House of Commons Journal Volume 4: 2 September 1646

Die Mercurii, 2 Septembris, 1646.

Prayers.

ORdered, That Sir Charles Egerton, a Member of this House, shall have Leave to go into the Country.

Resolved, &c. That a Message be sent to the Lords, to press them to expedite the Ordinance for continuing the Committee and Treasurers of the Army, in regard of the urgent and instant Necessity thereof.

Sir John D'Anvers is appointed to go to the Lords with this Message.

An Ordinance for punishing and preventing the Publishing, Spreading, Growth, and Maintaining of any heretical or blasphemous Opinions, was this Day read the First time; and ordered, upon the Question, to be now read the Second time.

The which done, it was, upon the Question, committed unto a Committee of the whole House. And

It is Resolved, &c. That the House be resolved into a Grand Committee on Wednesday next, at Ten of the Clock, to consider of this Ordinance.

Sir Robert Harley, according to the Order Yesterday, carried to the Lords, for their Concurrence, the Order for Continuance of the Commissioners of the Seale: And was to acquaint them with the other Particulars of the said Order.

Mr. Lisle reports Mr. Arthur Staveley's Case: Which was, That Mrs. Stavely, his Wife, did petition the Lords House; and set forth in that her Petition, That she had formerly petitioned the King for Alimony: Which Petition was referred to some of the Lords Referrees; who made an Order, and, in their Order, expressed it to be made by Mr. Staveley's Consent; whereby he was ordered to pay unto her Forty Pounds per Annum, and Twenty Pounds Costs. To which Petition Mr. Stavely put in his Answer: Which was, That he was forced to consent, by Menaces of the Archbishop of Canterbury, to pay the Forty Pounds per Annum; and that the Payment was but conditionally, so long as she remained at her Father's House in the Country; and that he duly paid her that Allowance for that Time; but that she left her Father's House, eloped, and lived in Adultery at London: For which, and divers other Causes set forth in his Answer, refused to continue that Payment: And that, sithence, he hath, for his Service to the Parliament (being One of the Committee at Leicester), been plundered of his whole Estate; and so is disabled to pay the said Forty Pounds per Annum: That, for not Payment thereof, the Lords had made several Orders; one of the Twentieth of February 1644; the which was read; and likewise an Order of the Twenty-eighth of August 1645, for the Commitment of the said Mr. Staveley to the Fleet, for his Contempt, in disobeying the Orders of the House of Peers.

Ordered, That a Committee be nominated, to prepare Reasons to be offered to the Lords at a Conference upon this Case, for Mr. Staveley's Discharge; and likewise to prepare and bring in an Ordinance for the Limitation of the Proceedings of both the Houses, in Matters of private Interest: And

Mr. Lisle, Mr. Whitelock, Mr. Prideaux, Mr. Strode, Mr. Selden, Mr. Marten, the Lord Mounson, Mr. Rous, Sir Arthur Hesilrige, Mr. Ellis, Mr. Nelthorpe, Mr. Reynolds, Mr. Gott, and Mr. Lane, are appointed to be this Committee: And any Three of them are to meet upon it, at Two of the Clock this Afternoon, in the DuchyChamber; and so from time to time.

Sir Henry Vane junior reports, from the Commissioners of Scotland, a Paper of the Second of this instant September, in Answer to the Votes of this House, Yesterday communicated unto them, concerning the Offer of Four hundred thousand Pounds to be paid to the Kingdom of Scotland, in Manner expressed in the said Votes: The which was read.

Sir John D'Anvers brings Answer, That, to the Message carried by him to the Lords, concerning the expediting the Ordinance for continuing the Committee and Treasurers of the Army, the Lords will send Answer by Messengers of their own.

The Question being propounded, That this House doth declare, That they do adhere to their former Votes, as to the Time and Manner of the Payment of the Four hundred thousand Pounds to the Kingdom of Scotland;

The Question was put, That this Question should be now put: And

It passed with the Affirmative.

And then the Question itself being put;

It is Resolved, &c. That this House doth declare, That they do adhere to their former Votes, as to the Time and Manner of the Payment of the Four hundred thousand Pounds to the Kingdom of Scotland.

Ordered, &c. That the Members of this House that are of the Committee of both Kingdoms, or any Four of them, do communicate this Vote to the Scotts Commissioners this Afternoon: And have Power to offer unto them Reasons why this House doth adhere to their former Votes; and to confer with them about the Place for the Receiving of their Monies; and to declare unto them, That this House doth expect, that, upon the Payment to them of the first One hundred thousand Pounds, as aforesaid, their Armies and Forces do march out of this Kingdom: And are to report the same To-morrow Morning.

Ordered, &c. That the Letter from the Committee at Yorke be read To-morrow Morning, the first Business.

Ordered, &c. That the Ordinance for the County of Chester be reported To-morrow Morning.

Ordered, &c. That, after the Report of the Ordinance for the County of Chester, the House do take into Consideration the Provision of Monies for the Scotts Army.

Ordered, &c. That Mr. Strode, a Member of this House, shall have Leave to go into the Country.