House of Lords Journal Volume 5: 15 February 1643

Journal of the House of Lords: Volume 5, 1642-1643. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1767-1830.

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'House of Lords Journal Volume 5: 15 February 1643', in Journal of the House of Lords: Volume 5, 1642-1643, (London, 1767-1830) pp. 605-607. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/lords-jrnl/vol5/pp605-607 [accessed 25 March 2024]

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In this section

DIE Mercurii, videlicet, 15 die Februarii.

PRAYERS.

Earl of Manchester, Speaker this Day.

The Messengers sent to the House of Commons, with Sir Francis Doddington's Petition, and the Order of this House thereupon, return with this Answer:

That they will return an Answer by Messengers of their own.

Message from the H. C. with a Public Confession to be used at the Fast.

A Message was brought from the House of Commons, by Mr. Rouse:

That the House of Commons have voted a Public Confession of Humiliation, to be made at the Common Fast, wherein they desire their Lordships Concurrence.

Which, being read, was approved of, and Ordered to be printed and published forthwith. (Here enter it.)

Answer.

The Answer returned [ (fn. 1) was: That this House] agrees with the House of Commons in the Confession now brought up; and have Ordered, That the same shall be printed and published forthwith.

Message from the H. C. for Concurrence in the Two following Orders.

A Message was brought from the House of Commons, by Mr. Millington:

To desire their Lordships Concurrence in Two Orders:

1. An Order concerning raising Monies in Gloucestershire. (Here enter it.)

Agreed to.

2. An Order concerning seizing of Mens Estates, in the County of Lyncolne.

To be respited.

The Answer returned was:

Answer.

That this House agrees with the House of Commons in the Order concerning raising Monies in Glocestershire; and concerning the Order concerning Lyncolneshire, their Lordships will send an Answer by Messengers of their own.

Ashton and Gregson sent for, seizing an Apothecary's Horses.

Upon Information to this House, "That an Apothecary of Oxford, coming to London about some Buness of the Earl of Leycester, (fn. 2) hath his Horses taken from him, by Tho. Gregson and Wm. Ashton:" Hereupon this House Ordered, That the said Parties shall be sent for, to appear before this House, to shew by what Warrant [ (fn. 3) they have] taken these Horses; and that Sir Wm. Waller be sent to, to re-deliver the said Horses.

Lord Vaux's Timber at Harradon not to be taken away.

Upon Information to this House, "That some Timber hath been taken from the Lord Vaux, at Harradon in North'tonshire:" It is Ordered, That a Letter be written to the Committees at North'ton, to know upon what Reason this Timber was taken away, and that no Timber be taken away any more.

Mr. Howard, a Pass to France.

Ordered, That Mr. Thomas Howard shall have a Pass, to go into France.

E. of Leicester's Servant, a Pass to Oxford.

Ordered, That a Servant of the Earl of Leycester shall have a Pass, to go to Oxford, to carry to his Lordship some Letters that comes out of Ireland.

Message from the H. C. with an Order for raising Dragoons in Surrey.

A Message was brought from the House of Commons, by Sir Ric'd Onslow:

To desire their Lordships Concurrence in an Order concerning raising of Five Hundred Dragooners, in the County of Surrey.

The said Order was read.

Ordered, To be respited for a Time; and the Country to be heard, concerning this Ordinance.

The Answer returned was:

Answer.

That this House will send an Answer by Messengers of their own.

Delinquents to be apprehended, for breaking open the Countess of Devonshire's Stables.

Upon Information to this House, "That some Persons are breaking open the Countess of Devonshire's Stable, for the Taking away of her Horses:" It is Ordered, That the Officers of the Trained Band shall go, with a sufficient Guard, and apprehend the Parties offending, and bring them before this House, (fn. 4) to answer the said Offences, and to shew by what Warrant they have done (fn. 5) it.

John Bradley's Petition.

Upon reading the Petition of John Bradley: It is Ordered, That the Parties whom it concerns shall have a Copy of the said Petition, and return an Answer to this House by Friday Morning.

(Here enter the Petition.)

King's Harness for Coach-horses.

Ordered, That there shall be a Pass, to carry down to Oxford some Harness, for the King's Coach-horses.

Sir Charles Berkley's Child, a Pass.

Ordered, That a Pass shall be granted, to convey the Child of Sir Charles Berkley out of Som'settshire, [ (fn. 6) to Oxford], to be touched for the King's Evil.

Emperor's Agent, a Pass.

Ordered, That the Emperor's Agent shall have a Pass, to go to Oxford, to deliver some Letters to the King.

