House of Lords Journal Volume 7: 18 February 1645

DIE Martis, 18 die Februarii.

PRAYERS, by Mr. Price.

Ds. Grey de Warke, Speaker.

Answer from the H. C.

Doctor Heath and Doctor Aylett, sent Yesterday with a Message to the House of Commons, return with this Answer:

That they agree to the Paper concerning the Commissioners of Sweden; and to the Order concerning the Pardon to be given to the Prisoners at North'ton, they will send an Answer by Messengers of their own.

Letter from The States of Holland.

A Letter from The States of Holland and Fridland, concerning Mr. Courten, was read.

Elsworth to stop his Building near the E. of Clare's Garden.

A Petition of John Earl of Clare, was read; shewing, "That one Ellsworth, having lately purchased a Lease of a low Drinking-room, Parcel of a Victualing-house adjoining to the Garden of the Petitioner's Mansionhouse in Drury Lane, he is now raising it Two or Three Stories high, in Part upon his Garden Wall, incroaching thereby upon it, and even taking away the Use of the Petitioner's Garden, by keeping out the Air and Sun, and overlooking and annoying it, being but streight of itself; therefore his Lordship desires their Lordships to afford him the Justice of this House."

Hereupon it is (fn. 1) Ordered, That there be a Stay of the Building, until the further Pleasure of this House be signified; and the Order to be served upon the Workmen.

North and Conisby.

Ordered, That the Hearing of the Cause further, between Roger North Esquire, and Tho. Conisby, is put off until the Accompt is finished; and Mr. Conisby is to appear before the Referees for the Accompt, from Time to Time, as Occasion is.

Message from the H. C. with an Ordinance for raising a Monthly Sum for the Scots Army, and to expedite the One for Martial Law.

A Message was brought from the House of Commons, by Gilbert Millington Esquire:

To desire their Lordships Concurrence in an Ordinance, concerning raising of One and Twenty Thousand Pounds a Month, for maintaining the Scottish Army.

2. To desire their Lordships to expedite the Ordinance concerning Martial Law.

The Answer returned was:

Answer.

That this House will send an Answer by Messengers of their own.

De La Salle to have his Liberty, for the Prosecution of his Cause.

Upon reading the Petition of Peter De La Salle, Merchant Stranger, a Prisoner in the King's Bench; shewing,

"That the Petitioner hath exhibited a Petition before their Lordships in Parliament for his Relief, which yet is undetermined; but, by reason of his Imprisonment, he is not able to follow his Business before their Lordships, to his great Delay, and almost Ruin: Therefore desires Liberty to follow his said Business, with a Keeper, until the same shall receive a Determination in this House."

Hereupon this House Ordered, That Sir John Lenthall, Keeper of the Prison of the King's Bench, shall permit the said Peter De La Salle to (fn. 2) go abroad, to follow his Business depending in this House; provided he take Care to go with a Keeper, that so he may be in safe Custody, and make no Escape.

Ordinance for raising a Monthly Sum for the Scots Army.

Next, the Ordinance for raising One and Twenty Thousand Pounds a Month, for maintaining the Scottish Army, was read the First Time, and Ordered to be read again To- (fn. 2) morrow Morning.

Mansell and Harris.

Ordered, That the Cause between Sir Rob't Mansell and Harris shall be heard, by Counsel on both Sides, at this Bar, on Saturday Morning next.

Alston freed from an Arrest.

Upon Information given to this House, "That Alston is a Gentleman of the Company of Colonel Marten's Regiment:" It is Ordered, That he shall be released from his Imprisonment, the Defendant not appearing according to Order, to shew Cause to the contrary.

Ogle released, on Condition of living beyond Sea.

Ordered, That John Ogle shall be released from his (fn. 3) Imprisonment; Mr. Gardiner of Croyden entering first into Bond of One Thousand Pounds, that the said Ogle shall not come over from beyond the Seas when he is there, to engage himself in the Service of the King against the Parliament, nor do any Thing beyond Sea to the Prejudice of the Parliament.

Letter from The States of Holland and West Friezeland, about Mr. Courteen.

"Illustrissimis, Nobilissimis, Honoratissimis Dominis, Comitibus, Vicecomitibus, Baronibus, nec non Militibus & Burgensibus, Parliamento Angliæ, apud Westmonasterum, convocatis.

