House of Lords Journal Volume 9: 26 July 1647

DIE Lunæ, 26 die Julii.

PRAYERS, by Mr. Carter.

Domini præsentes fuerunt:

Comes Manchester, Speaker.

Answer from the H. C.

Dr. Aylett and Dr. Heath return with this Answer from the House of Commons:

That they agree to Mr. Henry Murray to go to attend the King, and to the Order concerning the Commissioners that are with the King: Concerning the King's Children going to Syon, and concerning the Paper touching the Money for the King's Children, they will send an Answer by Messengers of their own.

Petitions from the City.

A Petition was presented, by divers Aldermen and Common Council of the City of London, and read.

(Here enter it.)

The Copies of the Petitions annexed were also read.

(Here enter them.)

The Persons which presented them withdrew.

And the House, upon Debate, ordered the Speaker to draw up what Answer should be returned.

Which being done, was read; and Resolved, upon the Question, to be delivered to the Aldermen and Common Council, as an Answer.

They being called in, the Speaker read it to them, as followeth:

Answer to them.

"The Lords do fully acknowledge that the City of London hath been faithful and very instrumental in the preserving the Honour of the Parliament, and in carrying on of this great Cause; and they have commanded me to give you this Assurance, that, as they have ever been, so they will still be, careful to use their uttermost Endeavours to preserve the Persons and Estates of those that have engaged themselves in this late War from any Hazard or Danger: The Particulars of your Petition they will take into their speedy Consideration. They do expect, in the mean Time, that there be a Compliance with the late Ordinance of the 23th Instant, that the Safety of the Parliament and City may not be neglected."

Petition of the Officers of the Trained Bands.

Next, the humble Desires of the Citizens, Commanders of the Trained Bands, &c. of the Citizens of London, was read. (Here enter it.)

Upon Consideration thereof, the House passed these Ordinances following:

Last Ordinance for settling the City Militia revoked;

"Be it Ordained, by the Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled, That the Ordinance of the 23th of this Instant July, for settling the Militia of the City of London, be, and shall be hereby, revoked and made void, to all Intents and Purposes; and that the Ordinance of the 4th of May, 1647, for the said Militia of London, be in full Force and Virtue; any Thing in the said Ordinance of the 23th Instant to the contrary notwithstanding."

and the Declaration against the City Covenanters.

"Be it Ordained, by the Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled, That the Declaration of the 24th of this Instant July, which declares all those Traitors, and so to forfeit Life and Estate, who shall, after Publication thereof, act thereupon to (fn. 1) get Subscriptions, be null and void; any Thing in the said Declaration to the contrary notwithstanding."

Message to the H. C. about it;—about restoring the D. of Hamilton's Goods;— and for Committees to meet about the Classes.

A Message was sent to the House of Commons, by Dr. Aylett and Dr. Heath:

To desire Concurrence in the Ordinance for revoking the Ordinance of the 23th July Instant, concerning the Militia of the City of London.

2. The Ordinance to revoke the Declaration of the 24th of this Instant July.

3. To deliver to them the Letters concerning Duke Hamilton; and to desire their Concurrence, that his Goods may be restored unto him.

4. To desire that the Committee may meet To-morrow in the Afternoon, concerning the receiving the Return of all the Classis of England.

Message from the H. C. about the Ordinance for Payment of Tithes;—with an Order;—and to sit a while.

A Message was brought from the House of Commons, by Sir Robert Pye;

To desire their Concurrence:

1. In some Alterations concerning the Ordinance for Payment of Tithes.

2. An Order concerning the Irish Protestants near Bar'stable.

3. That their Lordships would please to sit a while.

The Answer returned was:

Answer.

That this House will sit a while: To the rest, they will send an Answer by Messengers of their own.

Absent Lords to attend.

Ordered, That all the Lords shall have Notice to attend this House peremptorily, without Excuse, on Friday Morning next, at Ten of the Clock; notwithstanding any former Leave granted to be absent.

Letter from the Commissioners with the Army about the Treaty.

"For the Right Honourable Edward Earl of Manchester, Speaker of the House of Peers pro Tempore. These.

