House of Commons Journal Volume 5: 23 October 1647

Die Sabbati, 23 Octobris, 1647.

PRAYERS.

Absent Members.

RESOLVED, &c. That it be referred to the Committee for absent Members, to discharge, and give Order to restore the respective Twenty Pounds deposited by such absent Members who had Leave to be absent, and have not been absent above Three Months.

The Cases of the rest of the absent Members, they are to report to the House.

Petitions to be read.

Ordered, That, on Friday Morning next, the Petition and Papers concerning Colonel Robert Manwaring; and the Petition and Papers concerning the Isle of Providence; be read, and taken into Consideration.

Army, &c.

Upon Mr. Scawen's Report from the Committee of the Army employed to the Army, to confer with the General, or such as he shall appoint, upon divers Matters, in order to the Completing of the Two Bodies for England and Ireland; and for disbanding the rest; and for the better expediting the Relief of Ireland; and in order to the stating and auditing the Accompts and Arrears of the Soldiery;

It is Resolved, &c. That, whereas by the Resolutions of both Houses, of the Two-and-twentieth of September last, such as engage for Ireland are to have their Accompts stated by the Committees of the several Counties; and Debentures given them; It is now Ordered, That such as disband shall have their Accompts in like manner stated by the Committees of the several Counties; and Debentures given them. And

It is further Ordered, That Power be and is hereby given to the several Committees in the several Counties, to whom it is referred to state the Accompts, and give Debentures; or to such as disband, or go for Ireland; to administer an Oath unto such whose Accompts they state, and give Debentures unto; to the end it may be discovered, what Monies such Persons have received, and where: And that the Lists upon which any Monies have been paid, be forthwith printed; and Copies of them sent to the several Committees; together with Instructions: And that it be referred to the Committee of the Army, to give Order for the Printing of the said Lists; and for the Sending of them to the several Committees; together with Instructions.

Resolved, &c. That, whereas by the same Resolutions, of 22 Septembris 1647, Letters are to be written to the several Committees, under which any of the Forces have served, that engage for Ireland, to require the speedy Dispatch of their Accompts; It is Ordered, That the Committee of the Army be authorized, in the Name of the Houses, to write those Letters, as well for those that engage for Ireland, as those that disband; and to desire the respective Committees for the respective Counties to supply Monies for Disbanding of Forces within their Counties; and to be repaid out of their Assessments.

Resolved, &c. That whereas the House hath ordered the Committee of the Army to provide Monies for divers Garisons, by Order of 4 Octobris instant; It is Ordered, That the said Order of the Fourth of October be revoked, and made void.

And whereas many other Forces and Garisons are to be provided for; the Houses leave it to the Committee of the Army, upon Advice with the General, or such as he shall appoint, to issue such Monies as shall be necessary for the Supply, Reducing, and Disbanding of Forces and Garisons.

Whereas the Houses have, by Ordinance, appointed Eight thousand Pounds, out of the Assessments, to be paid to the Garison of Plymouth: It is now Ordered, That Part of that Eight thousand Pounds be employed towards the Payment of Two Months Pay, in order to the Reducing or Disbanding of such as are to be reduced or disbanded there, and the rest of the Monies to be employed towards the Payment of Quarters within the Town; to make good Colonel Welden's Engagement; and what wants, the Committee of the Army to take care to supply out of the Assessments; and to take care that the Accompts of the Forces of this Garison be stated, and Debentures given, as for the rest.

Resolved, &c. That the Six thousand Foot, now designed for Ireland, be in Six Regiments both in regard of the easier Obtaining of their Numbers, and of the great Need of Officers to be intrusted in several Commands there; and for the more easy Distribution of the Forces to several Employments, when they come there.

Resolved, That a Major, or a Lieutenant Colonel, be appointed for the Five hundred Dragoons designed for Ireland: so as they may be more apt to be commanded in a distinct Body from the Regiments of Horse, when there shall be Occasion; and that they may not be affixed to the Regiments of Horse; which would render them less useful there, and apt to think themselves not obliged to pass upon Duty, but with the Regiments to which they should be affixed.

Resolved, &c. That certain Persons be appointed, by Ordinance of Parliament, to state and audite the Accompts of all the Officers and Soldiers that are or have been of the Army, due, as well upon Publick Faith, as present Pay, during their Service in this Army, or in any other Service of the Parliament, by such Ways and Means as they shall think fit; and to give Debentures, deducting for Free Quarters, out of the Arrears due to the Officers and Soldiers, for their Service in this Army, according to the Proportions hereafter expressed; viz.

From the Officers of the Train of Artillery, and all Artificers, and Attendants thereon, as followeth; viz.

From all Officers in Commission, according to the Proportions following; viz.

Officers in Commission, of Foot and Train, One Fourth Part.

Officers in Commission, of Horse and Dragoons, for themselves and Horses, One Third of the Pay due to them.

From the Gentlemen of the Lifeguard, and other Persons; as Deputies, Clerks, Assistants, Surgeons Mates, One Fourth Part.

From the Ministers,-

With this Exception, That if any Man can prove, that he hath paid Quarter for more Time than the Space he hath been paid for, he shall have, proportionably, full Pay for so much Time over.

