House of Lords Journal Volume 6: 1 July 1643

DIE Sabbati, 1 die Julii.

PRAYERS.

Earl of Manchester, Speaker this Day.

E. of Portland sent for.

Ordered, That the Earl of Portland be sent for, to attend this House at Two of the Clock this Afternoon, to be further examined by the Committee, upon Oath.

Wainman and Elzey.

Upon reading the Petition of John Wainman, Waterman, and Servant to the Earl of Holland; shewing, That one Elzey, who hath much vexed and molested the Petitioner, hath, this present last Sessions holden at The Old Bayly, by a Wile, caused the Petitioner and his Wife to come to the Sessions, where both he and his Wife (fn. 1) were presently clapped up in Newgate, where they remain in great Distress and Misery:" Hereupon this House Ordered, That Mr. Baron Trevor and Mr. Serjeant Whitfeild, or either of them, shall hereby have Power to call before them the Parties concerned, and their Witnesses, and examine this Business, and make Report thereof to this House in Writing.

Adjourn.

House adjourned to 2 ^a post meridiem.

Post meridiem.

PRAYERS.

E. of Portland sworn.

The Earl of Portland came in, and was sworn at the Clerk's Table, to answer such Things as should be asked him by the Committee, concerning the Discourse which he had with Mr. Waller when they spake together last.

Examined about his Conversation with Mr. Waller.

The House was adjourned during Pleasure; and the Lords Committees went to the Examination of the Earl of Portland.

The Lords Committees being returned; the House was resumed.

Message from the H. C. for a Conference on the following Subjects;

A Message was brought from the House of Commons, by Sir Wm. Lewis:

To desire a Conference, so soon as it may stand with their Lordships Conveniency,

1. Touching a Letter received from the Lord General.

2. Touching a Governess for the King's Children.

3. Touching some Letters received from Ireland, and an Answer to be sent.

with Orders;

4. To desire Concurrence in Two Orders.

and with a Name to add to the Leicester Committee.

5. To desire their Lordships Approbation that Wm. Billars Alderman of Leycester, to be one of the Committees for the County of Leycester and Town of Leycester.

Agreed to.

The Answer was:

Answer.

That their Lordships will give a present Conserence; and that they agree to the naming of Mr. Billars; but concerning the rest of the Ordinances, their Lordships will take the same into Consideration.

The Speaker acquainted the House, "That he had received a Letter from the Lord General;" which was commanded to be read, as followeth:

E. of Essex's Letter, for Committees of both Houses to assist him with their Advice.

"My Lord,

"Since the coming of the Army to this Place, the Unseasonableness of the Weather, and some other Accidents which have intervened with us, hath prevented many Things which I purposed to have attempted had God seen it fit; and therefore I very much desire that some of the Lords of your House might be sent down, that, together with some of the House of Commons, we may confer and debate of Things of great Necessity to be considered of, which I must desire may be done with all possible Speed, that, upon a Result of what may be offered then, you may receive full Satisfaction of our Condition; which I leave to the Wisdom of the House, resting

Thame, 30 June, 1643.

"Your Lordship's faithful Servant,

"Essex."

Assembly of Divines desire they may keep a Fast.

Next, the Speaker acquainted the House, "That it was the Desire of the Assembly, that they might have Liberty to keep a Fast at the Beginning of the Assembly."

Persons to preach at it.

To which this House (fn. 2) Agreed, and appointed Friday next for the Fast; and Mr. Bowles of Sutton and Mr. Gattaker to preach.

Message to the H. C. to acquaint them with it; and that the Lords may communicate the E. of Essex's Letter.

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

To desire, at the next Conference, their Lordships may communicate unto them a Letter which came from the Lord General; and to let them know that, it being the Desire of the Assembly that they may begin with a Fast, their Lordships have appointed Friday next as a fit Day, and that Mr. Bowles of Sutton and Mr. Gattaker shall preach; and desire the Concurrence of the House of Commons herein.

Cole, a Pass.

