House of Commons Journal Volume 2: 04 March 1643

Die Sabbati, 4 Martii, 1642.

PRAYERS.

Blagrave's Estate.

NR. Sandys reports the Bill concerning the Estate of Sir Jo. Blagrave, to enable him to make a Jointure to his now Wife.

3^a vice lecta est Billa, An Act to enable Sir John Blagrave Knight to make a Jointure to his now Wife, of such Manors, Lands, and Tenements, as were heretofore assured for the Jointure of his former Wife; and, upon the Question, passed.

Maimed Soldiers.

Ordered, That the Committee for the Safety of the Kingdom do grant their Warrants to Sir Gilbert Gerard, Treasurer at Wars, to pay unto Mr. Holland and Mr. Jennour the Sum of Two hundred Pounds, to be disposed of for the Relief of maimed Soldiers.

Answer to King's Proclamation.

Mr. Pym reports from the Committee, the Declaration referred to them, to prepare, in Answer to the Proclamation, intituled, "His Majesty's Proclamation, forbidding all his loving Subjects of the Counties of Kent, Surry, Sussex, and Hantshire, to raise any Forces without his Majesty's Consent, or to enter into any Association or Protestation for the Assistance of the Rebellion against his Majesty." ..... was this Day read; and, by Vote upon the Question, passed, and assented unto; and ordered to be delivered unto the Lords, at a Conference.

Message to Lords.

Sir H. Mildmay is appointed to go to the Lords, to desire them to sit awhile: And to take into Consideration the Ordinance concerning Taunton; in regard the Danger Sommersettshire is in; and that it cannot be conveniently redressed, unless that Ordinance do pass.

Business of Powder.

Ordered, That this Business concerning Powder be recommitted to the Committees for the Safety: And that they confer with the Committee for the Navy: And to settle such an Order in it, as shall be fitting, and most safe; and to offer it to the House on Monday Morning.

Answer from Lords.

Sir H. Mildmay, brings Answer, That as to the Orders concerning Taunton in Sommersettshire, they will send Answer by Messengers of their own: And they will sit awhile, as is desired.

Conference, &c.

Sir H. Mildmay is appointed to go up to the Lords, to desire a Conference, by Committees of both Houses, concerning a Declaration in Answer to his Majesty's Proclamation, touching the Association of Kent, Surry, Sussex, and Hantshire, &c.

He likewise carried up an additional Ordinance to the Ordinance for the weekly Assessments.

Sir H. Mildmay brings Answer, That the Lords will give you a present Meeting, at a Conference, as is desired: And have assented unto * * * *.

Mr. Pym, Sir Tho. Barrington, and Sir Wm. Armyn, are appointed Managers of the Conference.

Taunton Deane.

Message from the Lords, by Sir Robert Riche and Mr. Page;

That the Lords have agreed to the Two Ordinances concerning Taunton Deane.

Prisoners.

Mr. Corbett reports from the Committee of Examinations, That there came some Soldiers with Two Prisoners, after the House was risen; viz. Mr. Henry Noell and Mr. Hen. Skipwith, taken by the Lord Grey: The Manner of their Offence appears in the Letter sent up from the Lord Gray, 2° Martii: Which was read: And

Ordered, That Mr. Henry Noell shall be committed to the Prison at the Lord Peter's House, for being taken in actual War against the Parliament: And Mr. Hen. Shipwith to be committed to the Prison at London House, being taken actually levying War against the Parliament.

Seizing Houses.

Ordered, That the Houses of Mr. Tho. Masham Merchant in Milke-streete, London, and of Sir Wm. Acton Knight and Alderman, situate the one in Milk-street, the other in Wood-street, London, shall be forthwith seized; for the Laying in, Dispose, and Sale of Goods distrained upon the Ordinance of the Twenty-ninth of November, for Assessments.

Intercepted Letters from Queen of Bohemia.

Two Letters from the Queen of Bohemia; the One to his Majesty, the other to her Son Prince Rupert, all in French; the which were intercepted by the Lord Fairefax, and sent up to the Parliament (That, in French, to Prince Rupert, was translated by Order of the House): And then both the Letters read; and likewise the Translation of the French Letter was read.

