House of Commons Journal Volume 7: 14 April 1652

Wednesday, 14th April, 1652.

Prayers.

Army Accompts.

COLONEL Downes reports from the Committee of the Army; viz.

This Committee taking into Consideration the many Sums of Money that have been issued forth to the Officers now and lately in the Parliament's Service, upon Accompt, for the Payment of themselves, and the Soldiers under their respective Commands; which, in regard of the frequent Engagements of the Army upon Service, since and in the Year 1648, could not be hitherto examined, and the Accompts thereof determined; and for that, upon several Exigencies, the Allowance of Pay, made to the Officers and Soldiers both of Horse and Foot, have been very often altered, so that it will be a Work of very great Difficulty (if not altogether impossible) and will require very much Time, to propound any certain or general Rule, unto which all the said Accompts shall be reduced, without Prejudice either to the Commonwealth, or the Soldiers;

That therefore it be humbly offered to the Consideration of the Parliament, if they think fit, That the Committee for the Army, or any Three of them, may have Power and Authority, by themselves, and such as they shall appoint, and by such Ways and Means, as they, or any Three of them, shall think fit, to cause the Accompts of all Officers and Soldiers, that either are or were in the Service of the Parliament any time since the 15th of January 1647, for all Monies received by them, or by any other Person, by their Appointment, or for their Use, from the said 15th of January 1647, to the 20th of October 1651, to be stated, audited, and cast up: And the said Committee for the Army, or any Three of them, according to such Allowances of Pay, as to them shall appear to have been, or that ought from time to time to have been, allowed to the said Officers and Soldiers, by Warrant from the said Committee, and accordingly issued forth to the Officers and Soldiers, to allow of, determine, and perfect, such Accompts.

That the said Committee, or any Three of them, may, out of the Receipts appointed for the Army, satisfy and pay such Persons as they shall employ in this Business, for their Pains and Care therein: And, if they think sit, administer an Oath to such Persons as they shall employ therein, for their due and faithful Execution of their Employment, according to their best Skill and Judgment: And, in Cases of Doubt, to examine upon Oath, if they see Cause.

Army Accomots.

That, for the more effectual Prosecution and Perfecting this Work, Sir John Wollaston Knight, and the rest of the Treasurers at War, for the Assessments appointed for the Pay of the Army within the said Time, the present Treasurers at War, the Commissary of Musters, their Deputies and Clerks, may be aiding, and assisting, and obedient, to the said Committee, in the Execution of the Premises.

That the Lord General may be desired to give Orders to all the Officers of any of the Forces now in the Service of this Commonwealth, or any other Persons under his Command, forthwith, upon Notice from the said Committee for the Army to them given, to bring in their Accompts to the said Committee, or such Persons as they shall appoint to receive the same, for all Monies received by them, or by any other Person, by their Appointment, or for their Use, or for the Use and Payment of any of the Officers and Soldiers under their or any of their Command, within the said Time, and to attend the Perfecting of their said Accompts.

That whatsoever Monies shall appear to be remaining in the Hands of any the said Officers or Persons aforesaid, may be either forthwith paid to the said Sir John Wollaston, Knight, and the rest of the former Treasurers at War, for the Use of the Army; or assigned to the next growing Pay of himself, and the Regiment, Troop, or Company, under his Command; as the Committee for the Army shall think fit to order the same.

That all other Persons, who are not in present Service in the Army, and are accountable for any Monies received as aforesaid, may be required forthwith, upon Notice to them given, by Order from the Committee for the Army, to bring in their Accompts of all Monies so received by them, or by any other Person, by their Appointment, or to their Use, or to the Use and Payment of any of the Officers or Soldiers under their Command, to the said Committee, or such as they shall appoint to receive the same, and to attend the Perfecting of their said Accompts.

That whatsoever Monies shall appear to be remaining in the Hands of any of the said Persons not in Service, shall be, by the said Committee, ordered to be paid to the said Sir John Wollaston Knight, and the rest of the former Treasurers at War for the Use of the Army: And in case the Orders issued forth by the said Committee, or any Three of them, to that Purpose, be not obeyed; and the Sum or Sums of Money, mentioned therein to be paid to the said Treasurers, shall not be paid and satisfied within One Month after the Date of the said Order; That then the said Committee for the Army, or any Three of them, may be required and authorized to imprison the Persons, or sequester, to the Use of the Commonwealth, the Estates of such Person or Persons, who shall so refuse or neglect to observe the Orders of the said Committee, for the Payment of the Monies remaining in their Hands to the Treasurers at War, as aforesaid.

