House of Commons Journal Volume 5: 18 August 1647

Die Mercurii, 18 Augusti, 1647.

Prayers.

Letter read.

A LETTER from the Commissioners of Scotland, from Worcester House, of 18 Augusti 1647, was this Day read: And

It is Ordered, That this Letter be again read at Eleven of Clock.

Nicoll's Pass.

A Letter from Mr. Anthony Nicoll, a Member of this House, of 17 Augusti 1647, was read: And

It is Ordered, That Mr. Nicoll have his Liberty, and be permitted to go according to his Pass from Mr. Speaker, granted upon an Order of this House: And that a Letter be prepared, and signed by Mr. Speaker, and sent to the General to this Purpose.

Mr. Prideaux is appointed to prepare this Letter.

Boreman's Claims.

Mr. Prideaux reports from the Committee of the Western associated Counties, their Opinion and Order upon the Petition of Mr. Wm. Boreman, and other Papers exhibited by him to that Committee, and recommended by his Excellency Sir Thomas Fairefax; viz. That it is very fit and just, that the Sum of Five hundred and Six Pounds Ten-pence Halfpeny, mentioned in the said Petition and Papers; for the which the said Mr. Boreman stands engaged, and should have been paid by the General's Order, be speedily satisfied. And

It is thereupon Ordered, That so much of the Monies, gathered by the General's Order, upon the Excise in Exeter, before the Officers of the Parliament came thither, that is not disposed of, be forthwith issued and paid by those in whose Hands it remains, to Mr. Wm. Boreman, towards the Satisfaction of the said Debt of Five hundred and Six Pounds and Ten-pence Halfpeny, laid out for the Use of the King's Children there: And that the Remainder of the said Debt, that shall not be satisfied out of the said Monies, be forthwith paid and satisfied unto the said Mr. William Boreman by the Committee of the Revenue.

Hamilton's Imprisonment.

Ordered, That the Lieutenant of the Tower shall have Power to dispose of Mr. Hamilton, committed lately Prisoner to his Custody, and is since visited with the Sickness in such manner as he may be kept in a safe Way of Custody, and the Dangers of infecting others may be prevented.

Clipped Money.

Ordered, That the whole Business concerning clipped and falsified Monies be referred to the Consideration and Examination of the Committee of the Revenue: And that they are, on Tuesday next to report their Opinions to the House, What they think fit to be done for Remedy of the said Abuses: And the Members of this House, that are of Lancashire, and the Northern Counties are to be conferred and advised with, in this Business: And the Gentlemen of those Counties that are come up upon those Occasions, are to attend the said Committee.

Excise.

A Declaration prepared by the Committee of Lords and Commons, for regulating the Excise, for the better carrying on those Receipts, was this Day reported from the said Committee, and read.

Message to Lords.

Sir Robert Pye carried to the Lords, for their Concurrence, the Ordinance for repealing all the Votes, Orders, and Ordinances, passed since the Force on both Houses, on July the Twenty-sixth, until the Sixth of this present August: The Declaration for the Vindication of the Army and Sir Thomas Fairefax, sent from the Lords, and returned with some Amendments: The Order for the Committee for the Affairs of Ireland, usually sitting in the Star Chamber, to sit constantly: Ordinance for Four thousand Six hundred Forty-two Pounds to Captain Plunkett, and the rest of the Owners of the Ship Discovery.

Excise.

Ordered, That, on Friday Morning next, the Declaration now read concerning the Excise, be read the Second time: And that the Grievances, Obstructions, Remedies, and Regulations, of the Excise, be reported.

Excise Debts.

Upon Report from the Committee for the Excise, That John Parsons, Brewer, is indebted to the Receipt of the Excise, the Sum of Two hundred Fifty-eight Pounds Nineteen Shillings and One Peny Halspeny; Peter Leonards, in the Sum of Five hundred Forty-two Pounds One Shilling; Abraham Cursellys, in the Sum of Three hundred Forty-six Pounds Five Shillings and Three-pence; Leonard Leonards, in the Sum of Three hundred Thirtyone Pounds Eight Shillings and Four-pence; Oliver Vaughan, in the Sum of Three hundred and Eight Pounds Three Shillings; John Great, in the Sum of Three hundred Seventy-four Pounds Fourteen Shillings; John James, in the Sum of Five hundred Nineteen Pounds Seventeen Shillings and an Halfpeny; Robert Haughton, in the Sum of Seven hundred Forty-four Pounds Four Shillings and Ten-pence;

It is Ordered, That the Persons aforesaid do pay the respective Sum due by them to the Receipt of the Excise, by Monday next, to the Commissioners of the Excise; otherwise they are hereby required to appear, and shew Cause to this House, on Tuesday next, Why they do not pay the same: And the Serjeant's Man is to give them Notice hereof.

