For the City and County of the City of Lincoln the Major for the time being and Thomas Grantham Esquire For the West Riding of the County of York Ferdinando Lord Fairfax Sir Edward Roads Sir William Strickland Henry Cholmley Esquire For the East Riding Sir Marmaduke Langdale John Allured Esquire For the North Riding Thomas Hebblethwait Esquire Sir Henry Anderson Sir Henry Slingsby John Wastell Esquire For the City and County of the City of York the Lord Major for the time being Sir Thomas Widdrington and Sir William Allison For the County of Sussex Sir Thomas Pellham Mr. Shelley Mr. William Hay For the Ports in Sussex William Hay Herbert Morley Esquire For the County of Bucks Sir William Andrews Baronet Sir Alexander Denton Knight Sir John Parsons For the County of Berks Sir George Stonehouse Sir John Bacchus Roger Knight Esquire For the County of Cornwal Sir Richard Carey Baronet Alexander Carey Esquire Sir Richard Butler Knight For the County of Cumberland Richard Barwick Esquire William Pennington of Seaton Esquire For the County of Cambridge Sir Dudley North Sir John Cutts Thomas Chichely Thomas Wendy and Thomas Symonds Esquires For the County of Devon Sir Samuel Rolle Sir John Bramfield Baronet For the City of Exceter the Major for the time being For the County of Dorset Sir Walter Erle Sir Thomas Trenchard Knights For the County of Essex Sir Harbottle Grimston Sir Richard Everard Sir Thomas Bendish Sir Robert Kemp. For the County of Gloucester Henry Bret Esquire Sir Robert Cook Edward Stevens Thomas Hodges Esquires For the City and County of the City of Gloucester the Major for the time being and the two Ancient Aldermen For the County of Huntingdon Sir Sydney Mountague Anslow Winch Esquire Tirel Josseline Esquire Henry Cromwel Esquire For the County of Hertford Edward Chester Edward Wingate Esquires John Butler For the County of Hereford Walter Kerle Esquire Sir William Crofts Knight John Scudamore of Kenchurch James Kirle Edward Broughton Esquires For the County of Kent Mr. Edward Boyes Sir Thomas Walsingham Sir Edward Partridge Knights Richard Lee Esquire For the City and County of the City of Canterbury Sir Edward Masters Knight and for the Ports in Kent and their Members Sir Edward Boys Knight For the County of Leicester Sir Arthur Haslerigg Thomas Lord Grey For the County of Middlesex Sir John Danvers Sir William Roberts Sir Henry Roe Sir Gilbert Gerrard Sir John Franklyn For the City of Westminster Sir Robert Pye William Wheeler John Glyn Esquires For the City of London the Lord Major Thomas Soame Isaak Pennington Aldermen Samuel Vassal and Captain John Ven Merchants Members of the House of Commons For the County of Northampton Edward Montague Esquire Sir John Dryden Sir Christopher Yelverton Zouch Tate Esquire For the County of Norfolk Sir John Potts Sir Thomas Woodhouse Sir Edmond Moundeford For the City and County of Norwich the Major for the time being For the County of Northumberland Sir John Fennicke Henry Ogle Thomas Middleton William Shafto of Babington Esquires Town of New-Castle the Major for the time being Mr. Ledyard For the Town of Barwick Sir Robert Jackson Mr. John Sleigh Gent. William Fenwick Gent. For the County of Oxon. James Fynes Sir William Cobb Sir Thomas Penniston and John Doyley Esquire For the County of Rutland Sir Guy Palmes Sir Edward Harrington Robert Horseman Esquire For the County of Surrey Sir John Evelyn Sir Ambrose Brown Baronet For the County of Salop Sir Richard Newport Mr. Richard Moore Charles Baldwin Esquire For the County of Southampton Richard Whitehead Esquire Sir William Lewis Town of Southampton Major for the time being For the County of Suffolk Sir Roger North Sir Robert Crane Robert Reynolds Esquire Sir William Platers William Cage Esquire For the County of Somerset Sir John Horner Sir John Pawlet Knights John Pyne Esquire City of Bristol the Major for the time being John Gunning John Tomlinson For the County of Westmorland Sir Philip Musgrave Knight and Baronet Sir Henry Bellingham Gawin Braithwait Esquire For the County of Wilts Sir Nevil Poole Anthony Hungerford Esquire For the County of Worcester Humphrey Solloway Esquire Edward Dingley Edward Pitt Thomas Rouse Esquire City of Worcester the Major for the time being For the County of Warwick Sir Richard Skeffington William Combes Esquire John Hales Richard Shugborough Esquires For the City and County of Coventry the Major for the time being Alderman Million John Barr Esquire For the City of Litchfield the Bailiffs for the time being For the County of Anglesey Thomas Buckley Owen Wood Esquires For the County of Pembroke Henry Williams Thomas Gwyn William Morgan Esquires For the County of Carnarvan Thomas Glyn of Nantley William Thomas Owen Wynn Thomas Madrin Esquires For the County of Denbigh Thomas Middleton John Loyd William Wyn Esquire For the County of Flynt Thomas Mostyn Humphry Dymock John Eaton John Salisbury Esquires For the County of Glamorgan William Herbert Sir Thomas Lyne Miles Buton Esquires For the County of Merioneth William Salisbury Esquire Sir James Price Knight For the County of Pembrook Sir Richard Philips Baronet Sir Hugh Owen Knight and Baronet For the County of Montgomery Arthur Price Esquire Richard Griffith Edward Vaughan Esquires For the County of Radnor Thomas Lewis Robert Williams Richard Jones Esquires For the County Palatine of Durham Sir Lionel Madidson Sir Alexander Hall George Lilburn Clement Fulthorp For the County of Cardigan Walter Loyd James Lewis Esquires For the County of Carmarthen Richard Earl of Carberry Francis Loyd Esquire For the County of Monmouth Sir William Morgan Thomas Morgan William Herbert of Colebrook William Baker of Abergany Sir Robert Cooke Sir Charles Williams James Kirke Esquires Which said Persons so appointed and nominated or any one or more of them together with the Justices of the Peace of every Shire County or Riding respectively or any one or more of them or the Major Bailiffs Justices of the Peace Jurats or other Head-Officers within any City or Town Corporate or other Priviledged places or any one or more of them respectively shall have Power and are hereby authorized and required to do and perform all and every such thing and things as shall be necessary to the due execution of this present Ordinance according to the Instructions herewith annexed which said Instructions are hereby Ordered and Commanded to be duly observed and executed by all and every Person and Persons whom it shall or may appertain as they will answer the contrary at their Perils This Ordinance to continue no longer then till the end of this present Session of Parliament Instructions appointed by Ordinance of Parliament to the Persons thereby Authorized for the Disarming of Popish Recusants Instructions to the Comissioners for Disarming Popish Recusants and others and other dangerous Persons I. SUch Members of the House of Commons and other Persons as in and by the said Ordinance are particularly named and appointed or any one or more of them and the Justices
c. Next the Bishop of Linclon reported that at the same Conference Mr. Nichols that was sent into Scotland to his Majesty from both Houses reported That he had delivered the Petition and the Draught of the Commission to his Majesty but his Majesty thought not fit to sign it for these Reasons which he commanded him to signify to the Parliament 1 That his Majesty conceives the Treaty of Pacification The King's Reasons for not signing the Commission sent into Scotland by Mr. Nichols from both Houses between the two Kingdoms is already ratified by the Parliament of Scotland 2 If this Commission should be granted it would beget new Matter 3 It would be a means to keep his Majesty longer there then he intended to stay 4 That the Scots Army is over the Tweed and that the Lord General hath almost Disbanded all Our Army and hath begun with the House A Letter from the Lord General was read declaring Contents of a Letter from the Lord General That he will pursue the Orders of Parliament in disbanding the Army but he understands that the Scots will keep 5000 Men undisbanded until our Army be all disbanded and our Fortifications at Barwick and Carlisle slighted and that to this purpose he had received Directions from his Majesty to demolish the Fortifications and remove the Ordnance and Munition from thence The Bishop of Lincoln Reported the Conference with the Commons concerning Disarming Recusants to this Effect THat the House of Commons had taken into consideration the Store of Arms in this Kingdom and they find The Conference about disarming Recusants Aug. 30. 1641. that there are many Arms in the hands of Popish Recusants for disarming of whom the House of Commons have frequently recommended to this House the disarming of them according to the Stat. of 3 Jac. but they have found that the good came not by this Statute as was intended for upon Indictments for Recusancy there were Certioraris's granted Therefore the House of Commons have taken these things into consideration again and the rather because of the Kings absence at this time in Scotland and that the time of the Recess draws nigh and considering the late Troubles of this Kingdom whch are not yet settled the House of Commons have considered of an Ordnance of Parliament and some Instructions to be given unto such Commissioners as they have named to see to the disarming of Popish Recusants according to the Statute of 3 Jacobi which Ordinance and Instruction they present to their Lordships desiring them to joyn with them herein Then the aforesaid Ordinance and Instructions were read in haec verba An Ordinance made and agreed by the Lords and Commons in Parliament for the speedy disarming of Popish Recusants and other dangerous Persons The Ordinance of Parliament for Disarming Recusants WHereas for the preventing and avoiding of dangers that might grow by Popish Recusants Provision hath been heretofore made by Act of Parliament for the disarming of all Popish Recusants convicted within this Realm which said Law hath not taken so good effect as was intended by Reason such Recusants and Persons Popishly affected have by subtle practices and indirect means kept themselves from being convicted or being outwardly conformable have caused or suffered their Children Grand-children and Servants to be bred up and maintained up in the Popish Religion and have otherways hindred the due Execution of the said Law to the great danger and grievance of the Common-wealth And for that it is too manifest that the said Popish Recusants have always had and still have and do practise most dangerous and pernicious designs against the Church and State and by the Laws of this Realm in times of imminent danger or of any forcible Attempts Designs or Practises against the Peace and Safety thereof all Armor Weapons and other Provisions that may tend or be imployed to the effecting of such mischievous Designs ought timely to be removed and taken away and all fit means used for the securing of the Peace and safety of the Realm And for the preventing of such further mischiefs as may happen by any Outrage or Violence to be offered It is therefore Ordained and Provided by the Lords and Commons in this present Parliament Assembled That all such Arms Gun-powder and Munition of what kind soever as any Popish Recusant convicted or any Person or other which is or shall be Indicted for such Recusancy and such Indictments either are or shall be removed by Certiorari or being not removed shall not by Appearance and Traverse or otherwise be Legally discharged before this Ordinance be put in execution or which shall not have repaired to Church more then once in every Month or shall not have received the Holy Communion according to the Rites of the Church of England within one whole year next before the making hereof and which shall refuse to take the Oaths of Supremacy or Allegiance upon Lawful Tender thereof made or whose Children or Grand-children or any of them being at his or her dispose or living in the House with them is or shall be bred up in the Popish Religion or have not repaired to Church within one year next before the making of this Ordinance according to the Laws and Statutes of this Realm or whose Houshold Servants or any two or more of them is or shall be of the Popish Religion hath or shall have in his and their House or Houses or elsewhere or in the hands and possession of any other to his or their use or at his or their disposition other then such necessary Weapons as shall be thought fit by the Persons Authorized to take and Seize the said Munition to remain and be allowed Arms for the defence of the Person or House of such Recusant or Person aforesaid shall forthwith be taken from every such Popish Recusant or Person as aforesaid and from all others which shall have the same to the use of any such Popish Recusant or Person by such Person and Persons as are and shall be by this Ordinance appointed and authorized in that behalf for every Shire County and Riding within this Realm and Dominion of Wales that is to say For the County of Bedford Sir Oliver Luke Sir Beuchamp St. John Sir Roger Burgoigne Knight For the County of Lancaster John Moor Alexander Rigby Esquire Members of the House of Commons and the two Knights that Serve for that County For Cheshire Sir William Brereton Baronet Peter Vennables Esquire For the City of Chester Francis Gamull Esquire the Major for the time being For the County of Stafford Sir Edward Littleton and Sir Richard Levison For the County of Derby Sir John Curson William Allestre Esquire For the County of Nottingham Sir Thomas Hutchinson Robert Sutton Esquire For the Town and County of Nottingham Sir Thomas Hutchinson Robert Sutton Esquire and the Major for the time being For the County of Lincoln Thomas Hatcher Thomas Grantham and John Broxholm Esquires
House of Commons an Order was issued to the High Sheriff of Suffolk calling to his Assistance Sir William Spring Mr. Order to search the Lady River's House for Arms. Maurice Barrow or either of them to his assistance to search the House of the Lady Rivers and to seize what Arms they shall find there and put them in safe Custody Another Order was issued to the Vice-Chancellor of Oxon Order to search for Arms at Oxon. the Major and Sir Nathaniel Brent Alderman of that City or any two of them to search the Houses of Mr. Green Mr. Napier at the Starr and Mr. Williams and any other suspected Place for Arms and take good Order to remove them and put them in safe Custody and shall likewise seize the Persons of such Recusants as shall resort to either of these Places or any other House or Place within the University or City of Oxon. It was also Ordered That a Messenger be sent Post on purpose to Portsmouth with the Ordinance of both Houses and this House undertakes to see the Messenger paid Then Mr. Bagshaw of Windsor was called in and did inform the House Bagshaw of Windsor an Informer That the last Night as he went to Windsor he saw divers Troops of Horse That there came a Waggon loaden with Ammunition last Night to Windsor That there was another Waggon that went away from Windsor to Farnham That there was a Messenger gone to Portsmouth That he was informed there were about 400 Horse in the Town and about some forty Officers Whereupon Mr. Arthur Goodwin was sent to desire the Lords to sit a while in regard this House doth believe they shall have Occasion to come up to them with some Matters of great Importance And presently after Sir Edward Hungerford went up to the Lords to desire a Conference touching the Peace and Safety of the Kingdom And upon this Information Skippon ordered to send out Scouts by Land and Water which was of the same Stamp with the other about Kingston it was Ordered That Serjeant Major General Skippon do take Care That ten Horsemen be forthwith appointed to go as Scouts from time to time to bring Intelligence if any Forces do approach near the City and this House will undertake that they shall be satisfied and also to take care for the appointing of such Boats or small Vessels as shall be necessary by Water for the Service aforesaid and the House will take care Satisfaction also be given to those so imployed It is impossible to enter into the Head of any Man of Sense that the Faction was under any real Fears from this Information but there is another sort of Fear a Politick Fear which was by these preparations of Scouts by Land and Water to perswade the City that the Parliament had discovered some huge Plot against them which they were so solicitous to prevent for had the Information been true as in probability it was very false since Bagshaw does not affirm it of his own Knowledg but by a second-hand Information which he had met with what occasion of Fear could 400 Men give to the City of London or to the Parliament the House of Commons being able to have given Battle to such a Number if they should have had any Design against them as they indeavoured to make the City and the whole Nation be lieve But the Faction had a very particular Service for these strange Rumors which they so industriously fomented and magnified and that was by the help of these imaginary Dangers to wrest the Sword of the Militia out of His Majesties hands for unless they had the management of it they nor the Kingdom as they made the People believe could not be in any condition of Safety And in order to this Mr. Pierpoint Committee for putting the Kingdom into a posture of defence Sir Richard Cave Mr. Hollis and Mr. Solliciter Sir Philip Stapleton Mr. Glyn Sir H. Vane Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer were appointed to be a Committee to consider of some Heads and present them to the House to morrow morning for putting the Kingdom into a Posture of Defence Then his Majesties Answer to the desires of the Commons concerning Arms for Ireland was read as followeth HIS Majesty having considered of the Message delivered to him from the House of Commons of the 12th of this present Month His Majesties Answer to the Commons concerning Arms out of the Stores for Ireland whereby it is desired that he should give a general Warrant for delivery of Arms and Ammunition for the Service of Ireland returneth this Answer That as His Majesty hath been very careful to contribute all that possibly he could for furnishing Provisions for the Relief of Ireland so he shall be ready to give Warrants immediately from time to time for any particulars that shall be thought fit by his Parliament to be sent out of his Stores for that Service and for the present hath given Warrant for the delivering 1500 Muskets with all things to them belonging and 500 Pikes and Corslets and 2000 Swords out of his Tower of London and Arms for 500 Horse out of the Magazine of Hull The Earl of Newport this day signified to the House Saturday January 15. That he had received Warrants from the King to Transport the Arms and Ammunition desired for Ulster only he wants Money and Ships to convey them A Conference was had between the Lords and Commons concerning the Lieutenant of the Tower Lord Keeper Reports the Conference concerning the Lieutenant of the Tower which the Lord Keeper thus Reported That the House of Commons conceive the Tower of London to be a Place of that great Importance that they do renew a former Motion that their Lordships would joyn with them humbly to Petition the King that the Lieutenant now in may be removed and such a Person put in as the King Parliament and City may confide in The Parliament confides not in Sir John Byron because he hath been disobedient and hath refused to come upon the Summons of both Houses of Parliament not that they speak this as desiring it may be a cause of Punishment upon him but as a ground of distrust The City says Though the Lieutenant may be a worthy Gentleman otherwise yet he is a Man unknown to them which already causes ill Effects for Merchants begin to take away their Bullion out of the Mint and write Letters to their Factors to send no more And at the present there is a Ship come laden very richly with Bullion but the Owners do forbear to bring it into the Mint because they cannot confide in the Lieutenant of the Tower This concerns the City and Trade exceedingly for it is a Charge to the City to maintain a Guard about the Tower therefore the House of Commons desires their Lordships to join with them in an humble Petition to his Majesty That Sir John Byron now Lieutenant of the Tower may be
