House of Lords Journal Volume 4: 4 March 1642

DIE Veneris, videlicet, 4 die Martii.

PRAYERS.

Witness in Ld. Digby's Cause.

Mr. Tho. Killegrew was sworn, who is to be examined by the Lords Committees, in the Cause concerning the Lord Digby.

Absent Lords excused.

Boteler the Queen's Cup-Bearer arrested.

Upon the Petition of Allen Boteler, Cup-bearer to the Queen, complaining "That he is arrested, contrary to the Privilege of Parliament, and desiring that he may be released, and enjoy the Benefit of the said Privilege;" it is Ordered, That, if the Earl of Dorset, Lord Chamberlain to the Queen, shall signify to this House, that the said Allen Boteler is the Queen's Servant in Ordinary, then he is to be released from the said Imprisonment, and enjoy the Privilege of Parliament.

Riot in the King's Bench Prison.

The Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench informed this House of a great Riot lately committed at the Prison of The King's Bench, in Southwarke.

Hereupon Sir John Lenthall, Knight, and Thomas Lenthall his Son, were called in; and, at the Bar, upon Oath, gave this Information as followeth:

Sir Jo. and Mr. Lenthall's Information concerning it.

"Upon Complaint of a forcible Entry and Detainer by Sir William Middleton, Baronet, and others, of the Prison House of the King's Bench, the same Force and Detainer was enquired of, and found, by a lawful Jury of the said County, before His Majesty's Justices of Peace, in February last; and a Writ of Restitution was awarded by the said Justices unto William Price, Esquire, High Sheriff of the said County, for the Re-delivery of the Possession of the said Prison House unto Sir John Lenthall. Thereupon, on Tuesday last, the High Sheriff went to the King's Bench Prison, and desired to speak with Sir William Middleton, but he would not be spoken with; and the Prisoners answered the High Sheriff that they would not yield, but spend the last Drop of Blood in their Bodies for Sir William Middleton, as the High Sheriff related.

"Whereupon the said Sheriff, for the Execution of the said Writ, made his Warrants to the several Constables within the Borough of Southwarke, to command the Householders there to be ready to attend him at St. Margarett's Hill, in Southwarke aforesaid, upon Wednesday last, being the Second Day of this Instant March, by Seven of the Clock in the Morning, to assist him in the Execution of the Service aforesaid.

"A great Number of the said Householders did there appear; where a Multitude of them being drawn together, they did fall into a great and dangerous Mutiny, striving with Violence to enter the Room, and break in at the Windows, where the said Sheriff and Sir John Lenthall was; and did, with great Outcries and Shouts, demand Money of them; whereupon the said Sheriff caused Proclamation to be made there Three several Times, that every Man should depart Home to their several Habitations in Peace, and desist from their Violence and Riots.

"All which notwithstanding, they did refuse to obey the Sheriff's Proclamation and Command, and did with great Outrage and Violence seize upon the said Sheriff's Person, and of divers others in his Company, to the great Danger and Peril of their Lives, who, desirous to be freed from the Danger, got from them into several Houses near thereunto, which the Rioters endeavoured to pull down upon their Heads, until they were enforced to come forth of the said Houses unto them.

"Afterwards they enforced the said Sheriff to go to the Town Hall, where, by great Violence, they compelled him to give Money, to the Value of Five and Twenty Pounds at least, to One Thousand Persons of their Company, by Six Pence a Man, as the Sheriff also related; yet, they not being satisfied therewith, he was enforced to get upon Mens Shoulders, and to creep forth of the Top of the said Town Hall, and so to free himself forth of their Danger, for the saving of his Life.

"Great Multitudes of other Persons, to the Number of Six or Seven Hundred at the least, did beset the said House where Sir John Lenthall was, and, without any Provocation, did make great Outcries, saying they would have the Person of Sir John Lenthall; and did with great Violence break open the Doors of the said House, being shut against them, and came violently up into the Chamber where he was, and, being armed with several Weapons, required Money of him, otherwise they that were below would seize upon his Person; whereupon they enforced him to deliver them such Sums of Money as they demanded, and likewise wished him to send down his Servant Thomas Johnson, with other Sums of Money, for divers others of their Company which were below Stairs about the said House.

"That thereupon Thomas Johnson carrying down the said Money to the Persons, they seized likewise upon his Person, and inforced him to give them the said Money, and did beat him down to the Ground with their Staves and Halberts, and detained him amongst them with the like Violence One Hour, or thereabouts, to the great Danger of his Life.

"Thereupon the said Sir John Lenthall did get forth at (fn. 1) a Back Door of the said House into another Place, where he was enforced to stay until almost Night, to shelter himself from their Violence; which the said Rioters, having searched the said House, perceiving the said Sir John Lenthall to be gone, they immediately ran up to Sir John Lenthall's House, where his Wife and Family were; and the said Rioters, being all of them weaponed as aforesaid, did beset the said House, and violently break into the same, and inforced his Servants (his Wife and Children being fled away, to save their Lives, and to prevent their Fury) to give unto them great Sums of Money, so that the several Sums of Money, which they inforced from Sir John Lenthall as aforesaid, and from his Servants, doth amount in all unto Forty Pounds, and upwards, besides several other Sums of Money which they inforced from other of your Informants Neighbours, being Strangers unto them.

"John Lenthall.
Tho. Lenthall."

Sir William Middleton and the Sheriff of Surrey, and his Deputy, to attend.

Upon this Information, this House Ordered, That the High Sheriff of the County of Surrey, and Sir William Midleton, Baronet, and the Under Sheriff of the said County, shall attend this House on Saturday the 5th of this Instant March, at Nine of the Clock' in the Morning.

Message from the H. C. with an Act against Exportation of Wool, &c.

A Message was brought from the House of Commons, by Sir Arthur Ingram, Knight; who presented a Bill, which had passed the House of Commons, intituled, "An Act against Exportation of Wool, Woolfells, Mortlings, Shorlings, Yarn made of Wool, Woolflocks, Fullers-earth, and Fulling-clay;" to which Bill the House of Commons desires their Lordships would give Expedition therein.

Bill for clearing Ld. Kymbolton, &c.

Hodie 2^a vice lecta est Billa, An Act for the Clearing and Vindicating of the Lord Kymbolton, Denzell Holles, Esquire, Sir Arthur Haselrigg, Baronet, John Pym, John Hampden, and William Strode, Esquires, from a late feigned Charge or Accusation of High Treason.

And it was committed to these Lords following: videlicet,

Their Lordships, or any Five of them, to meet on Tuesday next, at Nine of the Clock in the Morning, in the Painted Chamber.

Bp. of Hereford Leave to petition the H. C.

Ordered, That the Bishop of Hereford shall have Liberty (if he will), either in Person or otherwise, to petition the House of Commons, touching and concerning any Proceeding in that House against (fn. 2) him at this Time; and hereof the Lieutenant of The Tower of London is to take Notice, and give Permission to the said Bishop to appear in Person accordingly.

Adjourn.

Dominus Custos Magni Sigilli declaravit præsens Parliamentum continuandum esse usque in diem Sabbati, videlicet, 5^m diem instantis Martii, hora 9^a Aurora, Dominis sic decernentibus.