House of Commons Journal Volume 6: 11 September 1650

Die Mercurii, 11 Septembris, 1650.

Prayers.

Blackmore's Claims.

THE humble Petition of Major John Blackmore, late Adjutant General, was this Day read.

Ordered, That the Sum of Two hundred Pounds, given by Order of Parliament of the Twenty-eighth of August 1648, to Major Blackmore, to be paid unto him, out of such Monies, with Interest, that was payable by Goldsmiths Hall unto any of those Scotts that had been engaged in the Action of invading this Nation; whereupon no Monies have yet been paid to the said Major Blackmore; be satisfied and paid unto the said Major Blackmore, or his Assigns, out of the Fines or Estates of such Delinquents, as the said Major Blackmore shall discover to the Commissioners for Compositions, which are not yet sequestered, or out of the Estates of such who have, upon their Compositions, concealed or undervalued any Part of their Estates: And that the Commissioners for Compounding be authorized and required to grant their Warrants to the Treasurers there, to make Payment of the said Two hundred Pounds unto the said Major Blackmore, or his Assigns, out of such Monies as shall so come in to that Receipt, upon such Discoveries made, and to be made, by him.

Norfolk Weavers.

Ordered, That the Amendments to the Act for the Worsted Weavers of Norfolk and Norwich be reported on This-day-sevennight.

Letters read.

A Letter from Major General Lambert from Dunbarre, 5 Septembris 1650; a Letter from * Downing, from Dunbarre, 5 Septembris 1650; were this Day read.

Door shut.

Resolved, That the Door be shut until Twelve of Clock.

Rookesby's Family.

Ordered, That Lands of Two hundred Pounds per Annum, out of Delinquents Estates, be settled upon the Wife and Children of Major Rookesby, deceased: And that it be referred to the Northern Committee, to consider of Lands of that Value; and in what manner the same is fit to be settled: And to bring in an Act for that Purpose forthwith.

Ordered, That One hundred Pounds be presently advanced, out of the Receipts of Haberdashers Hall, to the Widow of Major Rookesby, for the present Relief of her and her Children: And that the Commissioners for Compounding be authorized and required to give their Warrant to the Treasurers of that Receipt of Haberdashers Hall, to pay the said One hundred Pounds unto the said Mrs. Rookesby: And that her Acquittance or Acquittances for the said One hundred Pounds shall be a sufficient Discharge to the Treasurers for the same.

Late King's Children.

Sir Henry Mildmay reports from the Council of State, That the said Council, in pursuance of the Order of Parliament, for sending the Two Children of the late King out of the Commonwealth, had sent them to the Isle of Wight; that the Lady Elizabeth is now at present indisposed; that she hath some Inclination to go to her Sister, the Princess of Orange: Which the Council thinks she should do: That, for her Maintenance, they conceive fit she hath One thousand Pounds per Annum, to be paid Half-yearly, so long as she shall behave herself inoffensively to the Parliament and Commonwealth: And that she may have Half a Year's Allowance beforehand: And that, in the mean time, till she can be shipped away, that her Maintenance and Transportation may be provided for by the Committee of the Revenue: That Henry, the Third Son of the late King, shall be sent, by some . . . . to his Brother, into Scotland; and shall have One thousand Pounds per Annum, to be also paid Half-yearly, so long as he shall behave himself inoffensively to this Commonwealth: And that his Maintenance and Transportation be provided for, as abovesaid.

The House was now informed, That the Lady Elizabeth is deceased.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee of the Revenue, to consider of, and give Order for, the Interment of the Lady Elizabeth, Daughter of the late King, in the Isle of Wight; and of providing Mourning for her Brother Henry, and his Servants, now with him, and also for the Servants of the said Lady, as they shall think fit: Which the said Committee are required to do accordingly.

Deans and Chapters Lands.

Ordered, That the Act for further Doubling upon Deans and Chapters Lands be brought in on Tuesday Morning next.

Prince Henry.

Resolved, That Fifteen hundred Pounds per Annum be allowed from the Commonwealth of England, unto Henry, the Third Son of the late King for his Maintenance.

Resolved, That the said Henry, Third Son of the late King, be sent to the University of Hedleburgh.

Resolved, That it be referred to the Council of State, to consider of the best Way for this Order to be put in Execution: and to see the same done forthwith: And that they give an Account thereof to the House.

Oath, &c. before Exchequer.

Ordered, That the Act for the discharging all Lords of Liberties, or their Bailiffs, from taking any Oath, passing any Accompt, or suing out any Quietus est, in any Office in the Court of Exchequer, be read the Second time To-morrow Morning, the first Business.

Dean and Chapters Lands.

The humble Petition of divers of the Surveyors of the late Dean and Chapters Lands, was this Day read.

The Certificate of the Treasurers of Dean and Chapters Lands, to the Committee of Obstructions, was this Day read.

Resolved, That it be referred to the Committee of Obstructions, to consider of this Petition, and the Certificate; and to take the whole Matter into Consideration; and examine what Monies have been received by the Treasurers of each Purchaser; and what Monies yet remain in Cash, towards the Satisfaction of the Surveyors; and what Satisfaction is fit to be made to them: And to report the whole Matter to the House on Tuesday next: And all that come to the said Committee are to have Voices, as to this Purpose.

Reprisals on the French.

