House of Lords Journal Volume 7: 18 November 1645

Die Martis, 18 die Novembris.

PRAYERS, by Mr. Case.

Ds. Grey de Warke, Speaker.

Message to the H. C. with the following Papers.

Mr. Doctor Aylett and Mr. Page to the House of Commons, with

1. A Paper from the Scotts Commissioners, touching the Pay of their Army.

2. Henry Puresrey's Petition, to desire Concurrence.

3. A Paper, touching Provisions to be made for the next Summer's Fleet; to communicate it to the House of Commons.

4. A Paper, to put that House in Mind of the Order for taking off the Sequestration of Jeremiah Becke.

Steward and De Franchi.

Ordered, That the Cause of Mr. Walter Steward is put off till this Day Sevennight.

Message to the H. C. about the Conference, to hear Dr. Walker's Narrative of his Negotiation in Flanders.

Ordered, To send to the House of Commons, to let them know, that this House having sent to them, to desire a Conference, in the Painted Chamber, to hear Dr. Walker make a Narrative of his Negotiation in Flan ders; (fn. 1) to which they sent Answer, "That they would send an Answer by Messengers of their own;" of which this House hath received yet no Answer: Therefore, in regard it is a Business of great Importance to the State, to desire that the House of Commons would give a Conference To-morrow Morning, at Ten of the Clock, in the Painted Chamber.

And this was Part of the Message sent down by Dr. Aylett and Mr. Page.

Answer from thence.

Dr. Heath, &c. return with this Answer from the House of Commons to a former Message:

That they agree to the Alterations in the Letter to the King of Denmark and the Letter to the Duke of Brandenburgh; and they agree to the Alterations in the Ordinance concerning Westm. Colledge: And as to the Ordinance for rectifying the Abuse of Coats of Arms, the Petition of the Earl of Denbigh's Officers; they will send an Answer by Messengers of their own.

Ordinance concerning Westminster College.

"Whereas the College and Collegiate Church of Westm. have been heretofore governed and regulated by the Dean and Prebends thereof, who have taken upon them the Care and Charge of bringing in the Rents and Profits belonging thereunto, for the Maintenance of the Scholars of the Free School, Almsmen, Servants, and Officers, belonging to the said College and Collegiate Church; and forasmuch as the present Dean and Prebends thereof (except only Mr. Lambert Osbolston) have deserted their Charge, or are become Delinquents to the Parliament, whereby the said College and Collegiate Church is destitute of all Government; and the said School, Almsmen, Servants, and Officers, deprived of all Means of Subsistence, by reason no Person is appointed to take Care for the same; for Remedy whereof, be it Ordained, by the Lords and Commons in this present Parliament assembled, That the Earl of Northumberland, Earl of Pembroke, Earl of Nottingham, Earl of Denbigh, Earl of Manchester, Lord Viscount. Say & Seale, Lord Willoughby, Lord North, Lord Mountague, Lord Robertes, Lord Howard, Mr. Solicitor, Mr. Rouse, Sir Walter Erle, Mr. Wheeler, Sir Robert Harley, Mr. Maynard, Sir Gilbert Gerrard, Sir Wm. Strickland, Mr. Ashhurst, Sir John Clotworthy, Mr. Reynolds, Mr. Gourdon, Mr. Lisle, Mr. Recorder, Sir William Massam, Sir Robert Pye, Sir John Trevor, Mr. Salloway, Mr. Hoyle, Sir John Dreydon, Sir Henry Vane Junior, and Bulstrode Whitlocke Esquire, shall be, and are hereby, constituted and appointed the Committee in this Ordinance; and that the said Committee, or any Seven or more of them, shall have the same and the like Power and Authority, to all Intents and Purposes, as any Dean and Prebends have, or of Right ought to have had, in the ordering, directing, and disposing, the Rents, Issues, and Profits, belonging, or in any Wife appertaining, to the said College or Collegiate Church; and in doing and executing all other Act or Acts, Thing or Things, that any Way concerns the said College or Collegiate Church; provided the same extend not to the letting Leases of any Houses or Lands belonging to the said College for above the Space of Three Years; reserving at the least such Yearly Rents, Profits, and Services, as were formerly payable out of any such Lands or Houses, unto the said College or Collegiate Church.

