House of Commons Journal Volume 4: 25 March 1645

Die Martis, Martii 25, 1645.

Prayers.

Ordered, That Auditor Wilcox be injoined to audit the Arrears of Serjeant-Major-General Skippon.

The House being informed, That divers Divines of the Assembly were at the Door;

They were called in: And Doctor Smyth acquainted the House, That the Assembly of Divines, having received an Order to express the Particulars of that Ignorance and Scandal, for which they conceive that some Persons ought to be suspended from the Communion, by humbly present their Sense, both of the one and of the other.

Ordered, That Sir Jo. Evelyn do carry up to the Lords the Ordinance for additional Power to Sir Tho. Fairefaxe.

Sir Anthony Irby reports the Amendments to the Ordinance concerning Lincolneshire: The which were twice read; and, upon the Question, assented unto: And the Ordinance, with the Amendments, upon the Question, passed; and ordered to be carried up to the Lords, for their Concurrence, by Sir Anth. Irby.

Ordered, That the Gentlement of Yorkeshire, Lincolneshire, Nottingham, Derby, Leicester, Rutland, Northampton, Warwick; of the Association of Suffolk, Norfolk, Essex, Huntingdon, Hertfordshire, and Cambridge; do meet this Afternoon, in the Exchequer-Chamber; and confer about the Design for Newarke, and the Safety of those Counties.

Ordered, That Mr. Broxholme shall have Leave to go into the Country.

Resolved, &c. That the House be resolved into a Committee forthwith, to take the Ordinance for electing and establishing Elders in every Congregation; and concerning such Persons as ought to be suspended from the Communion, in such manner as was formerly appointed. And

It is further Ordered, That the Expressions of the Assembly of Divines, concerning the Particulars of Ignorance and Scandal, be referred to this Committee.

Mr. Speaker left the Chair.
Mr. Whittacre called to the Chair.
Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair.
Mr. Whittacre reports from the Grand Committee: And thereupon.

It is Resolved, &c. That there be some Persons so grosly ignorant, that they shall not be admitted to the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper.

Resolved, &c. That there be some Persons so notoriously scandalous, that they shall not be admitted to the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper.

An Ordinance for Securing of the Eighty thousand Pounds, advanced by and under the Eight Treasurers therein named; and for a further Provision for the Raising and Maintaining of the Forces under the Command of Sir Tho. Fairefaxe; was this Day read the First and Second time; and referred to Mr. Reynolds, Mr. Recorder, Mr. Grimston, Mr. Cage, Sir Jo. Potts, and Mr. Prideaux, as to the Clause concerning the Arrears of the Seven Associated Counties.

Mr. Reynolds reports the Amendments: The which were read; and, upon the Question, assented unto: And the Ordinance, with the Amendments, upon the Question, passed; and ordered to be sent unto the Lords for their Concurrence.

A Message from the Lords, by Sir Edw. Leech and Mr. Page;

The Lords have commanded us to deliver unto you this Ordinance: It is for Exempting of Shipwrights, and others of that Corporation, from being pressed for Land-Service, They desire likewise to put you mind of an Order, sent unto this House, for the Pardoning of certain Prisoners in the Gaol at Northampton: To desire this House to give Dispatch to the Ordinance for Protection of the Jersey-Men that did adhere to the Parliament; to desire a Dispatch of the Ordinance for Martial Law for Sea-Service. They have likewise received Petitions from the Lady Darcye; from Mrs. Meldrum, the Wife of Colonel Jo. Meldrum; a Petition from Captain Kettleby, and a Petition from Captain H. Huncks; the which they leave to the Consideration of this House.

Ordered, That this Message, and the Petitions, and other the Messages and Petitions, from the Lords, be read; and taken into Consideration on Monday next, in the Afternoon.

The humble Petition of Wm. Constantine, a Prisoners in the Compter in Southwarke, was this Day read: And

It is Ordered, upon the Question, That Mr. Wm. Constantine be forthwith bailed, upon good Security, to be allowed by Mr. Speaker, for Six Weeks; to go to Kingston, or within Ten Miles of the Lines of Communication, and at the Six Weeks End to return to Prison.

Resolved, &c. That Mr. Bag Shawe, a Prisoner in the King's-Bench, have Liberty for Six Weeks, upon good Bail, to be allowed by Mr. Speaker, to go at Liberty within Ten Miles of the Lines of Communication, and then to return to Prison.

Resolved, &c. That Mr. Anth. Hungerford shall continue upon Bail for one Month longer, after the Expiration of the last Order.

Answer returned by the same Messengers; That this House will take their Lordships Message into speedy Consideration; and send Answer by Messengers of their own.

Ordered, That on Friday Morning next, peremptorily, all the Reports from the Committee of both Kingdoms be made: And that, first, the Report concerning Farneham-Castle be made: And that Mr. Speaker put the House in mind hereof.

Resolved, &c. That Sir Jo. Henderson be forthwith committed Prisoner to the Tower, for levying actual War against the Parliament and Kingdom.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee of both Kingdoms, to consider of sending the Letter, taken with Sir Jo. Henderson, from his Majesty, to the King of Denmarke; and of representing to the King of Denmarke the State of the Business concerning Sir Jo. Henderson.

Mr. Corbett reported, from the Committee of Examinations, a Letter and Relation of one John Houston, concerning Sir Wm. Balfour, intercepted among some Papers of the Earl of Forth's, taken at Newberry.

Ordered, That the Examination of this whole Business, concerning Sir Wm. Balfour, be referred to the Committee of Examinations: And that, as to this Business, the Committee of Examinations shall have Power to examine the Lord Grey, or any other Member of this House.

Ordered, That Sir Jo. Wollaston, and other the Treasurers named in the Ordinance, for Securing and Repayment of the Eighty thousand Pounds promised to be advanced and lent by the City, do this Afternoon pay unto such Persons as shall be directed and appointed to receive the same by Order of the Committee for the Army, where Mr. Scawen has the Chair, the Sum of One thousand Five hundred Pounds, Part of the Eighty thousand pounds promised to be lent as aforesaid; this House engaging, that the same shall be repaid, or allowed, upon Account, to the said Treasurers, as Part of the said Eighty thousand Pounds.

Ordered, That on Friday Morning next, Report be made, from the Committee of both Kingdoms, touching the Business from the Crown of Sweden, referred formerly to the Consideration of that Committee.

Ordered, That Mr. Blakiston do send to Sir Wm. Armyn, and the rest of the Commissioners at Newcastle, the Votes and Resolutions of the House, passed the Twentieth of March, concerning the Coal Trade of Newcastle.

Ordered, That there shall be Collections in the several Parish-Churches and Chapels within the Lines of Communication To-morrow, the Twenty-sixth of this present March 1645, being the Day of Publick Humiliation; and the Monies, so collected, employed for the Relief of poor maimed Soldiers, in manner formerly used: Provided that the Moiety of the Monies collected in St. Margaret's Westminster, and St. Martin's in the Fields, shall be employed for the Relief of the Poor of the said Parishes respectively; and the other Moiety for the Relief of the poor maimed Soldiers, as aforesaid.