House of Lords Journal Volume 5: 12 December 1642

DIE Lunæ, videlicet, 12 die Decembris.

Prayers.

Earls of Bedford and Portland, about Whittlesea.

Ordered, That the Cause concerning the Earls of Bedford and Porland, concerning the Fens in Wittlesey Meere, shall be heard the next Easter Term.

The Messengers sent on Saturday last to the House of Commons, with the Letter concerning the Inland Letteroffice, returned Answer, "That they have delivered the same to the House of Commons."

Declaration to The States of Holland.

Next, the Declaration to The States of Holland was read, which was brought lately from the House of Commons, together with an Order to give Power to Mr. Walter Strickland to present the same, from both Houses of Parliament. (Here enter it.)

This House thought fit to add these Words to the Declaration; videlicet, ["and other ill-affected Persons"].

Mr. Strickland to present it.

Ordered, That this House agrees with the House of Commons, in this Order concerning Mr. Strickland.

Message to the H. C. to acquaint them with it.

A Message was sent to the House of Commons, by Sir Edward Leech and Dr. Bennett:

To let the House of Commons know, that this House agrees with the House of Commons in the Declaration to be sent to The States of Holland, with the small Additions; and that this House agrees with them in the Order concerning Mr. Strickland.

The Messengers return with this Answer:

Answer.

That the House of Commons do agree with their Lordships in (fn. 1) the Amendments in the Declaration to be sent to The States of Holland.

Message from thence, for Concurrence in the following Orders;

A Message was brought from the House of Commons, by Sir Tho. Barrington; which consisted of these Particulars:

1. To desire Concurrence in an Order concerning Provision of Match and Powder. (Here enter it.)

Agreed to.

2. An Order to pay One Thousand Pounds a Week to the Committee for the Safety, for to provide Arms and Ammunition. (Here enter it.)

Agreed to.

3. An Order for sending Provisions for Relief of Ireland, and to give Licence for the same. (Here enter it.)

Agreed to.

4. An Order for melting of the Bells at Exon, to cast into Ordnance. (Here enter it.)

Agreed to.

for an Answer about the Master of the Rolls;

5. To desire an Answer concerning the Propositions touching the Master of the Rolls.

Return an Answer by Messengers of their own.

and for a Conference about a Declaration in Answer to the King's.

6. To desire a Conference, touching a Declaration in Answer to a Declaration of His Majesty.

Agreed, To give a Conference To-morrow Morning, at Ten of the Clock in the Morning.

The Answer returned was:

Answer to the H. C.

That this House will send an Answer, by Messengers of their own, concerning the Speaker of the House of Commons to be Master of the Rolls; and that this House will give them a Conference To-morrow Morning, at Ten of the Clock, as is desired, in the Painted Chamber; also that this House agrees with the House of Commons in the rest of the Orders now brought up.

"A Declaration of both Houses of Parliament, made the Twelfth of December, 1642, to be presented to the High and Mighty Lords The States General of the United Provinces.

Declaration of both Houses to be sent to The States of Holland.

"We, the Lords and Commons in the Parliament of England assembled, did with much Contentment and Satisfaction receive the Answer of the High and Mighty Lords The States General of the United Provinces, to the Declaration presented to them on our Behalf by Walter Strickland, Esquire; finding therein many lively Expressions of their Affections to the Peace and Prosperity of this Kingdom, and tender Resentment of our Troubles, and of their Care and Resolution of hindering the Passage of any Men, Ammunition, or Arms, which might foment and increase the unhappy Differences and Combustion wherewith this Nation is miserably distracted and distempered, which we thankfully and gladly received, as a Means of our present Safety, and a Help towards the settling of a desired Peace betwixt His Majesty and His most loyal Subjects, and Foundation of a more near and beneficial Conjunction betwixt this Kingdom and that State, for Preservation of the Reformed Religion, and Relief of many oppressed Princes and States against the common Enemies, both theirs and ours. But this Hope and Contentment hath been much impaired, by the frequent Experiments we have had of the Transportation of Men, Munition, and Arms, from those Parts, which have been employed against, and by many undoubted Advertisements of the continual Preparations and Endeavours, by divers Traitors and Fugitives of this Nation now residing in The United Provinces, to procure great Quantities of Treasure, and other Warlike Provisions, to be conveyed over from those Parts against the Parliament and Subjects of this Kingdom; and particularly that Colonel Goreing, Captain Byron, Sir Francis Mackworth, Captain Lloyd, Captain Brett, and Captain Windham, with divers Hundreds of Soldiers, being in the Pay of that State, are either lately shipped, or ready to embark, from some of the Ports belonging to the same, for Newcastle, to join with the Army of Papists and other ill-affected Persons raised in the North Parts of this Kingdom, against the Parliament, and for the Subversion of the Protestant Religion here, which hath exceedingly encouraged that Party, and confirmed His Majesty in adhering to those evil Counsellors, which have been the Authors of the Public Troubles and Miseries of this Kingdom, and rejecting the many humble Petitions that He would be pleased, according to the Laws of the Kingdom, to return to His Parliament, and, by their Counsels and Advice, to secure our Religion and the Laws against the wicked Plots and Designs which long have been and still are in Agitation, for the Subversion of both; in doing whereof, we have offered, and are still ready, to secure His Majesty's Person, Honour, and Estate, in any Manner which may be expected from true Christians and loyal Subjects; and which we solemnly profess, in the Presence of Almighty God, to be our real Intention and hearty Desire to perform; and that, whatsoever is pretended or published to the contrary, as if we had admitted any Designs, or expressed any Endeavours, to the Hurt of His Person, or Prejudice of His Sovereignty, proceeds from their false malicious Scandal of such as are Enemies to the Public Peace: Wherefore we intreat that wise and prudent State to fulfil those Promises and Declarations, which they have made to us, of restraining and prohibiting the Transportation of Men, Arms, Money, or other Warlike Provisions, against us; that they will enquire into the Faults and Neglects of those Officers, who have suffered so many Breaches and Violations thereof; that they will be pleased, with all just Favour, to admit of such Complaints and Informations, as shall be made to them, by Mr. Strickland, in that Behalf; and that they will look upon this, not only as a Matter of civil Respect to this Kingdom, but as that which much concerns the Honour of God, the Defence of Religion, their own Safety and Liberty, who, if we be destroyed, will not only be deprived of an affectionate and useful Alliance, but environed with such Enemies as, by the same Rules and Principles, by which they have been active to seek our Ruin, will be carried on to all Kind of Practices and Endeavours to ruin them."

