House of Lords Journal Volume 8: 9 July 1646

DIE Jovis, 9 Julii.

PRAYERS, by Mr. Ash.

Comes Manchester, Speaker.

Ordinance for Money for the Northern Forces.

The Ordinance concerning the Ten Thousand Pounds for the Northern Forces, was reported, and Agreed to, with some Alterations, and adding of the Names of some Lords, to be joined with a proportionable Number of the House of Commons, to be as Committees; videlicet

Ordered, That this House agrees to these Alterations and Additions; and that they be communicated to the House of Commons, and their Concurrence desired therein, because the Houses made a Vote, the 26th March last, which was delivered to the Scotts Commissioners, to this Purpose.

Preachers at the next Fast.

Ordered, That Mr. Calamy and Mr. Ash are appointed [ (fn. 1) to preach] at the next Fast-day, before the Lords in Parliament, at the Abbey Church in Westm.

E. of Warwick's Petition, about the Post-office.

Upon reading the Petition of Robert Earl of Warwicke, concerning the Letter Office:

It is Ordered, to be referred to these Lords following, to state the Matter of Fact:

Mr. Justice Pheasant and Mr. Justice Rolls, to assist.

Any Three, to meet To-morrow Morning, at Nine a Clock.

Ordinance for Twist to be Parson of Alresford.

An Ordinance was brought into this House, for Mr. Tho. Twist to be put into the Parsonage of Aldsford, in the County of South'ton, in the Place of Doctor Heylin; and read, and Agreed to, and Ordered to be sent to the House of Commons, for their Concurrence.

Dr. Cragg, a Pass.

Ordered, That Doctor Cragg shall have a Pass, to go to Newcastle.

Judges Leave to be ab.ent.

Ordered, That Mr. Baron Trevor and Mr. Justice Phesant shall have Leave, till Michaelmas next, to be excused from their Attendance upon this House.

Message from the H. C. to expedite the Propositions, the Vote about the Scots Army, and the Order for a Thanks giving;

A Message was brought up from the House of Commons, by Sir Rob't Pye Knight:

1. To desire their Lordships would please to hasten the Propositions to be sent to the King; and to hasten their Answer to the Vote, declaring, " That this Kingdom hath no further Need of the Scotts Army;" and to hasten their Answer to the Order concerning the Thanksgiving to be on Tuesday next, for the rendering of Oxon, and Tuesday come Sevennight for the whole Kingdom.

with an Ordinance;

2. To desire Concurrence in an Ordinance for taking off the Sequestration of Sir Willoughby Hickman's Estate.

and for Mr. Marshall to go with the Propositions.

3. To desire Concurrence, that Mr. Marshall be desired to go with the Committees of both Houses appointed to go with the Propositions to the King.

Agreed to.

Order for a Thanksgiving for the Surrender of Oxford.

The Order for the Day of Thanksgiving for the furrendering of Oxon, was read.

And the Question being put, " Whether to agree to it as it came from the House of Commons?"

It was Resolved in the Negative.

The Answer returned was:

Answer to the H.C.

That this House agrees to the Order concerning Mr. Marshall; and that this House is now in Consideration of the Propositions for Peace, and will send an Answer to them, and the rest of the Particulars of this Message, by Messengers of their own.

Propositions for Peace.

The Earl of Northumb. reported from the Committee the Fifteenth Proposition, with the Addition of the Conservators of the Peace, wherein the Committee have made some Alteration, which they offer to the Consideration of this House; which being read, was approved of, and Ordered to be communicated to the House of Commons, at a Conference.

Ingle and Ford versus Cornwallis.

Ordered, That the Cause between Mary Foord and Cornwallis, and Ingle and Cornwallis, shall be heard on the 16th of October next.

Message to the H. C. for a Conference about the Propositions;

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

To desire a present Conference, touching the Propositions.

about supplying the D. of York.

1. To let them know, that this House formerly sent down to them a Letter of Sir Tho. Fairesax, which he writ to the Committee for the Revenue, for the Supply of the Duke of Yorke at Oxon; and this House being now informed " that he is not in a Condition suitable to his Condition," therefore to desire that some present Supply may be sent him.

Mr. White's Ordinance to be Minister of Pimpern.

2. To desire their Concurrence in an Ordinance for presenting Mr. White to the Rectory of Pimperne, in the County of Dorsett.

Mr. Wolph's;

3. To desire their Concurrence, that Mr. Wolph, of Stamford, may be discharged of his Delinquency.

and with the Clerk of Assize's Order for Norff.

4. To desire their Concurrence in the Order concerning the Office of Clerk of the Affize for (fn. 2) Nott.

Message from the H. C. for a Conference about Belfast;

A Message was brought from the House of Commons, by Sir Thomas Wroth:

To desire a Conference, concerning the Rendition of Belfast.

and for Cols. Moor and Fenwick's Regiments to be sent to Ireland.

2. To desire Concurrence, that Colonel Moore's Regiment of Lancashire, and Colonel Fenwick's Regiment of Shropshire, may be employed for the Service of Ireland; and that the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland may have Power to give them Commissions.

The Answer returned was:

Answer.

That this House will give them a present Conference, in the Painted Chamber, concerning the Rendition of Belfast; and that this House agrees that the Regiments of Colonel Moore and Colonel Fenwicke shall be employed in the Service of Ireland; and that the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland do grant them Commissions accordingly.

Members of both Houses to receive the French Ambassador at Greenwich.

