House of Commons Journal Volume 6: 23 April 1650

Die Martis, 23 Aprilis, 1650.

Prayers.

Trinity House.

ORDERED, That it be referred to the Council of State, to consider of a Charter of Incorporation of the Trinity House; and what Power are fit to be granted therein; and to hear all Parties interested; and to consider what is fit to be done therein; and report their Opinions to the House.

Ordnance Office.

Sir Arthur Hesilrige reports from the Committee of the Navy, some Passages between the Committee of the Navy and the Commissioners for Regulation of Officers of the Navy and Customs, touching the Office of the Ordnance, and the Officers there; viz.

"The Parliament having, by an Act passed the Sixteenth of January 1648, appointed certain Merchants of London, and others, Commissioners for regulating the Officers of the Navy and Customs; with Power to displace all Officers discnabled by that Act, and to nominate others in their steads, and the same to certify to this Committee; and to discontinue such Places as they should find unuseful to the Commonwealth; and the said Act directing, that all Persons by them named, and certified to the said Committee, forthwith to execute the Places to them appointed, until the Parliament, or this Committee, should otherwise order, for some Disability or Offence in the Party so placed;"

"The said Commissioners hereupon, considering of the Regulating of the Officers of the Ordnance and Armoury, did, on the Eleventh of December last, present unto this Committee a Model of such Officers as they thought fit to continue in the Office of the Ordnance; with a Paper of Instructions for each Officer, and a Copy of the old Establishment of that Office; subfixing unto the said Model an Order, declaring all Officers and Persons not mentioned therein, to be discontinued from that Time."

"Unto this Model several Exceptions were made by this Committee, the Thirteenth of December, touching the Storekeeper, and Clerk of the Deliveries, who were thereby laid aside, and a Master Gunner appointed to officiate as Surveyor; and touching their declaratory Order, which did then obstruct the whole Action of that Office."

"The said Commissioners, on the Fourteenth of December, signified by their Letter, that they were very sensible, that, by the Letter of the Act, neither any Salary, or new-erected Office, could take place, till the same were approved of by the Parliament, or this Committee; and therefore did not intend the Vacating of any former Officer till their Model were approved of: And on the Twenty-fifth of December following, they presented another Model for the said Office; with some Alterations, and the Reasons thereof: And, on the First of February following, they tendered a Model for the Office of the Armoury: Upon Debate whereof, this Committee, finding the Charge thereof very great, did resolve, as their Opinion, That the said Office was not fit to be a distinct Office from that of the Ordnance."

"7 Martii, This Committee proceeded to the farther Consideration of the said last Model of the Office of the Ordnance, and made several Exceptions thereunto, some of the Commissioners being then present; and desired to receive their Reasons in Writing, why the Place of Lieutenant of the Ordnance was vacated; and why any Alteration was made in the Four principal Officers; with the Opinion of this Committee, That they conceived it more for the Benefit of the Commonwealth, that the Clerks of the Office of Ordnance should be distinct from the Officers, and have Salaries from the State; and likewise, that the Proof Master should be distinct than involved, as in their Model."

"15 Martii, The Commissioners return their Reasons; and submit the same, with the Model, to further Consideration."

"The whole Business thus depending, by reason of Difference in Opinion between this Committee and the Commissioners, several Petitions have been exhibited to this Committee by the former Officers of the Armoury, complaining, that the said Commissioners have laid them aside, and given Commissions to others in their Steads; who officiate accordingly, notwithstanding the Resolution of this Committee, and the said Commissioners own Declaration of the Fourteenth of December last."

"That the said Office of the Ordnance being now much unsettled;"

It is Ordered, That the whole Business be reported to the Parliament: And that the Parliament be moved to declare their Pleasures for the Settling of that Office; it being a Business which much concerns the publick Safety, and Service of this Commonwealth: And Sir Arthur Hesilrige is desired to report the same."

Resolved, That the Powers given to the Commissioners in the Act, intituled, An Act of the Commons, assembled in Parliament, touching the Regulating of the Officers of the Navy and Customs, as to the Office of the Ordnance, and Armoury, and Stores, be repealed: And that the Council of State, for the Time being, be authorized to exercise those Powers and Authorities, in that Particular, as the Commissioners in that Act were to do.

Ordered, That the Council of State do consider of the whole Business of the Office of the Ordnance and Armoury; how the same may be regulated; and what Officers are sit to be continued, and what to be reduced; and present a Model thereof to the House.

