House of Commons Journal Volume 3: 26 November 1644

Die Martis, Novembris 26, 1644.

PRAYERS.

Forces for the West.

RESOLVED, &c. That the Consideration of sending the Regiment of Horse under the Command of Colonel Ludlowe, and the Troops under the Command of Captain Wansey, into the West, be referred to the Committee of both Kingdoms: Who are to confer with the Gentlemen of Wilts, who raised these Troops, about this Business.

Windesore Garison.

Ordered, That Mr. Holland and Mr. Winwood do take care that the Soldiers of Windesore Garison be well mustered: And that, upon the Muster, the Five hundred Pounds now assigned, be distributed and paid amongst them.

Trinity House, &c.

The House being informed, That the Masters and divers Members of the Fraternity of Trinity House, were at the Door, desirous to prefer a Petition;

They were called in; and did prefer a Petition on their own Behalf; and on the Behalf of the Masters and Owners of Ships:

The which, they being withdrawn, were read: And likewise a Petition preferred unto them, from divers Masters and Owners of Ships: And

It is Ordered, That these Petitions be referred to the Consideration of the Committee of the Navy, with the Addition of all the Lawyers of the House, and all the Burgesses of the Ports: And all that will come are to have Voices at this Committee, as to these Petitions.

Arrears of Assessments.

An Ordinance for bringing in the Arrears of the weekly Assessments, was this Day read the Second time; and, upon the Question, passed; and ordered to be sent unto the Lords for their Concurrence.

Publick Stores.

An Ordinance for furnishing the Publick Stores with Saltpetre, and Ammunition, by raising of a Thousand Pounds Monthly, out of the Excise, was this Day read; and, upon the Question, passed; and ordered to be sent unto the Lords for their Concurrence.

Goldsmiths Hall Report.

Ordered, That Mr. Ashe do, on Thursday next, peremptorily, the first Business, make Report from the Committee at Goldsmiths Hall.

Answer from Lords.

Mr. Nicoll brings Answer, That the Lords do agree to the Vote carried up by him, for bringing the Scotts Southward; and that it be referred to the Committee of both Kingdoms accordingly: And as to the rest of the Messages, they will send speedy Answer, by Messengers of their own.

Collieries, &c.

Upon Mr. Blakeston's Report from the Committee of the Navy, and the Committee of the Revenue, joined as to this Purpose;

It is Resolved, upon the Question, That the Earl of Northumberland, Ralphe Maddison, Rob. Bewicke, Tho. Lawrance, Eliz. Grey, Ralph Fewler, and Rob. Younge, shall be restored to their several and respective Collieries and Coals, that are upon the Stathes, Stands, and Collieries.

Church Government.

The House, according to former Order, proceeded to the Consideration of the Directory for Publick Worship, presented from the Assembly of Divines: And

Resolved, That the Clause in the Chapter touching the Administration of the Lord's Supper, concerning such as are to be admitted to the Communion or Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, be committed to Sir Henry Vane, Mr. Rous, Mr. Reynolds, Sir John Potts, Mr. Selden, Mr. Tate, Sir Peter Wentworth, Sir John Holland, Sir Walter Erle, Mr. Salloway, Sir Wm. Strickland, Sir Robert Harley, Mr. Strode, Mr. Lisle, Mr. Whittacre, Sir Gilbert Gerard, Mr. Rolle, Mr. Stephens, Mr. White, Sir H. Heyman, Sir Roger North, Sir Benjamyn Rudyard, Mr. Ashhurst, Mr. Blakeston, Sir John Corbett: And all that will come are to have Voices: And are to meet on Thursday next, at Two post Meridiem, in the Exchequer Chamber: And have Power to consult with such Divines of the Assembly as they shall think fit. And the Care of this Business is especially recommended to Mr. Rows.

The Question being put, Whether these Words, "as in the Church of Scotland," shall stand in that Clause of the Chapter concerning the Administration of the Lord's Supper, touching the Sitting about, or at, the Table;

The House was divided:

The Noes went forth.

