House of Commons Journal Volume 5: 3 June 1647

Die Jovis, 3 Junii, 1647.

Prayers.

Durham Members.

ORDERED, &c. That, on this Day Sevennight, the Ordinance concerning Knights and Burgesses to serve for the County of Durham, be reported.

Raising Money.

Mr. Gott reports the Amendments to the Ordinance for Raising of Twelve thousand Pounds more, upon the same Credit the last Two hundred thousand Pounds was raised: The which were twice read; and, upon the Question, assented unto: And then the Ordinance, with the Amendments, upon the Question, passed; and is ordered to be sent unto the Lords for their Concurrence.

Mr. Gott is appointed to carry it to the Lords.

Message to Lords.

Sir Wm. Lewes carried to the Lords, for their Concurrence, an Ordinance for pardoning and taking off the Delinquency of John Lawton: An Ordinance for pardoning and taking off the Delinquency of Wm. Leversage: An Ordinance for Three hundred Pounds for Captain Playford out of Goldsmiths Hall: An Ordinance for Three thousand Pounds for poor Wives and Widows.

Payment to Committee of Accompts.

Resolved, &c. That the Sum of Fifteen hundred Pounds be advanced and paid to the Committee of Accompts, upon Account, to be by them disposed of to reimburse themselves the Monies they have disbursed out of their own Purses and to their Clerks, and under Officers, to enable them to take, state, and expedite the Accompts of the Officers with all Speed, and without any Fee or Charge at all to be taken or demanded, by any Person whatsoever, from any of the said Officers, for the stating and expediting the said Accompts: And that the said Sum of Fifteen hundred Pounds be charged upon the Receipts of the Grand Excise, in Course, with Interest for the same after the Rate of Eight Pounds per Cent. payable every Six Months: And that the Acquittance of the said Committee, or such as they shall appoint to receive the same, shall be a sufficient Warrant and Discharge to the Commissioners of Excise for the Payment of the said Sum of Fifteen hundred Pounds, and Interest, accordingly.

The Lords Concurrence to be desired herein.

Members, &c. receiving Bribes.

Resolved, &c. That the Committee formerly appointed for receiving the Complaints against such Members as shall be complained of to receive any Bribes or Rewards, for any Business done in Parliament, be revived: And that they do sit To-morrow, at Two post Meridiem, in the Star Chamber; and so de die in diem: And, further, they are to consider and receive the Complaints of all Fees, Monies, or Rewards, taken by any Servant of any Members, or by any Clerks, or Officers, or other Persons, attending upon or employed by any of the Committees. They have further Power to consider of, and inquire into, any Matter of Bribery, Corruption, Allowance, or Reward, committed or taken in any Business that has relation to the Affairs done or agitated in Parliament, or by any of their Committees.

Mr. Bulkeley, Mr. Reynolds, Sir John Evelyn of Wiltes, Mr. Dove, Sir Thomas Dacres, Colonel Strode, are added to this Committee: And the Care of this Business is more particularly referred unto Mr. Bulkeley.

Officers Accompts.

Resolved, &c. That an Ordinance be brought in for giving Power to the Officers, their Accompts being stated and determined according to the Instructions passed for taking the Accompts of the Soldiery of the Kingdom, to make Assignment of the Sums that shall thereupon be due: And that it shall be accounted to the Assignee a good Debt from the State.

Colonel Birch is to prepare and bring in this Ordinance.

Ordered, &c. That the Persons of all Commanders and Officers that are attending the Committee of Accompts, for the Stating of their Accompts, be freed from all Arrest, for Debt until their Accompts be expedited; the Time not exceeding the Space of Two Months.

Ordered, &c. That the Accompts of such Officers as are in Prison be first stated and expedited; and Care and Order taken for the Payment of them what shall be due, in the first Place.

Resolved, &c. That such Officers, whose Accompts are already stated by the Committee of Accompts, and shall not be able to stay to have them determined, according to the Instructions lately passed for the taking the Accompts of the Soldiery of the Kingdom, may bring in their Accompts so stated; this House doth declare they will deal with them, as they have done with others in the like kind.

Resolved, &c. That the Committee of Accompts, so fast as they shall expedite and determine the Accompts of any Officers, that they do list the said Officers whose Accompts are so determined, and present them to the House; to the Intent the House may take Course to give them Satisfaction in their just Dues.

