House of Commons Journal Volume 5: 16 February 1648

Die Mercurii, 16 Februarii, 1647.

Prayers.

Bingham's, &c. Arrears.

THE humble Petition of Colonel John Bingham and Colonel Wm. Sydenham, was this Day read.

Ordered, That the Petitioners be referred to the Committee of Accompts, to receive and state their Accompts.

Ordered, That the Sum of One thousand Pounds be advanced and paid, upon Account, unto Colonel John Bingham; and that the like Sum of One thousand Pounds be advanced and paid, upon Account, unto Colonel Wm. Sydenham; to be deducted out of and accounted in Part of their respective Arrears: The said respective Sums of One thousand Pounds to issue out of such Delinquents Estates, either concealed, or that have abused the Parliament, in not giving in true Particulars of the Values of their Estates, upon making their Compositions at Goldsmiths Hall, as shall be discovered by them respectively, to the Committee at Haberdashers Hall, as to the concealed Delinquents Estates; or to the Committee at Goldsmiths Hall, as to such as have abused the Parliament, by giving Particulars of Undervalues upon their Compositions: And the Committee at Haberdashers and Goldsmiths Hall, respectively, are required to receive and examine such Discoveries, and to determine the Matter according to Justice; and to take Course to bring in the said Monies, so discovered, accordingly; and pay the aforesaid Sums unto Colonel John Bingham and Colonel Wm. Sydenham, or their Assigns, respectively.

Affront done to Parliament.

Ordered, That the Committee formerly appointed for the Tryals of the Forces at Doors, do forthwith withdraw, and take Notice of that great Affront done to the Parliament and Kingdom lately, in the Face of the Court, at the Chancery Bar; and to consider of some speedy Course to be presently taken, for the exemplary Punishing of the said Affront; and to report it to the House with all Speed.

Raising Forces for Ireland.

Mr. Pierrepoint reports from the Committee for the Affairs of Ireland, at Derby House, an Agreement made between the said Committee and Lieutenant Colonel Wm. Wetton, for the raising and transporting into Ireland a Regiment of Foot for Colonel Monk: The which was read; and agreed unto; and ordered to be sent unto the Lords for their Concurrence; and was in hæc verba; viz.

That Lieutenant Colonel Wm. Wetton will raise and transport a Regiment of Foot for Colonel Monk, himself to be Lieutenant Colonel, and the rest of his Officers to be of his own Election; and to be approved by both Houses; and to consist of Twelve hundred Men, besides Officers, in Ten Companies; the State procuring Shipping, and he to pay the usual Rates of Transportation; he also providing a Surgeon's Chest: That they shall be ready at the Waterside for their Transportation, Wind and Weather serving, by the Tenth of March at the farthest: That they shall not omit any Opportunity of Wind and Weather, for their Transportation, after that Day. And for this he will give good Security, upon Condition he may have, upon the Excise, Two thousand Two hundred Pounds, with Eight Pounds per Cent. until it be received.

And, to the end the Soldiers may be no Burden to the Country, during their Expectation of Shipping, he desires the Soldiers may have allowed them Six-pence per diem: The which he will undertake to pay them, provided he may receive it out of the Excise.

That he may have Eight hundred Musquets, Bandaleers, and Swords, and Four hundred Pikes and Swords, to be ready, with Colonel Monke, by that time, or before his Men shall be landed there; that they may be presently fitted for Service.

These to be provided and sent by the State.

And, for that the Quarters in Ulster are not able to make any Provisions of Victuals for the said Regiment, and that it will be necessary to have Two Months Victuals at least, till they shall be able to get something from the Country, the said Lieutenant Colonel Wetton doth further undertake to provide and transport Fourteen hundred Bolls of Meal, for the Use of the said Regiment, at Five-and-twenty Shillings per Boll, amounting to One thousand Seven hundred and Fifty Pounds; provided he may have Assignment for the same upon the Excise, with Eight Pounds per Cent. until it shall be paid.

Whereas there was formerly Twenty thousand Pounds charged upon the Excise for the Province of Leinster, of which the Committee for the Affairs of Ireland, at Derby House, hath not been able to make any Use for Provisions for that Province, in regard the Credit of the Excise is so much weakened, by reason the said Monies cannot yet be had, in Course, for a long time: It is therefore Ordered, That the foresaid Sums be furnished out of it, for this Regiment, for Lieutenant Colonel Wetton; who is contented to accept thereof: And that the same be restored again to the Province of Leinster, out of the first Monies that shall come in for Ireland, upon any Ordinance: And the Province of Leinster is, notwithstanding, to go on upon an equal Division with the rest of the Provinces, in the Receipt of future Monies.

