House of Commons Journal Volume 3: 19 August 1644

Die Lunæ, Augusti 19, 1644.

PRAYERS.

Master of New Temple.

AN Ordinance for the putting and placing Mr. Vines in the Mastership of New Temple, London, was this Day read; and, by Vote upon the Question, assented unto; and ordered to be sent unto the Lords for their Concurrence.

Clerk of the Ordnance,

Resolved, &c. That this whole Business concerning the Disposal of the Clerk's Place, of the Deliveries of his Majesty's Ordnance in the Tower of London, be referred to the Consideration and Examination of the Committee for the Office of the Ordnance; who are to make Report of the whole Matter, on Wednesday Morning next: And that, in the mean time, the Lieutenant of the Ordnance is to take care, that no Prejudice come to the State as in relation to that Office.

Martial Law.

Ordered, That the Commissioners appointed to sit by the Ordinance for Martial Law, do sit on Thursday next, at Two of Clock, in the Afternoon, in Guildhall, London: And that the Serjeant at Arms do give Notice to the several Commissioners.

Escape of Mac-guire, &c.

Whereas Mac-guire and Mac Mahoun, Two of the Arch Rebels of Ireland, committed Prisoners to the Tower, for the said Crime of High Treason, are escaped and broken out of Prison, These are to give Notice unto all that shall harbour, and not discover, these Traitors, . . . is Treason by the Law of the Land: These are further . . . require all People whatsoever, and all Officers of Ports, Forts, and Guards, to use their best Diligence and Care in the Apprehending of these Rebels: And that whoso- ever shall bring them, or either of them, in, dead or alive, shall have an Hundred Pounds bestowed upon them, for an Encouragement and Reward of their Duty and Service herein.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee of the Tower, to examine the Manner and Matter of Fact of the Escape of Mac Mahoun and Mac-guire, Arch Rebels of Ireland, committed Prisoners to the Tower, for High Treason; and to report the State of it to the House.

Army Affairs.

Upon Report from the Committee of both Kingdoms;

It is Resolved, &c. That Sir Wm. Waller shall forth- with march into the West, with a Body of Horse and Dragoons.

Mr. Strode is appointed to go to the Lords, to desire them to expedite the Ordinance concerning the West.

Resolved, &c. That Horse shall be forthwith taken up in the Five Western associated Counties, for the present Expedition of Sir Wm. Waller: And that the publick Faith shall be given for Satisfaction to such whose Horse shall be taken, if not restored again.

Resolved, &c. That some Western Gentlemen, as well Members of Parliament as others, shall forthwith go into the West, to make Provision of Horse accordingly.

Resolved, &c. That it be referred to the Committee of the West, presently to consider of such Gentlemen, Members, or others, as shall presently go down into the West; and of Power to be given unto them, for raising of these Horse.

Resolved, &c. That Sir Wm. Waller's Foot, when they shall be mounted, shall have the Pay, Officers and Soldiers, as Dragooners.

Message to Lords.

Mr. Strode carried up to the Lords these Votes; and the Vote concerning the Thousand Men raised in Kent, upon the Ordinance of the Twelfth of July, to be put under Sir Wm. Waller; and the Order that the Soldiery in Derbyshire should not make Use of the Sequestrations, without the Consent of the Committee; and, likewise, the Vote requiring the Great Seal to issue their Writs to the respective Sheriffs, for publishing the Ordinance con- cerning Martial Law.

Answer.

Mr. Strode brings Answer, * * * * .

Weekly Assessments.

Ordered, That Sir Tho. Soame, and the Lieutenant of the Tower, do repair unto the Lord Mayor; earnestly to press him to quicken the bringing in of the Monies upon the weekly Assessments; and to call all Committees, Collectors, and other Persons, concerned in the getting in of the Arrears of the Weekly Assessment, before him; and that he give special Command, and require them to use all Endeavours for the speedy getting in of the said Monies; and to give an Account of this Business on Wednesday next.

Ordered, That Sir G. Gerard, Sir Jo. Franklin, and Sir Robert Pye, and Mr. Wheeler, do enjoin all Com- mittees and Collectors, in Middlesex and Westminster, within the Line, to bring in the Monies upon the weekly Assessment.

