House of Commons Journal Volume 2: 15 October 1642

Die Sabbati, 15 Octobris, 1642.

P RAYERS .

St. Lawrence in the Jury Petitions.

THE Petitions of divers the Inhabitants of the Parish of St. Lawrence in the Jury, in London, were this Day read; and ordered to be referred to the Lord Mayor of London, and the Citizens of London that serve as Members of this House.

Defence of London, &c.

ORDERED, by the Lords and Commons, That Houses for Court of Guard, and Posts, Bars, and Chains, be forthwith erected, and set up, in such Places, and By-lanes of the Parishes of St. Margaret's, Westminster, St. Martyn's in the Fields, in the Confines of Westminster, St. Clement's Danes, St. Mary Savoy, St. Andrewe's Holborne, St. Giles in the Fields, Covent Garden, St. John's-streete, St. James at Clerkenwell, St. Giles Criplegate, Shoreditche, White-chappel, Islington, Mile-end, Southwarke, Lambeth, or any other Place or Places, as shall be thought necessary and convenient, for the Defence and Safe-guarding of the said Parishes, Places, and By-lanes; the Charges thereof to be borne by the Inhabitants of the several Parishes aforesaid respectively who shall be rated and assessed by such Persons respectively, as the Lord Lieutenant of that County, or any Two of his Deputies shall nominate for that Purpose: And if any shall refuse to contribute their Proportion, then the said Person so to be named to rate and assess shall certify the Names of such Refusers, to the Lord Lieutenant, or to any Two of his Deputies; who are to acquaint One or both Houses of Parliament therewith, that such further Order may be taken therein, as to them shall be most convenient: And that a competent Number of the Trained Bands, and Companies of Volunteers, in and belonging to the said Parishes, shall, Day and Night, attend with their Arms, in or near the said Court of Guard; who shall have Power and Authority hereby to apprehend, seize, and arrest all suspicious Persons, Ammunition, and Arms, passing through the said Parishes, Places, or By-lanes, or any Part of them, until either of the said Houses of Parliament be made acquainted therewith, and their Pleasure further known concerning the same: And the Captains and Officers of the Trained Bands, and Volunteers, and the Persons here under-named, are required to take Care that the Premises be carefully performed accordingly; which Persons are to be named by the Lord Lieutenant, or any Two or more of his Deputy Lieutenants.

Assembly of Divines.

3^a vice lecta est Billa, An Act for the Calling an Assembly of godly and learned Divines, to be consulted with, by the Parliament, for the Settling the Government of the Church of England, and for the Vindicating of the Doctrine of the Church of England from false Aspersions, &c.

Upon Question passed.

Resolved, upon the Question, That the Name of Mr. Wm. Lyford, of Sherborne in the County of Dorsett, shall be left out.

Mr. Solicitor is appointed to carry up this Bill to the Lords; and to put their Lordships in mind, that the Day for the Meeting is on the Fifth of November.

Liberty to a Prisoner.

Upon the humble Petition of Mr. Jo. Fountayne, Counsellor at Law, and now a Prisoner in the Gatehouse;

It is Ordered, That he shall have Liberty to go with his Keeper to bury his Wife: And that this Liberty shall continue for Four Days.

Members accede to Covenant, &c.

Mr. Middleton declares, he will bring in Fifty Pounds, towards the Support of the great Cause; and declared himself in the Affirmative, to the Vote concerning the Assisting of the Earl of Essex.

Mr. Samuel Browne declares himself in the Affirmative, to the Vote concerning the Assisting the Earl of Essex.

Mr. Bagshaw did the like.

Conference, &c.

Mr. Nicolls went up to the Lords with this Message; to desire a Conference, by a Committee of both Houses, as soon as it may stand with their Lordships Conveniency, concerning the Peace and Safety of the Kingdom; and to desire the Lords to hasten the Order concerning Ireland, concerning the Commissioners for the Affairs of Ireland to have Voices at the Committee for the Affairs of Ireland.

State of the Kingdom.

The Declaration Yesterday presented, by Mr. Pym, from the Committee for the Safety of the Kingdom, concerning the present State of the Kingdom, was this Day read in Parts; and, by Vote upon the Question, assented unto; and ordered to be delivered to the Lords at a Conference, by Mr. Pym.

Person to be examined, &c.

Mr. Whittacre, Mr. Rigby, Mr. Wheeler, Mr. Holland, Mr. Ven, are appointed presently to withdraw, to examine Mr. Long's Servant, who was apprehended wearing the Colours of Division in his Hat: And have Power to commit him to the Serjeant's Custody, if they shall find Cause: And have Power to send for Parties, Witnesses, &c.

Proceedings concerning Fletcher.

Mr. Fletcher was called in: And Mr. Speaker told him, "That the House had received Certificate, that he refused to give any Answer concerning the Propositions for the Raising of Horse, Money, or Plate, for the Defence of the King and Parliament."

He answered, "That he did indeed desire them to excuse him for giving any Answer: The Reason he then gave was the Smallness of his Fortune, and great Charge: But the Doubt that remained with him was, the Command of the King did lie upon him, not to lend upon those Propositions: And he had no Command to lend: If he had, he would lend."

Whereupon he was commanded to withdraw.

And being called in: Mr. Speaker told him, by Command of the House, "That no such Command as he mentioned, ought to hinder him, or any Subject else, from preserving the Commonwealth: And therefore the House required him to give Answer, whether he doth persist in his former Answer."

Who answered, "That he was content to have One Horse in Readiness to defend that County wherein he lives."

Ordered, That Mr. Fletcher do attend the further Pleasure of the House.

