House of Commons Journal Volume 3: 20 November 1643

Die Lunæ, 20 Novembris, 1643.

PRAYERS.

Rou's Psalms.

ORDERED, That the Assembly of Divines be desired to give their Advice, whether it may not be useful and profitable to the Church, that the Psalms, set forth by Mr. Rous, be permitted to be publickly sung, the same being read before singing, until the Books be more generally dispersed.

Governor of Nottingham.

Resolved, &c. That this House doth approve of Mr. Jo. Hutchinson, to be Governor of the Castle and Town of Nottingham.

Warrant to Browne.

Ordered, That Mr. Robert Browne, Minister to my Lord Ermroyn's Regiment in France, shall, at the Lord Maitland's Request, have Mr. Speaker's Warrant to go into France.

Bote's Ship.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee for the Safety of the Kingdom, to examine and consider of the State of the Business concerning the Ship of Mr. Bote of Portesmouth.

Papers concerning Nicoll.

Upon the Report made by Sir Peter Wentworth, from the Committee to whom the Papers were referred concerning Mr. Nicoll;

It is Resolved, &c. That the Papers sent down by the House of Peers, concerning Mr. Nicoll, do contain in Substance a Charge against him.

Nothing else done upon it, till Mr. Nicoll be heard.

Affairs in London.

The House being informed, that divers of the Committee of the Militia of London were at the Door, and desired to propound something to the House; they were called in: And Mr. Speaker, by the Command of the House, acquainted them, that they had Liberty to speak.

Whereupon Alderman Gibbs spoke as follows: "That they are of the Militia of London; and are sent by them to make known unto this House, that the City of London is, at this Time, under Two great Wants; and desire Leave to express them:- 1. "They are in great Want of Money; and desire you should know the Causes of it:-It is not unknown, that we have advanced great Sums, at several Times, being thereunto solicited by several Members of this House, both for this Kingdom, and the Kingdom of Ireland; and have received several Securities for Repayment of them; as, the Royal Subsidy, the Twentieth Part, the weekly Assessments, and other Engagements; but, of all these, nor of any one of these, we have received any Benefit.- We humbly recommend unto you the Remedy; That the Members of this honourable House may be encouraged to make use of their Interests, in their several Counties, for the collecting and bringing up those Monies, that they may be the better able to do you Service:- The Want of it doth admit of great Inconvenience; for where the King's Party break in, they get the Money; and the State, in the mean time, pays Use for it; and we are disenabled for the Want of it.-Another Occasion of our great Wants is, those many Disbursements, at several times, for our several Services, that we have made, and the many Provisions we have issued for Arms, Ammunition, and Victuals, upon extreme Exigents, for my Lord General's Army: We have likewise issued out great Engagements to our Army, that went Twice into Kent and Gloucester, and done those great Services: We have issued out great Sums of Money, to raise Forces under Sir Wm. Waller, when he was broken all to Pieces; and some, to those Forces now Abroad:- When our Accounts are settled, we shall then crave Leave to tender them unto you; whereupon we hope we shall receive Satisfaction; for, since we bear the Charge of the Kingdom, we shall be repaid out of the Kingdom. Our Forces, now abroad, want Money; Two Regiments of Horse, consisting of Fourteen Troops, and Three Regiments of Foot, under Command of my Lord General, they have been abroad above a Month; besides Three Regiments with Sir Wm. Waller:- Ten thousand Pounds for those with my Lord General; and Four or Five thousand to those with Sir Wm. Waller:- They are Citizens, civilly bred, and cannot make use of those Means for their Supply, as other common Soldiers do, that are used to the War; and now are brought to those Necessities, that they must come home: We have used our utmost Endeavours to supply them; but, at present, we cannot help them: We have addressed ourselves to my Lord General, hoping to have had some of the Monies that is going to my Lord General, for the Payment of our Forces: My Lord General declared, he was not able to spare it, unless it be the Three thousand Pounds allotted him for the Recruiting his Army; and what ill Consequence this may produce, I am sorry to mention. That is the Second Difficulty I am to impart unto you. You are not ignorant, that, for these many Months past, my Lord General bath wanted recruiting; and so weak, that he hath not been able to do the Service of the Kingdom, or restrain the Enemy from enlarging his Quarters: Consider, our City Forces were raised for the Guard of the City, and are Tradesmen; and when they are abroad, their Plough lieth still at home; and besides, they lose their Employment; and you cannot be ignorant, that, if the Course be continued, it will be a great Wasting of Men: For the preventing whereof, this Remedy is offered; That my Lord General's Army be speedily recruited; and that the City of London may be considered of, as a Place that hath much advanced, and is drawn dry: Our rich Men are gone, because the City is the Place of Taxes and Burdens; Trade is decayed, and Shops shut up in a great measure: Our Poor do much increase: We desire you, for future Taxes, that they may bear but their Proportion, and not be over-burdened. I should be loth to be misunderstood, that any that hear me should think, we begin to be discouraged in the Service of the Parliament; Though our Difficulties be great, nay, if far greater, we shall no ways alter our Resolution; but, according to our Covenant, do our Endeavours: We are not able, neither are we willing, to bear those Reproaches cast upon us, who do alledge, that we are a turbulent and factious People, and seditions, and all for War, and will admit of no Peace on any Terms: These are bitter Aspersions out of black Mouths, and bitter Pens: We are not willing to anticipate, but wait upon the great Council, so we are not willing to bear such Aspersions; for it is Peace we pray for and fight for; but such a Peace as is for the Glory of God, and Safety of Religion: And this we desire to live to see; and to die rather than to outlive it; and do wait your Time to take such Opportunity, in these things, as may stand with your great Occasions; and, till then, we remain your humble Servants. - This one Word more we desire to leave with you, To supply us with Monies as may lead us now out of these Difficulties."

