House of Lords Journal Volume 10: 16 May 1648

DIE Martis, 16 die Maii.

PRAYERS, by Mr. Good.

Domini præsentes fuerunt:

Comes Manchester, Speaker.

Burges and Dickens:

This Day Burges and Dickins were called to the Bar, to answer their Offence, in arresting the Person of Lieutenant Colonel Marshall, who is a Messenger sent from the Parliament of Scotland, to the Parliament of England.

Petition from the Common Council:

The House was adjourned into a Committee of the whole House, to take into Consideration the Desires of the City of London in their last Petition.

The House being resumed;

City to nominate their Militia Officers.

And the Question being put, "Whether to agree to the Desire of the City of London, to have Power for the Nomination of Persons to be intrusted with the Militia of the City?"

And it was Resolved in the Affirmative.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the rest of the Desires shall be resumed on Friday Morning next.

Message from the H. C. with Ordinances and an Order.

A Message was brought from the House of Commons, by Mr. Boyse, &c.; who brought up divers Particulars, wherein they desire their Lordships Concurrence:

1. An Ordinance for paying Four Thousand Pounds, for the Forces in Lancashire now disbanded.

(Here enter it.)

Agreed to.

2. An Ordinance concerning Examination of the late Tumult at Norwich. (Here enter it.)

Agreed to.

3. An Order for punishing of false Musters, in the County of Kent.

Agreed to, with the Addition of a Proviso; and sent down to the House of Commons, by Doctor Heath and, for Concurrence.

The Answer returned was:

Answer.

That this House agrees to the Ordinance for the Four Thousand Pounds for the Lancashire Forces, and also to the Order for Examining of the Business of Norwich; as to the Order for the punishing of false Musters in Kent, this House will take the same into Consideration, and will send an Answer by Messengers of their own.

Petition from Surry:

A Petition was presented, at the Bar, from the County of Surry. (Here enter it.)

And being read publicly, the Petitioners were commanded to withdraw.

And the House Resolved, That this Answer following should be returned.

And they being called in again, the Speaker read to them, as followeth:

Answer to it.

"The Lords have commanded me to let you know, That they look upon the County of Surrey as having been very affectionate and serviceable to the Parliament: And the Lords are very sensible of those Burdens that particularly press upon them; for the Removal whereof, they will use their utmost Endeavours. And as they have always, so they will still continue to employ their Care, for the composing these unhappy Differences, that the Kingdom may enjoy a safe and well-grounded Peace."

Petition from Surry, for a Personal Treaty with the King; and for the Army to be disbanded.

"To the Right Honourable both Houses of the Parliament of England assembled at Westm'r.

"The Petition of divers Thousands Knights, Gentlemen, and Freeholders, of the County of Surrey, together with the Borough of Southwarke.

"Your humble Petitioners having earnestly besought of God, and expected many Years from your Wisdoms and Counsels, a full and comfortable Redress of the grievous Miseries of this Kingdom; which Blessing having hitherto failed us, through the manifold Sins of us all, and divers Miscarriages, we, among others the freeborn Subjects of this Realm, crave humble Leave to express our pious Affections to the public Good, and our earnest Desires for the preventing of the Continuance and Increase of further Evils, as followeth:

"That the King's Majesty, our only lawful Sovereign, may be restored to His due Honour and just Rights, according to our Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance, which have been taken by us in the Sight of God, and from which no Power on Earth can absolve us; and therefore our Souls do yearn, and our Consciences do groan for it, that His Majesty may forthwith be established in His Throne, according to the Splendor of His Ancestors; and that His Majesty may for the present come up to this Parliament at Westm'r with Honour and Safety, to enter with you into a Personal Treaty, for the composing of all former Differences, and the granting of all lawful Desires.

That we, and all the Freeborn Subjects of this Realm, may be governed no otherwise than by the known Laws and Statutes now in Force in this Kingdom.

"That speedy and grave Wisdom may prevent the miserable and unnatural Wars beginning again in this distracted and exhausted Kingdom; and to prevent, by fair Treaty, the Forces ready to be brought in from the Neighbour Kingdom, and from other Nations not unlike to invade us; which we conceive, through the Mercy of God, may be soon effected by timely providing for the Premises.

"That not only the Ordinances made of late, by the Goodness and Wisdom of the Two Houses of Parliament, against the unsupportable and most wasteful Burthen of Free Quartering of Soldiers, may be duly executed; but forthwith Order and Care may be taken, as becometh Patriots that love their Country, for the Disbanding of all Armies (having their due Arrears paid), that we may enjoy without Terrors and Jealousies a blessed and long lookt-for Peace."

Order for an Examination about the Insurrection at Norwich.

"Ordered, by the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, That Samuell Smith Esquire Recorder of the City of Norwich, Erasmus Erle Esquire Steward of the said City, Charles George Cocke, of Norwich Esquire, Sir Thomas Woodhouse Knight and Baronet, Robert Wood Senior, Thomas Weld, Robert Wilton, Toby Fryer, Thomas Sotherton, Robert Jermy, Gabriell Barber, Robert Wood Junior, Esquires, or any Three of them, be appointed a Committee, to whom or any Three of them it is referred to examine, upon Oath, the whole Business of the City of Norwich, as well for the Contempt of the Ordinance of 14 Martii and the Order against the late Mayor, the Abuse of the Messenger, as also concerning the great Rebellion, Riot, and Insurrection, committed in the said City, the 23th and 24th of April, 1648."

Order for 4000l. for the supernumerary Forces in Lancashire, now disbanded.

"Whereas, by Ordinance of Parliament, of the Eight and Twentieth of May, 1647, the Sum of One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Pounds was charged upon the Receipts of the Excise, in Course, to be paid to Sir John Wollaston Knight, and the rest of the Treasurers at War, and by them to be issued out, upon Accompt, for the Payment of the Arrears of the Army, which said Sum of One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Pounds is, by Ordinance of both Houses of Parliament of the Thirtieth of October last, (fn. 1) appointed for Payment of the Army; and whereas, by Ordinance of Parliament of the First of February last, the Sum of Seventy Thousand Pounds, Part of the said Sum of One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Pounds, is appointed to be first paid to the Committee of the Navy, for the pressing Necessities thereof, so that there only remains the Sum of Seventy-five Thousand Pounds for Payment of the Army; and whereas, by Order of the House of Commons of the Fourth Day of May Instant, the Committee of the Army is appointed to pay Two Months Pay to the Supernumerary Forces in Lancasheir, upon their Disbanding: In Pursuance whereof, the said Committee have assigned Part thereof out of the Assessments on the County of Lancaster, and other Part thereof upon the Treasury at Guildhall, London; yet there remains the Sum of Four Thousand Pounds to perfect the said Order: It is therefore Ordained, by the Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled, That the said Sum of Four Thousand Pounds, with Interest for the same after the Rate of Eight Pounds per Centum, from the Date hereof, to the Time of the Payment of the said Four Thousand, is hereby appointed to be paid, out of the First Monies that shall grow due in Course of the said Seventy-five Thousand Pounds, to Mr. James Wainewright and Mr. Edward French, or their Assigns, for the Payment of Two Months Pay to the Officers and Soldiers in the said County of Lancaster, now disbanded: And the Commissioners of Excise are hereby required to make Payment of the Four Thousand Pounds, with Interest for the same to the Time of Payment thereof, out of the said Seventyfive Thousand Pounds as aforesaid; and the Acquittance or Acquittances of the said Mr. James Wainwright and Mr. Edward French, or their Assigns, shall be a sufficient Discharge to the said Commissioners of Excise, any Order or Ordinance to the contrary thereof in any Wise notwithstanding."