House of Lords Journal Volume 10: 3 June 1648

Die Sabbati, 3 die Junii.

PRAYERS, by Mr. Salwey.

Domini præsentes fuerunt:

Comes Manchester, Speaker.

Answer from the H. C.

Doctor Bennett and Mr. Eltonheade return with this Answer from the House of Commons:

That they had delivered the Propositions, with the Alteration and Addition; and they will take the same into Consideration, and will send an Answer by Messengers of their own.

Letter from L. Fairfax.

A Letter from the General was read, giving Notice of the Victory at Madston. (Here enter it.)

Paper from the Committee at Derby House.

The Earl of Pembrooke reported a Paper from Derby House; which was read, and the Opinion of the Committee thereupon. (Here enter them.)

A Letter from Rushworth, that the Kentish Forces are gone towards Blackheath.

"A Letter from Mr. Rushworth to Mr. Frost.

"SIR,

"We have just now Intelligence, that the Enemy hath quit Rochester, and is drawn out towards Gravesende, with Intention to march to Blackheath. Look to the City and Southwarke. We will haste all we can; but they have the Start of us.

2 June, 1648. Maydston.

"Your.

"We have in all about One Thousand Prisoners. The Guards and Parties took the most which were not put in the Church with the Four Hundred."

Report from the Committee at Derby House, for Committees to go into the City, to enquire into the State of their Forces.

"Die Saturni, 3 Junii, 1648.

"At the Committee of Lords and Commons, at Derby House.

"Ordered, That the Letter from Mr. Rushworth, of the 2d of June, be reported to both Houses; and also that the Committee, taking both it and also the Commotions now in Essex into their Considerations, do find that there are no Forces in a Readiness to prevent the Mischief or Inconvenience that may come thereby, but only those in the City and Parts adjacent; and therefore do desire, that the Committee that hath been formerly appointed to treat with the City upon like Occasion may now be desired to go thither, to understand the State of their Forces, and what can be expected from them upon this Occasion."

Reformado Officers Pet.

A Petition, by Colonel Sandys and other Reformado Officers, was presented to this House, and read.

Answer to them.

And the Speaker, by Direction of the House, gave them this Answer; (videlicet,)

"That the Lords do take Notice of their former Services done to the Parliament and Kingdom, and return Thanks for the same; and do likewise give them Thanks for their good Affections expressed at this Time, whereby they declare the Continuance of their Faithfulness to the Parliament: They assure you, that they will use their utmost Endeavours for the answering the Expectations of the Kingdom, in the settling of a safe and well-grounded Peace, according to the solemn League and Covenant, and for the Preservation and Security of all those that do adhere, and have adhered, to those Principles; and they will omit no Opportunity for the preventing the further Effusion of Blood."

Message from the H. C. for Committees to go to the City Militia Commissioners;-and with an Order.

A Message was brought from the House of Commons by Sir John Danvers Knight, &c.

1. To desire that their Lordships would send some Members, to join with a Committee of their House, to the Militia of London, to know the State of their Forces upon this Occasion.

2. To desire Concurrence in an Order concerning Mr. Bland to be Receiver of the County of Yorke.

(Here enter it.)

Agreed to.

Ordered, That the Earl of Denbigh is appointed to go to the Militia of the City of London.

The Answer returned was:

Answer.

That this House hath appointed One Lord to go to the Militia of the City of London presently; and that this House agrees with them in the Order concerning Mr. Blande.

Papers concerning the Suffolk Business; and making Reading a Garrison.

The Earl of Manchester reported some Papers of Information concerning the Suffolke Business, and also a Paper concerning the making of a Garrison at Readinge; which being read, they are ordered to be sent to the House of Commons.

To sit P. M.

Ordered, That this House shall sit at Four a Clock this Afternoon.

Message to the H. C. about it;-about the Confession of Faith;-and

A Message was sent to the House of Commons, by Doctor Bennet and Mr. Eltonheade:

with the Order for Wrexham Collection.

1. To let them know, that this House agrees to all the Alterations in the Confession of Faith, excepting to that concerning Marriage.

2. To let them know, that this House intends to sit this Afternoon.

3. To deliver to them the Order (fn. 1) for a Collection for Wrexham, in the County of Denbigh, for their Loss by Fire; and desire their Concurrence therein.

Letter from L. Fairfax, with an Account of the Victory over the Kentish Forces at Maidstone.

"To the Right Honourable the Earl of Manchester, Speaker of the House of Lord, pro Tempore, at Westm'r.

"My Lord,

"It having pleased God to give us a Victory against those who without and against the Authority of Parliament raised an Army, I held it my Duty to give your Lordship an Account thereof (in brief), Time not permitting me at present to give the Particulars at large. The Engagement with them began the last Night, about Seven of the Clock, near Maydstone, and continued a very fierce and hot Dispute until after Twelve, before we could be Masters of the Town: The Enemy, by reason of the continued Supplies which they received from their Forces by the Passage over Alesford, were enabled to dispute every Street and Passage. The choicest of their Forces (as we understand) were appointed for this Service; and the Lord Gowring commanded them as General. There was about Two Hundred of the Enemy slain, many wounded, about Nine Hundred Prisoners, Four Hundred Horse, and Eight Pieces of Cannon, and great Store of Arms and Ammunition taken. Sir William Brockman and others of the Gentlemen are Prisoners. As God hath been pleased in Mercy to give you this Victory, so I desire that we may return all Thankfulness unto Him for it. I shall (as God shall enable me) improve this Advantage; and remain

Maidstone, a June, 1648.