And be it further Ordained, by the said Lords and Commons, That the said Dean and Prebends, and all other Officers, Members, and Servants, belonging to the said College, or Collegiate Church, and every of them, that have absented themselves from their Offices and Places, or are Delinquents, or have not taken the Covenant, shall (until both Houses take Order to the contrary) stand and be suspended of and from their several Places and Offices, and of and from all Manner of Benefit or Profit that might accrue unto them or any of them thereby, with the Arrears thereof; provided this extend not to the taking away such Stipend, or other Allowance, from the said Mr. Osbolston, as of Right he hath formerly received, or ought to have received, as a Prebend of the said Collegiate Church of Westm.

And the said Committee, or any Seven or more of them, are hereby authorized to constitute and appoint fit and able Persons, in the Rooms and Places of such Officers and Servants belonging to the said College, or Collegiate Church, as are dead, or have deserted their said Places, or are Delinquents, or not taken the Covenant as aforesaid, whose Offices and Places they shall find necessary to be continued for the Use and Service of the said College.

And be it further Ordained, That the said Committee, or any Seven or more of them, together with the Master of Trinity Colledge in Cambridge, and the Master of the said School in Westm', shall hereby have the like Power to elect and choose Scholars into the said School, and thence to Trinity Colledge in Cambridge aforesaid, and to Christ Church in Oxford, as by the Statutes of the said College of Westm. was invested in the Deans of Westm. and Christ Church, the Master of Trinity Colledge and Westm. School aforesaid; provided nevertheless, when the said Dean, or Master of Christ Church aforesaid, shall not be a Delinquent to the Parliament, his Right in the Election aforesaid, according to the said Statutes, shall not hereby be impeached.

And the said Committee, or any Seven or more of them, are hereby further authorized to place poor Men in such Alms-places belonging to the said Collegiate Church as shall from Time to Time become void.

And whereas the upholding of Preaching in the Abbey of Westm. aforesaid, upon the Lord's-days, and the Daily Morning Lecture there, is a Work much tending to the Glory of God, and Comfort of the Inhabitants of Westm'r, and Places adjacent: Be it therefore further Ordained, That the said Committee, or any Seven or more of them, shall have Power hereby to make such Allowances, out of the Revenues belonging to the said Collegiate Church, unto the Ministers that have or shall perform the said Service, upon the Lord's-day and Week-days aforesaid, as they shall think fit.

"And it is lastly Ordered and Ordained, That all and every Person and Persons that shall do or perform any Thing in Conformity to this present Ordinance shall be saved and kept harmless, by Authority of both Houses of Parliament."

Gentleman Usher cannot attach some of the Delinquents that drove the Sheriffs Officers out of Butler's, Legay's, &c. Warehouse.

The House being informed, "That whereas a Warrant was granted to the Gentleman Usher, to attach divers Persons, for disobeying of an Order of this House, made in Ibannes' Case, and for speaking scandalous Words against the House of Peers; and whereas the said Gentleman Usher cannot yet attach but few of them, because the rest do shut themselves up, and lock Doors, whereby the Officers cannot come to attach them; therefore the Gentleman Usher desired the further Directions of this House herein, what he shall do in this Case; and whether, by his Warrant, he hath Power to break open the Doors."

Committee of Privileges to consider of it.

Hereupon this House referred the Consideration of this Business to the Committee of Privileges, to consider of it, and report to the House what their Opinion is herein.

The Committee to meet on Thursday, in the Afternoon.

Adjourn.

House adjourned till 9^a cras.