House of Commons Journal Volume 4: 17 December 1645

Die Mercurii, 17 Decembris, 1645.

Prayers.

THE Grand Committee, according to former Order, sat, to take into Consideration the Business of Propositions, to be sent to his Majesty, for a safe and wellgrounded Peace.

Sir Thomas Widdrington in the Chair.

Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair.

Upon Sir Thomas Widdrington's Report from the Grand Committee for Propositions;

Resolved, &c. That a Message be sent to the Lords, to desire them to speed the Propositions.

Sir John Evelyn of Wiltes was appointed to go to the Lords with this Message.

Resolved, &c. That the Committee of the County of Northampton shall have Power to raise Two hundred Horses for Dragoons and Recruits, at their own Charges, and within their own County.

The Lords Concurrence to be desired herein.

Resolved, &c. That Mr. Corbett shall have the Allowance of Four Pounds per Week paid to him by the Committee of the Revenue, for his present Support, as divers others of the Members have, out of the Revenue, to begin from the same Time with others.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee formerly appointed to examine, What Offices or Employments, Military or Civil, were held by any of the Members of Parliament, by any Grant or Authority from the Parliament; that the said Committee shall now examine, What Members of Parliament, either such as were elected in the Beginning of the Parliament, or such as have been lately elected, do hold any Office or Employment, Military or Civil, by any Grant or Authority from the Parliament; and what the Profits of any of those Offices or Employments are, or have been; and what Part thereof hath come to the Parliament, or to any other Person or Persons executing the same, or otherwise, by reason of the said Offices or Employments.

Ordered, That all such Persons as have come in from the King's Quarters, being Soldiers of Fortune, and submitted to the Parliament before the First of this instant December, and also those Five Colonels or Officers that came in with Captain Pickering from Worcester, taking the Oath in the Ordinance of the Fifth of April 1645, and the National League and Covenant, shall forthwith depart out of the City of London, and Lines of Communication; and give Security to appear, when they shall be required, to submit unto all Ordinances of Parliament; not to act or counsel any thing against the Parliament; and not to return to the said City of London, or come within the Lines of Communication, without Leave from this House: And shall thereupon have Passes to go to their own Habitations, or to their Friends, within any of the Parliament's Quarters, being no Garison; and to reside there: This Security to be given to the Committee of Examinations: Who are hereby authorized to take the same. Provided, That if any of them shall return to the said City, or come within the Lines of Communication, without such Leave as aforesaid first obtained, that then they, and every of them, shall be taken and proceeded against as Spies.

Resolved, &c. That the Examination and Consideration of the Charge, informed at the Committee of Privileges, against Mr. George Evelyn, a Member of this House, by the Counsel of Sir Matthew Brand, as from Sir Matthew Brand, That he did raise and send Horse to the King, be referred to the Committee of Examinations: And Sir Matthew Brand is appointed to attend the said Committee, to make good the said Charge.

Captain Pykering was called in; and did make Relation of the Passages of his Employment from the Parliament to the Princes Rupert and Maurice.

The House being informed, That Sir Wm. Vavasour was at the Door;

He was called in; and delivered in the Pass formerly granted him by Mr. Speaker to go beyond the Seas.

Ordered, &c. That Sir Wm. Vavasor do within Four Days depart out of the Lines of Communication, and repair to the Port of Dover, or unto Deale; and do there embark himself, and his Servants, for any the Parts beyond the Seas, with the first Opportunity of Wind and Shipping; otherwise to be taken and proceeded against as a Spy.

Ordered, &c. That Colonel Hide do within Four Days depart out of the Lines of Communication, and repair to the Port of Dover, or unto Deale; and do there embark himself, and his Servants, for any the Parts beyond the Seas, with the first Opportunity of Wind and Shipping; otherwise to be taken and proceeded against as a Spy.

Ordered, &c. That Mr. Speaker do grant his Pass to Colonel Hide to go beyond the Seas, upon like Engagement as are appointed to be made by such as have deserted the King's Party, and intend to go beyond the Seas.

Sir Henry Mildmay carried to the Lords, for their Concurrence, . . . . Four thousand Pounds out of Delinquents Compositions, to the Committee of Northampton: The Vote concerning the King's Letter;.... Thirty Pound out of Haberdashers-Hall, to the Gallery-keepers at St. Margaret's, Westminster;.... One hundred Twenty-eight Pounds Nineteen Shillings and Eight-pence out of the Receipts of the Excise, to George Tapper; .... One thousand Pounds for the Leicestershire Foot, out of the Receipts of the Excise;.... for Support of the Countess of Stamford;.... Two hundred Pounds for Colonel Davies, out of Haberdashers-Hall: The Votes for making a Classis of the Chapel of Rolles, and Four Inns of Court.

Mr. Holles carried to the Messenger with the Lords, the Ordinance for appointing Mr. Schlier Parson of Ould in Northamptonshire.

