House of Commons Journal Volume 6: 2 July 1651

Wednesday, 2 Julii, 1651.

Prayers.

Pardon of Kyrle.

ORDERED, by the Parliament, That Mr. Attorney General be, and he is hereby, required and authorized to prepare a Bill, containing a Pardon unto Colonel Robert Kyrle, of Walford in the County of Hereford, Esquire, for all and all manner of Treasons and Offences committed by him since the Twentieth Day of May 1642, in relation to the War; together with a Grant and Restitution to him, his Heirs and Assigns, of all his Lands, Tenements, and Hereditaments, Goods, and Chattels (except Advowsons), and all Mesne Profits thereof, forfeited or incurred by reason of the Offences aforesaid, and not levied, or already disposed, to or for the Use of the Parliament, according to an Ordinance of Parliament of the Eighteenth of March 1646, in common Form, as hath been usually granted to Delinquents: And the Lords Commissioners for the Great Seal of England are hereby required and authorized to pass the said Pardon under the Great Seal of England.

Transactions with Holland.

The Lords Ambassadors Extraordinary, sent from the Parliament to the Netherlands, attended in the House: And, sitting in their Places as Members, the Lord Ambassador St John, the Lord Ambassador Strickland standing by him, gave an Account of their Negotiation in the Ambassage to the General Assembly of the States General of the United Provinces, beginning with the Particulars of their Reception there; and presenting the several Papers delivered in on either Side in the Business of the Treaty: Which, being in Number Twenty-two, were read, as they were in Order delivered in by the Lords Ambassadors; who declared the Occasions of them, and several Passages and Occurrences during that time of the Treaty: And likewise a Letter from Arthur Arscott to Sir Walter Vane, touching the Letter intercepted from him to Sir Gilbert Gerard: Which Letter was read: And likewise several other Papers which passed between the Assembly of the States and the Lords Ambassadors: Which were read: And also the Letters Re-credentials from the said Assembly, in French, and directed thus; "Au Parlement de la Republique d'Angleterre:" Which were first read in French, and afterwards Englished.

Resolved, That the Parliament doth approve of all the Proceedings of the Lords Ambassadors in this Negotiation: And that they have the Thanks of the House for their great and faithful Service therein.

And Mr. Speaker did accordingly give the Thanks of the House to the said Lords Ambassadors.

The House being acquainted, that there were at the Door divers Gentlemen that attended the Lords Ambassadors in the Netherlands;

It was Resolved, That the Gentlemen who attended the said Lords Ambassadors into the Netherlands, be called in to the Bar; and have the Thanks of this House for their Service to the Parliament, and Respect done to their Ambassadors.

And, being come to the Bar, Mr. Speaker did give them, in their own Names, and to all the rest of the Gentlemen that were in that Service, the Thanks of the House.

Ordered, That an Act be brought in, to prohibit any Publick Minister of this Commonwealth, employed to any Foreign Prince or State, to receive or take any Gratuity, Gift, or Pension, from any such Foreign State or Prince: And that the Lord Commissioner Whitelock, Lord Commissioner Lisle, Lord Chief Baron, do bring in an Act for that Purpose.

Resolved, That all these Proceedings of this Treaty be entered into a Book by themselves: And that no Person (except Members of Parliament) be admitted to see the same, without Leave of the House.

Ordered, That the whole Matter of this Report, and the several Papers, be referred to the Council of State; to consider what is sit to be done therein, for the best Advantage of this Commonwealth; and to report the same to the House: And that the Council of State do, in some convenient time, send back all the said Papers to the Clerk of the Parliament, to be entered and kept as Records of Parliament.

Resolved, That it be referred to the Council of State, to send for the Deputy Governor of the Company of Merchant Adventurers at Roterdam; and to take Notice from the Parliament of the good Acceptation and Resentment of the Parliament of the Respects and Civilities performed by the said Merchants to the Lords Ambassadors from the Parliament to the Assembly of the States General of the United Provinces: And that they do acquaint the said Deputy Governor therewith; and, by him, communicate the same to the Company of Merchants Adventurers at Roterdam.

Sir W. Vane.

Resolved, That the Parliament doth declare, That, for any thing appearing to them, notwithstanding the Letter and Suspicion concerning Sir Walter Vane, he, the said Sir Walter Vane, may and is at Liberty to resort into England, as any other Person now beyond the Seas, and belonging to this Commonwealth, may do.