afflicted Whereupon a demand was then made from his Majesty of 12 Subsidies for the release of Ship-money only and while the said Commons then assembled with expressions of great affection to his Majesty and his service were in debate and consideration of some supply before resolution by them made he the said Earl of Strafford with the help and assistance of the said Archbishop did procure his Majesty to dissolve the last Parliament upon the 5 day of May last and upon the same day the said Earl of Strafford did Treacherously Falsely and Maliciously endeavour to incense his Majesty against his loving and faithful Subjects who had been Members of the said House of Commons by telling his Majesty they had denied to supply him And afterward upon the same did Treacherously and Wickely Counsel and Advise his Majesty to this effect viz. That having tried the affections of his People he was loose and absolved from all rules of Government and was to do every thing that power would admit and that his Majesty had tried all ways and was refused and should be acquitted both of God and man and that he had an Army in Ireland meaning the Army above mentioned consisting of Papists his dependants as is aforesaid which he might imploy to reduce this Kingdom to obedience 24. That in the same month of May he the said Earl of Strafford Falsely Treacherously and Maliciously published and declared before others of his Majesties Privy-Councel that the Parliament of England had for saken the King and that in denying to supply the King they had given him the advantage to supply himself by other ways and divers other times he did Maliciously Wickedly and Falsely publish and declare that seeing the Parliament had refused to supply his Majesty in the ordinary and usual way the King might provide for the Kingdome in such ways as he should hold fit and that he was not to suffer himself to be mastered by the frowardness of the People And having so maliciously slandered the said House of Commons he did with the help and advice of the said Archbishop of Canterbury and the Lord Finch late Lord Keeper of the Great Seal of England cause to be printed and published in his Majesties name a false and scandalous book entituled his Majesties Declaration of the causes that moved him to dissolve the last Parliament full of bitter and malicious invectives and false and scandalous aspersions against the said House of Commons 25. That not long after the dissolution of the said last Parliament viz. In the months of May and June He the Earl of Strafford did advise the King to go on rigorously in levying the Ship-money and did procure the Sheriffs of several Countries to be sent for for not levying the Ship-money divers of which were threatned by him to be sued in the Star-Chamber for not levying the same and divers of his Majesties loving Subjects were sent for and imprisoned by his advice about that and other illegal payments And a great loan of a hundred thousand pounds was demanded of the City of London and the Lord Mayor and the Aldermen and the Sheriffs of the said City were often sent for by his advice to the Councel Table to give an account of their proceedings in raising of Ship-money and furthering of that loan and were required to certifie the names of such Inhabitants of the said City as were fit to lend which they with much humility refusing to do he the said Earl of Strafford did use these or the like Speeches viz. That they deserved to be put to Fine and Ransome and that no good would be done with them till an example were made of them and they were laid by the heels and some of the Aldermen hanged up 26. That the said Earl of Strafford by his wicked Counsel having brought his Majesty into excessive charges without any just cause he did in the month of July last for the support of the said great charges counsel and approve two dangerous and wicked Projects viz. To seize upon the Bullion and the money in the Mint And to imbase his Majesties Coyn with the mixtures of Brass And accordingly he procured One hundred and thirty thousand pounds which was then in the Mint and belonging to divers Merchants Strangers and others to be seized on and stayed to his Majesties use And when divers Merchants of London owners of the said Bullion came to his house to let him understand the great mischief that course would produce here and in other parts what prejudice it would be to the Kingdome by discrediting the Mint and hindring the importation of Bullion he the said Earl told them That the City of London dealt undutifully and unthankfully with his Majesty and that they were more ready to help the Rebel than to help his Majesty and that if any hurt came to them they may thank themselves and that it was the course of other Princes to make use of such Moneys to serve their Occasions And when in the same Month of July the Officers of his Majesties Mint came to him and gave him divers reasons against the imbasing the said money he told them that the French King did use to send Commissaries of Horse with Commission to search into mens Estates and to peruse their accounts so that they may know what to levy of them by force which they did accordingly leavy and turning to the Lord Cottington then present said That this was a point worthy his Lordships consideration 27. That in or about the Month of August last he was made Lieutenant General of all his Majesties Forces in the Northern parts against the Scots and being at York did in the Month of September by his own authority and without any lawful warrant impose a Tax on his Majesties Subjects in the County of York of eight pence per diem for maintenance of every Soldier of the Trained bands of that County which Sums of Money he caused to be levied by force And to the end to compel his Majesties Subjects out of fear and Terrour to yield to the payment of the same He did declare that he would commit them that refused the payment thereof and the Soldiers should be satisfied out of their Estates and they that refused it were in very little better condition than of High-Treason 28. That in the Month of September and October last he the said Earl of Strafford being certified of the Scottish Army coming into the Kingdome and he the said Earl of Strafford being Lieutenant General of his Majesties Army did not provide to the defence of the Town of New-Castle as he ought to have done but suffered the same to be lost that so he might the more incense the English against the Scots And for the same wicked purpose and out of a malicious desire to ingage the Kings Kingdoms of England and Scotland in a National and Bloody War he did write to the Lord Conway the General of the Horse and under the
me would be content to have every word that falls in discourse betwixt man and man to be so severely interpreted I leave to every man's Breast what he finds in the closet of his own Heart and desire to be judged according to that My Lord went further and says I should say that the King was not to be mastered by the frowardness or disaffection of some particular men and conceives it be meant of the Parliament My Lords I say under favour these words are not within the Charge and therefore I am not to be accountable for them besides it is a single Testimony and by the proviso of that Statute cannot be made use of to the end and purpose for which they bring them My Lords the next Testimony offered for proving this Charge is the Testimony of my Lord of Newburg and he sayes That at the Council-Board or in the Gallery I did say that seeing the Parliament had not supplied the King His Majesty might take other courses for the defence of the Kingdom Truly My Lords under favour who doubts but he might for my part I see not where the offence is for another man to have said thus for if another man will not help me may not I therefore help my self under favour I conceive there is no great weight nor crime in these words but in these likewise he stands a single Testimony there is no man that joyns with him in it and there is this in the whole Cause concerning the words that I think there is not any one thing wherein two concurr The next Testimony is that of the Earl of Holland and he sayes That at the Council-Board I said The Parliament having denyed the King he had advantage to supply himself other wayes Truly My Lords I say still other wayes being lawful wayes and just wayes and such wayes as the goodness of the King can only walk in and in no other can he walk And therefore I conceive they be far from bringing it to sigh high a guilt as Treason and this likewise his Lordship expresses as the rest do singly on his own word as he conceives them and not on the particular word of any other person which is I say the case of every one that speaks in the business and therefore there being so great a difference in the Report and Conceiving of things it is very hard my words should be taken to my destruction when no Man agrees what they were My Lord of Northumberland is the next and he sayes I should say at a Committee for the Scotish affairs That in case of necessity and for Defence and Safety of the Kingdom every thing must be done for the Preservation of the King and his People And this is the Testimony of my Lord in that point if I take any thing short it is against my Will I give you my Notes as far as I have them and further I cannot remember them But my Lords I say this brings it to that which is indeed the great part of my Defence in this case There is another agreed in this too and it is Mr. Treasurer who sayes that in Argument for Offensive or Defensive War I should say That having tryed all ways and being refused the King might in extream necessity provide for the safety of himself and his People I say this brings it to that which is principally for my Defence that must qualifie if not absolutely free me from any blame and that is that which did proceed and follow after My Lords under favour I have heard some discourse of great weight and of great Authority and that is certain the Arguments that were used in the case of Ship-Money by those that Argued against the King in that Case say as much and will undertake if any man read those Arguments he shall find as much said there as I said at Council-Board for there you shall hear that there be certain Times and Seasons when Propriety ceases as in the case of Burning where a Man pulls down the next House to preserve the whole street from being set on fire In the case of building Forts on any man's Land where it is for the publique defence of the Kingdom in both these Cases Propriety doth cease nay he says that in War Inter Arma silent Leges Now my Lords these are as highly said as any thing you have heard by me and yet certainly is no subverting of the Fundamental Laws for all that and therefore if a man must be judged he must not be judged by pieces but by all together My Lords Whatsoever I said at Council-Board was led in by this Case what a King should do in case of a Forreign Invasion of an Enemy when the ordinary wayes and means of levying Money would not come in seasonably to prevent mischief for what a King may do in case of absolute necessity certainly in these cases the ordinary Rules do not take place as this was the Case that let in the Discourse so I most humbly beseech your Lordships for it is fully proved to remember what was the conclusion of that Discourse which was That after the present occasion provided for the King was obliged in Honour and Justice to vindicate and free the Liberty of the Subject from all prejudice and harm it might sustain in that extraordinary occasion and that this was to be done by a Parliament and no other way but a Parliament and the King and his People could never be happy till the Prerogative of the Crown and the Liberty of the Subject were so bounded and known that they might go hand in hand together mutually to the assistance of one another My Lords give me that which precedes and that which follows both being proved to be the Case in these words in the Charge I think considering these two I should be far from having committed any great crime or offence in saying these words But I say as I said before I shall be more wary for the time hereafter if it please God to give me that Grace and Life which I submit to him and shall readily and willingly resign to his good Will and pleasure I conceive therefore that as these words are accompanied they be not words that do amount to Treason and are so qualifiyed and so weakly proved that I trust they shall not stick with your Lordships The next words that I am charged withal in England be on the 25th Article and that is that I should say that the Aldermen that would not give in the names of the able men of the City deserved to be put to Fine and Ransome and that no good would be done with them till an example were made of them and they were laid by the heels and some of the Aldermen hanged up In the first part of the Article there is something concerning my advice for raising the Money but it is not proved that I did any thing therein but as others did and as in former years
House of Commons was printed and dispersed all over England which when complained of though disclaimed by the House within doors yet was it never Counter-manded no Penalty inflicted upon the Printer Publishers or Spreaders of this Counterfeit Order nay they were not so much as once questioned for it By the Encouragement of this Order and the Countenance this Petitioning and Articling against the Clergy found from the Committee for Religion there were above 2000 Petitions Exhibited in a short time against them in which they were charged with the most horrid Crimes of Adultery Prophaneness Swearing Drunkenness and indeed what not Every accusation was not only received but Credited insomuch that few or none of the Loyal Clergy Escaped the lash Honesty and Learning being then as Mr. Selden said Sins enough in a Clergy-man And when ever the Reader shall hereafter meet with any of these Votes against the Clergy he is to look upon them rather as Marks of Honesty and honourable Scars of their Wounded Reputation then brands of ignominy or real Crimes for all their Sufferings proceeded only from their being guilty of Loyalty to their Sovereign Lord and King and Obedience to their Superiors and the Laws of the Church and of the State too as then it was Established But to pass forward this New Plot of seducing the Army with which not only London but the whole Nation rung again was of Extraordinary Service to them and from the Rumors which were spread of a French and Irish Army to be landed to joyn with the English Army the Phanatical Party took Occasion to provide themselves with Arms and Ammunition of which afterwards they made sufficient advantage when the Contest between the King and the Two Houses grew so high as to come to the fatal decision of the Sword A Letter was this day Ordered to be sent to the Army in order to the discovery of this Conspiracy against the Parliament and Mr. Speaker was ordered to send Copies of it under his hand to Sir John Conyers and Sir Jacob Ashley The Letter was thus penned SIR WHereas there have been just Causes of Jealousies that there have been some secret Attempts and Practices to infuse into the Army a mislike of this Parliament The Speaker's Letter to the Army to some dangerous intent and purpose against the State and that now the matter is grown unto a strong presumption upon further discoveries and by reason that some of those which were suspected to have been Active therein are fled upon the first stirring thereof before ever they were once named It hath pleased this House to declare That notwithstanding they intend to search into the bottom of this Conspiracy yet purposing to proceed Especially against the Principal Actors therein this House hath resolved whereunto the House of Peers hath likewise consented That for such of the Army as the Conspirators have endeavoured to work upon if they shall testifie their Fidelity to the State by a timely discovery of what they know and can testifie therein they shall not only be free from all punishment but also shall be Esteemed to have done that which is for the Service of the State in discovery of so dangerous a Plot against it And for such of the Army as are and shall be found no wayes tainted with this dangerous Design or knowing any thing thereof shall make such discovery as aforesaid as this House shall no wayes doubt of their Loyalty and Fidelity so it will have an Especial Care not only to satisfie all such Arrears as this House hath formerly promised to discharge but also give a fair Testimony of the Sense they have of their present and past Want And it is Ordered by this House That immediately after the receipt hereof you should communicate this their Declaration unto all the Officers and Members of the Army under your Command Your very Loving Friend c. It was this day also Agreed to a further Cessation of Arms for a Month longer Cessation prolonged for a Month from May 16. to begin from the 16. of May if the Treaty shall so long continue A Bill was read the first and second time for better levying and raising Mariners and Saylors and others Monday May the 10th for the defence of the Kingdom An Information was also given in Search for Arms at Lambeth or at least so pretended to render the Archbishop more Odious to the Populace and to Exasperate them against Him and the Rest of the Bishops that there were great Stores of Arms and Ammunition laid up at Lambeth in Order as was buzzed about among the Faction to promote some ill Designs against the Parliament whereupon Sir John Evelyn and Mr. Broxam were Ordered to go over to Lambeth to view what Arms were there and some others were appointed to search about the Parliament House lest any Plot should be secretly hid there or rather in truth to amuse the People by these strange Fears and Jealousies and keep them up in that Heat in which they were against the Government This Day were passed Money to be borrowed of the City upon Passing the Bill of Attainder and Bill for Parliament as before was observed the Fatal Bills for the Attainder of the Earl of Strafford and for the continuance of this Parliament upon which the Citizens and Burgesses for London were ordered to represent to the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen and Common Councel what past this day concerning the Bill of Attainder and the Bill for the Sitting of this present Parliament and to move for a present Answer to be given for the Sixscore thousand pounds promised to be lent by the City for the great Occasions of the Kingdom There goes a Story which I have heard confirmed for truth That a certain Witty Nobleman the next morning after the passing this Bill for the Continuance of this Parliament during their Pleasure coming to the King 's uprising Saluted him in this Familiar manner Good morrow fellow Subject Which though at present it did only a little surprize his Majesty yet afterwards he found that no less was by that ACT intended by the Faction who treated him as a Co-ordinate third Estate Mr. Message from the King concerning the Lord Cottington c. Treasurer Vane brings a Message from the King to the House to acquaint them That his Majesty had already given Directions to prepare a Patent to make my Lord of Salisbury Lord Lieutenant of Dorsetshire the Lord Cottington having offered to surrender his Patent and that the House may hereby see how ready his Majesty is to satisfie all their Just Requests being resolved to repose himself intirely upon the Affections of his People To which Message Mr. The Commons Answer Treasurer was Ordered barely to return the Thanks of the House whereas formerly upon far less Occasions more Dutiful Commons were ever wont to return their Answer with the Stile of His Majesties Gracious Message and these Men