A Squadron of Musqueteers to assist in apprehending the Delinquents against the Countess of Devonshire.

The Officers were called in, and commanded to send a Squadron of Musketeers along with the Officer of this House, to apprehend such Persons as are breaking open the Countess of Devonshire's Stable, and bring them before this House.

Order for 4000 l. to Mr. Stevens, & al. for Money laid out for Public Service.

"Whereas Sir William Waller, Serjeant Major General of the County of Gloucester and other Counties adjacent, Mr. Stephens, Mr. Hodges, Mr. Genner, and Mr. Ash, Members of the House of Commons, have, for the advanceing and furnishing out of Forces (fn. 7) in the said County of Gloucester, for the Public Service of the Kingdom, taken up, and provided at Interest, upon their particular Credits and Securities, the Sum of Four Thousand Pounds, without which the said Forces could not march upon their present Expedition: It is therefore Ordered, by the Lords and Commons, That Sir Gilbert Gerrard, Treasurer for the Army, shall forthwith issue and pay, out of his First Receipts (upon Subscription, or otherwise), the said Sum of Four Thousand Pounds, with the Interest according to Eight Pounds per Cent. unto the said Members of the House of Commons."

A Public Confession of Sins, to be used at the Fast.

"That flourishing Kingdoms have been ruined by impenitent going on in a Course of Sinning, the Sacred Story doth plainly tell us; and how near to such a Ruin our sinful Nation now is, the present lamentable Face of it doth too apparently shew; and though we should feel the heavy Strokes of God yet Seven Times more, it is our Duty to accept the Punishment of our Iniquity; and to say, Righteous art Thou, O Lord, and just are Thy Judgements! yet, because the Lord, who is just, is also merciful, and, in His infinite Mercy, hath left the excellent and successful Remedy of Repentance, to Nations brought near to the Gates of Destruction and Despair; let not England be negligent in the Application of it: Humble Addresses of a penitent People to a merciful God have prevailed with Him. They prevailed for Niniveh, when the Sentence seemed to be gone out against her, and may also prevail for England.

"It is therefore thought most necessary, by the Lords and Commons in Parliament, that all His Majesty's Subjects in this Kingdom of England be excited and stirred up speedily to lay Hold upon this only and unfailing Remedy of Repentance; freely acknowledging, and heartily bewailing, even with deepest Humiliation, Godly Sorrow, and Detestation, secretly and in Families, but especially publicly in Congregations, both their own Personal Sins, and chiefly those Sins that are and have been the Sins of this Nation; a Confession of National Sins being most agreeable to the National Judgements under which the Land groans, and most likely to be effectual for the removing of them.

"Neither ought this Confession to be slight or light, when there is so heavy a Weight of Sins, infinite in Number, and heinous in Nature, that lies upon this Nation: Such are the high Contempt of God's Holy Ordinances, and of Holiness itself; gross and affected Ignorance, under the glorious Light of the Gospel clearly shining among us; Unfruitfulness, under the precious Means of Grace; Ingratitude for Mercies; Incorrigibleness under Judgements; Multitudes of Oaths and Blasphemies; wicked Prophanations of the Lords-day, by Sports and Gamings, formerly encouraged even by Authority; all Sorts of Uncleanness, Luxury, and Excess in Eating and Drinking; Vanity, Pride, and Prodigality in Apparel; Envy, Contention, and unnatural Divisions; Oppression, Fraud and Violence; from divers of which Sins, and many other, not One Person throughout this whole Nation can say that he is wholly free; but all must confess, that they have contributed toward the great Stock of National Sins, and so have increased the Treasure of Wrath, against these Days of Wrath: And therefore, since according to the Language of the Holy Ghost, we are a sinful Nation, a People laden with Iniquity, and that from the Sole of the Foot to the Head there is no Soundness in us, we may justly expect the Desolations that are denounced against so great and general a Corruption.

"And as it is our Duty to humble ourselves, and to give Glory to God, the Searcher of all Hearts, by confessing all Sins; so ought we to be afflicted, and humbled with deepest Sense of Sorrow, for those most crying Sins, which now we find, by too sad Experience, to have a more immediate Influence upon the Destruction of a Kingdom; some of which are, Idolatry and Bloodshed.

"That of Idolatry, as it was the Sin of our Ancestors, so it is the spreading Sin of these latter Times, while, by a general Continuance, and almost Toleration, it hath been several Ways fomented and encouraged; the grievous Effects whereof this Kingdom of England now begins to feel, from Multitudes of armed Papists and their Abettors; and the Kingdom of Ireland far more heavily hath felt, being brought almost to utter Ruin by the intestine War of Romish Idolaters.

