House of Lords Journal Volume 10: 11 July 1648

Die Martis, 11 die Julii.

Prayers, by Mr. Gippes.

Domini præsentes fuerunt:

Comes Manchester, Speaker.

E. I. Comp. Petition, concerning Trade.

A Petition of the Merchants of The East India Company, concerning Trade.

It is Ordered, That the Consideration of this Petition is referred to these Lords following:

Any Three; to meet on Thursday next, in the Afternoon, at Three a Clock, in Lord Keeper's Lodgings; and have Power to adjourn themselves from Time to Time.

Capel, a Pass.

Ordered, That Mr. Arthur Capell shall have a Pass, to go to his Mother; and that the Speaker write a Letter to the General, to give him Thanks for returning Mr. Arthur Capell.

Dutchess of Richmond, Leave to write to the D. of Bucks.

Ordered, That the Lady Dutchess of Richmond shall have Leave to send a Letter to the Duke of Bucks, her Brother.

L. Maynard's Steward to be released by the General.

Upon Information to the House, "That the Steward of the Lord Maynard's House in Essex is taken away, by a Party of Horse under the Command of the General:"

It is Ordered (in regard the Lord Maynard is a Peer of this Realm and a Member of Parliament), That a Letter be written to the Lord General, to desire him to release the said Steward, whereby he may tend the Service of his Lord.

Ordinance to exclude Members from Places.

Next, the House was adjourned into a Committee of the whole House, to take into Consideration the Ordinance that no Member of Parliament shall have any Office of Profit.

The House being resumed;

The House declared, That the Lord that brought in this Ordinance hath given no Offence to the House, in bringing of it in.

Message from the H. C. with Ordinances; and to remind the Lords of one to raise Horse in Essex.

A Message was brought from the House of Commons, by Sir Rob't Harley Knight, &c.; who brought up divers Particulars, wherein they desire their Lordships Concurrence:

1. An Ordinance for Continuation of the Excise. (Here enter it.)

Read Thrice, and Agreed to.

2. An Ordinance for taking, stating, and determining, the Accompts of all Officers and Soldiers, &c.

Read, and Agreed to, with an Addition.

3. An Ordinance for raising Fifteen Hundred Pounds per Mensem, for Maintenance of Horse and Foot, in Com. Lyncolne. (Here enter it.)

Read, and Agreed to.

4. An Ordinance for the Auditor's Salary.

Read Twice.

5. To put their Lordships in Mind of the Ordinance concerning the raising of Two Troops of Horse, for the County of Essex.

The Answer returned was:

Answer.

That this House agrees to the Ordinance concerning Continuance of the Excise, and to the Ordinance concerning the raising of Fifteen Hundred Pounds per Mensem, in the County of Lyncolne; and that this House hath passed the Ordinance concerning Essex: To all the rest of the Particulars, this House will take them into Consideration, and send an Answer by Messengers of their own,

Capt. Plunket's Pet. in Behalf of his Kinsman, convicted of a Highway Robbery.

Upon reading the Petition of Captain Thomas Plunkett, in Behalf of his Kinsman Captain James Plunkett, "who did most unfortunately meet with One upon the Highway, and took from him about Fifteen Pounds in Money, merely to keep him alive; for which he is found Guilty, and like to suffer Death;" and in regard it is his First Offence of this Nature that ever (fn. 1) he committed, and having formerly shewed good Affections to the Parliament:

It is Ordered, That it be specially recommended to the Recorder of London, to cause him to be reprieved until the next Sessions.

Message to the H. C. with the Ordinance for taking the Accompts of the Soldiery; and about the following Particulars.

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

1. To deliver to them the Ordinance for taking the Accompts of the Officers and Soldiers; and that this House agrees to it, with the Additions, and desire their Concurrence therein.

2. To put them in Mind of the Lord Crumwell's Petition.

3. To put them in Mind of Sir John Worstenholme's Ordinance.

Letter to L. Fairfax, thanking him for releasing Mr. Capel; and desiring him to release Elliot, L. Maynard's Steward.

"My Lord,

"I am commanded, by the Lords in Parliament, to give your Lordship Thanks, for your Respects to Mr. Arthur Capell, and your ready Obedience to the Authority of Parliament. Likewise I am to acquaint your Lordship, that the Lords have received Information, that Edward Elliott, a menial Servant and Steward to the Lord Maynard, is taken away from his Lordship's House in Essex, by a Party of Horse, and carried to the Army now with you. Therefore the Desire of the Lords is, That you would give Directions that the said Edward Elliott may be released, and be permitted to return to his Lordship's Service. This is all I have at present in Command, as

Westm'r, this 11th of July, 1648.

"Your Excellency's

"Humble Servant."

Ordinance for the Continuance of the Excise.

