House of Lords Journal Volume 4: 10 December 1641

DIE Veneris, videlicet, 10 die Decembris.

PRAYERS.

Watchmen about the House disliked.

There being this Day a Company of Watchmen with Halberds about the Parliament Door; it was moved, That some of them might be called in, to know who did command them to come, and by what Authority and to what Purpose they come. Hereupon Two of the Constables were brought in, and demanded the Reason why they came hither. They said, "They came by virtue of a Warrant from the High Constable, to be ready this Day to attend the Houses of Parliament, because a Riot is likely to be in Westm."

High Constable and Undersheriff to attend.

Ordered, That the High Constable and the Undersheriff do attend this House presently.

Petition of Somersetshire, concerning the Church Government.

A Petition was delivered into this House, by the Lord Marquis of Hartford, from some of the County of Som'settshire, concerning the Government of the Church; which was read presently.

Petition of Huntingdonshire, about the same.

Next the Petition, under the Hands of some of the Inhabitants of Huntingtonshire, was read, touching Church Government.

High Constable examined, concerning the Watchmen about the House.

The High Constable was brought in, and asked by what Authority he gave Order for the Watchmen to guard this House. He said, he received (fn. 1) it from the Justices of the Peace.

Under-sheriff examined about them.

After this, the Under-sheriff of Midd. was called in, and demanded by what Warrant the Watchmen are here. He said, he had received a Warrant from the Justices of the Peace of Midd. which they sent forth by virtue of the King's Writ directed to them, for preventing of Routs, Riots, and unlawful Assemblies, according to the Statute of 2 H. V.

Committee to enquire into this Business.

Then this House appointed the Lord Great Chamberlain, the Lord Wharton, the Lord Brooke, and the Lord Roberts, to go into Westm. Hall, and other Places near this House, to see what Company there is, whether any unlawful Assemblies or Routs were there; and these Lords reported unto this House, "That there was no Face of any Routs or Assemblies, nor any greater Number of People than usually."

The Watchmen discharged.

The Justices sent for.

Hereupon this House discharged the Guard, in the King's Name; and, in regard it appeared that it was the Precipitation of the Justices that caused these Men to come, by virtue of their Warrants, it is Ordered, That those Justices of the Peace for Midd. and Westm. that subscribed the Warrants, be sent for, to attend this House To-morrow, to (fn. 2) give a Reason why (fn. 3) they sent forth those Warrants, and what Reasons induced them to believe that there would be a Tumult this Day in Westm.

Symonds, about printing a Book against the Common Prayer.

Next Mathewe Symonds, a Printer, was brought in, and asked whether he printed a Book, intitutled, Certain Grievances, or Errors of the Service Book; and who delivered him the Copy thereof. The said Symonds confessed he printed such a Book, but it was printed divers Times before by others; and that one Lewis Hughes the Author did bring it him; but who did license it he knows not.

Hereupon these Lords following were appointed to consider of the aforesaid, and report their Opinions of it to this House: videlicet,

Their Lordships, or any Five, to meet on Monday next, at Twelve a Clock, in the Painted Chamber.

Symonds committed, and Hughes sent for.

Ordered, That Mathewe Symonds shall be committed to The Fleet, unless he find Bail to appear before the Lords Committees, and that Lewis Hughes do likewise attend the Lords Committees, on Monday next.

E. of Warwick versus Langhorne.

This House being this Day informed, "That William Langhorne, Merchant, hath been served with an Order of this House, dated the 26th of August last past, concerning the Right Honourable the Earl of Warwicke, and that the said Langhorne doth refuse to obey the same, by paying the Monies therein mentioned:" It is therefore Ordered, &c. That the said William Langhorne shall forthwith, upon Sight hereof, appear before their Lordships, to shew Cause why he hath not obeyed the said Order; upon whose Appearance their Lordships will take such further Course herein as in their Wisdoms they shall think fit.

A Message was brought from the House of Commons, by Mr. Marten:

Message from the H. C. for a Conference on the Bill for pressing Soldiers.

To desire a present Conference, by a Committee of both Houses, if it may stand with their Lordships Conveniency, touching the Amendments in the Bill for pressing of Soldiers.

The Answer returned was:

Answer.

That their Lordships will give a present Meeting, in the Painted Chamber, as is desired.

Conference reported.

The House was adjourned during Pleasure, the Lords went to the Conference; which being ended, the House was resumed; and the Lord Keeper reported the Effect of this Conference; which was, "That the House of Commons agree to all the Amendments and Alterations in the Bill for pressing of Soldiers; only they desire that Two Words may be omitted, videlicet, ["or compelled"].

