DIE Sabbati, 2 die Martii.
PRAYERS, by Dr. Smith.
Lords present this Day:
Ds. Grey de Warke, Speaker.
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L. General.
L. Admiral.
Comes Northumb.
Comes Pembrooke.
Comes Sarum.
Comes Rutland.
Comes Bolingbrooke.
Comes Stamford.
Comes Nottingham.
Comes Kente. |
Ds. Howard.
Ds. Dacres.
Ds. Bruse. |
Report of the Conference on the Letter from the Prince Elector.
The Speaker reported the Effect of the Conference
with the House of Commons on Thursday last; which
was, "That they communicated a Letter to their Lordships, written from the Prince Elector, to the Speaker
of their House."
And this House caused the said Letter to be read, as
followeth. (Here enter it.)
Ordinance for supplying the Navy with Provisions.
The Lord Admiral presented an Ordinance to this
House, concerning the providing of Victuals for the
Navy, which is of great Consequence, and requires
speedy Expedition; and this House received the same,
and commanded it to be read: Which was read Twice;
and nothing being objected against it, it was read the
Third Time, and Agreed to, and Ordered to be sent
down to the House of Commons, to desire their Concurrence therein.
Ships to guard the Irish Seas.
The Earl of Northumb. presented to this House some
Letters sent to the Scotch Commissioners, concerning the
Affairs of the Scotch Army; with an Intimation, "That
there is a Letter coming from the Estates of Scotland
to the Parliament, and the Kingdom of Scotland expects a Storm from Ireland; therefore they desire
that some Ships may be sent to guard the Irish
Seas."
The Lord Admiral acquainted this House, "That
there was Course already taken to send Ships speedily
to guard the Irish Seas."
Ordered, To send these Letters to the House of
Commons.
Letter from the Earl of Forth, that he will send up the Earl of Lothian, if the King's Children are sent to Oxford.
The Lord General acquainted this House with a Letter brought to him lately by a Trumpeter, from the
Earl of Foorth, at Oxford; signifying, "That, if he will
send the King's Children with a safe Conduct to Oxford, he will send the Earl of Lothian:" Which this
House utterly disliked, that the King's Children should
be sent to Oxford.
Sent to the H. C. with the Ordinance for victualing the Navy, and other Papers.
A Message was sent to the House of Commons, by
Serjeant Whitfeild and Mr. Page:
To desire their Concurrence in the Ordinance concerning the victualing of the Navy; to deliver to them
the Letters concerning the Scotch Army; and to let
them know, that the Lord Admiral hath taken Care to
send Ships speedily, to guard the Irish Seas; and also to
communicate unto them the Letter of the Earl of Foorth
to the Lord General.
Dr. Burges's Report concerning the Sectaries at Hempstead.
Dr. Burges this Day gave this House an Account,
That, according to their Lordships Directions, he hath
preached at Hempsteed, in the County of Hertford;
and he finds the People there much possessed with
Anabaptism and Antinomianism, and other Sects; that,
unless some speedy Course be taken, the Mischief
will hardly be prevented; and the Minister of the
Town, Mr. Kendall, refused to come to him, whereby
he might acquaint him with the Order of Parliament:
This Mr. Kendall, being set in there by both Houses
of Parliament, hath been a chief Promoter of all
the Distractions there; he refuseth to baptize any
Infants; he hath openly maintained the Church of
England to be no Church, and that a Parochial Congregation cannot be a true Church: It is generally
conceived, that, so long as he is permitted there, it
will never be better with the People, but rather
worse; and that there is Labouring in that Town
against the taking of the Covenant.
"That there are divers Ministers of that Country,
who have promised to preach the Thursday Lecture at
Hempsteed, according to an Order of this House, dated
the 19th February, 1643; but, by reason of the great
Distraction in those Parts, and the Boldness of Anabaptists and other Sectaries thereabouts, the Ministers dare not enter upon this Service, unless they
be ordered by their several Names to perform it;
videlicet,
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Mr. Gladman,
Mr. Goodwin,
Mr. King,
Mr. Jemmat,
Mr. Puttee,
Mr. Leviston,
Mr. Barton,
Mr. Woolfall, |
Mr. Simnes,
Mr. Juice,
Mr. Rotheram,
Mr. Newton,
Mr. Carre,
Mr. Buckley,
Mr. Delanke. |
Also (fn. *) a Certificate was read, as followeth:
"We, being Inhabitants in the Town or Parish of
Hempsteed, whose Names are here underwritten, do
certify, That Mr. Kendall, now a Minister in our Town,
hath from Time to Time denied to administer the
Sacrament of Baptism unto our Infants, when we have
earnestly desired it: This we are ready to testify.
Tho. Walker the Elder.
Wm. Arnot.
Tho. Walker.
Wm. Gregory.
Nathaniell Miles."
29 Feb.
Kendall, Minister there, sent for.
Hereupon this House Ordered, That the said Kendall shall be summoned to appear before the Lords in
Parliament forthwith, to answer the said Offences; and
that the Assembly be desired to take some Course that
the said Parish may be supplied with a Minister, to
preach there, until this House gives further Directions
therein: And it is further Ordered, That this House
appoints the Fifteen Preachers mentioned in the List
read this Day, to preach on the Lecture-days at Hempsted, in their several Turns. And this House thought
it fit to have a Conference with the House of Commons,
after Kendall hath (fn. *) been heard what he can say for
himself.
Baldwin examined, touching his Opinions delivered there.
