House of Commons Journal Volume 6: 26 February 1649

Die Lunæ, 26 Februarii, 1648.

Remonstrance of Scotts Commissioners.

A LETTER from the Commissioners of Scotland, of the Twenty-fourth of February 1648-9, with a Paper therein inclosed, subscribed by the said Commissioners, was this Day read.

Ordered, That Sir Henry Vane, Mr. Challoner, Mr. Martyn, Lieutenant General Cromwell, Mr. Whitlock, Sir Arthur Heslerigg, do forthwith withdraw; and word a Vote, to be passed upon the Sense of the House, on the Paper inclosed in the Letter of the Scotts Commissioners.

Members not to depart.

Ordered, That no Member do depart the House till this Business be done, without Leave of the House.

Petition from Westminster.

The House being informed, That there were at the Door divers Inhabitants of Westminister;

They were ordered to be called in: And one of them delivered a Petition, intituled, "The humble Petition of the well-affected and much oppressed Inhabitants of the City and Liberty of Westminster:"

And thereupon were ordered to withdraw: And their Petition read.

Ordered, That the Committee of Complaints, where Mr. Whittacre hath the Chair, be revived; and injoined to sit this Afternoon, and so de die in diem.

Ordered, That the Petition of the Inhabitants of Westminster, this Day presented to the House, be referred to the Committee of Complaints: And that Mr. Challoner, Lord Munson, Mr. Blakeston, Sir Gregory Norton, Sir Jo. Bourchier, Mr. Trenchard, Mr. Allen, Mr. Garland, Colonel Rich, Mr. Humphry Edwards, Mr. Lister, Sir Henry Myldmay, Mr. Scott, Mr. Wm. Allanson, Sir Wm. Masham, Colonel Moore, Mr. Gurdon, Mr. Weaver, Mr. Boone, Mr. Dove, Mr. Clement, Colonel Jones, Mr. Hallowes, be added to the Committee of Complaints. And the especial Care of this Business is referred to Mr. Whittacre.

Convoy.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Council of State, to take care, that some Ships be speedily sent for Convoy of the Fishermen now at Dartmouth, bound for Newfoundland: And that Order be given to Captain Moulton, or such other Commander of the Ships at Portsmouth as they shall think sit, effectually to attend that Service.

Westminster Petition.

Ordered, That Mr. Garland do give Notice to the Petitioners, Inhabitants of Westminster, What is done upon their Petition.

Petition of Lilborne, &c.

The House being informed, That there were divers Petitioners at the Door;

They were called in: And Lieutenant Colonel Lilborne in the Name of himself, and the rest, presented a Paper, to this House, intituled, "The serious Apprehensions of a Part of the People, in Behalf of the Commonwealth, being Presenters, Promoters, and Approvers of the large Petition of the Eleventh of September 1648."

And which being received in (the Petitioners being ordered to withdraw), the same was read.

Declaration against Remonstrance.

Mr. Challoner reports from the Committee that were ordered to withdraw, and to word a Vote, on the Sense of the House, upon the Paper of the Commissioners of Scotland.

Which was Twice read; and, with some Alterations, assented unto; and was in hæc verba;

A Declaration of the Parliament of England, concerning a Paper subscribed by the Commissioners of Scotland, dated the Twenty-fourth of February 1648-9, and sent in a Letter to Mr. Speaker, to be communicated to the House.

THE Parliament having received a Paper, dated the Twenty-fourth of February 1648-9, subscribed by the Earl of Lothian, Sir John Chesley, and Mr. Lendoninge, in the Name of the Kingdom of Scotland; and taking the same into their serious Considerations;

They do Declare, That the said Paper doth contain much scandalous and reproachful Matter against the just Proceedings of this Parliament; and an Assuming on the Behalf of that Kingdom, to have a Power over the Laws and Government of this Nation, to the high Dishonour thereof; and lastly, a Design, in the Contrivers and Subscribers of it, to raise Sedition, and lay the Grounds of a new and bloody War, in this Land; that, under the specious Pretences in that Paper contained, they may gain Advantages to second their late persidious Invasion. And

It is further Declared, That all Persons whatsoever, residing in England or Ireland, or the Dominions thereof, that shall join with, or adhere unto, or voluntarily aid or assist, the said Contrivers and Subscribers, or any whatsoever, of the Kingdom of Scotland, in pursuance of the Grounds by them laid in the said Paper, for raising Sedition, and a new and bloody War, in this Land, are Rebels and Traitors to the Common-wealth of England; and shall be proceeded against as Traitors and Rebels.

Message to Scotch Parliament.

And it is Ordered, That a Message, with a Duplicate of the said Paper, be forthwith sent from this Parliament to the Parliament and Kingdom of Scotland, To know whether they do or will own and justify the said Paper, that hath been presented to this Parliament in their Names.

Commissioners to be secured.

