House of Commons Journal Volume 7: 3 February 1652

Tuesday, the 3d of February, 1651.

Prayers.

Committee Rooms.

RESOLVED, upon the Question, That the Serjeant at Arms attending the Parliament do take Care that some convenient Rooms of Those that did formerly belong to the House, lately called the House of Lords, be forthwith made ready for the Committee appointed by the Parliament, to consider of the Inconveniences in the Law, &c.: And that * Whinnyard, and all other Persons who have the Keys of those Rooms, be required to deliver the same to the Serjeant at Arms, to be so prepared for the Committee aforesaid.

Charge against Temple.

Sir Peter Temple, according to former Order, did this Day attend the Parliament:

And the Information of James Bastian, of Hackney in the County of Middlesex, Vintner, against the said Sir Peter Temple Knight, was this Day read.

Sir Peter Temple doth deny the Matters charged against him in the said Information.

Resolved, That this Information be referred to a Committee, to call before them Parties and Witnesses, with Power to examine the Business upon Oath, and report the Matter of Fact: Mr. Solicitor, Colonel Norton, Mr. Hallowes, Sir Wm. Allanson, Mr. Whittacre, Mr. Ralegh, Mr. Gourdon, Sir John Bourchier, Sir Henry Mildmay, Lord Grey, Sir John Danvers, Mr. Lechmere, Colonel Marten, Colonel Dove, Sir Wm. Masham, Mr. Aldworth, Mr. Nevill, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Garland, Mr. Bond, Mr. Goodwyn, Mr. Millington, Mr. Browne, Colonel Fielder, Mr. Edwards, Mr. John Stephens, Colonel Thompson, Mr. Corbett, Colonel Bennet, Mr. Brewster; or any Five of them: And this Committee are to meet in Mr. Speaker's Chamber this Afternoon, at Two of Clock, and so de die in diem.

Council of Officers Petition.

Resolved, That the Petition of the Council of Officers of the Army be taken into Consideration on This-daysevennight.

Forces in Ireland.

Lieutenant General Fleetwood reports from the Council of State:

" 1. That in regard, by the Accompt and Estimate of the Charge of the Forces in Ireland, late transmitted from the Commissioners of Parliament in Ireland, it appears that there will need, over and above all such Monies as can be raised by Assessments or Contributions in Ireland, Nineteen thousand Four hundred and Eight Pounds Seventeen Shillings and Nine-pence, to pay the Forces there, according to the Reducement of the present Pay, which is but Four Days Pay in the Week; and if the additional Forces and Recruits designed thither were arrived, there will need 22,500£. per Mensem, at the least: Therefore, for and towards this Charge,

That the Committee for the Army be authorized and appointed, out of the present 6 Months Assessments of 90,000£. a Month, to assign, for and towards the Pay and Maintenance of the Forces in Ireland, from the 25th of December last, 10,000£. a Month certain; and so much more, not exceeding 20,000£. a Month, as may be spared out of the said Assessments: The Forces in England and Scotland being provided for."

" 2. In regard to the late Lord Deputy, in the last Letters he wrote from Ireland, desired, that 60 or 70 Tons of Rice might be sent thither, against the Army took the Field; which, he had found, was a great Preservative of the Lives of the Sick; and that now there is a considerable Quantity of good Rice in the Possession of the Collectors for Prize Goods;

That the Collectors for the Prize Goods be authorized and appointed, to deliver to such Person or Persons, as the Council of State shall appoint, Seventy Tons of Rice, for the Use of the Army in Ireland: And that the same be allowed upon their Accompt, accordingly."

Resolved, That the Committee of the Army be, and are hereby, authorized and required, out of the present Six Months Assessment of 90,000£. a Month, to assign for and towards the Pay and Maintenance of the Forces in Ireland from the 25th of December last, Ten thousand Pounds a Month certain; and so much more, not exceeding 20,000£. a Month, as may be spared out of the said Assessments: The Forces in England and Scotland being provided for.

