House of Commons Journal Volume 4: 6 June 1646

Die Sabbati, 6 Junii, 1646.

Prayers.

UPON Sir William Waller's Report from the Committee of both Kingdoms, That the said Committee gave Power to Colonel Mitton to treat with Sir John Watts, late Governor of Chirke-Castle, for Reducing of the same to the Power of the Parliament; and to promise, that the said Committee would endeavour, with both Houses of Parliament, for the Freedom of the Person and Estate of the said late Governor; and to pay him a Sum of Monies, not exceeding Two hundred Pounds, so as the Place should be rendered within Six Weeks; and of a Letter from Colonel Mitton, of 1 Aprilis 1646, to the said Committee, That the said Castle was surrendered, thereby recommending the said Sir John Watts to them, for the making good of his the said Colonel Mitton's Engagements to him;

It is Resolved, &c. That, in pursuance of the Powers given by the Committee of both Kingdoms unto Colonel Mitton, to treat with Sir John Watts, late Governor of Chirke-Castle, and for Performance of his the said Colonel Mitton's Engagements to him, the said Sir John Watts be freed of his Delinquency: And that the Sequestration of his Estate, real and personal, be forthwith discharged: And that an Ordinance be brought in for the Freedom and Discharge of his Person and Estate accordingly.

Sir William Waller is appointed to bring in this Ordinance.

Resolved, &c. That the Sum of Two hundred Pounds be charged upon the Receipts of Monies coming in at Haberdashers-Hall, and employed and paid to Sir John Watts Knight, late Governor of Chirke-Castle, in Discharge of Colonel Mitton's Engagements to the said Sir John Watts, upon the Surrender of the said Castle: And that the Committee of Lords and Commons for Advance of Monies, sitting at Haberdashers-Hall, do pay the said Two hundred Pounds accordingly.

Resolved, &c. That the Sum of One hundred Pounds be charged upon the Receipts of Monies coming in at Haberdashers-Hall, to be bestowed and paid to Mr. William Roberts, a Firemaster, who hath been employed, and done several very good Services for the Parliament, with a Mortar-piece; as a Reward of his said Service: And that the Committee of Lords and Commons for Advance of Monies, sitting at Haberdashers-Hall, do pay the said Sum of One hundred Pounds to the said William Roberts accordingly.

The Lords Concurrence to be desired to this and the preceding Vote.

Ordered, That the Letter from the Gentlemen of Cheshire be referred to that Committee to whom the Ordinance for the City of Chester is committed: And the said Committee is authorized to consider of a Committee for the County and City of Chester, for the putting the Ordinance of Parliament in Execution; and to report the same to the House, with the said Ordinance.

Ordered, That the Report concerning the State of the Forces and Leaguer about Lichfield be made on Monday Morning next.

Ordered, That the General's Letter to Mr. Speaker, concerning a Garison near Oxon, be read on Monday Morning next.

An Ordinance for ascertaining and reimbursing, out of the Receipts of the Grand Excise, by Ordinance of 118 Septembris 1643, with Interest for the same, after the Rate of Eight Pounds per Centum, every Six Months, during the Time of the Forbearance thereof, the Sum of Ten thousand Pounds, for the Use of the Northern Forces, was this Day read.

And it being resolved, That the Name of William White Esquire, named in the said Ordinance, to receive and issue the said Ten thousand Pounds, shall stand;

The said Ordinance was, upon the Question, passed; and ordered to be sent unto the Lords for their Concurrence.

Mr. Stockdale reports from the Committee to whom the same Matters were referred,

First, The Particulars stated upon Sir Arthur Hesilrige's Report; together with the Proofs.

He likewise reported, That the said Committee, upon Consideration of a Letter in the Name of Lieutenant-General David Leslie, printed and published in this City of London (wherein he endeavours to possess the People of this City and Kingdom with an Opinion, That these Complaints are all base Calumnies and Lyes); and likewise upon Consideration of a Paper, printed and published in this City of London, in nature of a Proclamation, made by Lieutenant-General David Leslie (wherein he insinuates to the People of this City, and the whole Kingdom, That no Man ought to complain of any Grievance by that Army to any Authority, until they first make their Addresses unto him); they came to this Opinion, That they think it necessary, for Undeceiving of the People, who may be deluded by the said Letters and Papers, that the true State of these Affairs, as they have been proved, be made publickly known, by Declaration or otherwise, as the House shall think fit.

Secondly, The Particulars stated upon Mr. Pierrepont's Report; together with the Proofs.

Thirdly, The Particulars stated upon the Demands, made by the Parliament, of the several Garisons garisoned by the Scotts without the Consent of the Parliament.

Fourthly, The Particulars stated upon the Northern Letters; together with the Proof.

Fifthly, The Votes of the Northern Committee.

A Letter from the Scotts Commissioners, from Worcester-House, of 3 Junii 1646; with a Copy of a Letter inclosed, from Newcastle, of 28 Maii, from the Earl of Leven, and Committee of Estates of Scotland there; with likewise a Paper inclosed from the Commissioners of Scotland, from Worcester-House, concerning the Wants of their Army, and touching Complaints against some Officers and Soldiers of that Army; were all this Day read.