Ordered, by the Parliament, That the Committee for the Army be, and are hereby, impowered and authorized, by themselves, and such as they shall appoint, and by such Ways and Means as they, or any Three of them, shall think fit, to cause the Accompts of all Officers and Soldiers that are or were in the Service of the Parliament any time since the 15th of January 1647, for all Monies received by them, or by any other Person, by their Appointment, or for their Use, from the said 15th of January 1647, to the 20th of October 1651, to be stated, audited, and cast up: And the said Committee for the Army, or any Three of them, (according to such Allowances of Pay, as to them shall appear to have been, or that ought from time to time to have been, allowed to the said Officers and Soldiers, by Warrant from the said Committee, and accordingly issued forth to the Officers and Soldiers) to allow of, determine, and perfect, such Accompts.

Ordered, by the Parliament, That the Committee for the Army, or any Three of them, shall and may, out of the Receipts appointed for the Army, satisfy and pay such Persons as they shall imploy in this Business, for their Pains and Care therein; and be and are hereby impowered, if they shall think fit, to administer an Oath to such Persons as they shall employ therein, for their due and faithful Execution of their Employment, according to their best Skill and Judgment: and, in Cases of Doubt, to examine upon Oath, if they see Cause: And that Sir John Wollaston Knight, and the rest of the Treasurers at War, for the Assessments appointed for the Pay of the Army within the said Time, the present Treasurers at War, the Commissary of Musters, their Deputies and Clerks, be aiding, and assisting, and obedient to the said Committee, in the Execution of the Premises.

Ordered, by the Parliament, That the Lord General do give Orders to all the Officers of any of the Forces now in the Service of this Commonwealth, or any other Persons under his Command, forthwith, upon Notice from the said Committee for the Army to them given, to bring in their Accompts to the said Committee, or such Persons as they shall appoint to receive the same, for all Monies received by them, or by any other Person, by their Appointment, or for their Use, or for the Use and Payment of any of the Officers and Soldiers under their or any of their Command, within the said Time; and to attend the Perfecting of their said Accompts: And that whatsoever Monies shall appear to be remaining in the Hands of any the said Officers, or Persons aforesaid, be either forthwith paid to the said Sir John Wollaston Knight, and the rest of the former Treasurers at War, for the Use of the Army; or assigned to the next growing Pay of himself, and the Regiment, Troop, or Company, under his Command; as the Committee for the Army shall think fit to order the same.

Ordered, by the Parliament, That all other Persons, who are not in present Service in the Army, and are accountable for any Monies received as aforesaid, be required forthwith, upon Notice to them given, by Order from the Committee for the Army, to bring in their Accompts of all Monies so received by them, or by any other Person, by their Appointment, or to their Use, or to the Use and Payment of any of the Officers or Soldiers under their Command, to the said Committee, or such as they shall appoint to receive the same; and to attend the Perfecting of their said Accompts.

Ordered, by the Parliament, That whatsoever Monies shall appear to be remaining in the Hands of any of the said Persons not in Service, shall be, by the said Committee, ordered to be paid to the said Sir John Wollaston, Knight, and the rest of the former Treasurers at War, for the Use of the Army: And in case the Orders issued forth by the said Committee, or any Three of them, to that Purpose, be not obeyed; and the Sum or Sums of Money, mentioned therein to be paid to the said Treasurers, shall not be paid and satisfied within One Month after the Date of the said Order; That then the said Committee for the Army, or any Three of them, are required and authorized to imprison the Persons, or sequester, to the Use of the Commonwealth, the Estates of such Person or Persons, who shall so refuse and neglect to observe the Orders of the said Committee, for the Payment of the Monies remaining in their Hands to the Treasurers at War, as aforesaid.

Letters to Foreign States.

Ordered, That the Letters ordered to be sent to the King of Denmark, and to the Hans Towns, after the same be signed by Mr. Speaker, and sealed, be delivered by the Council of State, to the respective Agents from the said King and the Hans Towns.

Arrears of Assessments.

Colonel Downes also reports from the said Committee of the Army; viz.

This Committee, upon perusal of the Accompts of several of the Counties of this Commonwealth, finding, That there is an Arrear of the Assessments appointed for the Forces in England, in the Years 1648 and 1649; and that, notwithstanding the said Arrears are already assessed, and the greatest part of them collected, yet there being several Demands made for Satisfaction of such FreeQuarter, as hath been taken by the Soldiers of the Marching Army in that time, the said Assessments are not cleared, nor the Monies collected paid into the Treasury; They do therefore humbly offer to the Consideration of the Parliament, if they think fit, That the Powers and Instructions, at any time heretofore given to the Committee for the Army; for the Discharge and Satisfying of Free-Quarter, may be renewed and continued to this Committee, for the Allowing and Satisfying of such Free-quarter, as hath been, at any time since the 25th of March 1648, taken by any of the Forces then of the Marching-Army; according to such Certificate, as shall be thereof made, by Five or more of the Commissioners for the Assessments, in such Places where the said Free-Quarter hath been taken; and according to such Allowances and Instructions, as were in that Behalf appointed to be made and given by the Commissioners of Parliament in the Army, according to an Ordinance of Parliament, bearing Date 16 Maii 1645: The said Allowance to be made out of the Arrears of the Assessments for the Army, due since the said 25 Martii 1648, from the respective County, City, or Place, which shall crave such Allowance for any FreeQuarter taken as aforesaid.