Resolved, That the Collectors for Prize Goods be, and are hereby, authorized and required, to deliver to such Person or Persons, as the Council of State shall appoint, Seventy Tons of Rice, for the Use of the Army in Ireland: And that the same be allowed upon their Accompt, accordingly.

Pretended Honours.

Ordered, That the Amendments to the Act touching Oxford Honours, be reported To-morrow Morning.

Delinquents Estates.

Mr. Ralegh reports from the Committee for removing Obstructions in the Sale of Delinquents Lands and Estates:

"That whereas it was this Day informed, that the Order of this Committee of the Eighth of January last, hath been tendered unto the Treasurers for Sale of the Lands and Estates forfeited for Treason, with Desire, to have the Sum of Three thousand Five hundred Pounds, Part of Five thousand Pounds charged upon the Treasury, by Order of Parliament of the Second Instant, for incident Charges in carrying on the Work about the Sale of the said Lands, paid towards the present Satisfaction of the Surveyors, Clerks and Messengers, employed in the said Service and Council, and other immediate Officers to the said Trustees, and other incident Charges: But answer being made by the Treasurers, That the Treasury stands charged with 200,000£. for Ireland, and the publick Stores by special Orders of Parliament, Copies whereof were produced to this Committee; and the Council of State, to whom it was referred, have ordered the issuing out of the first 100,000£. accordingly; So that the Treasurers could not, with Safety, satisfy the said Order of the House, nor of this Committee, thereupon."

" Resolved, That the State of this Business be reported to the Parliament, with Desire, that they will be pleased to give Direction where the said Five thousand Pounds, together with such other Sum or Sums of Money, as shall be found necessary for the carrying on of the whole Work, shall be charged."

Resolved, by the Parliament, That the said Monies, not exceeding the Sum of Five thousand Pounds, according to such Orders and Warrants, as shall be made by the Committee of Obstructions for Sale of Delinquents Lands and Estates, in Pursuance of the former Order of Parliament for the carrying on of that Service, be, from time to time, supplied and paid, by the Treasurers of that Receipt, out of the Treasury; to be reimbursed out of the last Fifty thousand Pounds not yet disposed of, to be doubled upon the said Lands and Estates.

Circuits.

Resolved, That it be referred to the Lords Commissioners for the Great Seal of England, to take care for the sending Judges into the several Circuits, as they shall think fit; as was formerly ordered for the former Assizes.

Fee-farm Rents.

Resolved, That the Bill for Sale of the Remainder of the Fee-farm Rents be read To-morrow Morning.

Judges Salaries.

Resolved, That it be referred to the Council of State, to take care that the Salaries due to the Lords Commissioners, of the Great Seal, Judges of the Courts of Westminster, and the Judges of Wales, that go the Circuit, and the Arrears thereof be paid unto them; and likewise the Money for their Circuits: And that they do give Order for the same, accordingly.

Dighton's Petition.

The humble Petition of Harecourt Dighton Esquire, was this Day read.

Resolved, That this Petition be referred to the Committee for removing Obstructions; to examine the Matter of Fact; and report the same, with their Opinions therein, to the House: And Mr. John Corbett is to take care of it.

Row's Petition.

The humble Petition of Colonel Owen Row was this Day read.

Resolved, That this Petition be referred to a Committee, to state the Account and Matter of Fact thereupon; and report the same to the House; with their Opinion, how the Petitioner may be satisfied what shall appear to be due to him: Viz. To Alderman Allein, Colonel Rich, Colonel Marten, Mr. Trenchard, Sir Arthur Hesilrige, Lord Commissioner Whitelock, Mr. Garland, Mr. Corbett, Mr. Hodges, Mr. Aldworth, Mr. Ralegh, Sir Henry Mildmay, Mr. Browne, Mr. John Ashe, Mr. Holland, Colonel Thompson; or any Three of them: And the Committee are to meet in the Exchequer-Chamber To-morrow, at Two of Clock in the Afternoon.

Sheriff of Berks.

