House of Commons Journal Volume 5: 17 May 1648

Die Mercurii, 17 Maii, 1648.

Prayers.

Preachers thanked.

ORDERED, That Thanks be given to Mr. Marshall and Mr. Bridge: And that they print their Sermons, with the usual Privilege.

Ordered, That Sir John Treavor do give Thanks to Mr. Marshall; and Mr. Miles Corbett, to Mr. Bridge.

Riot at the Door.

Mr. Miles Corbett, Sir Antho. Irby, Sir Walt. Erle, Sir Henry Mildmay, Mr. Drake, Sir Richard Anneslow, Mr. Gurdon, Mr. Bulkley, Mr. Weaver, Mr. Scott, Mr. Knightley, Sir John Northcott, Mr. Annesley, Mr. John Ashe, Mr. Walker, Major General Skippon, Colonel Popham, Sir Nath. Barnardiston, Mr. Oldesworth, Mr. Edward Stephens, Sir John Treavor, Sir John Bamfeild, Mr. John Corbert, Mr. Dodderidge, Mr. Jervoyse, Mr. Bond, Sir Robert Pye, Mr. Hill, Dr. Bond, Sir James Harrington, Lord Mounson, Colonel Rosseter, Colonel Stapeley, Mr. Cawley, Mr. Hay, Mr. Pury, Mr. Trefusis, Mr. Strode, Colonel Purefoy, Mr. Valentyne, the Knights and Burgesses of the County of Surrey and Southwarke;

This Committee, or any Five of them, is appointed to examine the whole Business of the Riot Yesterday, with all the Circumstances depending upon it; and to state the whole Matter of Fact; and report it to the House; and what they think fit to be done upon the whole Matter: And are likewise to bring in a Declaration upon it: And have Power to send for Parties, Witnesses: And the Care of this Business is more particularly referred to Mr. Miles Corbett, Dr. Bond, and Mr. Doddridge: And they are likewise to state, in the Declaration, the Course that ought to be observed in the preferring Petitions to the House, according to the ancient Practice and Custom of Parliament: And are to meet this Afternoon, at the House rising, in the Court of Wards; and so de die in diem, till the Business be perfected.

Ordered, That the Lord Mayor, Court of Aldermen, Common Council, and Committee of the Militia of the City of London, be desired to take care that no Multitudes do pass the City upon any Pretence whatsoever: And that they take care that they suffer none to come in Arms; but give Power to their Guards to disarm all such.

Major General Skippon, and the Burgesses of the City, are desired to acquaint the City with this Order.

Removing Malignants, &c.

Ordered, That the Ordinance for putting Malignants and Papists out of the Town, be renewed for Six Months longer: And that Mr. Pury do bring in an Ordinance to this Purpose.

Lancaster County.

Ordered, That Colonel Ashton, Major Brooke, and Mr. Fell, be desired forthwith to go down into the County of Lancaster, to employ their best Endeavours in that County for the Safety and Preservation of that County, the Parliament, and Kingdom: And the Committee at Derby House are to give them Instructions to this Purpose: And the said Colonel Ashton, Major Brooke, and Mr. Fell are desired to repair into the said County of Lancaster with all Speed; and the said Instructions to be sent after them.

Indemnity of Tenants.

Ordered, That on Saturday Morning next, peremptorily the first Business, and nothing to intervene, Mr. Swinfen do report the Ordinance for Indemnity of Tenants.

Rioters in the City.

Ordered, That the Burgesses that serve for the City of London, and Major General Skippon, do press the Lord Mayor, Court of Alderman, and Common Council of the City of London, to take care, and use all Expedition, in Prosecution of the late Rioters in the City; And that this House doth expect that all Diligence be used upon the Commission of Oyer and Terminer; and that some speedy Account be given thereof to the House.

Horses seized.

Ordered, That the Officers that command the Regiments at the Mewes, and at Whitehall, do take care that the House Yesterday seized may not be any way disposed of, until it appear, upon Examination, Who were faulty in that Riot.

Tumultuary Meetings.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee of the County of Kent, and the Committee of the County of Surry, to take care to prevent all tumultuary Meetings upon Pretence of Petitions, or otherwise.

Engagement against Parliament.

Ordered, That the Committee appointed to prepare the Declaration to prevent the Engagement of any Persons against the Parliament, be revived; and do meet Tomorrow in the Afternoon: And that the Care of it be more particularly referred to Mr. Reynolds, Mr. Nathaniell Bacon, Mr. Weaver; or any one of them.

Prisoners of War, &c.

A Letter from Colonel Thomas Horton, from Bridge Ende, of the Thirteenth of May 1648, with a List of the Officers taken Prisoners at the Fight, were read; brought up by Captain Nicholetts, who was engaged in the whole Service; were read: And

It is Ordered, That they be forthwith printed.

Captain Nicholetts, who brought the Letter, was called in; and made more particular Relation of the Proceedings in that late great Fight.

Grant to Nicholetts.

Ordered, That the Sum of One hundred Pounds be bestowed upon Captain Nicholetts: And that the same be charged upon the Receipts at Haberdashers Hall, and forthwith paid to the said Captain Nicholetts, by . . . Committee of Lords and Commons usually sitting there.

The Lords Concurrence to be desired herein.

Essex Engagement, &c.

A Paper, intituled, "The Engagement and Declaration of the Grand Jury, Freeholders, and other Inhabitants of the County of Essex, in pursuance of their late Petition presented to both Houses of Parliament, 4 Maii 1648," which was this Day read: And

It is Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee for Printing, to examine, Who were the Printers of it; by what Authority it was printed, or dispersed; who were the Authors or Contrivers; and from whom it was received: And that Mr. Scott be added to this Committee: To whose Care, more particularly, this Business is referred.

Ordered, That one Keyser, of Essex, a Tanner, be forthwith summoned to appear before the Committee of Complaints To-morrow in the Afternoon, together with the Witnesses that are to be produced in that Business.

Ordered, That Sir William Massam, Sir Henry Mildmay, Sir John Barrington, Sir Harbottle Grimston, or any Two of them, do repair to the Earl of Warwicke; and acquaint him with this Pamphlet, intituled, "the Engagement of the Grand Jury, Freeholders, and other Inhabitants of the County of Essex, &c.": And that he would consider, that, in this Conjuncture of Time, and Motion of discontented and ill-affected Humours, no Prejudice or Disturbance may happen, in that County, to the Prejudice of the Peace thereof, and further Danger, of the Kingdom, by Occasion of Assembling and Mustering of the TrainBands.

Ordered, That the Knights and Burgesses of the County of Essex do make a strict Inquiry after a Pamphlet, intituled, "The Engagement, &c. of the Grand Jury, Freeholders and other Inhabitants of the County of Essex, in pursuance of their Petition presented to both Houses, 4 Maii 1648;" Whether there were any such Engagement entered into by the said Persons, or any of them; by whose Practice and Endeavours it was set on Foot, and carried on; by whose Order and Authority it was printed, published, and dispersed; and to employ their best Endeavours for the Suppressing of it, if any such thing were: And they are to report the whole State of the Matter of Fact, How they find it, to the House.

Navy Appointment.

Resolved, &c. That this House doth approve of, and appoint, Captain Stephen Squibbe to be Captain of the Ship Hector, in this Summer's Expedition.