Grant to Grevill.

Sir Arthur Hesilrige reports from the Committee for Sale of Delinquents Estates the Opinion of that Committee, That the Sum of One thousand Nine hundred Twenty-one Pounds, the Remainder of Five thousand Pounds, be presently paid unto the Use of Foulk Grevill, Son to the late Lord Brook, out of the Sequestration of the Duke of Bucks, to whom the Estate of the Duchess of Bucks, his Mother, late Wife to the Earl of Antrim, is descended; whose Estate, by Order of the Lords and Commons, of the Fourteenth of January 1647, was charged with the Payment of the said Sum of Five thousand Pounds.

Ordered, That the Commissioners of Goldsmiths Hall be authorized and required to take the Account how much of the said Sum of Five thousand Pounds hath been received by virtue of the said Ordinance, and what remains unreceived; and to issue forth their Warrants to the Treasurers of that Receipt, to make Payment of the Residue of the said Five thousand Pounds, as speedily as the same shall come in, out of the Sequestration of the Estate charged with the Payment thereof, by the said Ordinance of the Fourteenth of January 1647.

Hobson's Claims.

The humble Petition of Wm. Hobson, Citizen of London, was this Day read.

Upon reading the Petition of Wm. Hobson, Citizen of London, this present Day, whereby he sets forth, That the said Wm. Hobson heretofore had and obtained a Judgment against Wooly Leigh, of Thorpe in the County of Surrey, Esquire, deceased, for the full Sum of Twelve hundred Pounds; and is also intitled to the Sum of Two hundred Pounds, by Assignment to him the said Wm. Hobson, and originally made by the said Wooly Leigh; and whereas the said Wooly Leigh died in actual Arms against the Parliament; and, for such his Delinquency, made his Estate liable to be disposed of at the Pleasure of the State;

It is this Day Ordered, by the Parliament, That the said Wm. Hobson, his Executors and Assigns, shall and may have, and hereby hath, full Power and Authority to receive, and take to his and their proper Uses, out of such Estate real and personal, belonging to, or any wise to the Use of, or in Trust for, the said Wooly Leigh, at the Time of his Death, as hath not hitherto been secured or sequestred to the Use of the State, the full Sum of Twelve hundred Pounds, and Two hundred Pounds, aforesaid; and after the same is satisfied, the Overplus, if any shall remain, shall be to the Use of the State: Which Sums being so received, and full Satisfaction given for the same to the said Wm. Hobson, his Executors or Assigns, they, so receiving the same, shall acknowledge Satisfaction upon the said Judgment, and give such Discharge, as well for the Money due thereupon, as for the Two hundred Pounds, due by Assignment asoresaid, as by the Heirs and Executors of the said Wooly Leigh shall be reasonably required: And the Commissioners for Compounding, and all Treasurers and Officers under them, are to take notice hereof; and to put in due and effectual Execution this Order, according to the Intent hereof.

Leicester Hospital.

The humble Petition of the Mayor, Aldermen, and Chamberlains of the Borough of Leicester, Masters of the Hospital of the Holy Trinity, in the Newark, near Leicester, was read.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee for removing Obstructions in the Sale of Fee-farm Rents, to consider of this Petition; and how it is fit the Petitioners should be paid, and all others of the like Nature, whereby the Sale of the Fee-farm Rents is hindred; and to present an Act to the House, for the one and the other, if they see Cause, for the better expediting the Sale of the said Fee-farm Rents.

Turner's, &c. Claims.

Sir Arthur Hesilrig reports from the Committee of Obstructions in Sale of Dean and Chapters Lands;

"That the Commons in Parliament were pleased, by their Order of the 12th of June 1649, to refer the Petition of Richard Turner, Maurice Gething, Tempest Milner, Dorothy Woolaston; viz. to the Committee for Obstructions in Deans and Chapters Lands; to state Matter of Fact; and report their Opinions to the House, How the Moiety of Nineteen thousand Two hundred Fifty Pounds Two Shillings and Three-pence, due to the Petitioner, transferred from Goldsmiths Hall to the Security of Deans and Chapters Lands, may be paid with least Damage to the Commonwealth, and the speedy Satisfaction to the Petitioners."

"The Petitioners offer to the Consideration of the Committee for Obstructions, That the Debt was originally contracted for, for Provisions for Ireland, above Seven Years since; and confirmed by Ordinance of Parliament, of the Tenth of September 1642, to be paid at Three Months and Three Months."