So that the Question passed with the Negative.

Resolved, &c. That the Words "ordinary and extraordinary" shall be left out in the Title of the Directory for Publick Worship.

Ordered, That an Ordinance be brought in for the Establishing of this Directory, and putting of it in Execution, and repealing the former Book of Common Prayer, and the Law that establishes the same: And it is referred to the Committee this Day appointed to consider of the Clause concerning such as are to be admitted into the Communion of the Lord's Supper, to prepare this Ordinance, and to bring it in on Friday Morning next: And the Care hereof is especially referred to Mr. White.

The House proceeded likewise to the Consideration of that Paragraph or Chapter of the Directory, that concerns the Sanctification of the Lord's Day: The which was read; and, upon the Question, passed, and assented unto.

The Directory itself being passed, all but that one Clause this Day committed; the Preface was read Clause by Clause; and each particular Clause passed upon the Question.

And then the Title to the Directory was read, and passed; leaving out the Words "ordinary and extraordinary."

Then the whole Directory, and Preface, were together passed, upon the Question; and ordered to be sent unto the Lords for their Concurrence.

Surrey Petition.

The humble Petition of divers Knights, Gentlemen, and others, inhabiting in the West Division of Surrey, was read.

Bailing Prisoners.

The humble Petition of William Tomlinson and Samuell Oates, Prisoners in Norwich Goal, was read: And

Ordered, That the Judge of the King's Bench be desired to bail the Persons who are removed hither upon their Habeas Corpus: And Sir Robert Harley is ordered to go with this Order to the Judge.

Church Government.

Ordered, That the Committee formerly appointed for explaining the Branch of the Statute 35 Eliz. concerning the not coming to Common Prayer, do make Report of that Business on Friday Morning next.

Quartering Soldiers.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee of both Kingdoms, to confer with my Lord General to take a present Course, that the Horse belonging to the Three Armies may be quartered nearer the Enemy, and the Friends to the Parliament eased.

Advance from Excise.

Sir Richard Onsloe, Mr. Prideaux, Sir Robert Harley, Mr. Nicoll, Mr. Trenchard, Mr. Bainton, or any Two of them, are appointed to go to the Commissioners of Excise; and to press them earnestly to advance Three thousand Pounds, for Payment of the Forces under Sir Wm. Waller, being the Residue of the Five thousand Pounds, formerly ordered.

Army Pay.

Ordered, That, on Thursday next, the House do take into Consideration, how to provide for a settled Pay, for the Forces under Sir Wm. Waller. And Mr. Speaker is to put the House in mind thereof.

Kent Petition.

Ordered, That the House do proceed further upon the Kentish Petition, in a Grand Committee, on Thursday next.

Advance from Excise.

Whereas John Towse Esquire, Alderman of the City of London, and the rest of the Commissioners of Excise, and New Impost, have advanced and lent towards Payment of the Garison at Windsore, the Sum of Five hundred Pounds: Be it Ordained, by the Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled, That the said Commissioners of Excise shall and may satisfy and reimburse themselves the said Five hundred Pounds, together with Interest for the same, after the Rate of Eight Pounds per Centum, for so long time as the same, or any Part thereof, shall be forborne, out of such Intervals of time wherein other Receipts upon the Monies arising upon the Excise shall not happen to fall due; or, for want of such Intervals, then as the same shall follow in Course: And shall not, by any other Order or Ordinance of one or both Houses of Parliament, be debarred from satisfying themselves accordingly: And the Receipt of Colonel John Ven for the said Five hundred Pounds shall be a sufficient Discharge to the said Commissioners in that Behalf.

Publick Stores.

