Die Martis, Aug. 26, 1645.

Prayers.

ACcording to an Order of the House, of Wednesday last, the Grand Committee of the whole House sat upon the Matter of Church-Government.

Mr. Whittacre in the Chair.

Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair.

Mr. Whittacre reports, from the Grand Committee for Religion, Two Resolutions of that Committee: And

It is Resolved, upon the Question, That this Report be taken into Consideration on Friday Morning next, in the House, the first Business, peremptorily: And that Mr. Speaker put the House in mind hereof.

Ordered, That Two hundred Pounds be charged upon the Excise, to be paid, in its Course, for the Furnishing of Colonel Whalley, Captain Lawrence, Captain Cannon, Captain Browne, and Lieutenant Disher, with Horses, Arms, and other necessary Accommodations for the present Service they are now employed upon, and designed unto: And that it be referred to the Committee of the Army to furnish them, accordingly.

A Letter from Colonel Massy, from Lyme, of August Three-and-twentieth, was this Day read: And

It is Ordered, upon the Question, That this Letter be referred to the Consideration of the Committee of both Kingdoms: And the Committee of the West are desired to advise with the Committee thereupon.

Sir Anthony Irby carried to the Lords, for their Concurrence, an Ordinance for Continuance of the weekly Assessments in the Counties of Wiltes, Dorset, &c. for Six Months: An Ordinance for Maintenance of the Garisons of NewportPagnell, and other Garisons in the Eastern Association: An Ordinance for granting Commissions to Colonel Jephson, and his Officers: The Order for enabling the Committee at Haberdashers-Hall to contract for Arms for Ireland: The Order for enabling the Commissioners sent to the Parliament of Scotland to treat at Berwick, or in any other Place in England or Scotland: And was to put the Lords in mind of the Ordinance for Sale of Papists and Delinquents Estates.

Message from the Lords, by Sir Edward Leech and Mr. Page;

The Lords have commanded us to deliver unto you this Ordinance concerning the Duchy-Seal: It moved first from this House; and they agree to it, with these Additions and Amendments; to which they desire your Concurrence: A Letter from the Scotts Lieutenant-General: It was sent to the Committee of both Kingdoms: It hath been read in the Lords House; and they thought fit to communicate it to you. They desire to put you in mind of Captain Bowen, who is to be Captain of the Leopard: The Ship is rigged, and victualled, and ready to set Sail; and stays only for your Confirmation of him.

The Amendments to the Ordinance concerning the Duchy-Seal were read; and, upon the Question, assented unto.

The Letter from Lieutenant-General Lesley was read; and was from Baintrie, of 24 Augusti 1645.

Answer returned by the same Messengers;

The House has considered their Lordships Message: And, as . . the Amendments to the Ordinance concerning the Duchy-Seal, they do agree: They have taken notice of the Letter: And, as to the Business concerning Captain Bowen, they will send Answer by Messengers of their own.

The House being informed, That divers well-affected Persons were at the Door, with a Petition;

They were called in: And one of them acquainted the House, in the Name of the rest, That they came to present a Petition to the Commons House, on the Behalf of Lieutenant-Colonel Lilbourne.

The Petition was read; and was, for his Inlargement from Imprisonment in Newgate; and for some present Relief for him out of his Arrears.

Ordered, That Mr. Walker and Mr. Steele be desired, from this House, to manage the Proceedings, by Indictment or otherwise, to be had against Lieutenant-Colonel Lilbourne, now Prisoner in Newgate, at the next General Sessions to be held for the City of London: And that Mr. Bradshaw, formerly desired to attend this Service, be discharged of it.

A Letter from Colonel Points, of 22 Augusti 1645, from Doncaster, to Sir Henry Mildmay, a Member of this House, was this Day read: And

Ordered, That, as to that Part of the Letter which concerns the Pursuing of the King, it be referred to the Committee of both Kingdoms.

Ordered, That, upon the Ordinance of the 23 Julii last past, for securing the Sum of Ten thousand Pounds, with Interest for the same, out of the Excise, for the Northern Forces, the same shall be paid according to the Purport of the said Ordinance: And that no Anticipation shall be made by any subsequent Ordinance; but that it shall be paid, in its Course, accordingly.

Resolved, &c. That this House doth accept of the Sum of Six hundred Pounds of Sir John Tirrell, of Essex, to be forthwith paid for Discharge of his Delinquency and Sequestration: And that, upon Payment thereof, an Ordinance be brought in for Discharge of his Delinquency, and takeing the Sequestration off from his Estate, accordingly; he paying the said Six hundred Pounds within Ten Days.

