House of Lords Journal Volume 5: 2 January 1643

DIE Lunæ, videlicet, 2 Januarii.

PRAYERS.

Earl Manchester, now Speaker.

Answer from the H. C. about their Members Subscriptions.

The Messengers sent on Saturday to the House of Commons, with the Message to desire them to call their Members to Subscriptions, return with this Answer:

That they will take the same into Consideration.

Complaint about Horses being seized.

Upon a Complaint, "That Horses are yet seized;" it is Ordered, That Enquiry shall be made by what Authority the Horses are now taken, the Order being re-called.

Lady Gurney to see her Husband in The Tower.

Ordered, That the Lady Gurny shall have Liberty to see her Husband in The Tower, in regard of his Sickness.

Paviours of Old Palaceyard to be paid.

Upon the Petition of poor Workmen, Paviours of The Ould Pallace, desiring, "That they may have their Money, which is agreed between the Surveyors and them;" Ordered, That the Monies due and contracted with these Paviours, by the Surveyors, shall be paid by Sir Rob't Pye, out of his Receipts.

Bill for settling the Militia.

The Earl of Northumb. reported, "That the Committee having taken into Consideration the preparing a Bill for settling of the Militia, such Difficulties are found, as their Lordships think it fit to respite the offering any Bill to that Purpose, until His Majesty shall return hither unto the Parliament; and then they hold it most necessary, that, upon the serious Consideration of both Houses of Parliament, an Act be drawn, for the due Ordering, Governing, and Disposing of the Militia; and that the Sense of the Committee was, That this Bill should express, that the King should not dispose of the Power of the Militia without the Parliament, nor the Parliament without the King; that both Sides might have an equal Power to prevent all Jealousies; but the Committee could not word it so expressly, but found many Difficulties; therefore their Lordships thought it fit to lay it aside, until His Majesty's Return to His Parliament.

"Also the Committee think it fit, That an Act may pass, for the present disbanding of all extraordinary Forces, Guards, and Garrisons, and to be offered as One of the Propositions to the King; which this House approved of: And because this House promised the House of Commons to prepare a Bill for settling the Militia to bring to them, this House thought it fit to communicate the Knowledge of this to the House of Commons, with the Reasons and Sense of the Committee, as aforesaid reported; and to acquaint them with this last Proposition, of offering a Bill to the King, for disbanding Forces and Guards."

Message to the H. C. for a Conference about it;

Then, a Message was sent to the House of Commons, by Dr. Ayliff and Dr. Heath:

To desire a Conference, touching the Bill concerning the Militia.

and about releasing the Earl of Portland.

A Message was sent to the House of Commons, by Serjeant Whitfeild and Serjeant Glanvile:

To let the House of Commons know their Lordships Order, made on Saturday last, touching the releasing of the Earl of Portland.

The Messengers sent to the House of Commons return with this Answer:

Answer.

That the House of Commons will give a present Conference, as is desired.

Message from thence, for the Lords Concurrence in an Ordinance.

A Message was brought from the House of Commons, by Mr. Winwood, Esquire:

To desire their Lordships Concurrence in an Ordinance concerning joining of Forces, to beat the King's Forces from Brill, in Bucks. (Here enter it.)

Agreed to.

The Answer returned was:

Answer.

That this House agrees with the House of Commons in this Ordinance.

Bill for settling the Admiralty.

Next, the Bill for settling the Admiralty was reported, with some Amendments; which being approved of, the Bill is Ordered to be ingrossed.

Accompts relative to the Inland Postoffice to be delivered to the Earl of Warwick.

Ordered, That the Books of Accompts, now in the Hands of the Clerk of the Parliament, concerning the Inland Letter office, shall be (fn. 1) delivered to the Earl of Warwicke, to the Intent he may cause Copies to be made thereof before they shall be delivered to the Auditor; and that Mr. Burlamachi shall, according to the Order of the 9th of December (within Two Days), deliver to the Clerk of the Parliament, upon Oath to be made before a Master of the Chancery, all other Books, Accompts, Writings, or Papers whatsoever, that concern the Letter-office; and that the said Earl of Warwicke may likewise take Copies thereof; and that the Earl of Warwicke shall have Power to present Interrogatories, for such to be examined upon as have not yielded Obedience to the Orders of this House; and that they may be ordered to answer thereto accordingly.

Sir Edw. Warder, Sir John Castle, &c. a Pass to Oxford, to present a Petition to the King.

Ordered, That Sir Edward Warder Knight, Jo. Castle Esquire, John Chichley Esquire, Laurance Lisle Gentleman, Richard Dukeson Doctor in Divinity, Tho. Fuller Batchelor in Divinity, with Two Coaches, with Four Horses or Six Horses for each Coach, and Saddles for Eight or Ten Servants, shall have a Pass, to go to Oxford, to present a Petition to His Majesty.

Ordinance for the Parliament's Forces to drive the King's, from Brill in Buckinghamshire.

"Whereas great Forces of Papists and other illaffected Persons are now in actual War against the King, the Parliament, and the whole Kingdom, and Part of those Forces being now drawn to Brill, in the County of Bucks, and other Places adjoining, having, according to their Usage, plundered, robbed, pillaged, and murdered, divers good Protestants thereabouts, and threaten to march into the County of Hertford, and other Counties that Way, there to commit the like Outrages and barbarous Cruelties, as they have done in Places where they have formerly been: The Lords and Commons in Parliament, being most desirous to prevent these Miseries, and to suppress the Authors of them, for the better effecting thereof, do hereby desire all well-affected Persons of the County of Hertford, and other Counties and Places adjoining, forthwith to raise all such Forces, Horses (fn. 2) and Foot, as they can make, and to march with them to Alesbury, in the County of Bucks, or to such other Place as they shall be directed by Order from both Houses of Parliament, or from the Earl of Essex Lord General, and to join with and assist the Forces raised by Authority of Parliament, for the Defence of themselves, their Families, and Estates, and the true Protestant Religion, and for the suppressing and punishing those Forces at Brill, and all other their Adherents, notorious Enemies to the King and Kingdom; and such well-affected Persons in the County of Hertford, or of any other Counties or Places whatsoever, that shall join with and assist the Forces raised by Authority of Parliament for the Purpose abovementioned, shall therein do a very acceptable Service to the Commonwealth, and shall be assisted and protected by the Power and Authority of Parliament."

Petition of the Apprentices of London refused, as they brought it in a tumultuous Manner.

This House being informed, "That divers Apprentices of the City of London were at Door, to deliver a Petition to this House;" but, understanding that they were come in a Multitude, their Lordships Resolved, To send them this Answer, by the Gentleman Usher: "That my Lords have formerly expressed their Dislike of the coming of Multitudes to the Parliament; and they take Notice of a great Multitude that came this Morning towards the Parliament, which Manner of coming with Petitions they are unsatisfied with; but, if they will choose a few, and come some other Day to them, they will receive their Petition."

Adjourn.

House adjourned till 10^a cras.