House of Commons Journal Volume 3: 30 March 1644

Die Sabbati, 30 Martii, 1644.

PRAYERS.

Delinquent's Estate.

ORDERED, That it be referred to the Committee of Examinations, to receive such Information as shall be given unto them by Sir Martin Lister, concerning a Delinquent's Estate, to the Value of Three hundred Pound or thereabouts, which is not yet discovered. And, if in case the same prove to be the Estate of a Delinquent in Arms against the Parliament, it is further Ordered, That the said Sum of Three hundred Pounds or thereabouts, be paid, upon Account, to Colonel Lambert, who hath done special Service for the Parliament at Bradforde, and other Parts of the West Riding in Yorkshire.

Governor of Warwick Castle.

Ordered, That Mr. Solicitor do prepare a Letter to be signed by Mr. Speaker, and sent to Major Bridges, Governor of Warwick Castle, in Acknowledgment of the good Service done by him.

Resolved, &c. That this House doth engage itself to take Major Bridges into Consideration, so soon as Occasion shall be offered, for the great Services done by him.

Hugesson's Sequestration.

Resolved, &c. That Mr. Hugesson, of Kent, be forthwith discharged from any further Restraint, and from the Sequestration of his Estate.

Gloucester Committee.

Ordered, That the Committee for the Ordinance concerning Gloucestershire, be added to the Committee for Gloucester.

Granting Passes, &c.

Ordered, That a Message be sent to my Lord General, to desire him, that he would be sparing in granting Passes to or from any of the King's Quarters, except it be upon Matter of Wars: And Mr. Nicoll and Sir Jo. Bampfield are appointed to go with this Message.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee formerly appointed for my Lord General's List, to consider of all the Orders and Ordinances made for the Restraint of any Persons to go or come from any of the King's Quarters; and to represent the State of them to the House on Monday Morning next: And have Power to send for Parties, Witnesses, Papers, Records, &c.

Army.

Ordered, That the Committee for the Establishment of my Lord General's Army, or any Four of them, do meet this Afternoon.

Powder for Navy.

Ordered, That the Committee of the Navy, and the Committee of the Safety of the Kingdom, do meet this Afternoon, and consider of furnishing the Navy with Powder.

Message to Lords.

Sir Rob. Pye is appointed to go to the Lords, to desire them to expedite the Ordinance concerning Salt-petre; and the Ordinance concerning the Four associated Counties of Kent, &c.

Excise.

Ordered, That the Committee bring in their Report on Monday Morning next, declaring in what Case the Commissioners of Excise may grant Bills of Sufferance.

Mr. Prideaux, Mr. Holland, Mr. Wheeler, Mr. Nicoll, Sir Ro. Pye, Mr. Trenchard, Mr. Maynard, Mr. Bond, Sir Jo. Bamfield, Sir Wm. Allanson, Mr. Hoyle, Mr. Green, Mr. Beddingfield, Mr. Rolle;

This Committee, or any Four of them, is appointed to send for the Commissioners of Excise, and the Auditors; and to confer with them about the Manner of auditing the Accounts of the Excise; and to settle some Course in it; and to consider of some Form of a Discharge for them; and to report all to the House: And have Power to send for Parties, Witnesses, Papers, Records: And are to meet this Afternoon, at Three of Clock, in the Star Chamber.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the Salary, and List of the Commissioners, of Excise Officers, be referred to this Committee; to report their Opinions to the House.

Ordered, That it be referred to this Committee, to know what the Commissioners of Excise do mean, by the Proposition concerning the reducing all the Offices of Excise under the Office of Excise in London.

Ordered, That it be referred to this Committee, to confer with the Commissioners of the Customs, concerning the Commissioners of Excise Proposition, touching the landing and taking up of Goods at seasonable and legal Hours, and in the Presence of some of their Officers; and settle some Course in it; and report it to the House.

Resolved, &c. That all Governors and Commanders of any Towns, Castles, Forts, or Armies, under Service of the Parliament, be especially enjoined, not to seize upon the Receipts of the Excise, upon any Occasion whatsoever; and that they be likewise required not to protect any Persons from Payment of the Excise.

