DIE Veneris, 27 die Martii.

PRAYERS, by Mr. Valentine.

Comes Manchester, Speaker.

Great Seal to be mended.

Ordered, That any Three of the Commissioners of the Great Seal of Engl. shall be present during the Time that the Great Seal is mended.

Thanks to the Preachers at the Fast.

Ordered, That Mr. Harris and Mr. Case shall have Thanks given them, for preaching before the Lords in the Abbey Church the last Fast-day, and desired to print their Sermons.

Answer from the H. C.

Doctor Aylett and Doctor Heath return with this Answer to the Message sent lately to the House of Commons:

That concerning the Ordinance concerning the Hospital at Leycester, and Captain Canon's Business, and concerning the Captain of The Providence, they will send an Answer by Messengers of their own.

Dr. Heath, Leave to be absent.

Ordered, That Doctor Heath hath Leave to be absent from the Attendance of this House for Three Weeks.

Order for a Thanksgiving.

The House agreed to the Order for the Thanksgiving for the good Success of the West, Thursday come Three Weeks, in the Counties within Ten Miles of London; with the Addition, ["to give Thanks for the Victory against Sir Jacob Ashly"].

L. Lovelace committed to the Black Rod.

The Speaker acquainted the House, "That the Lord Lovelace is come out of the King's Quarters, and hath rendered himself to the Parliament, and desires to compound with the Parliament."

It is Ordered, That the Lord Lovelace shall stand committed to the Gentlemen Usher of this House, and by him to be kept in safe Custody, until the Pleasure of this House be further signified.

The Earl of Warwicke reported a Paper from the Committee for the Admiralty:

Paper from the Admiralty Committee, for the E. of Inchequin to be allowed for his Ship The Charles, fitted out for the Public Service.

"Die Martis, 24 Martii, 1645.

"At the Committee of Lords and Commons for the Admiralty and Cinque Ports.

"Upon Perusal of a Paper delivered into this Committee by the Lord Inchequin; importing, That a Frigate of his Lordship's, called The Charles, was, about the Middle of July, 1644, apparelled, manned, and sitted for Sea, at his own Charge, and sent from Ireland to England, purposely to give Notice to his Friends of some Designs and Intentions for the Parliament's Service, and to advise a Co-operating therein; and that she continued thereon till the 29th of October, 1644, at which Time she was entertained into the Service of the Fleet: And forasmuch as it appeared unto this Committee (upon Conference with his Lordship), that her said Employment was with good Advantage and Success, so that they conceive it reasonable that Satisfaction be given his Lordship from the State, according to the usual Allowance in like Cases, during the said Time that she was so employed: Ordered, That it be recommended to both Houses of Parliament, from this Committee, to give Direction for the Payment of so much Money to his Lordship as the Employment of the said Frigate, from the Sixteenth of July to the 29th of October, 1644, shall, according to the usual Rate, amount unto."

Ordered, That this House approves of this Report; and that it be recommended to the House of Commons, for their Concurrence.

Captain Hodder.

It was further desired, "That their former Report concerning Captain John Hodder may be expedited."

Committee for St. Gregory's Church.

Ordered, That the Committee concerning Gregorie's Church shall meet To-morrow Sevennight, in the Afternoon.

Book called The last Warning to the City of London, complained against by the Lord Mayor, &c.

The Earl of Northumb. reported, "That the Committee of Lords and Commons went Yesterday to the Common Council of London; and they received what was delivered to them with great Joy and Expressions, and return their Lordships Thanks for it: And they delivered to the Committee a Book, printed, and published abroad, intituled, "The last Warning to London;" which Book being of a high Nature, the Lord Mayor hath (fn. *) apprehended some about it, for dispersing it, and are endeavouring to find out the Author: And the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Council desire the Houses would please to take some Course for finding the Author of it, and punishing of him according to Justice."

The said Pamphlet was read.

Lord Mayor to proceed in the Examinations about it; and the Master, &c. of the Stationers Company to attend.

It is Ordered, That the Lord Mayor be desired to proceed in the Examination of this Business; and to send to this House To-morrow Morning the Examinations which he hath already taken in this Business; and that he will from Time to Time send such Examinations as he shall take; and to let him know, that this House hath put this Business into Examination: And it is further Ordered, That the Master and Wardens of the Company of Stationers shall attend this House Tomorrow Morning, to give this House what Informations they can, to find out the Author of this Pamphlet.

Invitation from the L. Mayor, Aldermen, &c. for the Lords to dine with them on the Thanksgiving-day.

This Day divers Aldermen and Common Council of the City of London came to this House; and Mr. Alderman Foukes, after a long Speech, said, "He was commanded, by the Lord Mayor and Common Council of the City of London, to give their Lordships humble Thanks for the great Favour shewed to them, in sending those Lords Yesterday to the Common Council, to acquaint them with the many Successes and Victories it hath pleased God to give the Parliament Forces, and also to invite the Lord Mayor and the Common Council to the Thanksgiving at Christ'schurch on Thursday next; which they received as a great Expression of their Lordships and the House of Commons; the Intent being, first, to give Praises to God for His Mercies, and, next, to preserve Love and Unity between the Parliament and City, which some did endeavour to divide: Therefore, to shew their Readiness to embrace any Opportunity of that Nature, and to express their Thanks to their Lordships for these Favours, the humble Desire of the Lord Mayor and Common Council is, That their Lordships would be pleased to take a Dinner with them at Grocers Hall the same Day, after both the Sermons are ended."

