DIE Veneris, 22 die Decembris.
PRAYERS.
Lords present this Day:
Ds. Grey de Warke, Speaker this Day.
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L. Admiral.
Comes Northumb.
Comes Bollingbrooke.
Comes Stamford.
Comes Kent.
Comes Rutland.
L. Viscount Say & Seale.
Comes Lyncolne. |
Ds. Wharton.
Ds. Howard. |
The Speaker acquainted this House, "That he had
received a Letter from the Lord General, dated 18
Decembris, 1643;" which the House commanded to
be read, as followeth:
E. of Essex's Letter about the E. of Holland's Return from Oxford.
"My Lord,
"I have received from you my Lord of Holland's
Petition, and do acknowledge my Desire of his
Return hither, and invited him to it: I hearing of
his Unsatisfaction of their Carriage at Oxford, I was
desirous to disengage him from thence; believing
(as I confidently do) that his Return hither is really in
his Affections to the Public, which in this as in all
Things I have and shall study to preserve, as
"Your Lordship's humble Servant,
December 18, 1643.
"Essex.
"For the Right Honourable the Lord Grey of Warke, Speaker
of the Lords House."
Ordered, To have a Conference with the House of
Commons, and communicate this Letter and the Earl of
Holland's Petition to them.
Message to the H. C. for a Conference about it, and the E. of Holland's Petition.
A Message was sent to the House of Commons,
by Sir Rob't Rich and Mr. Page:
To desire a Conference, concerning a Petition of the
Earl of Holland's, and a Letter received from the Lord
General.
Mr. Bringhurst, a Pass.
Ordered, That Mr. Bringhurst shall have a Pass, to
go to Oxford, and return again to London, with his necessary Servants, and their Horses.
French Ambassador, a Pass.
Ordered, That Prince Harcourt shall have a Pass,
to go to Oxford, with such Attendants as he shall think
fit to attend (fn. *) him; and that in going and returning
he pass quietly, without any Interruption and without
Search.
Bennet and Ward, a Pass.
Ordered, That Edward Bennett Gentleman Waiter
to the Duke of Yorke, and Mr. John Ward Servant to
the Prince, shall (fn. *) have a Pass, for themselves, with a
Coach and Four Horses, and Wearing Apparel, to go
to Oxford, and attend their Masters.
Lady Hatton versus Johnson, for building an Alehouse near her House.
Upon reading the Petition of the Lady Eliz. Hatton; complaining, "That one Thomas Johnson is erecting of a House upon a new Foundation near her
House; which is a great Annoyance to her and to the
Public, especially considering the Intent of making the
said House an Ale-house:" Hereupon this House Ordered, That there shall be a present Stay made of the
Building, until this House shall be further informed concerning the said House.
Billet-money to Kent, Middlesex, &c.
The Order for allowing of Billet-money to the Counties of Midd. Kent, Surry, and Hertford, was read, and
Ordered to be rejected.
Message from the H. C. with a Letter from Sir William Waller.
A Message was brought from the House of Commons,
by Mr. Nicolls and others:
To present to their Lordships a Letter from Sir Wm.
Waller, which they desire may be referred to the Consideration of the Committee for the Safety.
The Letter was read, and Ordered to be referred
to the Committee for the Safety. (Here enter it.)
The Answer returned was:
Answer.
That this House hath read the said Letter of Sir Wm.
Waller's, and hath referred it to the Committee for the
Safety, with Recommendations.
Answer from the H. C.
The Messengers sent to the House of Commons return with this Answer:
That they will give a present Conference, as is desired.
Heads for the Conference about the E. of Holland.
The Lord Admiral was appointed by this House to
let the House of Commons know, at the next Conference, "That, upon the receiving of the Petition of
the Earl of Holland, this House sent a Letter to the
Lord General, to know of him what passed between
the Earl of Holland and him concerning the Return
of the Earl of Holland, and what Invitation he gave
him; and to acquaint them with the Lord General's
Letter, being in Answer thereunto; And whereas this
House Ordered that the Earl of Holland should
reside within the Line of Communication, with Liberty
to go Three Miles from the said Line of Communication for his Health's Sake, that the Lords, upon
this Petition, have now Ordered, That the Earl
of Holland may go any whither beyond the said
Distance of Three Miles, that is within the Power of
the Parliament; and to further acquaint (fn. *) them, that
this House desires them to join, that the Sequestration upon the Earl of Holland's Estate may be taken
off; and that their Lordships conceive the Lord General hath the same Power as other Generals have,
in receiving Persons that come to him, especially seeing
the Earl of Holland came upon Invitation of the Lord
General."
The Lords went to the Conference; and this House
was adjourned until To-morrow Morning, at 10 a of the
Clock.
Sir William Waller's Letter, that he had defeated the Enemy.
"My Lords,
"According to your Command, I advanced the last
Lords-day from Farnham, towards this Place; I could
not reach that Night past Haselmere: The next Day
I marched to Cowdrey, where we understanding there
were Four Troops of Horse and One Hundred Foot,
I resolved to give them the good Night; and to that
End I dispatched away Two Regiments of Horse, to
lay the Passages round; but they were too nimble
for me, and escaped hither, where I overtook them
on Tuesday Night: The next Morning, after we had
taken a View, and found out a Place where (fn. *) we might
flank their Line with our Ordnance, we fell on
upon the North Side of the Works, which we did so
scour a weedy Hill in the Park on the West Side
of the Pond with our Pieces, that we made them too
hot for them; which gave such Courage to our Men,
that with the same Breath they assaulted a Retrenchment which they had newly cast up, and which was
very strong; it was drawn from the Town Gate, down
to the aforesaid Pond near the Mill; at the same Time
we fell on upon a narrow Passage by the Mill, where
they had likewise a Double Work, and very strong: In
a short Time, by the good Hand of God, we forced
both, and entered the Town with our Horse and Foot,
notwithstanding a brave Sally made by their Horse;
we beat them into the Castle, and entered the First
Gate with them; the Second they made good, and
barricadoed; and there they are Welcome. I am resolved to block them up; for I know they are in a
necessitous Condition. God hath been pleased to bless
me hitherto with a gracious Success; His great and
holy Name be praised for it. But truly, my Lords,
I am very weak in Foot, and my Horse so hacknied
out that they are ready to lie down under us. I
expect Colonel Beere here this Day, and Colonel
Morley."