House of Commons Journal Volume 3: 2 September 1643

Die Sabbati, 2 Septembris, 1643.

PRAYERS.

Nottingham Committee.

ORDERED, That F. Thornhagh, Jo. Hutchinson, Gervase Pigott, Geo. Hutchinson, Joseph Widmerpoole, Charles White, Esquires, and Tho. Satisbury Gentleman, be added to the Committee of Sequestrations for the County of Nottingham: And, for the County of the Town of Nottingham, the Mayor for the Time being, James Chadwick Esquire, and Jo. James Alderman: And that these Committees shall have as full Power, to all Intents and Purposes, as any of the Committees named in the said Ordinance have, might, or ought to have.

The Lords Concurrence to be desired herein.

Assembly of Divines.

The House being informed, that some of the Divines of the Assembly attended at the Door; they were called in: And they presented unto the House the Petition of Dr. Burges and Mr. Wm. Price, Members of the Assembly, presented unto this House the last of August, and by Order of this House referred to the Assembly to make Answer unto it: And likewise, the Answer of the Assembly of Divines to the said Petition, signed by the Scribes, to the Assembly.

The Divines withdrew:

And the Petition and Answer were read.

Resolved, &c. That this House is satisfied with the Answer of the Assembly of Divines to the Petition of Dr. Burges and Mr. Wm. Price.

The Divines were again called in: And Mr. Speaker, by the Command of the House, told them, That the House had read the Petition, and the Answer of the Assembly unto it; and are fully satisfied with the Answer in every Point, nemine contradicente: And desire you to acquaint the Assembly, and render Thanks to you, and the Assembly, for your Care and Diligence herein: And as to the Petition, and so much in it as concerns Dr. Burges and Mr. Wm. Price, they will take it into further Consideration.

Leave being given to * * * * did, in the Name of the rest, say, that there was much Difference in the Proceedings and Fact of the Petitioners: That one was Principal, the other but Accessory, and surprised, and was sorry for it, and did acknowledge the Rashness and Precipitation, he charged upon the Assembly, to be in himself; and did acknowledge his Offence, and was brought to a Temper and Disposition of Atonement with the rest of his Brethren; and did desire to withdraw the Petition. - Mr. Price the younger was the Man he said he intended. Thus much further he said, that, notwithstanding they both complained on Thursday, that they had not Time to put in their Reasons; yet, to this Day, they have neither of them put in their Reasons.

Resolved, &c. That Mr. Price shall be called in, to avow his Petition.

Mr. Price was accordingly called in: And the Petition being shewed unto him by the Clerk, Mr. Speaker asked him, If he did avow the Petition: To which he answered, It is true, it was his Hand that was subscribed to the Petition: That the Petition was shewed unto him ready drawn by Dr. Burgesse, which he read but once over: That he relied much on the Integrity of Dr. Burgesse, who told him, "Set your Hand to it; you do not understand so much of this Business as we do: Whereupon, after I had desired the Assembly, that I might give in Reasons of my dissenting, 'I subscribed the same; but, as soon as I came into the Assembly again, finding, by many, that I had done a Thing that trenched much on the Assembly, and never asked their Leave to petition, I did there openly acknowledge it to be a great Rashness in me; and I do here acknowledge the same, before this honourable Assembly; and retract the same Petition, for as much as concerns my Part."

Resolved, &c. That Mr. Price shall be acquitted and discharged from any Thing that concerns him, as touching the Petition preferred to this House by Dr. Burges, on Thursday last, subscribed by Dr. Burges and Mr. Price.

Doctor Burges was called in: And Mr. Speaker, by the Command of the House, acquainted him that they had received from the Assembly an Answer to the Petition presented by himself on Thursday last, in the which Answer the House rests full well satisfied; and, in Favour to him, have commanded the said Answer should be read to him; and that he had Liberty to speak any thing in Answer unto it, if he desired it.

