House of Lords Journal Volume 6: 2 April 1644

DIE Martis, 2 die Aprilis.

PRAYERS, by Mr. Mew.

Lords present this Day:

Ds. Grey de Warke, Speaker.

Petition of the Inhabitants of Trinity, London, for Mr. Haviland to be their Minister.

Upon reading the Petition of the Inhabitants of the Parish of Trinity, in London; shewing, "That Edward Harrison, Parson of the said Parish, is lately dead, and the said Parsonage thereby become void, the Power of Presentation unto which belonged unto the Dean and Chapter of Cant. and is now, as the Petitioners are informed, in this Honourable Assembly; therefore they humbly pray, that one Mr. Haviland, who is known an Orthodox Divine, may be invested into the room of the said deceased."

Ordered, That this House approves of Mr. Haviland, to be Parson of Trinity Church aforesaid; and that he be instituted and inducted by Sir Nath. Brent, as is desired.

Proceedings of the Scotch Army.

The Lord Wharton reported some Papers, which the Scottish Commissioners have received from the Army, being a Narrative of the Proceedings and Success of the Scottish Army.

Message from the H. C. with Orders.

A Message was brought from the House of Commons, by Mr. Nicolls and others;

To desire their Lordships Concurrence in these Orders following:

1. For the raising of Five Thousand Pounds out of the Excise, to Mr. Trenchard, for the West.

(Here enter it.)

Read, and Agreed to.

2. An Order for paying Forty Pounds to the Scouts that brought the Intelligence of the Victory over Sir Ralph Hopton. (Here enter it.)

Read, and Agreed to.

The Answer returned was:

Answer.

That this House agrees with the House of Commons in the Particulars of this Message.

The Lord General acquainted this House with a Letter which he received from the Earl of Clare; which was read, in these Words as follow:

E. of Clare's Letter, that he submits to the Pleasure of the House.

My noble Lord,

Upon the Strength of your Excellency's Pass, I got to my House here in Drury-Lane, now Five Days since, where with all Humility and Submission I shall attend the House's Pleasure, desiring nothing more than to have the Clearness of my Intentions to their Service rightly understood; that the Cause only, and no other particular By-respects, hath brought me back; the Goodness whereof, I must acknowledge, I did not so well understand till my coming to Oxford (Contraries better setting forth one another), where I had not spent many Days, but my Eyes were opened and undeceived by what I there observed, and thereupon immediately resolved my Return, which some Honourable Persons can witness; but was first necessitated to go to my House in Nottinghamshire to remove a Daughter and my Evidences to some securer Place, which I could not so soon effect, being hemmed in on every Side with my Lord of Newcastle's Forces, who had a jealous Eye over me, for that I did not repair to the Assembly at Oxford, and that I had declined signing a Letter from the Peers there to the Scottish Nobility, brought me to my House; but no sooner had these Forces opened me a Gap by their Remove, but I got through it, into the Parliament Quarters in Lyncolneshire, which from thence I signified to my Lord of Manchester at Cambridge, with my Readiness to serve the Parliament with Life and Fortune, as the great Preserver of what is dearest in this World, Religion and Liberty; and I obtained from his Lordship an Attestation, that I was come in to the Parliament within the Time limited by the Declaration of both Kingdoms (notwithstanding the many Rubs and Difficulties I had met with), and a Command to all his Officers to give no Interruption; but, being surprised with the News of the Disaster at Newarke, at a Friend's House I went to visit in an Afternoon, I posted thence to Boston by Night, without going back for this Paper, which, upon mine Honour, I left there, and is such as I have expressed; and I hope it will be the House's good Pleasure to confirm the Benefit thereof unto me, having abandoned all the poor Fortune I have in the World (save a few rotten Houses in this Town), to come (fn. 1) and serve them, which is now all in the King's Quarters, with my House and Goods, Stock and Corn, to serve a numerous Family a long Time, and when the Condition of their Affairs was not at the best. I shall humbly desire your Excellency's favourable Assistance herein; which I shall add to your former Favours, and will oblige me to approve my self to my uttermost,

"My Lord,

Your Excellency's

Most humble

and faithful Servant,

ThisTuesday Morning, 2 of April, 1644, from Drury-Lane.

"Clare."

The Direction was,

"For His Excellency the Earl of Essex."

To have the Benefit of the Declaration.

The House, taking this Business into Consideration, thought it fit and just that the Earl of Clare should have the Benefit of the Declaration of both Kingdoms, and the Liberty of his Person to be forthwith allowed him, according to the said Declaration.

Answer from the H. C.

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

That they agree to the Order for Public Thanks, for Sir Wm. Waller's good Success against Hopton's Forces; that (fn. 2) they agree to the Amendment in the Ordinance concerning the County of North'ton; and concerning the Prince Elector's Business, they will send an Answer by Messengers of their own.

Sutton's Petition, about Lord Craven's Assessment.

Upon reading the Petition of Roger Sutton, Servant to Wm. Lord Craven; shewing, "That whereas this House hath assessed his Lord at Two Thousand Pounds for his Fifth and Twentieth Part, and hath received an Order from the Committee at Haberdashers Hall, to pay the same within Ten Days; he humbly desires that some reasonable Time (fn. 3) may be admitted him, to give his Lord Notice of the Order, that so he may receive Directions about it:" But this House Ordered, That Submission be made, and Conformity to the Ordinance of Parliament.