Ordered, &c. That the Committee of the Revenue do pay unto Captain Pikering, employed by the Parliament to the Princes Rupert and Maurice, Fifty Pounds more than what he hath already received, towards the bearing and defraying the Charge and Expence of his Journey and Employment.

A Message from the Lords, by Doctor Aylett and Doctor Heath;

The Lords have commanded us to deliver unto you this Letter from his Majesty, only with this Direction, That they think it fit, that it should be communicated to the Scotts Commissioners.

The Letter was read.

Sir Henry Mildmay brings Answer, That the Lords will send Answer to the Messages carried by him, by Messengers of their own.

Sir Henry Vane is appointed to go to the Lords; to acquaint them, That, upon the Reading and Perusal of the King's Letter, they find a great Necessity of hastening an Answer to his Majesty's former Letter; and therefore to press them to speed their Answer to the Messages, this Day sent, concerning the Answer to the King's former Letter; and to acquaint them, That this House intends to lose no Time from the Propositions; but will fit de die in diem upon them; and to desire their Lordships to expedite the Propositions with them.

A Message from the Lords, by Doctor Aylett and Doctor Heath;

The Lords have commanded us to bring these Two Papers: They came from the Committee of Lords and Commons for the Admiralty and Cinque-Ports: They do agree to them; and desire your Concurrence. They have further commanded us to deliver unto you this Petition from Dame Elizabeth Grey, late Wife of Sir John Bingley, deceased: The which they recommend unto your Consideration, with a special Recommendation.

The Papers from the Committee of Lords and Commons for the Admiralty and Cinque-Ports, of the Eleventh of December, was read; and was, for the Appointing of John Hancock to be Marshal of the Vice-Admiralty of South and North in Cornewall. And this House doth concurr with the Lords therein: And that the said John Hancock be admitted to the said Office by Warrant from the said Committee.

The Order of Decembris 13 , concerning Eighty-six Pieces .... for the Three Frigates, was read: And

It is thereupon Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee of the Navy, to contract with Mr. Browne, or any other Person as they shall think fit, for the Furnishing of Eighty-six Pieces of cast Iron Drakes for the Three Frigates ordered to be built by the State: And that they do contract with the said Mr. Browne, or any other Person, as aforesaid, for the Price of the said Ordnance; as also for the Times of Payment.

Ordered, &c. That the Petition of Dame Elizabeth Grey be taken into Consideration on Monday next, in the Afternoon, when the Reports from the Committee of Petitions are made, the Second Business.

Sir Henry Vane brings Answer, That the Lords do agree to the Vote and Resolution of this House, this Day sent unto them, concerning the Answer to the King's former Letter; and will take into Consideration, to dispatch the Propositions with them, with all Speed.

Resolved, &c. That this House doth agree with the Lords, in referring to the Members of both Houses, that are of the Committee of both Kingdoms, to communicate to the Scotts Commissioners the Letter from his Majesty, this Day communicated from the Houses; and to make use of it as an Argument for pressing the Expediting of the Answer to the King's former Letter; and to give a speedy Account of this Business to the House.

An Ordinance for securing and reimbursing to Mr. Pierepont, a Member of this House, the Sum of Two thousand Pounds, lent by him, for the Pay of such Officers and Soldiers as are to be drawn out of several Garisons in the Eastern Association, for Reducing of Newarke, out of the Monies established by Ordinance of 3 Septembris last, for Payment of the said Garisons.

Ordered, &c. That it be referred to the Committee of the Army, to take care, that the Three hundred Dragoons, that are remaining of the Regiment of Colonel Webb, may be added as Recruits to Sir Thomas Fairefaxe's Army, and to be taken into present Pay upon their Reducement.

Ordered, &c. That the Sum of Two hundred Pounds be charged upon the Receipts of the Excise, and paid, in Course, unto Colonel Underwood, so as the said Colonel do draw out his Troop of Horse, now in London, to Abingdon, to be employed for the Service of the Parliament: And that the said Colonel do pay and disburse the Sum of Two hundred Pounds for the Entertainment and Pay of the said Troop during their Service there.

Ordered, &c. That an Ordinance be brought in for the Payment of Two thousand Five hundred Pounds, Remainder of Three thousand Pounds formerly charged by Ordinance upon the Excise, in Course, out of the Intervals of the Excise, or in Course of the said Ordinance, to be employed for the Payment of the Forces before DenningtonCastle; and likewise for the Payment of the Sum of Six hundred Pounds, out of the Intervals of the said Receipts of the Excise, or in Course, which shall first happen, for the Pay of the Kentish Horse now employed in the said Service.

Ordered, &c. That an Ordinance be brought in for the Payment of the Sum of Two thousand Five hundred Pounds, Part of the Sum of Five thousand Pounds, formerly charged by Ordinance of the Fifth of August 1645, upon the Excise, for the Service of the Three Counties of Oxon, Bucks, and Berks, and the Preservation of Abingdon, out of the Intervals of the said Receipts, or in Course of the said first Ordinance; to be employed for the Pay of Colonel Sanderson's Regiment of Reformadoes.