House of Lords Journal Volume 8: 29 May 1646

DIE Veneris, 29 Maii.

PRAYERS, by Mr. Ash.

Comes Manchester, Speaker.

Answers from the H. C.

Sir Edw. Leech and Mr. Page return with this Answer from the House of Commons:

That concerning the Business touching the King's Daughter the Lady Henrietta, (fn. 1) they will send an Answer by Messengers of their own; and they agree to the Letter to the Emperor of Russia: (Here enter it.) As to the Letter from Dantzick, and the Ordinance concerning Sir John Wortenholme, they will send an Answer by Messengers of their own.

Mr. Justice Bacon and Mr. Justice Rolls return with this Answer:

That they were in Debate of the Business concerning the King's Letter to Sir Tho. Glemham, and they will send an Answer by Messengers of their own.

Essex and Suffolk Ministers Petition.

This Day a Petition was presented to this House, by divers Ministers, from the Ministers of the Counties of Essex and Suffolke, which was received, and read; and then they withdrew. (Here enter it.)

The House taking this Petition into Consideration; and the Ministers that presented the same were called in again.

And the Speaker of this House gave them this Answer; videlicet,

Answer to it.

"The Lords are glad to find this Zeal and Care in the Ministry of the Counties of Suffolke and Essex, for the preventing the further Increase of Heresy and Prophaneness, and for the promoting a Growth in the Power of Godliness. The Lords desire you to continue still in your Endeavour therein, and they will not be wanting to give you all Encouragement. They have commanded me to give you Thanks for your Expressions of your good Affections to the Parliament and this Cause; and do assure you, that they will improve their Power, for the Suppressing of Error, Heresy, seducing Teachers, and Soul-subverting Books, and likewise for the settling of Church Government according to the Word of God and the Example of the best Reformed Churches, to which they hold themselves obliged by their solemn League and Covenant; and that their Lordships have appointed that their Petition with this Answer shall be printed and published."

Letter from the Queen of Bohemia.

A Letter from the Queen to this House, was read.

(Here enter it.)

Ambassador Extraordinary coming from France.

This (fn. 2) Day Sir Oliver Fleminge Knight, Master of the Ceremonies, acquainted this House, " (fn. 3) That Monsieur Sabran this Morning told him, that there is an Extraordinary Ambassador coming (fn. 2) from France to the Parliament; and that he will be here To-morrow."

Hereupon the House appointed the Master of the Ceremonies to repair to Monsieur Sabran, the French Agent, to know of him in particular whether the said Ambassador doth come to the King or to the Parliament, and give this House an Account thereof, that so Order may be taken accordingly for his Reception.

Chamberlain and Nicholls.

The Report of the Judges, concerning the Business referred to them touching Chamberlaine and Nicholls, was read; (videlicet,)

"Inter Chamberlaine & Nicholls.

"According to your Lordships Order of the 23th of March last, we have heard the Counsel of both Parties concerning the Matters to us thereby referred; and we are of Opinion, That the Sum in the Order mentioned, which Mr. Chamberlaine, One of the Executors to Nicholas Askwith the Testator, owes to the State, is in Equity liable as Assets, for Payment of Legacies.

May 28th, 1646.

"Tho. Trevor.

"Pet. Phesant.

"Henry Rolle."

Report of the Conference, about Words spoke by Sir J. Evelyn.

Ordered, That the Report of the late Conference concerning Sir John Evelyn shall be made To-morrow Morning, at which Time the Lords are to be present.

Message from the H. C. with a Vote about the Princess Henrietta;

A Message was brought from the House of Commons, by Mr. Cornelius Holland:

1. To desire their Lordships Concurrence in a Vote made by the House of Commons concerning the Princess Henrietta.

and about the One concerning the King's Person.

2. To put their Lordships in Mind of the Vote concerning the disposing of the King's Person.

The Answer returned was:

Answer.

That this House will take this Message into Consideration, and send an Answer by Messengers of their own.

Quarrel between Sir W. Farmer and Mr. Mordant reconciled;

The Earl of Essex reported, "That Sir Farmer and Mr. Mordant have engaged themselves to be Friends; and that all former Differences shall be forgotten."

and the One between Porter and Capt. Sackvile.

The Earl of Warwicke reported, "That the Committee have made Major General Porter and Captain Sackvile Friends; and have laid the Injunction of this House upon them to continue so."

and the One between L. Campden and L. Chandois.

And the Lord North reported, "That the Committee have (fn. 4) made the Lord Viscount Campden and the Lord Chandois Friends; and they have promised to continue so."

Ordered, That all the aforesaid Persons, that were under the Restraint of this House, shall be released.

Petition from the Ministers of Essex and Suffolk, for Church Government to be established.

