House of Lords Journal Volume 7: 15 April 1645

Die Martis, 15 die Aprilis.

PRAYERS, by Mr. Smyth.

Ds. Grey de Warke, Speaker.

Captain Ruyter's Petition, to release the King of Denmark's Ship, called The Golden Sun.

Upon reading the Petition of Nicholas Ryter, Commander of the Ship called The Goulden Sunne, which belongeth to the King's Majesty of Denmarke, to desire the speedy Releasement of the said Ship: It is Ordered, To communicate this Petition to the House of Commons, and desire that it may be referred to the Committee for Foreign Affairs, to relieve the Petitioner; if they shall see Cause; or else to certify the Houses respectively what their Opinions are therein, that the Houses may give further Directions therein.

Success of the Scots against the Earl of Montrose.

Next, an Abstract of a Letter from Scotland was read, being a Narrative of the good Success of the Scotts against the Rebels there, under the Command of the Earl of Montrosse.

The Answer of John Earl of Bridgwater to the Petition of the Lady Alice Hastings:

Earl of Bridgewater's Answer to Lady Alice Hastings's Petition, about a Debt he owes her, of 3000l.

"My Lords,

I thankfully acknowledge your Lordships Respect and noble Courtesy, in vouchsasing me the Sight of her Petition, with Liberty to make my Answer thereto.

"My Lords,

"Though I do not acknowledge all the Allegations in the Petition to be as they be therein expressed: Yet I consess that I owe her Ladyship Three Thousand Pounds, for Payment whereof with Interest she hath Security by Bonds, from me and my Sureties; and I have conveyed over Lands of a far greater Value to my Sureties, for securing the Payment thereof, amongst other of my Debts; so that, upon the Matter, she hath both Bonds and Lands for her Security; and I have paid her all her Interest hitherto; but, by reason of the Distraction of the Times, I am disabled for the present to (fn. 1) re-pay the Principal; (which if I did, she (I presume) must and would put it out at Interest to others, and it may be not better her Security, the Times considered); yet I have offered (she delivering up her present Security) to give her new Security by other Lands, as should be reasonably agreed on by Counsel of both Sides, which I conceived she intended to accept of.

"This being the Truth of my Case, who intend, God willing, to pay her the future Interest as the same shall grow due, and the Principal with as much Speed as I possibly can;

"I humbly desire your Lordships to be pleased to conceive, that I have offered her as much as in Reason (the Times considered) can be expected. I further intreat your Lordships to be pleased to continue your noble Courtesies towards me, and respect me in the Quality of an infirm Member of your House, and

"Your Lordships humble Servant,

"J. Bridgwater."

Thanksgiving for the Success of the Scots.

Ordered, That Thanks be given on Sunday next, for the good Success of the Scotts against the Rebels in that Kingdom, in all the Churches and Chapels within the Lines of Communication.

Message to the H. C.about it.

A Message was sent to the House of Commons, by Mr. Serjeant Whitfield and Doctor Heath:

To deliver the Abstract of the Scott Letter to them, which was received from the Hands of the Earl of Laidderdaile, concerning the good Success of the Scotts again the Rebels in Scotland; and to desire their Concurrence, that Public Thanks may be given for the same, in all the Parish Churches and Chapels within the Line of Communication and Bills of Mortality.

Sir J. Lenthall to attend, about letting Mr. Wise escape into the Country.

Ordered, That Sir John Lenthall Knight, Keeper of the Prison of the King's Bench, shall attend this House To-morrow Morning, to give an Account why he permitted Mr. Wise to go into the Country, being in his Custody.

Samwell to be Matter of the Armory in the Tower.

Upon reading the Petition of Arthur Samuell Esquire: (Here enter the Petition.) It is Ordered, That this Petition be recommended to the House of Commons; (fn. 2) and to let them know, that this House thinks fit to (fn. 3) grant the Desire of the Petitioner, in having the Place of the Master of the Armory in The Tower; and to desire the Concurrence of the House of Commons therein.

Mr. Altham's Ordinance.

Next, the Ordinance for taking off the Sequestration of James Altham, was read the Third Time, and Agreed to. (Here enter it.)

Mr. Rose's Ordinance.

The Ordinance for taking off the Sequestration of Christoser Rose, was read, and Agreed to.

(Here enter it.)

Committee to congratulate the Scots Commissioners on the Success of their Forces against the Earl of Montrose.

Ordered, That the Earl of Pembrooke, Earl of Warwicke, and the Lord Willoughby, are appointed to go to the Scottish Commissioners, from this House; and congratulate the good News of the Success of the Forces in Scotland against the Rebels; and that the House of Commons be desired to join a proportionable Number of their House herein, and to meet at Four of the Clock this Afternoon, to go.

Message to the H.C. to appoint a Committee to go with them.

A Message was sent to the House of Commons, by Mr. Serjeant Whitfield, &c.

To let them know, that this House hath appointed Three Lords, to go and congratulate with the Scotts Commissioners the good Success of their Forces in Scotland; and to let them know, that this House hopes this will be a Means for the speedier advancing of their Army Southward: and to desire that the House of Commons will appoint a proportionable Committee of their House, to join with the Three Lords, with the same Power from their House; and to go at Four of the Clock this Afternoon.