Sir Henry Vane junior reports from the Council of State,

"That the Ships, hereunder expressed, belonging to the French, to the Number of Six, being already taken by some of the Ships in the Service of the Commonwealth, and sent into the Custody of the Collectors for Prize Goods, and others, are sent in daily, in pursuance of an Instruction, given by this Council, to the Generals of the Fleet: Which is as followeth:"

WHEREAS divers good People of this Commonwealth have of late sustained great Losses and Damages, by having their Ships and Goods unduly seized, pillaged, surprised, and taken, by divers French Ships, and French Men, Subjects to the French King; by which means the Shipping of this Nation hath been, in some measure, impaired, and the English Trade lessened: And albeit all fair Courses have been observed, according to the Forms of Princes and States in Amity, in seeking and demanding Redress and Reparation, yet none could be obtained; but on the contrary, several of the French Ships have since unduly spoiled other English Ships in the former manner; so that, according to the Laws and Customs of Nations, there ought to be Droit de Marque, and Letters of Reprisal are grantable: But, in respect that many of the English, so spoiled, are not able to undergo the Charge of setting forth Ships of their own to make Seizures by such Letters of Marque; and for that, by the Law used amongst Nations, any State may, in such Case, cause Justice to be executed by their own immediate Officers and Ministers, immediately, where they find it requisite:

You are therefore, as in the Way and Execution of Justice, . . . . seize, arrest, surprise, and detain all and singular the Ships and Vessels whatsoever of the said French King, or any of his Subjects, together with the Tackle, Apparel, Ordnance and Ammunition, and all and singular the Monies, Goods, Wares, and Merchandizes therein, wheresoever the same shall be met withal, upon the Seas: And the same, so seized, arrested, or surprised, shall secure, and send into the Custody of the Collectors for Prize Goods, or their Deputies, without any manner of wasting or imbeziling the same, or any Part thereof, to the end that the same may be truly, and without Fraud, valued and apprised, and brought to Judgment and Condemnation in the Admiralty Court, for and towards the answering and satisfying of the said Losses and Damages sustained by the English, by the said undue Depredations done by the French, and for and towards the reasonable Charge expended in and about the Execution of Justice herein: And, to the end that such Ships, that you shall so seize, may be proceeded against in the said Court of Admiralty, according to the Rules and Forms of Justice; You shall carefully preserve all the Cocquets, Bills of Lading, Commissions, and all other Writings whatsoever, that shall be found on board such French Ships; and shall send the same to the said Admiralty Court, as also Two or Three of the Principal of every such French Ship, to be examined in the same Court, That, upon a due and regular Proceeding, Right and Justice may be done therein.

"In the giving of which Instruction, the principal Aim of the Council having been to secure the said Vessels, appertaining to the Subjects of the French King, in order to the Parliament's Pleasure to be declared therein, by way of Approbation of the said Instruction, if they shall so think fit, or to give any further Directions concerning it;"

"The Council have therefore thought fit to desire the Pleasure of the Parliament to be declared hereupon; and, if they shall think sit to approve the said Instruction, or the Effect of it, that they will order the Judges of the Admiralty to proceed to Adjudication of the said Vessels, already sent in to the Collectors of Prize Goods, and such as shall, from time to time, hereafter be sent in unto them, according to the Tenor of the said Instruction: And that the Council of State be authorized and appointed to proportion, dispose, and order Monies arising out of the same, for the Uses expressed in the said Instruction, as they shall find right and just, if the Parliament shall so think fit."

"1. The Swynhead, taken by the Rebecca, Captain Gregory Butler Commander, being now at Yarmouth, laden with Goods; but the Particulars are not yet known, the Vessel belonging to Deip."

"2. The Peter, of Dunquerque, taken by the Thomas Frigate, Captain Gittins Commander, and the Paradox Frigate, Thomas Cole Commander, bound for Dunquerque, laden with Fish, some Sugar, Soap, and other Commodities, and now at London."

"3. The Finch, of Rotterdam, taken by the Warwick Frigate, Captain Anthony Holden Commander, bound for Hull, and came from Deip in France, the Merchant being James Mell of Deip in France, and now at Hull, laden with Goods; but the Particulars are not yet known."

"4. The Globe, of Olleron, taken by the Nonsuch Frigate, Captain John Mildmay Commander, laden with Fish; and sold, by Order, at Portesmouth, bound for Aver de Grace in France, the Owners being all French."

"5. The Pallas Phebus, of Horne, taken by the Nonsuch Frigate, Captain John Mildmay Commander, laden with Tobacco; and belonging to Frenchmen, being now at Portesmouth."

"6. The Peter, taken by the Crescent Frigate, Captain Robert Hudson Commander, having some Coals aboard, but conceived to be a French Man of War, of One hundred Tons, and Eight Pieces of Ordnance, and now at Newcastle."

Resolved, That the Parliament doth approve of the said Instruction given by the Council of State to the Generals of the Fleet.

Ordered, That it be referred back to the Council of State, to prepare a Letter, to be sent from the Parliament to the Kingdom of France, upon this whole Business; and report the same to the House for their Consideration.

Ordered, That the Parliament do, in some convenient time, take into Consideration, the Adjudication of the said Goods.

Proceedings of Fleet near Liston.

Sir Henry Vane reports from the Council of State, A Letter from the Generals of the Fleet riding near Lisbon.

"That the Letter from the Generals of the Fleet, riding near Lisbone, containing a Narrative of their Proceedings there, be reported to the Parliament: Who are likewise to be acquainted, That the Nine Ships laden with Portugall Goods; which were taken before Lisbone, are sent into England; and are now in the Custody of the Commissioners for Prize Goods: To desire the Parliament to give their Direction, what shall be done about the Adjudication of the Goods, and the Payment of their Service the time they have been employed."

Resolved, That this Business be taken into Consideration To-morrow Morning.