"To the Right Honourable the House of Lords now assembled in Parliament.

"The humble Petition of the Ministers of Suffolke and Essex;

"Sheweth,

"That your solemn League and Covenant, your great and glorious Victories, the Expectation of the Reformed Churches beyond the Seas, the longing Desires of our Brethren of Scotland, the humble Petitions of the Reverend Assembly and the Great City of this Kingdom, the pressing Miseries of the orthodox and well-affected Ministers and People in the Country, cry aloud to your Honours for a settling of Church Government according to the Word. From the Want of this it is, Right Honourable, that the Name of the Most High God is blasphemed, His precious Truths corrupted, His Word despised, His Ministers discouraged, His Ordinances vilified. Hence it is, that Schism, Heresy, Ignorance, Prophaneness, and Atheism, flow in upon us, Seducers multiply, grow daring and insolent, pernicious Books poison many Souls, Piety and Learning decay apace, very many Congregations lie waste without Pastors, the Sacrament of Baptism by many neglected and by many reiterated, the Lord's Supper generally disused or exceedingly prophaned, Confusion and Ruin threatening us in all our Quarters.

"In all Humility, therefore, acknowledging your unwearied Labours for the Public Good, your successful Endeavours for saving this Kingdom, your hopeful Beginnings of a blessed Reformation; we, out of Conscience, and in tender Regard to the Glory of God and the Salvation of our People, beseech your Honours, that a Form of Church Government, according to the Word of God, and the Example of the best Reformed Churches, may with all possible Speed be perfected, and confirmed by your Civil Sanction; that Schismatics, Heretics, seducing Teachers, and Soul-subverting Books, be effectually suppressed; that further Care may be had of Ordination, for a Supply of able and orthodox Ministers; and all good Means used to make up the sad Breaches in this our Zion: So shall the Churches of God be settled, your Hands strengthened, the Sacred Covenant performed, our Fears prevented, the Judgements of God diverted.

"And your Petitioners shall ever pray, &c.

Letter of Thanks from the Q. of Bohemia, for the Provision made for Her.

"For my Lord the Speaker of the House of Peers for the Time being.

"My Lord,

"I cannot sufficiently testify unto this Right Honourable House of Peers the Comfort and Contentment I receive, to understand their ready Concurrence with the House of Commons, to make some Provision for My Support. As My Wants were exceeding great, so, I pray you, present My Thankfulness unto them in no less Degree; assuring them, that I take more Delight to acknowledge their Favours, than press them with My Complaints; and that I shall never be unmindful of this Honour they have done Me, nor leave praying to God that He would bless their Endeavours at last with a happy Peace, which would be a common Rejoicing. My Lord, I beseech you present thus much to the Right Honourable House of Peers, in the Name of

Haghe, 14th May, 1646.

"Your affectionate Friend,

Letter to the Emperor of Russia, to protect the English Merchants resident in His Dominions, to confirm their Privileges;—and for preserving a good Correspondency between the Kingdoms.

"To the Most High, Mighty, and Right Noble Prince, the Great Lord, Emperor, and Great Duke Alexsea Michaylowick by the Mercy of God of all Russia; sole Commander of Volodimer, Musco, Novogrod; Emperor of Cazan, Emperor of Astrican, and Emperor of Siberia; Lord of Vobsky, Great Duke of Iversky, Ugorsky, Perniskey, Vatsky, Bolgarsky and others; also Lord and Great Duke of Novogrod in the Lower Countryes of Rezansky, Polatsky, Rostovesky, Yearoslavesky, Bealozarsky, Udorsky, Obdorsky, Conninsky, and of all the Northern Parts, Lord and Commander; also Lord of the Countries of Iversky, Cartalinsky, and Emperor of Grusinsky; and of the Countries of Caberdinsky, and of the Dukedoms of Chercasky, Igorsky, and of many other Kingdoms, Great Lord and Conqueror: We, the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, being the Representative Body of the whole Kingdom of England, wish a happy and glorious Reign, long Life, with all Health, continual Prosperity, and Contentment.

