House of Lords Journal Volume 9: 8 March 1647

DIE Lunæ, 8 die Martii.

PRAYERS, by Mr. Perne.

Domini præsentes fuerunt:

Comes Manchester, Speaker.

E. of Peterborough to take the Covenant.

Ordered, That the Lord North and the Lord Grey are appointed to tender the Covenant to the Earl of Peterburgh.

Letter from the Commissioners with the King; with a Letter from Him.

The Speaker acquainted the House with some Letters he hath received from the Earl of Denbigh, &c. with a Letter inclosed from the King; which were read.

(Here enter them.)

"My Lord,

We received this Letter inclosed from the King this Morning; which we thought fit to send, having heard nothing of your Dislike upon our sending the last, nor any Directions, which were then, and are still, earnestly desired by

"Your Lordship's humble Servants,

Holdenby, 6 Martii, 1646.

"B. Denbigh.
Edw. Mountagu."

None of His Chaplains, which He desired, to attend Him:

The Question being put, "Whether their Lordships will allow any of these Number, that the King desires in His List, to go down to Him to Holdenby, to reside there for Twenty Days?"

And it was Resolved in the Negative.

Message to the H. C. with His Letter.

Ordered, That the King's Letter, received this Day, shall be sent down to the House of Commons; which was sent down, by Sir Edward Leech, &c.

Dr. Love to attend the King.

Ordered, That this House thinks it fit that Dr. Love be sent to the King.

Committee to prepare an Answer to Him.

Ordered, That the Ds. Wharton, Ds. North, and the Lord Willoughby, are appointed to draw up an Answer to the King's Letter received this Day, according to the Sense of this House; and report the same to this House.

E. Rivers and Rudgely, about the Earl's Goods.

Upon hearing the Counsel of the Earl Rivers, and the Counsel of Rudgley, concerning the Goods of the said Earl of Rivers which the said Rudgley bought of Mr. Brookes:

It is Ordered, That the Resolution of this House be respited for a while.

Woodcock sent for.

Upon reading the Affidavit of John Newman: (Here enter it.) It is Ordered, That the Persons mentioned therein shall be sent for as Delinquents, to answer their Contempt to this House.

Ruthin.

Ordered, That the Business between Mr. Ruthin and shall be heard this Day Sevennight.

Bellasis to compound for his Father.

Upon reading the Petition of Mr. Bellasis; desiring, To have Leave to compound for his Father's Delinquency:"

It is Ordered, To be sent down to the House of Commons, that he may be admitted to compound for his Father.

Message to the H. C. about it; and with the Hampshire Officers Petition.

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

1. To deliver to them (fn. 1) the Petition of Mr. Bellasis; and desire their Concurrence, that he may compound for his Father.

2. To deliver to them the Petition of the Officers for Hampshire.

Newman's Affidavit of Woodcocks refusing to obey the Lords Order, for quieting Sole the Earl of Thanet's Tenant in his Possession.

John Newman, of Steaning, in the County of Sussex, maketh Oath, That, on the 16th Day of this Instant February, he shewed the Order, of the 4th of this Instant February, of the Right Honourable the Lords assembled in Parliament, to Francis Woodcocke, mentioned in the said Order, and to another then with him his Assistant, and left a true Copy of the said Order with them; and, on the 23th Day of this Instant February, he shewed the said Order unto Henry Woodcocke, Son of Thomas Woodcocke, mentioned in the said Order: And this Deponent further saith, That the said Henry Woodcocke did tell him this Deponent, That the said Thomas Woodcocke, Father of the said Henry, being informed of the said Order, by reading the Copy thereof which this Deponent left as aforesaid, he the said Thomas Woodcocke then said, That his Sons had not kept the Possession of the Lands in the said Order mentioned all this Time for nothing; and also said, That they should continue on or near the said Lands, and the Possession thereof, notwithstanding the said Order; or Words to the same Effect: And accordingly the said Francis and Henry Woodcock, with their Abettors, yet remain on or near the said Lands, and will not suffer James Sole, the Earl of Thannett's Tenant, mentioned in the said Order, to put his Cattle on the said Lands, or make any Use thereof; and also say, That they will continue the keeping the Possession of the said Lands, and cutting down the Woods there.

"John Newman.

"Jur. 26 Febr. 1646,

"Rob't Aylett."

Letter from the King, renewing His Desire for some of His Chaplains, mentioned by Him, to attend Him, to settle His Opinion about Church Government.

Holdenby, 6 Martii, 1646.

It being now Seventeen Days since I wrote to you from hence, and not yet receiving any Answer to what I then desired, I cannot but now again renew the same unto you: And indeed, concerning any Thing but the necessary Duty of a Christian, I would not thus at this Time trouble you with any of My Desires. But My being attended by some of My Chaplains whom I esteem and reverence, is that which is so necessary for Me (even considering My present Condition), whether it be in relation to My Conscience or a happy Settlement of the present Distractions in Religion, that I will slight divers Kinds of Censures, rather than not to obtain what I demand: Nor shall I do you the Wrong, as in this to doubt the obtaining of My Wish, it being totally grounded upon Reason; for, desiring you to consider (not thinking it needful to mention) the divers Reasons which no Christian can be ignorant of, for Point of Conscience, I must assure you that I cannot as I ought take in Consideration those Alterations in Religion which have and will be offered unto Me, without such Help as I desire, because I can never judge rightly of, or be altered in, any Thing of My Opinion, so long as any ordinary Way of finding out the Truth is denied Me: But when this is granted Me, I promise you faithfully, not to strive for Victory in Argument, but to seek and submit to Truth (according to that Judgement which God hath given Me); always holding it My best and greatest Conquest, to give Contentment to My Two Houses of Parliament in all Things which I conceive not to be against my Conscience or Honour; not doubting likewise but that you will be ready to satisfy Me in reasonable Things, as I hope to find in this Particular concerning the Attendance of My Chaplains upon Me.

"CHARLES R.

To the Speaker of the House of Peers pro Tempore; to be communicated to the Lords and Commons in the Parliament assembled at Westm'r."