Ordered, That Five hundred Pounds of the said Six hundred Pounds, being the Composition for the Delinquency of Sir John Tirrell, be forthwith sent to the Governor of Newport-Pagnell, to pay the Officers and Soldiers of that Garison, upon Account: And that the Committee of this House for the Eastern Association do forthwith send the said Five hundred Pounds to the said Governor: And the Receipt of the said Committee, or any Five of them, under their Hands, to be a Discharge unto the said Sir John Tirrell for the said Five hundred Pounds.

Resolved, &c. That One hundred Pounds be forthwith provided and paid to Lieutenant-Colonel Lilbourne, now Prisoner in Newgate, upon Account, in Part of his Arrears.

Ordered, That Sir John Tirrell do pay the One hundred Pounds, remaining of his Fine of Six hundred Pounds, to Lieutenant-Colonel Lilbourne, now Prisoner in Newgate, or to such as he shall appoint to receive the same: And that the Acquittance of the said Lieutenant-Colonel Lilbourne shall be a sufficient Discharge to the said Sir John Tirrell for the said remaining One hundred Pounds.

Ordered, That Mr. Richard Barwis do send the Vote of both Houses, for enabling the Commissioners, sent from both Houses to the Parliament of Scotland, to treat at Barwick, or in any other Place either in England or Scotland, to the said Commissioners from the Parliament of England.

Mr. Rowse, Mr. Tate, Mr. Green, and Mr. Lisle, are appointed presently to withdraw, to prepare an Answer to be given to the Petitioners.

Ordered, That all that will come shall have Voices at the Committee, to whom the Petitions from the Heads of Colleges in the University of Cambridge, and from the Mayor of the Town, are referred.

Sir Anthony Irby brings Answer from the Lords, That, as to the Ordinance concerning the Garison of Newport, and other Garisons in the Eastern Association, they will send Answer by Messengers of their own: They will take the Ordinance concerning the Sale of Papists and Delinquents Estates into speedy Consideration: And, as to the other Orders carried to the Lords by him, they do agree.

Mr. Tate reports the Answer to be given to the Petitioners concerning Lieutenant-Colonel Lilbourne: Which was read; and, upon the Question, assented unto.

The Petitioners were called in again: And Mr. Speaker, by Command of the House, acquainted them with the Answer of the House to their Petition: Which was in hæc verba; "That Lieutenant-Colonel Lilbourne is justly committed by this House; that, for some of his Offences, he stands referred to a Tryal at the Common Law; that the House doth not approve of the Coming in of this Petition at this time, the Cause thus depending, and the Party himself not acknowledging the Justice, nor desiring the Mercy, of this House; that, when there is a fit Time for either, they will proceed accordingly: In the mean time, the House hath provided for his convenient Maintenance."

A Letter from the Gentlemen of Cheshire, from Namptwich, of 7 Augusti 1645, with a Remonstrance therein inclosed, were this Day read.

Mr. Ashurst makes his Report from the Committee to whom the Business for the Besieging of Chester was referred, &c.

Resolved, &c. That the Matter of this Report, and the whole Business concerning Cheshire, be taken into Consideration on Monday Sevennight: And Mr. Speaker is to put the House in mind hereof.

Ordered, That Mr. Ashurst do prepare a Letter, to be signed by Mr. Speaker, and sent to the Gentlemen of Cheshire; to acquaint them, That this House will take special Care for reducing Chester; and have appointed a short Time to take the same into serious Consideration.

Ordered, That the Business of Leicester, and the Letter from thence, be peremptorily taken into Consideration on Saturday Morning: And that Sir Arthur Hasilrig do then bring in the Ordinance for a Collection for the Relief of Leicester; and that it be then read, the first Business; and that no other Business do then intervene.

Ordered, That the Business concerning Lancashire be taken into Consideration on Saturday next.

An Ordinance to made void Two Obligations under the Seal of the Company of Barber-Surgeons, conditioned for the Payment of One thousand Pounds to Richard Watson Surgeon, late of London, a Papist and Delinquent, was this Day read; and, upon the Question, assented unto; and ordered to be sent to the Lords for their Concurrence.

Ordered, That there shall be Collections in the several Parishes, Churches, and Chapels within London, and the Lines of Communication, To-morrow, the Twentyseventh of this present August 1645, being the Day of Publick Humiliation; and the Monies, so collected, employed for Relief of poor and maimed Soldiers, in manner formerly used. Provided, That the Moiety of the Monies collected in St. Margaret's, Westminster, and St. Martin's in the Fields, shall be employed for the Relief of the Poor of the said Parishes respectively; and the other Moiety for the Relief of the poor and maimed Soldiers, as aforesaid.