as it will Real or Counterfeit it served their Turn made a mighty Noise and furnished them with a fresh Supply of those Fears and Jealousies with which they intoxicated the People and gave them a Rise for the Wheel that was now upon Motion to stop the King 's intended Journey into Scotland of which they were not a little jealous and distrustful A Petition from several Ministers of Wales was Read and referred to the Committee for Scandalous Ministers Welch Petition Thus the Indulgent Mother-Church of England had nursed up Undutiful and Unnatural Children to Rebel against Her a sort of Amphibious Hypocrites who could conform and swear Obedience to her Laws and Government while she was in Prosperity but Petition to pull her down when they saw her Entring into the Red Sea of Persecution they who had Sucked her Breasts and Eat of her Bread now lifting up their Heels against her and her Enemies being those of her own House This Day the House of Lords was adjourned during Pleasure The further Debate of the 10 Propositions in the House of Lords into a Committee to debate the rest of the Ten Heads brought up from the House of Commons And the House proceeded to the Fourth Head concerning the Queens Majesty And it was Ordered That for the present this Head and Branches be laid aside untill the Articles made at the Marriage be seen Then the Fifth Head and the Branches were debated and agreed to The Sixth Head the second Branch agreed to The third Branch Agreed to joyn with the House of Commons to Petition His Majesty to prevent it hereafter and to let the House of Commons know That there is but one English Lady about the Queen that is a Papist and to acquaint them with the quiet Condition of that Lady The 4th Branch agreed to The Fifth Branch concerning Active Papists Agreed to know of the House of Commons Who they mean by Active Papists and how far the Extent is to be The Eighth Head concerning the Security and Peace of the Kingdom the first Branch agreed to the second Branch to be treated of at the Committee The third Branch also left to the Committee The Fourth Branch Ordered That the Earls of Essex and Leicester and the Lord Kymbolton do acquaint the Lord Admiral with it The Ninth Head referred to the Committee and they to call the King's Counsel The Tenth Head agreed to concerning a Select Committee of Lords to joyn with a proportionable number of the House of Commons from time to time to confer about these particular Courses as shall be most Effectual for the Reducing of the Propositions to Effect for the Publique Good And these Lords following were appointed to be Committees for the same Viz. Lord Chamberlain E. Bath E. Essex E. Dorset E. Sarum E. Warwick E. March Their Lordships to meet when they please * Message from the King about Disbanding The Lords that were appointed to Wait on His Majesty returned this Answer That the King will give Order to his Attorney-General to issue forth and publish a Proclamation speedily and hath given Directions for Letters to be written to the Deputy-Lieutenants from the Lord Lieutenants to assist them with Power if occasion shall serve for the quiet Conveying the Soldiers through the several Counties which they pass And lastly That his Majesty is willing the Earls of Holland and Newport do go into the North to their several Charges in the Army at the time prefixed There was a Motion made from the Earl of Holland General of the Army Saturday June 26. who was going down in order to the Disbanding That he might have an Act to impower him to Exercise Martial Law if the Soldiers should prove Mutinous but it was rejected only they Resolved to procure a Proclamation to be sent down for the punishment of the Soldiers if they should be disorderly by the Justices of Peace and that the Justices and other Civil Officers should see the Soldiers orderly Conducted through their respective Counties to the places of their aboad There was also a Message from the Scots Commissioners Message from the Scots Commissioners about the Kings Journey into Scotland to acquaint the House That they were informed that they had Voted against his Majesties going into Scotland as he had graciously promised them which they said might be of great prejudice unto them for that they had sent Proclamations through the Kingdom of Scotland for his Majesties Entertainment within a certain limited time and therefore they desired the House would take it into Consideration Nevertheless they did not desire that his Majesty should go till Matters were well settled here provided it might not be prejudicial unto them by causing some Jealousies among the People there Sir William Savil this Day Petitioned the House Monday June 28. Sir William Savil released from the Tower upon which it was Ordered That he should be discharged from his Imprisonment in the Tower A Committee of 48 appointed to meet 24 Lords at a Conference in the Painted Chamber about the Propositions delivered by Mr. Pym on Thursday last concerning the King's going into Scotland c. In the House of Lords this day the Petition of the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of the City of London The Lord Major and Aldermen of Londons Petition about chusing one of the Sheriffs lately presented to the King was by his Majesty's Command delivered to the House and referred to the determination of the Parliament The effect of the Petition was concerning the sole Election of one of the Sheriffs of London which the Lord Mayor claims to have by prescription of Three Hundred Years to which the Commons of the said City disassented unless it be with their Confirmation and Approbation Hereupon it was Ordered That the Lord Mayor Recorder and some of the Aldermen and some of the Commons of the City of London shall have notice to attend this House to morrow morning at Eight of the Clock at which time their Lordships will hear both sides what they can say in this business A Message was brought from the House of Commons by Mr. Pym Message by Mr. Pym about the Archbishops Charge and Trial. who was commanded to let their Lordships know That formerly they brought up an Impeachment of High Treason against the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury which hath lain asleep ever since but now they intend to proceed and Examine divers Witnesses concerning that business therefore desired their Lordships that a select Committee may be appointed to Examine such Witnesses as the House of Commons shall desire and that to be in the presence of some Members of the House of Commons as they shall appoint and that the Examinations be kept secret as in the Case of the Earl of Strafford and as that they have made an Order in their House to Examine such Members of their House as are requisite so they desire their Lordships will be pleased to provide that such
will procure a confusion and grudging among them Upon reading the Petition of the Six Persons chosen by the Commonalty of the City of London it is Ordered by the Lords in Parliament Order about Books to be used in the Case between Lord Major and Commons That the Book of Reversions shall be perused by them and afterwards with theBooks of A. D. E. F. G. H. I. K. L. Z. O. Liber Albus Transcript Dunthorn Customs Repertory Hamersly Journal of 6 H. 7. Journal Swinerton Middleton Hayes Journal Garroway shall be brought into the Vpper House of Parliament on Monday next being the 26th of this Instant Month of July by Nine of the Clock in the morning at which time their Lordships have Ordered to hear the said Cause Sir John Hotham Reports Friday July 23. That there will be due to the Scots upon the 12th of August 57400 l. 10000 l. is expected from the voluntary Loan of the Members so that 47000 will be requisite to pay them off Ordered That there shall be a Conference with the Lords to borrow 40000 l. of the City which the Lords agreed to and the Poll-Bill was proposed to the Lord Mayor and Aldermen for Security Earl of Essex made Lord Chamberlain This day His Majesty was pleased to give the white Staff to the Earl of Essex and he was Sworn Lord Chamberlain of His Majesties Household Sir Arthur Ingram carries up the Bill with amendments for the certainty of the Forrests as also a Bill for the Earl of Bedford Saturday July 24. The House of Commons then entered upon the Debate of the Articles from the Committee of Seven against Mr. Percy Mr. Jermyn c. Upon which they came to these Votes Votes upon the Articles from the Committee of 7. Resolved c. That Mr. Henry Percy in the Months of March and April last past in the Parish of St. Martin 's in the County of Middlesex did Compass Plot and Conspire with others to draw the said Army together and to employ them against the Parliament and by fear and dread thereof to compel the said Parliament to agree to certain Propositions by them contrived and to hinder and interrupt the Proceedings of the said Parliament Resolved c. The same against Mr. Henry Jermyn Sir John Suckling and Mr. William Davenant Resolved c. That in pursuance of the said Design the said Henry Percy by the Plot and Combination aforesaid did endeavour to persuade divers Members of the House of Commons of the said Parliament and others being Officers of the said Army that is to say Henry Wilmot William Ashburnham Esq Sir John Berkly Hugh Pollard and Daniel Oneal Esquires that they were disobliged by the Parliament thereby to incense and disaffect them against the Parliament and did hold divers Consultations with the said persons to effect the said wicked and dangerous Designs and for that purpose did set down in writing certain Propositions to the effect following that is to say The preserving of Bishops Votes and Functions the not Disbanding of the Irish Army until the Scots were Disbanded and to endeavour the settling of the King's Revenue to the proportion it was formerly The House fell upon the further Debate of the Articles from the Committee of Seven and it was Resolved Further Votes about Mr. Percy c. c. That the said Henry Percy in pursuance of the said Plot and Combination for the more secret Carriage and further Engagement of the said Conspirators and others the Persons aforenamed did minister unto the said Henry Jermin Hugh Pollard Henry Wilmot William Ashburnham Sir John Berkley and Daniel Oneal a wicked and unlawful Oath whereby they did Swear upon the Holy Evangelists not to reveal any thing spoken concerning that business in consultation directly or indirectly nor to think themselves absolved by any other Oath that should be after taken from the Secresie enjoyned by the said Oath Resolved c. That Mr. Henry Jermyn at the time the said Oath was Administred as aforesaid and at divers other times did propound and endeavour to perswade the Persons aforenamed and other Officers of the said Army to put the said Army into a Warlike Posture and to bring them up to London and likewise to make themselves sure of the Tower and so by force to compel the Parliament to conform to their Will Resolved c. That the said Henry Jermin Sir John Suckling and William Davenant in further Prosecution of the said Design by the Conspiracy aforesaid to disaffect the said Army towards the Parliament and to work a belief in the said Army that the King and Parliament would disagree and so under pretence of adhering to His Majesty to incense the said Army against the Parliament thereby the better to compass their wicked Design and further endeavoured to perswade the Army that all the French about London would assist them and to the great scandal of the King and his Government that the Prince and the Earl of Newcastle were to meet the said Army at Nottingham with a Thousand Horse Resolved c. That the said Sir John Suckling by the Conspiracy aforesaid for the better effecting the said wicked Design under the pretence and colour of some service to the King of Portugal did raise Men both Officers and Common Soldiers and further did contrive that a hundred of those Men should be put into the Tower of London under the Command of Captain Henry Billingsley thereby to possess themselves of the same as was formerly propounded by Mr. Henry Jermin that so they the said Henry Jermin and Sir John Suckling might better effect their said wicked Designs and have better opportunity to Master and Command the City of London that the said City should not be able to make any resistance when the said Army should come up according to the aforementioned Desing And the said Sir John Suckling in further pursuance of the said wicked intentions did by the means aforesaid Plot and Endeavour that Thomas Earl of Strafford then Prisoner in the Tower for High Treason and since Attainted and Executed for the same should make an Escape that by his Power they might the better compass and bring to pass the said wicked Design Resolved c. That the said Henry Wilmot William Ashburnham Hugh Pollard Sir John Suckling Sir John Berkley and Daniel Oneal by the inticement practice and insinuation of the said Henry Percy did take the aforesaid unlawful Oath Resolved c. That the said Henry Percy for the advancement of the said wicked Design did propound unto them the aforesaid three Propositions Resolved c. That the said Henry Wilmot William Ashburnham Hugh Pollard Sir John Berkley and Daniel Oneal were acquainted with the said Design mentioned in the first Article Resolved c. That the said Henry Wilmot William Ashburnham Hugh Polland Sir John Berkley and Daniel Oneal were together with the said Confederates present at divers Debates and Consultations touching the
said Propositions and Designs which said Propositions Designs and Consultations the said Henry Wilmot c. did not discover but consented to the same Resolved c. That the said Henry Wilmot William Ashburnham Hugh Pollard Sir John Berkley and Daniel Oneal being afterwards Lawfully Examined in Parliament upon their Oaths touching the Premisses did wholly deny the same and the said Sir John Berkley and Daniel Oneal being thereupon questioned did fly for the same The further Debate of this matter was put off until Wednesday at 8 of the Clock Munday July 26. Bill for Northern Counties passed the Lords Lord Majors Case about Electing one Sheriff c. heard The Earl of Bath Reported the Bill for securing of Mony to the Northern Counties c. And being put to the Question it was Resolved to pass The Petition of the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of London and the Petition of the Commonalty of the said City were read and after Councel on both sides had had a full hearing concerning the Election of a Sheriff and other Officers the House of Lords taking the whole business into consideration Ordered That this Cause should be determined on Saturday morning next in case the Lord Mayor and the Commonalty did not agree and compose the matter in Question in the mean time This was a very perplexing Case at this time for the Parliament were about to borrow 40000 l. of the City to disband the Armies and if the Cause had been determined either way in probability it would have given a stop to that Affair but more especially if it had been decided in favour of the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen who could not easily have raised that Sum without the Assistance of the most wealthy of the Commonalty The Lord Chamberlain signified to the House Letters about the Army That he had received divers Letters from the Lord General which he thought fit to acquaint the House with As a Letter desiring to know a certain day for disbanding of both Armies Likewise a Letter sent to the Lord General from the Gentlemen in the Bishoprick of Durham complaining of the burthen of the Soldiers there And also a List of the Number of the Five Regiments which are disbanded being 5817 Men All which being read the Lord Chamberlain had leave from this House to Communicate them to the House of Commons Tuesday July 27. Petition out of Oxfordshire against Bishops A Petition of the Ministers and People of Oxfordshire and Barkshire against Bishops was this day read in the Commons House and referred to the Committee for the Ministers Remonstrance A Message from the House of Commons by Sir John Culpeper 7 Bills brought up by Sir John Culpeper who brought up Seven Bills which had passed that House Viz. 1. An Act for the declaring unlawful and void the late proceedings touching Ship-mony and for vacating of all Records and Process concerning the same 2. An Act for the preventing of vexatious proceedings touching the Order of Knighthood 3. An Act for the free bringing in of Gun-Powder and Salt-Petre from forreign Parts and for the free making of Gun-Powder in this Realm 4. An Act to settle the Mannor of Belgraves and other Lands in the County of Leicester to and upon William Byerley Esq his Heirs and Assigns for and towards the payment of the Debts of William Davenport Esq Deceased 5. An Act to enable Sir Alexander Denton Knight to sell the Mannor of Barvard alias Barford St. Michael and other Lands in this present Act mentioned for the payment of his Debts and preferment of his younger Children 6. An Act for Alteration of the Estate and Tenure of some Lands within the Parish of Fulham in the County of Middlesex held of the Lord Bishop of London as of the Mannor of Fulham 7. An Act for the making of the Chappel of Hoole in the County of Lancaster a Parish Church and no part of the Parish of Crosston  l. s. d. Sir John Hotham Reports Report of the Charge of the Armies That to disband the Army requires 242619 11 03 Toward which there is paid 152119 11 03 Remains to be provided 90500 00 00 The Charge of the Garrisons 40000 00 00 Total 130500 00 00 When the Earl of Warwick hath Received and Paid the 50000 00 00 There will Remain due to the Scots 53000 00 00 Besides the Remainder of the Brotherly assistance 80000 00 00 Total due to the Scots 133000 00 00 The Engrossed Bill for Confirmation of His Majesties Letters Patents to the Town of Plymouth Plymonth Bill passed and for dividing the Parish and building a new Church there was read the Third time in the Lords House and being put to the Question it was Resolved to pass as a Law Then the Speaker signified Message from the King to the Lords about Commissions in his absence That His Majesty Commanded him to acquaint their Lordships that because he intends his Journey tawards Scotland upon Monday come Sevennight and in regard that in his absence heretofore he hath left behind him Two Commissions the one directed unto the Lords of the Privy Council for ordering of the Affairs of State and the issuing out of Proclamations upon Emergent Occasions and the other Authorising a Person of Honour to be Captain General for the levying of Forces on this side Trent if there should be any necessity for the safety of the Kingdom His Majesty now thinks it fit to issue out the like Commissions for the said Publick Services in his absence with some Variations and Omissions according to the Occasions and hath named the Lord Chamberlain to be Captain General on this side Trent but His Majesty would execute nothing therein until he had made the same known to both Houses of Parliament desiring their Concurrence and Assistance in all his great Affairs Further it was signified from His Majesty That the Spanish Ambassador did send a Writing unto His Majesty wherein he presseth His Majesty for some of the Irish Companies lately disbanded to be employed in the Service of the King of Spain and that His Majesty hath Commanded that the said Writing shall be Communicated to both Houses of Parliament and he desires their Advice therein Upon which a Conference was desired by the Lords at which the Lords declared their Resolution That they would do nothing in it till Three Points were cleared First That the Ambassadour should set down the particular number of Men he desires Secondly The time When. Thirdly The manner How and the Place from Whence he intends to Transport the Soldiers Mr. Hambden made a Report from the Earl of Pembroke Mr. Hambden Reports the Letter from the Queen of Bohemia That he had received Letters from the Queen of Bohemia wherein she gave humble thanks to the Parliament for their Regard and Consideration of her There was also another Letter read from the Earl of Holland to desire That both Armies might be disbanded together for