Ordered, That the Sheriff of Berks have Liberty to come up to London, about his necessary Occasions.

Merchants Complaints.

Mr. Challoner reports, from the Council of State, the Narrative of Charles Thorold and John Gould:

WE declare, that in Amsterdam and Antwerpe, and also on the Ship Jonas daily expected at Amsterdam, we have Nine Parcels of Silk and Silk-Ware; viz. 4 Bales of Silk, and Five Cases of Silks: All which Goods were bought for our Accompts long before the Act for Increase of Shipping came forth; and were all Goods provided only for this Market: And though we did, as soon as the Act was published, contradict the sending of any of our Goods by Flemish Shipping; or any of our Goods by Land; save such as were bought with Proceed of English Goods; yet it was not possible for us to hinder the sending of any of these Goods; for our said Goods were all laden and sent away, past recall, before our Letters did arrive; only we prevented the sending of other Goods, which now lie attending English Ships with Convoy. And for those of our said Goods which arrived in Holland in time to have come over before the Act took Place, we endeavoured all possible to bring them in, being Part of them laden on English Ships, the rest ready to lade; but none arrived; being all detained so long by contrary Winds, that, about the End of November last past, we were constrained, for the Safety of our Goods, to order their Landing again, and not to send them till have Licence for their Importation: And this we shall declare upon Oath to be the very Truth.

Sworn at the Council,

The Narrative of Charles Thorold and John Gold, was this Day read.

Resolved, by the Parliament, That notwithstanding the Act for Increase of Shipping, and Encouragement of the Navigation of this Nation, the Parliament doth dispense with the Forfeiture and Confiscation of the Ship Jonas, and the Goods in her, belonging to Charles Thorold and John Gould; and that the said Ship Jonas, and the Goods aforesaid, be freed and discharged from all Seizure, Forfeiture, or Confiscation, by Force of the said Act, as if the same had come in before the First of December: And all Officers, and all other Persons, concerned, do take Notice hereof, and yield Obedience thereunto, accordingly.

The Question being put, That the like Discharge be granted for the Goods, mentioned in the said Narrative to be at Amsterdam and Antwerp, belonging to the said Charles Thorold and John Gould;

It passed with the Negative.

The Narrative and Oath of John Southwood the younger, of London, Merchant, was this Day read.

John Southwood jun. of London, Merchant, maketh Oath, that he had, for his proper Accompt, bought and shipped aboard Francis Roys and Nicholas Johnson, in Middieburg in Zeland, in the Month of May last, and bound for London, Eleven Hogsheads of Nutmegs, Four Hogsheads of Cloves, Four Hogsheads of Mace, Five Vats of Loaf-sugar, Three Cases of brown Candy, and Five-and-twenty Punchions of Prunes: Which Ships went to Sea, but were surprized by three Irish Frigates; but by some Distress at Sea, were driven into Newport in Flanders; a Port belonging to the King of Spaine; where the aforesaid Goods were seized on, and claimed, by the Rebels aforesaid: Which to prevent, this Deponent, with great Expence, did, in Four Months Time, bring the Business to a fair Trial, before the Arch-Duke Leopoldus, at Brussels; where the aforesaid Ships and Goods were ordered to be restored; which was accordingly performed. So this Deponent did give Order, to have the aforesaid Goods sent back to Middleburgh in Zeland, being the Place from whence they were first shipped; with a second Order, to ship them by the first Ships for London: Which was accordingly shipped in October last, as your Deponent is advised of by his Factor, aboard Cornelius Roball, John Vanaker, and Marten Keene, who had full Order to come for this Port by the First Wind; but were hindered from being here before the First . . December, only by contrary Winds, and through no Neglect of this Deponent.

Sworn at the Council, the

First of January 1651.

Gualter Frost.

Joh Southwood.

The Question being put, That the like Discharge be granted for the Goods mentioned in the said Oath, and the Ships wherein the same are shipped;

It passed in the Negative.