The Aldermen and Citizens were again called in: And Mr. Speaker, by the Command of the House, acquainted them, That the House had considered of what they had propounded unto them; and found it to be full of Weight; and to deserve a sadder and further Consideration, than to give a sudden and particular Answer unto: They had and would distribute it into such Way of Proceedings, as might give them the speediest and clearest Satisfaction. The House hath likewise taken notice, how, upon all Occasions, they have expressed their Affections to the Publick; and how, at this Time, they have assured them of their constant Resolution to continue in the Defence of Religion, Liberty, and Privileges of Parliament. He is commanded to return them, and by them the whole Committee of the Militia, and City, hearthy Thanks, for their true Love and Zeal to the Publick; and to assure them, that, neither in the Desires that they have now propounded, nor in any thing else, that may advance the publick Security, that they shall want the Encouragement and Assistance of this House.

Money for Army.

Resolved, &c. That Five thousand Pounds shall be borrowed out of the Sequestrations, the Twentieth Part, and the Bill of Four hundred thousand Pounds, in the County of Kent, and be sent forthwith to Sir Wm. Waller, and repaid within Six Weeks: And it is referred to the Committee for the Safety, to provide these Monies, and to consider of Security to be given for Repayment of these Monies, at the Six Weeks End: And have Power to speak with the Treasurers of the Sequestration Monies, concerning the settling and paying in of these Monies in the due Place.

Resolved, &c. That the Security for the Borrowing and Repayment of these Five thousand Pounds, for Sir Wm. Waller, shall be out of the Excise.

Ordered, That these Monies be issued forth to Mr. Trenchard, to be sent to Sir Wm. Waller with all Speed.

Assistance to Waller.

Ordered, That the Committee for the Safety of the Kingdom do meet this Afternoon, at Three of Clock; and consider of sending away what Forces and Assistance they can to Sir Wm. Waller.

French Embassy.

According to an Order of Saturday last, the Memorial from the Prince D'Harcourt to the Earl of Northumberland, and delivered at a Conference; and the Lords Answer to the said Memorial; were both read.

Intercepted Letter.

A Letter of the 1. of November intercepted, from Secretary Nicholas to the Lord Goring, written most in Characters, and the Characters decyphered, were likewise read.

French Embassy.