Resolved, &c. That a new Ordinance be brought in, for Continuance.. the Excise upon the present Commissioners of the Excise for a Year longer; to begin from the Expiration of the present Ordinance of the Excise now in Force.

Mr. Prideaux is appointed to bring in this Ordinance.

Governor of Plymouth.

Ordered, That it be specially recommended to my Lord General, and the Committee of both Kingdoms, to consider of a fit Person to be Governor for the Town of Plymouth.

Irish Affairs.

Ordered, That Mr. Reynolds, and Sir H. Vane jun. do, on Monday Morning next, make their several Reports concerning the Affairs of Ireland, the first Business; and that no other Business intervene: And that Mr. Speaker put the House in mind hereof.

Passes to Hodges, &c.

Resolved, &c. That this House do assent and concur with the Lords, in granting the Petitions of Mrs. Hodges, and Mr. Hen. Browne, Keeper of the Standing Wardrobe at Somerset House, concerning Passes for themselves, and some Necessaries for the Queen's Lying-in, in the same Manner as the Lords have done.

Mr. Nicoll is appointed, at a Message, to acquaint the Lords herewith.

Answer from Lords.

Sir Rob. Pye brings Answer, That the Lords will take the Message carried up by him, into a speedy Consideration.

Sir Wm. Brereton.

Ordered, That Sir Wm. Brereton do, on Monday Morning next, deliver in the List of such Necessaries as he requires to be provided, to expedite his March.

Advance from Excise.

Whereas John Towse, Esquire, Alderman of the City of London, and the rest of the Commissioners of Excise and new Impost, have advanced and lent the Sum of Nine thousand Pounds, for the present Discharge of One Fourteen Days Pay unto his Excellency the Lord General's Army; Be it Ordained, by the Lords and Commons, That the said John Towse, and the rest of the Commissioners aforesaid, shall and may repay themselves the said Sum of Nine thousand Pounds, out of the first Income and Receipt of the Excise, upon the Ordinance of Parliament of the Eleventh of September last; any other Ordinance or Ordinances to the contrary notwithstanding.

Grounds of Peace, &c.

Mr. Prideaux reports the Conference with the Lords, Yesterday had, touching the referring the Grounds of Peace; and the Paper from the States Ambassadors:

That my Lord General said, That this House hath been always willing to hold a good Correspondence, &c.; but most especially at this Time, when Difference seemeth to be in Opinion between them, in these Times of Distraction: The last Conference consisted of several Matters of the same Nature, yet tending to the same End; The one concerning preparing Grounds for a Peace, which may admit of some time to consider of, and therefore shall not at present say any thing of it; The other concerning the Paper they received from the Dutch Ambassadors: The Lords were given to understand from them, by their Speaker, that this is their Day wherein they write unto those that employed them; and that it might be a great Prejudice to the Parliament, if they should make known how long it is since they made their Addresses, and have not yet received an Answer: That although the Lords find no Reason to recede from the Committee of Nine Lords, nominated by them, and referring the Business to them (That House being first possessed of the Matter); yet they are not so wedded to their own Opinion, but, if the House of Commons can shew them any Precedent, that when the Lords named a Committee first, and desired the House of Commons to concur with them in naming a proportionable Number, to treat of any Business, and the House of Commons refused to join with them, that the Lords receded from their Resolution; then the Lords will be willing to join with them in theirs.

The Question being propounded, Whether this House should concur with the Lords, in nominating a Committee to join with the Committee of Nine by them named, to consider of the Paper from the Dutch Ambassadors;

The Question being put, whether this Question should be now put;

The House was divided:

The Noes went forth.

Mr. Speaker, having the casting Voice, was with the Noe.

So it passed with the Negative (fn. a).

Ordered, That the former Committee appointed to prepare Reasons in Answer to a former Conference of the Lords, concerning the Paper from the Dutch Ambassador, do prepare Reasons to be offered in Answer to the last Conference of the Lords, concerning that Business; and to bring in the same on Monday Morning.