The humble Narrative of Robert Ingram and Thomas Ingram, of London, Merchants, was this Day read.

Merchants Complaints

That, in Obedience to the Order of the Council of Trade and Foreign Affairs, dated the 31th of December 1651, your Narrators do declare, That the Ship Keysar, of Amsterdam, whereof Simon Buckhowse is Master, was freighted here in London, by Charter Party, the 8th of August last, for a Voyage to the Maderas Island in Portugall; and to return back from thence to this City of London, with her Lading.

That the said Master became bound with Sureties to the Owners of the said Ship in 800£. to perform the said Charter-Party, concerning the said Ship's Passage and Return as aforesaid.

That the Goods in the said Ship were, 113 Pipes of Wine, of the Growth of Portugall, 20 Boxes of dried Suckets, 28 Earrels of wet Suckets, 4 Chests of BrazilSugar, 52 Sacks of Shumach, and 40 Bundles of Canes; which are all that were brought in the said Ship; and are the proper Goods of the Narrators, and other Englishmen.

That never since the Date of the said Charter-Party, to these Narrators Knowlege, there never went from this Nation to the said Island any other Vessel, nor any came from thence hither; whereby they were utterly disabled to give any Notice to the said Ship of the Act of Parliament, prohibiting strange bottom Vessels to return into this Commonwealth; neither had the Master of the said Ship, or their Correspondence abroad, to these Narrators Knowlege, any Notice of the said Act.

Sworn at the Council

31th December 1651.

Gualter Frost.

Tho. Ingram.

The Question being put, That notwithstanding the Act for Increase of Shipping, and Encouragement of the Navigation of this Nation, the Parliament doth dispense with the Forfeiture of the Ship Keysar, or Amsterdam, and the Goods therein, belonging to the said Robert Ingram and Thomas Ingram;

The House was divided:

The Yeas went forth.

So it passed in the Negative.

Mr. Challoner also reports the humble Narratives and several Cases of the English Merchants, Laders of Derrick Swarts and Hans Clauson, Masters of Two Vessels, called Boyers, arrived, since the First of December last, from Hamburgh.

Their Case is humbly represented in the annexed Petition of the Fellowship, of Merchants Adventures, residing in London; and in the Certificate under the Seal of that Part of the same Fellowship, which resideth in Hamburgh; for so much as concerns the general.

For their particular Cases, they are as followeth;

1. James Cooke hath, upon Hans Clauson, returned Five Spanish Cloths, and 14 Pieces of Bays, being faulty, and formerly exported from London: As also, 1,710 Iron Bullets, on the same Ship laden: And upon Dirrick Swarts 1,719 Iron Bullets more: For the Drapery he humbly conceives there is no Question; and for the Bullets, being a Manufacture of that Country, and Ammunition, and Hamburgh being the usual Port for issue thereof, he humbly hopes they will not be judged within the Act; and, however is ready to make Oath, they were bought and shipped before the Act came forth.

2. Wm. Bond hath, on Hans Clauson, 12 Ton of Iron:

And on Dirrick Swarts, 6 Ton of Iron:

And is ready to make Oath, besides the Certificate under the Seal of Hanburgh, annexed, that all were shipped in August last, and before the Act came forth.

3. Robert Gore hath, upon Dirrick Swarts, 2,129 Iron Bullets, certified also with the Iron of Wm. Bond last before-mentioned: And is ready, upon Oath, to declare the Shipping thereof before the Act came forth: And for this Particular, is in the same Case in all with James Cooke.

Merchants Complaints.

He hath also, upon Hans Clauson, One Case of Muscovia Glass; which he was importuned to send for by John Harding, Workman to the State, for the Use of the Navy; and is ready to make Oath, that the same was laden on board, before any Notice of the said Act could come to Hamburgh.

4. Godfry Lee hath, upon Dirick Swarts, 483 Bars of flat Iron, containing 72 Ship-Pounds, which is about Nine Tons:

And upon Hans Clauson, 489 Bars of flat, and 143 Bars of square, Iron; in all, containing 43 Ship-Pounds, which is Eleven Tons and a half, or thereabouts:

And he is ready to make Oath, that the whole was shipped long before the Act could be given Notice of to Hamburgh; and to produce Certificate thereof under Seal.