Resolved, &c. That the Sum of Ten thousand Pounds be advanced for the Pay of Part of the Arrears, and for the Relief of the present Necessities, of such Officers whose Accompts are stated and listed, or are referred to be stated and listed, or whose Debentures and Certificates are with the Committee of the Military Garden, and of the Officers of Colonel Sanderson's Regiment: And that the said Sum be paid to the Committees where Colonel Birch hath the Chair, and to the Committee where Mr. John Goodwyn hath the Chair, joined as to this Business, or such as they shall appoint to receive the same; and paid out by Order of the said Committee: And they are to agree upon Rules, Instructions, and Proportions, to limit the said Payments by, in such manner as may be for the speediest Relief of the greatest Necessities, before they order the Issuing out of any of the Monies: And that the said Ten thousand Pounds be charged upon the Moiety of the Receipts at Goldsmiths Hall, not given for Security for the last Two hundred thousand Pounds borrowed for the Service of England and Ireland, without Prejudice to the said Security, with Interest for the same, payable every Six Months: And that the Acquittance of such Person or Persons, as shall be appointed to receive the same by the said Committees, so joined as aforesaid, shall be a sufficient Warrant to the Treasurers at Goldsmiths Hall for the Payment of the said Sum of Ten thousand Pounds, and Interest, accordingly.

The Lords Concurrence to be desired herein.

Raising Money.

Mr. Gott brings Answer, that the Lords do agree to the Ordinance, carried to them by him, concerning the Raising of Forty-two thousand Pounds more, upon the same Security as the last two hundred thousand Pounds was raised.

Discharges from Attendance.

Ordered, &c. That Mr. John Harris and Mr. Alsopp be discharged from any further Attendance.

Letters, &c. read.

Two Letters from the Commissioners from Chelmsford, of 1 Junii 1647, directed to the Committee for the Affairs of Ireland at Derby House; a Letter from Colonel Greves to Sir Phillipp Stapleton; Two Letters from the General, from St. Edmond's Bury, directed to the Committee of the Affairs of Ireland at Derby House, of 31 Maii, and 1 Junii, 1647; were all this Day read.

Information read.

An Information given in to the Lord Mayor, 22 Maii 1647, and by him sent to a Member of this House, signed John Powle, was this Day read.

Letter read.

The Copy of a Letter, of 3 Junii 1647, written from the Committee for the Affairs of Ireland at Derby House, to Colonel Ingoldsby, concerning the Train of Artillery at Oxon, was this Day read.

House to sit.

Resolved, &c. That this House do sit this Afternoon: And that the Lords be acquainted, That this House hath resolved to sit this Afternoon; and to desire their Lordships to sit likewise, if it may stand with their Lordships Conveniency.

Message to Lords.

Sir Wm. Lewes went up likewise with this Message; and carried up . . the Lords, for their Concurrence, an Order for enabling the Committee for the Affairs of Ireland at Derby House to give Warrant for the Payment of a Month's Pay to such Forces of the Army, as are drawn off from the rest of the Army, and are engaged for the Service of Ireland.

Letter read.

A Letter, signed W. R. directed to his Father Wm. Riall, of 1 Junii 1647, was this Day read.

Person to attend.

Resolved, &c. That Wm. Riall be summoned in safe Custody forthwith to attend the House.

Ditto.

Resolved, &c. That Mr. White be summoned forthwith to attend this House.

Army Pay.

The Question being put, That the Consideration of Money for the common Soldier be proceeded in the first Place;

The House was divided.

The Yeas went forth.

So that the Question passed with the Affirmative.

Resolved, &c. That the Common Soldiers, both of Horse and Foot, of Sir Thomas Fairsaxe's Army, shall have their full Pay, upon their disbanding, or engaging for Ireland; deducting for Free Quarter, according to the Course and Rules of the Army.

Resolved, &c. That the Officers of this Army, not in Commission, shall likewise have their full Pay, upon their disbanding, or engaging for Ireland; deducting for Free Quarter according to the Course and Rules of the Army.

Resolved, &c. That there shall be an Addition of a Month's Pay to the Commissioned Officers of Sir Thomas Fairsaxe's Army, both Horse and Foot, that shall either disband or engage in the Service of Ireland.

Candles.

Resolved, &c. That Candles be brought in.

Declaration expunged.

The Question was propounded, That the Declaration bearing Date Monday the 29th of March 1647, shall be expunged out of the Journals of this House:

And the Question being put, Whether this Question shall be now put;

The House was divided.

The Noes went forth.

So that the Question passed with the Affirmative.

Resolved, &c. That the Declaration bearing Date Monday the 29th of March 1647, shall be expunged out of the Journals of this House.

The said Declaration was accordingly expunged, the House sitting, in the Presence of the whole House.

Resolved, &c. That the Lords be acquainted, That this House hath thought sit to expunge the Declaration, entered in the Journals of this House Monday 29 Martii 1647, and sent from this House to their Lordships the 30th: And that they be desired to expunge the said Declaration out of their Journals.

Letter to the General.

A Copy of a Letter, to be signed by Mr. Speaker, and sent from this House to the General, was this Day read; and ordered to be immediately sent by an Express Messenger to the General.

Army.

Resolved, &c. That this House do resume and proceed in this Debate concerning the Army, To-morrow Morning, the first Business.