Ordnance, &c. for Ireland.

Ordered, That the great Piece of Battery now at Stafford, with its Equipage, be forthwith sent over into Ireland, to Colonel Jones: As also those at Chester.

The Lords Concurrence to be desired herein.

Ordered, That a thousand Firelocks, out of the Stores, or elsewhere, belonging to the State, not being Part of those Arms that belong to the Army, be sent to Dublyn, both for the Sparing of Match, and for the better carrying on many Services for which they are more proper.

The Lords Concurrence to be desired herein.

Colonel Sterling, &c.

Ordered, That Colonel Sterlyng and Major Mershell be forthwith discharged of their Service in Ireland: And that the said Colonel Sterling and Major Mershell be likewise forthwith discharged of their Imprisonment or Restraint, and further Attendance here.

Seizing Arms.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee for the Army to consider of the Information given touching Five Mortar Pieces and Granado Shells, informed to be in the Hands of a Person ill-affected, pretended to be sold by some Order of the Committee for the Affairs of Ireland; and to seize them for the Use of the State; and, if they shall find them rightfully to belong to any particular Person, to buy them for the Use of the State.

Payment to Sir C. Coote.

Upon reading the humble Petition of Sir Robert Hannay Baronet, Agent for Sir Charles Coote Knight and Baronet, Lord President of Connaght; and upon reading of an Order thereupon made by the Committee of Lords and Commons for the Affairs of Ireland;

It is Ordered, That the Sum of Two thousand Pounds be advanced and paid unto the said Sir Charles Coote, or his Assigns, to be defalked out of his Entertainment: And that the said Sum of Two thousand Pounds, together with Interest for the same, from this Day, after the Rate of Eight Pounds per Cent. payable every Six Months, during the Forbearance of the same, be charged upon the Receipts of the Excise in Course: And Colonel Morley is appointed to prepare and bring in an Ordinance to this Purpose.

The humble Petition of Sir Robert Hannay Baronet, Agent for Sir Charles Coote, Lord President of Connaght, and the Army under his Command, was this Day read: And

It is Ordered, That the said Petition be referred to the Committee for the Affairs of Ireland, at Derby House, to consider what is fit to be done upon it; and report their Opinions to the House.

Payment to Moore.

Whereas the Sum of One thousand Pounds was, by former Order, appointed to be advanced and paid to Colonel John Moore, in Part of his Entertainment; and referred to the Committee for the Affairs of Ireland, at Derby House, to consider, Out of what Monies the said Thousand Pounds might be raised; the which Reference hath, as yet, taken no Effect: It is Ordered, That the said Sum of One thousand Pounds be paid to Colonel John Moore, or his Assigns, out of such concealed Delinquents Estates as the said Colonel Moore, or his Assigns, shall discover unto the Committee at Haberdashers Hall; or out of the Surplussage of such Delinquents Fines as have abused the Parliament, by not giving in full and true Values of their Estate, upon the making their Compositions, as the said Colonel Moore, or his Assigns, shall discover unto the Committee at Goldsmiths Hall: And the said respective Committees are required to take Course for the bringing in the said Monies so discovered, and pay the same unto Colonel John Moore, or his Assigns, accordingly.

Payment to Fenwick.

Whereas the Sum of Five hundred Pounds was, by former Order, appointed to be advanced and paid to Colonel Roger Fenwick, in Part of his Entertainment, and referred to the Committee for the Affairs of Ireland, at Derby House, to consider, Out of what Monies the said Five hundred Pounds might be raised; the which Reference hath, at yet, taken no Effect: It is Ordered, That the said Sum of Five hundred Pounds be paid to Colonel Fenwick, or his Assigns, out of such concealed Delinquents Estates, as the said Colonel Fenwick, or his Assigns, shall discover unto the Committee at Haberdashers Hall, or out of the Surplussage of such Delinquents Fines, as have abused the Parliament, by not giving in full and true Values of their Estates, upon the making their Compositions, as the said Colonel Roger Fenwick, or his Assigns, shall discover unto the Committee at Goldsmiths Hall: And the said respective Committees are required to take Course for the bringing in the said Monies, so discovered, and pay the same unto Colonel Roger Fenwick, or his Assigns, accordingly.

Message to Lords.