Ordered, That Mr. Cole, a Servant of the Marquis of Hambleton, shall have a Pass, to Oxford, and return again.

Examinations concerning the Discourse between the E. of Portland and Mr. Waller.

The Earl of Manchester reported from the Committee the Examinations of the Earl of Portland, touching the Discourse which Mr. Waller had with his Lordship lately.

And the Examinations were read.

Then this House caused Mr. Thayn, the Gentleman Usher of this House, to depose upon Oath what the Earl of Portland said to him lately, concerning Mr. Waller; and he deposed as followeth:

"That, on Wednesday the 21st of June, whilst he staid to see whether Mr. Alderman Atkins would receive my Lord of Portland, Mr. Waller came to speak with his Lordship, as he conceived. Mr. Alderman carried them into an upper Room; and, when they came down, my Lord came into the Parlour where he staid, and said these or the like Words, Pray do me the Favour to tell my Lord of Northumb. that Mr. Waller hath extremely pressed me to save my own Life, and his, and to cast the Guilt or Blame upon my Lord Conway and my Lord of Northumberland."

The Lord Lovelace also testified to the House (but not upon Oath) what Words the Earl of Portland spake to him, and what passed in his Presence. (Here enter it.)

Lawrence to attend about it.

Ordered, That John Lawrence, an Apothecary in Cheapeside, shall be sent (fn. 3) for, to attend this House on Monday Morning next, at Nine of the Clock, to be examined touching the Earl of Portland.

The Messengers return with this Answer:

Answer from the H. C.

That the House of Commons agrees for communicating, at the next Conference, a Letter from the Lord General; and likewise they do agree for the Fast for the Assembly to be on Friday next, and Mr. Bowles and Mr. Gattaker to preach.

The House was adjourned during Pleasure, and the Lords went to the Conference; which being ended, the House was resumed.

Report of the Conference on the Lord General's Letter for Committees to assist him.

The Speaker reported the Effect of this Conference; which was, "That they have received a Letter from the Lord General, verbatim with the Letter sent to this House, to desire some Members to be sent to him; and, when their Lordships shall appoint a Committee of Lords, the House of Commons will appoint a proportionable Number of their House to go."

Committee to go to him.

Ordered, That this House appoints the Earl of Holland and the Lord Gray of Werke to go, with a proportionable Number of the House of Commons.

For Lady Vere to be Governess of the King's Children.

2. That the House of Commons desire their Lordships Concurrence in an Ordinance for appointing the Lady Veere to be Governess of the King's Children at St. James's.

This House thought it fit to acquaint the Lady Veere with it, before any Thing be Resolved in it.

Examination of the E. of Portland, &c. to be delivered to the Committee of the H. C.

(fn. 4) Ordered, That Copies of the Examinations of the Earl of Portland shall be written out; and the Deposition of the Lord Lovelace and Mr. Thayn shall be written out, and delivered to Mr. Pym, or any of the Committees of the House of Commons, by the Directions of this House.

Countess of Devon's House, near Leicester, not to be damaged.

Ordered, That the Committee at Leycester do forbear to do any Thing to the House of the Countess Dowager of Devonshire, situate near Leycester, as may deface it, or demolish it; but, if there be any Occasion to put in any Forces into it, they may do it at their own Charge.

Lady Fenn, a Pass.

Ordered, That the Lady Fenn shall have a Pass, to come from Oxford, with a Man, and a Maid, and Horse, to London.

The Lord Lovelace's Testimony:

I.d. Lovelace's Evidence, concerning the E. Portland and Mr. Waller.

"That his Lordship went to the Earl of Portland on Monday in the Afternoon; and, after he had been there a while, the Earl of Portland shewed Alderman Atkins's Wife a Petition; and, after she had read it, the Earl of Portland shewed it to his Lordship; and he remembers that, in the said Petition, there was this Clause in it, ["That Mr. Waller desired him to save himself and him, by laying the Blame on my Lord Conway and my Lord of Northumberland."]

Adjourn.

House adjourned till 9 ^a , Monday.