5. Slingisby Bethell hath, upon both the said Bowyers, Two-and-thirty Tons of Stock fish, which, though cured in and brought from Norway, yet is the King of Denmark's Royalty; and by him is farmed out, and, by Agreement, is to be brought to Glucknade, a City of Holstein on the River of Elve, there to be first sold: So as it is humbly conceived not to be within the Act, both as it is a proper Commodity of the Place, as also no salted Fish: And he is ready to make Oath of the Shipping thereof, before the said Act was, or could be, taken Notice of there. And humbly prays, that it may be cleared in this Case, as well for the future as the present, how far it shall be free to import this Sort of Fish from that River.

6. Edward Halford, for Leonard Scott, English Merchant in Hamburgh, claims upon Dirrick Swarts, 7 Packs of Flax, and two Packs and one Bale of Hemp: And is ready to make Oath, that all were shipped before the Tenth of October last.

But for Charter-Party there is none, nor is usual in such Case of appointed Ships for London: And although the Interressents did give Notice of the said Act before the said Vessels came out of the River; yet, being all the Goods were laden before any such Advice, did, or could, come on to Hamburgh; and the Bowyers cleared at the Custom-house there, and fallen down the River, when the Advice afterwards came, it was neither in their Power to take up their Goods again; neither, if they could have done it, was there any English Bottoms there, to lade their Goods upon.

All which is humbly submitted to this honourable Council.

Resolved, That the Parliament doth dispense with the Forfeiture of the Five Spanish Cloths, and 14 Pieces of Bays, laden upon Hans Clauson, in one of the Vessels called the Bowyers; and that the said Spanish Cloths and Bays be freed and discharged from any Seizure, Forfeiture or Confiscation, made or to be made by Force of the Act for Increase of Shipping, and Encouragement of the Navigation of this Nation; and that the said Five Spanish Cloths, and Fourteen Pieces of Bays, be restored unto the Owners, as if the same had come in before the First Day of December last; and that all Officers, and other Persons, concerned, do take Notice hereof, and yield Obedience thereunto, accordingly.

The Question being put, That the Parliament doth dispense with the Forfeitures of the Ships called the Bowyers, and the Residue of the Goods laden in them, notwithstanding the Act for Increase of Shipping.

It passed in the Negative.

The Oath of Henry Crone, and John Wilcocks, of London, Merchants, was this Day read.

John Parker, Henry Crone, John Wilcocks, and Matthew Foster, of London, Merchants, do humbly offer to the Consideration of the honourable Council of State, That they, the Eighth of May last, did freight the Ship called The Crowned Hare, of Camphere in Zeland, whereof Claus D'Brackey is Master, from the Port of London, to the Canary Islands, where the said Ship was to be reladen; but in respect of the high Prices of Wines there, there are only 48 Pipes of Canary Wines in her: And that the 8th Day of October last, an Act of Parliament, intituled, An Act for Increase of Shipping, and Encouragement of Navigation of this Nation, was published; which Act was to be in Force the First of December instant: And the said Ship being so as aforesaid, laden for London, before the Time of publishing the said Act, the Parties above-mentioned could not possibly send Letters to their Correspondents, to prohibit the importing the said Wines, laden in the said Dutch Vessel, which is lately arrived at Portesmouth, and is there now under Restraint: And to the Truth of this, the said Henry Crone and John Wilcocks, the said John Parker and Matthew Forster being absent, do offer to make Oath.

