House of Lords Journal Volume 3: 24 March 1626

DIE Veneris, 24 die Martii,

Domini tam Spirituales quam Temporales, quorum nomina subscribuntur, præsentes fuerunt:

Absent Lords excused.

Collections for the Poor, during the late Infection.

The Lord Bishop of London declared unto the House, That his Lordship, according to the Order made the last Parliament at Oxon, and according to the Letters from the Council-board, dated the 27th of November last, out of the Collections made at Oxon by the Lords, and out of the general Collections for the Relief of the Poor in and about London and Westm. and the Out-parishes adjoining, had paid unto the Lord Mayor of London One Thousand Pounds, which the said City had disbursed for Relief of their Poor, according to the said Order; and also that his Lordship had disbursed unto the said Lord Mayor divers other Sums of Money; and also that the City of London had received divers other Sums of Money, out of particular Contributions, made in the Churches in his Diocese, whereby the general Collections made in his Lordship's Diocese came to little, by reason of the said former Contributions given and collected for the Poor of London as aforesaid; and that the City of Westm. and the Parishes of Stepney, St. Gyles, and St. Martins in the Fields, have received but little out of the said general Collections. All which his Lordship offered to the Consideration of the House; and that he might be discharged upon his Accompt, which he was ready to make.

Whereupon it is Ordered, That the Lord Mayor of London shall have Notice hereof, and to depute some of his Officers to attend on Wednesday next, at Two of the Clock in the Afternoon, in the Painted Chamber, upon the Lords Committees appointed to take the Account of the said General Collection; and to give an Account unto their Lordships how the Monies received by the Lord Mayor hath been disbursed; and also what Orders they have taken for the regulating of the Visited Persons in this late great Visitation, and what Disorders have likewise there happened, that the like be prevented hereafter.

Powell's Naturalization.

Hodie 1^a et 2^a vice lecta est Billa, An Act for the Naturalizing of Samwell Powell, the Son of John Powell, of London, Merchant, and Jane his Wife.

Committed unto the

Mr. Attorney General to attend the Lords.

To meet presently.

The Earl of Nottingham reported, That the Committee thought the said Bill fit to pass, without Amendment.

Ordered to be ingrossed.

Wright versus Foreman, & al.

The Earl of Bridgewater reported a Certificate, dated 23d February 1625, made by John Beamond and Thomas Babington, Esquires, Referees of the Petition of Thomas Wright, exhibited to the House this Parliament; and there appearing many Extortions to be committed by Francis Foreman, late Under-Sheriff in the County of Leicester, against the said Thomas Wright; and also that the said Francis Foreman and Henry Smyth, William Noble, and George Marshall, had much oppressed the said Thomas Wright, and had contemned this High Court of Parliament; it was Ordered, That the Serjeant at Arms shall cause them the said Foreman, Smyth, Noble, and Marshall, to be brought before their Lordships, to answer the same.

Petitions may be rejected, without being reported to the House.

It is this Day Ordered, upon the Motion of the Earl of Clare, That the Lords Committees for Petitions shall have Power to reject any Petition exhibited unto them, without Report thereof first to the House, notwithstanding the Order of the 23d of February last.

And the Earl of Clare was added to the said Committee for Petitions.

Morgan's Petition.

The Lord President, one of the Lords Committees for Petitions, reported to the House, That their Lordships had considered of the Petition of George Morgan, exhibited unto them this Parliament; and that their Lordships think fit that the Lord Keeper admit this Petitioner, in an ordinary Course, to his Bill of Review of his Cause in the Chancery; and to take such Security from all Parties as was formerly taken in this Cause, if his Lordship think fit; and neither Party, in the mean Time, to take any Benefit of any former Decree on Order; and that his Lordship would be pleased to use all convenient Expedition in the Cause. All which their Lordships commended to the Lord Keeper.

Ordered accordingly.

Munson's Petition, versus E. of Middlesex.

The Lord President (also) reported, That the Lords Committees upon Sir Thomas Munson's Petition, finding that the Examinations formerly taken touching the Contract between the Earl of Midd. and Sir Thomas Munson are not clear in that Point; and Sir Thomas alledging that, upon Examination in an ordinary Course, he can make more Proof, the Lords Committees think fit to recommend the Cause to a further Hearing of the Lord Keeper; wherein they wish Sir Thomas to have speedy Proceedings in his Suit.

Ordered accordingly.

Committee for the Safety and Defence of the Realm.

The Lord Treasurer reported, That the Committee for Defence of the Realm, etc. meeting on Wednesday (fn. 1) last, in the Afternoon, a Proffer was made unto their Lordships, for Provision of Powder to be speedily made, by certain Merchants, which was read, with the Answers of the said Committee unto each Particular; videlicet,

Proposals touching a Supply of Powder.

"They will forthwith employ their best Understanding and Ability, to get some good Quantity of Powder, whereof they make no Doubt, of Salt-petre ( it may be by any Means had), either at Hanborough or at Amsterdam; and, if it be possible, One Hundred Ton of each of the best, and at the best Rates that possibly they may: wherein they will husband the Business for His Majesty as for themselves, and deliver the Account for the Prices upon their Oaths.

"They dare not contract for a certain Price, for that they fear the universal War in Europe will daily inhance the Price; and therefore do make Offer of their Service, and to account upon Oath as aforesaid."

"Allowed of by the Lords Committees."

"And for the Pains and Charges herein, and for the Adventure at Seas, they demand Ten Pounds per Centum, for so much as they shall buy and deliver here into His Majesty's Stores, either of Salt-petre or Powder; and, that they may not err in the Choice, they desire to have Two Proof-masters sent over for His Majesty, the one to Hamborough, the other to Amsterdame, at His Majesty's Charge."