be taken of the proceedings of the several Sheriffs as also the Treasurer of His Majesties Army and of the Treasurer appointed by the Act and of their obedience and conformity to this Order and if any shall fail therein it shall be Interpreted as a great neglect of the safety of the Kingdom and contempt of both Houses of Parliament for which they shall be called to answer and make satisfaction as well for their offence as for such damage as the Common-wealth hath undergone by their default There came Letters also this day That the Scotch Army Wednesday August 25. were marched away and that his Majesty had prevailed with the Parliament of Scotland that their Ordnance and Ammunition should be left at Newcastle to be conveyed to London or some other Magazine There was this day a Debate in the Commons House about Disbanding the Officers of the Army who are about the Town and after that concerning the Pay due to Commissary Wilmot Coll. Ashburnham Mr. Percy c. Upon which it was Resolved That their Pay should for the present be stopped Whereupon Mr. Selden stood up and spoke in mitigation of their faults Conceiving them as he said not only acquitted but pardoned by the Act of Pacification which was an Act of Pardon But to this it was answered That that Act concerned only the Differences between the Two Kingdoms and not the Offences of particular persons for that if it did the Archbishop of Canterbury and other Delinquents could not be proceeded against This day the Lord Mayor of London having Petitioned the House of Lords and attending there he was called in Lord Major of London Petitions the Lords and the Recorder desired to be heard in the behalf of the Lord Mayor and Aldermen touching the Order made lately by this House concerning the Election of one of the Sheriffs of London which he said concerned very much the Government of that City and likewise to acquaint their Lordships with some of the things which will ensue as inconveniencies to the City thereupon Upon this the Major and Recorder and others were commanded to withdraw and this House taking the same into Consideration Resolved to hear them in any thing which concerns the good Government of the City or any grievances which are likely to grow upon the City by other Occasions but not to hear them to speak any thing to arraign the Orders of this House The Petition of the Mayor c. was read among other Complaints sets forth That they doubt the Commons of the said City will throw off the Government of the Common-Council which tends much to the Peace and Wellfare of the City Then the Lord Mayor Aldermen and Recorder were called in again and the Lord Keeper told them That their Petition hath been read and that their Lordships conceive their Order to be very just and no ways prejudicial to either side it being with a saving of both Rights therefore will hear nothing to arraign it As for the Government of the City the Lords are very careful of it and Command the Lord Mayor c. to be so likewise And for the Common-Council their Lordships do let them know That they are resolved to maintain it as tending much to the well and quiet Government of the City and when the particular matters of Difference between them and the Commons shall appear this House will do what they can to settle the differences between them Thus did every thing run swiftly down the Torrent against not only the Monarchy but even the Image of it the Popular humor and inclination to Popular Government being grown Predominant and the Epidemical Disease both in the Church and State THe Lord Bishop of Lincoln Reported the Conference about the state of the Navy The Conference about the State of the Navy Aug. 26. 1641. That the House of Commons have taken into their Consideration the Present State of the King's Navy and they find that many Ships are laid by and twelve no Vse is to be made of them also they find that the Arrears of the Officers of the Navy are very great and the Provisions of the Magazines decayed That for the Guarding of the Narrow Seas this Year the House of Commons set forth Ten of the King's Navy and Ten Merchants Ships the Charge whereof will amount to 59000 l towards the Payment whereof there is only advanced 12000 l. out of the Money granted to the King for Tonnage and Poundage And considering that the Sea-men when they come home will Expect their pay and are to remain in their Pay until they receive their Wages which will grow to an Excessive Charge unless some Course be taken for providing of the said 57000 l. For defraying of which Sum and for discharging of other Charges of the Navy the House of Commons are of Opinion and desire this House to joyn with them in it That the Commissioners of the Treasury do issue out Warrants to the Farmers of the Custom-House to pay 15000 l. a Month to the Treasurers of his Majesties Navy out of the Money received for Tonnage and Poundage towards the raising the aforesaid Sums the time to begin from the First day of August 1641 to the First day of December next and that some Member of this House be joyned with Two of the House of Commons to see this done in the time of the Recess And further the House of Commons desires that the Lord General may receive Directions to give Order to the Governor of Barwick to ship the Ordnance and Ammunition there in such Ships as shall be appointed to bring them to the Tower of London and the like Warrant to be given to the Governor of Carlisle to bring the Ordnance and Ammunition from Carlisle to Newcastle to be Shipped for the Tower which Ships are to be Wafted by one of his Majesties Ships Hereupon it was Ordered That this House doth joyn with the House of Commons herein A Letter was also this day Read which was drawn up by the Select Committees of both Houses to be sent to the Lord General in these Terms May it please your Excellency I Presented your Letters of the 23d of August to the House of Peers The Letter to the Lord General about the 9 Counties paying Poll-Money at York to finish the Disbanding by which they understand what progress your Excellency hath made in Disbanding the Army wherein your diligence hath prevented the time propounded in your former Letter and I am commanded to declare that in their apprehension your Excellency hath hereby fully and clearly expresed your care of the Publick Good and Safety of the Kingdom and your respect to the House which works in them much contentments and yields a great return of Honor to your self as nothing can be dearer to the Parliament than the Publick Good so your Excellency can in no way more advance your self in their Estmmiation then by joyning with them in that affection The Reason
That Mr. Hugh Benson shall be forthwith sent for as a Delinquent by the Serjeant at Arms attending on this House After which it was Ordered Captain of Hurst Castle Summoned That the Lord Gorge who is Governor of Hurst Castle be forthwith Summoned to appear here to give an Account why he suffered that Castle to go to decay A Complaint was exhibited by the Resident of Florence Resident of Florence complains of his House being broken c. against May and Newton two Persons imployed to apprehend Priests for violently contrary to the Law of Nations breaking open his Doors and taking and committing his Domestick Servants to Prison Whereupon it was Ordered That the said May and Newton be Summoned to give an Account of that Action and that the said Persons Imprisoned be set at Liberty the Resident passing his Word for their forth-coming Then certain Interrogatories to be administred to Owen O Connelly Interrogatories for the further Examination of Connelly were read as follows 1 What ground had you to Suspect that the Papists had any Design upon the State of Ireland 2 What have you heard any Priests or others say concerning the promoting of the Romish Religion 3 What Discourse have you had with Hugh Ogh Mac-Mohan concerning any such Design in Ireland 4 Have you heard of any Design in England or Scotland of the like Nature what is it you have heard Declare your whole Knowledg The Design of which Questions as plainly appears by the very Words of them were purposely to draw out something from him which might give color to the pretended Calumnies against the King or Queen or both of them as being some way or other concerned in promoting Popery and the Rebellion in Ireland as they had upon all Occasions insinuated the King to have been privy and Consenting to the Design of bringing up the Army and the Conspiracy in Scotland pretended against Hamilton Argyle and others And indeed the Faction laid hold upon all Occasions which were in the least capable of an Improvement to the Defamation of his Majesty and to rob him of the Affections of his People by whispering such Surmises as might beget and confirm those useful Fears and Jealousies of Popery and Arbitrary Power which were to be the Engines by which their wicked and mischievous Designs were to be effected and accomplished After this Sir Thomas Widdrington Reports further of the Conference The Report of the Conferrence about the Prince and Queen concerning the Prince and Queen That the Earl of Holland said he had according to the Commands of both Houses waited upon her Majesty and presented her with the Reasons of both Houses why they desired that the Prince should reside at Richmond 1. Because that he lost much opportunity in improving himself in his Learning and Study by being at Oatlands 2. Next though the Parliament doth not think her Majesty would intimate any thing to him concerning her Religion yet there were many about her which might prepare him with those impressions in his Religion which mightsit upon him many Years after 3. That in this time so full of danger for we hear of new Treasons every day that the Prince might be more Secure and yet his Lordship said he acquainted the Queen That it was not the Intentions of the Two Houses of Parliament that the Prince should not at all wait upon her Majesty but might come when her Majesty was desirous to see him but yet that his place of Residence might be at Richmond for otherwise his Governor could not take that Charge over Him as was required by the Parliament nor be answerable for such Servants as were about him His Lordship was pleased further to say That Her Majesty gave this Answer THat She gave the Parliament Thanks for their Care of her Son The Queens Answer the Occasion wherefore Her Majesty sent for him was to Celebrate the Birth-Day of one of his Sisters but that the Prince should be presently sent back to Richmond And Her Majesty said She did make no doubt but upon the King's Return the Parliament will Express the like Care both of the Kings Honor and Safety Mr. Whitlock further Reported That the Lord Chamberlain said at the Conference That he had taken care for a Guard That many of them complained of standing upon their Guard 24 Hours without Relief and some of the Captains neglect to come and that therefore Order should be taken therein A Message was brought from the House of Commons by Arthur Goodwin Esquire to let their Lordships know Wednesday Novemb. 3. A Message from the Commons about Phillips the Priest That he was Commanded to give their Lordships Thanks from the House of Commons for their Care and Honour of Religion in committing Robert Phillips the Priest unto the Tower desiring that he may not be released from his Imprisonment without they be made acquainted with it and that their Lordships would give Directions that none may speak with him at the Tower but in the presence of some of the Keepers Whereupon the Lords made an Order accordingly The Lord Privy Seal Reported The Report about Borrowing 50000 l. of the City That Yesterday the Committees of both Houses in the Name of the Parliament went to the City to propound the Borrowing of 50000 l. for the Irish Affairs He said They gave the City a full relation of the State and Condition of Ireland now is in it being the Case of Religion That they were much moved at the Relation and the Committees then told the Three Wants which the Council of Ireland desires to be speedily furnished with or else that Kingdom will be in danger to be lost which are Men Arms and Money His Lordship said the Committee told them the Parliament required nothing of them but the Loan of Money which should be Secured to them by Act of Parliament with advantage to themselves with Interest Vpon this the Major and Aldermen with the Common Council presently retired to consult among themselves till it was very late and so the Committees left them The next Morning the Recorder came to the Lords of the Councel at Whitehall and declared That he had Command from the Major and Aldermen and Common Council of the City to inform their Lordships first by way of Protestation That so great Sums of Money were drawn from them lately that they were hardly able to Supply this Occasion Yet such is their Zeal to this Cause that they will do their best Endeavours therein 2. He delivered by way of Plea from the City That Protections were so frequent that unless the Parliament did take some Course therein they shall not be able to do the Parliament that Service they desire in this kind because it decayes their Trading Mr. Recorder further declared That the City had formerly lent 50000 l. upon the Request of the Great Council at York which was due the 22d. of October last which yet is not paid
which by reason of his Majesties absence out of the Kingdom cannot be done by His Majesties immediate Warrant so speedily as the imminent danger and necessity of that Kingdom doth require and for that His Majesty hath especially recommended the Care of the Preservation of that Kingdom unto both the Houses of Parliament It is Ordained by the Lords and Commons in Parliament That Mountjoy Earl of Newport Master of His Majesties Ordnance shall deliver to the Earl of Leicester Lord Lieutenant of Ireland or to such other person or persons as he shall appoint to receive the same the full number of 1000 Arms for Horse-men and 8000 Arms for Foot and the quantity of 10 Last of Powder and such other Munition Tents and Provisions of all sorts as shall be needful for this Service according to a List to be agreed upon and allowed by the said Lords and Commons hereunto annexed out of His Majesties Stores and Magazines in the Tower of London the City of Carlisle the Town of Hull or elsewhere and for so doing this shall be a sufficient Warrant as well for his Lordship as for any of his Deputies or Vnder-Officers in that behalf An Ordinance also for providing Shipping for Transportation of Men and Munition was read and passed in haec verba WHereas by Order of Parliament Men Arms The Ordinance of the Lords and Commons to impower the L. High Admiral to provide Shipping c. Munition and other Provisions are suddenly to be transported from several Ports in this Realm viz. Bristol Chester and others for which Service it will be requisite that Ships be provided with all expedition It is this day Ordered by the Lords and Commons in Parliament that the Lord High Admiral of England be desired to take care that Ships be accordingly provided in the several Ports respectively within this Kingdom from whence the aforesaid Men Arms Ammunition and other Provisions are Ordered to be Transported into Ireland which is to be done with all expedition the Parliament having resolved to see Moneys supplied for the performance of this Service After this the Lord Keeper reported the Conference with the House of Commons to this effect That the House of Commons have presented to their Lordships some Propositions which have been Voted in their House The Report of the Conference about Capuchins c. and desires their Lordships to take them into Consideration and join with them therein 1. Concerning the Dissolving the House of the Capuchins and the speedy sending them away according the former desires of their House 2. That the Ambassadors may be sent to from both Houses to deliver up such Priests of the King's Subjects as are in their Houses 3. That a List may be brought in of the Queens Priests and other her Servants and that a List may be likewise brought in of the Prince's and other of the King's Childrens Servants 4. That a Proclamation may issue for the Commanding that all Strangers that are not of the Protestant Religion except such as are Men of Rank and Quality and live here in such a publick way whereby notice is taken of them and of the Cause of their aboad in this Kingdom do deliver in Tickets of their Names and an account of their stay here within two days after the issuing forth of the Proclamation or else depart the Kingdom forthwith And likewise requiring that all Inn-keepers or others that entertain Lodgers to give Tickets of the Names of such as lodge in their Houses within two days likewise after the