House of Commons Journal Volume 7: 22 October 1652

Friday, the 22th of October, 1652.

Prayers.

Hippesley's Estate.

THE Question being put, That the Estate, which Sir John Hippesley hath in the Custody of Bushy Park, for Term of his Life, be changed; and that he have, in lieu thereof, an Estate for One-and-twenty Years;

The House was divided.

The Yeas went forth.

So it passed with the Negative.

Sheriff of Lincolnshire.

Resolved, That Sir Robert Berkham Knight, Sheriff of Lincolnshire, have Leave, until the next Assizes, to stay in London, and to follow his Occasions there.

Election of Sheriff.

Ordered, That this Day Fortnight be the Day for Election of Sheriffs; and the Members of Parliament, that serve for the respective Counties, Cities, and Boroughs, of this Commonwealth, do, on that Day, present the Names of fit Persons to be Sheriffs, accordingly.

Ordnance Stores.

Colonel Purefoy reports from the Council of State;

That the Paper of the Officers of the Ordnance, representing what Proportion of Ammunition they judge necessary to be forthwith provided for Supply of the Stores, and an Estimate of the Charge thereof, amounting to Ninety-eight thousand Two hundred Pounds Eight Shillings, be humbly reported to the Parliament; and that they be moved to set apart the Sum . . . One hundred thousand Pounds, for making of the said Provisions out of such Monies as shall be raised upon the Act for Delinquents Compositions.

Resolved, by the Parliament, That the Sum of One hundred thousand Pounds, Part of the Four hundred thousand Pounds, charged on the additional Bill for Sale of several Lands and Estates forfeited to the Commonwealth for Treason, be appropriated and do go for Supply of Ammunition, and other Provisions of the Stores.

Isle of Jersey.

Colonel Marten reports from the Council of State, Propositions touching the Isle of Jersey: Which were this Day read, and were as followeth; viz.

Humbly Offering,

THAT, seeing the Island of Jersie, after so great Bondage and Misery, hath yet, through God's Goodness, at length, been so happy as to be reduced out of the Hands of a most cruel, tyrannous Enemy, and to be re conjoined to the Commonwealth of England; it is humbly proposed, as the most sure Bar against Royalty, and the like Prerogatives, by which too many of this Island have been, and still are prone to be, seduced withal;

1. That the Government of the said Island may, in all things, be restored to its ancient and rightful Constitution, and be freed from all such corrupt Laws and Customs as have, at any Time, been introduced by Kings, or their Interests, in Prejudice thereof. In order whereunto, and for the more effectual Settlement of the Island, and the Encouragement of the Well-affected there;

It is further humbly offered,

2. That the Parliament will be pleased to nominate and appoint Five Commissioners, Natives of the Island, and to authorize them, or any Three of them, to make Inquiry, and to be satisfied, what are the ancient Laws and Rights of that Island; and to command and require Obedience thereunto; and to declare whatsoever shall be found contrary thereunto to be void, and of no Effect; and in special Manner to take Care, that all Officers, intrusted or to be intrusted with any publick Office, or with the Administration of any Part of the Government, may be annually and freely elected by the Inhabitants, and no longer be of Continuation during Life, as for many Years hath been practised, to the great Oppression and Enthralment of the People: And that Captain George de Carterett, Philip de Carteret his Brother, Philip de Carterett Esquire, of Two St. Owen, Amice de Carterett of Trinity Parish, Josiah de Carterett his Brother, Francis de Carterett of Peter Parish, Philip de Carterett of Vinthle Dehault, Philip Legeyt, Lawrence Hauntone, John Pippon, late Jurates, Elyas de Carterett the late King's Attorney, John Le Hardey the late King's Advocate, Edward Haunton late Viscount, and Elyas Hue their late Secretary, being and having been the chief Actors, and notorious Delinquents against this Commonwealth, may be for ever disabled to bear any Office or Trust in the Island, or any Part of the Commonwealth of England, and that all other Delinquents stand disabled for Ten Years, at the least.

3. That the said Commissioners may be impowered to remove any Obstructions in the due Course of Law, that may befal upon any Suit brought against any of the former Officers of Justice for either Bribery, Extortion, Cruelty, arbitrary Proceedings, or Injustice, committed against any of the People; and to see, that Law have its due and full Execution, without Respect of Persons; that so particular Persons, that have been wronged by any of them, may have a free Way for Satisfaction.