"May it please your Lordship,

"We came last Night to Bedford; and this Day we received the Declaration of both Houses against the late Petition and Engagement, as also the Ordinance for Change of the Militia of the City of London, with an additional Power from both Houses to ourselves, concerning the Garrisons and Forces of England, and Relief of Ireland; with all which we acquainted the General: And late this Evening have had Notice given us, by Lieutenant General Cromwell, Sir Hardresse Waller, Colonel Hamond, and Colonel Rich, in the Name of his Excellency, of the good Resentment which the General and Officers had of what the Houses have been pleased to do in Satisfaction to their last Desires, and in particular of the Sense which the Parliament hath expressed against the late Petition and Engagement, together with the Owning of the Army; in all which they declare themselves to have received much Satisfaction: And because they observe the Expectation of the Parliament is very great upon a speedy Relief of Ireland, and the sudden Dispatch of their remaining Desires, in order to a general Settlement, they did further acquaint us from the General, That, as to the First of them, they will be ready To-morrow to consider with us about it, and endeavour to promote that Service to the utmost of their Power; and to the latter, that they do believe they shall be ready to deliver them in unto us by Wednesday or Thursday next, or sooner if they can, and to treat upon the same with us; which when they do, your Lordship shall receive frequent Advertisement, from,

Bedford, 25 Julii, 1647, 12 at Night.
My Lord,
Your Lordship's
Humble Servant,
C. Nottingham."

Petition from the Ld. Mayor, Aldermen, &c. to revoke the last Ordinance for settling the City Militia, and to continue it in the Way it was before settled.

"To the Right Honourable the Lords assembled in High Court of Parliament.

"The humble Petition of the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Commons, of the City of London, in Common Council assembled;

"Humbly sheweth,

"That the Petitioners have, by Ordinance of Parliament, dated the 23th present, taken Notice of the Pleasure of both Houses, for constituting a new Committee for the Militia of the City of London, and the Liberties thereof, and of all other Places within the Lines of Communication and the Weekly Bills of Mortality, and for determining of a former Ordinance of the Militia of this City, &c. dated the 4th Day of May last; which being taken into serious Consideration, the Petitioners could not but first call to Mind how far both Houses of Parliament had formerly honoured the City, when they first established the Committee for the Militia, and since enlarged or altered the same, to take the Sense of this Court before they finally resolved thereupon; which Confidence the Petitioners are not conscious to themselves to have forfeited: And next, being sensible, by Two Petitions presented to this Court (the Copies whereof are annexed), the one 'tituled, "The humble Petition of diverse well-affected Cittizens of the Citty of London," and th' other intituled, "The humble Petition of diverse Young Men, Cittizens, and others, Apprentices of this Citty," what a general Distemper this sudden Change hath already made, and may farther raise, in the City; besides that hereby the City is for the present put out of all regular Posture of Defence:

"The Petitioners could not but return unto this Honourable House; and humbly and earnestly pray, That the Militia, which was established by Ordinance of the 4th of May last as aforesaid, and then ordered to continue for One whole Year, may be re-established, that so the present Fears and Distempers in the City may be dispersed and appeased; whereunto as the Petitioners humbly conceive this to be the only present safe Means, next under the mighty Hand of God, so they will not doubt but that the said Militia, as hitherto they have done, will in all Things perform their Duties, according to their Trust.

"And the Petitioners shall pray, &c.

"Michel."

Citizens Petition to them, about it.

"To the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor, the Right Worshipful the Aldermen and Commons, of the City of London, in Common Council assembled.

"The humble Petition of divers well-affected Citizens of the City of London;

"Sheweth,

"That whereas we have lifted up our Hands to the High God, for the Reformation and Defence of Religion, His Majesty's just Power and Authority, the Liberties of the Subjects, and Privileges of Parliament; and seriously considering the late Transactions to violate all these, and to weaken the Zeal and Forwardness of this City and this Honourable Court in the Maintenance of the same, by endeavouring to remove the present Militia, confirmed by Authority of a Free Parliament for a Year, and made Choice of by this Honourable Court:

"In this Streight and Exigency, we are bold, in all Humility, yet with all Earnestness, to pray, That this Honourable Court would sadly weigh the present Dangers; and, as in former Times it hath been your Honour to be instrumental for the Preservation of this miserable and dying Kingdom, by the Interposition of your Courage, Power, and Wisdom, in a Time of Need, so you would not suffer it to be buried in perpetual Oblivion and Reproach, by yielding up that Militia, which, by the good Providence of God, and the Authority of a Free Parliament, hath been invested in your Hands; the only visible Means under God we have now left, for the Security of our Religion, Lives, and Liberties.

"And we shall pray, &c.

"Copia vera.
Michell."

Apprentices, &c. Petition to them, on the same Subject.

"To the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor, the Right Worshipful the Aldermen, and the Worshipful the Commons, in Common Council assembled.