issuing forth of the said Proclamation and that these Tickets be given by those in the City of London to the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of the Wards respectively where they reside and by those of Middlesex and Surrey and other Places within 10 Miles of London to the Justices of the Peace next adjoining to the place of their Residence and this Order to extend to the City of London and Ten Miles about 5. That the House of Commons had presented their Lordships with some Scottish Papers being Examinations concerning the late Design against the Lord Marquess Hamilton Earl of Arguile and the Earl of Lannerick Likewise they produced written from their Committees at Edinburgh Letters dated the 27th of October with an enclosed Paper containing as follows viz. The Paper of the 5th of October Exhibited by the English Committee October the 7th 1641. THE Committees of the Parliament of England have now sent down sufficient Moneys for the Total Disbanding of the Garrisons of Barwick and Carlisle Some Transactions between the English Committee at Edinburgh and the Scottish Parliament and have Ordered That it shall be Effected by the 10th of this present Month And have likewise taken a Course for removing the Ammunition and Ordnance and for slighting of the Works according to the Treaty We desire therefore That that part of the Army which is yet on foot may be forthwith Disbanded and that what new Fortifications have been made in Scotland by occasion of the late Troubles may be presently demolished according to the same Treaty The Answer to the Paper delivered in by the English Committees to the Committee of the Army Exhibited 7. Octobris 1641. THat the Regiments which are yet on foot may be speedily Disbanded they are drawn according to the Order already given near towards Edenburgh to the Effect they may with greater Conveniency be Mustered and thereafter money may be given for their Pay and forthwith disbanded And any new Fortifications which have been made in Scotland by Occasion of the late Troubles shall presently be demolished that every Condition on our part may to your full Satisfaction be performed according to the Treaty And we do no wise doubt to find mutual performances and that the Garrisons at Barwick and Carlisle according to the Orders of the Parliament be totally Disbanded which being shewn to the Parliament of England we hope will give them Satisfaction 22 October 1641. Produced by the Lord Chancellor and read in Audience of his Majesty and the Parliament who nominates the Lord Burgley in place of the Earl of Argyle to be upon the Committee for providing Money to pay the Regiments And also Ordains An Order to be given to the Lord General for causing the demolishing the Fortifications at Mordington which was accordingly done Alex. Gibsone 6. Concerning the putting the Custody of the Isle of Wight into another hand as formerly was desired 7. Concerning the securing of the persons of Papists upon the former Propositions 8. That the Earl of Essex may have Power from both Houses to Command the Trained Bands on this side Trent upon all Occasions for the Defence of the Kingdom and that this power may continue until the Parliament shall take further Order This Report being Ended the House caused those particulars to be distinctly read again and gave these Resolutions upon them Resolved upon the Question Nemine Contradicente That the House or Covent of Capuchins here
hearty and kind Affections to my People in general and to this City in particular as can be desired by loving Subjects The first I shall express by governing you all according to the Laws of this Kingdom and in maintaining and protecting the true Protestant Religion according as it hath been Established in my two famous Predecessors times Queen Elizabeth and My Father * * Too Prophetically spoken and this I will do if need be to the hazzard of My life and all that is dear unto Me. As for the City in Particular I shall study by all means their prosperity And I assure you I will singly grant those few reasonable demands you have now made unto me in the Name of the City and likewise I shall study to re-establish that flourishing Trade which now is in some disorder amongst you which I doubt not to effect with the good assistance of the Parliament One thing I have thought of as a particular Affection to you which is to give back unto you freely that part of London-Derry which heretofore was Evicted from you This I confess as that Kingdom is now is no great Gift but I hope first to recover it and then to give it to you whole and intirely And for the Legal part of this I command you Mr. Recorder to wait upon me to see it punctually performed I will end as I began to desire you Mr. Recorder to give all the City thanks in better Expressions than I can make Though I must tell you it will be far short of that real contentment I find in my heart for this real and seasonable Demonstration of their Affections to me Sir Richard Gurney the L. Mayor and the Recorder Knighted His Majesty having ended this gracious Speech was pleased to confer the honour of Knighthood upon the Lord Mayor and Mr. Recorder with the City Sword and both their Majesties gave them as also the Aldermen City Council and Officers the honour of kissing their Royal hands This Ceremony being over His Majesty and the Prince alighted out of the Coach and took their Horses the Queen Duke of York Princess Mary Prince Elector and the Dutchess of Richmond still remaining in their Coaches In the mean time by the care and pains of the two Captains of the Companies and of the three Marshals that were appointed for this days Service the 500 Horse-men of the Liveries and their Attendants were brought in Order and the Command being given faced about in order to the conducting of their Majesties into London which brave appearance gave great satisfaction to His Majesty and the rest of that Illustrious Company The whole Cavalcade was Marshalled in this Order The City Marshall The Sheriffs Trumpeters The Sheriffs Men. Messengers of the Chamber Citizens in their Velvet Coats and Chains The City Councel and Officers The Aldermen The Princes Trumpeters The King's Trumpeters Gentlemen of the Privy Chamber Knight Marshal Pursivants at Arms. The Lord Chief Justice of the Common-Pleas being a Knight of the Privy Council Barons Lord Goring Lord Coventry Lord Fielding Lord Digby Lord Moubray Viscount Conway Heralds Earls Earl Rivers Earl of Bath Earl of Cumberland Earl of Essex L. Chamberlain of the King's House Duke of Richmond Clarencieux and Norroy Lord Keeper Lord Privy Seal Sergeants at Arms among whom one for the City Quirries and Foot-men The Prince's Highness Quirries and Foot-men Garter The Lord Mayor carrying the Cities Sword by His Majesties special appointment as a grace and favour at this time A Gentleman-Usher daily waiting Lord Great Chamberlain Marquess of Hertford bearing the Sword of State Earl Marshal The King's Majesty The Queens Majesty in her Coach richly Embroydered and with her the Duke of York the Princess Mary and the Prince Elector Marquess Hamilton Master of the Horse leading the Horse of State The Earl of Salisbury Captain of the Pensioners The Gentlemen Pensioners with their Pollaxes all mounted with Pistols at their Saddles The Earl of Holland Lord General beyond Trent and after him Viscount Grandison with many other principal Commanders in the late Northern Expedition After them divers Ladies and other Persons of Great Quality The Yeomen of the Guard In this Order they marched towards London and entred the City at Moor-gate where their Majesties were welcomed with a noise of Trumpets appointed to attend there to that purpose from which place to Bishops-gate and so through Corn-hill to St. Laurence Lane's End in Cheap-side the Companies in their Liveries stood on the left hand as their Majesties passed by the Rails of the Standings being covered with Blew Cloth and the Standings themselves being richly adorned with Banners Ensigns and Pendants of the Arms of each Company respectively Nine Companies of the Twelve standing in the Morning the Lord Mayor's Company beginning against St. Laurence Lane's End and the other Eight in their Order towards Bishops-gate the rest of the way to Moorgate being supplied by some of the inferiour Companies the outsides of the Houses all the Way their Majesties passed being adorned with rich Tapestries On the North side of the Street four Foot distant from the Houses were Rails placed to regulate and keep the People in good Order from Bishops-gate to Corn-hill and so to Temple-Bar at the beginning of which Rails viz. at Bishopsgate by the direction of the 2 Captains and 3 Marshals the first Horse-men of the Liveries began to make a Stand the first Rank of them placing themselves single faced to the Liveries that were in the Standings and the rest passing along placed themselves in the same Order The Trumpets and Pendants of each Company standing in the Front and then the Companies themselves the youngest being next to the Pendant and so upwards by Seniority to the Master of the Company who took his place last Then began the Pendant and Youngest of the next Company to make their Stand and so in Order till they came to St. Laurence Lane's End there being five Foot distance from one Horse to another in which space stood each Horse-man's Foot-man with a Truncheon in his hand so making a Guard for their Majesties and the rest of the Train to pass through And it fell out that most of the Companies of Horse were placed right against their own Companies in the Standings The People that were Spectators in the Streets were bestowed part behind the Horse and part behind the Liveries and by this good Order their Majesties and the whole Train passed quietly and without the least interruption Their Majesties coming along Corn-hill seven Trumpets that were in the Clock-house of the Royal Exchange gave their second welcom into the City and as they passed along the Conduit in Corn-hill and the great Conduit in Cheapside ran with Claret Wine to express the Liberality of the City for that Joyful Day And all the Way as their Majesties passed along the Streets resounded again with the Loud and Joyful Acclamations of the People crying God bless and long
speed as the weightiness of the business will permit And so He gave us all his Hand to kiss and afterwards sent Mr. Comptroller to us with this Message to be delivered to the House That there might be no publishing of the Declaration till the House had received his Majesties Answer We were all Entertained by Mr. Comptroller with great Respect and Lodged by the King's Harbinger This Day Mr. Mr. Jarvaise Hollis restored to his place in the House of Commons Jervaise Hollis who had formerly been Expulsed the House for a Speech which he made with a great strength of Reason and Courage but more heat than the Times would bear against the tame Compliances with the Scottish Army then in England was restored to his place to sit as a Member of the House of Commons The Debate about the Tumults was as it had been the day before adjourned till to morrow The Earl of Bath Reported the Conference had this Day with the Commons That they did let their Lordships know Friday Decemb. 3. Ammunition sent from the Tower for Ireland That whereas there were divers Waggons and Carts loaden with Arms and Ammunition from the Tower of London to be conveyed to West-Chester and to be Shipped for Ireland which were but slenderly Guarded therefore they desire that their Lordships would be pleased to joyn with them to move his Majesty to give Order to the Sheriffs of the several Counties through which they are to pass That they may be guarded safely to West-Chester To which the Lords agreed Also That Information was given That a Ship was lately discovered in Milford Haven loaden with Arms and Ammunition and that it is reported the Men in her be French-men but they speak English and that another Ship as they are informed is in the Haven of Aberdoney in Cardiganshire and the Men buy up the Provisions of that Country That two Men which were in that Ship they understand are now in Town Whereupon the Lords Ordered that they should be sent for to be Examined concerning this business It will possibly to some persons appear very superfluous to take notice of such trifling passages as these Informations and the Necessity of Guarding the Waggons to West-Chester but it is to be considered That as trifling as these things now may seem to be the Faction industriously pickt up all such Informations and made Extraordinary Use of these little Arts to facilitate their Great Design for now the Kingdom was to be put into a Posture of Defence as they termed it that was they intended to wrest from the King the Power of the Sword the Militia of the Nation and nothing could be more serviceable to them in amusing the People with imaginary Dangers of French Ships laden with Arms and Ammunition and French-men that speak English and consequently Fears of Forreign Invasions c. than these stories which being spread abroad and sufficiently magnified by running from hand to hand gave a Countenance to their unjust Demands of settling the Militia and puting the Kingdom into this Posture of Defence The King having acquainted the Lords That Certain Commissioners were come from Scotland to Treat with both Houses of Parliament concerning the Assistance for Ireland Commissioners of both Houses appointed to treat with the Scots Commissioners concerning Assistance for Ireland and to settle all the Condition and State of the Warr the Lords Appointed and Nominated the Earl of Bedford and the Earl of Leicester Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and the Lord Howard of Escrick and the Commons Nathanael Fynes Esquire Sir William Armyn Baronet Sir Phillip Stapleton Knight and John Hampden Esquire to be Commissioners to be Empowered by the King's Commission to Treat with the said Scottish Commissioners who were to acquaint his Majesty and the Parliament with their Proceedings before they came to any final Conclusion The Councel of the Impeached Bishops were called in to be heard in that affair who informed their Lordships The Bishops Plea and Demurrer to be argued Tuesday Dec. 7. That the Cause will not be fit for hearing until the Bishops have put in their Answers for until then there can be no Issue joyned and they conceive no Answer can be made until the Charge be particular therefore the Bishops abide by their Plea and Demurrer Whereupon the House Ordered That the Councel for the Bishops shall be heard at the Barr what they can say in maintenance of the Plea and Demurrer to the Impeachment brought up from the House of Commons against the Bishops on Tuesday the 7th of this instant December at which time and place the House of Commons or such of their Members as they shall appoint may be present if they please And a Message was sent by Sir Robert Rich and Dr. Bennet to acquaint them with this Order Phillips the Priest was this Day according to a former Order Bailed Phillips the Priest bailed upon conditions not to go to Court c. as before Two Bills were brought up from the Commons by Sir William Lewis the One Entituled An Act for the better raising and levying of Soldiers for the present Defence of the Kingdoms of England and Ireland The other For Relief of Captives taken by Turkish Pyrates and to prevent the same for the time to come Little of moment passed in the Commons House besides the reading and passing the above named Bills and Messages before recited about the Bishops c. only St. Germain the French man released the Debate of the Tumults was again put off till to morrow and Monsieur St. Germain a French-man whose close Imprisonment with strict Orders That no person should speak with him but in the presence of a Keeper c. which had made a mighty noise about the Town and so answered the design why he was taken up was this day by Order of the Commons discharged from his Imprisonment This day Sir George Whitmore Mr. Cordall Mr. Soame Mr. Gayer Several Aldermen with the Sheriffs and Recorder of London attend the King at Hampton-Court Mr. Garret Mr. Wollaston and the two Sheriffs of London being all Aldermen of the same City together with the Recorder by virtue of an Act of Common Council attended his Majesty at Hampton-Court to render him the Thanks of the City for his gracious favour done them by affording them his Royal Presence and giving so great Testimonies of his Affection and Kindness to the City They were conducted to His Majesty by the Earl of Dorset Lord Chamberlain to the Queen and Sir Peter Wiche Comptroller to his Majesty where after they had returned the Humble Thanks of the City to his Majesty for his former Favours they offered these two humble Petitions First That their Majesties would vouchsafe this Honor to the City if it might stand with their good Pleasures to make their Residence at this Season of the Year at the Palace of Whitehall The Second was That whereas since his Majesties happy Return