R°.

"Allowed of also; and Care to be taken that Custom may be freed, without Defalcation."

"They likewise desire Letters from His Majesty to the King of Denmarke, the Lords the States of The United Provinces, and the Senate of Hamborough, for Liberty to transport what they shall provide for His Majesty's Service."

R°.

"Allowed of also."

Memorandum, It was further contained in the said Offer of the Merchants, "That, if His Majesty shall be pleased to disburse the Monies here before-hand to these Merchants, it will advantage His Majesty Five or Six Pounds in every Hundred, whereby there will be so much saved unto His Majesty in the general Charge; so as, if Twenty Thousand Pounds shall be employed in this Service, His Majesty, by disbursing the Money aforehand, shall save Ten or Twelve Hundred Pounds."

Proposals for making Saltpetre.

The Lord Treasurer also reported, That, on Wednesday last, Thomas Russell made Proffer to the said Lords Committees for Defence of the Land, etc. to make Salt-petre with Urine, upon Earth and Lime; and tendered these Things to be considered of, which follow, with their Lordships Answers unto each Particular: videlicet,

"1. First, how much Salt-petre the House will require to see made, for their Satisfaction."

R°.

"A Thousand Weight is to be made for a Trial, at his own Charges. To begin on Monday next, and to be ready by the last of May."

"2. The Trial shall demonstrate, that there may be sufficient Quantity of Salt-petre made to serve the Kingdom; and that it shall be as good and useful as is undertaken."

R°.

"If this Second Part appear to be so upon Demonstration, then it is accepted of."

"3. The Person that must see and report it to be appointed."

R°.

"The Triers of this to be named by the Lords Committees by Tuesday next."

"4. A provisional Act to pass both the Houses, for confirming the King's Grant, and for raising the Stock of Twenty Thousand Pounds, if the Petitioner make good his Undertaking."

R°.

"If the Premises be made good, then a Provision may be had for Confirmation of the Letters Patents, according to the Statute against Monopolies, and Provision to be also made for the Twenty Thousand Pounds demanded."

"5. The Petitioner averreth, That the Urine which may be had (fn. 2) from every Two Hundred Houses (each House having Four Persons one with another) will make a Tun of Salt-petre Yearly."

R°.

"This Part is to be considered of by the Triers."

"6. The Stock of Twenty Thousand Pounds being provided, within One Half-year after there may be Works erected, and sufficient Quantity of Earth ripened to make continually Ten Tun of Salt-petre Weekly, which is Five Hundred Tun Yearly."

R°.

"This is to be undertaken and performed by Mr. Russell, upon the Payment of the said Twenty Thousand Pounds unto him."

The Lord Treasurer also reported, That the said Committee did intend a Recompence to be given unto the said Thomas Russell, if this His Project proved to be feasible, and yet not accepted of by the House.

Which was left to the said Lords Committees, to be settled at their next Meeting.

Memorandum, It was Agreed, that the Armourers, the Plate-makers, and Gun-makers, in and about London, shall be commanded to attend the said Committee, at their next Meeting; and their Lordships to agree about the Prices of the said Arms.

Account of Monies collected for the Captives in Barbary.

The Lord Bishop of Norwich reported, That the Committee appointed Yesterday did repair unto the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, touching his Grace's Account of the General Collections for Algiers; and that it appeared unto them, that his Grace had received of the said Collectors Two Thousand Seven Hundred Pounds; that he had issued out Two Thousand Two Hundred and Ninety Pounds; that as yet there remain in his Hands Four Hundred and Ten Pounds.

Agreed, That the Remain of the Money in the Lord Archbishop of Cant's Hands of the said Collections shall be employed towards the Redemption of the English Captives in Sallye.

Report concerning Pinckney's Petition.

The Earl of Bridgwater reported, That the Lords Committees for Petitions think it fit, That the Order formerly reported by them for the Relief of Tymothy Pinckney (dated 17 Martii) be amended, with one Addition in the Body of the said Order, and another to the End thereof. The which Amendments were read, and allowed. Then the said Order, so amended, was read, in hæc verba: videlicet,

"As touching the Relief of Tymothy Pinckney, the Earl of Bridgwater reported, That the Lords Committees for Petitions are informed, that there rests in the Hands of James Trussell, William Taylor, and William Tulley (late Sequestrators of Barne-Elmes), the Sum of Two Hundred and Eighty-nine Pounds, of which will rest clear, their own Debts being satisfied (according to a Certificate made in Chancery after the Rate of Two Shillings and Ten Pence in the Pound), but Two Hundred and Twenty-four Pounds; and that there rests in the Chancery, not as yet disposed of, about One Hundred Pounds; all which their Lordships think fit that the Lord Keeper take into his Consideration, whether, out of these, or any other Thing else that shall appear unto His Lordship, any Relief may, in Justice and Equity, be afforded unto the said Petitioner Pinckney; and afterwards (Pinckney being satisfied) to consider what Satisfaction may be given unto Sir William Paddy, Knight, for a Debt owing unto him by Sir John Kennedey, deceased; and that the said Lords Committees are still of Opinion, That the Recognizance, mentioned in the first Order concerning Pinckney (dated 28 May 1624), be discharged."

All which was Ordered accordingly.

Adjourn.

Dominus Custos Magni Sigilli declaravit præsens Parliamentum continuandum esse usque in diem Martis proximum, videlicet, 28^m diem instantis Martii, hora nona, Dominis sic decernentibus.