Die Sabbati, 27 Decembris, 1645.

Prayers.

AN Ordinance for charging, upon the Receipts of the Excise, the Sum of Five thousand Pounds, in Course, for the Service of the Forces at the Leaguer before Chester; and for securing and reimbursing, out of the said Receipts, such as shall advance the said Sum, or any Part thereof, with Interest after the Rate of Eight Pounds per Centum for the Forbearance thereof; the said Interest to be paid at every Six Months; was this Day read; and, upon the Question, passed; and ordered to be sent unto the Lords for their Concurrence: And Mr. Ashurst is to carry up this Ordinance.

Ordered, That the humble Petition of Richard Gibbs, Thomas Noell, and others, on the Behalf of themselves, and divers other Citizens, Refiners and Gold-Wiredrawers, of London, be referred to the Consideration of the Committee for the Excise.

Ordered, That, on Friday next, the House do proceed, in the Grand Committee, to take into further Consideration the Business of the Church; and so following on the Days formerly appointed for the Church, according to former Order.

A Letter from Sir Thomas Fairfax General, from Tiverton, of 16 December 1645, was this Day read; desiring an Answer to the Propositions sent from him, upon the Advice of the Council of War.

Mr. Scawen proceeded in his Report concerning the Army: And

It is thereupon Ordered, That if, for the future, the Assessments for Maintenance of Sir Thomas Fairfaxe's Army shall be imposed upon any Persons that are poor, and unable to pay the same, that the respective Wards, and the respective Divisions, Parishes and Precincts therein, shall be answerable for the Sums so assessed, and shall make good the same: And the Committee for the Army are to take care hereof, from time to time.

Ordered, That, for such Persons as shall be assessed in the ordinary Places of their Residence, and shall afterwards leave the Place wherein they were assessed, the Committee of the Army shall, and have hereby Power to levy the same by way of Distress; and, for Default of such Distress, to secure the Persons of such Persons, until their Assessments shall be satisfied.

Ordered, That all Commanders, and Officers or Soldiers, that serve the Parliament in this War, shall pay their Assessments, as other Persons do.

Resolved, &c. That all such Persons as are not Members of the Inns of Court, or Inns of Chancery, and do now inhabit with their Families in any of the said Inns of Court, or Inns of Chancery, ought to pay publick Assessments.

Ordered, That the Benchers of the Inner-Temple do call a Parliament of the Benchers or Readers there, for the Calling of Mr. Baron Tomlins to be one of the Bench of the said Society: And that they do admit him to, and allow him the like Place his Predecessors of that Inns of Court have usually had there.

Ordered, That the Benchers, Readers or Governors of the Inns of Court and Chancery, and the Members of this House, that are Members of any of the said Inns of Court, or Inns of Chancery, do not permit any Persons that are not resient Members of the said respective Inns of Court, or Inns of Chancery, or of this House, to live or reside in any of the said Inns of Court, or Inns of Chancery.

Mr. Ashurst carried to the Lords, for their Concurrence, the Ordinance for Five thousand Pounds, out of the Receipts of the Excise, for the Forces at the Leaguer before Chester: The Ordinance for Three thousand Pounds, out of the Excise, for the reduced Officers, &c.: And the Order for Mr. Holland of Lancashire, and others, to have Satisfaction for their Losses sustained by Sir Christopher Lowther, and others of Cumberland.

Ordered, That that Particular of Mr. Scawen's Report from the Committee of the Army, which concerns the Payment of Assessments by the Owners of empty Houses, be re-committed.

Ordered, That it be recommended unto the Lord Mayor and City of London, to review their Assessments every Three Months; and to collect their Assessments constantly every Month.

Ordered, That that Particular of Mr. Scawen's Report from the Committee of the Army, which concerns the Assessment of Landlords in London, as in other Places, be re-committed: And that the Committee of the Army shall have Power to confer with the Lord Mayor, and the City of London, touching this Business; and, upon Conference with them, to settle the same.

An Ordinance for the Continuance of the Treasurers at Wars, and the Committee of the Army, was this Day read the First and Second time.

And the Question being put, For limiting the Continuance of the Ordinance for Nine Months; and for limiting the Fine to Twenty Pounds, to be employed to the Use of the Army;

They passed with the Affirmative. And

The Ordinance was so amended, accordingly.

And then the Ordinance being put, For the Committing of it;

It passed with the Negative.

And then the Ordinance passed, upon the Question: And it is ordered to be sent unto the Lords for their Concurrence.

Ordered, That Mr. Bois shall have the Leave of this House to go into the Country, and to be absent from the Service of the House for the Space of a Month.

Mr. Ashurst brings Answer from the Lords, That they do agree to the Ordinance for Five thousand Pounds, out of the Excise, for the Forces before Chester; and to the Ordinance for Three thousand Pounds, out of the Excise, for the reduced Officers: And, as .. the rest, will send Answer by Messengers of their own.

Ordered, That, on Monday next, the first Business, Mr. Scawen do proceed in his Report concerning the Army.

Ordered, That Sir Walter Erle do make his Report concerning the Stores on Monday, the next Business after Mr. Scawen hath finished his Report concerning the Army.

Ordered, That the Members of this House that are of the Committee of both Kingdoms, shall have Power to grant Passes for any considerable Officers, being Soldiers of Fortune, that are with the Enemy, upon their Desires in that Behalf to the said Members of the said Committee, to go beyond the Seas; they taking such Security or Engagements from them, not to act or counsel any thing, either in this Kingdom, or beyond the Seas, against the Parliament, and not to return without Leave from the Parliament, as in their Discretions they shall think sit.

This Power to continue until the last Day of January next.

A Letter from the Committee at Yorke, of Decembris 23 1645, concerning the Rendition of Skipton-Castle, was this Day read: And

It is Ordered, That this Letter, and this Business, be referred to the Consideration of the Committee for the Northern Association, where Sir Thomas Widdrington has the Chair: And they are to meet upon it this Afternoon: And this Business is to be taken into Consideration in the House on Monday next, the next Business after Mr. Scawen's Report is dispatched.

Ordered, That Twenty Pounds be bestowed upon Captain Wilkins, the Messenger that brought the good News of Taking of Skipton-Castle: And that the Twenty Pounds be paid by the Committee of Lords and Commons for Advance of Monies, at Haberdashers-Hall.

Ordered, That the Committee of both Kingdoms do bestow upon Robert Ring, the Messenger that brought the Duplicate of the News of Taking of Hereford, Ten Pounds, for the great Pains of his Journey, out of the Six thousand Pounds appointed to be disposed of by the said Committee.

Ordered, That Sir Robert Harley do bring in an Ordinance for laying an Assessment upon the County of Hereford, for the Maintenance of the Forces at Hereford, and of the said County.