to the Armies; and report their Answer To-morrow Morning.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee of both Kingdoms, to send the Remainder of Colonel Cromwell's Regiment to Sir Wm Waller, to go into the West; and to take care, that the Line may be kept, and other Horse brought to keep the Posts that these Horse shall leave.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee of both Kingdoms, to take speedy Order that all the Officers may repair to their respective Charges.

Ordered, That Mr. Speaker do write a Letter to the Committee of Sussex speedily to recruit their Forces, according to former Order.

Ordered, That Mr. Salloway and Mr. Blakiston do desire Mr. Nye and Mr. Maynard to preach before the Commons the next Day of Publick Humiliation.

Ordered, That Sir Thomas Dacres and Mr. Whittacre do give Thanks to Doctor Wincop and Mr. Walker, for the great Pains they took in the Sermons they preached this Day, at the Intreaty of the House of Commons, at St. Margaret's Westminster, it being the Day of Publick Humiliation; and to desire them to print their Sermons: And they are to have the like Privilege in printing of them, as other in the like Kind usually have had.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee of both Kingdoms, to quarter a Troop of Horse near WindsoreCastle for the Service of the Garison there: And that they do give Order, That the Forces be recruited to the Number formerly appointed by them.

Ordered, That the Report concerning the Surrey Business be made on Saturday next by Mr. Serjeant Wilde.

Mr. Pierrepoint reports, That the Lords do agree to the Vote upon the Instructions concerning the Treaty, as it was delivered at this Conference; and desire, that it may be one of the Instructions: And likewise the Explanation of the said Vote.

Ordered, That the Information, given by Mr. Audley, to a Member of this House, of several Persons that are indebted to the Court of Wards in several Sums of Money, be referred to the Committee of Examinations; to examine the Particulars, and report unto this House: And Mr. Lane is to take care hereof.