Ordered, That the Commissioners for the Customs be authorized and required, to take off the Seizure of the Ship The Crowned Hare, of Camphere in Zeland, whereof Claus De Brackey is Master; and of the Forty-eight Pipes of Canary Wines laded in the said Ship; made by Virtue of the Act of Parliament, intituled, An Act for Increase of Shipping, and Encouragement of the Navigation of this Nation: And that the said Ship, and the said 48 Pipes of Canary Wines, be restored unto the Owners, freed and discharged of and from any Seizure or Confiscation, by Force of the said Act, as if the same had come in before the First Day of December last: And that all Officers, and other Persons concerned, do take Notice hereof, and yield Obedience hereunto, accordingly.

The humble Petition of Nathan Wright, Samuel Mico, John Gould, and divers other, trading in Levant Seas, was this Day read.

Sheweth,

THAT your Petitioners, their Factors at Mesina, Naples, and Leghorne, did, in the Months of August and September, and Beginning of October last past, out of the Proceed of divers Commodities sent out of this Land for your Petitioners Accompts, laded divers Sorts of Silks and Silk-Ware upon a Dutch Ship, called, The Prophet Jonas, bound with Convoy for Amsterdam, from thence to be sent to your Petitioners to London; there being, at that time, in the Streights, no English Convoy, nor could not be in Eight Months after, as your Petitioners Factors were informed; and upon Ship or Ships without Convoy, your Petitioners durst not adventure, having formerly sustained great Loss by the French.

Now in regard, the late Act for Increase of Shipping prohibits the Importation of the said Goods after the First of December past, and your Petitioners being under an Impossibility of helping themselves, do humbly tender to your Honours their present Condition: The Goods are of great Value, but of small Bulk, and therefore of small Help to the Dutch Navigation: They were bought, long since, for this Place, and do not sell in Holland: And also, being, for the most part, raw Silk, with which many Poor will be set on Work; besides the Advance of Custom and Excise;

Your Petitioners do humbly pray this honourable Assembly, to take the Premises into their grave Consideration, and to permit them to take their Goods out of the said Ship Jonas, if it may be at Dover, or thereabouts; or, if they may not there have them, that then your Honours would vouchsafe Liberty to them to import the said Goods from Amsterdam; or else to yield them such Relief as to your Honours seem meet.

And your Petitioners shall pray.

The Narrative of the several Merchants trading into the Levant Seas, whose Names are subscribed, concerning certain Silk, and Silks, laden before the late Act of Prohibition, aboard a Dutch Vessel, called The Prophet Jonas, at Misena, Naples, and Leghorn, bound for Amsterdam.

THEY humbly present unto your Honours, that the Petitioners Nicholas Gould, Nathan Wright, John Gould, Robert Burdett, Charles Tharell, Thomas Bludworth, Henry Spurstow, Richard Wynne, Humfry Hill, and John Hill, Andrew Hopegood, Michael Custell, Edward Bovery, and others, had several Bales of Silk laden aboard the said Dutch Vessel, called The Prophet Jonas, on or about the Seventh of September, New Stile, which is our 28th of August, according to the English Computation.

They humbly remonstrate, that these Silks so laden, were for the proper Account of Themselves and Company, all People of this Nation:

That the said Goods being of small Bulk, there was no Charter-Party made between the Freighters and Master of the Ship; but only Bills of Lading formed: Which Bills of Lading or Invoice, affirmed by the respective Factors, declare the said Silks are for the Account of Themselves and Company, all People of this Nation.

They humbly remonstrate, that, presently after the Lading of the said Goods at Mesina, the Ship forthwith parted from that Port; and, since the Knowledge of the late Act prohibiting Importation, they had no Opportunity or Means to unlade or relade the said Goods in English Ships.

The Petitioners Nathan Wright, Robert Burdett, Samuel Mico, James Stavere, and George Poyner, and others, had several Bales of Silk, and Cases of Silk, laden aboard the said Ship, on or about the 10th of September last, at Naples; and, in the latter End of September, and Beginning of October, at Legorne.

They humbly remonstrate for themselves as before,

That the said Goods were for themselves and Company, all People of this Nation: And that the said Goods could not be taken out of the aforesaid Ship, to be laden aboard any English Ship, after Knowledge of the late Act of Prohibition.

