DIE Veneris, 12 die Julii.

PRAYERS, by Mr. Pickeringe.

Domini præsentes fuerunt:

Ds. Grey de Warke, Speaker.

Manner of receiving The States Ambassadors.

Ordered, That the Gentleman Usher signify, from this House, to the Master of the Ceremonies, "That it is their Lordships Pleasure, that he retire after he hath brought in the Ambassadors; and that none but the Assistants and the Attendants are to be present when they have Audience."

Ordered, That the Speaker shall let The States Ambassadors know, when they come, and are in their Places, "That the Lords are ready to receive what they they shall offer to the House;" and at their going away, to let them know, "That the Lords will take what they have offered into Consideration, and return them an Answer."

Ordered, That the Master of the Ceremonies is appointed to read the Credential Letters of The States, at the End of the Clerk's Table.

Josseline and Lady Leventhorpe's Children.

Upon Information to this House, "That, the Money being paid in by Sir Rob't Josselyn to the Clerk of the Parliament, for the Use of the Children of the Lady Leventhorpe, the Lord Allington is willing to take the Three Hundred Pounds into his Hands, and pay after the Rate of Five Pounds per Cent. so he may have an Order of this House for the same:" Hereupon this House Ordered, That the Lord Allington do receive the said Three Hundred (fn. *) Pounds, and to give Security for the Payment of it to Zouch Tate, for the Use of the Lady Leventhorpe's Children by Sir Thomas Leventhorpe, paying Interest to the Use aforesaid, so long as it shall continue in his Hands, after the Rate of Five Pounds per Cent.: And it (fn. *) is further Ordered, That Sir Rob't Josselyn shall have Four and Twenty Shillings allowed him, for his Charges in bringing up the Money.

Answer from the H. C.

Sir Rob't Rich and Mr. Page, sent to the House of Commons on Wednesday last, return with this Answer:

That they will send an Answer, by Messengers of their own, to the Petition of the late Mayor of Plymouth; and they agree to the Ordinance concerning raising an Army for Two Months, with the Alterations. (Here enter it.)

Message to them, about the Countess of Dorset's and Serj. Fynch's Petitions.

A Message was sent to the House of Commons, by Sir Rob't Rich and Mr. Page:

To put them in Mind of the Petition of the Countess of Dorsett and Mr. Serjeant Fynch.

Billingsley to be inducted to the Vicarage of Tillmanston.

Ordered, That Sir Nath. Brent, Vicar General, shall institute and induct Nic's Bill'ngsley Clerk, Master of Arts, to the Vicarage of Tillmanston, in the County of Kent, which is become void by the Resignation of Moses Capell, late Incumbent thereof.

Order for a Thanksgiving.

The Order for keeping the Days of Thanksgiving for the Victory near Yorke was read.

The States Ambassadors introduced;

The Lords being sat in their Places, the Gentleman Usher [ (fn. †) of the Black] Rod and the Master of the Ceremonies introducted The States Ambassadors; and, after Respects were made, the Ambassadors produced their Letters of Credence, which they delivered to the Speaker, who delivered the same to the Master of the Ceremonies, who read the same at the Clerk's Table.

deliver their Embassy;

Which being done, One of the Ambassadors delivered their Ambassage in French, which afterwards was read in English by their Secretary.

and retire.

Afterwards the Ambassadors departed.

Their Credential Letter:

And this House commanded the Credential Letter to be read again. (Here enter it.)

And it is Ordered, That this House will take this Business into Consideration To-morrow Morning.

Paper from the Spanish Ambassador.

Ordered, That this House will take the Paper of the Spanish Ambassador into Consideration To-morrow Morning.

Ordered, That the Lord North, Lord Hunsdon, Lord Maynard, shall be added to the Committee concerning the Earl of Suff's Business.

(fn. *) "An Ordinance of the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, for raising an Army of Horse and Foot, in the several Counties and Cities herein mentioned, to be ready to march the 20th Day of this Instant July, and to continue only for the Space of Two Months; the said Forces to be paid by their several Counties, according to their several Proportions.