there had been some late disorders at Westminster They disavow the Tumults among some People met there That their Majesties would not impute this to the Body of the City or to the better sort of Citizens That they held it a Misfortune aâ—d a Scandal unto them that when those Disorders were mentioned the City was named with it and that their desire was to vindicate themselves and in some sort redeem their Credit by publiquely disavowing it To which the King was pleased graciously to Answer THat he was very well pleased with the Hearty and Loyal Affections of the Citizens for which he gave them great Thanks and though He and the Queen had before purposed to Winter at Hampton-Court yet being now fully persuaded that the Lord Mayor and Aldermen and the most considerable Citizens of London had not any hand in the Disorders and Tumults at Westminster The King promises to keep his Christmas at White-Hall he intended and so he knew Her Majesty would to alter his Resolution and with all convenient speed repair to White-hall there to keep their Christmas and be ready to do any thing else that might promote the Trade of the City hoping they would joyn with him in taking some Course for prevention of the like Disorders for the future After which the Recorder and Sir George Whitmore having kissed his Royal Hand Several Aldermen of the City of London Knighted the next Alderman in Seniority kneeled down to receive the same Favour when his Majesty instead thereof drawing a Sword conferred the Honor of Knighthood upon Five of them and the two Sheriffs the Recorder and Sir George Whitmore having received that Favor before After which they were nobly Entertained by his Majesties Command by the Earl of Dorset and Mr. Comptroller at Dinner and His Majesty and the Queen sent two Gentlemen to let them know That they had remembred the Health of the Lord Mayor and the whole City And so to the Mutual Satisfaction both of his Majesty and the City to whom they were to carry this account they returned to London But all these fair hopes were quickly blasted in the bud and that Loyal Party of the City were deprived by the Envy of that Domineering Faction who dispossessed them not long after by Force and Tumults not only of all Power of Assisting his Majesty but of protecting themselves from most Barbarous Outrages and Violences Mr. Pym and others were this day appointed to be a Committee to prepare Heads for a Conference with the Lords and to acquaint them what Bills this House hath passed and sent up to their Lordships which much concern the Safety of the Kingdom but have had no Consent of their Lordships unto them and that this House being the Representative Body of the whole Kingdom and their Lordships being but as particular Persons and coming to Parliament in a particular Capacity that if they shall not be pleased to consent to the passing of those Acts and others necessary for the Preservation and Safety of the Kingdom That then this House together with such of the Lords that are more sensible of the Safety of the Kingdom may joyn together and represent the same to his Majesty They are likewise to take into Consideration some Course for the Guarding of the Towns of Hull and Newcastle Thus early did the Democratique spirit begin to shew it self and their telling the Lords that they came to the Parliament and sate there only as particular persons that is in a private Capacity is a clear Testimony what a Mean Esteem they had of that Honourable and Supream Court of Judicature and what little Interest they thought they had in the Management of Publique Affairs and in Effect a plain intimation what they were to Expect if they did not joyn with the Faction in what ever they should Vote was for the Good the Preservation and Safety of the Kingdome The Faction indeed now began to be so Rampant in the Commons House they Encouraging the Tumults and the Tumults Enlivening them that Speaker Lenthall either grew weary of the Chair or at least in hopes of getting something for holding it longer to pretend so and I find in the Paper-Office two Letters of his to Sir Edward Nicholas bearing date as this day to that purpose had he then had the good Fortune to quit that Seat he might have Escaped the Brand of Infamy which to the Worlds End will lye upon his Name for being the Mouth of that House which pronounced so many Miseries Murders Warrs Destructions Desolations and Dismal Events to the English Nation The Letters were in these Words Right Honorable most Noble Sir Speaker Lenthall's Letter to Sir Edward Nicholas to be quit of the Chair THE Assurance of your Noble Favours imboldens me to commit to your Care the greatest Concernment that ever yet befel me the Desire being inforced by an unavoydable Necessity I have now in this Imployment spent almost 14 Months which hath so Exhausted the Labours of 25 Years that I am inforced to fly to the Sanctuary of His Sacred Majesty's Mercy Could I suppose that my humble Suit grounded on the full Expression of Duty and Obedience should have other interpretation or seem unfit in the deep Judgment of his Sacred Majesty I should then desire my Thoughts might perish in their first Conception so willing am I to offer my Self and Fortune a Sacrifice for his Royal Service but in that I hope it cannot I must humbly desire your Honor on my behalf in the lowest posture of Obedience to crave of his Sacred Majesty his Royal Leave that I may use my best Endeavours to the House of Commons to be quit of this Employment and to retire back to my former private life that whilst I have some ability of Body left I may endeavour that without which I cannot but Expect a Ruin and put a badge of Extream Poverty upon my Children The apprehension of my speedy Ensuing misery is that hath begot this most humble Request but still with that due regard of my Obedience and Duty that no Earthly consideration shall ever Encourage the least of Thoughts that may tend to the retardment of his Royal Commands Sir This being presented to your Honourable Care assures me of such a Successful way as shall ever become the Duty of me his meanest Subject in all humility to beseech Thus am I imboldened humbly to declare the Resolution and Desires of Your Honors most Obedient Servant William Lenthall Decemb. 3. 1641. But his Heart misgiving him it seems and for fear the King should take him at his Word and leave him to his Liberty to propose to the House the choice of a new Speaker he inclosed in the former another Paper in these words Right Honourable MAY it please your Honor if this other Way do not take if you may find opportunity without prejudice to your self let me intreat you to incline his Majesty to recommend me to the
against the Peace and the Crown and Dignity of their Sovereign Lord the King have Assembled by thousands under Pretence of Petitioning against Bishops Evil Counsellors c. as now they did Saturday Decemb. 11. The Lord Keeper this Day signified to the House of Lords That His Majesty had Commanded him to deliver this Message to both Houses That whereas formerly he had acquainted both Houses with the Desire of the French Ambassador That eight Romish Priâ—sts convicted at the Sessions might be Reprieved and Banished at this time because it may concern the Business of Ireland and that his Majesty had desired the Advice of both Houses therein of which his Majesty hath not yet received any Answer His Majesty therefore puts the House in mind thereof and desires an Answer in regard that on Munday next is the Day for Executing of those that are convicted which are seven Priests one of the eight being acquitted upon the Tryal Upon which the Lords sent a Message by Sir Edward Leech and Dr. Bennet to desire a Conference concerning this Matter to which the Commons returned Answer That they will send an Answer by Messengers of their own in convenient time The Bill Intituled The Bill for relief of Captives at Algiers passed the Lords House The Bishops by their Councel adhere to their Plea and Demurrer An Act for the Relief of the Captives taken by Turkish Moorish and other Pirates and to prevent the taking of others in time to come being read a third time and put to the Question It was Resolved To pass as a Law This Day being appointed for the 13 Bishops that are Impeached by the House of Commons for making the Canons and Constitutions and for Granting a Benevolence contrary to Law to make their Answers to the Impeachment their Councel were called in and the Impeachment was read Then the Lord Keeper demanded of them Whether the Bishops will abide by their Plea and Demurrer or make their Answers The Councel Answered That the 12 Bishops do resolve to adhere to their former Plea and Demurrer only they have waved one Branch of their Demurrer which was to the generality of the Charge which appears to be particular Hereupon the Councel withdrew and the House Ordered That the Lords the Bishops that are Impeached shall be heard by their Councel on Monday next touching the Maintaining of their Plea and Demurrer and that the House of Commons have Notice herein that they or some of their Members whom they shall appoint may be present if they please And to this purpose a Conference was sent to be desired by Serjeant Whitfield and Serjeant Glanvile Then the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland produced a Paper which was given by the Scots Commissioners to the English which being read was in these words OVt of the Sense of our Duty we owe unto his Majesty and the true Affection which the Kingdom of Scotland bears to the Kingdom of England We are willing to contribute our best Assistance for the speedy Relief of those distressed Parts of Ireland that lye nearest us Therefore in the Name of the Kingdom of Scotland we make Offer of 10000 Men for that Service which is conceived to be the least Number can be for secureing themselves and reducing the Rebels in the North of Ireland to the due Obedience of his Majesty and the Crown of England This Offer is upon such particular Conditions as in the Progress of this Treaty we shall agree upon which may be for the Honor of our Nation and the Safety and Good of the Army imployed in the Service This being done the Lord Lieutenant declared That his Majesty being made acquainted with this Proposition was willing they should Treat for 10000 Men the House assented to give Power to the Commissioners to Treat accordingly The Commons fell this Day upon the Matter of the Guards and the Justices of the Peace for Middlesex being called in and demanded by what Warrant or Authority they caused those Guards to be set they made Answer That what they had done in this Matter was in Obedience to his Majesties Warrant to them directed Then the Under-Sheriff was called in and Examined also concerning the setting of the Guards who affirmed That the Writ was granted forth by direction of the House of Lords and with the Advice of the Judges They being withdrawn upon the Debate of the Matter the storm for the present fell only upon Mr. Long who had signed the Warrant for the Guards Mr. Long a Justice of the Peace sent to the Tower about the setting of a Guard without the Consent of the Parliament and the Question being put Whether Mr. Long should be put out of the Commission of the Peace The House was divided upon it with the No were 94 with the Yea 90 so it passed in the Negative and he was by the Vote of the House sent to the Tower For that He the said Mr. Long in his Warrant had exceeded the Authority given him by the Writ and had directed Constables and Sitting the Parliament had sent down Armed Men to the Parliament never acquainting the Parliament with it A Committee was also appointed to Examine the business concerning the raising and sending armed men to the Pallace at Westminster The Message from the Lords about the King's desire to know the Answer of the Parliament concerning Banishing the Condemned Priests at the Request of the French Embassador was read and it was singly Voted upon these following Resolved That Hamon Jo. Rivers alias Abbot Walth Coleman Priests voted to be Executed and Turnor Priests shall be put to Execution according to the Laws Sir Phillip Stapleton Reported That the Scots Commissioners had shewed their Authority to Treat to Assist us with 10000 Men upon such Conditions as should be agreed We told them Vpon this Proposition we could not Treat with them for that our Commission was only to Treat for 5000 Men They wished us to acquaint the King with it so according to our Duty we waited on his Majesty who Expressed a great deal of Desire and Affection in the furthering of this business and said he had referred it to the Parliament and would grant a Commission to treat with them for 10000 Men. Whereupon the House assented to it A Petition of some Aldermen and Common Council-men and Subsidy Men of the Factious part of the City of London and Suburbs was this day presented to the House of Commons which being read the Petitioners were called in and Mr. Speaker in the Name and by the Order of the House acquainted them That the House took their Petition in good part and returned them Thanks for their Respects to this House and readiness to supply the Publique and that in convenient time the House will take their Petition into Consideration Some of them then desired they might have leave to speak something to the House whereupon they were ordered to withdraw and the House upon the Debate having resolved
to hear them they were called in and Mr. Speaker acquainted them That the House was pleased to give them leave to speak what they had to say Whereupon one of them in the name of the rest desired to know Whether they might get more hands to the same Petition Then they were commanded again to withdraw and after a little time being called in Mr. Speaker told them That the House did believe what was delivered in their Petition already but that notwithstanding they were left at liberty to get more hands if they pleased After which having returned humble Thanks to the House for their good acceptance of their Petition they were dismissed The Petition was this To the Honorable the Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the House of Commons in Parliament The Humble Petition of Aldermen Common Council men Subsidy-men and other Inhabitants of the City of London and Suburbs thereof Sheweth THat they do with all humble Thankfulness acknowledg that great Labour and Care The Factious Londoners Petition against Bishops Votes for putting the Kingdom into a posture of Defence c. Decemb. 11. 1641. which this Honorable Assembly hath undergone for the space of above one whole Year endeavouring the Reformation and removal of those many Pressures and Grievances in Church and Common-wealth And do humbly present that grateful acceptance and high Esteem which not only the Petitioners but also all well-affected to the Honor of his Majesty and Prosperity of this Kingdom have of these your great and unwearied Endeavours which althô they by reason of the Popish Lords and Bishops Voting in the House of Peers and other Impediments as they humbly conceive have not hitherto produced those happy Effects You aimed at yet to the Petitioners great Comfort divers of those Pressures are already removed as Arbitrary Courts Ship-Money Monopolies and other illegal Impositions wherewith they were burthened and further hopes given by the happy Act of this Parliaments continuance That notwithstanding all this the Papists and their adherents whose malice ceaseth not have by sundry secret and desperate Plots attempted the Ruin and Destruction of this State and Kingdom and however some of them have hitherto by Gods Providence and your Prudence been discovered and become abortive Yet the sad Effects of others of them are not only felt and much more seared in this Realm of England but also have of late broke out into open Rebellion in Ireland where most barbarous savage cruel and inhumane actions are practised towards our Brethren by Nation and Religion whose lamentable and deplored Condition the Petitioners much pity and lament and have just cause to fear That as already there hath been much Christian blood spilt so in short time if speedy help be not sent not only the many great Debts there owing to divers of the Petitioners and others of this Kingdom will be wholly lost but which is far more the very Name of the English and Protestant Religion there will be rooted out which those Rebels the Foundation of whose Religion is written in letters of blood do only oppose And for that divers of the Petitioners receive daily Information from all Parts of this Kingdom of the bold insolent Carriage and threatening speeches of the Papists in this Realm arising as the Petitioners humbly conceive not only from the prevailing of the Rebels in Ireland but also from the want of such secure and speedy Course against Papists here as the present condition of this Kingdom requireth and this Honorable Assembly hath Earnestly Endeavoured From which grounds the Petitioners cannot omit to represent unto you the great Terrors Fears and Distractions that they lye under of a suddain Surprize by their Bloody hands By means whereof the Trading of this City and Kingdom is much more of late decayed then it hath been for divers Years past no man following his Trade cheerfully while the Lives of himself and Family and the Publique Safety of the Kingdom are in danger and while he knoweth not how soon they may feel the like Cruelty and Inhumanity from the Papists and their Adherents as these in Ireland have done which if ever it shall happen this Honourable Assembly must Expect to have a deep share in their Malice and Cruelty against whom they have already by themselves and their Abettors endeavoured to raise a disrespect in the Hearts of the People to divide between the Kings Majesty and his Parliament and seditiously to misconstrue the Citizens Dutiful and Loyal Entertainment of his Majesty to be a deserting of this Honourable Assembly the least thought whereof the Petitioners do utterly detest and abhor To the End therefore that the destructive Plots of the Papists and their Adherents may be defeated the grounds of their Hopes and Inselencies removed considerable Forces with all Expedition sent to subdue those abominable and bloody Rebels in Ireland this City and Kingdom for prevention of the like Mischiefs here and securing the Peace thereof put into a Posture of Defence the Petitioners freed from their Fears encouraged in their Trades and in due time receive such just Answers to their former Petitions as shall seem best to your great Wisdoms It is humbly prayed That you will vouchsafe to be a means to the Kings Majesty and the House of Peers that life may be speedily given to your good Endeavours by their concurrence with you in the punishment of Delinquents and redressing the Pressures and Grievances in Church and Commonwealth amongst which the abuses crept in to the Ancient Government of this City they humbly desire may in due time be taken into Consideration And for the better Effecting hereof That the Popish Lords and Bishops may be removed out of the House of Peers as was desired in the presence of divers of this Honorable Assembly by the Representative Body of this City in the Guild-Hall when 50000 l. was freely lent to raise Forces for Ireland the greatest part whereof was speedily brought in by the Petitioners And the Petitioners who well know their own Safeties are wrapt up in Yours shall not fail to put up daily Prayers to Almighty God for your good Success and to maintain and defend to the utmost hazard of their Lives and Estates according to their late Protestation the Kings Majesty and High Court of Parliament against all Wicked Councellors and Malignant Opposers who endeavour either by secret Plots or open Force to prejudice the one or the other or to make division between his Majesty and the Parliament whom God and the Laws of the Land have united in so near Relation The Reader may observe by this Petition which it is easie to guess out of what Quiver the Arrow came how high the Springs of Rebellion were wound up here are Popish Lords and Bishops coupled together here are the Papists and their adherents that was all such as were Orthodox and Loyal Voted the Common Enemies here are Fears Terrors and Distractions Plots and Conspiracies Dangers and sudden Surprizes to amaze