Ordered, That the Committee for the Hamlet do forthwith require the Collectors, and others, concerned in the getting in of the weekly Assessment, to bring in the same forthwith; and to give an Account to this House on Wednesday next.

Propositions.

Resolved, &c. That the Lords be desired to concur in the Propositions passed the Kingdom of Scotland; and assented to by this House.

Message to Lords.

Sir Henry Mildmay went up to the Lords, to desire a Conference concerning the Propositions for Peace; and carried up with him the Ordinance for Mr. Vines to be Master of the Temple; The Ordinance to demand the County Palatine of Durham's Seal, of the Bishop; and for making a Sheriff and Committees in that County; And the Ordinance for the Benchers of Lincoln's Inn; And a short Ordinance for Forces for the Lord Manchester; The Ordinance for Two hundred and Fifty Pounds to Colonel Massy, out of Haberdashers Hall.

Propositions for Peace.

Mr. Solicitor, Mr. Pierpoint, and Mr. Crue, . . . Ma- nagers of the Conference concerning Propositions of Peace.

House to sit.

Resolved, &c. That the House do sit To-morrow only; and that the Lords be made acquainted therewith.

Kent Forces.

Resolved, &c. That the County of Kent shall pay the Foot they send into the West, who march as Foot; and that such of their Foot as shall march as Dragoons, shall be paid the rest of their Pay, by the State.

York Ministers.

The Petition of John Geldert, Stephen Watson, Robert Knight, and Percivall Levitt, Citizens of York; desiring preaching Ministers to be sent down; and Mr. Hoile to be Lord Mayor; was read.

Resolved, That an Allowance be made for Four preach- ing Ministers in the City of York, out of the Revenues of Deans, Deans and Chapters, and Prebends, within the Diocese of York.

Resolved, &c. That an Allowance of an Hundred and Fifty Pounds per Ann. be made to each of the Four Ministers, that shall be appointed to preach there.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Assembly of Divines, to think of Four fit Ministers to be sent down to the City of York, to preach there.

Lord Mayor of York.

Ordered, That the Committee for Yorkshire, where Sir Tho. Widdrington has the Chair, with the Addition of Mr. Selden, Mr. Recorder, Sir Symonds D'Ewes, Mr. Ellis, Mr. Browne, and Mr. Rigby, do consider of, and prepare an Ordinance for disenabling of Sir Edmond Cooper, now the reputed Lord Mayor of York, for con- tinuing any longer in executing the Office of Lord Mayor of the said City; and to enable and appoint Mr. Alder- man Hoyle, to execute the Place and Office of Lord Mayor of York, until the Election Day.

Duresme, &c. Ministers.

Ordered, That the like Order be made for the Cities of Duresme and Lincolne; and to desire the Assembly, to think of Four fit Ministers to be sent to the City of Du- resme, and Two to the City of Lincolne; and of a con- venient Number of fit and able Ministers to be sent down to the County of Northumberland; and also to the Coun- ties of Duresme and Lincolne: And Sir Henry Vane, Sir Thomas Widdrington, and Mr. Blakiston, are to confer with the Divines herein.

Answer from Lords.

Sir Henry Mildmay brings Answer, The Lords agree to the Conference; and to all the Papers he carried up, except that of the Master of the Temple.

Business deferred.

Ordered, That the Business concerning the Earl of Denbigh, be taken into Consideration To-morrow.

Ordered also, That the Business concerning Ireland, be taken into Consideration To-morrow.

Ordered also, That the Business concerning Pembroke- shire, be taken into Consideration To-morrow.

Commis- sioners of Excise.

The House resumed the Consideration of the Propo- sitions of the Commissioners of Excise, and assented unto the 5, 8, 9, 10, and 11th, with some Alterations, but the 6 and 7th were laid aside.

Mr. Green, Mr. Nicoll, Mr. Prideaux, and Mr. Scawen, are appointed to go this Afternoon, to the Commissioners of Excise; to acquaint them with the Votes already passed; and to hasten them to advance the Ten thousand Pounds for Sir Wm. Waller forthwith.

Resolved, &c. That this House doth assent to all the Propositions passed as to the Time, for One Year ending the Eleventh of September next.

The Lords Concurrence to be desired herein.