Ordinance for raising a Standing Army out of several Counties.

"Whereas the Counties of Suffolk, Norfolk, Essex, and other Counties and Places, have lately raised divers great Forces both of Horse and Foot, to withstand the Incursion of the Enemy, and to preserve themselves from Plundering, and their Countries from Ruin and Destruction; which Forces, should they be continued abroad any long Time, would not only be a Prejudice to those Countries in respect of their Harvest, but would be too great a Charge for them to bear; and forasmuch as it is necessary that some Course be taken for the keeping of the Enemy from plundering and spoiling, and securing the Countries from the Danger of Alarms, which otherwise will inforce them to continual Rising, disturb them in their Harvest and other necessary Employment, and make their Charge insupportable: To the End, therefore, the Trained Bands, now upon these late Alarms raised, may return Home, and their Country secured from such further Trouble, be it Ordained, by the Lords and Commons in this present Parliament assembled, That the several Counties, Cities, and Places, hereafter mentioned, shall, immediately after the Receipt of this Ordinance, raise such Forces of Horse and Foot, well and sufficiently armed, as are hereafter particularly set down, to be ready to march the 20th Day of this present July, 1644; that is to say,

"The County of Essex, One Thousand Foot, One Hundred Horse, and One Hundred Dragoons.

"The County of Suffolke, One Thousand Foot, One Hundred Horse, and One Hundred Dragoons.

"The County of Norfolke and City of Norwich, One Thousand Foot, One Hundred Horse, and One Hundred Dragoons.

"The County of Hertford, Five Hundred Foot, Fifty Horse, and Fifty Dragoons.

"The Counties of Huntington and Cambridge, with the Isle of Ely, Eight Hundred Foot, One Hundred Horse, and One Hundred Dragoons.

"The County of Bedford, Five Hundred Foot, Fifty Horse, and Fifty Dragoons.

"The County of Kent, and the City and County of the City of Canterbury, and the Cinque Ports, One Thousand Foot, One Hundred Horse, and One Hundred Dragoons.

"The City of London and County of Middlesex, Two Hundred Horse.

"The Counties of Oxon, Berks, and Buckingham, One Thousand Foot, Two Hundred Horse, and Two Hundred Dragoons.

"The County of Northampton, Three Hundred Foot, Two Hundred Horse, and One Hundred Dragoons.

"The County of Warwick, the City and County of the City of Coventry, Three Hundred Foot, One Hundred Horse, and One Hundred Dragoons.

"The County of Glocester, the City and County of the City of Glocester, Five Hundred Foot, One Hundred Horse, and One Hundred Dragoons.

"The County of Wilts, Five Hundred Foot, One Hundred Horse, and One Hundred Dragoons.

"The Counties of Sussex and Surrey, One Thousand Foot, One Hundred Horse, and One Hundred Dragoons.

"And the County of Hampshire, and the Town and County of Southampton, Six Hundred Foot, One Hundred Horse, and Fifty Dragoons.

"Which said Forces so levied are to be employed about Oxon, or such other Places as by both Houses of Parliament or the Committee of both Kingdoms shall be thought necessary for the Purposes aforesaid; and to continue only for the Space of Two Months from the Time that they shall come to the Place of general Rendezvous.

