House of Commons Journal Volume 4: 25 May 1646

Die Lunæ, 25 Maii, 1646.

Prayers.

A Letter from Sir Thomas Fairfax General, of 22 Maii 1646, with several intercepted Letters inclosed, was this Day read.

Also one of the intercepted Letters, being from Sir Thomas Glemham, of 21 Maii 1646, to Mr. Ashbournham, was likewise read.

Ordered, That the several intercepted Letters in Characters be delivered over to Sir Walter Erle; to the end the said Letters in Cypher may be decyphered.

And the said Letters were delivered to Sir Walter Erle accordingly; being Five in Number.

A Letter from the Scotts Commissioners, from Worcester-House, of 25 Maii 1646, with a Paper inclosed, containing the true State of the Proceedings of the Committee of Estates of the Kingdom of Scotland, residing with the Scottish Army, concerning Mr. John Ashbournham, and others, that came with the King into the Scottish Army, were this Day read.

The Vote for sending for Mr. Ashbournham, and all other Persons that came with the King into the Scotts Army before Newarke, in safe Custody, as Delinquents, of 6 Maii 1646, post meridiem, and the Warrant thereupon to the Serjeant at Arms, were this Day read.

A Message from the Lords, by Doctor Aylett and Doctor Heath;

The Lords have commanded us to bring you this Ordinance: It is for Mr. Spinckes to have a Living in Northamptonshire; to which they desire your Concurrence: And this Order for a Provision for the Princess Henrietta; to which they desire your Concurrence.

The Ordinance for Mr. Spinckes to be Minister of Caster in the County of Northampton was read; and, upon the Question, assented unto.

The Order for Provision of the Princess Henrietta was read.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee for the King's Children, to take care for the Bringing and Placing of the Princess Henrietta to the other Two Children; and to discharge the Company and Attendance that are now with the said Princess. And

It is further Ordered, That the said Committee do consider what Allowance is fit to be made for her Maintenance; and to confer with the Committee of the Revenue about it: Who are hereby ordered to pay the same accordingly.

Resolved, &c. That One thousand Pounds be allowed, upon Account, out of the Excise-Office of Exeter, towards the Maintenance of the Garison there: And the Commissioners of Excise are hereby required to give Order and Warrant for the Payment of the said One thousand Pounds unto such Person or Persons as the Committee of the West shall direct and appoint.

The Lords Concurrence to be desired herein.

Answer returned by the same Messengers;

The House hath considered your Message: And, as to the Ordinance for Mr. Spinckes to be Minister of Caster in the County of Northampton; they do agree: And, as to the Order for Maintenance of the Princess Henrietta, they will send Answer by Messengers of their own.

Mr. Jesson reports, from the Committee, a Letter to be sent to the Prince of Wales.

Which was read.

Resolved, &c. That the Place to which the Prince shall be desired to come to, shall be Richmond in Surrey, to reside there in such Manner as in the former Letter from both Houses to him is expressed.

Which being inserted to the Letter, as it was brought in from the Committee; the said Letter was, upon the Question, assented unto; and ordered to be sent unto the Lords for their Concurrence.

Mr. Jesson is appointed to carry it to the Lords.

Mr. Jesson carried to the Lords, for their Concurrence, the Letter to be sent to the Prince: The Vote for adding of Sir William Waller and Mr. Wallop to the Committee for Irish Affairs: The Order for Twenty Pounds, out of Haberdashers-Hall, for the Burying of Captain Hall: The Order for One thousand Pounds, out of the ExciseOffice at Exeter, for Maintenance of the Forces of that Garison: An Ordinance for a Pardon unto Richard Brereton Esquire, for his Delinquency: An Ordinance for a Pardon unto Three of the Warrens, for their Delinquencies: An Ordinance for a Pardon unto Sir Christopher Athowe, for his Delinquency.

The Vote of 6 Maii instant, post meridiem, concerning Mr. Ashburnham; and the Warrant to the Serjeant at Arms, and his Deputies, for Apprehending of him; were read again.

The House being informed, That Mr. Walford and Mr. Friend, the Two Deputies to the Serjeant at Arms, who were intrusted with the said Warrant, were at the Door;

They were called in: And Mr. Walford related to the House the Manner of their Proceedings for the Execution of the said Warrant: And that General Leven told them, Mr. Ashbournham could not be delivered to them, until there was a Treaty first had with the Commissioners of the Parliament of England; and that Letters were sent to them concerning the same: Which Letters were carried by one Mr. Perkins.

A Letter from the Commissioners of both Houses, appointed to reside with the Scotts Army before Newarke, from Lincolne, of 9 Maii 1646: A Copy of a Letter from General Leven, to the Commissioners of both Houses, of 9 Maii 1646, from Doncaster: A Copy of a Letter from the Commissioners of the Kingdom of Scotland, of 9 Maii 1646, to the Commissioners of both Houses of Parliament: A Letter from the Commissioners of both Houses, of 11 Maii, Twelve at Night, from Bawtry: A Copy of a Letter from the Commissioners of both Houses to the Commissioners of the Parliament of Scotland, of 11 Maii 1646, from Bawtry: A Copy of a Letter from the Commissioners of the Parliament of Scotland to the Commissioners of the Parliament of England, of 10 Maii 1646, from Wetherby: A Copy of a Letter from the Commissioners of the Parliament of England to the Commissioners of the Parliament of Scotland, of 12 Maii 1646, from Bawtry: A Letter from the Commissioners of both Houses of the Parliament of England, of 17 Maii 1646, from Lincolne: A Copy of a Letter from the Commissioners of the Parliament of Scotland to the Commissioners of the Parliament of England, from Newcastle, of the Fifteenth of May 1646: A Copy of a Proclamation set forth by General Leven, at Newcastle, the Fifteenth of May 1646: A Letter from the Commissioners of the Parliament of England, of 19 Maii 1646, from Lincolne: A Copy of a Letter from the Commissioners of the Parliament of Scotland to Lieutenant-General Leslie, of 16 Maii, from Newcastle: A Copy of a Letter from Colonel Copley to the Committee at War at Yorke, from Topliffe, of 17 Maii 1646: A Copy of a Letter from the Committee of War at Yorke, to the Commissioners of both Houses at Lincolne, of 18 Maii 1646, from Yorke: A Letter from the Scotts Commissioners, from Worcester-House, of 25 Maii 1646; together with a Paper inclosed, concerning Mr. Ashbournham.