Resolved, &c. That the Persons employed in this Service be enabled, with such Powers as may be necessary, to carry on the Business, and the Clearing of such Doubts as may arise; and to employ Persons under them; and to pay them for their Pains: And the Treasurers at Wars, and Commissioners of Musters, to attend for this Service.

Ordered, That the Committee of the Army, or such as they shall appoint, be the Persons that shall be employed in the Service of stating and auditing the Accompts and Arrears of the Soldiery: And that the said Committee do prepare and bring in an Ordinance upon these Votes and Proportions now passed, touching this Business; with Power sufficiently to enable them to carry on this Service.

Answer from Lords.

Mr. Swynfen brings Answer, That the Lords do agree to the Ordinance carried by him, concerning Sir Peter Wentworth; and to the Ordinance for taking off the Sequestration of the Estate of Sir Charles Owsely.

Stafford Writ.

Resolved, &c. That Mr. Speaker do send his Warrant to the Clerk of the Crown in Chancery, to issue forth a Writ for the Election of a Knight of the Shire, to serve for the County of Stafford, in the place of Sir Richard Skeffington, formerly chosen to serve as a Knight of the Shire for the said County, and is since deceased.

Vexatious Suits.

A Letter from the Committee of Kent, from Maidston, of 9 Octobris 1647, representing the great Discouragements they lie under, through many vexatious Suits, that People well affected to the Parliament are liable unto, for Services done to the Parliament, was this Day read.

Ordered, That the Paper now offered, containing certain Considerations of the Defects in the Ordinance for Indemnity, of the One-and-twentieth of May 1647, be rgferred to the Consideration of the Committee of the Army, to prepare and bring in an Ordinance for remedying and removing the said Defects and Obstructions.

Eastern Association.

Whereas the Sum of Twenty thousand Pounds is charged upon the Receipts of the Excise; and is, within a short time, payable unto the Eastern Association: It is Ordered, That the Committee of the Eastern Association do lend and advance to the Committee of the Army, for the present, the said Twenty thousand Pounds: And that the Committee of the Army do confer with the said Committee of the Eastern Association, How to satisfy and repay the said Committee the said Twenty thousand Pounds, out of the Assessments of the respective Counties of the said Eastern Association.

Hull Assessment.

An Ordinance for supplying the Omission of the County of Kingston upon Hull, assessed by the Ordinance of Sixty thousand Pounds per mensem; and for enabling the Commissioners to levy the monthly Assessments, which did incur before the Date of the said Ordinance; was this Day read; and, upon the Question, passed; and ordered to be sent unto the Lords for their Concurrence.

Commissioners of Assessment.

Ordered, That John Hooker Esquire, Mr. George Merrifield, and Mr. Kellaway Guydatt, be added to the Commissioners, in all Assessments for Westminster Liberty, in the Parishes of Clement Danes and the Savoy.

The Lords Concurrence to be desired herein.

Ordered, That Edward Elvins Alderman, Francis Street, Francis Francks, Edward Pitt, Wm. Hughes, Fulk Estopp, Gentlemen be added to the Commissioners for the City of Worcester, named in the Ordinance for the monthly Assessments of Sixty thousand Pounds.

The Lords Concurrence to be desired herein.

Ordered, That John Whorwood, Alexander Wightwick, Mathew Morton, Richard Flyer, Edward Broughton, John Chetwood, George Bowes, Esquires, and Francis Comberford, Gentleman be added to the Commissioners for the County of Stafford, for raising Monies upon the Ordinance for Sixty thousand Pounds per mensem.

The Lords Concurrence to be desired herein.

Whereas, in the Ordinance of Parliament for charging Sixty thousand Pounds per mensem upon the Kingdom, for the Service of England and Ireland, Thomas Theede and John Deverell, Gentlemen, amongst others, are nominated and appointed Commissioners for the County of Bucks; and for that they forbear to act, because there are others of the same Name in those Parts: It is hereby Declared, That Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Theed and Captain John Deverell are the Persons intended and mean to be the Commissioners in the said Ordinance appointed: Who are hereby authorized and required to act accordingly: And where, in any Division of that County, the Commissioners named, by reason of their Attendance in the Parliament, do not reside there, to put in Execution the said Ordinance; that the Commissioners, in their General Meetings, shall appoint some others of their Number to supply their Absence.

The Lords Concurrence to be desired herein.

Army Pay.

Whereas the Sum of One hundred and Fifty thousand Pounds is charged upon the Receipts of the Excise, by an Ordinance, bearing Date in May last, for Payment and Disbanding of the Army: It is Ordered, That the said Sum of One hundred and Fifty thousand Pounds shall be paid at the Treasurers at War, for Payment of the Army: And the Committee of the Army are hereby authorized to borrow what Money they can, upon the Credit thereof, for Payment of the Army.

The Lords Concurrence to be desired herein.

Sir John Danvers.

Ordered, That the Report concerning Sir John Danvers Business be made on Saturday Morning next, come Sevennight, the first Business.

Col. King.

Ordered, That the Report concerning Colonel King be made on Friday Morning next.