House of Commons Journal Volume 2: 05 December 1642

Lunæ, 5 Decembris, 1642.

PRAYERS.

Sir B. Aylett's Commission.

THE House being informed, That Sir Ben. Aylett now nominated by his Majesty High Sheriff of the County of Essex, according to a former Order of this House, attended at the Door, with his Patent for Sheriff;

He was called in; and delivered in his Patent.

And Mr. Speaker, by the Command of the House, ijoined him not to do, or execute, any thing upon this Patent, or any other Commission, or Patent for Sheriff, until he shall receive farther Order from this House.

Sir Ben. Aylett was again called in: And Mr. Speaker, by the Command of the House, again injoined him to be ready, at all times, upon a Day's Warning, to attend the House.

Plate, &c. seized.

The House being informed, That Colonel Goodwyn had seized some Plate of the Earl of Caernarvon's, and some Jewels that were going to Oxon; and that he had sent them up to London;

It was Resolved, upon the Question, That the Earl of Caernarvon's Plate, sent up by Colonel Goodwyn, and now at Guildhall, shall be forthwith coined; and employed for the Service of the Commonwealth: And that the Jewels, and the Cloaths, shall be delivered unto the Earl of Pembroke, to be forth-coming.

Collection of Money.

Mr. Glyn, Mr. Grimston, Mr. Browne, Mr. Solicitor, or any Two of them, are appointed to prepare an Order to enable the Collection of Monies in those Towns from whence the Soldiers are come, which are assembled together at Aylesbury, Wicombe, and thereabouts, for the Payment of such Soldiers a Month's Pay.

Letter Office.

A Message from the Lords, by Serjeant Glanvile and Dr. Aylett;

The Lords desire a present Conference, by Committees of both Houses, presently, in the Painted Chamber, if it may stand with the Conveniency of this House, touching the Letter Office.

Answer returned by the same Messengers;

This House has considered their Lordships Message; and will send Answer by Messengers of their own.

Ordinance of Assessment.

According to an Order of Saturday, the House was resolved into a Committee.

Mr. Speaker left the Chair: And

Mr. Browne was called to the Chair: And

The Committee resumed the Debate of the Ordinance for Assessing of Monies in the several Counties upon such as have not contributed, or not contributed proportionably.

Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair.

Raising Horses.

ORDERED, by the Lords and Commons, in Parliament, That, according to the Ordinance of Parliament, for Provision of Victuals, and other Necessaries for the Army, the Committees thereby appointed for every County be forthwith named: And that Order be given, by both Houses, to the said Committees in the Counties hereunder-mentioned, to provide forthwith, out of their several Counties, Two thousand Horse for Troopers; videlicet, Essex, Suffolk, Cambridge, Hartford, Bedford, Huntington, Norfolk, Hamshire, Kent, Leicester: And that the said Committees, respectively, or any Two of them, do cause the said Horses so provided, by Power of the foresaid Ordinance, to be delivered unto Thomas Browne and Maximilian Beard, Citizens of London, or to such as under their Hands, or the Hand of either of them, they shall nominate or appoint, to be brought up to London, or where else the Lord General shall appoint, for the Service of the Army raised for the Defence of King and Parliament: And that they certify a List of such Horses as they shall so deliver from time to time, together with the Name or Names of the Persons to whom they have delivered them, in to the Committee of Commons appointed to inquire after the Abuses of Soldiers, touching their Horses and Arms: And the said Committees are farther desired, by both Houses, That, in their Providing the aforesaid Horses in the Counties aforesaid, they do not take the Horses of such Persons as have contributed upon the Propositions of Money, Plate, &c. for the Defence of the King and Parliament; and that it appear, by the Acquittances of the Treasurers for the Propositions, or by Certificate from the Deputy Lieutenants, or such other as are authorized by Parliament to receive Monies, Plate, or Horse, upon the Propositions, that they have contributed: But, in case that any Horses belonging to any such Persons shall be taken, that they give Order forthwith for the Release of the same. It is likewise provided, That no Carriers Horses, or Draught or necessary and usual Plough Horses, be seized; and in case that any such be seized, that they give Order for the Release of them.

Cockram's Imprisonment.

Resolved, &c. That Sir John Hotham be required and injoined to keep Colonel Cockram there close Prisoner; and to take his Examinations; and to send them up to the House.

Ships stayed, &c.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee for the Affairs of Ireland, to examine the State of the Business concerning the Malt stayed in a Ship that was bound for Dublyn; and to take Care for the Sending that Corn to Dublin forthwith: And it is likewise referred to the Committee to consider of the Service of those Men that stayed the Ships; that were laden with Wheat for Newcastle, and the Ships with Malt for Dublin.