"And it is further Ordained, by the said Lords and Commons, That the several and respective Committees of Parliament, of the several Counties, Cities, and Places aforesaid, or any Three of them, are hereby authorized and required to cause this Ordinance to be put in speedy Execution: And for the more speedy Execution of this Ordinance, and that the Committees of Parliament (unto whose Care and Fidelity the same is especially intrusted, and recommended to be forthwith dispatched) may be armed with Power sufficient for the effecting the same, be it likewise Ordained, by the Authority aforesaid, That it shall and may be lawful for them, or any Three of them respectively, by such reasonable Ways and Means as they shall find most convenient, to raise and levy such Monies, out of the several Counties, Cities, and Places aforesaid, as shall enable them to raise and arm the said Forces of Horse, Foot, and Dragoons, and pay them during the Time they shall be employed; and if any Person or Persons shall neglect to pay any Sum of Money whereat he shall be so rated or assessed, that then it shall and may be lawful to and for the said Committees, or any Three of them respectively, to appoint a Distress of the Goods of such Persons to be taken, and sold for Satisfaction of the same, restoring unto the Owner the Overplus, after all necessary Charges deducted; and further Power and Authority is hereby given to the said respective Committees, or any Three of them respectively, to use all good Ways and Means for the effecting of this Service, as they in their Wisdom shall think convenient; and if any Person shall shew himself opposite or refractory unto this Service, so as the same by Means thereof shall be delayed, disturbed, or hindered, it shall and may be lawful to the said several Committees, or any Three of them respectively, to impose a reasonable Fine upon such Person for his Contempt therein, so as the same exceed not the Sum of Ten Pounds for any One Offence, and to levy the same by Sequestration of his Estate, or Imprisonment of his Body: And because it is not expected that the Trained Band Men should, in this Time of Harvest, be employed in this Service without their own Consents, or an absolute Necessity, and that probably it may be difficult to find so many Voluntiers as will be sufficient to make up the full Numbers in this Ordinance expressed, it is hereby further Ordained, by the said Lords and Commons, That the said respective Committees, or any Three of them, are hereby authorized, in their respective Counties, Cities, and Places, to imprest fit and able Men for this Service, and to imprison such Persons as shall refuse to give Obedience, until they conform thereunto.

"And it is lastly Ordained, by the Authority aforesaid, That the said respective Committees, or any Three of them, in their respective Counties, Cities, and Places, are hereby authorized to reduce the said Foot Forces respectively into Companies and Regiments, and the Horse and Dragoons into Troops, and nominate and place over them Colonels, Captains, and other Officers, except the Majors of the said Regiments, whose several and respective Companies are to be commanded by the respective Lieutenants thereof to the Place of Rendezvous; provided, that no Regiment of Foot shall consist of less than One Thousand Foot besides Officers, and no Troop of Horse or Dragoons of less than One Hundred besides Officers; and where any County is hereby to raise a less Number of Men than will make up an entire Regiment, the several and respective Committees of such Counties and Places are to meet together with what Conveniency they shall think most fit, and to join their Forces into Regiments as aforesaid.

"And the Committee of both Kingdoms are hereby authorized to nominate a Major of every Regiment of Foot, and to form the Horse and Dragoons into Regiments, and nominate the Field Officers; the said Majors and Field Officers to be approved by both Houses of Parliament.

"Provided always, That this Ordinance shall not extend to the pressing of any Clergyman, Scholar, or Student, in any the Universities, Inns of Court, or Chancery, or Houses of Law; or any the Trained Bands in any County, City, or Place; or of any Person rated in the last Subsidies granted by the Parliament, or the Son of any Person rated at Five Pounds Goods, or Three Pounds Lands, in the Subsidy-books; or of any Person of the Rank or Degree of an Esquire or upwards, or the Son of any such Person, or the Son of the Widow of any such Person; or to the pressing of any Person under the Age of Eighteen, or above the Age of Fifty; or of the Members or Officers of either House of Parliament, or of the menial Servants of the Members or Officers of either of the said Houses, or any the Assistants of the Lords House, or any of their menial Servants; or any the Inhabitants of the Isles of Wight or Anglesey, or Cinque Ports, or of any Mariner, Seaman, or Fisherman.

"Die Veneris, 12 Julii, 1644.

"Ordered, by the Commons in Parliament, That this Ordinance be forthwith printed; and that the Gentlemen of the several Counties, Members of the House of Commons, on which any Proportions are set, are hereby required to send Copies of them down into their several Counties; and to write to the several and respective Committees, to take Care that this Ordinance may be forthwith put in Execution.

"H. Elsynge, Cler. Parl. D. Com."

Adjourn.

House adjourned till 9^a cras.

Footnotes