House of Commons Journal Volume 5: 23 December 1646

Die Mercurii, 23 Decembris, 1646.

Prayers.

East India Company.

UPON the humble Petition of the Governor and Company of Merchants of London, trading into the East-Indies;

It is Ordered, upon the Question, That the Governor and Company of Merchants of London, trading into the East Indies, shall have Leave to export out of this Kingdom of England, in the Ship Farewell, foreign Coin, or foreign Bullion, to the Value of Ten thousand Pounds Sterling: And that the Commissioners of the Customs, and all Customers, Searchers, Comptrollers, and other Officers and Ministers, in the several Custom Houses and Ports of this Kingdom, do permit and suffer the said foreign Coin, or foreign Bullion to the Value aforesaid, to be exported in the said Ship Farewell accordingly.

Irish Affairs.

Upon Mr. Robert Goodwyn's Report from the Committee of Lords and Commons at Derby-House, of some Propositions made to the said Committee by the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland; the which was read;

It is Resolved, &c. That the Sum of Five thousand Pounds be paid by the Committee at Goldsmiths-hall, to Sir Adam Loftus, Vice Treasurer of the Kingdom of Ireland, or his Deputy, for the Service of Ireland: And that if any Person or Persons shall advance, by way of Loan, the said Five thousand Pounds, or any Part thereof, for the Service aforesaid; that the said Committee do pay Interest, at the End of every Six Months, unto such Person and Persons, their Executors or Assigns, which shall advance the same, or any Part thereof, after the Rate of Eight Pounds per Cent. per Annum, for what they shall so lend, so long as the same shall be forborne.

And it is further Ordered, That the Acquittance of the said Vice Treasurer, or his Deputy, and of the respective Persons which shall advance the said Five thousand Pounds, or any Part thereof, shall be a good Discharge to the said Committee, and the Treasurers there for the Payment thereof, and Interest accordingly.

Ordered, &c. That Interest, after the Rate of Eight Pounds per Cent. per Annum, shall be allowed, and paid by the Committee at Goldsmiths-hall, at the End of every Six Months, to any Person or Persons that shall, by way of Loan, advance or lend the Sum of Sixteen thousand Pounds; formerly charged upon the Receipts of Monies at Goldsmiths-hall aforesaid, for the Service of the Kingdom of Ireland: And that the Acquittance of the Vicetreasurer of Ireland, and of the Lenders of the said Sixteen thousand Pounds, or any Part thereof, shall be a good Discharge to the said Committee, and the Treasurers there, for the Payment of the said Sixteen thousand Pounds, or Interest, accordingly.

Resolved, &c. That the Four Towns in the Province of Munster, under the Obedience of the Parliament, be well fortified, and furnished with good Magazines of all Sorts of Provisions and Ammunition: And that it be referred to the Committee for the Affairs of Ireland at Derby-house to consider, What Fortifications will be further necessary for the Securing of those Towns; and to prepare an Estimate of the Charge, both of Fortifying of them, and of supplying them with sufficient Magazines; and to make Report to the House; and where and how Monies may be raised to these Purposes.

Resolved, &c. That it be referred to the Committee for the Affairs of Ireland at Derby-house to consider, What Towns in Ulster and Connaught are fit to be fortified, and magazined; and to prepare an Estimate of the Charge of that Service; and to report it to the House; and where and how Monies may be railed to these Purposes.

Resolved, &c. That this House doth declare, that they will prosecute and carry on an offensive War in Ireland, for the Regaining of that Kingdom to the Obedience of the Kingdom of England: And that it be referred to the Committee for the Affairs of Ireland at Derby-house to consider of some certain Foundation for a certain Way of Subsistence for those Forces that are already in Ireland, under the Command of the Parliament; and to consider, What further Number of Forces will be necessary to be sent over thither, for the carrying on the War there, and Prosecuting of it vigorously in an offensive Way; and to consider of and prepare a settled Way for the Payment and Entertainment of those Forces.

Grant to Lady Moore, &c.