Stopping Vessels, &c.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee for the Navy, to consider of an Ordinance for the Indemnity or such as have searched and stopped the Butter and Cheese at Gravesend, to give them Power to enable them to search all Vessels hereafter.

It is likewise referred unto them, to inquire whose Ships these were, that this Butter and Cheese were laded in; and to whom the Butter and Cheese did belong; and to take Order for the Prizing of the said Butter and Cheese at reasonable Rates; and to send it to the Army raised by the Parliament; and to consider what shall be done with the said Ships; and to consider of the Propositions made by some well affected Mariners to lie at Newcastle this Winter to keep out all Provisions from the King.

Assessors in London.

Resolved, &c. That the Lord Mayor, and other Persons named in the Ordinance, shall have Power to nominate and appoint Six other Persons to be Assessors in the several Wards of Farrington Without, and Criplegate.

Resolved, &c. That the Lord Mayor, and the other Persons named in the said Ordinance, shall have Power to nominate Two Persons to be Assessors in the several privileged Places within the several Wards.

Army Affairs.

Sir Thomas Barrington, Sir Henry Vane, Mr. Vassall, Mr. Bond, Sir Wm. Brereton, Sir Martin Lumley, Mr. Corbett, Sir John Hippisley, Sir Wm. Litton, Mr. Millington, Mr. Bell, Mr. Maynard, Sir Henry Mildmay, Mr. Whittacre, Mr. Whitlock, Mr. Hill;

This Committee, or any Two of them, are appointed to issue out their Warrants to the Constables of the several Wards within the Cities of London, Westminster, and the Suburbs thereof, the Borough of Southwark, or elsewhere, to summon all Inn-keepers, Alehouse-keepers, and Ostlers, or such others as they shall think fit, to bring a List unto this Committee of all such Soldiers, Horses, and Arms, as they have entertained, or have in their several Houses or Stables: And that if any Innkeeper, Alehouse-keeper, or Ostler, or others, shall fail of their Service therein, and shall not give a true List; that then the Committee shall have Power to give Order to suppress such as shall be faulty herein, and to commit them to Prison. And, likewise, this Committee is to examine how those Horses have been disposed of, as have been seized; and to inquire after all Abuses, either in the Seizing of them, or Disposing of them after they have been seized.

It is also Ordered, That it be referred to This Committee, to consider of a Mark to be set upon all the Horses and Arms provided for the Service of the Parliament; and to send this Mark to my Lord General; with a Desire, that all the Horses and Arms in the Army may be marked with the same Mark.

It is likewise referred to Them, to prepare an Ordinance for the Punishing of such as shall buy, or take to Pawn, any such Horses or Arms so marked; and likewise to prepare an Ordinance for Charging of the Captains with the making good, out of their Pay, of such Horses and Arms of their several Companies and Troops as shall not be lost in Service.

It is likewise referred unto Them to prepare an Ordinance, That no Inn-keeper, or Ostler, shall take above Six Pence the Day and Night for Hay, Lodging included; and Six Pence a Peck for Oats.

Mr. Whittacre is appointed, in particular, to take Care of this Order: And are to meet when and where they please.

Western Forces.

Resolved, &c. That the Lord Roberts be desired by this House, to take upon him to command in Chief the Forces of the Western Counties: And that he be desired forthwith to repair into those Parts.

Raising Volunteers.

Resolved, &c. That Three Regiments of Volunteers be raised in the Counties of Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Wiltes, and Southampton; One to be under the Command of Colonel Ruthen; a Second under the Command of Colonel Bamfeild; a Third under the Command of some experienced Commander.

Resolved, &c. That the Deputy Lieutenants of those Counties shall have Power, and are required and injoined, to disarm all the Soldiers of the Trained Bands that refuse to serve under these Commanders, as Volunteers; and to dispose of those Arms towards the Arming of the Regiments aforesaid.

Resolved, &c. That Power of Martial Law be given to the said Army.

Fortifying Dartmouth.

Ordered, That an Express be sent to Dartmouth, to require the Inhabitants of that Town to fortify their Town, and to secure their Ships: And that Mr. Maynard draw a Letter to this Purpose.

Providing Money.

Ordered, That To-morrow Morning, at Nine of Clock, (all other Business laid aside), the House shall consider of providing a certain and constant Stock of Money: And that the Ordinance for Sequestring of Bishops Rents, &c. be then likewise read.

Navy.

Ordered, That Mr. Green, To-morrow Morning, do make Report of the State of the Navy.

Raising Men, &c.

