DIE Veneris, 23 die Junii.
PRAYERS, by Dr. Smyth.
Domini præsentes fuerunt:
Ds. Hunsdon, Speaker.
|
|
Comes Pembrooke.
Comes Rutland.
L. Viscount Say & Seale.
Comes Suffolke.
Comes Lyncolne. |
Ds. La Warr.
Ds. Maynard.
Ds. Howard. |
Answer from the H.C.
Doctor Bennett and Doctor Aylett return with this Answer from the House of Commons:
That they agree to the Report for reducing [ (fn. *) the
revolted] Ships, and to the Pardon for Thurstyn: (Here
enter it.) To all the rest, they will send an Answer by
Messengers of their own.
Launce's Business.
Ordered, That the Cause concerning Mr. Lance
shall be heard this Day Sevennight, peremptorily.
Paris's Petition.
Upon reading the Petition of Mrs. Paris, and the Letter of the Lord Fairfax:
It is Ordered, To be recommended to the House
of Commons.
Letter from Colonel Hammond.
A Letter from Colonel Robert Hamond, was read.
(Here enter it.)
E. of Roscommon, a Pass.
Ordered, That the Earl of Rossecomon and his Lady,
and their Servants, shall go into France and return.
Countess of Worcester, Leave to come Home.
Ordered, That the Countess of Worcester shall have
Leave to come into England, out of France.
Dillingham's Moderate Intelligencer to be licensed.
Upon reading the Petition of John Dillingham; shewing, "That the Licencer hath this last Week refused to
license the Petitioner's Book, called The moderate Intelligencer;" and hath licensed another Man's Book by
the same Title:
It is Ordered, That the Licencer, Mr. Mabbott,
shall license the Petitioner's Book for Time to come, and
none other by that Name; or else shew Cause to the
contrary to this House on Tuesday next.
Snellock sent for, for refusing to release Pacy.
Upon the Oath of Tho. Robson, "That he shewed
the Order of this House, of the 20 June Instant, for
releasing of Stephen Pacy; but Snellock will not give
Way unto it:"
Hereupon it is Ordered, That the said Snellocke
shall attend this House, the next Sitting, to answer the
same.
L. Lawar, Leave to be absent.
Ordered, That the Lord La Warr hath Leave to
(fn. †) be absent for a Time.
Letter from Colonel Hammond, that he has sent up Major Rolfe, to confute Osborne's Report of his illtreating the King, and having a Design against His Life.
"My Lords,
"Having lately received Knowledge of the unparalleled wicked Practices of Mr. Osborne, from the Right
Honourable the Lord Wharton, by a Letter which his
Lordship sent me, directed to him from the said Osborne, who hath been the chief Instrument in contriving and acting as far as in him lay the late Design
of the King's intended Escape; wherein it appears that,
failing in that his treacherous Purpose, and meeting
now with new Counsellors, he proceeds, though in a
more abominable Way, by shameful and unheard of
Lies, as much as in him lieth, to abuse and inflame
the disturbed Minds of the People in these distracted
Times, and most unworthily to scandalize me and the
rest of the Gentlemen now attending the King, in
those Things wherein his own Heart is a Witness that
they are (of all other) most contrary to Truth: And
being since further informed, that, in Prosecution of
this his audacious Villany, he hath written Public
Letters to both Houses of Parliament, asserting such
horrid Falsities that are hardly fit to be named but by
such a Wretch, whose Principles, being Falseness and
Treachery, knows no Limits in Wickedness. My Lords,
My Sense of the Ill that in such Times as these may
accrue to the Kingdom by such Abuses causeth me to
send up this Bearer Major Rolfe (though through
Weakness he be very unapt for Travel), whom
he avouches for his Author, that, if your Lordships
please, may be examined; who will sufficiently inform your Lordships of the great Untruths raised by
that unworthy Person, whom I should let pass, as not
worthy the taking Notice of, to Time to shame, as it
hath those other unworthy Reporters, who have
spread abroad the late false Report of my inhuman
abusing the Person of the King, were not the Public
more than myself concerned in it: But the Wisdom
of your Lordships doth, and I doubt not will, more
clearly discern the Design driven at in such Reports;
and will take Care for a right Understanding of those
who have been, or may yet be, deceived by such
Abuses. For my own Particular, had I not been thus
occasioned by my Duty to your Lordships and the
Kingdom, I should have left the clearing of my Integrity (as formerly, so still) to the Righteous God,
who, if with Patience Men can wait upon and trust
in Him, will certainly confound and destroy that
Structure whose Foundation is laid in Lies, with Shame
and Sorrow to its wicked Builders. My Lords, I have
not only, to support and bear me up against these
Calumnies, the Testimony of a good Conscience;
but, to clear me amongst Men, it pleaseth God so to
order it, that, upon all Occasions given, and that before
many Witnesses, the King is so just to vindicate me
from all these Aspersions; and so I doubt not will all
others, that have any Sense of Honour or Truth, who
have been Witnesses to my Actions and Deportment
since His Majesty's unexpected coming to this Place.
My Lords, I conclude with this Profession to your
Lordships, as in the Presence of God the Searcher of
Hearts, That, as all the Good of this World could
not have hired me to this Employment could I have
avoided it, or would your Lordships have seen it fit
otherwise better to have provided for it; so, seeing
Providence hath cast me upon it, or rather it upon
me, I have (and, by the Assistance of God, shall so
continue) to the utmost of my Power and Knowledge
demeaned myself with all dutiful Respect to His Majesty's Person, with an equal Eye to the Duty I owe
your Lordships and the Kingdom in the great Trust
your Lordships have been pleased to place upon me;
and this with that Integrity and Evenness, that I stand
ready to give an Account to God and all Men of my
Actions herein. This Satisfaction to your Lordships I
find upon all Occasions, by constant Testimony of
your Favour to me, I need not now give your Lordships. Yet, being sensible a little of the Wickendness
of this most ungrateful unworthy Person, makes me
thus trouble your Lordships, though I need not, Reason itself will plead sufficiently against him, that,
having attempted and failed in such a Design, being
so principled as such a Man must be, that for his
own Interest he should proceed thus to colour his
Villany, as by his late Addresses to both Houses.
My Lords, I shall not further trouble your Lordships;
but, in most earnest Expectation, looking for a Deliverance from my intolerable Burden (which God
and a good Conscience only supports a poor weak
Man to undergo), either by a Removal of His Majesty's Person from hence, when to your Lordships
Wisdoms it shall seem safe and fit, or by better providing for it by a Person or Persons more able to undergo it; either of which, that which may best suit
your Lordships Affairs, is most heartily desired, and
that with Speed, if God see it good; till when, in
the Strength of that God who hath carried me on hitherto, and as He shall enable me (being sufficiently
guarded against the worst that Malice can throw upon
me), in all constant Integrity, I shall endeavour to
express myself,
"My Lords,
Carisbrooke Castle, June 21th, 1648.
"Your Lordships
"Most faithful and humble Servant,
"Ro. Hammond.
"Postscript.
"Mr. Osborne's Letter to my Lord Wharton,
which his Lordship sent me, I have inclosed
in a Letter to the Committee of Darby House.
"Since I ended this Letter, I have examined
the Three Soldiers who were dealt with to
have been assisting in the King's Escape; but
they all affirm, and are ready to make good
upon Oath, that neither Osborne, Dowcett,
nor any other told them that the King's Life
was in Danger; so that it seems clear, a
Device of his own, to inflame the People.
"To the Right Honourable the Earl of
Manchest'r, Speaker of the House of
Peers pro Tempore. These present."
Adjourn.
House adjourned till 10a cras.