Bishops Lands.

Ordered, by the and Commons, assembled in Parliament, That the Trustees and Contractors for Sale of Bishops Lands do make Certificate unto the Commissioners of Excise, under their Hands, in Writing, of all such Lands as they have already sold, and given up Possession to the several Purchasers thereof; and hereafter a weekly Accompt, together with the true Value in Money, for which they have sold the same; to the Intent that the Commissioners of Excise may, from the Time of such Contract and Possession given, forbear to pay Interest to such Persons, for such Sums of Money, out of the Excise; having respect unto the Time of Six Months, allowed by Parliament for Payment of the Moiety of their Monies.

Answer from Lords.

Sir Robert Pye brings Answer, that the Lords will take the several Particulars carried by him, into Consideration; and will send Answer by Messengers of their own.

Victory in Ireland.

A Letter from Colonel Michaell Jones, from Dublyn, of 12 Augusti 1647, giving Notice of the great Victory obtained, by the great Blessing of God, upon the Forces under his Command, against the Rebels, on Sunday 8 Augusti 1647.

A Diary and Relation of Passages, in and about Dublyn. from the First of August 1647, until the Tenth of the same, was read:

And likewise a List of the Prisoners taken at the Battle of Dungan Hell, Augusti 8 1647.

This signal Victory was obtained upon the Rebels against Advantages of Numbers of Men, Situation of Place, of Wind, and Sun.

In this Battle were reckoned, of the Slain, upon the Place, of the Rebels, Five thousand Four hundred and Seventy; besides those after gleaned up; which were very many of the Enemy's Foot: Of our Men there was not Twenty found missing.

Lieutenant Colonel Cullam, who came Express from Colonel Jones, to bring the Relation of this great Blessing and Victory, was called in; and gave some particular Informations of this great Expedition and Blessing: And further informed, That Colonel Roe Oneele was marching into our Quarters, with an Army of Ten thousand Foot, and Two thousand Horse; and those that escaped of Preston's Army would join with them; and did earnestly recommend to the House a seasonable Dispatch of Supplies of Men, Monies, and Provisions.

Ordered, &c. That these Letters and Relations be printed.

Ordered. &c. That Tuesday next, come Sevennight be observed as a Day of Publick Thanksgiving unto Almighty God, within the Cities of London and Westminster, Lines of Communication, and Parishes within the weekly Bills of Mortality, for the great Victory obtained against the Rebels, on Sunday the Eighth of this present August, by the great Blessing of God upon the Forces under the Command of Colonel Michaell Jones; and Tuesday next come Fortnight, in all the Parishes and Places in all the Kingdom of England, and Dominion of Wales.

The Lords Concurrence to be desired herein.

Ordered, &c. That Dr. Temple and Mr. Simson be desired to preach before the Commons, on the said Day of Thanksgiving.

Ordered, &c. That Lieutenant Colonel Cullum, who brought the News of the great Victory obtained, by the Blessing of God upon the Forces under the Command of Colonel Michaell Jones, shall have the Sum of an Hundred Pounds bestowed upon him, for his Pains and Expence in this Service: And that it be referred unto the Committee for the Affairs of Ireland, at Derby House, to take Order, That this Sum of One hundred Pounds be paid him, accordingly.

Resolved, &c. That the Sum of One thousand Pounds be advanced and bestowed as a Gratuity upon Colonel Michaell Jones: And that it be referred to the Committee for the Affairs of Ireland, at Derby House, to consider and report, How this One thousand Pounds may be advanced, accordingly.

Ordered, &c. That the Sum of Five hundred Pounds be advanced, and forthwith paid, upon Account, to Colonel Fenwicke, in Part of his Arrears: And that it be referred to the Committee for the Affairs of Ireland, at Derby House, to consider, How this Sum may be advanced and paid, accordingly.

Ordered, &c. That the Sum of One thousand Pounds be advanced, and forthwith paid unto Colonel John Moore, upon Account, in part of his Arrears: And that it be referred to the Committee for the Affairs of Ireland, at Derby House, to consider, How this Sum may be advanced and paid, accordingly.

Ordered, &c. That the Sum of Five hundred Pounds be advanced, and forthwith paid, unto Colonel Conway, upon Account, in Part of his Arrears: And that it be referred to the Committee of the Affairs of Ireland, at Derby House, to consider, How this Sum may be advanced and paid accordingly.

Ordered, &c. That the Sum of Two hundred Pounds be advanced, and forthwith paid, unto Sir John Gifford, for his good Service in this late great Action in Ireland: And that it be referred to the Committee for the Affairs of Ireland, at Derby House, to consider, How this Sum may be advanced and paid, accordingly.