Ordered, That the several Members of the Counties of Lincoln, Nottingham, Darby, Stafford, Cheshire, Lancaster, Cumberland, Westmerland, Northumberland, Newcastle, Yorkshire, County and City of York, would write down effectually to the several Counties for which they serve, that the Counties would raise Men, Arms, and other Provisions, according to the Ordinance of Association made for those Counties; and speedily repair to the Assistance of the Lord Fayrefax Lord General, as a Service of greatest Importance.

Declaration concerning Assessment.

WHEREAS, in and by a late Ordinance of both Houses of Parliament, it is ordained, for the Causes therein expressed, That all Persons of Ability within the Cities of London and Westminster, and Suburbs of the same, and also within the Borough of Southwark, who have not at all, or not answerable to their Estates, contributed towards the Maintenance of the Army raised by Authority of this present Parliament, shall be assessed in such Manner and Proportion as in the said Ordinance is directed; of which the Lords and Commons, now assembled in Parliament, do expect a vigorous and speedy Execution: But finding some Doubt to be raised, upon the Point of Time, whether that Clause, of not contributing at all, or not in proportion to their Estates, be meant of not contributing before the Passing of the said Ordinance in both Houses of Parliament, or to be extended to any Time before the Assessing of them, and giving them Notice of it, in such Manner as in the said Ordinance is appointed: We the said Lords and Commons, in Parliament assembled, Declare, That if any Person or Persons, who have not contributed at all, or not answerable to their Estates, shall, before any Assessment of them be made, and Notice thereof left at their Houses, according to the said Ordinance, contribute towards the Maintenance of the said Army, by Loan or otherwise, according to their several and respective Estates, as other well-affected have already done; without Evasion or Collusion; every such Person so contributing shall be accepted, as doing an acceptable Service to the Commonwealth; and be freed from the Payment of all and every Tax and Assessment of him to be made by the Assessors, authorized by the said Ordinance for that Purpose; as likewise from all Distresses, Imprisonment, or other Punishment, to be inflicted by virtue of the said Ordinance, or any Addition to, or Explanation made of it, for the not Paying of such Assessments: And hereof all such Assessors and Collectors are hereby required to take Notice. And, for this end, it is Ordered, by the said Lords and Commons, That this Declaration be printed and published.

Ordinance of Assessment.

WHEREAS an Army, consisting of Papists, Delinquents, and other ill-affected Persons to the Protestant Religion, and the Laws and Liberties of this Kingdom, have possessed themselves of his Majesty's Person; and, by Colour of his Authority, have marched through divers Counties of this Kingdom; and have plundered, spoiled, and wasted the same; and, in a barbarous and inhuman Manner, have wounded and plundered many of his Majesty's most faithful Subjects; and are still going on to commit the like Spoil, Waste, and Rapine, in all other Parts; which, if not timely prevented, must necessarily bring a speedy Famine, Dearth, and Desolation, upon the whole Kingdom: And whereas divers well-affected Persons, out of several Counties, have drawn themselves into a Body, to join with the Earl of Essex his Forces, for the Suppressing of the said Army; an Act well becoming all true-hearted Englishmen, and Lovers of their Country and Religion; necessary to be imitated by all other Counties, that would prevent the Ruin of both: Now, forasmuch as those Persons that are, or hereafter shall assemble themselves for that Purpose, cannot bear the Charge thereof, or continue together, without the Aid and Assistance of the several Counties out of which they come; and that it is agreeable with all Equity and Justice, that as the Benefit doth redound to all, so all should bear the Burden and Charge thereof: It is therefore Ordained and Ordered, by the Lords and Commons in Parliament, That the Deputy Lieutenants of the said several Counties, nominated and appointed by Parliament, or any Two of them, respectively, shall have Power, and are hereby authorized, within their several Counties, from time to time, as the Occasion shall require, to charge the said several Counties with such Sums of Money as shall be requisite for that Service; and to apportion the same upon the several Hundreds and Corporations within the said Counties, according to the usual Proportions in other publick Rates. And shall likewise have Power to nominate Assessors to tax the Inhabitants of the said Hundreds and Corporations; and to appoint Collectors to levy and collect the same: And, in case any Person so rated shall refuse to pay the Sum or Sums of Money, which he is taxed to pay, that then the said Deputy Lieutenants, or any Two of them, within their several and respective Counties, shall have Power, and are hereby authorized to issue out their Warrants to the said Collectors, to levy the same by Distress, and to sell the Goods so distrained, returning to the Owner the Overplus: And in case no Distress can be had, or taken, to commit the Party so refusing to the common Gaol of the County, there to remain without Bail or Mainprize, until he shall pay the Sum and Sums so assessed, as aforesaid.