Resolved, &c. That this Letter from the Queen of Bohemia to Prince Rupert shall be returned back to the Queen.

Resolved, That this Letter shall be sent to the Agent of the Parliament, to be by him delivered unto the Queen of Bohemia.

Sir H. Vane, Mr. Pym, Mr. Marten, Sir Ben. Rudyerd, Mr. Holles, Mr. Strode, are to prepare a Letter to be sent to Mr. Strickland, together with this Letter from the Queen of Bohemia to Prince Rupert; expressing therein the Resentment this House has of this Letter.

That this Letter from the Queen of Bohemia to Prince Rupert shall be entered in the Journals Book of this House: This Question was propounded: And

Resolved, &c. That this Letter from the Queen of Bohemia to Prince Rupert shall be entered in the Journal Book of this House.

Petitions from Ireland.

Ordered, That on Tuesday Morning next, at Nine of Clock, the House be resolved into a Committee, to take into Consideration the Two Petitions preferred by divers Lords and Gentlemen of Ireland.

Weekly Assessments.

Ordered, That the Committee at Haberdashers Hall do prepare a Letter, to be signed by Mr. Speaker, to be sent into the several Counties, for the Advancing of the Service touching the weekly Assessments.

London, &c. Guards.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee for the Militia in London to appoint the Guards of the Cities of London, Westminster, Southwarke, the Suburbs and Liberties; and to nominate such as shall have the Command of them.

London Assessment.

Ordered, That the City of London may associate themselves amongest themselves.

Reparation to Waynwright, &c.

WHEREAS Complaint hath been made unto the House of Commons, That Sir Paul Harris Baronet, being in actual Rebellion against the King and Parliament, lately, by the Assistance of Arthur Ward and Mawrice Hanmer, Bailiffs of the Town of Oswestrie, within the County of Salop, did, at Oswestrie, aforesaid, seize upon and imprison one Wm. Street, Servant to James Waynwright and Robert Wilding, of the City of London, Haberdashers, being employed by them to gather in some Debts, due unto them in that County; and did take from the said Wm. Street Forty Pounds in Money, and Two Horses, with their Saddles and Bridles, that cost Sixteen Pounds Ten Shillings, being all the proper Goods of them the said James Wainwright and Robert Wilding; whereby they are like to suffer much in their Estates, unless some Reparation be made unto them: And finding by sad Experience, that Proceedings in ordinary Courses of Justice, and according to the known Law of the Land, are so obstructed; and such Delinquents protected, by Force, under Pretence of his Majesty's Authority; and holding it agreeable to Justice and Equity, that the Estates of such, who have done this Trespass and Wrong, should be subject and liable to make Satisfaction and Reparation; and the aforesaid Sum of Forty Pounds appearing by a Note, under Sir Paul Harries his Hand, to be seized as aforesaid; and the Two Horses, with their Saddles and Bridles, at the aforesaid Price of Sixteen Pounds Ten Shillings, appearing by sufficient Testimony, to be taken and seized as aforesaid: The said Commons do therefore Order, and give Power and Authority unto the said James Waynwright and Robert Wilding, by themselves, or such as they shall think fit to employ (for whom they will be accountable), for to seize and take any Part of the real or personal Estates of them the said Sir Paul Harries, Arthur Ward, and Mawrice Hanmer, or of any Part of the said Estates of any of them; out of which they shall have Satisfaction for their aforesaid Losses. And it is Ordered, That Duplicates of Rolls shall be taken of all such Goods and Profits as shall be seized by virtue of this Order; that so there may be a just Account to the House of all the Overplus. And, for their so doing, they shall be protected by the Authority of this House.

Maimed Soldiers, &c.