most Evident and were themselves guilty of the Disorders they refused to joyn with the Lords in a Legal Way by Proclamation and the Laws to suppress them punished the Officers and turned off the Guards appointed legally to keep the Peace and now unless the King will grant them a Guard all this must be placed to his Majesties Accounts and the Rabble be excited to affront him and force him from White-Hall which was what they longed to be at as hereafter we shall see However his Majesty returned this Gracious Answer to their Message which might have abundantly satisfied them if they had not been beforehand resolved not to be satisfied with any Answer which his Majesty could in Honor give or good Subjects in Reason expect WE have taken the last Message from you The King's Answer to the Message concerning a Guard touching your desire of a Guard into serious Consideration and truly with great grief of heart that after a whole Years sitting of this Parliament wherein you have obtained those things for the happiness and security of your selves and the rest of Our Subjects as no Age can equal instead of reaping in Peace and Tranquility the fruits of your Labours and of Our Grace and Affection to Our People We should find Jealousies Distrusts and Fears still so prevalent amongst you as to induce you to declare them unto Vs in so high a measure as you have done at this time We are wholly ignorant of the grounds of your Apprehensions but this We do protest before Almighty God to whom We must be accountable for those whom he hath intrusted to our Care and Protection that had We any knowledge or belief of the least Design in any of violence either formerly or at this time against you We would pursue them to condign punishment with the same Severity and Detestation that We would do the greatest attempt upon Our Crown We know the Duty of that place where God hath set Vs the Protection We ow to all Our Loyal Subjects and most particularly to you called to Our Service by Our Writs and We do engage unto you Solemnly the Word of a King that the Security of all and every one of you from violence is and shall ever be as much Our Care as the preservation of Vs and Our Children And if this general Assurance shall not suffice to remove your apprehensions We will Command such a Guard to wait upon you as We will be responsible for to him who hath incharged Vs with the Safety and Protection of Our Subjects White-Hall Jan. 3d. The Insolency of the Tumults was inexpressible insomuch that several young brisk Gentlemen of the Inns of Court came and voluntarily offered themselves to his Majesty at White-Hall to Guard his Person from the Rabble whose deportment was so unsufferable that 't is a Miracle no more mischief came of it but such was his Majesties tenderness and caution that he would not permit these young Gentlemen so much as to Exasperate that Rude Crew but having given them thanks for the offer of their Service and ordered them to be handsomly entertained at Tables provided for them they were dismissed Though afterwards a great noise and a Plot was made of drawing these young Gentlemen into a Design to do some strange things But though his Majesty thought not fit to make Use of their Assistance yet he sent to the Lord Mayor to call a Court of Aldermen and Common-Council and to propose to the City the care of Suppressing these Tumultuary Assemblies Proceedings at a Court of Aldermen and Common-Council upon a Message from the King by L. Newburgh concerning Tumults Dec. 31. 1641. an account of which Court and proceedings was as follows A Common-Council held at Guild-Hall in the City of London the One and Thirtieth of December 1641. Commune Concilium tent ' in Camera Guild-Hall Civit ' London ' Tricessimo primo die Decemb. 1641 post Meridiem Anno Reg ' Dom ' nostri Caroli nunc Regis Angliae c. decimo septimo coram Richardo Gurney Milite Baronetto Majore Civit. London Tho. Garnier Milite ejusdem Civit. Record Ed. BromfeildMilit Ed. Wright Mil. Alderm dictae Civit. Johan Cordell Mill. Joh. Gayer Mil. Jacobo Gerrard Mil. ac Alderm Tho. Atkin Alderm Joh. Wallaston Mil. Alderm Tho. Adams Jo. Warner Jo. Towse Abrah Reynardson Tho. Austin Predict Civit. Alderm ac Georgio Garret Georgio Clarke Mil. Alderm ac vicecom Civit. Praedict necnon majore parte Conciliariorum de Com. Concilio ejusdem Civitat tunc ibidem assemblat  At this Common-Council Mr. Recorder declared That by the direction of the Right Honourable the Lord Major he was to signifie to them the cause of their now Assembly how that his Lordship had yesterday received a Letter from Sir Edward Nicholas Knight one of his Majesties principal Secretaries of State intimating that it was his Majesties pleasure his Lordship should call a Common-Council against this time and then his Lordship should be advertised of his Majesties further pleasure and that there was now at this present in the Council Chamber an Honourable Person being the Lord Newburgh Chancellor of his Majesties Court of the Dutchy and one of his Majesties most Honourable Privy-Council come hither to deliver his Message to this Court And thereupon the Right Honourable the Lord Newburgh was desired to come into this Court who being here declared and said in this manner Gentlemen his Majesty out of his good affection towards the City and acknowledging of your great Loves lately shewed unto his Highness hath sent me with a Message to you assuring it to be the same contained in a Paper which he presented and desired to be read to this Common-Council which was accordingly done the Tenor whereof followeth in these words THere having been of late many Tumultuary and Riotous Assemblies of people about our Palaces of White-hall and Westminster to the great disturbance of us and our Parliament and we having received Information that some ill-affected persons do still endeavour to incite the like Tumults again we have thought fit to recommend to your especial care the preventing them as far as in you lies especially the ensuing Holy-days at which the idleness of many may make them apter to such disorders We have thought fit likewise to let you know that we are so well assured of the good affections of our City of London by the great expressions which it hath made unto us of late that we can in no wise understand it to have any share in the fault of these Tumults and Distempers but that they proceed meerly from the mean and unruly people of the Suburbs And as we are most confident of the hearts and good affections of our City of London towards us and our Government and will not entertain any other opinion so we do desire them not to be disturbed by any jealousies that ill-affected persons may endeavour to sow
but to rest most confident and assured that the Safety the Protection and the Prosperity of the City shall ever be with us a principal care After the reading of which most Gracious Message whereby is fully manifested and expressed his Majesties Gracious Goodness and great care for the safety and prosperity of this City the Lord Newburgh having withdrawn himself this Common-Council took the same into their serious consideration and how for the present to return by this Honourable Person unto his Majesty an Answer with all humility and thankfulness and after much debate it was fully agreed and resolved of by this Common-Council That in the first place should be returned and rendred unto his Majesty from this Common-Council as the Representative Body of the whole City their humble duty in all thankful manner for his goodness and gracious love and care manifested to this City Secondly That it should be signified unto his Majesty this Court nor any particular Member thereof hath had any hand in these Tumultuous and Riotous proceedings and that they and every of them do disavow and disclaim the same Thirdly That it may be likewise signified That this Court as the Representative Body of the whole City doth promise from hence-forth their best endeavours to prevent and suppress in time to come as far as in them lyeth all such or the like Tumultuous Assemblies and all Mutinous and Rebellious persons And lastly That the humble desire of this Court may be presented unto his Majesty to be graciously pleased that all the Delinquents and Causers of these Tumults whatsoever they be being apprehended may be brought into Examination and receive condign punishment according to the Law And these four things thus agreed upon were by direction of this Common-Council here openly declared and delivered by the Mouth of Master Recorder unto that Honourable Person the Lord Newburgh here present with desire that the same should be by his Lordship accordingly presented unto his Majesty the which he promised to perform with trust And afterwards this Court entred into further consultation and debate touching the Tumultuous and Riotous Assemblies lately spread night and day in several parts of this City to the great trouble and affrightment of his Majesties good Subjects and also touching the great neglect of that due respect which ought to be given by the Inhabitants of this City to the several Precepts lately issued out by my Lord Major for a continual Watch and Ward day and night for prevention and suppression of such Tumults and Distempers And likewise touching the great neglect in appearance of the Trained Bands of this City to their Colours at the beat of the Drum especially in these times of danger in contempt of Authority being a matter of exceeding great consequence and not fit to be suffered And thereupon this Common-Council Taking much to heart that such disobedience should grow and be found in the Inhabitants of this City to the great disrespect of Magistracy and Contempt of Government And that such Disorders and Tumultuary Assemblies should be permitted in such a City as this formerly famous for the good and quiet Government thereof hath thought it very expedient and behovâ—ful for redress and remedy to be had in these abuses being not fit to be any longer endured That every Member of the Common-Council now Assembled shall in their several Precincts spread it abroad and make it known That if any person or persons shall from hence-forth neglect his duty and service to be performed as aforesaid and shall not do his best endeavour to suppress or prevent any Tumults or Riotous Assemblies that shall hereafter be attempted within this City or Liberties thereof that then he or they offending shall receive condign punishment according to his or their demerits And it is further thought fit and so agreed by this Common-Council that my Lord Major may send out his Precepts in such manner and to such purpose as his Lordship and his Brethren the Aldermen shall think fit for Watch and Ward raising of Arms or otherwise for the safety and preservation of this City to which this Court and all the Members thereof promise all due and cheerful obedience And that Posterity may see his Majesty had great reason for what he did I will present the Reader with one of those Sheets then Printed giving an account of the Rudeness and Insolence of the Rabble from whence thô written as partially as may be and in favour of them yet it will be easie to observe both theirs and the Calumniating temper of the Parliamentarian Scriblers of that Age who made all men Atheists and Papists that were not Seditious Rebels The Paper is in these words THE Apprentices waiting there days at the Parliament House An Act for the Tumult of the Apprentices Dec. 31. 1641. without giving affront or ill Language to any they did only with a full consent Cry down Bishops and Popish Lords But coming scattering home by slender Companies were set upon by divers Caviliers who did cut many and misused most with base Language not only Apprentices but Men of good Rank and Quality calling them Ram-headed Rogues to the great disparaging and disheartning of them in their Trades and Callings for by this means many Tradesmen have shut up Shops and given over their Trades because they are so abused And the adverse Party Papists and their Adherents greatly countenanced and incouraged which makes them so bold and insolent that they care not what outrages they commit against honest men of good report and the Kings loyal and good Subjects and without some speedy redress and suppressing of them by the good Laws of the Land against such as do so insolently fall upon the Kings Majesties Subjects without cause there is like to be many thousand lives spilt and taken away The Apprentices being many of them committed and the other discountenanced made the Apprentices to swell in Blood to the adventure of the loss of their lives met on Wednesday night last to the number of two thousand with Clubs Swords Halberts and were resolved to go to the White-Lyon and others cryed out To my Lord Major's but by the providence of God and the grave wisdom of Captain Ven they were prevented by the grave Speech that followeth Gentlemen Let me intreat you to be at peace and quietness and return every one to his own habitation and you shall find we will be as ready to do any favour for you and relieve you in any of your just Grievances as you can or shall your selves and as you shew your willingness to us so shall we with our lives be willing and ready to help you therefore pray depart every man to his own home in Peace that it may not be said of you they are rude and tumultuous but that you may shew your selves to be discreet in all your affairs to the advancing of the Cause you have in hand and refer the Cause to us which will be ready
Soams Alderman Pennington and Mr. Venn do repair to the Common-Council of the City of London when they are sitting and to acquaint them with the Information this House received what Practices have been used to the Inns of Court and those other Informations of the like Nature that have been given to this House of the Preparations of Armed Men about White-Hall and those other Preparations at the Tower And to inform them in what danger the Parliament the Kingdom and the City is in It was also Ordered That Mr. Whittaker Sir Robert Pye and Mr. Pury do presently repair to the House of the Marquess de Neuf-ville and see if his House be furnished with Warlike Ammunition as the House is informed Memorandum Mr. Hollis Mr. Pym Sir Arthur Haslerigg Mr. The 5 Members appearance Entred in the Journal Hampden and Mr. Strode appeared to day according to the Injunction of the House And I find among the Prints of that time a Speech of Mr. Hampden's upon the occasion of his Impeachment which confirms this Memorandum which was as followeth Mr. Speaker IT is a true Saying of the Wise Man That all things happen alike to all Men Mr. Hampden's Speech in Vindication of himself against his Impeachment Jan. 4. 1641. as well to the good Man as to the bad There is no state or condition whatsoever either of Prosperity or Adversity but all sorts of Men are sharers in the same no man can be discerned truly by the outward appearance whether he be a good Subject either to his God his Prince or his Country until he be tryed by the Touchstone of Loyalty Give me leave I beseech you to parallel the Lives of either sort that we may in some measure discern Truth from Falshood and in speaking I shall similize their Lives 1. In Religion towards God 2. In Loyalty and due Subjection to their Soveraign in their Affection towards the Safety of their Country 1. Concerning Religion the best means to discern between the True and False Religion is by searching the Sacred Writings of the Old and New Testament which is of it self pure indited by the Spirit of God and written by Holy Men unspotted in their Lives and Conversations and by this Sacred Word may we prove whether our Religion be of God or no and by looking in this Glass we may discern whether we are in the Right Way or no. And looking into the same I find that by this Truth of God that there is but one God one Christ one Faith one Religion which is the Gospel of Christ and the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles In these two Testaments is contained all things necessary to Salvation if that our Religion doth hang upon this Doctrine and no other secondary Means then it is true to which comes nearest the Protestant Religion which we profess as I really and verily believe and consequently that Religion which joyneth with this Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles the Traditions and Inventions of Men Prayers to the Virgin Mary Angels Saints that are Used in the Exercise of their Religion strange and Superstitious Worshipping cringing bowing creeping to the Altar using Pictures Dirges and such like cannot be true but Erroneous nay devillish and all this is used and maintained in the Church of Rome as necessary as the Scripture to Salvation therefore is a false and Erroneous Church both in Doctrine and Discipline and all other Sects and Schisms that leans not only on the Scripture though never so contrary to the Church of Rome is a false worshipping of God and not the true Religion And thus much concerning Religion to discern the truth and falshood thereof 2 I come now Mr. Speaker to the second thing intimated unto you which was how to discern in a state between good Subjects and bad by their Loyalty and due Subjection to their Lawful Sovereign in which I shall under favour observe two things 1. Lawful Subjection to a King in his own Person and the Commands Edicts and Proclamations of the Prince and his Privy Council 2. Lawful Obedience to the Laws Statutes and Ordinances made Enacted by the King and the Lords with the Free Consent of his Great Council of State assembled in Parliament For the First To deny a willing and dutiful Obedience to a Lawful Soveraign and his Privy Council for as Cambden truly saith The Commands of the Lords Privy Councellors and the Edicts of the Prince is all one for they are inseparable the one never without the other either to defend his Royal Person and Kingdoms against the Enemies of the same either publique or private or to defend the Antient Priviledges and Prerogatives of the King pertaining and belonging of Right to his Royal Crown and the maintenance of his Honor and Dignity or to defend and maintain true Religion Established in the Land according to the truth of God is one sign of an Evil and Bad Subject Secondly To yield Obedience to the Commands of a King if against the true Religion against the Ancient and Fundamental Laws of the Land is another sign of an ill Subject Thirdly To resist the Lawful Power of the King to raise Insurrection against the King admit him adverse in his Religion to Conspire against his Sacred Person or any wayes to Rebel thô Commanding things against our Consciences in Exercising Religion or against the Rights and Priviledges of the Subject is an absolute sign of a Disaffected and Trayterous Subject And now having given the Signs of discerning Evil and Disloyal Subjects I shall only give you in a word or two the Signs of discerning which are Loyal and Good Subjects only by turning these Three Signs already shewed on the contrary side 1. He that willingly and chearfully endeavoureth himself to obey his Soveraign's Commands for the Defence of his own Person and Kingdoms for the Defence of True Religion for the Defence of the Laws of his Country is a Loyal and good Subject 2. To deny Obedience to a King commanding any thing against Gods true Worship and Religion against the Ancient and Fundamental Laws of the Land in endeavouring to perform the same is a good Subject 3. Not to resist the Lawful and Royal Power of the King to raise Sedition or Insurrection against his Person or to set Division between the King and his good Subjects by Rebellion although commanding things against Conscience in the Exercise of Religion or against the Rights and Priviledges of the Subject but patiently for the same to undergo his Prince's Displeasure whether it be to his Imprisonment Confiscation of Goods Banishment or any other Punishment whatsoever without Murmuring Grudging or Reviling against his Soveraign or his Proceedings but submitting willingly and chearfully himself and his Cause to Almighty God is the only sign of an Obedient and Loyal Subject I come now to the Second Means to know the difference between a good Subject and a bad by their Obedience to the Laws Statutes and Ordinances made