A Paper being delivered in to the House, which, as the House was informed, was given in by Sir Robert King; who was come to Town the last Night from Ireland; and that he was at the Door;

He was called in; and acquainted the House, That the First Part of the Paper was a Copy of a Letter from the Marquis of Ormond, sent to Major-General Monro: That the rest is a Copy of a Letter from the King to the Marquis of Ormond: And that these Copies came to him from the Parliament's Commissioners, Mr. Annesley and Mr. Beale, who sent the Paper, inclosed in a Letter of theirs, to him, the Day he came to the Sea-side to take Shipping for England: And thereupon he delivered in to the House the Parliament's Commissioners Letter to himself: Which was read; and was of 25 Maii 1646, from Belfast, from Mr. Arthur Annesley and Colonel William Beale.

The Copy of the Letter from the Marquis of Ormond to Major-General Monro, was of 21 Maii 1646, from Dublyn-Castle; and was read.

The Copy of his Majesty's Letter to the Marquis of Ormond was of 3 Aprilis 1646, from Oxford, signed above, "Charles R.;" and underwritten, "Signed, by his Majesty's Command, Edw. Nicholas;" indorsed, "A Copy of his Majesty's Letters, dated the Third of April 1646, and received the One-and-twentieth of May following by Mr. Walsingham, a Servant of the Lord Digbye's;" and was likewise read.

The House being informed, That some Letters of Intelligence, of great Concernment, were lately come from France, to the Committee of both Kingdoms;

It is Resolved, &c. That Sir Arthur Hesilrige and Sir William Armyn do forthwith go to Darby-House; and bring from the Secretary of the Committee of both Kingdoms the late Letters of Intelligence from France.

The humble Petition of Captain Samuel Gardiner was this Day read: And it is ordered as followeth;

Ordered, That the Sum of One thousand Pounds be charged upon the Monies coming in upon that Moiety for Compositions at Goldsmiths-Hall, not charged for the Army, to be employed and paid unto Mr. Samuel Gardiner, in full Discharge of the like Sum lent by him the Tenth Day of January 1642, for the Service of the Parliament, together with Interest for the same, due from the Time of the Lending of the said One thousand Pounds: And that the Committee at Goldsmiths-Hall do give Order to the Treasurers there to pay the said One thousand Pounds, and Interest, unto the said Captain Samuel Gardiner accordingly: Whose Acquittance shall be a good Discharge to the said Treasurers and Committee, for the Payment of the same.

And it is further Ordered, That all former Orders or Ordinances for the Payment of the said One thousand Pounds be revoked, and made void.

A Letter from Sir Thomas Fairfax, of 18 Maii 1646, concerning the Surrender of Sherburn-House, belonging to Mr. Chamberlaine, was this Day read; and nothing done upon it.

Resolved, &c. That Five hundred Pounds be forthwith provided and furnished, by the Committee at GoldsmithsHall, out of the Fine and Composition of Sir Humphry Mildmay: And that the said Five hundred Pounds be forthwith paid to Mr. Robert Fenwick and Mr. Thomas Davison, upon Account, to be employed for making Provision of Necessaries for the Service and Defence of Holy-Island.

An Ordinance for the Charging and Payment of the Sum of One thousand Nine hundred Pounds, with Interest for the same, at the End of every Six Months, out of the Receipts of the Excise, to be paid unto Thomas Lowman Gentleman, and Parthenia his Wife, Executrix of Nicolas Cholmley Esquire, deceased, was this . . . read; and, upon the Question, passed; and ordered to be sent unto the Lords for their Concurrence.

An Ordinance for the Charging and Payment of the Sum of One thousand Pounds, in Course, upon and out of the Receipts of the Grand Excise, with Interest for the same, for the Use of the Forces of the County of Monmouth, was this Day read; and, upon the Question, passed; and ordered to be sent to the Lords for their Concurrence.

An Ordinance for the Payment of the Sum of the thousand Pounds, out of the Receipts of the Excise, in Course, with Interest for the same, unto Colonel John Birch, Governor of Herefford, for disengaging the Undertaking made to him by the Committee of both Kingdoms, was this Day read; and, upon the Question, passed; and ordered to be sent unto the Lords for their Concurrence.

Ordered, That Mr. Tolson, one of the Members of this House, have Leave to go into the Country.

Ordered, That Sir Robert King be desired to attend the House again upon Monday Morning next.

Letters from an Agent, employed into France by the Committee of both Kingdoms, subscribed N. N., and directed S.G., from Paris; the one of 15/25 Maii 1646; another of 1 Junii/22 Maii; 1646; a Third of 8 Junii/29 Maii; 1646; were all this Day read.

A Letter from Monsieur Augier, in French, to the Committee of both Kingdoms, from Paris, of 8 Junii, and 29 Maii, 1646; and the Postscript of a Letter from the said Monsieur Augier, directed to Mr. Speaker; were this Day read.

A Letter from Sir Wm. Shieffield, from Delfth, 23 Maii, St. Loey, directed to the Lord Fairfax, was this Day read.

Resolved, &c. That the several Members of this House be injoined to discover what Letters, or other Intelligence, either of them have received, of any Arms or Ammunition that have come, or which are or have been provided any-where to come, or be transported to Newcastle, or to any other of the Northern Parts, or concerning any other Business, in relation to the Letters and Intelligence this Day read in the House.

Ordered, That the whole Business of the Report, this Day made by Mr. Stockdale, of the Letters and Papers from the Scotts Commissioners, and the Estates of the Kingdom of Scotland; of the Copies of the Letters, given in this Day by Sir Robert King; and of the Letters of Intelligence from France; this Day read; be all of them taken into Consideration on Monday Morning next, the first Business: And that no other Business do then intervene.