"That, by Ordinance of Parliament of the Two-andtwentieth of March 1647, the Sum of Nine thousand Six hundred Twenty-five Pounds Three Shillings and One Peny, being the Moiety of Nineteen thousand Two hundred Fifty Pounds Six Shillings and Three-pence, the Remainder of a greater Sum due by several Ordinances of Parliament, was charged upon Goldsmiths Hall, and stands now transferred upon the Security of Deans and Chapter Lands."

"That the Debt is due to above Twenty several Persons; wherein several Widows and Orphans have a large Share: That they are transferred to take Deans and Chapters Land, for their Debt of Nine thousand Six hundred Twenty-five Pounds Three Shillings and One Peny, at Three Years Value higher than those who double Publick Faith Bills; and have the Pre-emption of Ten Days before the Petitioners."

"That the Debt is already come, in Course, to be paid them at Goldsmiths Hall; and would be ready Money to them: Yet they pray that they may be in the same Condition, in purchasing Dean and Chapters Lands, with those who have doubled their Publick Faith Bills."

"It is the Opinion of the Committee for Obstructions, That the best Way for Relief of the Petitioners, and the least Damage to the Commonwealth, is, that the Sum of Nine thousand Six hundred Twenty-five Pounds One Shilling and One Peny, with Interest due to the Petitioners, and now transferred, do pass in the Purchase of Deans and Chapters Lands, as those Monies which are doubled upon Publick Faith Bills."

The Question being put, that the Debt of Nine thousand Six hundred Twenty-five Pounds One Shilling and One Peny, with Interest, due to the said Richard Turner, Maurice Gething, Tempest Milner, Dorothy Wollaston, Widow, and transferred upon Dean and Chapters Lands, be taken, and do pass in the Purchase of Deans and Chapters Lands, as Monies doubled upon the Publick Faith; and that the Contractors, Trustees, Treasurers, and other Officers for Sale of the said Lands, do admit the same accordingly;

The House was divided.

The Yeas went forth.

So it was Resolved, by the Parliament, That the said Debt of Nine thousand Six hundred Twenty-five Pounds One Shilling and One Peny, with Interest due to the said Richard Turner, Maurice Gething, Tempest Milner, Dorothy Woolaston Widow, and transferred upon Dean and Chapters Lands, be taken, and do pass in the Purchase of Deans and Chapters Lands, as Money doubled upon the Publick Faith: And that the Contractors, Trustees, Treasurers, and other Officers for the Sale of the said Lands, do admit the same accordingly.

White's Claims.

Ordered, That the Account of Lieutenant Colonel White, deceased, be referred to the Committee of Worcester House; to state the same, as well for the Monies he hath disbursed for the State, in the Garison of Bristoll, as for his Arrears; and certify the same: And that such Sum as shall appear due upon that Account, shall be paid unto the Widow of the said Lieutenant Colonel White, as she, or any on her Behalf, out of such Estate of Delinquents, as she or they shall discover, to the Commissioners of Goldsmiths Hall: And that the said Commissioners be authorized and required to give their Warrants, and take Order, for Payment thereof, out of such Discoveries accordingly.

Business to be dous.

Resolved, That Mr. Speaker do take the Chair Tomorrow at Eleven of the Clock: And that the House do then take into Consideration the Business of the Soldiers, the poor Women, and the Waggoners and Carmen.

Lady Ranilaugh.

Resolved, That the weekly Allowance formerly ordered to the Lady Ranilaugh, be continued and paid unto her, together with the Arrears, since the same was stopt, until Midsummer next, for the better enabling her to transport herself and Family into Ireland.

Ly. Blany.

Resolved, That the weekly Allowance formerly ordered to the Lady Blany, be continued and paid unto her, together with the Arrears, since the same was stopt, until Midsummer next, for the better enabling her to transport herself and Family into Ireland.

Lady Spotteswood.

Resolved, That the weekly Allowance formerly ordered to the Lady Jane Spotteswood, be continued, and paid unto her, together with the Arrear, since the same was stopped, until Midsummer next, for the better enabling her to transport herself and Family into Ireland.

Mrs. Chichester.

Resolved, That the weekly Allowance formerly ordered to Mrs. Chichester, be continued and paid unto her, together with the Arrears, since the same was stopped, until Midsummer next, for the better enabling her to transport herself and Family into Ireland.