Ordered, That the Lord Lothian, Sir John Cheisley, and Mr. Glendoninge, Commissioners of the Kingdom of Scotland, shall have a Guard set upon their Lodging, to secure them from Violence; and also to restrain them from Communication with any, by whom the Sedition, contained in their Papers, dated the Twenty-fourth of February 1648, might be promulged: And that none be suffered to have Access to them, or to pass out from them, but for their Supply with Necessaries, during their Abode here.

Ordered, That the said Declaration and Order be forthwith printed and published.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Council of State, to take care for sending the Message, with the Duplicate of the Paper aforesaid, into Scotland.

Irish Affairs.

Sir Arthur Heslerigg reports from the Council of State, several Letters from Ireland; the one from Dublin, the Fourteenth Day of February 1648, from Colonel Jones to Lieutenant General Cromwell; one other, from Sir Charles Coote to the General, from Londonderry, Eighteenth of January 1648; another, from him, of the same Date.

Ordered, That the said Letters, and likewise a Letter from Colonel Munck, from Dundalke, Seventh February 1648, and the whole Business thereupon, be referred to the Consideration of the Council of State; to proceed therein, as they in their Wisdom shall think fit: And that the original Letters be transmitted to the said Council.

Judicial Seals.

Mr. Love reports an Act for the Altering of the former Judicial Seal for the Three Counties of Carmarthen, Cardigan, and Pembroke: Which was this Day read; and, upon the Question, passed.

Ordered, That the Judges in the Circuits in Wales do bring up the old Seals for the other Counties in Wales, to be altered.

Ordered, That the Committee of the Revenue be required to pay such Sums of Money, as the Committee appointed for Alteration of Seals have or shall agree to be paid, for such new Seals as have or shall be made by Order of this House.

Reduced Officers, &c.

A Letter from the General, from Queen-street, dated January the Ninth 1648, touching the reduced Officers and Soldiers, was this Day read.

Ordered, That the said Letter be referred to the Committee concerning Chaces and Forests, to take the same into Consideration; and to present their Opinion to the House.

Army.

The humble Petition of divers well-affected Officers and Soldiers of the Army, under the Command of his Excellency Thomas Lord Fairefax, was this Day read.

Ordered, That the General be desired to take care, That the Officers of every Troop in the Army do make Certificate, What Troopers did lose their Horses in the last Summer Service, and have not been recruited by Prize Horses, or otherwise, and do now want Horses: And that those Certificates be returned to the Committee of the Army; that Course may be taken, that they may be supplied.

Ordered, That, the Consideration of the other Parts of the Petition be referred to the Committee for Petitions.

Issue for Ireland.

Sir John Danvers reports from the Council of State, their desire that the Order, lately made, for the Committee at Goldsmiths Hall to pay unto Sir Adam Loftus the Sum of Two thousand Six hundred Pounds, for the Service of Ireland, may be amended, by adding the Sum of Thirty-eight Pounds more, there being so much of that Money which is to be paid thence.

Ordered, That the said Order be amended, by adding the Sum of Thirty-eight Pounds to the Two thousand Six hundred Pounds, to be paid to Sir Adam Loftus, accordingly.

Trying Earl of Cambridge, &c.

Sir Henry Myldmay reports from the High Court of Justice, That One Week more be added to the Time of their Sitting by the former Act.

An Act for continuing the High Court of Justice, erected for Tryal of James Earl of Cambridge, &c. for One Week, from the Expiration of the Time limited by the former Act, was this Day read; and, upon the Question, passed; and was in hæc verba; viz.

BE it Ordained, and Enacted, by the Parliament of England, That an Act, lately made, intituled, An Act for erecting an High Court of Justice, for Trying and Adjudging of James Earl of Cambridge, Henry Earl of Holland, George Lord Goring, Arthur Lord Capell, and Sir John Owen Knight, be in Force, and have Continuance, to all Intents and Purposes, for One Week longer, to be accounted from the Expiration of the Time limited by the said Act; any thing in the same, or otherwise, to the contrary thereof, notwithstanding.

Army Accompts.

Colonel Wauton reports from the Committee of the Army, an Order: Which was this Day read; and, upon the Question, assented unto; and was as followeth; viz.

Ordered, That Henry Broad, Richard Wilcox, Nicolas Bond, James Prince, and Thomas Richardson, or any Two of them, do forthwith, according to their best Skill, Discretion, and Judgment, take, examine, state, and audite the Accompts of all such Officers and Soldiers, as by an Ordinance of Parliament, dated 20 Julii 1648, they are authorized unto: Wherein they are to observe, as near as they can, the Rules appointed by Ordinance of Parliament, of 28 Maii 1647, and to give Debentures accordingly, deducting for Free Quarter, according to the Ordinance of Parliament of the Twenty-fourth of December last 1647; and also audite the old Arrears of the Soldiery of this Army, contracted before the Modelling of this Army, and their Entertainment into it.