Ordered, &c. That the Sum of Two hundred Pounds be forthwith advanced, and bestowed upon Sir Henry Titchbourne, for his good Service in this late great Action in Ireland: And that it be referred to the Committee for the Affairs of Ireland, at Derby House, to consider, How this Sum may be advanced and paid, accordingly.

Ordered, &c. That it be referred to the Committee for the Affairs of Ireland, at Derby House, to sit this Afternoon; and to consider, What Provisions and other Necessaries are of Necessity requisite to be forthwith sent into Ireland; and how those Provisions and Necessaries may be supplied.

Col. Birch.

Ordered, &c. That Colonel John Birch do, To-morrow Morning, give an Account to the House, concerning his Employment for Ireland.

Ponsonbye's Regiment.

Ordered, &c. That the Letters from Cumberland, concerning Colonel Ponsonbye's Regiment of Horse, designed for the Service of Ireland, be referred to the Consideration of the Committee for the Affairs of Ireland, at DerbyHouse.

Sequestrations.

Ordered, &c. That the Committee of Lords and Commons, for Sequestrations, do sit this Afternoon; and so, from time to time, on the usual Days, as formerly.

Lords desire a Conference.

A Message from the Lords, by Dr. Aylett and Dr. Heath;

The Lords desire a present Conference, by a Committee of both Houses, in the Painted Chamber; if it may stand with the Conveniency of this House; concerning Votes sent to this House, on Friday the Sixth of this present August, concerning the Outrage committed against the Parliament, on the Twenty-sixth of July: And likewise concerning an Ordinance sent from this House to the Lords, this Morning.

Conference agreed to.

Resolved, &c. That this House doth agree to give a Conference, as is desired.

Answer returned by the same Messengers; That this House hath considered their Lordships Message; and do agree to give a present Meeting, at a Conference, as is desired.

Mr. Ashhurst, Mr. Prideaux, Mr. Swinfen, Mr. Lisle, are appointed Reporters of this Conference.

Letter to the General.

Resolved, &c. That a Letter be prepared, and signed by Mr. Speaker, and sent to the General, to desire him, that Mr. John Cheesley, Secretary to the Commissioners of Scotland, stayed at Newcastle, may be dismissed, and suffered to go on in his Journey to Scotland.

Mr. Prideaux is to prepare this Letter; and a Copy of the Letter from the Commissioners of Scotland is to be inclosed in this Letter.

Message from Lords.

A Message from the Lords, by Dr. Heath and Dr. Aylett;

The Lords have received a Letter from the Scotts Commissioners. They have prepared a Letter to be sent to the Commissioners of Scotland, in Answer; and desire the Concurrence of this House in it; and that it may be signed by both Speakers.

They have likewise sent an Ordinance to make Mr. Henry Langley, Master of Pembroke College in Oxon: An Ordinance for an Allowance to Mr. Pringle, Curate of Caran in Northumberland, out of the Revenues belonging to the Dean and Chapter of Durham: In both which they desire the Concurrence of this House.

Scotts Commissioners.

The Letter to the Commissioners of Scotland was read; and, upon the Question, assented unto; and agreed to be signed by the Speakers of both Houses.

Message to be considered.

Ordered, &c. That the other Particulars of this Message be taken into Consideration on Friday Morning next.

Answer to Lords.

Answer returned by the same Messengers; That this House hath considered their Lordships Message; and do agree to the Letter to be sent to the Commissioners of Scotland; and that it be signed by the Speakers of both Houses: To the rest of the Message, they will send Answer by Messengers of their own.

Violence offered to Parliament.

Mr. Lisle reports the Conference now desired by the Lords.

That the Matter of the Conference was set down in Writing, and read by the Earl of Manchester, at the Conference; and here, by the Reporter first, and then by the Clerk; and was in hæc verba; viz.

The Lords having formerly sent a Vote of the Sixth of August 1647, to the House of Commons, declaring, That all the Acts and Orders passed under the Force, upon the Twenty-sixth of July last, and since, until the Return of the Speakers, were null and void: And having desired the Concurrence of the House of Commons thereunto; as also to several Declarations, the one of Sir Thomas Fairefaxe and the Council of War, in the Name of themselves and the Army; the other, of the Lords and Commons, which were with the Army; which the Lords having approved of, did likewise desire their Approbation to the said Declarations: And having received no Answer, being often, by their Lordships, put in mind of all those Particulars: Have therefore desired this Conference; to let them know, That their Lordships conceive themselves bound, in Justice to the Kingdom and Parliament, to insist upon those Votes and Declarations; and to desire their Concurrence to the Votes and Approbation of the said Declarations, for these Reasons:

1. It being apparent to all the World, and acknowledged by both Houses, That there was a visible horrid, insolent, and actual Force, upon the Houses of Parliament; and many Members, with both the Speakers, forced from the said Houses; it will prove a dangerous Example, and Precedent, to maintain the Exercise of an Authority then lawful, at the Time when the Parliament lieth under such a Force, to be exercised upon it at Pleasure.