"Whereas the Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled have been necessitated to take up and anticipate several great Sums of Money, for the Service of the Parliament, upon the Credit of the Receipts of the Excise, established and still in Force by several Ordinances of Parliament, and, upon Occasion of such Loans made unto them, have declared that they would continue the same Receipts of the Excise until Principal and Interest were fully discharged, which cannot be yet compassed, by reason that the Receipts of the Excise have for many Months past been very much obstructed, and so fallen very much short of what was expected if the same could have been duly levied; and foreseeing that, besides the satisfying of those Engagements, it will be necessary to continue the same Receipts of the Excise, the better to enable them to go through the great Work of establishing the Peace of the Kingdom, upon which they are at present engaged: And for the better easing of the People, upon whom the Charge of so great a Work must otherwise lie and be raised with much Difficulty and Inconvenience, and in a far (fn. 2) more burdensome Manner; the Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled do hereby ordain, That the several Receipts of the Excise and new Impost now in Force, formerly appointed by Ordinance of the 11th of September, 1643, commonly called The Grand Excise, so much of the Ordinance dated the 9th of January, 1643, concerning Foreign-made Salt imported, the additional Excise and New Impost appointed by Ordinance dated the 8th of July, 1644, and the last additional Ordinance for levying Excise upon Lead, Gold, Silver, and Copper Thread, Gold, Silver, and Copper Wire, &c. dated the 24th of November, 1645, and all other Orders, Declarations, and Ordinances of Parliament now in Force, made in Explanation, for the better regulating all and every the said Receipts, be yet continued, from and after the Nine and Twentieth Day of September, in the Year of our Lord 1648, until the 29th Day of September which shall be in the Year of our Lord God 1650, to be managed by such Persons, and in such Manner, as both Houses of Parliament shall think fit; whereof as all Persons whatsoever are hereby required to take due Notice, and yield Obedience thereunto accordingly, so the said Lords and Commons do declare, That whensoever they shall find the Affairs of this Kingdom to be in such a Condition (which they shall especially and earnestly endeavour) as may admit of the utter Abolishing or Lessening thereof, they will upon all Occasions embrace the same, and shew how ready they are to give all possible Ease unto the People."

Ordinance for raising 1500l. per Mensem, for Maintenance of Forces in Lincolnshire.

"Whereas, by Ordinance of Parliament, of June, 1648, One Troop of Horse, consisting of One Hundred, besides Officers, were raised, for the better Security and Safety of the County of Lincolne, and for the Maintenance of the said Troop an Assessment not exceeding the Sum of Five Hundred Pounds per Mensem was laid upon the said County; and whereas, without an Addition of more Forces, it hath since appeared, that the Safety of the said County could not be preserved, nor the Peace thereof secured; and thereupon, by another Ordinance of Parliament, of the Third of July Instant, Committees therein named, by themselves or any Three or more of them, were empowered with Authority to put the said County, and City and County of the same into a Posture of Defence, and to raise Forces, Horse and Foot, for that End and Purpose, as in the said Ordinance is expressed; but in the same no Provision was made for the raising of Money for the Payment of the Forces so to be raised, or for defraying of necessary Charges concerning the same: Be it therefore Ordained, by the Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled, That the Persons named in the said Ordinance of the Third of July Instant, to be Committees for the executing thereof, together with such other Persons as are nominated to be a Committee for the Monthly Tax for the Forces under the Lord Fairefax's Command, for the said County, or any Three or more of them, shall have Power, and are hereby authorized and required, for the Ends and Purposes in the said Ordinance expressed, Monthly to charge, rate, tax, and levy, upon the said County, from the Third of July, 1648, the Sum of Fifteen Hundred Pounds, to the Third of January next, and to nominate and appoint Assessors and Collectors, according to the Rules, Powers, and Directions, given and appointed in an Ordinance of Parliament, intituled, "An Ordinance for raising and maintaining of Forces, for the Defence of the Kingdom, under the Command of Thomas Lord Fairefax," and under the same Penalties and Forfeitures, for Non-payment of the Monies so to be assessed, as are expressed in the said Ordinance; and the said Fifteen Hundred Pounds per Mensem, so assessed, shall be paid into the Hands of William Bury Esquire, who is hereby appointed Treasurer for the same, who shall issue out the same, for the Uses aforesaid, by Order of the Committee, or any Three or more of them, under their Hands, and not otherwise: And if any Person or Persons shall find him or themselves aggrieved at any Assessment made by virtue of this Ordinance, and shall make their Complaint to any Three or more of this Committee, that then the said Committee, or any Three or more of them, shall rectify the same, according to their best Discretion: And all Sheriffs, Mayors, Justices of Peace, Bailiffs, Constables, and other Officers, are required to be aiding and assisting herein; for which the said Committee, and all and every the said Person and Persons, shall be saved and kept harmless, by Authority of Parliament: And it is further Ordered, That Three Pence in the Pound shall be allowed for the collecting and receiving of the same, whereof One Penny in the Pound shall be to the Treasurer, another Penny in the Pound to the Collectors, and the Third Penny in the Pound to the Clerks, for their Pains in the same."

Robinson to be instituted to Warmingham.

Ordered, That Doctor Heath give Institution and Induction unto Jo. Robinson, Master of Arts, to the Rectory of Warmingham, in the County of Chester, void by the Resignation of Richard Hunt, the last Incumbent; Salvo Jure, &c. Sir Clippesby Crewe Knight, Patron.

Adjourn.

House adjourned till 9^a cras.