And then Dr. Burges began, and expressed his Sorrow, that he could not overcome those Reasons that enforced him not to agree in Opinion with his Brethren, in that great Matter of Importance touching the Covenant: And, notwithstanding all that he has endeavoured, those Reasons have still the Mastery of him: He accounts himself unhappy in it. He did likewise desire, that this House would grant him the Liberty of his Conscience; which he very well knew they did and would to all Men; and did protest the Faithfulness of his Heart to the Cause. He then related the Proceedings of the Assembly in relation to him, in desiring of his entering the Reasons of his Dissent: And that he was heartily sorrow, that any Petition of his should retard any Business of Importance, either here, or at the Assembly: And that if any thing, in the Manner of his Proceeding, has given any Distaste, he is sorry for it; and does earnestly desire, that if his Petition has given any Disturbance (which he knows it has) that he may have Liberty to withdraw and retract his Petition: And in all Things submitted himself to the Judgement of the House.

The Question being put, whether this House rests satisfied with the Answer given by Dr. Burges;

It was resolved negatively.

Resolved, &c. That Dr. Burges shall be suspended from being of the Assembly, until he has given Satisfaction to this House, and the Assembly, touching the Petition preferred by him on Thursday last.

Ordered, That the Lords Concurrence be desired herein; and that this whole Business be transmitted to the Lords, at a Conference, on Tuesday next.

Mr. Solicitor, Mr. Rous, and Mr. Niclas, are appointed to prepare Heads for this Conference; and to manage it.

Aylesbury Garison.

Ordered, That Colonel Aldriche Governor of Aylesbury, Lieutenant Colonel Sadler, Lieutenant Colonel Moseley, and Wm. Russell of Chaffent the younger, Esquires, be added to the Committee at Aylesbury, to assist them in the levying and receiving those Monies which, by a late Ordinance of Parliament, are appointed for the Pay of that Garison.

Ordered, That the Officers of the Tower, London, Lieutenant Colonel Rowe, and all other Officers of Stores, whom it may or shall concern, do severally and respectively forthwith furnish the Particulars required by his Excellency my Lord General, by his Warrant of the Five-and-twentieth of August, and ordered to be delivered to Christ. Richardson Conductor, to be sent with all Expedition to Colonel Aldriche Governor of Aylesbury, to be employed for the Use of the said Town.

Seizures by Denmark.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee of the Navy, to consider of some Expedient for the Relief of those Merchants whose Goods are stayed and seized by the King of Denmarke; and to prevent the like Inconveniences, that may happen to any other Merchants trading into those Parts.

Proceedings against Maes.

Ordered, That Mr. Geo. Maes, that came upon the Danish Ship, that brought over Arms for Newcastle, be forthwith committed Prisoner to the Prison of the Marshalsea, there to remain during the Pleasure of the House, for his insolent Carriage in the House of Commons, and for his obstinate refusing to submit to a legal Examination in the Court of Admiralty: And that the Marshal of the Admiralty, and the Messenger of the Navy, or one of them, do seize and apprehend the said Mr. Geo. Mayes, and carry him to the Prison of the Marshallsea, and deliver him to the Marshal or Keeper of the said Prison; who is hereby required to keep him in safe Restraint, as a Prisoner, till the House take further Order.

Money for Plymouth.

Ordered, That it be recommended to my Lord Mayor, and to the Treasurers of the Fifty thousand Pounds, lately borrowed of the City, to hasten the Payment of Four thousand Pounds thereof, formerly ordered for the Service of Plimouth: And that Mr. Waddon do make a Relation of the late Passages at the Island of Plymouth, to my Lord Mayor and Treasurers, to quicken them to use all Means and Endeavours in so necessary a Service.

Prisoner discharged.

The humble Petition of Hen. Marten Esquire, now Prisoner in the Tower, was this Day read: Whereupon it is

Resolved, upon the Question, That Mr. Marten shall be forthwith discharged from any further Restraint, without paying any Fees for his said Imprisonment.