Delinquents Estates.

Resolved, &c. That that Part of the Ordinance for Gloucester, concerning the Sequestering of Delinquents Estates, within Twenty Miles of London, which shall be discovered in Three Months, now expired, shall be con- tinued for Three Months longer.

The Lords Concurrence to be desired herein.

Guinney Company.

Ordered, That the Committee for Accounts do examine the Accounts of Mr. Wood, belonging to the Stock of the Guinney Company, and to set a just Value upon the Ship- ping and other Stock, both at home and abroad; and, the Engagements of the said Stock being first deducted, then to proportion out the State's Part, being the one Moiety belong . . . to Sir Nicholas Crispe; to the end the Account may be cleared, and the State and Mr. Wood to receive their respective Due; and to make Return of their Doings to the Committee of the Navy, under their Hands: And that Report thereof be made to the House.

Master of New Temple.

Whereas John Littleton Doctor in Divinity, late Master of the New Temple, London, hath, for the Space of Eighteen Months, and more, wholly deserted his Charge and Ministry there, leaving none at all to officiate in his Place, or to dispense the Word of God, his Ordinances and Sacraments unto the People, contrary to his Duty and the Trust reposed in him, and hath withdrawn himself from the same into the Armies raised against the Parlia- ment; where he yet resides: The Lords and Commons now in Parliament assembled, do Order and Declare, That the said John Littleton be, and is hereby, disabled to have, hold, and enjoy the said Place, or to have, receive, or take the Profits thereof, or any ways thereunto belonging: And that the Grant to him formerly made by the King of the same, for the Causes aforesaid, is utterly void, null, and of no Effect. And the said Lords and Com- mons, by the Authority aforesaid, do Order and Ordain, That Richard Vines, a godly, learned, and orthodox Divine, and one of the Assembly of Divines now sitting at Westminster, shall be Master of the New Temple, Lon- don, aforesaid: And that the Commissioners of the Great Seal of England shall pass a Patent under the said Great Seal unto the said Richard Vines, of the said Place, to have, hold, and enjoy the same to him the said Richard Vines, together with all manner of Tythes, Oblations, Obventions, and other Profits whatsoever, to the said Church in any wise pertaining and belonging, during the natural Life of the said Richard Vynes, and in as large and ample Manner as Pawle Michelthwayte, or the said John Litlleton, or any other of their Predecessors, at any Time heretofore had or enjoyed, or ought to have and en- joy the same. And it is hereby further Ordained, That the said Richard Vines shall have, receive, and perceive, one Annuity, or yearly Rent, of Thirty-seven Pounds Six Shillings and Eight-pence, from the Twenty-fifth Day of March last passed, before the Date of this Ordinance, for the Term of the natural Life of him the said Richard Vynes, out of the Treasury of the King, at the Receipt of the Exchequer, by the Hands of the Treasurer of the King, or such other Person or Persons as from time . . . time shall have the managing, ordering, and paying out of the King's Revenue, at or upon the Twenty-fifth Day of March, and the Twenty-ninth Day of September, by equal Portions, yearly to be paid; the first Payment to begin upon the Twenty-ninth of September next ensuing. And the said Lords and Commons do hereby Ordain, That the said Commissioners of the said Great Seal shall pass and insert the same in the said Patent to be granted, as aforesaid, under the Great Seal, unto the said Richard Vynes accordingly, and in like Manner as the said Pawle Michelthwayte, or the said John Littleton, or any of their Predecessors, had and enjoyed the same. And the said Lords and Commons do hereby further Order, That Oliver St. John Esquire, his Majesty's Solicitor General, do forthwith prepare a Patent, in usual Form, for the Commissioners aforesaid, accordingly.

Excise.

An Ordinance of the Lords and Commons, establishing certain Rules and Instructions to be observed by the Commissioners of Excise, the Auditors in taking their Account, and others employed about the Col- lection of the Excise.

1. That the List of the Names, and the several Sala- ries, of the Officers employed in the Receipts of the Excise, or otherwise, signed by the Committee of the Ex- cise, or any Five of them, for the Time past, shall be a sufficient Warrant unto the Auditors, having compared the same with the Receipts of the said Officer or Officers, to pass and allow thereof; and, accordingly, to discharge the Commissioners of Excise for the Time past.

