House of Lords Journal Volume 5: 4 October 1642

DIE Martis, videlicet, 4 die Octobris.

PRAYERS.

The Lord Grey de Warke was appointed to be Speaker this Day.

Captains Slingsby and Wake Petition.

The Petition of Captain Slyngsby and Captain Wake, was read; desiring either to be brought to a Trial, or released out of their Imprisonment, or bailed, as their Lordships shall think fit.

The Earl of Holland signified to this House, "That the Earl of Warwicke had writ to him, that what Offence these Persons had done to him, as concerning his particular Person, he remits it all, and desires they may not suffer any Thing for his Sake, concerning this Business."

Earl of Warwick to send up Witnesses against them.

The Earl of Nothumb. is to let the Earl of Warwick, know, "That this House is sensible how long these Parties have lain in Prison, and to desire him to send up the Witnesses against them, else this House is inclined to bail them."

Earl of Bedford's Narrative of the Pursuit of the Marquis of Hertford.

This Day the Earl of Bedford, Lord Lieutenant General, made a Narrative of the Business in Somersetshire, concerning the Pursuit of the Marquis of Hartford and his Forces; with which Relation this House was well satisfied, that the Earl of Bedford had (fn. 1) done nothing which did not become a Man of Honour to do.

Message from the H. C. with Orders, &c.

A Message was brought from the House of Commons, by Mr. Pym; which consisted of divers Particulars:

1. A Declaration to be sent into Yorkshire, concerning the Treaty made by the Lord Fairefax. (Here enter it.)

Agreed to.

Ordered, That this Declaration shall be printed.

2. Divers Votes of the House of Commons, made up on that Occasion. (Here enter them.)

Agreed to, and Ordered to be printed.

3. Some Instructions in Pursuance of those Votes.

To be compared with former Instructions, to see whether they agree.

4. Some printed Propositions, concerning raising of Horse, Horsemen, and Arms, for the Defence of the King and both Houses of Parliament, together with Instructions concerning the same, desiring they may be sent down into Yorkeshire.

Agreed to be sent.

5. A Declaration to be sent into Ireland, by Mr. Reynolds and Mr. Goodwin, and printed Propositions of both Houses of Parliament, concerning the raising of Horse, Horsemen, and Arms, for the Defence of the King and both Houses of Parliament.

This is to be compared with the former Instructions given to this Committee.

A Message was sent to the House of Commons, by Sir Rob't Rich and Mr. Page:

Answer.

To let them know, that this House agrees with them in the Declaration and Votes concerning Yorkeshire.

Dexter sent for, for printing King James's Judgement of a King and of a Tyrant.

Upon Report, by the Lord Chief Justice, "That he hath examined one Abigall, the Wife of Gregory Dexter: That she confesseth that those Books called King James's Judgment of a King and of a Tyrant, after such Time as her Husband went away, were printed in her House, by her Appointment; but she doth not deny that she knoweth who it was that made it, or was the Author of it, but for the present refuseth to name him; and further she confesseth, That, about Three Weeks ago, the said Book was brought to her House to be printed:" Hereupon this House Ordered, That the said Abigall (fn. 2) Dexter shall be brought before this House To-morrow Morning, to be further examined concerning this Business.

Declaration concerning the Agreement at York, between Lord Fairfax and the County.

"Upon Perusal of certain Articles, dated the 29th of September, 1642, betwixt the Lord Fairefax and divers others well-affected to the Peace of the Kingdom, and Mr. Bellasis and others who have declared themselves in sundry Actions Opposers of the Proceedings of the Parliament, and Furtherers of the War raised against them, and of many grievous Pressures lately exercised upon the good Subjects Inhabitants of the County of Yorke; and being confident that, if the Lord Fairfax, and the rest of the Gentlemen on his Part, had known by what Acts and Design this Agreement was plotted on the other Side, and how dangerous and mischievous it must needs be, both in the Effect and in the Consequence, their good Intentions to the Peace of that County and of the Kingdom are such, that they would never have consented to any Thing so prejudicial thereunto as this seeming Neutrality would be, by making that County many Ways serviceable to those ill Counsels whereby His Majesty is incited against the Subjects, and no Way useful to the Parliament in protecting of them. Wherefore the Lords and Commons do Declare:

"1. That none of the Parties to that Agreement had any Authority, by any Act of theirs, to bind that County to any such Neutrality as is mentioned in that Agreement, it being a peculiar and proper Power and Privilege of Parliament, where the whole Body of the Kingdom is represented, to bind all or any Part thereof.

"2. That it is very prejudicial and dangerous to the whole Kingdom, that One County should withdraw themselves from the Assistance of the rest, to which they are bound by Law, and by several Orders and Declarations of Parliament.

"3. That it is very derogatory to the Power and Authority of a Parliament, that any private Men should take upon them to suspend the Execution of the Ordinance of the Militia, declared by both Houses to be according to Law, and very necessary at this Time, for the Preservation of the Peace and Safety of the Kingdom.

