House of Lords Journal Volume 9: 6 June 1647

DIE Dominico, 6 Junii.

Prayers, by Mr. Gibson.

Domini præsentes fuerunt:

Comes Manchester, Speaker.

Letter from Sir T. Fairfax.

A Letter from Sir Thomas Fairefax was read, with a Paper inclosed. (Here enter it.)

Report of the Meeting between the Committees of both Houses and the Scots Commissioners.

The House commanded the Speaker to make Report of the Meeting with the Commissioners of Scotland Yesterday.

And his Lordship acquainted the House, "That the said Commissioners delivered a Paper; but the Lord Lauderdaill said, He had omitted some Expressions in the Paper which was in his Preface, which he would add, and deliver to his Lordship on Monday Morning."

But it was moved, "That the Paper now delivered in might be read."

And the Question being put, "Whether to respite the Reading of this Paper till the whole Report be made?"

It was Resolved in the Negative.

The said Paper of the Scotts Commissioners was read.

(Here enter it.)

Vote for bringing the King to Oatlands.

The Question being put, "Whether to send down to the house of Commons now, to put them in Mind of that Vote for bringing the King to Oatelands?"

And it was Resolved in the Affirmative.

Message to the H C. to remind them of it.

A Message was sent to the House of Commons, by Sir Edward Leech and Mr. Page:

To deliver the Message abovesaid.

Letter from Sir T. Fairfax, about the King being removed from Holdenby.

"My Lord,

(fn. 1) The Paper mentioned in this Letter is entered Friday Morning, 4 June: It was inclosed in the Commissioners Letter, Holdenby.

"This Day I received Advertisement from Holdenby, That the Soldiers of that Party formerly assigned to attend the Commissioners there, together with some others belonging to the Army (of whose Number or Quality I had no Account, nor how they came thither), have of themselves undertaken, by placing other and stronger Guards about the King than formerly, to secure His Majesty from being secretly conveyed away. The Grounds they alledge for such Proceeding your Lordships may gather from the inclosed, which is a true Copy of a Paper sent to me in a Letter from thence; being, as it seemeth, a Kind of Declaration presented to your Commissioners there by the Soldiers, to set forth their Grounds and Intentions in the said Undertaking. I understand withal, that Colonel Crevis is hereupon secretly slipt away: And therefore I have immediately ordered Colonel Whallye's Regiment to march up thither; and himself, in the room of Colonel Grevis, to attend the Commis sioners, and take the Charge of the Guards necessary to be kept there, for the Prevention of any Danger or Inconveniency that might ensue. I thought it my Duty to signify unto your Lordships, that I might understand the further Pleasure of both Houses thereupon. I remain

"Your Lordship's humble Servant,

Kenford, June 4th, 1647.

"T. Fairfax.

"For the Right Honourable Edward Earl of Manchester, Speaker of the House of Peers pro Tempore."

Paper from the Scots Commissioners, about the King being removed from Holdenby.

"When, in January last, the Honnorable Houses did desire, that the King (then at Newcastle with the Scottish Army) might come to Holdenby, they did declare to the Kingdome of Scotland, they would take Care of the Preservation of His Person, in the Preservation and Defence of the true Religion and the Libertyes of the Kingdomes, according to the Covenant; and that, when the King should be at Holdenby, and the Scotts Army gone out of this Kingdome, they would be ready, according to their former Declarations, to joyne with the Kingdome of Scotland, in imploying their best Endeavors to procure His Majesty's Assent to the Propositions of Peace: And when the Parliament of Scotland did give their Concurrence for His Majesty's goeing to Holdenby, they did declare against all Harme, Prejudice, Injury, or Violence, to be done to His Royall Person. Wee have attended these Six Weeks past, in a Readines to joyne with the Honnorable Houses, according to their Declaration, for procureing His Majesty's Assent to the Propositions: And whilest wee were expectinge that an Application should have bin made to His Majesty by both Kingdomes for this Effect, wee understand that, in a violent Manner, His Majesty is carryed away from Holdenby, against His Will, by a Party of Sir Thomas Fairefaxe's Army; which, wee are confident, is without any Warrant from either House of Parliament. The Parliament of Scotland, to manifest their Confidence in the Houses of the Parliament of England, did consent to His Majesty's comeing to Holdenby; and now, by an open Breach against both Kingdomes, He is carryed from thence, wee know not whether; which Action will certainly be highly resented by the Kingdome of Scotland, and doth engage us, according to the Duty wee owe to them who have entrusted us, to represent our Sense of this violent Act, which must needs be dangerous to both the Kingdomes; and to desire that the Houses, in their Wisdome, would take such Course as the King, may be brought, from those that have taken Him away, unto some of His Houses neere the Parliament, that soe a joynt Application may be made to Him by both Kingdomes, for the setling of a just and solid Peace: And wee doe assure the Honnorable Houses, in the Name of the Kingdome of Scotland, that, if there shal be Neede, they will be ready to the utmost of their Power to joyne with this Kingdome, as for the Ends of the Covenant, soe for rescueing and defendinge His Majesty's Person, in the Preservation of the true Religion and Libertyes of the Kingdomes, and for maintayning the Priviledges of the Parliaments, according to the Covenant; wherein wee shall have regard to the Honnor of this Kingdome as well as our owne. Wee cannott thinke that all who are of that Army are accessory to such wicked Designes, or will knowingly disappoint the Trust reposed in them by the Parliament: Some, wee beleeve, have gone along in the Simplicity of their Hearts: such we doubt not but the Clemency and Wisdome of the Honnorable Houses may and will reclame to their Duty: And, upon the other Part, wee trust, the Prudence and Care of both Houses will, in such a Way as they thinke fitt, provide against the present vissible Dangers, which doe more then threaten the Parliament and Citty. These Things the Conscience of our Duty hath moved us freely to declare; and as wee would have accounted it Guiltines for us to be silent at such a Tyme, soe, if a speedy Remedy be not taken against this Deluge of the worst of Evills, wee trust that wee have hereby exonered our Consciences before God and the World.

5th June, 1647.

"By Comaund of the Commissioners for the Parliament of Scotland.

"Jo. Cheislie."