House of Commons Journal Volume 7: 19 January 1660

Thursday, January 19th, 1659.

Irish Affairs.

THE House being informed, That divers Officers of the Army in Ireland were at the Door;

Resolved, That the said Officers of Ireland that are at te Door be called in.

They were called in, accordingly: And, being come to the Bar of the House; Colonel Bridges said, "These Gentlemen, and myself, have received Command from the Council of Officers in Ireland, to give you an Account, How the State of Affairs touching the Army in Ireland, stands; which, by an extraordinary Providence of God, is brought over to your Service: And they are ready to observe your Commands in all things:" And further acquainted the Parliament, That he bad a Letter from the Officers of the Army in Ireland, which would give them a further and more particular Account: And thereupon delivered a Letter to the Clerk of the Parliament: Which (after the said Officers were withdrawn) was read; and was dated from Dublyn, the Seventh of Januery 1659, from Sir Hardresse Walter, and many other Officers of the Army in Ireland.

A Letter, inclosed in the said former Letter, subscribed Hardresse Waller, Broghill, Charles Coote; and also, Articles of Impeachment, by Sir Charles Coote Knight and Baronet, President of the Province of Conaught, against Colonel John Jones, Miles Corbet, Mathew Tomlmson, and Lieutenant-General Edmund Ludlow; signed Charles Coote; were read.

A Letter from Sir Charles Coote to Mr. Scot, a Member of Parliament, dated at Dublyn, the Fifth of January 1659, was also read.

Also, Some Resolves at a Council of Officers, held at Dublyn the 26th Day of December 1659, were read.

Resolved, That all Powers, formerly given unto Lieutenant-General Ludlow, Colonel John Jones, Mr. Miles Corbet, and Colonel Mathew Tomlinson, be, and are hereby suspended.

Resolved, That Mr. Weaver be appointed a Commissioner for Management of the Affairs in Ireland.

Resolved, That Mr. Robert Goodwin be one of the Commissioners for Management of the Affairs in Ireland.

Resolved, That Sir Charles Coote be one of the Commissioners for Management of the Affairs in Ireland.

Resolved, That the Number of the Commissioners be Five, and no more.

Resolved, That Sir Hardresse Waller be one of the Commissioners for Management of the Affairs in Ireland.

The Question being propounded, That Colonel Markham be one of the Commissioners for Management of the Affairs in Ireland;

And the Question being put, That that Question be now put;

It passed with the Affirmative.

And the main Question being put; It was

Resolved, That Colonel Markham be one of the Commissioners for Management of the Affairs in Ireland.

Resolved, That Lieutenant-General Ludlow, Colonel John Jones, and Mr. Miles Corbet, be commanded forthwith to attend the Parliament, to answer the Impeachment of High Treason, wherewith they are charged.

Resolved, That Colonel Mathew Tomlinson be commanded to attend at the Bar of this House, to answer the Impeachment of High-Treason, wherewith he is charged.

Ordered, That a Letter be sent to Sir Charles Coote, to inform him of these Orders; and that he take care, That the said Impeachment be prosecuted: And that Mr. Robert Goodwin do write the Letter; and that Mr. Speaker do sign the same.

Ordered, That the List of the Officers of the Army in Ireland be referred to the Commissioners of the Army, to consider of: And that they report their Opinion therein to the Parliament.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Council of State, forthwith to consider of Instructions for the Commissioners for Management of the Affairs in Ireland; and report them to the Parliament forthwith.

Ordered, That Lieutenant-General Ludlow, and all other Persons, be and are required and enjoined, forthwith to surrender up the Fort of Duncannon, and the Garison there, and the City of Corke, and Forts therein, to Sir Hardresse Waller, and Sir Charles Coote, or either of them.

Col-Ridgeley.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the Petition of Colonel Symon Ridgeley, and his Sufferings, be referred to the Commissioners of the Army: And that they examine the Matter of Fact; state the same; and report it to the Parliament.

Irish Affairs.

Ordered, That Letters be sent to the Commissioners for Management of the Affairs in Ireland, to give Countenance to the Commissioners of the Customs and Excise, in putting in Execution the Laws touching the Excise and Customs, and other Duties belonging to the Commonwealth in Ireland.

Ordered, That Colonel White do prepare the said Letters; and that Mr. Speaker sign the same.

Army Pay.

Ordered, That the Regiment of Colonel Morley, and Five Companies of Colonel Fleetwood's, and Five Companies of Colonel Mosse's Regiment, who came last Night to Town, have a Month's Pay: And that it be referred to the Committee of Inspections, to see this Month's Pay paid to them, accordingly: And that the said Committee be, and are hereby, impowered to charge the same upon any of the Treasuries of this Commonwealth: And the respective Receipts of such Person or Persons as shall be appointed by the said Committee to receive the same, shall be a sufficient Discharge to such Person or Persons as shall so pay it, accordingly.

Ordered, That the same Power be also given to the Committee of Inspections, to charge any of the Treasuries with the Payment of the Month's Pay formerly ordered to Captain Mason and Captain Angell's Troops.

Great Seal.

Resolved, That the Quorum of the Commissioners of the Great Seal be any Two of them.

The House being informed, That the Commissioners for Custody of the Great Seal were at the Door, attending the Parliament, according to the Order made Yesterday;

They were called in: And, coming up to the Clerk's Table, Mr. Speaker said unto them, "Sir Tho. Widdrington, Mr. Serjeant Terrell, and Mr. Serjeant Fountaine, The Parliament have appointed you to be Commissioners of the Great Seal: And they have commanded me to deliver the Great Seal to you: And I do, in their Name, deliver the Great Seal unto you, accordingly:" And thereupon delivered unto them the said Great Seal.

Resolved, That the Commissioners for Custody of the Great Seal, and the respective Judges of the several Courts in Westminster-Hall, and Barons of the Court of Exchequer shall have One thousand Pounds a Year apiece, for their respective Salaries, to be paid by quarterly Payments, and their usual Fees, as formerly.

Resolved, That the said Salaries be charged upon the Old Customs, as formerly: And that the Commissioners for the Customs be, and are hereby authorized and required to pay the same to them, accordingly: And their respective Acquittances, testifying the Receipt thereof, shall be a sufficient Discharge in that Behalf.

Master of the Rolls.

Ordered, That a Commission be granted to the Master of the Rolls, and other Commissioners, for Hearing of Causes in the Rolls, in usual Form: And that the Commissioners for Custody of the Great Seal do pass the said Commission, under the Great Seal of England.

Thanks to Officers.

The Officers from Ireland were again called in: And Mr. Speaker gave them this Answer;

"Gentlemen,"

"The Parliament have taken notice of your very good Affections; and of your Care of preserving the Peace of Ireland; and of your great Pains in coming out of Ireland: And have commanded me to give you Thanks: And, in their Name, I do give you Thanks accordingly: And, for the Business you came about, the Parliament have taken it into Consideration, and have put it into a Way."