Sir H. Vane, senior and junior, Mr. Holles, Mr. Solicitor, Sir Gilb. Gerard, Sir Walth. Erle, Mr. Philip Stapleton, Sir Arth. Heselrig, Mr. Recorder, Mr. Prideaux, Sir Christ. Yelverton, Mr. Selden;

This Committee, or or any Four of them, is appointed to consider of the Matter of the Report concerning the Papers from the Prince D'Harcourt, in respect of the Matter and Manner of it; and what is fit to be done upon it: And are to meet this Afternoon, at Four of Clock, in the Star Chamber: And the Care hereof is especially recommended unto Sir H. Vane jun.

Army Affairs.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee for the Safety, to consider how the Army, under my Lord General's Army, may be recruited, and the City Forces withdrawn; and likewise to consider, in the like Manner, of the City Forces under Sir Wm. Waller.

Message from Lords.

A Message from the Lords, by Sir Edward Leech and Mr. Page;

The Lords have commanded us to put you in Mind of Two Papers that they sent down, which concern the Earl of Stamford, a Member of their House, and Mr. Nicoll, a Member of this House; which they desire this House would take into speedy Consideration.

They likewise sent formerly down the Names of Three Ministers, to be added to the Assembly of Divines; the Ministers Names are, Mr. Goodwyn, Dr. Homes, Mr. Horeton: They desire this House would take This likewise into Consideration, and return their Answer.

Papers concerning Nicoll.

Resolved, &c. That it be referred to the Committee, formerly appointed to consider of the Papers sent down from the Lords, concerning Mr. Nicoll, to examine that whole Business, and the particular Circumstances of it: And they are to give Notice to the Earl of Stamford, that, if his Lordship please, he may be present at the Committee, and prosecute this Charge.

Church Collections.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee of plundered Ministers, to examine the Business, informed the House, of divers Persons that take the Liberty and Presumption to give Orders; and likewise of divers others; that take the Liberty, in the City and other Places, to gather ..Churches, contrary to the Laws of the Land, and Authority of Parliament; and, at this Time, anticipating the Work of the Parliament and Assembly.

Answer to Lords.

Answer returned by the same Messengers; That this House has considered their Lordships Message; and, as to the Business concerning the Earl of Stamford and Mr. Nicoll, they have put it in a Way of Proceeding: And as to the three Divines, to be admitted into the Assembly, they will send Answer by Messengers of their own.

Ducy's Sequestration.

Resolved, &c. That the One hundred Pound, in the Hands of Sir Geo. Clerke, and Seventy-five Pounds, a Moiety of the Rent in the Hands of Alderman Penington, for the great Messuage in Basingshawe Street, as belonging to Sir Rich. Ducy, shall be sequestered as Part of his Estate, for the Use of the Garison of Glocester.

Order amended.

Ordered, That these Words "of the Glebe Lands," be added to the former Order of the Three-and-twentieth of October, 1643, upon the Petition of the Inhabitants of Nayland, to be allowed to Mr. Mott the Minister.

Lord Wharton, &c.

Ordered, That the Business concerning the Lord Wharton and Sir H. Mildmay, be taken into Consideration on Wednesday Morning next: And Mr. Speaker is to put the House in Mind hereof.

Publick Accompts.

Ordered, That the Ordinance concerning the Accompts be peremptorily read on Wednesday Morning next, at Nine of Clock: And Mr. Speaker is to put the House in Mind hereof.

Mission to Denmarke, &c.

Additional Instructions for Rich. Jenkes, appointed to repair to the King of Denmarke, and from thence to the Queen of Sweden, and other Princes and States of the Baltick Sea, were this Day read; and, by Vote upon the Question, assented unto; and ordered to be sent unto the Lords for their Concurrence.

Divers Letters, in Latin, appointed to accompany the said Instructions, addressed to the said King, Queen, and Princes, were likewise signed by Mr. Speaker.

Newburghe's Pass.

Ordered, That Captain Tho. Newburghe have Mr. Speaker's Pass to go, with his Servant and Two Horses, into Oxfordshire and Barkshire; provided he carry with him nothing prejudicial to the State.