House of Commons Journal Volume 6: 2 May 1650

Die Jovis, 2 Maii, 1650.

Prayers.

Letter read.

A LETTER from Mr. Anthony Ascham, from Puerta Sancta Maria, of the Third Day of April 1650, Stilo Novo, was this Day read.

Bridgwater Mayor, &c.

A Letter from Bridgwater, from the Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Council of the said Corporation, of the Twenty-sixth Day of April 1650, was this Day read.

Resolved, upon the Question, That the Parliament doth approve of what the Aldermen and Common Council of Bridgwater have done in displacing the late Mayor, and others, from their Places of Trust, upon their Refusal to take and subscribe the Engagement.

Resolved, upon the Question, That this House doth approve of, and confirm, the Election of Mr. George Badon to be Mayor of the Town of Bridgwater.

Ordered, by the Parliament, That a Letter of Thanks and Encouragement be written to the Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Council of Bridgwater.

Sir Thomas Wroth is to prepare the Letter: And Mr. Speaker is ordered to sign the same.

Army Maintenance.

Colonel Venn reports from the Committee of the Army, The State of the Assessment for the Sixty thousand Pounds per mensem, for the last Three Months.

Resolved, That Two Months Pay be provided for the Marching Army, to begin from the Twentieth of this Instant May.

Resolved, That it be referred to the Council of State, out of the Monies assigned out of the Monies arising by Sale of Fee-farm Rents, towards the Payment of the Army, and the Hundred thousand Pounds upon the Excise, ordered for the Army, or by any other Ways, to arise and provide these Two Months Pay for the Marching Army, and the Three Garisons of Barwick, Carlisle, and Newcastle, by way of Advance, or otherwise; and to give Order for the Payment thereof, accordingly, to the Treasurers at War, to be issued out by Warrants from the Committee of the Army for that Purpose.

Resolved, That the House do now proceed to take into Consideration, How Money may be provided by way of Assessment, for the future Payment of the Forces in England and Ireland.

Resolved, That there be an Assessment towards the Maintenance of the Forces in England and Ireland, for Six Months, to begin from the Twenty-fourth of June next: And that the same shall be after the Rate of Ninety thousand Pounds per mensem, the First Three Months; and Sixty thousand Pounds per mensem, for the latter Three Months: And that a Bill be brought in accordingly.

The Question being propounded, that the Proportions upon each of the Counties, both in England and Wales, to be brought in, in this Bill, be the same respectively, which were in the last Bill for the Assessment;

And the Question being put, That that Question be now put;

It passed with the Affirmative.

And the main Question being put;

It was Resolved, That the Proportions upon each of the Counties, both in England and Wales, to be brought in this Bill, be the same respectively which were in the last Bill for the Assessment.

Resolved, That the Committee of the Army do bring in a Bill accordingly, with the Names of Commissioners.

Colonel Ven likewise reports from the Committee of the Army;

"That, upon Conference with Major General Lambert, and several Colonels, and other Officers of the Army, concerning the Taking away of Billet Money, and additional Pay, from the Army in England, it was, by the said Major General and Officers, offered on the Behalf of the Soldiers, That, since the Allowance of Money in lieu of Billet to the Soldier, no Billet (but in Cases of Necessity) hath been taken from the Country: And that, when Billet Money is taken away, the Soldiers of Necessity must return to quarter in private Houses: That, for such Forces as are in the Field, and to be Part of the Marching Army, they cannot observe the present Directions for Quarter, but must of Necessity be billetted by Tickets from their Quarter-masters, as before the Allowance for Billet Money they used to do: And yet it will be convenient to continue the Field Forces, and all others likewise, though designed for particular Services in the respective Places, where they are to continue on an equal Account, in all Allowances; with respect nevertheless to the Guards of the Parliament and City."

"That, during the Time the said Forces have been allowed additional Pay, they have constantly provided them selves Horse and Arms: And that, so long as it shall be continued, they expect no Recruit, except in case of extraordinary Service."

"That the Dearness and Scarcity of Provisions (which was one of the greatest Inducements to the Allowance of additional Pay) still continues; so that the Soldier cannot well subsist without it."

"And that therefore there is a Necessity that the said additional Pay be still continued to the whole Army."

"That the Allowance of Billet Money, and additional Pay, is a very great Encouragement and Furtherance to the Recruiting both of Horse and Foot, and will expedite it."

"That if Billet Money, and additional Pay, be taken off, the private Soldier will expect to be paid for the Horse and Arms wherewith he hath furnished himself, since those allowed him by the State died, or were (and not through any Negligence or Default of his Part) otherwise made unserviceable."

"And that then also there must be a Rate set upon all Provisions, proportionable to the Pay allowed the Soldier; which will be a very great Damage to the Country: Whereas now the Soldiers are enforced to contract and pay for all Provisions, both for Horse and Man, at the Countryman's Price, and as they can agree with him for it."

"And, if additional Pay should only be continued, the Increase of Pay, above what it was at the lowest, is so little, that the private Soldier of the Horse will hardly be persuaded to lay out Ten or Twelve Pounds to furnish himself, in case his Horse die, or otherwise miscarry; which he must be Three Years in receiving again."

"All which is submitted to Consideration."

"And it is further offered by the said Officers, that, when there was no present Service, but that the Officers lay in their Quarters, their Number of Led Horses were lessened, with a Promise to have them made up again, when their Service required it: And therefore, in regard of the Service presently expected, it is desired, That the Number of the Led Horses may be made up to the respective Officers of Horse, according to the several Proportions formerly allowed them in the Time of Service: And that each Surgeon, appointed for the Regiments of Horse, may have Pay for a Horse allowed them, to carry their Chests on, with Furniture for a Horse necessary for such a Carriage: And that, in respect the Colonels of Foot, in their March, are necessitated to keep Four Horses, that therefore Two Shillings and Six-pence per diem may be added to their Pay."

"It is also humbly desired, that, in regard the Army is now to march Northward, and probably into those Parts where Provisions, especially Corn, are very scarce and dear, and not to be had but from Places far remote, and at dear Rates, for ready Money, that there may be some effectual Care taken for their Supply: Which, it is feared, cannot be timely enough out of the Assessments; for that now, when they are at Liberty to assist in the Collection of the Assessments, they cannot get their Pay, though they have their Warrants, in Course, till a Month after it is due: That therefore a present Treasury, amounting to about Two Months Pay, may be provided, and in Readiness, in such Places as the Parliament shall think fit, in the North, most convenient for the Supply of the Forces that shall be there: And that Care may be also had for their Maintenance for the future."

Ordered, That the Consideration of this Paper be referred to the Council of State, together with the Committee of the Army: Who are to present their Opinions therein to the House.

Horton's, &c. Grant.

Ordered, That the Committee to whom the Act for settling Lands on Colonel Horton's Brigade is referred, be impowered to send down Surveyors to survey the true Value of the said Lands, upon Oath, and by such other Ways and Means as they shall think fit: With Power also to send for Persons, Papers, Witnesses, and what else may conduce to that Business.

Mr. Scott reports from the Council of State, That there are considerable . . . . .

* * * *

Irish Affair.

The Question being put, That all the Powers that, by the Three first Ordinances for Ireland, was conferred on the Committee for Irish Affairs, in the Star Chamber, or in any other Committee, for bringing in the Monies to be raised upon those Ordinances, or either of them, into the Publick Treasury, and for disposing of the same when brought in, be vested in the Council of State;

The House was divided.

The Yeas went forth.

Mr. Speaker declared himself a Noe.

So it passed with the Negative.