Upon Sir Phillipp Stapilton's Report from the Committee for Irish Affairs:

Resolved, &c. That the former Order, of 19 Augusti, 1646, for granting the Sum of Three hundred Pounds unto Alice Lady Moore, Relict of Charles Viscount Moore, of Droheda, deceased, for her present Subsistence; and Two hundred Pounds per Annum for her future Maintenance; in Part of the Monies due upon her Husband's Entertainment, out of the Estate of the Lady Duchess of Buckingham, in Rutlandshire, be vacated and made void: And that, in lieu thereof, the Sum of One thousand Pounds be paid by the Committee at Goldsmiths-hall, out of the Fine or Composition of Wm. Bromley, of Babington, in the County of Warwicke, Esquire, unto the said Lady Alice Moore, or her Assigns; in Part of the Monies due upon her said Husband's Entertainment: And that the Acquittance of the said Lady Moore, or her Assigns, shall be a good Discharge to the said Committee at Goldsmithshall, and the Treasurers there, for the Payment thereof, accordingly.

Upon the like Report;

It is Resolved, &c. That the Sum of Three hundred Pounds be allowed and paid to Mrs. Mary Chichester, for the present Subsistence of her and her Children; and that, for her and their future Maintenance, the Sum of Three hundred Pounds per Annum, during the Pleasure of both Houses of Parliament, to be accounted as Part of the Monies due to her deceased Husband, upon his Entertainment: And that this Three hundred Pounds for her present Subsistence, be paid to the said Mrs. Chichester, or her Assigns, out of the sequestered Estate of the Lord Brudenall, so soon as it can be raised; and likewise the said Three hundred Pounds per Annum, as it shall grow due, half-yearly: And the several and respective Sequestrators in these Counties where the Estate of the said Lord Brudnell lies, are hereby required to make due Payment of the said Sum of Three hundred Pounds, and Three hundred Pounds per Annum, accordingly.

Ordered, &c. That the Sum of Four Pounds per Week be paid to the Lady Ruth Denny, Relict of Sir Edwarl Denny Knight, deceased, out of the Receipts at Haberdashers-hall, for the Maintenance of the said Lady, and her Seven Children: The said weekly Payment to continue during the Pleasure of both Houses.

The Lords Concurrence to be desired herein.

Bisiops Lards.

Resolved, &c. That, after the Word "Register" in the End of the Twenty-seventh Line of the Second Page of the Ordinance concerning the Surveyors Oath, formerly sent to the Lords, and returned from them with some Amendments, all, to the Word "and," in the Fifteenth Line of the Third Page, be left out.

Sir Wm. Lewes is appointed to go to the Lords, to desire their Concurrence, in leaving out the said Clause.

Sir Wm. Lewes brings Answer, That the Lords will send Answer by Messengers of their own.

Gen Leven.

A Letter from General Leven, from Newcastle, of 17 Decembris, 1646, was this Day read.

Ordered, &c. That Sir Thomas Widdrington and Mr. Thorpe do prepare a Letter to be sent to the General Leven, to acquaint him with the Desires of this House, according to the Votes of both Houses, that the Army, upon their Marching away, may levy no Monies upon the Country.

Resolved, &c. That the Committee formerly appointed to take Care that the Jewel ordered to be provided for General Leven, do take such Care, that the said Jewel may be forthwith fitted and made ready: And Mr. Allen, to whom the Care of fitting this Jewel is referred, do make it ready with all Speed. And Mr. Jesson is added to this Committee.

Treaty with Scotland.

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

The Lords have commanded us to deliver unto you the Articles of the Treaty, with some Alterations desired by the Scotts Commissioners; which the Lords agree to; and desire your Concurrence.

They likewise send you the Names of Hostages, to be given to the Kingdom of England; whereof they give you the Choice of Six; which the Lords think fit to refer to the Members of both Houses, that are of the Committee of both Kingdoms, to chuse Six out of them; and that they may have Power to sign the Articles, and consummate the Treaty.

Ditto.

Resolved, &c. That this House doth agree with the Lords in the Alteration, desired by the Commissioners of Scotland, in the Fifteenth Article; viz. that after these Words, "Treaty for Berwicke," these Words be added, viz. "which shall accordingly be slighted within Ten Days after the Payment of the last Hundred thousand Pounds."

Resolved, &c. That this House doth agree with the Lords in the Alteration desired by the Commissioners of Scotland, to be made in the Seventeenth Article; viz. That whereas the Words did run "the Publick Faith of the Kingdom of England shall be given," to be thus altered, "the Publick Faith of the Kingdom of England is hereby given."

Resolved, &c. That this House doth agree with the Lords in referring it to the Members of both Houses, that are of the Committee of both Kingdoms, to consider of the Names of Hostages offered to the Houses by the Commissioners of Scotland; and to make Choice of Six of them.

Resolved, &c. That this House doth agree with the Lords, That the Members of both Houses, that are of the Committee of both Kingdoms, shall have power to sign the Articles, and to consummate the Treaty.