Whereas, for the better furnishing of the publick Stores with Gunpowder and Ammunition, several Contracts have been made, as well with such of the Saltpetre-men as are by Ordinance of Parliament authorized to make Saltpetre within this Kingdom, as with Sam. Cordwell and John Beresford, Gunpowder Makers, for the converting of the same, and of such foreign Petre as hath been lately bought of Wm. Courteen and Wm. Toomes Esquires, into Powder: And whereas it is also thought fit, that some convenient Provision of Match and Bullet should be made for the furnishing of the said Stores, to be made use of upon Occasion: It is therefore Ordained, by the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, That the Sum of Six thousand Pounds shall be raised and paid out of the Excise or New Impost, for doing and carrying on the said Work in Manner and Form following; videlicet (fn. a) "Two thousand Pounds thereof upon Passing of the Ordinance; and the other Four thousand Pounds at Three Months and Three Months after, by equal Portions," unto Sir Walter Earle Knight, Lieutenant of the Ordnance, (fn. b) for the Uses and Purposes aforesaid: And that the Receipt of the said Sir Walter Erle, from time to time, for them, shall be their sufficient Discharge in that Behalf.

Arrears of Assessments.

Whereas, by an Ordinance of the Twenty-sixth of March last, the Lords . . . Commons in Parliament assembled, did ordain, that there should be monthly charged and levied upon the Cities of London and Westminster, the Hamlets of the Tower, the Borough of Southwark, and all other Parishes and Places within the Lines of Communication, and weekly Bills of Mortality, the Sum of Six thousand Nine hundred Sixty-two Pounds Four Shillings; and upon the County of Middlesex, without the said Limits, the Sum of One thousand Fourscore and Seventeen Pounds Eleven Shillings; for the Maintenance and Payment of the Army under the immediate Command of the Earl of Essex Lord General of the Forces raised by the Parliament, and other Things in the said Ordinance mentioned, for the Space of Four Months, to commence from the Twentieth Day of March One thousand Six hundred and Forty-three, accounting Twenty-eight Days to the Month; to be assessed, levied, collected, and paid unto Sir Gilbert Gerard, Baronet, in such Manner, and by such Ways and Means, as in and by the said Ordinance is mentioned and expressed: And whereas, by another Ordinance of the Fourth of October last, the said Lords and Commons did ordain, That the greatest Part of the Sums due and payable by virtue of the said former Ordinance, which were then in Arrear, should, by the said Sir Gilbert Gerard, be paid over to Sir Walter Erle Knight, Lieutenant of the Ordnance, for the Uses therein limited and expressed; enjoining all and every such Persons as by the said first recited Ordinance were appointed to collect and levy the said Arrears, forthwith to proceed effectually therein, and to make Payment of the same in such manner as in and by the said first-recited Ordinance was formerly appointed: Notwithstanding which, through the Carelessness and Negligence of many of those Persons, who, by the said first-recited Ordinance, were nominated and appointed to collect and levy the said Sums, very little of the said Arrears hath since that time been brought in and paid unto the said Sir Gilbert Gerard, or his Assigns: The Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled, do now therefore Ordain, That if any Person or Persons, by virtue of the said first-recited Ordinance, nominated and appointed to collect, levy, or pay, any of the Sums before-mentioned, shall wilfully neglect or refuse to perform the same, the Lord Mayor of the City of London for the Time being, or any Two Aldermen of the said City within the same, and the Liberties thereof, and the respective Committees without the said City, and the Liberties thereof, for the City of Westminster, the Borough of Southwark, and County of Middlesex, by virtue of the said first-recited Ordinance, respectively nominated and appointed as aforesaid, or any Five of them, have hereby Power to commit such Person or Persons so refusing or neglecting to Prison, there to remain without Bail or Mainprize, until he shall conform himself; or otherwise, to impose upon such Person or Persons, for every Time so refusing or neglecting to perform the said Service, or their Duties therein, such Fine or Fines as to them shall be thought fit; and cause the same to be levied by Distress and Sale of Goods, in such Manner and Form as in and by the said first-recited Ordinance, for and concerning such Persons as should refuse and neglect to pay the Sums of Money whereat they should be rated or assessed by virtue of that Ordinance, is limited and appointed. Provided that no Fine so imposed, shall, for any one Offence, exceed the Sum of Five Pounds.