Upon this, they withdrew.

Committee to prepare an Answer.

And the House appointed the Earl of Northumb. Earl of Manchester, Earl of Denbigh, the Lord Viscount Say & Seale, and the Lord Wharton, to draw up an Answer to be returned to this Invitation, and report the same to this House: Which accordingly was done, and approved of.

And the Aldermen and Common Council being again called in, the Speaker gave them this Answer; which he read to them, as follows:

Answer to the L. Mayor, Aldermen, &c.

"My Lords acknowledge the wonderful Mercies of God, in the great and constant Successes by which He hath pleased so-long-gone-on to bless our Armies; and they (fn. *) take Notice of the Readiness of the City of London to improve all Occasions whereby they may express their Faithfulness and good Affections to the Parliament. They have commanded me to give you this Assurance, That they will ever make good that Confidence you have of them; and will study to prevent all Fears and Jealousies that by any Means may be east into your Minds, they agreeing fully with you in one and the (fn. *) same End, Truth and Peace; and they will employ their utmost Endeavours to preserve Union between the Two Kingdoms, betwixt the Parliament and City, which they esteem their greatest Safety.

"They return you Thanks for your free and kind Invitation; and intend, God willing, to dine with you at Grocers Hall on Thursday next."

Hornehold's Order.

The Order was read, for paying One Hundred Pounds to Hornebold, and Agreed to. (Here enter it.)

Strickland's Letter.

A Letter from Mr. Walter Strickland was read. (Here enter it.)

Paper from the Commissioners of the Assembly of Scotland.

The Earl of Manchester acquainted the House, "That he had delivered to him, by Commissioners of the Assembly of Scotland, a Paper, which he was desired to deliver to this House; and the Members of the House of Commons that meet with those Commissioners have the like Paper to deliver to the House of Commons."

Order for 100£. to Major Hornehold.

It is this Day Ordered, by the Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled, That Major Hornebold shall have the Sum of One Hundred Pounds bestowed upon him, for his Pains in bringing the Letter from Sir Wm. Brerton, Colonel Morgan, and Colonel Birch, and for his good Service; and that the Committee of Lords and Commons for Advance of Monies sitting at Habberdashers Hall do pay the same accordingly."

Letter from Mr. Strickland, that the D. of Orleans is preparing a Fleet against the Parliament; and about the Provinces being transferred by the Spaniards to the French as a Dower.

For the Right Honourable the Lord Grey of Warke, Speaker of the Lords House, London.

Right Honourable,

The Duke of Orleans had given Order to prepare a Fleet of Ships, of which he had appointed one Captain Forran, a Frenchman, who hath been in the State's Service ever since the Loss of Rochell, to be Admiral. The Number of Ships was Twentyfour, of which Fourteen were hired. The Intent of this was against the Parliament, as appears by Goff's Letters; and the same Goffe and Webster, and others, were at The Hagh about it. But the State have resolved that Fleet shall not go out; at which the Enemies of our Kingdom are much troubled, having conceived to themselves very great Things from this Preparation, of which breaking the Trade of London was One.

I remember your Lordships writ to me, you had some Conference with the Dutch Ambassador concerning the Growth of the Crown of France, and your Thoughts of it. The late Fears and Jealousies of a March betwixt France and Spaine, and that the Portion should be transferring the Provinces now held by the Spanyard to the French, hath made good what your Lordships then said so fully; as all the Assurances, the Resident of France here, or the French themselves to The States Ambassador at Parris, that the Offers of the Spanyard are fully rejected by the Queen Regent of France, and that the French will not treat but conjointly with The States is not enough to settle their Fears and Apprehensions, and to make them think it fit not to make the Spanyard's Affairs so desperate as to oblige him to grant such Conditions to the French, but rather incline to treat with him, and so make a Peace: Yet, as I said, the French Ministers do abundantly endeavour to take away these Jealousies, by assuring The States that the Queen of France doth willingly reject the Offer the Spanyard made here, of referring the Differences betwixt the Two Crowns to Her and the Duke of Orleans, Prince of Condey, Cardinal Mælarim; and that the Queen will not treat with the Spanyard but at Monster, and by communicating all to The States. Yet this is not enough, as it seems; for they seem more inclined to treat at Monster, than, as they were wont, to solicit France for the usual Subsidies that State Yearly gives them to come into the Field with a good Army and an extraordinary Assistance, with which they were wont to raise new Men.

My Lord, these Things seem to me to deserve the Thoughts of the Parliament, and to think, whether now be not a Season for us to consider our Interests here, when we seem to have Advantages which will not last always. I am,

Hagh, March 29/19, 1646.

"My Lord,

"Your Lordship's

"Most humble Servant,

"Walter Strickland."

Footnotes