"The humble Petition of divers Young Men, Citizens, and other Apprentices, of this Honourable City;

"Humbly sheweth,

"We cannot likewise but with all Thankfulness take Notice of what this Honourable Court hath done, for the putting in Execution of several Ordinances of Parliament, that none be put into any Place of Trust, either in the Church or Commonwealth, but such as have taken, and now stand well-affected to, the Covenant; to which we are confident that you will still adhere.

"And whereas there have been, and still are, several factious Persons, who style themselves "The Wellaffected of this City" (though unworthy of that Name), who labour to traduce the Actions thereof, thereby to bring an Odium upon it, and to lay it open to their Malice, a fresh Instance whereof we have in a late Petition presented to the Parliament, pretended to be the Petition of the young Men and Apprentices of this City, as likewise by a Petition pretended to be presented to Sir Thomas Fairefax; the which we are ready to produce, and refer the Consideration of them to this Honourable Court.

"And further pray, That (as both the Militia of this City hath been legally chosen by this Honourable Court according to Ordinance of Parliament, and the Common Council legally chosen by the several Wards according to the ancient Custom of this City) you would be pleased to retain the same Power, both Civil and Military, in your own Hands; and that you would be pleased, for the Prevention of the many imminent Dangers to which this City may be liable by reason of these Distractions, to take such effectual and speedy Course, for the Safeguard and Defence thereof, that the Fears either of any Mutiny within, or of any unwarrantable Power from abroad, may be in some Measure taken away; whereby Trade (the main Support of the City) now mightily impaired may be again revived, and the Franchises and Liberties of this Honourable City (to the which we are apparent Heirs) maintained and defended.

"And as your Petitioners are in Duty bound, both by that Relation which they stand in to the Honourable City, as by that solemn Engagement wherein they have entered, so they will be always ready to hazard their Lives for the Defence thereof; and not suffer themselves, directly or indirectly, by any Terror or Persuasion, to be drawn from their Duty herein.

"Copia vera.
Michell."

Desires of the Officers of the Trained Bands, Apprentices, Seamen, &c. for the Ordinance to alter the City Militia, and the Declaration against the City Covenanters, to be immediately repealed; and for absent Members to be summoned.

"To the Right Honourable the Lords assembled in Parliament.

"The humble Desires of the Citizens, Commanders, Officers, and Soldiers of the Trained Bands and Auxiliaries, the Young Men and Apprentices of the Cities of London and Westm'r, Sea Commanders, Seamen, and Watermen, together with other Commanders, Officers, and Soldiers, within the Line of Communication and Parishes mentioned in the Weekly Bills of Mortality.

"1. It is our humble Desire, in regard Religion, our Lives, Liberties, and Estates, are so much endangered, and the Peace and Safety of this City and Kingdom, that the pretended Ordinance for the Change of the Militia of the City of London, bearing Date 23th of this Instant July, may be presently repealed, before the Rising of the Houses; and that former Ordinance which was conferred for a Year, by a Free Parliament, upon the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Council, and by them legally chosen, may be established; in which regard we do conceive that no Justice (though it run in never so free a Channel) can lawfully dispossess them of it, unless it shall appear to be abused contrary to the Trust reposed in them.

"2. It is likewise desired, That the City of London may (fn. 2) be immediately vindicated against the late pretended Declaration of both Houses, bearing Date the 24th Instant July, which declares all those Traitors, and so to forfeit Life and Estate, who shall, after Publication thereof, act thereupon to get Subscriptions; and that the said Declaration be now presently reversed and canceled.

"3. That both Houses of Parliament do presently make an Order, upon some special Penalty, for the calling in of all their Members of either House to discharge their Trust the Kingdom hath reposed in them (especially the Eleven late accused Members); that again we may come to be so happy as to enjoy the healing Influence of a full and free Parliament in these distracted Times.

"These Particulars we cannot but insist upon; since the Distractions begin to grow so high, and the Honour and Privileges of Parliament, the Peace and Safety of the City and Kingdom, are so greatly violated.

"D. Sowton.
Tho. Caryll.
Barth. West.
Henry Colthurst.
Ric. Forty.
Rich. Romney."

Murray, Leave to attend the King.

"Ordered, by the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, That Henry Murray Esquire shall have Leave to go to attend His Majesty."

King's Children to be removed to Sion House.

"Ordered, by the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, That the Earl of Northumberland may remove the King's Children to Syon House."

Commissioners with the King, Leave to be absent by Turns.

"Ordered, by the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, That the Commissioners who are appointed to attend His Majesty's Person may have Leave to follow their own Occasions; so as Three of them (whereof One to be a Peer) do take their Turns in that Service, as they shall agree amongst themselves."

Adjourn.

House adjourned till 10^a, Friday Morning next.