2. That the Commissioners of Excise shall, quarterly, deliver the Auditors, in Writing, a true Copy of all perfect Entries, Receipts, and Payments, within their several Offices, under the Cognizances and Limits of the Offices of the City of London: The which Copies of the said Auditors shall, according as they shall find needful, compare, prick over, and examine with the Vouchers perfect Entries, or any other Books of Accounts, within the said several Offices; and, having found the same to agree, shall ingross the same in their Office, and forth- with discharge the Commissioners of Excise, and every of them, of and from the same, according to the Form of Discharge hereunto annexed.

3. That the Commissioners of Excise shall likewise quarterly deliver the Auditors, in Writing, a true Copy of all imperfect Entries within the several Offices under the Cognizance and Limits of the Office of the City of London: Which Copies the said Auditors shall, accord- ing as they shall find needful, compare and examine with their Books: And the said Commissioners of Excise shall also, quarterly, deliver unto the said Auditors, in Write- ing, a true Copy of all imperfect Entries, and of all perfect Entries, Receipts, and Payments of all and every the other Offices throughout the Kingdom, to the end . . . may have an Account both of Debts which are owe- ing, and the Person by whom they are due.

4. That the Commissioners of Excise shall not stand chargeable for any Debts which have or shall arise upon any Tickets of Sufferance, which, in case of Necessity, and for Accommodation of Trade, they shall find need- ful to grant out, until the Weight or Measure of excise- able Commodities may be perfected, but in case the same Debt shall be only charged by the Auditor, upon the Head and Account of the Debtor; provided that no Ticket of Sufferance shall be granted to any Person for above Twenty-eight Days: That the Auditors, in the Course of their Audit, do, together with every Entry or Parcel, examine and allow all Taxes, Trets, and other Abatements and Allowances, which the Commissioners have, or shall make, upon any exciseable Commodities, without charging the Account with any more than the Sum received upon every Entry or Parcel.

5. That such Debts as have arisen, and stand in Ar- rears, upon the Accounts of Excise, either for half Excise of Beer, Ale, or Wine, or for the whole Excise of these or any other Commodities, which are drawn out of the Returns made upon Search at the first Settlement of the Office, and were not made by any Default of the Com- missioners of Excise, be not charged by the Auditors upon the said Commissioners, but set upon the Account of the Debtors.

6. That the Commissioners and the said Auditors may be the better enabled to go forward in their several Places and Trusts, according to the Directions herein prescribed, the Commissioners of Excise shall balance and make up their Books, on the Eleventh of September next, for the Year passed; and deliver the Auditor a Copy of the Re- ceipts, Disbursements, Debts, or Arrears, made and passed during the same Time: Which the Auditors shall, with all Expedition, examine, compare, and prick over, with the Vouchers, Entries, and Books of Accompts, in the several Offices; and, having found and made the same to agree, shall discharge the Commissioners of Excise, and every of them, for One Year together.

7. That, although the Income of some Counties in the Principality of Wales, and in other Places and Parts of the Kingdom, be assigned, by Ordinance of Parlia- ment, for Maintenance of the Forces in those Parts, it shall not be understood, as if the Commissioners, Deputies, or any other Receivers of the said Excise in those Places, should not still account with the Office in London, unto which they shall be quarterly enjoined, as other Sub Commissioners. And the Lords and Commons do fur- ther Ordain and Declare, That, from henceforth, no Receipt shall be diverted, or any Collection of Excise be made, within any of the Parts of the Kingdom, but by Commission only from the chief Office in London.

8. That no Governors and Commanders of any Towns, Castles, Forts, or Armies, under Service of the Parliament, shall seize upon any the Receipts of the Excise, or protect any Person from Payment of the Excise, upon any Oc- casion or Pretence whatsoever.

9. That no Wharfinger, or Keeper of any Wharf, Crane, or any Porter or other Officer at the Custom-house, do take up, or let down, or otherwise permit to be brought on or shipped off the Wharf, any Goods or Merchandizes whatsoever, but in the Presence of an Officer of Excise, who to that Purpose shall be appointed to attend at the Custom-house at all usual Hours and Times accustomed and lately settled by Ordinance of Parliament concerning Customs.