House of Commons Journal Volume 3: 21 November 1644

Die Jovis, Novembris 21, 1644.

PRAYERS.

Leicester Petition.

SIR Gilbert Gerard reports from the Committee of both Kingdoms, That whereas this House formerly referred unto That Committee the Consideration of a Petition from the County of Leicester; That Committee, in regard of their other great Affairs, can have no Time for the Examining thereof:

It is therefore Ordered, That the said Petition be referred to the Examination and Consideration of the Committee formerly appointed for Leicestershire, where Mr. Knightley has the Chair, with the Addition of Sir Anth. Irby, Sir Tho. Dacres, Mr. Theloall, Sir Wm. Massam, Sir Tho. Woodhowse, Sir Dud. North, Mr. Grimstone, Sir Christ. Wray, Mr. Scawen, Sir Walth. Erle, Sir Jo. Trevor, Captain Wingate, Sir Robert Pye, or any Six of them: Who are appointed to meet on Saturday next, at Two post meridiem, in the Duchy Court.

Protestants of Dublin.

Sir Gilbert Gerard reports from the Committee of both Kingdoms, certain Desires and Propositions made to That Committee, on the Behalf of the Protestants in Dublin: The which were read; with the Opinion of the said Committee, That Provisions of Victuals, Cloaths, and Fuel, may be permitted to be carried to Dublyn, for the Protestants there; who are, otherwise, like to perish; the Papists there being supplied out of the Country; and will not suffer the Protestants to have any, but at such unreasonable Rates, as they must either perish for want of them, or be undone in procuring of them at such extreme Prices as they are forced to give.

Ordered, That these Propositions, made on the Behalf of the Protestants of Dublyn, be taken into Consideration on Saturday Morning next.

Church Government.

The House being informed, That divers of the Assembly of Divines were at the Door;

They were called in; and Mr. Doctor Burgesse presented the humble Advice of the Assembly of Divines, sitting, by Ordinance of Parliament, at Westminster, concerning a Directory for the Publick Worship of God in the Three Kingdoms: The which was ordered to be presented hither, with no one dissenting Brother in the Assembly; the Preface having given that Satisfaction.

The humble Advice was read: And

It is Ordered, That the humble Advice of the Assembly of Divines, concerning a Directory for the Publick Worship of God in the Three Kingdoms, this Day presented, be taken into Consideration To-morrow Morning, peremptorily, at Eight of Clock: And that Mr. Speaker put the House in mind thereof: And that likewise the Propositions from the Assembly, touching Church Government, be taken into Consideration To-morrow Morning.

Member to be examined.

Ordered, That Mr. Thomas, a Member of this House, shall have Liberty to be examined in the Chancery.

Prize Goods.

Ordered, That the Commissioners and Collectors for Prize Goods do put to Sale such Butter, Cloth, and Lead, as were lately taken, by way of Reprisal, by Captain Ashmoore, in the Service of the King and Parliament, out of a Ship of Bristoll; and the said Goods sent into the Port of London.

Officers of Excise.

Ordered, That it be referred to Mr. Nicoll and Mr. Corbett to prepare a Letter to be sent from Mr. Speaker to the Committees and Deputy Lieutenants in the several and respective Counties, to be assisting to the Officers of the Commissioners of Excise, in the due Execution of their Services.

Prerogative Court.

Ordered, That the Committee for the Register's Place in the Prerogative Court, or any Four of them, may meet upon that Business.

Transporting Wool.

Ordered, That Mr. Wheler and Mr. Ashe do move the Baron of the Exchequer to supersede the Writ granted in the Business of Two several Parcels of Wool, endeavoured by Night to be transported by some Walloons of Canterbury: And that he would do nothing to interrupt an Order of the Twenty-fourth of February, forbidding the Transportation of Wool, &c.

States Ambassador.

Ordered, That the Committee appointed to consider of the Answer to be given to the States Ambassador, touching their Offer of Interposition, do bring in that Business To-morrow Morning: And that Sir Hen. Vane junior be added to That Committee.

Importing Currans.

Ordered, That the Business concerning the Trade and Importation of Currans, be taken into Consideration on Monday next.

Portesmouth Garisons.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee formerly appointed to consider of raising of Three thousand Pounds for Garisons, likewise to take into Consideration the Providing of a Thousand Pounds for the Garison of Portesmouth.

Portesmouth Fortifications.

An Ordinance for Felling and Cutting of Timber and Wood out of the Estates of Papists and Delinquents, for the Fortification of the Garison of Portesmouth, was this Day reported from the Committee; and read the Third time; and, upon the Question, passed; and ordered to be sent unto the Lords for their Concurrence.

Payment to Guilchrist.

An Ordinance of Parliament for Payment of Three hundred and Ninety-two Pounds, and Two hundred and Ten Pounds, to Mr. Guilchrist, for Commodities, to that Value, delivered in for the Use and Relief of the Fort of Galloway, was this Day read; and, upon the Question, passed; and ordered to be sent unto the Lords for their Concurrence.

Money for Court Martial.

Ordered, That One hundred Pounds be borrowed at the Committee at Haberdashers Hall, to be paid to the Advocate of the Court Martial, to be by him disposed of, as the Court Martial shall direct: And that the same be paid again out of the first Monies that shall be raised by the Fines of that Court.

Spanish Ambassador.