Messages to Lords.

Sir Tho. Barrington went up to the Lords, to desire them to sit a while.

He carried up the Order for Stopping of the Penfions; and the Order concerning Westminster, &c.

And Sir Hen. Vane carried up the Order concerning Customs.

Conference, &c.

Mr. Nicoll brings Answer; that the Lords will give a present Meeting, at a Conference, concerning the present State of the Kingdom, as is desired: And, as to the Order concerning the Commissioners to sit with the Committee for the Affairs of Ireland, they will send Answer by Messengers of their own.

House to meet.

Ordered, That the House do meet this Afternoon, at Three of Clock.

Littleton's Goods.

Upon the humble Petition of Mrs. Jane Littleton, concerning an Iron Chest, and some Plate, and other Goods, seized, and carried away, by one Henry Jones, by virtue of a Warrant from this House;

It is this Day Ordered, by the Commons, by Vote upon the Question, That the said Plate, Iron Chest, and other Goods, so seized as aforesaid, be forthwith restored to the said Mrs. Jane Littleton.

Information against Cary, &c.

The Information of Wm. Ashton, Tho. Crosse, and others, against Serjeant Major Cary, and Captain Duett, was this Day read; and ordered to be referred to the Examination and Consideration of the Committee for the Safety of the Kingdom: And they are desired to injoin Serjeant Major Cary not to depart till he has answered these Complaining: And that in the mean time, the Parties complaining may have the Liberty and Privilege of Parliament to attend the said Committee, to make good and testify the said Complaints.

Sandys' Declaration.

Ordered, That the Declaration subscribed under Colonel Sandys his own Hand, to vindicate him from the Imputation laid upon him, by the Letters of the Lord Falkland, and Secretary Nicholas, be forthwith printed.

Privilege-Scandal on a Member.

Ordered, That the Acknowledgment of Mr. Darrell, concerning the Scandal raised by him upon Mr. Pym; and the Sentence given by this House against him; be forthwith printed.

Mayor of Chipping Wicombe.

Upon Mr. Whittacre's Report from the Committee appointed to consider of the Election of the Mayor of Chipping Wicombe, in the County of Buck';

It was Resolved, upon the Question, That the Election of Mr. John Shorter, to be Mayor of Chipping Wicombe, is a good and due Election.

Resolved, &c. That this House doth declare, that the Election and Swearing of John Gibbons, Mayor of Chipping Wicombe, is void and illegal.

Ordered, That the general Instructions for the Raising of Horse, Money, and Plate, shall be sent to Mr. Shorter, the Mayor of Wicombe, for the Advancing the same within the Town and Parish thereof: And he to take unto his Assistance Geo. Moore, Wm. Davenporte, and William Fisher.

Post Meridiem

Leave of Absence.

ORDERED, That Sir Jo. Meux have Leave to go into the Country.

Wages to Members for Lynne Regis.

Ordered, That the like Wages be paid to the Burgesses that serve in this Parliament for the Town of Lynne Regis in Norfolke, and in the like Manner, as hath been formerly paid to such Aldermen as have heretofore served in Parliament for the said Town, unless the Corporation do shew cause to the contrary.

Suffolke Officers.

Ordered, That Mr. Corbett and Mr. Gurdon do prepare Instructions for the Deputy Lieutenants for Suffolke, to appoint Colonels and Captains.

Votes and Declaration.

A Message from the Lords by Sir Robert Riche and Mr. Page;

That the Lords do agree to the Votes and Declaration; and that the same shall be printed with all Expedition.

Ordered, That the Declaration and Votes be printed together, and dispersed throughout the Kingdom: And the Committee appointed to take Care for dispersing the printed Declarations are desired to take Care herein.

Military Affairs.

One Letter from the Earl of Essex, dated 12° Octobris; and another from Colonel Burhell, of the same Date, were read; setting forth Prince Robert his coming with Horse and Ordnance to Wolver hampton; and of the Plundering of Bromingham.

Transactions with Holland.

A Letter from Mr. Walter Strictland, dated 9° Octobris, stilo novo, was read; declaring how he had presented the States of Holland with the Votes and Declarations of both Houses; and how well it was accepted: And the Declaration of Acceptance was also read.

Apprehending Persons in Dorsett.

WHEREAS Edward Lawrence Esquire, High Sheriff of the County of Dorset, Richard Rogers, John Turbervill, and Arthur Radford Esquires, George Rives, Thomas Phelips, John Russell, and Robert Kelway, Gentlemen, Inhabitants of the said County, being Persons notoriously known to have been aiding and assisting unto the Marquis of Hartford, in the late Rebellion by him raised in those Western Parts, ought to have been disarmed, and their Persons arrested, and brought unto the Parliament, in safe Custody; which, through the Miscarriage of some that were intrusted therewith, hath not been done: It is therefore Ordered, by the Lords and Commons in Parliament, That the Deputy Lieutenants of that County do forthwith take Course for the Disarming and Apprehending of them, and every of them; and for the Sending of them unto the Parliament in safe Custody as aforesaid: And that they likewise disarm, or cause to be disarmed, all other Persons of that County, that either in their own Persons, or by sending their Horses, Men, or Arms, to the Aid of the said Marquis, as aforesaid, or any other Manner, have countenanced or encouraged the said Rebellion: And such as have been the most active or stirring therein, to send Them up to the Parliament likewise, in safe Custody, as aforesaid: And that they seize and take from all and every of them, and from all and every the Persons particularly before-named, all Horses serviceable for the Wars: Which Horses shall be employed for the Defence of the said County, until by the Parliament, they shall be otherwise disposed of.