4. That the Commissioners be impowered to examine all treacherous Dealings, that may be alleged against any that were intrusted by the Parliament, or their Committees, as Commissioners there, when Colonel Ledcott was sent thither, such having no Benefit of the Articles of Surrender; and to deal with them, upon Evidence, as shall stand with Right and Reason.

5. That the said Commissioners may have Power to examine all Wrongs and Sufferings, which the Wellaffected of the Island have undergone, for their Affection to the Parliament, since the Beginning of the Wars of England: And forasmuch as, by the Articles granted at the Reducement of Mounttorguell and Elizabeth Castles, the Delinquents, capable of the Benefit, are not to be questioned for having received the Rents and Revenues of such as have always adhered to the Parliament; yea, although they have received them ever since the Year 1642, unto this present 1652; that, therefore, the same, with their other Wrongs and Sufferings, may be satisfied by the Commissioners out of the Composition and Forfeiture of Delinquents Estates in that Island, according to the former Order of Parliament granted in that Behalf dated the 8th of October 1645.

6. That all enforced, unlawful Contracts, or Sale of any Part or Parcel of the Estates, Rents, Lands, Goods, or Chattels, belonging to any of the Well-affected, which have been bought, sold, or engaged, by any Delinquent during the Wars, may, by the said Commissioners, be declared to be null and void, and the Parties grieved to have the Benefit of the Law in such Cases; provided the Articles of Surrender authorizing only lawful, not forcible Contracts.

7. That the said Commissioners may be impowered to require, and take Accompts of, any Persons whomsoever, that have raised or received any Sums of Money, or Rents, from any Delinquent or otherwise, since the Rendition of the said Island to the Parliament.

8. That, in Case the Parliament think fit to continue the Number of Soldiers now in the Island, that they may receive their Pay, and . . billetted, according to the Acts and Rules of Parliament for the same; and not be upon Free-Quarter, or in private Houses, as at present they are, to the heavy burdening of the People; and which, if not timely remedied, will prove their total Ruin: The Care whereof is humbly offered to be referred to the Wisdom of the Commissioners.

9. That seeing it is credibly informed, that there are several Pirates and Pickeroons, that daily rove about the said Island, and hath, since its Reduction, taken several Vessels of the Inhabitants, to their great Loss and Damage; and to the End that such Pyracies and Robberies may hereafter be prevented; it is further humbly proposed, That Two small Frigates may speedily be appointed to go thither, to endeavour, by all possible Means, the Hinderance of the same: And, in case the Parliament have not the Conveniency of sending such Frigates from hence, it may please them to impower the said Commissioners to set forth, out of the said Islands, such Vessels of War, fit for that Expedition, as they shall think necessary; further impowering them to defray the Charges of the same out of the publick Revenues, Compositions, and Forfeitures, of Delinquents Estates in that Island.

All which Particulars, being conceived to be of great Concernment to the Safety and Well-being of the whole Island, are humbly desired to be taken into the most serious Consideration of this honourable Council, to whose great Wisdom, in all Meekness, they are submitted.

Ordered, That the said Proposals be referred to the Council of State, to take them into their Consideration, and present their Opinion to the Parliament, what is fit to be done in that Business.

Correspondence with Denmark.

The Lord Commissioner Whitelock reports from the Councll of State, a Paper, in Answer to the Paper of the Day of delivered in to the Council of State by the Lords Ambassadors Extraordinary from the King of Denmark: Which was this Day read.

The Question being put, That this Clause, beginning with these Words, "as the same is evidently by the Transactions," and ending with these Words, viz. "into England," do stand in the Paper;

It passed with the Negative.

The said Paper, so amended, being put to the Question, was assented unto.

Ordered, That the said Paper be sent, by the Council of State, to the Lords Ambassadors Extraordinary from the King of Denmark, with all convenient Speed.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Council of State, to prepare a Narrative of the Fact, to be likewise communicated to the said Lords Ambassadors with the said Answer.

Papers to be returned.

Ordered, That the Papers, reported Yesterday from the Council of State, be sent back to the Council.

Com rs for Articles.

Ordered, That Mr. Attorney General, and the rest of the Council for the Commonwealth, and Mr. Hurst, do attend the Commissioners for Articles, and be of Council for the Commonwealth in that Business.

