House of Commons Journal Volume 3: 31 August 1643

Die Jovis, ultimo Augusti, 1643.

PRAYERS.

Camberwell Vicarage.

AN Order for sequestring the Rents and Profits of the Vicarage of the Parish Church of Camberwell in the County of Surrey, whereof Peter Danson is Vicar, to the Benefit and Advantage of Mr. Alexander Gregory, Master of Arts, a godly, learned and orthodox Divine; who is thereby required and enjoined to officiate the said Cure as Vicar, in all the Duties thereof; and to preach diligently to the Parishioners; was this Day read; and, by Vote upon the Question, assented unto.

Upon a Report from the Committee of plundered Ministers, to whom the Consideration of Mrs. Carter, the Widow of Mr. Samuel Carter, late Vicar there, by Order of Sequestration....;

It is Ordered, That Mrs. Carter shall have the Benefit of the Sequestration of Camberwell from the Date of the Grant of it to her Husband, to the 28th Day of August 1643, and Fifty Pounds Per Annum by half-yearly Payments, during the Sequestration.

Earl of Denbigh.

Ordered, That the Lords be acquainted with the whole Carriage of the Earl of Denbigh; and the Proceedings of the Committee for the Safety of the Kingdom towards my Lord of Denbigh.

Army Affairs.

Ordered, That Mr. Nicholl do write to my Lord General, to acquaint him with the Condition of Captain La Tour's Troop: And that the Horses be sent to my Lord General, upon the Payment of the Monies that Sir Wm. Waller disbursed for that Troop, and the Company.

Leave of Absence.

Mr. Scawen has Leave to go into the Country, to see and visit his Wife, and to be absent for Ten or Twelve Days.

Fowell's Pass.

Ordered, That Mr. Jo. Fowell, Son to Sir Edm. Fowell, a Member of this House, and Mr. Edw. Smythe, Students of the Middle Temple, shall have Mr. Speaker's Warrant to pass beyond Seas, to Geneva; carrying no prohibited Goods.

Money for Poole.

Ordered, That the Committee of the House of Commons, appointed to sit at Haberdashers Hall, do issue out their Warrant for the Payment of Three hundred Pounds forthwith to Mr. Trenchard, out of the Monies remaining there deposited, to be employed for the Service of Poole, according to a former Order; and that they be required to see this Order put in Execution.

City Forces, &c.

The Ordinance for the raising of Monies within the Line of Communication, and without the Liberties of the City, for the raising of Five hundred Horse, and Payment of the same; and for the furnishing of Magazines; was read; and, upon the Question, assented unto: And

Ordered, That the Lords be moved to join therein.

Persons to be sent up in Custody.

A Letter was read, from the Committees at Liverpoole and Manchester; and an intercepted Letter, there taken from Captain Sidney newly come out of Ireland, to Orlando Bridgeman at Chester, of his Intention to go to the King; were read.

Ordered, That a Letter be written to the Deputy Lieutenants and Committees in the County of Lancaster, to send up, in safe Custody, the Lord Lisle, Captain Sidney, and Sir Rich. Greenevile, guarded with a strong Convoy: And that the Committees and Deputy Lieutenants, in the Counties betwixt this and Lancashire respectively, do appoint a good Convoy with the said Persons, through their several Counties: And that a Stay be made of all their Goods and Arms till this House take further Order. And Mr. Ashurst is to prepare this Letter, and to write the same accordingly.

Ordered, That the Committee at Liverpoole, and the Committees in the several Port Towns, and the chief Officers there, do from time to time seize the Persons of all Commanders and Officers that come out of Ireland; and detain them in safe Custody, till this House take further Order: And likewise, to commit such common Soldiers as come thence, unless they will take up Arms in the Service of the Parliament: And that they seize, likewise, their Goods and Arms, and keep them till further Order.

Ordered, That Mr. Cage, Mr. Ashton, Mr. Rolls, and Mr. Ashurst, do bring in an Ordinance for seizing Ships that bring Soldiers out of Ireland.

Sir Hugh Pollard, &c.

Ordered, That Captain Vaughan do deliver Sir Hugh Pollard over to Thomas Stockdale Esquire, to be disposed of as Mr. Stockdale shall appoint, for the Service of the Lord Fairfax: And Mr. Stockdale is hereby enabled to remove the said Sir Hugh Pollard to such Place as he shall think fitting; and to set at Liberty the said Sir Hugh Pollard, when Sir John Savile and Captain Hooper, now Prisoners in Pomfreit Castle, under the Earl of Newcastle, are there set at Liberty, and discharged.

And it is further Ordered, That the said Sir Hugh Pollard do pay the Charges of his Imprisonment, before he be fully set at Liberty.

Leave of Absence.

Ordered, That Mr. Drake shall have Leave to go into Suffolk, and be absent for Ten or Twelve Days.

Covenant from Scotland.

The House being informed, that the Prolocutor and the Assembly of Divines were at the Door, they were called in; and presented, in Writing, the Judgment and Resolutions of the Assembly, upon the Covenant, sent from the Commissioners in Scotland, and referred unto them, by Order of this House, to debate and consider of the Lawfulness of taking and entering into it, in point of Conscience.

They were desired to withdraw:

And then the said Judgment of the Assembly was read, in hæc verba; viz.

This Assembly doth humbly represent unto the honourable House of Commons, that they have, with great Joy and Contentment, received the Copy of the Covenant sent from the Commissioners of both Houses, now in Scotland; with an Order to receive and enable the Assembly to debate and consider the taking of it, and entering into it, in point of Conscience:

That they have, after a particular Seeking of God, for his special Direction in this Business, fully debated and considered of it, in all the several Particulars contained in it; that they do approve of the said Covenant, and judge it to be lawful, in point of Conscience, to be taken:

That they do humbly advise, that those Explications following should be subjoined to the Covenant; viz.