"4. That many Things in that Agreement are very unequal, and contrary to the Nature of a Neutrality (being much more advantageous to one Side than to the other), prejudicial to the public Defence of the Kingdom undertaken by the Parliament, and would be a great Impediment to that good Agreement betwixt His Majesty and His Subjects which both Houses doth earnestly desire and endeavour: For these and other Reasons, we hold ourselves bound in Conscience, in Performance of the several Protestations that we have made, to hinder all further Proceedings upon that Agreement.

"And therefore it is Ordered, by both Houses of Parliament, That no such Neutrality be observed in that County, which will advantage the Forces raised against the Parliament, and no Way benefit Yorkeshire, but rather most dangerous to them, by keeping that County without any defensive Force, whereby it will be open to the King, to bring back His Army at His Pleasure, and to make that His Winter Quarters, to which the Plenty of that County, and Nearness of Newcastle for Supplies by Sea, are better to invite Him, whereby it will become the Seat of the War: And, if this should not fall out, yet, if the rest of the Kingdom be suppressed, what Hope can Yorkeshire have, but to be involved in the public Misery? And therefore, in Wisdom for themselves, and Justice to the State, they ought not to withdraw themselves from the Common Cause, but to join with the Parliament in Defence of the Religion and Liberty of the whole Kingdom, and with them to labour, by all good Means, to procure a general Peace and Protection from the King for all His Subjects, which both the Houses of Parliament have, by many humble Petitions, desired of His Majesty, but cannot yet obtain; and if they should suffer any particular Counties to divide themselves from the rest of the Kingdom, it will be a Means of bringing all to Ruin and Destruction: Wherefore it is further Declared, That neither the Lord Fairfax, nor the Gentlemen of Yorkshire who are Parties in those Articles, nor any other Inhabitants of that County, are bound by any such Agreement; but they are required to pursue their former Resolutions of maintaining and assisting the Parliament, in Defence of the common Cause, and according to the general Protestation wherein they are bound with the rest of the Kingdom, and to that particular Protestation by themselves lately made, and according to such Orders and Commissions as they shall receive from both Houses of Parliament, from the Committee of Lords and Commons appointed for the Safety of the Kingdom, or from the Earl of Essex, Lord General."

Committee to raise Horse and Money in Yorkshire.

"Resolved, upon the Question, by both Houses of Parliament,

"That Mr. Hotham, and Sir Edward Rodes, and other the Committees for raising of Money, Plate, and Horses, for the Defence of the King and Kingdom, in the County of Yorke, and such as they, or any Two of them, shall nominate, shall be Commissioners for the advancing and raising of Monies, Horse, and Plate, upon the Propositions; and shall have Power to appoint Commissiaries to value the Horse, and Treasurers to receive the Monies and Plate.

To seize Delinquents there.

"Resolved, etc.

"That Mr. Hotham, and Sir Edward Rodes shall have the like Instructions as other Counties, with this Addition, That they shall have Power to seize and apprehend all Delinquents that are so voted by the Parliament, and all such others as Delinquents, as have or do shew themselves opposite and disobedient to the Orders and Proceedings of Parliament.

Fourth Article of the Lord General's Instructions to be sent to them.

"Resolved, etc.

"That the Fourth Article of the Lord General's Instructions shall be extracted, and sent to Mr. Hotham, etc. with Power to them to publish it:

"You shall Publish, and Declare, That if any, who have been so seduced, by the false Aspersions cast upon the Proceedings of the Parliament, as to assist the King in the acting of those dangerous Counsels, shall willingly, within Ten Days after such Publication in the Army, return to their Duty, not doing any hostile Act within the Time limited, and join themselves with the Parliament, in Defence of Religion, His Majesty's Person, the Liberties and Laws of the Kingdom, and Privileges of Parliament, with their Persons and Estates, as the Members of both Houses and the rest of the Kingdom have done, That the Lords and Commons will be ready, upon their Submission, to receive such Persons, in such Manner as they shall have Cause to acknowledge they have been used with Clemency and Favour; provided that this shall not extend to admit any Man into either House of Parliament, who stands suspended, without giving Satisfaction to the House whereof he shall be a Member, and except all Persons who stand impeached, or particularly voted, in either House of Parliament, for any Delinquency whatsoever; excepting likewise such Adherents of those who stands impeached in Parliament of Treason, as have been eminent Persons and chief Actors in those Treasons; and except the Earl of Bristoll, the Earl of Cumberland, the Earl of Newcastle, the Earl Rivers, Secretary Nicholas, Mr. Endymion Porter, Mr. Edward Hide, the Duke of Richmond, the Earl of Carnarvon, the Lord Viscount Newarke, the Lord Viscount Falkland One of the Principal Secretaries of State to His Majesty."

Adjourn.

Adjourn, 10^a cras.