House of Commons Journal Volume 7: 4 July 1659

Monday, the 4th of July, 1659.

Petition from Berwick.

THE humble Petition of the Mayor, Bailiffs, and Burgesses of Berwick upon Tweed was this Day read.

Ordered, That a Brief be granted, in usual Form, for a Collection of the charitable Benevolence of well-disposed People, for Relief of the Petitioners, who have suffered great Loss by Fire within the several Counties of Cumberland, Northumberland, Westmerland, Durham, Yorkeshire, and in Newcastle, the City of York, and Town of Hull: And the Commissioners for Custody . . the Great Seal are hereby impowered and required to pass the said Brief under the Great Seal of the Commonwealth of England, accordingly.

Plundered Ministers.

Mr. Weaver reports from the Committee for plundered Ministers, That it be humbly offered to the Parliament, as the Opinion of this Committee;

That all Augmentations and Allowances granted by Authority derived from Parliament before the 20th of April 1653, shall be paid as they were then settled; unless the Parliament, or Committee for plundered Ministers, shall see Cause to alter the same: And that all such other Sum or Sums of Money, as have been paid, by way of Augmentation or Allowance yearly, to any Minister of the Gospel, or Schoolmaster, since the 20th of April 1653, be paid to them for the time to come in like manner; except the Parliament, or the Committee for plundered Ministers shall give Order to the contrary:

That all such further Augmentations and Allowances, as shall be settled and allowed of, for the future, by the Committee for plundered Ministers, upon Consultation had, from time to time, with the Trustees for Maintenance of Ministers, be paid accordingly; until the Parliament, or the said Committee, shall give Order to the contrary.

Resolved, That this House doth agree with the Committee, That all Augmentations and Allowances granted to Ministers or Schoolmasters, by Authority derived from Parliament before the 20th of April 1653, shall be paid as they were then settled; unless the Parliament, or Committee for plundered Ministers, shall see Cause to alter the same.

Resolved, That the Word "further," in the last Clause, be omitted.

Resolved, That these Words, viz. "upon Consultation had, from time to time, with the Trustees for Maintenance of Ministers," be omitted.

Resolved, That such Augmentations and Allowances, as shall be settled and allowed of, for the future, by the Committee for plundered Ministers, be paid, accordingly; until the Parliament, or the said Committee, shall give Order to the contrary: And that all Persons concerned herein, do take notice hereof, and yield Obedience hereunto, accordingly.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee for plundered Ministers, to take a special Care, that those Ministers, that live at or near the Places out of which the Maintenance and Augmentation doth issue, be provided for out of the same, in the first place; and to consider, how this Revenue may be best managed and employed to the Uses formerly ordained and appointed by this Parliament; and report their Opinion therein to this House.

Excise.

Colonel White reports from the Commissioners for bringing in the Revenue:

Farmers of Excise, whose Farms are certified and adjudged, by the Commissioners for the Publick Revenue, to the Committee of Inspections, to be entered upon.

Reasons alleged by the said Farmers to be discharged of their Farms.

IT is alleged by the said Farmers of Excise, That, from and after the 6th Day of May last past, they are not obliged to make good the Payment of their FarmRents, as they were contracted for, but are only chargeable, as Accomptants to the State, for what Monies hath since come, or shall come to their Hands for the State's Use: And thereupon do desire to enter into their Accompts accordingly; and withal do desire to have their Farms to be surrendered into the State's Hands for the future; and do offer Reasons for their said Allegations, as followeth, viz.

1. That the Authority or Power by which the Excise was framed unto them, being by Letters Patents of the Great Seal of the (so called) late Protector, and that Power being determined, and the said Seal broken, they are not in Law compellable to hold the said Farms.

2. That, by the said Letters Patents, and Articles thereupon, their respective Farms are granted for divers Years yet to come; and the Parliament having enacted the Excise to continue but until the 1st Day of October 1659, thereby the Parliament have determined their Contracts, and made them incapable to enjoy their Farms, as they were granted unto them.

Upon the whole Matter it is humbly proposed to the Parliament, for their Consideration and further Direction, what they shall please to order and direct concerning the taking in or continuing the said Farms as they now are; and that they will please to expedite the Bill for Sequestration and Sale of the Estates of such Farmers of Excise, and Commissioners for Prize-Goods, as are in Arrear to the Commonwealth; for want of which there doth daily accrue great Damage to the State.