Mr. Jesson brings Answer from the Lords, That they will send Answer to the several Messages carried by him, by Messengers of their own.

Mr. Pierepont acquainted the House with the Matter of Fact, and Proceedings of the Commissioners of the Parliament of England, concerning their Demanding of Mr. Ashbournham, and such others as came with the King into the Scotts Army.

The House being informed, That Mr. Blackborne, who was Secretary to the Commissioners of the Parliament, was at the Door:

He was called in; and related the several Passages touching his Employment and Proceedings concerning the Demanding of Mr. Ashbournham.

The Examination of Michael Hudson, late of Queen'sCollege in Oxford, Clerk, taken at Newcastle upon Tyne, the Fifteenth Day of this instant May, before Henry Dawson Esquire, Deputy-Mayor there, and other his Majesty's Justices of the said Town, was read.

The several Examinations of John Person, of Newarke in the County of Nottingham, Barber; and of John Browne, of St. Ives in Huntingtonshire, Innkeeper, taken at Newcastle upon Tyne the Eighteenth Day of this instant May, before Henry Dawson Esquire, Deputy-Mayor there, and others; were this Day read.

Resolved, &c. That the Members of this House that were Commissioners appointed by both Houses to reside with the Forces before Newarke, do state, in Writing, the whole Matter of Fact, concerning their whole Proceedings, in the Demand of Mr. Ashbournham, and others, that came with the King to the Scotts Army; and of their whole Knowledge therein; and of the Relations made by the Messengers and Gentlemen employed in this Service.

A Message from the Lords, by Sir Edward Leech and Mr. Page;

The Lords desire a Conference, by Committees of both Houses, to communicate unto this House a Letter they have received from the King, and likewise some Letters and Papers they have received from the Scotts Commissioners, presently, in the Painted Chamber, if it may stand with the Conveniency of this House.

Resolved, &c. That this House doth agree to give a present Conference, as is desired.

Answer returned by the same Messengers; That this House hath considered their Lordships Message; and do agree to a present Conference, as is desired.

Sir Wm. Lewes, Sir John Evelyn, Mr. Holles, Mr. Rous, Sir Gilbert Gerard, Sir Henry Vane junior, are appointed Reporters of this Conference.

Resolved, &c. That Fifty Pounds be paid unto Edward Walford and Edward Friend, Deputies to the Serjeant at Arms, employed by the Serjeant to execute the Warrant of this House for the Apprehending of Mr. John Ashbournham, and such others as came with the King to the Scotts Army; and now employed to Newcastle, for the apprehending and bringing up Michael Hudson Clerk: And that this Fifty Pounds be charged upon the Monies that come in at Goldsmiths-Hall, not charged for Sir Thomas Fairefaxe's Army: And that the said Fifty Pounds be forthwith paid, in regard of the present Occasion of the Service.

Sir William Lewes reports, from the Conference with the Lords, divers Letters and Papers, which were the Matter of that Conference: Whereof the first was a Letter from his Majesty, from Newcastle, of 18 Maii 1646, directed to the Speaker of the House of Peers pro tempore, to be communicated to the Lords and Commons of Parliament at Westminster, and to the Commissioners for the Kingdom of Scotland: Also a Letter to Sir Thomas Glemham, Governor of Oxford; with a Paper from the Lords, containing their Sense upon the said Letters.

He farther reported, That the Lords desired, That the Propositions, formerly sent from their Lordships, concerning the City of London, and That concerning Delinquents, may be dispatched: And that the Lords had appointed a Committee of Nine Lords, to consider of honourable Conditions to be offered to the City of Oxford, for Sparing of the Shedding of innocent Blood; and desired, That this House would name a proportionable Number to join with them: And that what should be resolved on by that Committee, should be sent to Sir Thomas Fairefaxe.

He farther reported a Letter from the Scotts Commissioners, of 25 Maii 1646, from Worcester-House: A Letter from the Commissioners of the Parliament of Scotland, of 19 Maii 1646, from Newcastle, to the Committee of both Kingdoms at Derby-House: Several Papers presented to his Majesty from the Committee of Estates of the Kingdom of Scotland, of Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth of May instant, at Newcastle: Also of a Copy of his Majesty's Letter, of 19 Maii 1646, from Newcastle, to the Committee of Estates of the Kingdom of Scotland: And that the Lords did declare, That they did conceive these Letters and Papers did justify a great Fairness and Integrity of the Kingdom of Scotland, and of their Commissioners; and desire, That, as they had given their Members of the Committee of both Kingdoms Power to communicate so much to the Commissioners of the Kingdom of Scotland here, that this House would give like Power to the Members of this House: And that they might have Power to draw Letters, to be sent to the Committee of the Estates of the Kingdom of Scotland, in Answer to these Letters, to testify as much to them; and to assure them, that the Houses will be careful to observe all Things, which they are obliged to by the Covenant and Treaties.

Ordered, &c. That this Report be taken into Consideration, the first Business, To-morrow Morning.