House of Commons Journal Volume 7: 18 May 1652

Tuesday, the 18th of May, 1652.

Prayers.

Supply Bill.

RESOLVED, by the Parliament, That the Bill for the Assessment be brought in on Thursday Morning next, the first Business; and nothing to intervene.

Public Charge.

Resolved, That the House do then take into Consideration, how the Charge of the Commonwealth may be lessened: And that Mr. Speaker do put the House in Mind thereof.

Army and Navy.

Resolved, That the Committee to whom the Matter was referred to consider of the Treasuries, how the further Charge of the Army and Navy may be supplied, do meet this Afternoon; and sit de die in diem; and make their Report to the House with all Speed.

Letters read.

A Letter from the Commissioners of the Parliament in Ireland, dated at Kilkenny, the 6th of May 1652, was this Day read.

Another Letter from the Commissioners, and divers General and Field Officers, in Ireland, dated at Kilkenny, the 5th of May 1652, was this Day read.

Col. Fitz Patrick.

A Declaration, by the Nobility, Clergy, Gentry, Commanders, and Officers, of the Provinces of Lemster, against Colonel John Fitz Patrick, was this Day read.

Letter read; Irish Affairs.

Mr. Scott reports, from the Council of State, Part of a Letter from the Commissioners for the Affairs of Ireland: Which was this Day read.

Articles of Dundalk.

Articles of Agreement made and concluded at Dundalk, the 1st of May 1652, between Colonel Venables, Commander in chief of Ulster, and the rest of the Council of War; and Colonel Thorlagh O Neile, and others, on the other Part; was this Day read.

Articles of Galloway.

Mr. Scott reports, from the Council of State, a Letter from the Commissioners for the Affairs of Ireland, of the 6th of May 1652: And also the Resolutions of the Commissioners for the Affairs in Ireland, upon the Articles for Surrender of Galloway; with the Answer of the Lord President's Commissioners to the Exceptions of the Commissioners for the Parliament: Which were this Day read.

Massacres in Ireland.

A Letter from the General and Field Officers in Ireland, from Kilkenny, of the 5th of May 1652; with an Abstract of some few of those barbarous cruel Massacres and Murders of the Protestants and English in some Parts of Ireland, committed since the 23d of October 1651; were this Day read.

Irish Affairs.

Mr. Scott reports, from the Council of State, some Amendments, and particular Branches, to be added to the Qualifications, humbly offered to the Consideration of the Parliament; with the Names of Persons to be excepted, for Life and Estate, out of the said Qualifications; with a Clause touching Persons that have Articles granted to them: Which was this Day read.

And another Clause, to be the Fifth Clause in the Qualifications, in these Words; viz. "That all and every Person and Persons, both Principals and Accessaries, who, since the First Day of October 1641, have or shall kill, slay, or otherwise destroy, any Person or Persons in Ireland, which, at the time of their being so killed, slain, or destroyed, were not publickly entertained and maintained in Arms, as Officers, or Private Soldiers, for and on Behalf of the English against the Irish; and all and every Person and Persons, both Principals and Accessaries, who, since the said First Day of October 1641, have killed, slain, or otherwise, destroyed, any Person or Persons entertained and maintained as Officers, or Private Soldiers, for and in Behalf of the English against the Irish, the said Persons, so killing, slaying, or otherwise destroying, not being then publickly entertained and maintained in Arms, as Officer, or Private Soldier, under the Command and Pay of the Irish against the English; be exempted from Pardon, for Life and Estate."

Resolved, by the Parliament, That the said Fifth Clause be one of the Qualifications.

He also reports another Clause, to be the Eleventh Clause in the Qualifications.

Ordered, That the List of the Names, and the other Papers, be re-committed to the Members of the Council, that are Members of the Parliament: And that they do prepare a Bill upon the Qualifications already voted, and these re-committed; and report it speedily to the House.

Ordered, That Mr. Weaver do meet with the said Members of the Parliament, that are of the Council of State, about this Business, at such Times as they shall appoint, to consider thereof.

Resolved, That Mr. Speaker do take the Chair To-morrow, at Eleven of the Clock; and that then the House do resume the Debate this Day touching Ireland; and nothing else.

Transactions with Sweden.

Lord Commissioner Whitelock reports from the Council of State, a Proposition exhibited to the Council by the Publick Minister of the Queen of Sweden, dated 12/22; Maii 1652; and another Paper, dated 18/28; Maii 1652, in Latin and English: Which were both read.

Ordered, That these Papers be referred back to the Council of State, to consider of them, and prepare an Answer to be given thereunto; and report the same to the House.