1. By the Clause in the First Article of the Covenant "according to the Word of God," we understand; "So far as we do or shall in our Consciences conceive the same to be according to the Word of God."

2. By "Prelacy," in the Second Article of the Covenant, we understand; "The Church Government by Archbishops, Bishops, their Chancellors, Commissaries, Deans and Chapters, Archdeacons, and other ecclesiastical Officers, depending upon the Hierarchy."

Resolved, upon the Question, That this shall be presently sent to the House of Commons, as the Judgment of this Assembly.

The Divines were again called in: And the Prolocutor in a very pious manner of Expression, represented unto the House, the great Contentment the Assembly took upon the Receipt of this Covenant from their Brethren of Scotland; the Course and Manner they proceeded in, in answering the Cases propounded unto them, concerning this Covenant, in point of Conscience; that it was concurred in with a general Consent: And desired, that, in the taking of this Covenant, the People may be thoroughly informed of the Grounds, Reasons, and Consequences of it; it being a Matter of so vast and great Importance: And concluded with the Prayers of the Prayers Assembly, that God would be pleased to return in Mercy to his People, and pitch his Tents over and about them.

They withdrew; and were presently again called in:

And Mr. Speaker, by the Command of the House, acquainted them, that the House had received the Paper presented by them; and had heard them represent the Seuse of the Assembly upon the Covenant; and return them Thanks for their great Care and Diligence expressed in this so great and weighty a Business; and thank them for their Advice touching the serious Consideration to be had in the manner of taking it, when it shall come to That.

Burges', &c. Petition.

The humble Petition of Cornelius Burges and Wm. Price, Members of the Assembly, was this Day read; and Dr. Burges called in: Who did avow the Petition, and that he saw Mr. Price to sign it.

Ordered, That the Petitioners do proceed, at the Assembly, according to the Rules of both Houses for the Assembly to proceed by.

Justice Berkeley.

A Message from the Lords, by Mr. Page and Dr. Aylett;

The Lords commanded Sir Rob. Riche and himself to bring a Message on Tuesday last, that they intended this Morning to proceed in the Cause of Mr. Justice Berkeley: They are now come upon that Message.

Answer returned by the same Messengers; that this House has considered their Lordships Message; and will send Answer by Messengers of their own.

Burges', &c. Petition.

Ordered, That the Petition from Dr. Burges and Mr. Price be delivered to Mr. Salloway, to communicate to the Assembly of Divines, to whom the Consideration of it is referred, to give their Answer.

Justice Berkeley.

Mr. Maynard went up to the Lords, to acquaint their Lordships, that this House, in regard of Business of great Importance, that they are now upon, cannot, at this time, send up any of their Members to be present at the Proceedings against Mr. Justice Berkeley; but shall be ready at any other Time that their Lordships shall appoint.

Covenant from Scotland.

Ordered, That the Covenant sent from the Commissioners in Scotland be taken into Debate and Consideration To-morrow Morning, at Nine of Clock.

Justice Berkeley.

A Message from the Lords, by Mr. Page and Dr. Aylett;

The Lords have appointed Saturday Morning next to proceed in the Cause of Mr. Justice Berkeley; and thought good to acquaint the House therewith.

Examining Lord Valentia.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee for the Affairs of Ireland, to examine, with all convenient Speed, the Lord Viscount Valentia; and to make a speedy Report to the House.

Supplies for Ireland.

Ordered, That the several Ships laden with Victual and other Necessaries, for the Relief of Ireland, now stayed at the Isle of Wight, as this House is informed, be forthwith released: And the Captain of the Isle of Wight, who made Stay of the said Ships, and all the Governors, Captains, and other Officers, are hereby required to permit the said Ships to pass on in their intended Voyages, without Let or Molestation: And the Masters of the said Ships are likewise required, with all Diligence, to go forward with their intended Voyages, according as they have been designed.

And it is likewise Ordered, That the Committee of this House, for the Affairs of Ireland, do forthwith take into their Consideration, what competent Proportion of Victuals, laden, by their Order, aboard the Ship Pembroke, shall be discharged at the Fort of Duncannon, for the Relief thereof; together with the small Proportion of Victual already laden aboard the said Vessel, for the Relief of the said Fort, by Order of the Committee at Grocers Hall.

And that it be referred to the Committee for Ireland, to consider and make Allowance for Loss of the Time of the Ship Samuel: and to make good the former Contract; in respect the former Voyage is altered.

Dover Castle, &c.

Upon the Information of the Earl of Warwick, Commander of the Forts and Castles about Deale; and Sir Edward Boys Knight, Governor of Dover Castle; that several Persons have of late incroached upon the waste Grounds adjacent to these Forts, whereupon they have erected several Houses, and still continue in the like unlawful Practices; to the great Prejudice of the State, and of the dangerous Consequence in relation to the Safety of those Forts: It is this Day Ordered, by the Commons House of Parliament, That the said Earl of Warwick, and Sir Edward Boys, together with the Commanders of, the said Forts and Castles, do take speedy Course for the preventing of the erecting any new Buildings upon the said Wastes, near the said Forts, or to their Prejudice; by Imprisonment of all such Persons, which, contrary to this Order, upon Notice given them, do persist in the erecting any such Buildings.

And it is further Ordered, That they do make Inquiry of all other Houses, or other Structures, of late Years erected on the said Waste, and are prejudicious to the said Forts; and do certify the same to this House, with the Names of the Persons who erected such Buildings, or do maintain them.

Granting Passes.

Ordered, That Mr. Speaker do grant his Warrant for such French and Dutch as are at the Port of Sandwiche, to pass over Seas; whose Names are certified in a Petition and List thereunto annexed.