House of Commons Journal Volume 6: 1 December 1648

Die Veneris, 1 Decembris, 1648.

PRAYERS.

Leave of Absence.

ORDERED, That Mr. Exton, a Member of this House shall have Leave to go into the Country.

Mr. Swan discharged.

Ordered, That Mr. Swan be forthwith discharged from any further Restraint, by Order of this House.

Trials at Norwich.

Ordered, That Mr. Gerard, the Clerk of the Assizes for the Norfolk Circuit, do deliver unto Alderman Atkin, Burgess for the City of Norwich, all Examinations, Informations, Indictments, and Recognizances, which were delivered in at the last Assizes held for the City and County of the City of Norwich; to be by him sent to the Mayor and Justices of Norwich; to be used there, when the Tryals shall be proceeded on against the Mutineers, and other Offenders, the next Sessions of Oyer and Terminer, to be the Eleventh of December next: And that Mr. Serjeant Keble be desired to go down upon that Service as formerly: And that the Committee of the Revenue do pay unto the said Mr. Keble the Sum of One hundred Pounds, for defraying his Expences in the said Employment.

Thanks to Ld. Wenman, &c.

Mr. Speaker, according to the former Order of the House, the Lord Wenman, Mr. Holles, Mr. Pierpoint, and Mr. Crew, being present in the House, did take notice of the great, good, and very faithful Services performed by them to the Parliament and King in their Employment, as Commissioners upon the Treaty; and do give them the very hearty Thanks of the House for their faithful Performances herein.

French Trade.

Ordered, That it be referred to Colonel Birch, Colonel Thompson, and Mr. Edward Ashe to prepare an Ordinance upon the Debate now had in the House, upon the Report, made by Colonel Birch, from the Committee of the Navy, upon the Petition of divers Merchants of the City of London trading into France.

Ditto.

Ordered, That the French Merchants that have Goods now lying in Port, either imported, or to be exported, or that shall have any such, shall have Liberty to land and ship their Goods, paying all other Duties, and giving Security, in the Name of the Serjeant of this House, to pay such Rates, upon Importation and Exportation, as shall be set by the said Ordinance of Parliament, appointed to be prepared and brought in.

Treaty with the King.

Mr. Holles presents to the House divers Papers, wherein the Commissioners give an Account to the House of their Proceedings with the King, upon the Treaty, since their last Letters.

And the said Papers were all read.

Mr. Holles did after present to the House the Copy of the King's Letter to the Lord Ormond, touching his Proceedings with the Rebels in Ireland.

The which was read.

The Question was propounded, That the Debate of the Satisfaction, or not Satisfaction, in the King's Answer to the Propositions, shall be now taken into Consideration:

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

The House was divided.

The Noes went forth.

Resolved, &c. That the Debate of this Business be taken up To-morrow Morning, the first Business.

Sequestrations.

Ordered, That Mr. Scott do give Copies of such Letters and Papers as are in his Hands to the Committees of Sequestration, as they shall desire, and have Occasion to make use of for the Service of the Parliament.

Grant to Scott.

Ordered, That the Committee of the Revenue do forthwith pay Mr. Scott his Charges expended in his Journey and Employment upon the Service of the Parliament.

City Arrears.

The House being informed, that the Aldermen of London were at the Door;

They were called in: And Sheriff * did, from the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Council of the City of London, inform, That the last Night, the Lord Mayor going about the City, according to usual Course, to view the Watches, there was a Letter, left by a Trumpeter, from the Lord General, directed "To the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Council:" Whereupon a Common Council was called: Which met: And the Letter being read, they thought it their Duty to acquaint this House therewith; and desired the Direction and Resolution of this House therein; and do also desire, That, the Letter being read, if you think fit, the Original may be returned to them again: And did further acquaint the House, That the Common Council did appoint to sit this Afternoon, to wait upon the Commands of this honourable House; and are now sitting.

A Letter, from Windsore, of 30 Novembris 1648, from the General, directed to the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Council, of the City of London, was this Day read.

Resolved, &c. That a Letter be written to the General, upon the Heads of the Debate now had in the House.

Mr. Swynfen, Mr. Solicitor, Mr. Annesley, Mr. Bulkley, Mr. Reynolds, Mr. Allen, and Colonel Booth, are to prepare the Letter.

Resolved, &c. That the House, taking notice of the great Arrears due by the City to the Army, do declare, That it is the Pleasure of the House, that the City do forthwith provide Forty thousand Pounds of the said Arrears, upon Security of the said Arrears.

Resolved, &c. That this House doth leave it to the City, either by Committee, or Letter, or otherwise, as they shall think fit, to address themselves to the General.

The Sheriffs and Aldermen being again called in; Mr. Speaker, by Command of the House, gave them this Answer.

Mr. Sheriff, and the rest of you Gentlemen of the City,

The House has taken your Business into serious Consideration; and have had long Debate thereupon: And have resolved to send a Letter to the General, from this House: And that you forthwith provide Forty thousand Pounds of the Arrears, due by the City to the Army, upon Security of the said Arrears, and the Residue with all Speed you can: And the House doth give you Leave to address yourselves to the General, by Committee, Letter, or otherwise, as you shall think fit.

Resolved, &c. That the original Letter, sent by the General to the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Council, be returned back to them.

Mr. Annesley reports a Letter to be sent to the General: Which was this Day read; and, upon the Question, assented unto.

The Question being propounded, That this Clause, viz. "derogatory to the Freedom of Parliament," be Part of the Letter;

The House was divided.

The Yeas went forth.

So the Question passed with the Negative.

Resolved, &c. That the City of London have a Copy of the said Letter, to be signed by Mr. Speaker.