House of Commons Journal Volume 4: 30 May 1645

Die Veneris, Maii 30, 1645.

Prayers.

A Letter from Colonel Massie, from Evesham, was this Day read.

A Letter from the City of Gloucester, of Maii 24 1645, was this Day read; desiring, That Care might be had in preventing the Distractions and Dangers that would happen, upon the Removal of Colonel Massie from those Parts.

Ordered, That Mr. Hodges, and the Committee of Gloucester, do write a Letter to the City of Gloucester; to give them Satisfaction, That this House had notice of their. Petitions; and will take care of them, that they shall suffer no Prejudice by the Removal of Colonel Massie.

Ordered, That the Examination of the late Mutiny at Guernesay be referred to the Consideration of the Committee of Examinations: And that the Examinations taken in this Business be referred to this Committee: And they have Power to send for the Prisoners; and to commit them; and to report the whole Business to the House.

An Ordinance for giving the Power of Martial Law to the Committee that has the Government of the Garison of Plymouth, was this Day read; and, upon the Question, passed; and ordered to be sent unto the Lords for their Concurrence.

An Ordinance for continuing the Kentish Regiment under the Command of Colonel Birch at Plymouth, for Four Months longer, was this Day read; and, upon the Question, passed; and ordered to be sent unto the Lords for their Concurrence.

Ordered, That the Votes for the Two Ten thousand Pounds charged upon the Excise, to be employed for the Reducing of Oxon only, be sent up to the Lords for their Concurrence.

WHereas the several Sums of Ten thousand Pounds and Ten thousand Pounds are charged upon the Receipts of the Excise, for the Carrying-on of the Siege against Oxford: Mr. John Ash, \?\Edward Ash, Mr. Spurstowe, Mr. Jennour, Lord Wenman, Mr. Whitlock, Mr. Beddingfield, Mr. James Fiennes, Sir Peter Wentworth, Mr. Winwood, Mr. Lisle, Mr. Recorder, Mr. Lane, and Mr. Nathanael Stephens, are appointed to treat with the Commissioners of the Excise, and with any other particular Persons, for the Advance and Lending of the said Twenty thousand Pounds: Which said Commissioners, and every other particular Person, shall be secured and repaid such Sum and Sums of Money, as they shall so advance and lend, out of the said Receipts of the Excise, in Course: And the Care hereof is especially recommended to Mr. Whitlock and Mr. Edward Ash.

Ordered, That Mr. Rigby do make his Report, concerning such Members as are to have a Maintenance allowed them for their Support, To-morrow Morning.

IT is Ordained, by the Lords and Commons, assembled in Parliament, That the Committee, who now have the Government of the Garison of Plymmouth, or any Three of them, shall have Power, and are hereby authorized, to execute Martial Law within the Garison of Plymouth, according to the Articles published by the Earl of Essex, and used in the Army under the Command of Sir Thomas Fairefaxe.

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

They were called in: And Mr. Arrowsmyth did prefer a Petition, signed with the Names of divers Heads of Colleges of the University of Cambridge; desiring the Earl of Manchester may continue in the Authority he hath over the University of Cambridge. The which was read.

Resolved, &c. That the Earl of Manchester's Answer to the Charge against him in this House; and the Business concerning the continuing the Earl of Manchester in the Government of the University of Cambridge; be peremptorily taken into Consideration, the first Business: And that Mr. Speaker put the House in mind hereof.

Mr. Nicoll carried to the Lords, for their Concurrence, an Ordinance for continuing the Kentish Regiment under the Command of Colonel Birch at Plimmouth, for Four Months: An Ordinance for executing Martial Law within the Garison of Plymmouth: Two Votes, whereby Ten thousand Pounds and Ten thousand Pounds is charged upon the Receipts of the Excise, for the Carrying-on of the Siege at Oxford: An Ordinance to discharge Sir John Kaye's Estate from Sequestration.

Ordered, That Mr. Green do, To-morrow Morning, peremptorily, report the Declaration for giving Satisfaction to the States of Holland, and all other Parts of Christendom, touching the Matter of Reprisals, and free Trade.

Ordered, That the Committee for the Admiralty and Cinque-Ports do call in the James from the Downs; and, in the room, shall have Power to set out one or more small Ships, of equal Charge: And this to be done with all convenient Expedition.

Sir Tho. Widdrington reports, from the Committee to which Two Ordinances were referred, concerning the Northern Association, That the Committee had considered of the said Ordinances; and, out of them both, had prepared and framed one Ordinance, intituled, An Ordinance for the Associating of the several Counties of Yorke, Lancaster, Nottingham, Durham, Northumberland, Cumberland, and Westmoreland: The which was twice read; and, upon the Question, re-committed unto the same Committee: Who are to meet upon it on Monday next at Two of Clock, in the Exchequer-Chamber: And the Letter from the Town of Hull, and the Letter from the Committee at Yorke, and the Petition from the Town of Newcastle, are referred to the Consideration of this Committee.

Mr. Nicoll brings Answer, That the Lords do agree to the Ordinance for continuing the Kentish Regiment at Plymouth, for Four Months longer: To the Ordinance for Martial Law in Plymouth: To the Two Votes for charging Two several Ten thousand Pounds upon the Excise, to be employed for the Reducing of Oxon: And, as to the Ordinance for discharging the Sequestration of Sir John Kaye's Estate, they will send Answer by Messengers of their own.

WHereas there hath been a late Agreement between the Committee for the Safety of Plymouth, Poole, and Lyn, &c. and the Committee for the County of Kent, for a Continuance of a Kentish Regiment of Foot, under the Command of Colonel Birch, at Plymouth, for Four Months, from the First of February last, according to such Articles and Propositions, and upon such Consideration, as is expressed in a late Ordinance of Parliament of the Fifteenth of March last past: And whereas, at the Instance of the said Committee for the Safety of Plymouth, the said Committee for the County of Kent, having taken into their Consideration the Importance of the further Continuance of the said Regiment in the West, for Four Months next ensuing the First of June, upon certain Articles agreed upon between the foresaid Committees: The Lords and Commons, assembled in Parliament, taking the Premises into serious Consideration, do hereby approve and confirm the same, as an acceptable Service to the Parliament and Kingdom: And do Ordain and Declare, That the Accompts of the said Committee for the County of Kent, for the Sum of Six thousand Forty-one Pounds Thirteen Shillings and Six-pence, now by them given in unto the said Committee for the Safety of Plymouth, be and are hereby approved and allowed unto the said Committee of Kent, as Part of the Sum of Seven thousand and Seventy Pounds, charged, or to be charged, upon the said County to the Tenth and last Month's Proportion by the Ordinance of the new Model, without any further Accompts to be given thereof by them unto the Treasurers at Guildhall, London, or to any other Person or Persons whatsoever. And it is further Declared and Ordained, That the said Committees for the said County of Kent shall be and are hereby authorized and impowered, by their Order, fignified unto the Colonel or other chief Officer of the said Regiment for the Time being, to call back the said Regiment into the County of Kent, at the End of the said Four Months: And that the said Regiment, being so called back, shall and is hereby discharged from the aforesaid Service. And it is further Ordained and Declared, That the aforesaid Sum of One thousand Twenty-eight Pounds Six Shillings and Six-pence, being the Remainder of the said Tenth and last Month's Proportion, shall be and is hereby allowed unto the said Committee for the County of Kent, towards the aforesaid Charges of paying and maintaining the said Regiment during the said Four Months, without any Accompt by them to be given for the same to any Person or Persons whatsoever, other than the said Committee for the Safety of Plymouth; any former Order or Ordinance to the contrary notwithstanding.