House of Lords Journal Volume 6: 26 February 1644

DIE Lunæ, videlicet, 26 Februarii.

PRAYERS, by Dr. Smith.

Lords present this Day:

Ds. Grey de Warke, Speaker this Day.

Answer from the H. C.

The Messengers sent to the House of Commons on Saturday last return with Answer from the House of Commons:

That they agree to the Ordinance concerning the Importation of Bullion. (Here enter it.) And touching the Ordinance concerning the Lord Howard, they will send an Answer by Messengers of their own.

Algier Captives.

Upon reading the Petition of divers poor Women, whose Husbands and Friends are Captives in Argier, Tunis, and other Places; desiring, "That some Course may be taken for their Releasement:" It is Ordered, To be referred to the Care of the Lord Admiral.

Le Cœur, & al. Hooper's Creditors.

Upon reading the Petition of Wm. Le Cœur and Tranchepin, Creditors of Anth. Hooper, Merchant, late deceased, concerning his Estate: It is Ordered, That this House refers this Cause (fn. 1) to the due Course of Law.

Ordinance for sealing Writs of Error under the Great Seal.

Next, the Ordinance concerning sealing of Writs of Errors under the Great Seal of England was read the Second Time, and committed to a Committee of the whole House.

And the House was adjourned during Pleasure into a Committee, to take this Ordinance into Consideration, and hear the Judges concerning this Business.

The House resumed.

Referred to the Judges.

And it is Ordered, That the Judges do take this Business into Consideration, and propose to this House on Saturday next what Expedient may be found, that Justice may have a due Course in this Particular, that so this House may give a speedy Direction concerning this Business.

Petition from Hertfordshire, about free quartering of Forces there.

A Petition was presented to this House, from divers Gentlemen of the County of Hertford, (fn. 2) complaining of the great Burthen of the free Quartering of Forces that lies upon them;" and desiring, "That the Lord General's Army there may be recruited, and removed from thence; whereby their Burthens may be eased, and such Rates and Taxes that are or shall be laid on the County may be suspended, until the Damages by free Quarters in the said County be re-paid."

The Gentlemen that brought this Petition withdrew, and the House took this into Consideration.

Soldiers mutinous for Want of Pay.

And the Lord General acquainted this House with a Letter he received from Major General Skippon on Saturday, of the Necessity of the Soldiers, and their Insolencies for Want of Pay.

Hereupon this House Ordered, To communicate this Petition and the Letter, at a Conference with the House of Commons To-morrow, and desire them to take this Business into serious Consideration.

Answer to the Hertfordshire Petitioners.

The Gentlemen were called in again; and the Speaker, by the Directions of the House, told them, "That their Lordships are very sensible of their Burthens by the Soldiers; and their Lordships will take their Petition into Consideration, and have a Conference with the House of Commons, that some speedy Course may be taken for paying of the Soldiers and recruiting them, that so the County of Hertford be eased."

Their Petition.

"To the Right Honourable the Lords and Peers in the High Court of Parliament assembled.

"The humble Petition of the Committee and others of the Inhabitants of the County of Hertford, in Behalf of the said County,

"Humbly sheweth,

"That we, your Petitioners, having ever since the very Beginning of these unhappy Distractions wholly given ourselves over, in the Hazard of what is most dear to us, against all Opposition for the Defence of the King and Parliament, which we are still ready to continue to our utmost with all Chearfulness: But now, having groaned these Seventeen Weeks under the intolerable Burthen of free Quarters of many Horse and Foot under the Command of his Excellency the Lord General the Earl of Essex, the Vastness of which Charge we forbear to particularize to your Lordships, having formerly made it known to the Honourable House of Commons by our humble Petition; and hoping now again, by humbly representing it to his Excellency, to have found Relief from this our so heavy a Pressure, whereby we have not of a long while so much as enjoyed the Freedom of our own House, but have been in many Places subjected to many grievous Insolencies, besides the Consumption of all our Provisions laid in for our Families, which hitherto with all Patience we have undergone, with assured Hopes of Re-payment: His Excellency's Answer to our humble Desires is, That it is not in his Lordship's Power and Way to relieve us unless that Payment be first made to the Army, nor fit that the Soldiers be removed to Places of Danger unless recruited; to which your Petitioners not able to reply, and finding no Means of Relief of this their so sad a Condition, many of us being now cast into deep Debts by making Provision for the Soldiers, are, besides our own utter Undoing, rendered unable to sustain our own Families, and not possible to pay those Sums and Monthly Taxations laid on our County for the Earl of Manchester and others, some whereof are far beyond the equal Proportion agreed on at the first by the Committees of the associated Counties, besides the eating up of those Provisions within so nigh a Distance to London, as we fear may prove of a far greater Inconveniency to the City of London, if not timely foreseen and prevented by your Wisdoms.

All which your Petitioners deplorable Condition we in all Humility submit to your Lordships most wife and provident Consideration; beseeching your Lordships that your Petitioners may not be destroyed by their Friends, but that the Army may be speedily recruited and removed, and such Rates and Taxes that are or shall be laid on the County may be suspended until the Damages by free Quarters in our County be re-paid, since we never feared nor spared to lay out our Lives and Fortunes freely for the Defence of the Parliament and Commonwealth, against all Enemies whatsoever."

Ordinance for the free Importation of Bullion.

"The Lords and Commons now in Parliament assembled, having received Information, by Merchant Strangers and others concerned in the Importation of Plate and Bullion into this Kingdom, That their Correspondents inhabiting in the Parts beyond the Seas have conceived many Fears and Jealousies, which have and do discourage them in the usual Importing of Bullion into this Kingdom: For the better Security and Encouragement of all Merchants and Importers in of Bullion or Coin into this Kingdom, do Ordain and Declare, That Bullion and Coin that shall be brought in any English Shipping shall have free and safe Passage and Protection, as in any former Times, both by Sea and Land, into the Ports of Dover and London; and that no Seizure or Detention from this State shall, upon any Pretence whatsoever, be laid upon the same, or any Part thereof, in whose Hands soever the same shall be intrusted, either Stranger or Native; but that the said Plate, Bullion, or Coin, shall be brought into and out of His Majesty's Mint in The Tower of London, as heretofore; and further, that, as in former Times, they shall have free Liberty to transport the Two Third Parts of such Bullion or Coin that shall be so imported, paying Two per Cent. Duty for the same as formerly, and the other Third Part is to be brought to the Mint; and further, that from The Downes they shall have Convoy as usually heretofore, or free Liberty to transport the said Two Third Parts in Shipping of their own."

Adjourn.

House adjourned till 9^a cras.