The Parliament doth Declare, That, until the First of October next, the Farmers of the Excise and Customs ought to pay in their Rents, and Arrears of Rents, in like manner as they were to have paid in the same by their respective Contracts: And that the same be paid, accordingly, to such Person or Persons as the Parliament hath appointed, or shall appoint, to receive the same.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee for inspecting the Treasury to prepare a Proviso, to be tendered to this House, for excepting such Farmers of the Excise and Customs as do not pay in their Arrears, according to their respective Contracts, out of the Act of Indemnity.

Ordered, That the Bill for Sequestration of the Estates of such Farmers of the Excise, as refuse to pay in their Arrears and Rents, be brought in To-morrow Morning.

Noell's Petition.

The humble Petition of Martin Noell was this Day read.

Ordered, That this Petition be referred to the Committee of Inspections; to examine and state Matter of Fact; and report it to this House.

Gen. Ludlow.

Resolved, That Lieutenant-General Edmund Ludlow be Lieutenant-General of the Horse, and Commander in Chief of the Forces in Ireland: And that a Commission be prepared, constituting him Lieutenant-General of the Horse, and Commander in Chief of the Forces in Ireland, accordingly.

Resolved, That Colonel Alured be Colonel of the Regiment of Foot, whereof Colonel Ludlow was Colonel.

Army Appointments.

Sir Arthur Hesilrig reports from the Commissioners for nominating Commission-Officers, a List for Colonel Richard Ashfeild to be Colonel of a Regiment of Foot; and the Names of other Persons to be CommissionOfficers in the said Regiment:

And another List for Colonel Nathaniel Rich to be Colonel of a Regiment of Horse; and the Names of other Persons to be Commission-Officers in the said Regiment.

And another List for Colonel Thomas Saunders to be Colonel of a Regiment of Horse; and the Names of other Persons to be Commission-Officers of the said Regiment.

And another List for Colonel Robert Overton to be Colonel of a Regiment of Foot, and Governor of the Garison of Hull; and the Names of other Persons to be Commission-Officers in the said Regiment:

And that Colonel Humphrey Brewster be Governor of Languard-Fort, and Captain of that Company of Foot which was late Lieutenant-Colonel Flower's:

And that Captain Richard Castle, Rowland Gethings Lieutenant, John Symonds Ensign, be the CommissionOfficers for that Company of Foot now in the Garison of Tynby; and that they be put upon the Establishment:

And that Captain Castle be Governor of Tenby, and Captain of that Company of Foot now in that Garison:

And that Ensign John Height be Ensign in that Company of Foot, whereof Lieutenant-General Ludlow is Captain and Colonel.

And that Lieutenant Thomas Wansey be a Lieutenant in Hurst Castle; and added to the Establishment.

Ditto.

The House this Day proceeded upon the List formerly reported for Colonel John Disbrowe to be Colonel of a Regiment of Horse; and of Persons to be CommissionOfficers in the said Regiment; viz.

Colonel John Disbrowe, Captain-Lieutenant Richard Southwood, Cornet John Walpoole, Quarter-master Richard Bustian, Major John Blackmore, Lieutenant Thomas Barker, Cornet John Hawke, Quarter-master Edmund Beare:

Captain John Jenkins, Lieutenant Theophilus Barnard: Cornet Samuel Bridge, Quarter . . . . Edward Mercer:

Captain Edward Scotten, Lieutenant Thomas Savage, Cornet Richard Winsmore, Quarter-master Moses Scotton:

Captain Joseph Wallington, Lieutenant Francis Browne, Cornet James Cockrell, Quarter-master William Smith:

Captain John Fox, Lieutenant James Goodwyn, Cornet William Stafford, Quarter-master Henry Belney; Surgeon Thomas Cruchley.

Resolved, &c. That this House doth approve of Major John Blackmore to be Major in that Regiment.

And the rest of the Officers named in the said List, being put to the Question, were approved, and agreed unto.

The House proceeded in the Report wherein Wm. Butler is nominated to be Quarter-master-General.-

Freeman's Petition.

The humble Petition of Edward Freeman, of Aston in the County of Rutland, was this Day read.-

Complaint against Butler.

A Paper, intituled, "A short Relation of the unjust and arbitrary Dealing of Wm. Butler, who was one of the late Major-Generals for Four Counties, towards Wm. Lovell of Hardington in the County of Northampton," was this Day read:

The Question being put, That this Report be recommitted;

It passed in the Negative.

And the Question being put, To agree with the Committee, That William Butler be Quarter-master General of the Army;

It passed with the Negative.