Ordered, That the Sum of Fifty Pounds be paid unto such Person as the Commissioners for Articles shall appoint, upon Account, towards the defraying of their incident Charges: And, that the Council of State do give Order for the Payment thereof, accordingly.

Scotch Affairs.

An Act for continuing of several Commissions, granted by the Commissioners of Parliament for managing the Affairs of Scotland, until May 1653: was this Day read the First and Second time; and, upon the Question, committed to the Committee appointed to confer with the Deputies sent from Scotland: And that the Committee have Power herein to confer with such Persons as they shall think fit.

Ordered, That the Care of the Business referred to that Committee, be specially recommended to the Lord Commissioner Whitelock and the Lord Chief Justice St. John; and that they be required to attend the same.

Grant to Cook.

Ordered, That the Sum of Three hundred Pounds be paid unto Anne Cooke, Widow and Relict of Colonel George Cooke, deceased, upon Account, in Part of the Arrears due to the said Colonel Cooke: And that the Committee of the Army do take care, the same be paid unto her, accordingly, out of such Monies as are appointed for the Service of Ireland.

Ordered, That Lands of Inheritance, of the clear yearly Value of Two hundred Pounds, in Ireland, be settled upon the Widow of Colonel George Cooke, deceased, and the Children of the said Colonel George Cooke, as a Mark of the Parliament's Favour to the said Colonel Cooke for his special Service: And that the Commissioners of Parliament in Ireland, be authorized and required, upon a Survey of Land of the Value aforesaid, to settle the same upon the said Mrs. Cook, and the Children of the said Colonel Cook, in such Proportion and Manner as they shall think fit: And that they do put them into Possession thereof, accordingly: And that Mr. Speaker do write a Letter to the said Commissioners for that Purpose: And Major General Harrison is to prepare the Letter, and Mr. Speaker to sign the same.

Grant to Zankey.

Ordered, That Lands of Inheritance in Ireland forfeited to the Commonwealth for Treason, of the yearly Value of Two hundred Pounds, according to the Value which the said Lands did bear in the Year 1640, be settled upon Colonel Jerome Zankey, and his Heirs, according to the Vote of Parliament, of the 8th of April 1652, as a Mark of the Parliament's Favour to the said Colonel Jerome Zankey, for his special Service: And that the Commissioners of the Parliament in Ireland, be authorized and required, upon a Survey of Lands, of the Value aforesaid to settle the same upon the said Colonel Jerome Zankey, and his Heirs, and put him into Possession thereof accordingly: And that Mr. Speaker do write a Letter to the said Commissioners for that Purpose: And the Lord Commissioner Whitelock is to prepare the said Letter, and Mr. Speaker to sign the same.

Shelbury's Claims.

Ordered, That the Committee of the Army do consider of the former Votes of Parliament, touching the Wife and Children of Colonel Shelbury, deceased; and the Business depending before that Committee, touching the Arrears due to the said Colonel; and state the whole Matter of Fact, and report it to the Parliament with all convenient Speed.

Forfeited Estates.

A Bill for constituting Mathias Valentine Esquire, a Trustee for Sale of several Lands and Estates forfeited to the Commonwealth for Treason, in the Place of Sampson Sheffeild Esquire, deceased; was this Day read the First and Second time.

And the Question being put, That this Bill be committed;

It passed with the Negative.

And the Act, being put to the Question, passed.

Grant to Ludlow.

Whereas by a Vote of Parliament of the 13th of December 1650, it was resolved, That the several Sums of Fifteen hundred Eighty-two Pounds Six Shillings and a Peny, and Five hundred and Nine Pounds Five Shillings, amounting to Two thousand Ninety-one Pounds Eleven Shillings and a Peny, should be allowed to Lieutenant General Ludlow, out of such Estates of Delinquents as should be exposed to Sale: It is this Day

Ordered, by the Parliament, That the said Sum of Two thousand Ninety-one Pounds Eleven Shillings and a Peny be allowed unto the said Lieutenant General Edmond Ludlow, by the Treasurers appointed by the Act for Sale of several Lands and Estates forfeited to the Commonwealth for Treason, as so much doubled Monies upon the said Lands and Estates: And that the said Treasurers do give a Receipt or Certificate thereof; for which this Order shall be their Warrant and Discharge.

The House, according to former Order, adjourned itself to Tuesday Morning next, Eight of Clock.