Order for 5000 l. out of the Excise to Mr. Trenchard for the West.

"John Towse Esquire and Alderman, and the rest of the Commissioners of Excise and new Impost, having, in Part of a greater Sum for which they are in Treaty with the Committee for the West, advanced and lent Five Thousand Pounds thereof, for Supply of the present Service: Be it Ordained, by the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, That the said Commissioners of Excise shall and may pay the said Sum of Five Thousand Pounds unto John Trenchard Esquire, whose Receipt shall be their sufficient Discharge; and the said Lords and Commons do hereby Declare, That they will provide for the Reimbursement of the said Five Thousand Pounds, with Interest, to the said Commissioners, according as shall be hereafter agreed upon and settled between the Committee of the West and the said Commissioners of Excise."

Order for 40 l. to Sccuts, for bringing Intelligence of Victories.

Whereas Twenty Pounds was formerly ordered to be paid, by Sir Gilbert Gerrard, to Craven and Jennings, for bringing timely Intelligence, which is not yet paid unto them; and whereas James Pattsonne, and Ralph Norton, Two other Scouts, have lately brought Intelligence of the great Victory (over the Forces under the Command of Sir Ralph Hopton) by Sir William Waller and Sir William Balfore: It is this Day Ordered, by the Lords and Commons, That the Sum of Forty Pounds shall be forthwith paid, by the Committee at Habberdashers Hall, out of the Monies that comes in upon the Fifth and Twentieth Part; that is to say, Ten Pounds apiece, proportionably, to the Persons aforesaid."

Ordinance for Defence of Northampton.

It is Ordained, by the Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled, That William Lord Fitzwilliams, Edward Mountague Esquire, Sir John Dreydon, Sir Christopher Yelverton, Sir Gilbert Pickering, Baronets, Zouch Tate, John Crewe, Rich'd Knightly, Esquires, Members of the House of Commons, Sir Rowland St. John Knight of the Bath, Sir Edward Niccolls, Sir John Norwich, Baronets, Sir Humfrey Orme, Sir Richard Samwell, Sir Samuell Davers, Knights, Richard Knightly of Fawzley, Robert Mildmay, John Barnard, Edward Harby, Edward Only, John Cartwright, Phillip Holman, Richard Samwell, Edward Farmer, John Wyrley, Richard Shugborough, Edward Hanbury, Wm. Lisle, Thomas Elmes, John Playpoole, Francis Quarles, John Norton, John Breton, and John Thorneton, Esquires, and the Mayor of the Town of Northampton for the Time being, or any Three or more of them, residing in the Town of Northampton, for the furnishing of Arms and Ammunition, making of Fortifications, and Payment of the Garrisons, Officers, and Soldiers, and other public necessary Charges, for the Defence and Preservation of the said County from Plunder and Ruin, shall or may, from Time to Time, during the Space of Six Months, to commence from the 25th Day of this Instant March, (fn. 4) raise in the said County such Sums of Money as shall be by them, or any Three or more of them, thought necessary for the Uses aforesaid, the same to be rated and assessed in like Sort as was the Four Hundred Thousand Pounds granted by Act this present Parliament, not exceeding the Sum of Six Hundred Pounds a Week; and, for the better levying of the said Sums of Money, the said Committee, or any Three or more of them then residing in the Town of North'ton, shall or may nominate and appoint Treasurers, Collectors, and Assessors, in the said County, for assessing, receiving, and collecting the said Sums of Money; and shall and may grant Warrants under their Hands, to any Constable, or other Person or Persons, as well Soldiers when Need shall require as others, to raise and levy the said Sums so to be assessed and taxed as aforesaid, upon all such Persons upon whom any such Sums shall be so assessed and set, that do refuse or neglect to pay the same, by Way of Distress and Sale of the Goods of the Persons so assessed and refusing, and Two Pence for every Shilling that shall not be paid upon Demand, to bear the Charge of those that distrain; and in Case any Opposition be made, or no Distress can be found, the said Committee, or any Three or more of them residing in North'ton as aforesaid, shall or may commit such Person or Persons refusing to pay, or not having a sufficient Distress to be found as aforesaid, to some common Gaol within the said County, there to remain until Payment made of such Sum and Sums of Money as aforesaid; for which Sums, so to be raised, the said Committee shall be accountable to both Houses of Parliament, or such as they have appointed, and to none else; and if any shall refuse or neglect the Execution of such Warrants as shall be directed to them by virtue of this Ordinance, it shall be lawful for the said Committee residing as aforesaid, or any Three of them, to punish such Person refusing or neglecting, by Fine, not exceeding Five Pounds, to be levied as aforesaid: Provided, That where it shall appear to the said Committee, or any Two of them residing as aforesaid, that any Person hath been over-rated to the Tax upon the Bill of Four Hundred Thousand Pounds, an Abatement may be made in the Tax of such Person, by the said Committee, or any Two of them residing as aforesaid, according to their Discretions: Provided also, That this present Ordinance shall be no Hindrance to Taxes made by any former Ordinance."

Adjourn.

House adjourned till 9 ^a cras.