House of Lords Journal Volume 7: 7 April 1645

Die Lunæ, 7 die Aprilis.

PRAYERS, by Mr. Gibbs.

Ds. Grey de Warke, Speaker.

Answer from the H. C.

Dr. Heath, &c. return with this Answer to the Message sent on Saturday last to the House of Commons:

That they agree to the Pass for Mr. Wm. Grey, and Mr. Tho. Grey; as concerning the rest of the Particulars, they will send an Answer by Messengers of their own.

Message from thence, with Ordinances, &c.

A Message was brought from the House of Commons, by Mr. Grimston;

To desire Concurrence to these Particulars:

1. An Ordinance for issuing out Two Thousand Pounds, out of the Excise, for the Payment of the Horse late under the Command of the Lord General.

(Here enter it.)

Agreed to.

2. An Order for securing of the Two Thousand Pounds for Abingdon, out of the next Monies arising out of the Excise, &c. (Here enter it.)

Agreed to.

3. An Order for preparing Articles and a Charge against Mr. Griffith. (Here enter it.)

Agreed to.

The Answer returned was:

Answer.

That this House agrees to all the Particulars of this Message.

Message from the H. C. with a Declaration concerning the Isle of Wight.

A Message was brought from the House of Commons, by Mr. Lisle, &c.

1. To desire Concurrence in a Declaration concerning the Isle of Wight, &c. (Here enter it.)

Read, and Agreed to.

The Answer returned was:

Answer.

That this House agrees to the Declaration now brought up, concerning the Isle of Wight.

Griffith, for Scandal.

Ordered, That the Committee for Mr. Griffin's Business shall meet this Afternoon, at Two of the Clock, and afterwards at such Time as they shall appoint.

Countess of Peterborough, freed from the Order of the Committee at Kingston, for paying a Stipend to a Curate appointed by them for the Church of Capell; and Pilkington, her Servant, released, who was committed by them.

Upon reading the Petition of Eliz. Countess Dowager of Peterborough; complaining, "That she being Owner of the Impropriate Rectory and Church of Capell, in the County of Surry, and is to find a Curate there at her own Charge; that the Curate by her appointed for the serving of the Cure there was lately displaced, by the Committee of scandalous Ministers; that one Mr. Dennis is, by the Committee at Kingston, put into this Place; and her Tenant of the said Rectory is by them Ordered to allow him Forty Pounds per Annum; that hereupon the Petitioner sent her Servant John Pilkington to the said Committee at Kingston, to acquaint them with her Right of appointing of a fit Curate there, as she conceives it lawful for her to do; that her said Servant, appearing at the said Committee, was by them demanded whether he had taken the National Covenant; who answering it was never offered him, they then urged him to take it presently; whereupon he desiring to have further Time to consider thereof, they then forthwith committed him to the Marshal, in whose Custody he now remaineth a Prisoner." It is Ordered, That the said John Pilkington shall be released forthwith of his Imprisonment; and that the Committee do take off their Order for the Payment of the Forty Pounds per Annum out of the Petitioner's Estate, or else shew to this House the Grounds upon which they did it.

Mr. Thornton's Ordinance.

Next, the Ordinance for taking off the Sequestration from the Estate of Mr. Thornton, of Lyncolneshire.

(Here enter it.)

Read Thrice, and Agreed to.

States Ambassadors Audience.

Ordered, That this House appoints to give Audience to The States Ambassadors To-morrow Morning.

Message to the H. C. about it;

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

To let them know, that whereas this House appointed this Day to give Audience to The States Ambassadors, of which their Lordships gave the House of Commons Notice (fn. 1) on Saturday last, but have received no Answer of it; therefore to give them Notice, that this House hath appointed, and are resolved, to give them Audience To-morrow Morning.

and for Committees to meet about Mr. Griffith's Business.

2. To let them know, that this House hath added Four Lords to the Committee for Mr. Griffith's Business, and desire that they would add a proportionable Number of their House; and that their Lordships have appointed the Lords Committees to meet this Afternoon, at Three of the Clock, in the Prince's Lodgings, and afterwards at such other Times as they please.

Order for the Commissioners of Excise to repay themselves 2000l. advanced for the Horse late under the Command of the Ed. General.

"Whereas John Towse Esquire, Alderman of the City of London, and the rest of the Commissioners of Excise or new Impost, have advanced and lent the Sum of (fn. 2) Two Thousand Pounds, to be disposed of by the Committee of both Kingdoms, for the Payment of the Horse late under the Command of the Lord General: Be it Ordained, by the Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled, That the said Commissioners of Excise, their Executors, Administrators, or Assigns, shall and may satisfy and reimburse themselves the said Sum of Two Thousand Pounds, together with Interest for the same after the Rate of Eight Pounds per Cent. for so long Time as the same, or any Part thereof, shall be forborn, out of such Intervals of Receipts as shall happen when other Payments already assigned upon the Office of Excise shall not fall due, or, for Want of such Intervals, then as the same shall follow in Course; and shall not, by any other Order or Ordinance of One or both Houses of Parliament, be debarred from satisfying themselves accordingly; and the Receipt of Walter Frost Esquire shall be a sufficient Discharge for the said Two Thousand Pounds to the said Commissioners in that Behalf."

Order for 2000l. for the E. of Manchester's Forces at Abingdon.

"It is this Day Ordered, by the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, That the Two Thousand Pounds assigned for some of the Regiments of the Association at Abingdon be secured out of the next Money arising out of the Excise, after the Monies already assigned, in case that the said Two Thousand Pounds shall not be satisfied and secured out of the Arrears of the said associated Counties to the present Treasurers who shall advance the same."

Order for preparing Articles and Charge against Mr. Griffith.

"It is Ordered, by the Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled, That the Business concerning Mr. John Griffith's scandalizing the Prince Elector and the Lady Herbert, is hereby referred back to the Committee of Lords and Commons in that Behalf, to examine fully this whole Business concerning Mr. John Griffith, and all other Informations against him of the like Nature, and, upon the whole, to prepare Articles; and that the Committee shall have Power to take his Answer, and to give unto him the Matters they examine him upon in Writing (if they shall see Cause); and to send for Parties, Witnesses, Papers, and Records; and that One Lord and Three Commoners of the said Committee shall have Power to examine and proceed herein according to this Order."

Declaration concerning the Ld. Lieu't of Hants and the Isle of Wight.

"The Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled do Declare, That the Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire, South'ton, and the Isle of Wight, by what Name soever called, is comprehended within the Exception of Lieutenancy in the Ordinance of both Houses of Parliament, for taking away (fn. 3) Offices, Military and Civil, from the Members of Parliament."

"An Ordinance for the Discharge of the Delinquency of William Thornton Gentleman.

Ordinance to clear Mr. Thornton of his Delinquency.

"Whereas William Thorneton, of Wyham, in the County of Lincolne, Gentleman, hath been fined at Two Hundred Marks for his Delinquency, to pay the same by Way of Composition to the Use of the State, and, in Pursuance of the said Composition, hath paid the same to the Committee at Gouldsmiths Hall intrusted for that Service: It is this Day, therefore, Ordered, Ordained, and Declared, by the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, and the said Lords and Commons do hereby Order, Ordain, and Declare, That the Sequestration of the said William Thornton's Estate, in what County or Place soever, shall be, and is hereby, taken off and discharged, from the Day of the making his said Composition, being the Seventh of this Instant March, and his Delinquency against the Parliament pardoned and remitted; any former Direction, Declaration, or Ordinance, notwithstanding."