Resolved, That the Commissioners for the Customs be authorized and required to forbear to make any Seizure of the Dutch Ship, called, The Prophet Jonas, bound with Convoy for Amsterdam, from thence to be sent to London; and of the divers Sorts of Silk, and Silk Ware, laden therein by virtue of the Act of Parliament, intituled, An Act for Increase of Shipping, and Encouragement of the Navigation of this Nation: And that the said Ship, and the Silks, and Silk Ware, laden in the said Ship, be freed and discharged of and from any Seizure or Confiscation, made or to be made by force of the said Act, as if the same had come in before the First Day of December last: And that all Officers, and other Persons, concerned, do take Notice hereof, and yield Obedience hereunto accordingly.

The Narrative and Oath of Arnold Beake, Merchant, concerning his Freighting the Ship The Hope of Workham, Master Claus. Clauson.

THAT the said Arnold Beake, by Order and for the Account of Mr. James Sheppard, of Hull, English Merchant, did, in the Month of July last, freight the said Ship, then in the Thames, and then bound, for the State's Use, for Leeth in Scotland; to go from thence to Newcastle to lade Coals; and from thence to Stockholme, or thereabouts, to unlade the said Coals, and relade with Pitch or Tar, or such as the said Sheppard's Factor should lade aboard; and so to return for London.

That the said Ship being arrived at Stockholme, Sheppara's Factor did lett to Freight, about the Beginning of October last, to Mr. George Mawhood's Factor, 500 Ship-Pounds of Sweth Iron; and laded the Residue of the said Ship himself with Tar.

Merchants Complaints.

That the said Arnold Beake doth really believe, that the said Tar, so laden aboard the said Ship, was and is for the proper and only Account of the said James Sheppard:

That the Charter-Party for the said Ship was drawn in London, but signed at Newcastle; so that the said Beake hath not any Part thereof here to shew:

That the Quantity of Tar, so laden for Mr. Sheppard's Account, as aforesaid, was about One hundred and Eighty Lasts:

That the said Arnold Beake could not give timely Notice to the said Sheppard's Factor of the late Act for Increase of Shipping, by reason the Post is long by the Way to Stockholme: And that the Ship, about the Beginning of November last, did depart from Stockholme; nor doth he know that Shephard's Factor had any Notice of such Act by any other Means: All which, as aforesaid, the said Arnold Beake deposeth to be true.

The Narrative and Oath of George Mawhood, concerning certain Goods, by his Order laden in the Ship The Hope of Workeham, Claus. Clauson Master, as followeth; viz.

THAT Solomon Houghsam, the Servant of the said George Mawhood, being at Stockholme the 4th Day of October 1651, did, then and there, agree with the Servant of Mr. James Sheppard, to lade aboard the said Ship, then being at Stockholme, 500 Ship-Pounds of Sweth Iron; whereof he laded 493 Ship-Pounds, Six Leech-Pounds, before the 18th of the said Month of October, to be brought for London: Of which the said George Mawhood had Notice from his said Servant about the 20th of November last, and not before; and could not possibly give Notice of the Act for Increase of Shipping, &c.; nor, to his Knowlege, did his said Servant receive Notice thereof from any other, or by any other Means.

And further, he the said George Mawhood declareth, That the said Parcel of Iron, so shipped as aforesaid, is properly and only for his own Account; he being of this Nation.

All which Premises the said George Mawhood maketh Oath to be true and real.

Ordered, That the Commissioners for the Customs be authorized and required to forbear to make any Seizure of the Ship Hope of Workham, Claus. Clauson Master; and of the Tar laden in her, by virtue of the Act of Parliament, intituled, An Act for Increase of Shipping, and Encouragement of Navigation: And that the said Ship, and Tar laden therein, be freed and discharged of and from any Seizure or Confiscation, made or to be made by force of the said Act, as if the same had come in before the First Day of December last: And that all Officers, and other Persons, concerned, do take Notice hereof, and yield Obedience hereunto accordingly.