"Your Lordship's

"Humble Servant,

"T. Fairefax."

Bland to be admitted to the Receivership of York, on paying 2000 £. for the Isle of Wight.

"Ordered, by the Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled, That, upon Mr. John Bland's Advance of Two Thousand Pounds for the present Service of the Isle of Wight, the Committee of the Revenue do give Order to the said Mr. John Bland, to go down to the County of Yorke, as Receiver General of the Revenue there, so to continue till he be evicted by Law; and it is to that Purpose referred to a Trial at Law; and that he do reimburse himself the said Sum of Two Thousand Pounds out of the Revenues that he shall receive there, and pay the Remainder in to the Committee of the Revenue; and that the Committee of the Revenue do pay this Sum of Two Thousand Pounds, and the Sum of Five Hundred Pounds, advanced voluntarily by Sir Henry Vane Junior, to the Committee at Derby House, to be by them disposed for the Safety of the Isle of Wight."

Report about the Suffolk Business; and making Reading a Garrison.

"Die Veneris, 2 Maii, 1648.

"At a Committee of Lords and Commons, at Derby House.

"Ordered, That the Letter of Sir Thomas Barnardiston, from Ketton, of 31th of May, with the in closed from the Alderman of Bury, be reported to both Houses.

"That the Paper given in to this Committee, by Sir Francis Pile and Mr. Packer, concerning Forces raised in Barksheir and put into Readinge, be reported to both Houses.

"Gualter Frost, Secretary."

Letter from Sir T. Barnardiston, concerning the State of Affairs in Suffolk.

"Gentlemen,

"This inclosed I received just now from the Alderman of Bury, by which you may see their and our Grounds of Fears; the Disaffected in these Parts keeping still their Meetings at Newmarkett, under Pretence of Horse-racing. (fn. 2) Rusbrooke Hall, near Bury, a Place of their general Rendezvous, and there feasted by the Jermin Family. It doth very much discontent and discourage us that act for the Parliamentary Interest, that yet we have nothing in Answer to our Letters, from the Committee of Darby House, and especially to that Particular of securing those that were Commanders in the Town of Bury in this Rebellion. 'Tis our Wonder, that they should have Liberty to ramble now all over our Country. I profess, were not my own Hands tied up by the Agreement (as a Soldier), I would secure them myself, and trust the Parliament for my Indemnity; but now I am disabled, without Orders from the House. Gentlemen, I beseech you, in the Behalf of this poor Country, to acquaint the House with our Fears, and obtain some Order for their own and our Safety. This Day Sevennight we are to have a general Meeting at Stowmarkett, where I desire to have your Advices, with such Orders as you shall obtain for us. We are mustering our Forces, both Horse and Foot and Auxiliaries. Many of them, I fear, are disaffected; we shall endeavour to mend them by a new Modelling of them. I hope we shall have the Encouragement of the House in our Endeavours for the Public Safety, which will very much strengthen the Resolutions of

Ketton, 31 Maii, 1648.

"Your affectionate

"Friend and Servant,

"Tho. Barnardiston.

"To my Honoured Friends, Sir Nath. Barnardiston, Sir Phillip Parker, Knights, Sir Wm. Spring Baronet, John Gurdon, Nath. Bacon, and Francis Bacon, Esquires. These, I pray, with Haste."

Letter from Clark to him, on that Subject.

"SIR,

"This Morning, before I came out, I was informed, That the Duke of Buckingham and divers others came Yesterday to Rusbrooke Hall, where was a great Feast, and present divers Gentlemen; and this Day also, since I came to Newmarkett, I understand that all those Captains which were in Bury in the Time of the Mutiny are now in Newmarkett; which makes me and others much fear, that there is some Ill suddenly intended to our Town; and how we shall oppose them I know not, except you can think of some Way for our Help. I thought good (Sir) to give you Notice thereof; desiring the Lord, that He would be pleased to direct you for that which may make most for His Glory and our Good. Yesterday our Soldiers did muster with us, and we had about Seven Score that we dare trust; but they want Experience. We conceive that Horses would be very useful. With my Service remembered, I am bold to subscribe myself to be, Sir,

Newmarkett, 30 Maii, 1648.

"Your Servant to command,

"John Clarke.

"To the Right Worshipful Sir Tho. Barnardiston. These present, with my Service."

Order from Sir F. Pile and Packer, to slight Reading Garrison.

"We, being informed of the Levying of new Forces, and setting up a new Garrison in the Abbey at Reading, there being already the Garrison of Windsor and Wallingford in the County, which new Levy causeth a great Disturbance in the County, do desire that a Letter may be sent to the Committee of Berks, to forbear any such Proceedings; and that the Works at the Abbey may be slighted, according to a former Order.

1 June, 1648.

"Fra. Pile.

"Robert Packer.

"For the County of Berks."

Post Meridiem.

Domini præsentes fuerunt:

Adjourn.

House adjourned till 10 Monday Morning next.