Further Conference to be had about this Bill.

The House, taking this into Consideration, Resolved to have a Conference with the House [ (fn. 4) of Commons], to desire their Answer to a late Conference, to know whether they will fortify the Declaratory Clause in the Preamble of the Bill for Pressing, with the Reasons that induced them thereunto.

King's Counsel to be heard concerning it.

Ordered, That the King's Counsel shall be heard on Monday next, touching the Bill for pressing of Soldiers.

Message to the H. C. for a further Conference concerning it.

A Message was sent to the House of Commons, by Serjeant Ayliffe and Dr. Bennett:

To desire a present Conference, touching some Matter in the Bill for pressing of Soldiers.

The Answer which the House of Commons returned was:

Answer.

That they will give a present Meeting, as is desired, in the Painted Chamber.

Pluralities and Non-residents.

Ordered, That the Bill of Pluralities be taken into Consideration by the Committee on Monday next, at Nine of the Clock in the Morning.

Committee for Pirates.

Ordered, That the Committee for Pirates do meet To-morrow Morning, at Nine a Clock.

This Day Inigo Jones, Esquire, appeared in this House, according to an Order of their Lordships, to hear the Declaration read, which was brought up against him from the House of Commons; which was read in his Presence, in hæc verba: videlicet,

Impeachment of Inigo Jones.

"Declaration of the Commons, upon the Complaint, and in the Behalf, of the Parishioners of the Parish of St. Gregoryes, London, against Inigo Jones, Esquire:

"The Parish Church of St. Gregoryes, adjoining to the Cathedral Church of St. Paule, in London, aforesaid, is, and, from the Time whereof the Memory of Man is not to the contrary, hath been, the Parish Church for the Inhabitants of that Parish (lately computed to be Three Thousand Persons), for the Administration of Divine Service and Sacraments.

"The said Inigo Jones, being Surveyor of His Majesty's Works, and particularly to be designed for the Re-edifying of the said Church of St. Paule, would not undertake the Work, unless he might be (as he termed it) the sole Monarch, or might have the Principality thereof, conceiving that the Work could not well be done without pulling down the said Church of St. Gregoryes, presented a Plot to His Majesty accordingly.

"The said Inigo Jones having presented the said Plot, His Majesty thereupon signified His Pleasure; and, in Pursuance thereof, several Orders also were made at the Council Board, that the said Church should be taken down by the Parishioners, for the more convenient Repairing of the Cathedral Church of St. Paule; which the Parishioners refusing to obey, as was lawful for them to do, the said Inigo Jones, in Execution of the Plot and Design by him presented as aforesaid, and of His Majesty's Signification, and the Orders at the Council Board thereupon had, in or about March 1639, did pull down, and cause to be pulled down, Part of the said Church, and did also threaten that, if the Parishioners would not take down the rest of it, then the Galleries should be sawed down, and with Screws the Materials of the said Church should be thrown down into the Street; and the said Inigo Jones did further threaten the Parishioners, that, if they did not take down their said Church, they should be laid by the Heels; whereby the Parishioners, being thus affrighted, and to save the Materials (which not long before had cost them Fifteen Hundred Pounds), were inforced to take down some Part of the said Church, insomuch as it thereby was made altogether useless; and the said Parishioners, to that great Number, have ever since been wholly destitute of any Place within their own Parish for the public exercising of Religion.

"The Damages the Parishioners have hereby sustained is very great, and the Charge of Re-edifying the said Church, and restoring it to as good Plight as it was in before it was so wrongfully taken down, will amount at the least to Three Thousand Pounds; all which the said Parishioners are ready to prove and maintain.

"For Remedy therefor, and Redress herein, and chiefly to the End that the said Church of St. Gregoryes may be fully repaired and restored to the Plight and Condition wherein it formerly was, by and at the Charge of him and them by whose undue Means it was in Part taken down, or caused to be taken down, as aforesaid; it is desired that such Proceedings may be had and used against the Offenders herein as to Right and Justice doth appertain."

Time given him to put in his Answer.

This being read, the said Inigo Jones desired that he might have some Time to answer, by his Counsel: Hereupon it is Ordered, That he have a Copy of the Declaration against him, and shall put in his Answer thereunto on Tuesday come Sevennight.

Then

Adjourn.

Dominus Custos Magni Sigilli declaravit præsens Parliamentum continuandum esse usque in diem Sabbati, videlicet, 11^m diem Decembris, hora 1^a post meridiem, Dominis sic decernentibus.