Sir Walter Riddell Knight, George Hume of Wedberburne, Esquire, Sir Patricke Mackgie Knight, Alexander Thornton, of Strachan, Esquire, Sir James Wood Knight, Sir James Lumsdaine younger, Knight, Sir Arthur Forbes, Knight, Thomas Craig, of Rikkarton, Esquire, Sir William Ker Knight, Robert Douglas, of Tilliwhilly, Esquire, Colonel John Welden, John Leisle, of Pitcaple, Esquire, or any Six of them.

Duke of York.

Mr. Prideaux reports, from the Conference this Day had with the Lords, concerning the Endeavour to carry away the Duke of Yorke, That the Lords have appointed a Committee of Nine Lords, to examine such Persons, in the Presence of some of the Members of the House of Commons, as shall be brought before them, touching an Attempt for the Conveying away of the Duke of Yorke; and to consider, What Directions are fit to be given to the Earl of Northumberland, for the preventing such Attempts in the future: And they desire you to appoint a proportionable Number: And that they may meet about this Business this Afternoon, at Two of the Clock, in the Prince's Lodgings; and report the same: And that the Lords did refer the Particulars to be related by the Earl of Northumberland: Two of the Parties, one Colonel Villiers, and Hill, are in Custody, under the Black Rod; the other, one Johnson, is fled.

He further reported an Ordinance for the Discovery of one Richard Johnson, a Servant to his Majesty, who had a hand in this Design.

Mr. Knightley reports, That the Earl of Northumberland said, He had Intelligence of this Business on Wednesday Sevennight: And that he went to the Duke, and asked him, If there were not any such Endeavour: And the Duke told him, No: That he asked the Duke of it again: And he told him, No; though not with the same Confidence; which gave my Lord greater Cause of Suspicion: That he had Information, That one Hill, who was the Duke's Barber, and had lived with my Lord about Seven or Eight Years, and was of good Report amongst his Servants, was privy to it: And that his Lordship examined Hill about it. But he denied it with strong Asseverations and Oaths: But my Lord, having a Suspicion of him, commanded Hill not to come in the Duke's Presence; and commanded the rest of his Servants, that the Duke should not be out of their Sight, at any time, either at Home or Abroad: That his Lordship found, that one Johnson had brought Letters from the King to the Duke: That the Duke had sent Hill to one Colonel Villiers, who is now in Custody, and to Johnson: And Hill not coming to the Duke again for Two or Three Days, the Duke seemed to be troubled at it: That my Lord, having further Knowledge of this Design, asked the Duke again, Why he would endeavour to go away from him? That the Duke answered, It was out of Kindness and Duty to his Father, who had sent for him, either to come to him to Newcastle, or to go into France: That, if the Parties will not confess it, he believes the Duke hath so much Ingenuity in him as to do it himself.

Sir John Evelyn of Wiltes, Mr. Wm. Pierepont, Colonel White, Mr. Prideaux, Mr. Scawen, Sir John Hippesley, Mr. Love, Sir Thomas Widdrington, Mr. Nicholls, Sir Peter Wentworth, Mr. Dennis Bond, Mr. Lisle, Sir John D'Anvers, Sir William Allenson, Sir Michaell Livesey, Col. Birch, Sir Richard Skevington, Mr. Wheeler;

This Committee are appointed to meet with a proportionable Number of the Lords, this Afternoon, at Two of the Clock, in the Prince's Lodgings; and to be present at the Examination of such Persons as shall be brought before the said Committee, touching the Conveying away of the Duke of Yorke: And are to consider, What Directions are fit to be given to the Earl of Northumberland, for the preventing such Attempts for the future; which shall be his Indemnity, he observing the same; and to report.

An Ordinance, delivered this Day by the Lords, at the Conference, forbidding to harbour or conceal Richard Johnson, one of his Majesty's Servants, who lately endeavoured to convey the Duke of York to Newcastle, or into some Parts beyond the Seas, was read; and, upon the Question, passed; and ordered that it be forthwith printed and published. And that the Care of the speedy Publishing hereof be referred to the Committee of the Militia of the City of London.

Lord Lieut. of Ireland.

Upon Report from the Committee for the Affairs of Ireland, at Darby House, of the Lord Lieutenant's earnest Desire and Readiness to receive the Command and Resolution of the Houses, concerning his going into Ireland.

It is Resolved, &c. That this House doth agree with the Opinion of the Committee, that the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland do forthwith make his Repair to Munster, in Ireland.