Next, Mr. Baldwin, that was attached as a Delinquent by Order of this House, upon a former Complaint
against him, for endeavouring to stir up the People with
seditious Opinions, was brought to the Bar; and a Letter was produced, which he wrote to Mr. Tutty, and
read; videlicet,
"Mr. Tutty,
"I understand you desire a Dispute with me; but you
would have the Points agreed upon which are to be
disputed, that you might study upon them, to be furnished for the Dispute, although you would possess
the World that you are a Teacher; which if you
were, 'twere required that you should be so apt to
teach, before you undertake to be a Teacher, that
you should be first enabled both to maintain your own
Doctrine and Practice, and also to answer the Gainsayer without Study: But I take you not for a Gospel
Teacher, and therefore allow you (as you have Need)
Study to fit yourself, being not otherwise fitted.
"Raise then Two Propositions out of my Doctrine
and Practice; study thence to confute me. I have
believed the Things I have delivered, therefore have
I spoken. I have made the Word of Truth the Rule
of what I yet practise, therefore shall I trust God for
Ability to maintain both extempore. I think it also
equally meet that your Doctrine and Practice should
be brought to Trial; that therefore you may not say
that I debar you your needful Study, I have raised to
maintain against you what I have here sent you, in
Contradiction both to your Doctrine and Practice.
"The First is in Contradiction to your Doctrine,
which you wrested falsely from Paul's Words, 1 Cor.
iv. 1. I thus proposing, that Believers are not so to
account of the Ministry of the Church of England as
the Ministers of Jesus Christ, and Stewards of the
Mystery of the Gospel, and so to hear and follow
them; but to account of them as the Members of
Antichrist, and Stewards of the Mystery of Iniquity, and thereupon not to hear, but fly from them.
"Secondly, in Contradiction to your Practice, I thus
propose to maintain, that Infants of Days are not fit
Subjects of Baptism, and such Baptism upon such
Subjects no true Baptism, and a Church constituted
of such Members through such Baptism not built
upon the Head Corner-stone, the Lord Christ.
"The Place for the Dispute requisite to be in Mimms
Steeple House, in so much as our Difference arose from
what were there delivered. The Time to be the
Sixth Day of the First Month, being the Fourth Day
of the Week, Anno 1643. Per me,
"Rob'T Baldwin.
"This Paper was delivered to me by Mr. Baldwin,
with his own Hand, at Ridge, in Hartfordshire, on
Tuesday last, 27 Feb. 1643, Per me,
"WM. Tutty."
This Letter being shewed to the said Rob't Baldwin,
he confessed it to (fn. *) be his own Hand-writing, and
owned it.
Baldwin committed to The Gatehouse.
Hereupon this House taking this Business into Consideration, for the present Ordered, That the said
Rob't Baldwin, for endeavouring to stir up Sedition,
shall stand committed to the Prison of The Gatehouse in
Westm. there to remain until the Pleasure of this House
be further known; and that the Keeper of the Prison
shall take special Care that no Company resort unto
him, nor that he be permitted to preach, whereby to
disperse his Sedition; and this Command to obey, as he
will (fn. *) answer the contrary at his Peril.
King's Children.
Ordered, That the Committee for St. James shall
meet on Monday Morning next, at Eight of the Clock in
the Morning.
Message to the H. C. with the Ordinance to exclude the Members from sitting, who have absented themselves; and to take off the Earl of Holland's Sequestration.
A Message was sent to the House of Commons, by
Sir Edward Leech and Sir Rob't Rich:
To desire their Concurrence in the Ordinance concerning the excluding of the Members of either House
of Parliament, without the Consent of both Houses;
and also to desire them to take off the Sequestration from
the Earl of Holland's Estate.
"Mr. Speaker,
Prince Elector's Letter.
"Having observed, by the late Covenant taken by
the Honourable Houses of Parliament in England,
and the Estates of Scotland, a Confirmation of their
pious, loyal, and generous Designs formerly expressed
for the Establishment of the true Protestant Religion, the King's Honour and Happiness, and the
perfect Peace in His Majesty's Dominions; I could
not omit to desire you herewith to assure that Part
wherein you have most Interest, of the Contentment I
receive thereby, and of my constant and hearty
Wishes, that the Effects of those their Professions
may have a speedy and happy Issue. How much my
Desires, Actions, and Interests, have ever concurred
therewith, you have been sufficiently certified by my
Servants, Letters, and my own Behaviour since these
unhappy Troubles; and the public Notice which the
Honourable House of Commons hath formerly taken
of my Family's Sufferings, with the particular Consideration it hath lately had for the Supply of my present (notwithstanding its own urgent) Necessities, is
so great a Tye, besides what my Blood oweth them,
upon me, that I shall think myself happy whensoever
I shall be enabled to answer it with some real and
serviceable Gratitude. In the mean Time, I beseech
the said House, that, in Pursuance of its Bounty,
such Order may be taken in the settling of what hath
been assigned me, as may render it as effectual to me
as by the said House hath been ordered and intended;
in Confidence that when it shall please God so to
bless the Endeavours of both Kingdoms, as to settle
Truth and Peace in all His Majesty's Dominions, the
said House will, according to its former Declaration,
with no less Favour and Affection, undertake the
Re-establishment of my Public Interests abroad; not
doubting but the Estates of Scotland will, according
to my Request to them upon this Occasion, and their
former Promise, willingly concur with the Parliament
of England therein.
"This is all at this Time, which I desire you would
be pleased to represent to the Honourable House of
Commons from me; which will be no small Addition
of what I owe you, for the like Favour, whereby
you have obliged
"Your most affectionate Friend,
Hage, the 12 / 22 of February, 1644.
"Charles Lodovic.
"For Mr. William Lenthall Esquire,
Speaker of the Honourable House
of Commons."
Adjourn.
House adjourned till 9a, Monday.