The House being informed, " That the French Ambassador is now at Greenwich:" Therefore it was moved, " That some Coaches of the Peers of this House may be provided, to attend him at his Landing; and that a Lord of this House may be appointed to go to Greenwich by Water, to bring him to his Place of Landing, and afterwards to conduct him to his Lodging; and that the House of Commons be desired that they would join Two Members of their House, to go with the Member of this House, to meet the said Ambassador at Greenwich, and conduct him to his Lodging."

Ordered, That the Earl of Denbigh is desired by this House to go To-morrow to Greenwich, from this House, to meet the French Ambassador, and to bring him to his Lodging, with Coaches.

Message to the H. C. about it.

Ordered, That this shall be a Part of the Message now going to the House of Commons by Sir Edward Leech, &c.

Disorders in the Army to be prevented.

Next, the House was adjourned into a Committee during Pleasure, to consider of the Disorders in the Army.

The House was resumed.

It was Resolved, upon the Question, To desire, at a Conference with the House of Commons, that they would join with this House, in sending to Sir Tho. Fairefax, that the Covenant may at this Time be press'd upon the Officers and the Body of the Army; and that the Vote of both Houses forbidding Laymen to preach may be put into Execution at this Time.

Answer from the H. C.

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

That they will give a present Conference, as is desired; and they have appointed Two Members of their House to go meet with the French Ambassador: To the rest, they will send an Answer by Messengers of their own.

Next, a Letter to the Houses, from the Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland, was read: And Ordered, To be communicated and sent To-morrow Morning, by Sir Edw. Leech, to the House of Commons.

(Here enter it.)

Letter from the Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland, about perfecting Uniformity in Religion.

"To the Right Honnorable the Lords and Commons in the Parliament of England, assembled at Westm'r. These.

"Right Honnorable,

"The Report of the greate Things which the Lord hes done for your Honnors hes gone forth into many Lands; and it becometh us least of any either to smother or extenuate the samen. Wee desire to bee enlarged in the Admiration of the Power and Mercy of God the Author, and to diminish nothing of that Praise that is due unto you as Instruments. When the Lord sett your Honnors upon the Bench of Judgment, both the Kirke and Commonwealth of England were afflicted with intestine and bosome Evills, the Cure whereof could not but (fn. 3) be very difficult, because they were not only many, but for the most Part universall and deeply rooted, sheltered under the Shaddowe of Custome and Lawe, and supported with all the Wisdome and Strength of the malignant and prelaticall Party, who rather choosed to involve the Land in an unnaturall and bloody Warre then to faile of their ambitious and treacherous Designes against Religion, the Priviledges of Parliament, and the Lawes and Libertyes of the Kingdome: Neither hath that misserable Crewe beene (fn. 4) wanting unto their owne Ends, but for many Yeares togeather hath desperatly pursued their Resolutions in Armes; and was likely to have prevailed, if the Lord had not put Himselfe in the Breach, and furnished you with much Patience, Wisdome, Courage, and Constancy, in the Midest of many Difficultyes and Distresses, and at last with soe glorious and triumphing a Successe that the Enemy hath fallen every where before you, and there is none left to appeare against you. These Things, as they bee the Matter of our Refreshment and of your Glory, so doe they lay a strong Obligation upon your Honnors to walke humbly with your God, and to improve the Power He hes put into your Hands, for the Advancement of the Kingdome of His Sonne, and bringing forth the Head-stone of His House. The slowe Progresse of the Worke of God hes alwayes beene the Matter of our Sorrowe, which is now increased by the Multiplication of the Spiritts of Error and Delusion, that drowne many Soules in Perdition, and soe strengthen themselves, that they shall afterward bee laboured against with more Paine then Successe, if a speedy and effectuall Reamedy bee not provided; and therefore, as the Servaunts of the Liveing God, who not only send upp our Supplications daily for you, but have hazarded ourselves in your Defence, wee doe earnestly beseech your Honnors, in the Bowells of Jesus Christ, to give unto Him the Glory that is due unto His Name, by a tymeous establishing of all His Ordinances in the full Integrity and Power thereof, according to the League and Covenant. As long as the Assembly of Divines wes in Debate, and an Enemy in the Feilds, wee conceive that these might bee probable Grounds of Delay; which being now removed out of the Way, wee doe promise to ourselves, from your Wisdome, Faithfullnes, and Zeale, the perfectinge of that which wes the maine Ground of our Engagment, and a cheife Matter of Consolation unto us in all our sad and heavyest Sufferings from the Hand of a most cruell Enemy. Wee knowe that there is a Generation of Men who retard the Worke of Uniformity, and soment Jealousyes betwixt the Nations, studying, if it were possible, to breake our Bands assunder; but wee trust that He that sitteth in the Heavens will laugh, and that the Lord shall have them in Derision; that He shall speake to them in His Wrath, and vex them in His fore Displeasure; and, notwithstandinge of all that they can doe, sett His King upon His holy Hill of Zion, and make these Nations happy in the sweete Fruits of Unity, in Truth and Peace. The Searcher of Hearts knowes, wee desire to hould fast the Band of our Covenant as sacred and inviolable; being perswaded that the Breach of soe solemne a Tye could not but hasten downe upon our Heads a Curse and Vengance from the Righteous Judge of the World, and involve these Kingdomes in further Calamityes then they have yet seene; and wee abhore to entertaine any other Thought of you, nay, wee are confident that your Honnors will seriously endeavor the Prosecution of all these Ends designed in the Covenant, and bringe these Nations unto the neerest Conjunction both in Judgment and Affection, especially in those Things that concerne Religion, which, without all Controversy, is the readyest and surest Way of attayning and secureing the Peace and Prosperity of both Kingdomes.

Edinburgh, 18 Junii, 1646.

Subscribed, in Name of the Generall Assembly, by the Moderator.

"Robert Blair, Moderator."