House of Commons Journal Volume 4: 11 August 1646

Die Martis, 11 Augusti, 1646.

Prayers.

MR. Speaker acquainted the House, That several Letters, going for France, were staid about Greenwich.

The Titles and Directions of divers of the Letters were read.

Mr. Laurence Whittacre, Sir Henry Mildmay, Sir Arthur Hesilrige, Mr. Challenor, Mr. Francis Gerard, Mr. James Ashe;

This Committee is appointed to withdraw; and to deliver to the French Ambassador's Agents such of the said Letters, as they shall own, as belonging to the Ambassador; and to peruse the other Letters; and report the same to the House.

Resolved, &c. That Mr. Michael Siddall, Clerk, be forthwith sent for, as a Delinquent, by the Serjeant at Arms attending on this House, for his Contempt and Neglect, in not obeying an Ordinance of Parliament for putting Mr. Philip Nisbett into the Possession of Kirklington in the County of Yorke.

Ordered, That the High-Sheriff of the County of Yorke be required, by the Posse Comitatus of the said County, to put Mr. Nisbett into the quiet Possession of the Parsonage and Church of Kirklington in the County of Yorke; he being appointed to the said Living by Ordinance of Parliament.

Ordered, That the humble Petition of sundry Officers in the Parliament's Armies be referred to the Committee where Mr. John Goodwyn hath the Chair.

Ordered, That the House be Called over upon Thursday next shall be a Sevennight.

Ordered, That the Reports from the Committee of the Revenue be made on Friday Morning next, the first Business.

Ordered, That the Committee, appointed for the Regulation of the University of Oxford, do fit To-morrow in the Afternoon at Two of the Clock: And that Sir Robert Harley, Mr. Lisle, Mr. Scott, Mr. John Stephens, Mr. Walker, Mr. Grimston, Mr. Henry Pelham, Mr. John Corbett, Sir Christopher Yelverton, Sir Henry Mildmay, Mr. John Boys, and all the Lawyers of the House, are added to the said Committee.

A Message from the Lords, by Dr. Aylett and Dr. Heath;

The Lords have commanded us to put you in mind of a Petition, formerly recommended to this House from their Lordships, in the Behalf of Mr. Murray, now in the Tower: Which their Lordships think fit to be granted; and desire your Concurrence:-To put you in mind of the Lady Grey, Mother to the Earl of Stamford, formerly sent to this House: And the like for Captain Slaughter.

Resolved, &c. That Mr. William Murray, now Prisoner in the Tower, be forthwith bailed, upon the Security of Five thousand Pounds the Principal, and Two thousand Pounds apiece the Sureties.

Resolved, &c. That Dame Elizabeth Grey shall have paid unto her, by the Committee at Goldsmiths-Hall, the Sum of Three hundred Pounds, out of the first Monies that shall be paid in out of the Composition of Mr. Kirkham, of Fitchett in the County of Northampton, in Consideration of her Losses in Ireland, and her Debt due from the King: And that an Acquittance or Acquittances, under the Hand of the said Lady Elizabeth Grey, shall be a sufficient Discharge to the said Committee, and the Treasurer there, for the Payment thereof accordingly.

Answer returned by the same Messengers; That this House hath taken the Business of the Lady Grey, and the other Particulars of this Message, into Consideration; and will send Answer by Messengers of their own.

A Letter from Captain Phinees Pett, from Yarmouth, of 6 Augusti 1646, concerning Monsieur de Montereul the French Agent, taken at Sea; and some Letters in the same Ship, hidden Two Foot deep among Coals: The which Letters were inclosed.

Resolved, &c. That these Letters be opened, and read.

Sir Henry Vane senior, Sir Henry Vane junior, Mr. Nathanael Fiennes, Mr. Recorder, Sir John Evelyn of Wiltes, Mr. Holles, Mr. Grimston, Mr. Rous, Sir Christopher Yelverton, Mr. Tate, Sir Arthur Hesilrige, Sir Philip Stapilton, Mr. Miles Corbett, Mr. Henry Marten;

This Committee, or any Four or more of them, is to consider of the Reasons and Motives that induced this House to open the Letters sent from Captain Phinees Pett; and what is fit to be done upon it; and what is fit to be done with the Portmanteau, and with Monsieur de Mountereul; and to report their Opinions speedily to the House: And they are to meet this Afternoon at Two of the Clock, in the Queen's Court.

Resolved, &c. That the Agent to the French Ambassador shall have a Pass from Mr. Speaker, to pass freely, without Stay or Interruption, into France, with the Letters staid in or near Greenwich.

Ordered, That the Two Posts, that brought the Letters found in the Coals from Yarmouth, shall have Five Pounds apiece bestowed upon them for their Pains: And that the Committee of Lords and Commons for Advance of Monies, sitting at Haberdashers-Hall, do pay unto them the said Five Pounds apiece accordingly.

Ordered, That the Commissioners that went with the Propositions to the King, do make their Report To-morrow Morning.

The House being acquainted, That the Gentleman Usher of the Lords House was at the Door;

He was called in; and acquainted the House, That the Lords were ready (if this House pleased to come) for the Breaking of the Seals that were sent from Oxford; and for swearing the Earl of Salisbury one of the Commissioners for the Great Seal; and for delivering the Great Seal.