Resolved, That this House doth agree, that this Power, desired in this Report, be given to the Committee.

Resolved, by the Parliament, That, as to the Arrears of the Assessments, from March 1645 till March 1648, already collected, and in the Hands of Collectors or Treasurers appointed in the several Counties for those Assessments, the Committee of the Army have Power to call the said Collectors to an Account, and to dispose of the same, for the Satisfying of such Free Quarter, as hath been taken in those respective Counties during that Time, so far as the Sums of Money in the Hands of such Collectors and Treasurers will extend; according to such Allowances and Instructions, as were in that Behalf appointed to be made and given by the Commissioners of Parliament in the Army, according to an Ordinance of Parliament, bearing Date the 16th of May 1645: And that the said Committee have Power to give Commission unto the Commissioners for the Assessments in such respective Counties for that Purpose.

Colonel Twisleton's Regiment.

Colonel Downes reports from the same Committee, the State of the Business touching Colonel Twisleton's Regiment; viz.

IN pursuance of an Order of Parliament, of 26 Februarii 1649, referring it to this Committee to state the Business touching Colonel Twisleton's Regiment, and report it to the House, this Committee have sent into the Country for the Muster-Rolls, and Treasurer's Accompts, relating to the said Regiment: And they do find, That the said Regiment, being Part of the new Model, and, for special Service, appointed to remain in Lincolnshire, and Parts adjacent, the Committee of the Army did, by their Order of 10 Maii 1645, appoint Mr. Berry High Collector for the Assessments in Lincolnshire, to take care for the Payment of that Regiment out of the Assessments of that County; and desire the Committee of the County to take care for constant Musters.

And, upon Perusal of Mr. Berrie's Accompts by the Deputy-Treasurer at War, it doth appear, That the said Regiment was, from time to time, paid out of that Assessment: And that from 12 Maii 1645 to 14 Junii 1647, there was paid to the said Regiment, and their Use, the Sum of Forty-three thousand Five hundred and Twelve Pounds Nine Shillings and Two-pence Halfpenny: That is to say, In ready Money, Twenty-six thousane Four hundred Fourscore-and-nine Pounds Fourteen Shillings and Eight-pence; and, in Quarters and Provisions taken by the said Regiment, which was paid for by Mr. Bury, Seventeen thousand Twenty-two Pounds Fourteen Shillings Sixpence Halfpeny.

That the Committee of the said County did not take care to muster the said Regiment so oft as the rest of the Army were mustered: But, upon Examination of the Accompt of the said Regiment, by the Deputy-Treasurer at Wars, upon such Musters as were taken, there appears to be due to the said Regiment, from the said 12 Maii 1645 to 15 Junii 1647, the Sum of Threescore-and-one thousand Eight hundred Forty-two Pounds Seventeen Shillings and Ten-pence; whereof the said Sum of Fortythree thousand Five hundred and Twelve Pounds Nine Shillings and Two-pence Halfpenny, paid in Monies for Free-Quarter and Provisions as aforesaid, being already received, there remains due to the said Regiment, the Sum of Eighteen thousand Three hundred and Thirty Pounds Eight Shillings and Seven-pence Halfpeny: Which said Sum of Eighteen thousand Three hundred and Thirty Pounds Eight Shillings and Seven-pence Halfpeny cannot, by any Rules heretofore observed in the Stating of the Soldiers Accompts, that were in Service in the new Model, be equally divided and apportioned amongst the Officers and Soldiers of the said Regiment; the said Sum of Forty-three thousand Five hundred and Twelve Pounds Nine Shillings and Two-pence Halfpeny, not being regularly issued forth, or appointed to be paid upon any certain Musters: But the Officers of the said Regiment have, by Agreement amongst them selves, charged the Sums, paid to the said Regiment, and their Use, to each particular Officer and Soldier, as the Sums are expressed in the Lists herewith presented; each List being subscribed by One or more of the Officers in Commission, of that Troop to which the List appertains: All which is humbly offered to the Consideration of the Parliament.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee of . . . Army, to consider of the whole Accompt of this Regiment, from 1645 till 1647; and what Money hath been already deducted by the Country for Free-Quarter; and make up the whole Sum, according to the Rule; deducting, in the whole, a full Third Part for Free-Quarter; And that the Residue after such Deduction, remaining due, be divided, according to the several Proportions agreed by themselves, and presented to the Committee for the Army: And that the Committee of the Army do thereupon give Debentures, and the Trustees at Worcester House do thereupon give Bond, as they have done to others in the Army in the like Case; notwithstanding the Time appointed for bringing in Debentures is elapsed.