Die Lunæ, 8 Februarii, 1646.
Prayers.
Bishopp's Delinquency.
RESOLVED, &c. That, upon the earnest Desire
of the Colony of Virginia, signified in a Letter from
the Grand Assembly in Virginia, of 17 Martii, 1645,
Henry Bishopp of Heanfeild in the County of Sussex,
Esquire, be discharged from his Delinquency, and from
the Sequestration of his Estate personal and real, according to the Particular thereof delivered in, under the Hand
and Oath of the said Henry Bishopp: And the Sequestration of the Estate of the said Henry Bishop is hereby fully
discharged, and taken off: And all Committees, and their
Officers, are to yield Obedience thereunto.
The Lords Concurrence to be desired herein.
Ordered, &c. That the Committee to whom the Letters from Virginia, concerning Henry Bishopp, was referred,
to prepare a Letter to be signed by Mr. Speaker, to acquaint the Colony with the Votes of this House, passed,
upon their Desire, for taking off the Delinquency and
Sequestration of the said Henry Bishopp.
A Letter from the Commissioners from Durham, of 3
Februarii 1646, directed to Mr. Speaker, was this Day
read; shewing, That they had given Leave to one Mongo
Murray to take his Leave of the King: At which the
King did privately convey a Paper unto him, in Characters, to be delivered unto the French Agent: The
which being observed, and found in his Pocket, they committed the said Mongo Murray. The said Paper of Characters was sent up, inclosed in the said Letter. They
further acquainted the House, that some from the Muscovia Company desired to attend his Majesty, to move
him for a Letter to the Emperor of Russia, in the Behalf
of the said Company; and gave them the Heads of the
said Letter: The which were sent up inclosed; and were
here likewise read.
A Letter from the Commissioners from Durham, of 4
Februarii, concerning Captain Errington and Mr. Dawson,
Collectors of the Monies upon Coals, for taking their Accompts, was this Day read.
Resolved, &c. That this House doth approve of what
the Commissioners employed from the Parliament to the
King, have done in the Commitment of Mungo Murray.
The Lords Concurrence to be desired herein.
Ordered, &c. That the Characters inclosed in the Letter from the Commissioners, from Durham, of 3 Februarii,
1646, be referred to Mr. Richard Sallway and Mr.
Wecklerley, to decypher them with all the Speed they can.
Ordered, &c. That it be referred to the Committee
that prepared the Instructions for the Commissioners employed to the King, to prepare an additional Instruction,
to enable them with such Authority as may prevent the
secret conveying to or from the King any Letters or
Papers.
Ordered, &c. That the Accompt of Captain Errington,
and Mr. Dawson, who have been employed in collecting
Money upon Coals be referred to the Auditors of Imprest,
to receive, state, and audit their Accompts: And that the
Committee of the Revenue, and Committee of the Navy,
joined as to this Business, do peruse the said Accompt so
stated; and report it to the House.
Resolved, &c. That the Imposition of Four Shillings a
Chaldron upon Coals be continued until the Five-andtwentieth Day of March next.
The Lords Concurrence to be desired herein.
Moscovia Company.
Resolved, &c. That, in the Letter that shall be returned
to the Commissioners, in Answer to theirs, Thanks shall
be given unto them, for not admitting the Agents from
the Moscovia Company to represent their Desires in that
kind to his Majesty, until they had first acquainted this
House therewith; and had received their Orders and Resolutions therein.
Excise.
According to the Order made on Saturday last, the
House took into Consideration the Petition of the Commissioners of Excise, and New Impost, representing the
Obstructions in the Receipt of the Excise: The which was
read: And the House fell into the Consideration of the
Obstructions intimated in the said Petition.
Grant to General Fairefaxe.
Ordered, That the Lords Concurrence be desired in
the Order of this House, concerning the Sequestrations
granted to Sir Thomas Fairefaxe, General.
Message to Lords.
Mr. Reynolds, according to the Order on Saturday
made, communicated to the Lords the Letter, in French,
intercepted at Sea, near to the Port of Dublyn, going
from Du Moulin to the Comte de Tellier.
He likewise carried to the Lords, for their Concurrence,
the Judges Circuits: The Sheriffs for several Counties:
The Ordinance for making Sir Richard Bellassys Sheriff
of the County Palatine of Durham: The Order for Thirty
Pounds to the Messenger that brought former Letters
from the Commissioners from Newcastle.
He was likewise to press the Lords to recall their Declaration concerning the Proceedings with Delinquents at
Goldsmiths Hall; and to press them to pass the Ordinance
for appointing Mr. Bence to be one of the Commissioners
of the Navy.
Answer from Lords.
Mr. Reynolds brings Answer, That, to all the Particulars of his Message, the Lords will send Answer by
Messengers of their own.
Excise.
Resolved, &c. That it be referred to the Committee of
Excise, to consider of something to present to the House
in the Point of the Arrears; and to remove the Obstructions that are in the collecting and bringing in the Monies upon the Excise: and to prepare, and present to the
House, Instructions to be observed by the Commissioners,
Sub-Commissioners, and other Officers, employed in the
levying, collecting, and bringing in Monies upon the
Excise.
Resolved, &c. That it be referred to the same Committee, to bring in, with the Instructions, a Declaration setting
forth the first Grounds and Reasons of first laying the
Excise; the Necessity of Continuing of it; the Resolutions of the House in the way of Collecting of it; and
the publick Uses . . . . . they do intend to employ it.
Ordered, &c. That it be referred to the same Committee,
to consider of the exorbitant and extreme injurious and
arbitrary Power and Proceedings of the Sub-Commissioners, in the Collecting of Monies upon the Excise,
especially in that Particular of Beer, and in their Way of
Setting and Levying of Fines; and to consider of Removing of such Obstructions in the Point of Excise, that
do obstruct Trade: And they are to meet upon these
Matters this Afternoon; and to bring in their Report
upon all on Thursday Morning next, the first Business peremptorily: And that no other Business do intervene.