"We hope that Your Glorious Imperial Majesty hath well received our Letters of the 10th of March last, testifying both our high Esteem of Your Most Excellent Highness' great Virtues and famous Merits, and withall our hearty Congratulation for Your most deserved Succession, by the Mercy of God, in those Your Renowned Great Empires and Kingdoms, and Your worthy Sitting in Your Glorious Predecessors Exalted Throne: But yet, if by some Mischance our said Letters should have miscarried, we thought good to redouble here our most affectionate Congratulation and Requests (which we, the Lords and Commons of the High Court of Parliament, in the Name of this whole Kingdom, have, and again do present to Your Most High and Imperial Greatness), for the Continuance of a constant and perfect Correspondence of League and Amity; and likewise for Your Highness' Imperial Confirmation of the ancient Privileges formerly granted by Your Most Noble and Renowned Royal Predecessors, and lastly also graciously promised by Your Most Glorious Majesty; and also for Your Imperial Majesty's Gracious Licence and Order (Most High and Most Noble Emperor), that henceforth our Ships (to shun the great Dangers they are exposed unto by being confined to the old Bar) may pass the newdiscovered Bar of Berozava Oust; and lastly also for Your Renowned Imperial Majesty's most-desired constant Countenance and comfortable Favour unto Mr. Spencer Bretton, now resident there as Agent, or Consul, for negociating of the Affairs of the English Nation, and withall unto all the English Merchants residing in Your Most Famous and Honoured Highness' Renowned Dominions, whereby that Trade, so much conducing to the mutual Honour and Utility of the Empires and Kingdoms on both Sides, may more and more increase and flourish: Of all which we cannot doubt, but do assure ourselves most confidently of Your constant Favour; seeing we have with Gladness understood (by Letters lately received from our said Consul and Merchants) the Grace and Kindness Your Most Renowned Highness, Most Mighty and Glorious Emperor, hath been pleased to afford them, in vouchsasing them of (fn. 5) our bounteous Admittance to Your Most Noble Royal Hands, in which respect we do here insert our redoubled and ingenuous Thankfulness to Your Most Excellent Majesty: And because we have, in these our Letters, also represented unto Your Most Glorious Imperial Majesty, Most Noble and Most Excellent Prince, the Affronts and Dangers which these present Distractions and intestine Wars of this Kingdom might have occasioned unto Your Imperial Highness' Messenger Gerusim Semonowich, if he had been suffered (according to his most earnest Desire) to undergo a most perilous and uncertain Journey to find out our King's Majesty; and that therefore we had thought fittest to keep him under our Protection, in Honour and Safety, here in this Royal City of London, where do reside all the Merchants that trade into Your Most Excellent Greatness' Dominions, Most Noble and Great Emperor; and that, as soon as our King should return hither, then Your Imperial Highness' said Messenger should have his speedy Address unto our King's Majesty; promising withall, that (whatsoever should else befall) such Care should by us be taken for his safe and expedite Return to Your Famous Highness' Glorious Presence by the First Ships, as might aver the true and most affectionate Respect we bear (Most Noble and Excellent Prince) to Your Most Illustrious Majesty.

"Now, for as much as our King remains yet abroad, and doth not repair (as we thought He would have done) unto this Supreme Court of Parliament, and that Ambassadors and Messengers from other Foreign Princes have therefore continued, for their Safety, in this Imperial City of London, and that Yearly there is made but One Navigation from hence to Your Happy and Renowned Dominions, Most Glorious and Excellent Emperor; we therefore have thought it both most reasonable, convenient, and fit (in Performance of our Promise), that, without further Loss of Time, Your Most Noble and Most Honoured Highness' said Messenger Gerusim Semonowich, who all the Time of his Abode here hath, by his good Discretion, shewed himself a most dutiful and right humble and obedient Servant to Your Most Glorious Majesty, Great and Famous Prince, should, for his safe Return by this Opportunity in these our Merchants Ships, be embarked, and accommodated with all Conveniencies and Necessaries for so long a Voyage, according to the Respect we bear, Most Renowned and Most Excellent Prince, to any of Your Most Noble and High Majesty's Ministers and Servants here.

"Most Great and Glorious Emperor, we cannot but express our most earnest and servent Desire, that an Ambassador might now have been sent, to have represented and testified to Your Most Excellent Imperial Majesty with due Honour our great Respect, and to congratulate the happy and peaceable Succession, which, by the Mercy of God Almighty, Your Renowned Imperial Highness enjoys; but that our unhappy Distractions as yet are such, that this Solemnity due to Your Most Famous Majesty cannot be performed accordingly; hoping and requesting Your Most High and Excellent Majesty, Right Noble and Great Emperor, in the mean while, and in Lieu thereof, to accept of this our Letter, until it shall please God that, after the composing and settling of these our Differences, that Design of ours may also be effected and accomplished; assuring Your Most Famous Majesty, Most Honoured and Renowned Emperor, That we (that is to say), this whole Kingdom, shall always be ready, with all good Offices, to respect and honour Your Right Noble and Most Excellent Highness; and, not doubting of Your Consent, Imperial Benevolence, and Favour towards this whole Nation, we heartily wish Your Most Respected High Majesty, Most Great and Glorious Emperor, all Honour and Prosperity, and a Happy, Victorious and Glorious Reign; leaving and commending Your Renowned Imperial Majesty to the Tuition and Protection of Almighty God.

"Given"