Ordered, That the Spanish Ambassador, and his Train, consisting of Thirty Persons, Three Coaches, Eight Saddle Horses, and a Carriage for Apparel and Necessaries, shall have a Warrant, under Mr. Speaker's Hand, to pass and repass from London to Oxford, to his Majesty's Court there, or elsewhere.

Ordered, That Francis Bernardi Esquire, Agent to the Spanish Ambassador, for himself, and Two Servants, and their Horses, shall have a Warrant, under Mr. Speaker's Hand, to pass before, to give Notice of the said Ambassador's Coming, for his better Entertainment; and to make his Return: Provided, that nothing be carried by the said Ambassador or his Train, or his Agent or his Servants, that may be prejudicial to the State; And that no English, Scotts, or Irish, do go with them: And that Search be made of the Carriages before they go, as hath been usual in the like Case of Ambassadors.

Payment to Guilchrist.

Whereas it appeareth, by the Account of the Lord Forbes, remaining with the Committee of the House of Commons for Irish Affairs, and by the Certificate of Captain Anthony Willoughby, late Governor of the Fort of Galway in that Kingdom, that, amongst other Provisions furnished by the said Lord Forbes, and taken in by the said Captain Willoughby, for the Relief of that Fort, Six thousand Weight of Tobacco was received in August, 1642, out of a Barque called The Melior, as she came from the Island of Barbadoes; which appear to be the Goods of Robert Guilchrist, and have since been valued, after the Rate of Fourteen-pence the Pound, to amount unto the Sum of Three hundred Fourscore and Twelve Pounds: And whereas it also appeareth, by the Assignment of the said Lord Forbes, dated the Five-and-twentieth Day of June, 1644, that there is also due from his Lordship to the said Robert Guilchrist, the Sum of Two hundred and Ten Pounds more; which his Lordship hath appointed to be paid to him out of the first and readiest of the Monies due to his Lordship from the Parliament of England: It is now thought fit, and Ordered; and be it hereby Ordained, by the Lords and Commons in this present Parliament assembled, That out of such Monies as shall appear to be due from the Parliament of England to the said Lord Forbes, upon his Account of Victual, Arms, Ammunition, or other Necessaries, delivered for the Use of the Army in Ireland, under the Pay of this Kingdom, the said Sum of Two hundred and Ten Pounds be, in the first place, paid unto the said Robert Guilchrist, or his Assigns, in Satisfaction of the like Sum so assigned unto him by his Lordship, as aforesaid. And be it also further Ordained, That, out of such Monies as shall appear likewise to be due unto the said Lord Forbes upon that his Account, the above-mentioned Sum of Three hundred Fourscore and Twelve Pounds be paid unto Nicholas Loftus Esquire, Deputy Treasurer at Wars for Ireland; to be by him paid over unto the said Robert Guilchrist, or his Assigns, in full Discharge of the above-mentioned Six thousand Weight of Tobacco so received by Captain Anthony Willoughby, for the Use of the Fort of Gallway; and to be defalked upon the Pay that shall appear to be due to the Commanders, Officers, and Soldiers of that Fort.

Portesmouth Fortifications.

Be it Ordained, by the Lords and Commons, in Parliament assembled, That out of the Estates sequestered by Authority of Parliament, of Papists and Delinquents, in the Counties of Sussex and Hants, Five hundred Tuns of Timber Trees, and Six thousand Cords of Wood, shall be cut, for the Reparation of the Fortifications at Portesmouth; the said Five hundred Tuns of Timber to be employed in planking and fortifying the same; and the said Six thousand Cords of Wood to be sold, for defraying the Charge in fortifying the said Garison, as Colonel Jephson, Lieutenant Governor of Portesmouth, shall direct. And be it further Ordained, That the several Committees of the Counties of Sussex and Hants respectively shall take care, that an equal Proportion of Timber and Cord Wood be cut as aforesaid, upon the respective Counties; and also upon the said Delinquents Estates: And the said Committee shall appoint, in their respective Counties, in Places most convenient for the Service, where, in what manner, and by whom, the said Trees shall be cut: And are to take special Care, that no Waste or Spoil be made in the Execution of this Ordinance; and that no Trees be cut at unseasonable Times; and also that no young Trees, or others fit for the Use of the Navy, shall be sold, by virtue of this present Ordinance. And it is further provided, That no Timber, or other Trees, shall be cut, by virtue of this Ordinance, out of the New Forest in Hants. Provided likewise, That the respective Committees of the said Counties shall certify, under their Hands and Seals, unto the Committee of the Accompts of the Kingdom, the several Proportions of Timber and Wood; and out of whose Estates particularly they were cut and felled by virtue of this Ordinance; together with a true Estimate of the Value of the same.

Payment to Speaker.

Whereas the House of Commons formerly granted unto Wm. Lenthall Esquire, Speaker of the said House, Six thousand Pounds, in Acknowledgment of the great and faithful Service done by the said Wm. Lenthall to the Commonwealth in the said Place of Speaker, Part whereof is yet unpaid by reason of the great Occasions of the Commonwealth: And whereas Two hundred Pounds was lately issued forth, and paid by the Committee at Haberdashers Hall unto the said Wm. Lenthall, as Part of the Remainder of the said Six thousand Pounds: It is this Day Ordered, by the Lords and Commons, That the said Two hundred Pounds shall be allowed unto the said Committee upon passing their Accompts.