Mr. Samwell's Petition, to be Master of the Armory in The Tower.

"To the Right Honourable the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament.

"The humble Petition of Arthur Samwell Esquire.

"Sheweth,

"That your Petitioner was never Owner at the best but of a Younger Brother's Fortune, wherein it hath pleased God heretofore to send him many Losses.

"That the best Part of what remained (being Two Thousand Pounds) was, at the Beginning of this Parliament, unhappily lodged in Sir Thomas Dawes's Hands, where it still rests, without any visible Hopes of Rescue, either for Principal or Interest.

"That, in Hopes the better to secure and more speedily to recover the same, the Petitioner did, in August, 1641, borrow Two Thousand Pounds to lend the Parliament (then in a Streight for Monies), towards the Payment of the Northern Armies, and is forced still to continue the same at Interest.

"That, for his Encouragement and Security therein, the House of Commons then passed an Order, That, if the Petitioner were not enabled by Bill to receive both the said Sums out of the Estates of Sir Abraham and Sir Thomas Dawes, then the Two Thousand Pounds lent, with Interest for the same, should be paid out of the Monies to be raised by the Poll-bill then newly passed, as by the said Order hereunto annexed appears.

"That, notwithstanding that Order, the Petitioner, after almost Four Years chargeable Attendance, hath yet no Satisfaction for either of these Sums.

"That the Remnant of his Fortune (being a Pensioner's Place in His Majesty's Service) is, since these unhappy Troubles, taken from him, for obeying the Commands of Parliament; so that he is not only totally divested of his poor Estate, and cast even upon the Charity of his Friends, but lies still at Stake for the Two Thousand Pounds which so long since he borrowed for the Public Service, and that without any Means under Heaven left him for the Discharge thereof.

"All which he humbly offers to your Honours Consideration and Compassion:

"And prays that (in regard the Petitioner is willing and desirous, to the utmost of his Ability, to comply with the present Necessities of the Public, in forbearing his said Debt of Two Thousand Pounds till some fit Way shall be found for the Re-payment thereof) your Honours would be pleased, for his present Subsistence and Livelihood, to confer upon him the Office of Master of the Armory in The Tower, in such a Way, with relation to the Premises, as to your Wisdoms shall seem fit.

"And your Petitioner shall ever pray, &c.

"Arthur Samwell."

"Die Veneris, 6 Augusti, 1641.

Order of the H. C. concerning the Creditors of Sir T. Dawes.

"Ordered, That, in case this House doth not pass a Bill to the Use of the Creditors of Sir Thomas Dawes, of the Lands of Sir Thomas Dawes and Sir Abraham Dawes, which descended upon Sir Thomas Dawes and others, to reimburse them of the Monies by them advanced for the Use of the Commonwealth, the Debt due to His Majesty, and their own just Debts, with reasonable Interest, that then the several Creditors to be re-paid their several Sums of Money by them advanced to the Use of the Commonwealth, with their reasonable Interest, out of the Monies raised by the Poll-bill.

"H. Elsing,

"Cler. Parl. Dom. Com."

"An Ordinance for the Discharge of the Delinquency of James Altham Esquire.

Ordinance to clear Mr. Altham of his Delinquency.

"Whereas James Altham, of Markhall, in the County of Essex, Esquire, hath been fined at Five Hundred Pounds, for his Delinquency, to pay the same, by Way of Composition, to the Use of the State, over and besides all such Rents as were due unto him at Our Lady-day last, and, in Pursuance of the said Composition, hath paid the Sum of Two Hundred and Fifty Pounds, and given Security for the Payment of the other Two Hundred and Fifty Pounds, to the Content and Satisfaction of the Committee intrusted for that Service: It is this Day Ordered, Ordained, and Declared, by the Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled, and they do hereby Order, Ordain, and Declare, That the Sequestration of the said James Altham's Estate shall be; and is hereby, taken off, and he discharged from his Deliquency, from the Five and Twentieth Day of March; and all Committees, and other Officers whatsoever employed by the Parliament, are to take Notice hereof, and yield a ready Obedience hereunto accordingly: And, upon the presenting of this Ordinance to the several Committees, he is to be forthwith restored to the Possession of all his Houses and Lands sequestered."

An Ordinance for the discharging of the Delinquency of Christopher Rose Esquire:

Ordinance to clear Mr. Rese of his Delinquency.

"Whereas Christopher Rose, of Cambridge, Esquire, hath been fined at One Hundred Pounds 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 Sum of Fifty Pounds, and given Security for the Payment of the other Fifty Pounds, to the Contentment and Satisfaction of the Committee intrusted for that Service: It is this Day Ordered, Ordained, and Declared, by the Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled, That the Sequestration of the said Christopher Rose's Estate shall be, and is hereby, taken off, and he discharged from his Imprisonment, and of his Delinquency, from the Eighteenth Day of March; and all Committees, and other Officers whatsoever employed by the Parliament, are to take Notice hereof, and yield a ready Obedience hereunto accordingly; and, upon the presenting of this Ordinance to the several Committees, he is to be forthwith restored to the Possession of his Estate now under Sequestration."