2. If any sitting under such Force, may exercise the Authority of Parliament, and those Acts which they shall do at that Time, be accounted valid, and not null, it will not be in the Power of any to vindicate and deliver the Parliament from such Force and Violence; but they will be liable to Censure, for resisting such Authority as is pretended to be lawful in such a Case.

3. Those who have now acted under such Authority to raise Forces, and cast the Kingdom into a new War, shall, under Pretence of that Authority, be freed from being questioned for the same; though some of them may have been the principal Agents in contriving this Mischief.

The Lords in their late Message, did express to that House, That if the great Affairs of the Kingdom, and the Settlement of the Peace thereof, shall be longer retarded, for want of their Concurrence, in That which the Lords judge to be essential to the Vindication of the Honour and Freedom of Parliament, they conceive it fit and necessary to express, that they held themselves acquit and discharged of any ill Consequence that might ensue: Thereupon the Lords have commanded me to declare the same unto you again: And that they may acquit themselves to all the World, to have used their Endeavours, that the Parliament may be put into a Condition speedily to go on for the Settlement of the Peace of the Kingdom, so much desired by them; they have appointed me to offer unto you this Ordinance, in pursuance of their Votes: Whereunto they desire your Concurrence;

Acts passed since Violence to Parliament.

The Question being put, For reading now this Ordinance, sent from the Lords, delivered at this Conference;

The House was divided.

The Yeas went forth.

So that the Question passed with the Affirmative.

The Ordinance, sent from the Lords, and delivered at this Conference, for declaring void and null all Ordinances, Votes, Orders, and Acts, made and done since the Force upon the Houses on Julii 26, until the Sixth of August, was accordingly read the First time; and, upon the Question, ordered to be now read the Second time.

Which was accordingly done; and, upon the Question, committed unto Mr. Solicitor, Mr. Jo. Gurdon, Mr. Boys, Mr. Copley, Sir Henry Vane, Mr. Nath. Fiennis, Mr. Prideaux, Mr. Bulkley, Sir Hen. Vane junior, Mr. Palmer, Mr. Bond, Captain Wingate, Mr. Nelthorp, Dr. Bond, Mr. Holland, Mr. Say, Colonel Blague, Mr. Lawrence, Mr. Greene, Mr. Gewen, Mr. Smith, Mr. Knightley, Sir Jo. Evelyn of Wiltes, Mr. Bowyer, Mr. Selden, Sir Gil. Gerrard, Mr. Wm. Pierrepont, Sir Wal. Erle, Mr. Miles Corbett, Colonel Jephson, Mr. Robert Godwyn, Colonel Harvey, Mr. Marten, Mr. Rolle, Mr. Clarke, Mr. Jo. Corbett, Mr. Fran. Gerrard, Mr. Doyley, Sir Tho. Dacres, Mr. Challoner, Mr. Ashurst, Sir Anth. Irby, Sir Wm. Strickland, Mr. Povey, Sir Symonds D'Ewes, Sir Wm. Massam, Mr. Arth. Annesley, Sir Edward Partheriche, Colonel Boothe, Mr. Dodderiche, Colonel Purefoy, Mr. Walker, Mr. Brooke, Sir Robert Pye, Sir Phil. Percivall, Mr. Edw. Ash, Mr. Fenwick, Sir Arth. Heselrige, Colonel Morley, Mr. Cawley, Mr. Scott, Major General Skippon, Major General Browne, Sir John Hippisley, Mr. Rose, Mr. Grove, Mr. Arundell, Mr. Snelling, Colonel White, Mr. Anlaby, Sir Robert Needham, Mr. Weaver, Sir Peter Wentworth, Mr. Tolson, Mr. Baynton, Mr. Hungerford, Mr. Henry Pelham, Mr. Fra. Pierrepont, Mr. Nutt: And are to meet upon it this Afternoon at Five of Clock, in the Exchequer Chamber: And are to bring it in To-morrow at Nine of Clock.

Apprehension of Nicoll.

A Letter from the General, from Kingston, of Augusti 18, concerning Mr. Anthony Nicoll, apprehended by Order of the General, and brought to the Head Quarters, was this Day read.

Ordered, &c. That a Letter be sent to the General, to desire him, that Mr. Anthony Nicoll be permitted to come hither, to answer what shall be objected against him.

Mr. Prideaux is appointed to prepare this Letter, to be signed by Mr. Speaker.