Resolved, &c. That the House do fit this Afternoon at Two of the Clock, to receive the Reports for Ireland; and for no other Business.

Post Meridiem.

A Letter from Belfast, of 19 Julii 1646, from Mr. Annesley, concerning the Necessities of Ireland, was this Day read.

A Letter from Sir Charles Coote, of 13 Julii 1646, concerning the Taking in of Roscommon in Ireland by the Rebels, was this Day read.

A Letter from Mr. Annesley, from Belfast, of 19 Julii 1646, directed to Sir John Clotworthy, was this Day read; and was concerning the sad Condition of the Province of Connaght.

A Letter from Mr. Annesley, of 30 Julii 1646, directed to the Lord Lisle, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, concerning the Peace concluded by the Marquis of Ormond with the Rebels in Ireland, was this Day read.

Resolved, &c. That the respective Committees sitting at Weavers-Hall, at the Savoy, the Hamlets, and Southwarke, shall have hereby Power to call before them the Advancers of the Twenty thousand Pounds for reducing Oxford, now payable out of the Excise; and earnestly persuade them to continue their Monies at Interest, upon the Security of the Fifty thousand Pounds charged, upon the Credit of the Excise, for Ireland, as an acceptable Service for the Commons of England, and much conducing to the present Relief of the bleeding Condition of Ireland.

Mr. Prideaux, Mr. Whittlock, Sir John Temple, Mr. Wilson, Mr. Tompson, Colonel Massey, Mr. Fra. Allen, Sir Tho. Wroth, Colonel Harvey, Mr. Gourdon, Sir Gregory Norton, Mr. Shuttleworth, Sir Henry Vane, Mr. Weavor, Mr. Ball, Mr. Boys, Mr. Ashe, Sir John Hobert, Mr. Roll, Colonel Cromwell, Mr. Browne, Sir Tho. Dacres, Sir Henry Mildmay, Mr. Oxenden, Mr. Wheeler, Mr. Recorder, Mr. Holles, Sir Philip Stapleton, Mr. Trenchard, Sir Gilbert Gerrard, Sir Gilbert Pickering, Sir Robert Pye, Mr. Scawen, Mr. Leman, Mr. Hodges, Mr. Pury, Sir James Harrington, Mr. Challoner, Mr. Atkin, Sir Wm. Masham, Mr. Bond, Mr. Marten, Alderman Pennington, Mr. Nathanael Stephens, Mr. John Stephens;

This Committee, or any Five of them, hath Power to treat and confer with such Persons as they shall think fit, for the Borrowing of Monies for the Service of Ireland; and to consider of some Way of raising a Foundation of a Credit for advancing Monies for carrying on the War in Ireland: And they are to meet To-morrow at Two post meridiem, in the Exchequer-Chamber, and so de die in diem: And have Power to send for Parties, Witnesses, Papers, Records: And the Care of this Business is more particularly referred to Mr. Leman and Colonel Willson: And are to make Report on Tuesday Morning next.

Mr. Samuel Browne, Mr. Selden, Mr. Francis Allen, Sir John Temple, Sir Henry Mildemay, Mr. Pury, Mr. Whitelocke, Mr. Corbett;

This Committee, or any Three of them, is to consider of the Names of Four of the excepted Persons, and present them to the House, to the end their Estates may be forthwith sold: And that, out of the Proceed thereof, the Sum of Threescore thousand Pounds may be raised for the speedy Sending and Maintaining of Forces for the present Service of Ireland: And they are to meet presently upon this Business, in the Queen's Court; and report it To-morrow Morning.

Resolved, &c. That it be referred to the Committee of the Three Counties of Oxon, Bucks, and Berks, to consider of an Establishment for the Garison of Wallingford; and to report it to the House.

Ordered, &c. That the Committee appointed to treat with the Officers and Soldiers of the Garison-Forces of the Three Counties of Oxon, Bucks, and Berks, for their going into Ireland, shall have Power to disband such of the Forces of the said Counties, as shall not inlist themselves for Ireland; and to tender to them such Conditions, as other Counties are authorized to offer to such of their Forces, as are to be employed in the said Service.

Ordered, &c. That the Report concerning the Lady Blaney and Colonel Jones be made To-morrow Morning, the first Business.

Resolved, &c. That Mr. Speaker do issue his Warrant to the Clerk of the Crown in Chancery, for issuing a Writ for electing a Burgess to serve in Parliament for the Town of Dovor, in the room and place of Sir Edward Boys, formerly elected to serve as a Burgess for that Town, and since deceased.

ORdered, by the Lords and Commons, That the Allowance of Four Months, Two Weeks, and Three Days Victual be made to Captain Thomas Plunkett, for the Ship Discovery, according to the Ordinance of 30 Novembris 1643; she being set forth as a private Man of War upon that Ordinance, and employed, on the Coast of Ireland, for the Space of Ten Months, Two Weeks, and Three Days, beginning the Ninth of July 1645; of which he hath received Victual only for Six Months, as appears by a Report from the Committee of Lords and Commons for the Admiralty and Cinque-Ports, of 23 Maii 1646: And it is referred to the Committee of the Navy, to give Order for an Allowance to be made him for the said Four Months, Two Weeks, and Three Days Victuals, according to the Purport of the said Ordinance, over and above the Six Months already allowed him, in Part of the said Ten Months, Two Weeks, and Three Days Service.