"Illustrissimi, Nobilissimi, et Honoratissimi Domini,

"Exposuerunt nobis, per Libellos supplices, non pauci Cives nostri, Viri spectatæ Fidei & honesti, quonam modo in Regno Angliæ sint habiti, & quid ipsis evenerit, Occasione Operis cujusdam ardui per ipsos Anno 1627 ibidem suscepti, in vindicando nimirum magno Terrarum Tractu (quem Hadfielt Chache nominant) ab Inundatione Fluminum ac Vi irruentium Aquarum, ut ferendis Frugibus idoneus esse posset; referunt iidem nostri Cives Necessitate sese coactos fuisse (cum ultra Pacta conventa magna Pecuniæ Summa ab ipsis exacta esset), Anno 1631, mutuo sumere, per Commissarios ad id deputatos, À Domino Wilhelmo Courten, Londini commorante, Duo Millia Librarum Sterlinx, sub Promissione Usurarum Octo in Centum singulis Annis persolvendarum, ex eoque (More Angliæ) confectum Instrumentum, signatumque per Quinque Commissarios (obligatis singulis in solidum), eâ Intentione, ut Debitum illud, primâ datâ Occasione, ex Pecuniâ viritim in Opus illud conferendâ exsolveretur: Hinc factum esse, ut, Anno 1635, supradicto Domino Courten, per Commissarios À Rege deputatos, dati ac delegati sint Quatuor Debitores, Angliæ Incolæ (quorum Tres Instrumentum supradictum signaverant), qui in se susceperunt, singuli pro ratâ Parte, dicto Domino Courten satisfacere, unÀ cum Usuris eo Tempore debitis, idque in Solutionem ejus quod singuli se debere in dictum Opus fatebantur; eoque Nomine, Rura ipsorum per Regios Commissarios ad id affectata et Executioni obnoxia pronunciata sunt: Hinc factum est, ut Johannes Gibbon, Unus istorum Debitorum (qui Instrumentum supradictum tamen non signaverat), dicto Domino Courten solverit Noningentas et Viginti-duas Libras Sterlinx, unÀ cum Usuris; et quamvis tum Temporis in Manu dicti Domini Courten constat fuisse Residuum dicti Debiti ab aliis (duplici Nexu ad id obligatis) exigere, ille tamen, Rationibus suis (quas conjicere facile est) motus, nihil Pecuniarum ab aliis exigit, Fruitione dictarum Usurarum, ut videtur, pro Tempore contentus; aliis tamen post Instantibus, dictos Debitores Londini de novo (Anno 1638) aggredi, dictus Dominus Courten instituit, Litemque iis intendit coram Judice ibidem ordinario; et quamvis in Re liquidâ nihil Actionem ipsius impedire poterat, deseruit tamen Causam supradictus Dominus Courten, &, relictis Debitoribus duplici Nomine ipsi obligatis, relictâ reali Actione in affectos Agros, relicto toto ifto Terrarum Tractu in cujus Conservationem supradicti Nummi impensi erant, totum Mare trangressus, Judicio jam nunc agere per interpositam Personam in Dominum Jacobum Catzium (Syndicum jam nostrum, ac quondam Civium nostrorum Mundatarium in dicto Negotio de Haedfielt Chache) aggressus est, quos ille (si Lis supradicta Progressum habitura esset) ad sui Indemnitatem in Judicium vocare cogeretur; quo Casu, dicti nostri Cives in supramemoratos Debitores, vel Terras ipsorum, five alia eorum Bona, necessario regredi deberent, vel (si ita videretur) in ipsum Corpus supradicti Tractus de Hadfielt Chache, quem per dictam Pecuniam restauratum ac conservatum fuisse constat. Quibus omnibus et aliis Rationibus maturè per nos consideratis ac perpensis, nullas justi et æqui Rationes, nulla bonæ Fidei Momenta, istis Actionibus inesse; sed Machinationes non bonas, in Civium nostrorum Detrimentum, liquido agnoscimus.

"Vos itaque, Illustrissimi ac Nobilissimi Domini, etiam atque etiam monitos rogatosque volumus, ut Negotium supramemoratum ita apud vos habeatur, quod Debiti istius Solutio ab iis præstetur, qui duplici Nomine, tam realiter quam personaliter, in id obligati sunt; &, in omnem Eventum, ut supramemoratus Syndicus, Civesque nostri, eâ de Causâ, nullâ Molestiâ afficiantur. Nos interea, Rationibus non tantum politicis, sed ipsius justi & æqui Momentis permoti, tolerandum non putamus, ut Litibus ac Dissidiis Cives primùm nostri, deinde etiam vestri, involvantur; idque ne fiat, nec ulteriùs in isto Negotio apud nos procedatur, Curiæ nostræ in Mandatis À Nobis datum esse certiores hisce vos facere visum fuit.

"Illustrissimi ac Nobilissimi Domini, omnia fausta ac salutifera vobis a Deo Optimo Maximo ex Animo optamus.

"Datum Hagæ Comitum, Die septimo Mensis Februarii, Anno Salutis XVI^c XLV.

"Illustrissimorum vestrorum Amici & Vicini, Ordines Hollandiæ ac West Frisiæ & ex /?/

Adjourn.

House adjourned till 9^a cras.