"And for the other crying and cruel Sin of Bloodshed, that calls aloud for Vengeance (besides many Murders not expiated, and the Blood-guilty pardoned), did it not go Hand in Hand with that abominable Idol of the Mass, in the Days of Queen Mary and some of Her Predecessors, when many Hundreds of the dear Martyrs and Saints of God lost their precious Lives in Flames and Prisons? and though several Acts, by which that innocent Blood was shed, have been repealed by Parliament, (fn. 8) yet to this very Day was never ordained such a solemn, Public, and National Acknowledgement of this Sin, as might appease the Wrath of that jealous God, against whom, (fn. 9) and against whose People, with so high a Hand it was committed.

"Now, that all the Sin and Misery of this polluted and afflicted Nation may be bitterly sorrowed for, with such Grief of Heart, and Preparedness for a thorough Reformation, as God may be pleased graciously to accept; it is Required and Ordained, by the Lords and Commons in Parliament, That every Minister and Preacher of God's Word, in the Kingdom of England and Dominion of Wales, in their several Auditories and Congregations, especially upon the Fast-days, shall most earnestly persuade and inculcate the constant Practice of this Public Acknowledgement and deep Humiliation, for these and all our National and crying Sins, and likewise the Necessity of a Personal and National Reformation, and shall publish this Ordinance concerning the same; that so at Length we may obtain a firm and happy Peace both with God and Man; that Glory may dwell in our Land; and the Prosperity of the Gospel, with all the Privileges accompanying it, may crown this Nation, unto all succeeding Ages."

Bradley versus Prettyman, Baker, Jennings, and Still.

"To the Right Honourable the Lords in Parliament now assembled.

"The humble Petition of John Bradley,

"Sheweth,

"That your Petitioner entered into Partnership, for merchandizing beyond the Seas, with John Farrington (who was to reside at Lisbon), the 11th of April, 1623; since which have continued in Trade, as also with George Baker, for a good Part of the Time and said Adventure; and have had many Adventures with Thomas Jennings and Rob't Still, with whom your Petitioner hath made good his Part upon all Occasions: So it is (may it please your Lordships), that John Farrington is dead intestate, and hath left only One Child, about One Year old; and one Prettyman administered, by virtue whereof he hath the Books of all Accompts, from the Beginning of our Partnership [ (fn. 10) having never] adjusted any Accompt; and the said Prettyman, Baker, Jennings; and Still, have the Possession of the Estate, and do dispose it without your Petitioner's Privity; only there are left some Books with Mr. Thomas Ayres, Accomptant; and some special Books and Notes are wanting, which were in the said Farrington's Possession.

"Your Petitioner humbly prayeth your Lordships will please to Order, that all Books of Accompt, Cash Books, Letter Books, with what Waste Books may conduce to the further Discovery of what Part of Profit or Loss may accrue to your Petitioner, may be delivered to Mr. Thomas Ayres, Accomptant; and that the said Prettyman, Baker, Jennings, and Still, do not intermeddle with the Disposal of the Estate, without your Petitioner's Approbation; and, for a final Conclusion, that they chuse Two sufficient, honest, able Men to join with Two that your Petitioner will request to take some Pains for the Discovery of what shall be due to your Petitioner; who (your Petitioner desireth) may report to this Honourable House the State of the said Accompt, and to be settled without further Dispute in Law.

"And your Petitioner, as in Duty bound, shall ever pray &c.

Speaker's Letter to the Committee at Northampton, about Timber taken from Lord Vaux.

"Gentlemen,

"I am commanded, by the Lords in Parliament, to let you know, that they have receceived Information, that some Timber hath been taken away from the Lord Vaux's House, at Harrowden, in the County of North'ton, being to be employed for his Building there; which their Lordships conceive to be a Breach of the Privilege of Parliament, his Lordship being a Member of this House: Therefore their Lordships do desire that you will certify them of the Truth of the Business, and to take Care that no more Timber of the Lord Vaux be taken away, without further Directions of this House.

this 15th of February, 1642.

"Your very loving Friend.

"To Sir Rowland St. John Knight of the Bath, Sir Gilbert Pickering Baronet, or any One of the Committees of Parliament at North'ton. These."

Adjourn.

House adjourned till 9a cras.

Footnotes

  • 1. Bis in Originali.
  • 2. Origin. and hath.
  • 3. Origin. he hath.
  • 4. Origin. and.
  • 5. Deest in Originali.
  • 6. Bis in Originali.
  • 7. Origin. into.
  • 8. Origin. it.
  • 9. Deest in Originali.
  • 10. Deest in Originali.