WHEREAS divers well-affected Persons have gone forth in the Army raised by the Parliament for the Defence of the Parliament, Religion, Laws, and Liberties of the Subjects of England; and, in Fight, have received divers Wounds and Maims in their Bodies, whereby they are disabled to relieve themselves by their usual Labour; and divers others have lost their Lives in the said Service, whereby they have left their Wives and Children destitute of Relief to support and sustain them: The and Commons assembled in Parliament, taking the same into their pious and charitable Consideration; and having relieved divers of them here at London with some small Relief for their present Subsistence; but finding, that That Course cannot be held for any Continuance of Time, without many Inconveniencies; have thought fit, and do hereby Ordain, That in every Parish within the Kingdom of England, wherein any such Person, either now maimed, or slain, did last inhabit before their going forth to the aforesaid Service, shall raise a competent Stock of Money, by way of Assessment, upon the Inhabitants of the said several Parishes, for the Relief of the said maimed Soldiers, and the Widows and fatherless Children of the said slain Persons. And that the Churchwardens, Collectors for the Poor, Constables, Tythingmen, or any Two of them, within any of the said several Parishes, shall hereby have Power and Authority to assess, levy, and collect so much upon the several Inhabitants of their several Parishes, as they, in their Discretions, shall think fit and necessary, for the Relief of the said maimed Soldiers, Widows, and fatherless Children; and to distribute the same according to the several Necessities of the said poor People: And shall, once every Year, at the General Quarter Sessions holden for the County, or for any Borough or Town corporate, that hold any Sessions, wherein any such Assessment or Collection shall be made, send in their particular Accounts, both of their Assessments, Collections, and Disbursements, there to be recorded: And, if any shall refuse to pay according to the said Assessment, the said Assessors shall hereby have Power to distrain the Goods or Chattels of all such Persons as shall so refuse, for the Satisfaction of the said Assessment; and shall and may certify their Names to the Committee of the House of Commons for Examinations: Who shall have Power to send for them, as Delinquents. And to the end that the Deceit, which may be endeavoured in the due Prosecution of this Ordinance, may be prevented; it is farther hereby Ordained, That all such Soldiers who have been maimed in the Service of the Parliament aforesaid, as also all such Widows and fatherless Children, whose Husbands and Fathers have been slain in the said Service, or shall die of any Hurt received in the said Service, shall bring unto the aforesaid Assessors a Certificate, under the Hand of the Colonel, or under the Hand of some other Commander, or the Clerk of the Bands of that Regiment wherein the said Soldiers or slain Persons did formerly serve, of the Truth of their being maimed or slain in the said Service: Which shall be a sufficient Warrant for the said Assessors to make and levy such Assessments as aforesaid.

Intercepted Letter from Queen of Bohemia.

The Copy of a Letter from the Queen of Bohemia to her Son Prince Rupert, intercepted in Yorkshire.

Cher RUPERT

J'AY receüe une de vos letters, que vous m'avez escrite incontinent aprés la bataile de Keinton, depuis je n'en ay point euée; et aussy jen'ay euée qu'à cestheure le moyen de vous escrire seurement. Je suis fort aise que le Roy mon frere est satisfait de vous continuez tousjours à tascher en ce que vous pourres de luy plaire. La Reyene et moy nous separons le mieux du monde, car elle me tesmoigne tant d'affection, que je ne m'en peux assez loüer; ce que je n'ose jcy, vous scaurez par tous ceux qui partent: c'est pourquoy je ne vous en diray rien, sinon que je vous conjure de me garder la promesse, que vouz m'avez faite en partant, de ne rien croire de mal de personne: à la legére, vous scavez ce que je veux dire, le monde est bien meschant; et quelquesoit nos plus proches ne nous font pas le moins de mal; ce qui est fort terrible aux bons natures. A ceste heure que la Reyne n'est plus icy, mandez moy, quand vous pouvez, ce qui se passe, et faites les meilleurs offices que vous pouvez à vostre frere I'Electeur, au Roy mon frere, et à la Reyne, et que personne ne vous persuade d'estre contre luy, comme vous m'avez promis: mais serves le envers le Roy mon frere, & la Reyne, en ce que vous pouvez: il en a affaire, car je crains qu'il n'est pas si bien en leur esprit, comme je le souhaite. Dieu pardonne à cieux, qui conseillent si mal vostre frere tousjours ! ce n'est pas moy, Je ne vous diray autre chose pour ce fois; seulement que je vous prie de continuer à bienfaire, & ne soyez pas prompt à croire tout ce qu'on vous escrit d'icy: et me croyez que je vous aime tousjours, comme

Vostre trés affectionnée Mère,

La Haye,

de Jan 19/29

For my Son Prince Rupert.