Leverpoole Castle.

Colonel Walton reports from the Council of State, That, upon a Report from the Committee of the Council, to whom the Business touching the Demolishing of Leverpoole was referred, certifying, That it will be for the Service of the State, that the said Castle be demolished, and made untenable, together with the Walls and Towers; that the Lead and Materials, being valued about Thirtyfive Pounds, will not answer the Charge; that there is a House there, which, with the Site, is worth about One hundred Pounds; which, by Computation, the Demolishing will amount unto.

It is Ordered, That it be humbly reported to the Parliament, as the Opinion of the Council, that the said Dwelling-house and Site, which is excepted from Sale, may be conveyed, by the Trustees, (by Order, or Act, of Parliament, if an Order be not sufficient), to such Person as shall be intrusted with the Care of Demolishing the said Castle, Walls, and Towers, in Recompence of the Charge thereof; and the Lead be sold for the Use of the State: And that Colonel Birch be humbly offered to the Parliament, to be intrusted with the Demolishing of the said Castle, and the Walls and Towers, upon the Terms aforesaid.

Resolved, That this House doth agree with the Council of State, That the Castle of Liverpoole, and the Walls thereof, be demolished, and the Towers, made untenable; and that the Thirty-five Pounds mentioned in the Report, for the Lead and Materials thereof, be forthwith paid unto Walter Frost Esquire, for the Use of the Commonwealth: And that the Dwelling-house therein, with the Site and Materials of the said Castle, be conveyed unto Colonel Thomas Birch, and his Heirs, in Consideration of the Demolishing thereof, and for Recompence of his Charges therein: And that an Act be brought in for Sale of the same to him accordingly.

Richard Cromwell.

Sir Arthur Hesilrig reports from the Council of State, The humble Opinion of the Council, That the Parliament will be pleased, by their Order, to exempt and secure the eldest Son of the late Lord General Cromwell, for the Space of Six Months, from all Arrests for any Debts; to the end some Course may in the mean . . . . be settled, concerning the Payment of his Debts, according to the Declaration of Parliament in that Behalf.

Ordered, That the Parliament doth hereby exempt Richard Cromwell, eldest Son of the late Lord General Cromwell, from all Arrests, for any Debt whatsoever for Six Months.

Whitehall.

Mr. Scot reports from the Council of State, The humble Opinion of the Council, That Order be given for the Clearing of Whitehall, within Four Days, from all Persons whatsoever, other than such as shall be allowed by the Parliament, or Council: And that Whitehall be made ready for the Members of the Council.

Ordered, That Orders be given for the Clearing of Whitehall, within Six Days, from all Persons whatsoever, other than such as shall be allowed by the Parliament or the Council: And that the Council of State do take Order to see the same cleared accordingly.

Mourning for Cromwell.

The Question being put, That it be referred to a Committee, to examine, What is due for Mourning for the late Lord General Cromwell; and how the same may be paid for, without Prejudice or Charge to the Commonwealth;

The House was divided.

The Yeas went forth.

So it was Resolved, That it be referred to a Committee to examine, What is due for Mourning for the late Lord General Cromwell; and how the same may be paid for, without Prejudice or Charge to the Commonwealth: Viz. Sir Arthur Hesilrig, Lieutenant-General Fleetwood, Sir Henry Vane, Mr. Holland, Colonel Waite, Mr. Solicitor Reynolds, Lieutenant-General Ludlow, Colonel Hutchinson, Mr. Lechmere, Mr. Robinson, Colonel Rich, Colonel Walton, Major Lister, Mr. Pury, Colonel Dove, Mr. Martin, Sir Tho. Wroth, Colonel Temple, Mr. Fagg, Sir Hen. Mildmay, Mr. Nevill, Lord Chief-Baron Wild, Colonel Pyne, Mr. Hallowes, Colonel Morley, Mr. Chaloner, Mr. Brewster, Mr. Atkins, or any Five of them: And are to meet in the Inner Court of Wards, To-morrow in the Afternoon, at Three of the Clock.

Henry Cromwell.

Lieutenant-General Fleetwood acquainted the House, That Colonel Henry Cromwell is come to Town, and attends to give this House an Account of the Management of Affairs in Ireland.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Council of State, to hear Colonel Henry Cromwell's Relation, as touching the Management of Affairs in Ireland; and the Council to do therein as they shall think fit: And that Colonel Henry Cromwell have Liberty to retire himself into the Country, whither he shall think fit, upon his own Occasions.