Sir Walter Erle carried to the Lords for their Concurrence, the Establishment for the Army under the Command of Sir Thomas Fairefax: The Orders, with one Amendment, touching the Sheriffs of Warwick and Northampton: Order for Interest to Sir Francis Willoughby, out of Goldsmiths Hall: Order for Discharge of the Sequestration of Dr. Joseph Hall, and his Wife: Order for Mrs. Mary Fiott to have one hundred Pounds out of Haberdashers Hall: Order for Mrs. Martha Pigott to have Two hundred Pounds: Order for Mr. Thomas Cave to have One hundred Pounds: Order for Mr. Richard Eliott to have One hundred Pounds out of Haberdashers Hall: And is to put the House in mind of passing the Sheriff of the County of Cambridg; and of the Ordinance sent long since to the Lords, for the Sale of Sir Philip Carterett's * *.

Answer.

Sir Walter Erle brings Answer, That, as to the Order touching the Sheriffs of Warwick and Northampton, the Lords do agree: To the rest, they will send Answer by Messengers of their own.

Ld. Broghill's Arrears.

The humble Petition of the Lord Baron of Broghill was this Day read.

And the Question being put, That the Sum of Two thousand Pounds be paid to the Lord Broghill, upon Accompt, in Part of his Arrears, and charged upon the Receipts of the Excise, in Course;

The House was divided.

The Yeas went forth.

So that the Question passed with the Affirmative.

Irish Affairs.

Ordered, That Tuesday next be appointed for taking into Consideration the Reports that concern the publick Business of Ireland.

Grant to Ly. Cawfield.

Ordered, That the Sum of One hundred Pounds be bestowed upon the Lady Cawfield, for her Relief, and paid by Order of the Committee of Lords and Commons for advance of Monies, at Haberdashers Hall, out of the Monies coming in there: And that likewise, weekly, the Sum of Four Pounds be duly paid unto the said Lady Cawfield, by like Order of the said Committee of Lords and Commons at Haberdashers Hall, for her present Support and Maintenance.

The Lords Concurrence to be desired herein.

Attainting Jenkins.

Mr. Serjeant Wilde reports the State of the Matter of Fact touching Mr. David Jenkins.

Ordered, That an Ordinance be prepared and brought in To-morrow Morning, for attainting David Jenkins of High Treason: And it is referred to Mr. Serjeant Wilde, Mr. Nicholas, Mr. Prideaux, Mr. Whitelock, Mr. Reynolds, and Mr. Ellis, or any Two of them, to prepare and bring in this Ordinance.

Message from Lords.

A Message from the Lords, by Dr. Heath and Mr. Hakewill;

The Lords have agreed to this Ordinance for the Levying of Twenty thousand Pounds per mensem, for the Affairs of Ireland; in which they desire the Concurrence of this House: An Ordinance for appointing Serjeant Henry Middleton, Serjeant at Arms, to attend the Commissioners of the Seal.

Assessments for Ireland.

The Amendments to the Ordinance for the Assessments for Ireland were read; and, upon the Question, assented unto.

Serjeant at Arms.

An Ordinance for appointing Serjeant Henry Middleton, Serjeant at Arms, to attend the Commissioners of the Seal, was read; and, upon the Question, passed; and ordered to be sent unto the Lords for their Concurrence.

A Prisoner discharged.

Ordered, That Mr. Talkott, formerly sent for in safe Custody, for obstructing the bringing in the Assessments in the County of Essex, be forthwith discharged from any further Restraint or Attendance here.

Clerk Assistant.

Resolved, &c. That Ralph Darnall, Esquire, be admitted Clerk Assistant to the Clerk of this House, for the better Dispatch of the Business of the House.

Customs and Exise.

Ordered, That, on Saturday Morning next, the first Business, the House do take into Consideration, How to regulate and manage the Customs and Excise, in such a way as may improve them to the best Advantage of the State: And Mr. Speaker is to put the House in mind hereof.

Grievances.

It is futher Ordered, That the Reports from the Committee of publick Grievances, appointed for Saturday next, be made on Monday Morning next, the first Business.

Answer to Lords.

Answer returned by the same Messengers; That this House has considered their Lordships Message; and, as to the Amendments to the Ordinance for the Affairs of Ireland; to the Ordinance for making Mr. Henry Middleton, Serjeant at Arms, to attend upon the Seal; they will send Answer by Messengers of their own.

Leave of Absence.

Ordered, That Mr. Harris, a Member of the House, shall have Leave to go into the Country.