Mr. Strickland to present this Declaration.

"It is this Day Ordered, by the Lords and Commons, &c. That Mr. Strickland be authorized to deliver to The States General this Declaration; and to communicate it to The States of Holland and Zealand, and also to the Prince of Orange, if he shall find it convenient; and also to any other of The States of the other Provinces there."

Committee in London to provide Match, &c.

"It is this Day Ordered, by the Lords and Commons, That the Committee of Lords and Commons that sit in London, concerning Monies, do take Care for the providing a Supply of Match, and likewise for the Payment of such Provisions of Match; and likewise to make a Supply of Arms and Ammunition, and to provide for the Payment thereof."

1000 l. per Week to be paid to the Committee in London, till 20,000 l. is paid, to provide Arms, &c.

"It is this Day Ordered, by the Lords and Commons in Parliament, That the Treasurers at Guildhall, for the Propositions, do pay unto the Committee of Lords and Commons sitting in London, upon Accompt, Weekly, One Thousand Pounds, till Twenty Thousand Pounds be paid; and that the said Committee be authorized, or any Three of them, to issue out their Warrants for the Payments, from Time to Time, out of the Weekly Payments, such Sums of Money as shall be by them contracted for, for the Provision of Arms and Ammunition; and that the said Committee, or any Three of them, do cause a Certificate to be made Weekly to the Committee for the Safety of the Kingdom, of such Monies as shall be received and expended by Virtue of this Order: It is further Ordered, That all those Persons, that search after and receive the Arms of any Soldiers, do send them to the Committee of the Lords and Commons in London, that they may take Order, that they be laid up in the Stores, and made serviceable."

Committee to give Licences for transporting of Corn. &c. into Ireland.

"Whereas the Committee for the Affairs of Ireland have taken into Consideration, that divers Quantities of Cloaths, Victuals, Cloathing, and other Necessaries of that Kind, fit for the Supply of His Majesty's Army in Ireland, and for the Relief of His Majesty's Protestant Subjects there, have hitherto, by virtue of His Majesty's Letters of Privy Seal, been suffered to raise out of the Ports of this Kingdom, and been carried to certain Places of that Kingdom, Custom-free in both, in such Proportions, and in such Manner, as the Committee of Irish Affairs, or such Commissioners as should be appointed by His Majesty, with the Consent of the Lords and Commons in Parliament, should from Time to Time appoint, the Merchants giving good Security to deliver such Provisions at such Ports, as they shall be assigned unto by such Committee or Commissioners: Forasmuch as it is conceived, that the granting of such Licences for the Time to come will very much conduce to the Relief of that Kingdom, as it hath been heretofore, it is this Day Ordered, by the Lords and Commons in Parliament, That Power may be given to the said Committee, to make forth and sign such Licences, for the Transportation of Corn, Victual, and Cloathing, from hence, into the several Parts of Ireland where His Majesty's Forces are, for Relief of them, and other His Majesty's Protestant Subjects, and under the same Cautions and Limitations, as they were formerly granted by the Lords and others His Majesty's Commissioners for the Affairs of Ireland."

Bells at Exeter to be melted for Ordnance: and Divine Service to be performed, without Chaunting, &c.

"It is this Day Ordered, by the Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled, in regard of the great and imminent Danger the City of Exon is now in, the same being threatened to be besieged, and sacked, and plundered, if they be not enabled to make Resistance, That the Mayor and Deputy Lientenants of the said City, or any Three of them, shall have Power to seize on any of the Bells in the Cathedral, or other Church within the said City, and the same to melt and cast into Cannons, or other Pieces of Ordnance, as shall be by them thought most necessary for their Defence; and the said Mayor and Deputy Lieutenants, or any Three of them, are also authorized to take into their Possession, for the Public Use of the said City, and to make a Magazine for keeping of Provisions, and other Stores for Ammunition, such Part of the Cathedral Church, or Bishop's Palace, or House, as may best be spared, and shall be most useful for such an Employment: And, in these Times of Public Danger and Calamity, it is Ordered, That such Part of the Common Prayer and Service as is performed by Singing-men, Choristers, and Organs, in the Cathedral Church there, be wholly forborn and omitted; and the same to be done in a reverend, humble, and decent Manner, without Singing, or using the Organs."

Adjourn.

House adjourned till 10 ^a cras.