Covenant from Scotland.

The House, according to an Order Yesterday, resumed the Debate of the Covenant sent from the Commissioners of both Houses in Scotland; and do agree unto the Second Articles, with the Explanation presented from the Assembly of Divines, viz. "By Prelacy in this Article we understand the Church Government, by Archbishops, Bishops, their Chancellors, Commissaries, Deans and Chapters, Arochdeacons, and other Ecclesiastical Officers depending upon the Hierarchy:" The which Explanation is to be added in the Margent, with a Hand of Direction.

The House likewise voted, and assented unto, the Third, Fourth, and Sixth Article; and left the Fifth Article to a further Debate on Monday Morning.

Making Great Seal.

Ordered, That the Treasurers in London do forthwith pay One hundred Pounds, out of the Sequestration Money, to Mr. Blakeston, a Member of this House; to be disposed of by him for the making of a Great Seal of England; viz. Forty Pounds in Hand, to Mr. Tho. Symonds (who is hereby repuired to make the same) towards the buying of Silver; and Threescore Pounds more, when the Seal is finished: And Mr. Blakiston is to take Security for the First Forty Pounds, till the Seal be finished; and to bring the Seal into the House by this Day Month.

The Covenant.

Ordered, That this House do take into Consideration the further Debate of the Covenant, on Monday Morning next.

Excise.

Ordered, That the Business concerning the Excise be taken into Consideration on Monday at Nine of the Clock.

Warrant to Jepson.

Ordered, That Serjeant Major Jepson shall have the Leave of the House, and Mr. Speaker's Warrant, to go into Ireland.

Prerogative Office.

Ordered, That the Clerks and others, belonging to the Prerogative Office, be required forthwith to deliver the Keys belonging to the Prerogative Office unto Mr. Hem Linche, for the Safety of the Records there.

Advance by Jordan.

Ordered, That publick Faith be given to Mr. Jordan, for Fifty Pounds, which he shall advance for the Payment of Captain Skrimshire's Troop.

Message to Lords.

Ordered, That Mr. Erle do carry up to the Lords the Committees Names for Aylesbury, and the Order for the Horse in Middlesex to march to the Army.

Examination of Earl of Denbighe.

Mr. Pym reports from the Committee for the Safety, the Business concerning the Earl of Denbighe: Where upon

It is Ordered, That the Paper presented be forthwith printed and published.

The Report of the Committee for the Safety, concerning the Earl of Denbigh:

UPON full Examination and Consideration of the Proceeding in the Business concerning the Stay of the Earl of Denbigh, the Committee conceives, they had just Cause to send, for the Earl, for not obeying the Order of the Committee made in his Lordship's Presence, with his Consent, as they apprehend: But his Lordship, upon his Return, affirming, upon his Honour, that he did mistake the Order of the Committee; and that if he had understood it to have restrained his going out of Town with his Forces and Provisions, he would have obeyed it; the Committee thinks good to delare, that there is nothing appears to them that both any ways diminish their Opinion of his Innocency, and Faithfulness to the Parliament and State; but to remain, in their Opinion, untainted in his Honour: And so they desire he may be esteemed by others.

Ordered, To be printed and published.

Hertford Forces.

Whereas by an Ordinance of Parliament, for the Twentieth and Fifth Part, the Monies raised thereupon, in the County of Hertford, should be employed for the Maintenance of their Forces sent out of that County; should be issued out by the Lieutenant, or Two of the Deputy Lieutenants, or more of them, of the said County: And forasmuch as the Lieutenant, or Deputy Lieutenants, of that County are seldom at the Committee for Hertfordshire; whereby the Service receives an Interruption: It is this Day Ordered, That the Committee for the County of Hertford, or any Two or more of them, may give Warrant to the Treasurers to pay and deliver the Monies, for the Purposes aforesaid, as shall be by them thought needful.