part Succesless our dangers grown upon us by iterated Plots Priests and other Delinquents unpunished to the Encouragement of others Ireland lost by protracted Councels while thousands are there Butchered by many Cruelties and to cut off all hopes of future Reformation the very being of our Parliaments endangered by desperate and unexampled breach of Priviledges which by our Protestation lately taken we are bound with our Lives and Estates to maintain And in respect of that late attempt upon the Honourable House of Commons we are now come to offer our service to that end and resolved in their just defence to live and die And therefore humbly Pray that this most Honourable House will Cooperate with the House of Commons in most Speedy perfecting the most necessary work of Reformation bringing to condign and Exemplary Punishment both wicked Councellors and evil Plotters and Delinquents that Ireland may have speedy relief the Priviledges of Parliament fortified against all future Attempts and the whole Kingdom put into sure and present Posture of Defence that we may live both Safe from all Practices of the Malignant Party at home and the endeavours of any ill affected States abroad And Your Petitioners shall ever Pray c. The Petitioners were called in again and told That this House takes well their coming hither with their Petition and their Care of the Priviledges of Parliament and the Kingdom of Ireland for which this House gives them thanks and their Lordships will take their Petition into consideration The Lord Keeper acquainted the House that he had received a Command from his Majesty to attend him at Windsor he received the permission of the House to do it and was ordered to acquaint his Majesty with the Order concerning Hull and likewise to move his Majesty from both Houses for his Royal Assent to three Bills which have passed both Houses one for Pressing of Marriners another concerning Redeeming of Captives at Algiers and the third concerning the Power of both Houses to Adjourn the Parliament The Lord Kymbolton moved Lord Kymbolton moves to be Tryed That if the House thought the Proceedings against him Legal that Mr. Attorney might be Commanded to Prosecute the Accusation against him for that if Mr. Attorney be ready to make good the Charge against him he is ready to answer it and that he desired no further time His own Innocency making him thus Confident as he said though it is shrewdly to be suspected he had other Motives and Reasons drawn from the Power and Prevalency of the Faction which gave him this assurance However Mr. Attorney was sent for who informed the House That what he had done was by the Express Command of the King his Master and not done by his Advice that he had attended the King to receive his Majesties further directions therein who told him when he went out of Town he would leave something with the Lord Keeper to acquaint this House further with concerning this Business And that he had attended the Lord Keeper to know whether the King had left any directions with him who told him he had received none from his Majesty but that he was Commanded to attend his Majesty Speedily Hereupon the Lord Kymbolton desired the House That some speedy Course may be taken that his Life Estate and Honour may be Secured A Message was brought from the House of Commons Message concerning the Tower to remove Sir John Byron by Sir Henry Vane Junior to let their Lordships know That in regard of the great Jealousies and Distractions of the City of London by Sir John Byron 's being Lieutenant of the Tower of London as appears by the Citizens shutting up their Shops and giving over Trade and in regard of the good Affections Expressed this day to the Parliament the House of Commons desires their Lordships to joyn with them to Petition the King that Sir John Byron may be forthwith removed from being Lieutenant of the Tower and that Sir John Conyers may be recommended to his Majesty for that Place After much Debate of this Message it was put to the Question Lords Dissent and it was Resolved c. That this House thinks it not fit to joyn with the House of Commons in an humble Petition to his Majesty for removing of Sir John Byron Knt. from being Lieutenant of the Tower and placing of Sir John Conyers there The Bishops were also ordered to put in their Answers to the Commons Impeachment of High Treason Bishops to put in Answer on Friday next The Lord Chamberlain then acquainted the House That the King hath sent Command to his Lordship and the Earl of Holland to attend his Majesty at Hampton-Court but before they went they desired to know the pleasure of this House being bound by their Writs to attend the business of the Kingdom Whereupon the House Commanded the Lord Chamberlain Lords sent for by the King not permitted to go by the House and the Earl of Holland to attend this House and would not dispense with their Absence in regard of the many great and urgent Businesses depending in this House It was the strangest fortune in the World certainly that these Men of the Faction had that when ever they stood in need of a Plot to countenance their designs and to stir up the People to Sedition some kind Person or other was sure to furnish them with one or more as there was occasion for this day in the very Critical Juncture of time a Letter was produced in the House of Commons and there read and immediately Communicated to the House of Lords The Letter were as follows To the Worshipful and my much honour'd Friend Orlando Bridgman Esq a Burgess of the Parliament at his Chamber in the Inner Temple these present SIR WE are your Friends Two Letters of a strange Plot strangely discovereâ— to the Commons these are to advise you to look to your self and to advise others of my Lord of Strafford 's Friends to take heed lest they be included in the common Calamity Our advice is to be gone to pretend business till the great hubbub be past withdraw lest you suffer with the Puritans We intreat you to send away the inclosed Letter to Mr. Anderton inclosed to some Trusty Friend that it may be carried safely without suspicion for it concerns the common safety So desire your Friends in Covent-Garden January 4th The inclosed was directed To the Worshipful and my much Honour'd Friend Mr. Anderton these SIR ALthough many Designs have been defeated yet that of Ireland holds well and now our last Plot works as happily as that of Ireland We must bear with something in the main His Will is strong enough as long as he is fed with Hopes the Woman is true to us and real her Council about her is very good I doubt not but to send you by the next very joyful News For the present our Arch-Enemies Pym Hampden Strode Hollis and Haslerigg are blemished
City and that the Resolution of the said Committee can take no effect until they be communicated to the Common Council the House of Commons desires their Lordships to joyn with them in an Order That the Lord Mayor shall call a Common-Council together as often and at such times as shall be desired by the said Committee and that whatsoever Order the said Lord Mayor hath or shall receive from either of the Houses of Parliament shall be imparted to the said Committee To the first part of this Message the Lords agreed To the second That the Lord Digby have notice to attend this House if he be at Kingston or at Court but if he be gone to Sherborn to fetch up his Lady he is to go on his Journey To the third It was Resolved c. That this House will joyn with the House of Commons concerning the Governor of Portsmouth These Lords following Lords Dissenting from the Vote about Portsmouth before the Question was put Desired their Right of entring their Dissent to this Vote if it were carried against them Which the House gave way unto viz. Earl of Southampton Lord Mowbray Lord Wentworth Lord Pierpoint To the latter part of the Message concerning the Common-Council the House agrees therein with the House of Commons and the next day they were drawn into formal Orders of both Houses The Earl of Southampton speaking some Words in the Debate of this Message which the House conceived to reflect upon the Honor of the House Earl of Southampton questioned for Words which were That the Parliament had neglected their Duty to the King for the safety of his Person Upon which his Lordship was put to explain himself which being done these Resolutions passed Resolved c. Nemine contradicente That this Parliament have performed their Duties to the King for the Safety of his Person Resolved c. That the Earl of Southampton hath satisfied this House with the Explanation he now made of himself A Message was then brought from the House of Commons by Sir Philip Stapleton being two Votes concerning Sir John Byron Lieutenant of the Tower to which they desired the Concurrence of the Lords 1. Votes of the Commons concerning the Lieutenant of the Tower That Sir John Byron the now Lieutenant of the Tower hath committed a high Contempt against the Authority and Priviledges of Parliament in refusing to appear upon the Summons of both Houses of Parliament To which the Lords agreed 2. That Sir John Byron the now Lieutenant of the Tower shall be sent for as a Delinquent The Lords deferred giving any Resolution of this last Vote at this time Search to be made about the Commons House In the Commons House it was this day Ordered That another Lock be set upon the Door under the Stairs at the Door of the Commons House and that Mr. Bell keep the Key and search it every Morning also that it be referred to the Committee appointed to search about the Houses and Places near the Parliament House to take daily care that all Places thereabout be safeguarded and kept Secure Mr. Calcot the Informer of Lunsford's being at Kingston with 500 Horse Theophilus Calcot gave the House Information of many Horse under the Command of Collonel Lunsford were Lodged at Kingston upon Thames to the number of 500 or thereabouts That there came Yesterday two Loads of Ammunition that there was last night Captain Thomas Howard a Member of the Commons House and as they say had a Command of some Men there Which occasioned the Message before mentioned It seems the Information did not agree for afterwards Mr. Hollis reported from the Committee appointed to consider of this Information That there were about 200 Men there that they have Pistols and discharge them and carry themselves in a disorderly Manner to the Terror of the People And in reality all this great Army at Kingston was only the Lord Digby and his ordinary Retinue But every thing was Multiplied and Magnified to the highest degrees and whether true orfalse it did the business Effectually and kept up the Fears and Jealousies of the People and confirmed them in the belief of strange Plots against the City and Parliament Then Mr. Sollicitor St. Johns Mr. Whitlock Sir H. Anderson The Committee to draw the Declaration to be sent into all Parts of the Kingdom to put themselves into a Posture of Defence Sir Gilbert Gerrard Mr. Green Sir John Holland Mr. Whistler Sir H. Mildmay Mr. Rigby Mr. Boduile Mr. Grimston Sir Martin Lumley Sir Edward Hungerford Mr. Cave Sir Edward Patherich Serjeant Wild Sir Thomas Barrington Mr. Ashton Mr. Moore Mr. Strode Sir J. Evelyn Mr. Noble Sir William Massam Mr. Lisle were appointed a Committee to take into consideration the drawing of a Letter or other Declaration to be presented to the Lords and by both Houses to be publish't in Print and sent into all the parts of the Kingdom advising them with all Expedition to be in a readiness and a good posture of Defence upon all occasions to defend their several Counties from Invasion by Papists or other ill affected Persons and to declare the several Designs that this quarter of a year last past hath been against the Parliament and safety of the Kingdom It was also Ordered That 2000 l. of the Pole Money shall be paid by the Lord Mayor of York to Sir John Hotham for the service of Hull It was also Ordered upon the Information of Mr. Thomas Blunt Search for Arms at Mr. Ropers at Eltham in Kent That the said Mr. Blunt and Mr. Gibbon or either of them do forthwith make diligent search in the House of Mr. Anthony Roper in Kent at Eltham or any other suspected place for Arms and Ammunition and if they find any there to Seize the same and to apprehend the Person of him or any other Suspected Persons and to take Examinations touching this matter and to use their best indeavours for the Apprehending of Mr. Cecil Cave Who as Blunt said he had been informed had given out that ere long Bloud would be Sold as cheap as Milk The Serjeant was ordered to repair to the Queens Millener Letters to Mr. Crofts opened and require him forthwith to attend the House with the Paquet of Letters which he this day received by the French Post directed to Mr. Crofts Joseph Lee a Waterman informed the House of some great Saddles going to Kingston by water whereupon Order to Seize Saddles and Horses the Serjeant was commanded to Seize them And an Order was sent to the Justices next Hampton Town to make stay of some Horses that the House is informed are now in the Stable of one Mr. Robinson until this House shall take further order An other Order to Sir John Franklyn and Mr. Search for Arms at Sir James Hamiltons Lodgings Whittacre to search the Lodgings of Sir James Hamilton for Arms and Ammunition and to Seize the same and
removed and that Sir John Conyers may be recommended to his Majesty for that Place But before the House of Lords would give any Resolution herein it was Ordered That the Common-Council of the City of London the Merchants that have Estates in Bullion the Minters and all others concerned shall be inquired of whether there be a stay of the Mint or any forbearance of bringing in of Bullion into the Tower of London and if there be whether it proceeds in respect of Sir John Byron 's being Lieutenant of the Tower and hereof speedy Certificate to be made to the Lords in Parliament A Message was then brought from the House of Commons by Denzil Hollis Esquire 1. He brought up the Bill for the Relief of his Majesties distressed Subjects of Ireland 2. To desire the Lords to join with them in an Ordinance to secure 50000 l. borrowed of the Merchant Adventurers for the Affairs of Ireland 3. To move the King to concur with both Houses in the Order made giving Power to Sir John Hotham for securing the Town of Hull and the Magazine there for his Majesties Service To which the Answer was That their Lordships will take the particulars into Consideration this Afternoon The Ordinance for securing the said Merchant Adventurers was read in these words THe Lords and Commons in this present Parliament Assembled Ordinance of the Lords and Commons for securing the Merchant Adventurers 50000 l. having a due Regard to the good Affections of the Governors Assistants and Fellowship of Merchant Adventurers of England expressed in the present advancing and lending of 30000 l. of Lawful Money and forwardness to advance and lend the foresaid Sum of 20000 l. more of like Money if their Affairs will admit the same for the security of this Common-wealth in the supply of the present Affairs in Ireland which the said Lords and Commons do take in very good part and being resolved to make a full and just satisfaction for the same do hereby declare that the said Sum of 30000 l. and such Sum and Sums as they shall further advance and lend as aforesaid shall be fully satisfied and paid unto the said Company of Merchant Adventurers into the hands of their Treasurer for the time being with Interest after the Rate of 8 l. per cent for a Year out of such Moneys as shall be next raised by Authority of Parliament To which Ordinance the Lords agreed Then the Lord Keeper informed the House The Act for the Captives at Argiers and for pressing Marriners passed by Commission That the Commission was come signed by his Majesty for giving the Royal Assent to two Bills one for pressing of Marriners the other against Pyrates Then the Lord Keeper the Lord Great Chamberlain and the Earl of Cumberland three of the Commissioners being sate upon a Form for a-cross the House between the Chair of State and the Lord Keeper's Wool-sack the Gentleman-Usher of the Black-Rod was commanded to go for the House of Commons who being come with their Speaker the Lord Keeper acquainted the Lords and Commons That his Majesty having such occasions as he could not come to this House to give his Royal Assent to the Two Bills in Person hath given a Commission under the Great Seal of England the Contents whereof was read openly which being done the Clerk of the Crown was commanded to read the Titles of the Bills severally in haec verba viz. An Act for the freeing of the Captives of Argier and to prevent the taking of others An Act for pressing of Marriners and Soldiers for the present Guarding of the Seas and the defence of his Majesties Dominions Which being done the Clerk of the Parliament pronounced the Royal Assent to them particularly and severally in these Words Le Roy le Veult And then the Commons returned to their House After this the Lord Keeper Reported the Conference yesterday to this Effect The L. Keeper's Report of the Conference concerning Bagshaw's Information That the House of Commons received Information concerning divers Forces of Horses and Armed Men in a Warlike manner which have been seen at Kingston and afterwards at Windsor and now gone towards Farnham and that Yesterday about 100 Men were met going from London towards Windsor Armed with Pistols and Waggons were going towards Windsor laden with Ammunition The House of Commons say this causeth much wonder at this time all at Peace and a Parliament sitting that such Forces should be Levied therefore they desire that it may be declared by both Houses That whosoever shall raise Forces at this time without Consent in Parliament may be esteemed Enemies and Disturbers of the Peace of the Kingdom and that both Houses will take care to suppress them and likewise the House of Commons desire That a Message be sent to the King to this purpose and to acquaint his Majesty that both Houses of Parliament will be very careful of the Publick Peace and that they hold it against the Law any Forces should be so levied And further the House of Commons acquaints their Lordships That the Lord Digby hath been with the Soldiers at Kingston and given them thanks in the King's Name and told them That his Majesty came out of London to keep them from being trampled in the dirt therefore they desire that the Lord Digby may be summoned to attend this House forthwith Hereupon it was Ordered Order to Summon the Lord Digby to attend the House of Lords That the Lord George Digby shall be Summoned forthwith to attend this House as a Peer of this Realm and hereof he is not to fail Directed to the Gentleman-Usher attending the House of Peers It will be worth the Readers while to cast his Eye a little back upon the Information of Bagshaw of Windsor upon which Foundation all this Conference was built and as there is little doubt but Bagshaw saw double so the Commons looked through their usual Multiplying Glass and saw his single Waggon of Ammunition turned into Waggons and those few Soldiers which he only by Report heard to be at Windsor were Multiplied into an Army But they had a Design now behind the Curtain of seizing the Militia into their Hands either with or against the King's Consent to which this noise of raising Forces by the Lord Digby was to contribute by heightning and swelling the Peoples Fears and Jealousies throughout the Nation in order to smooth their Way to this great Design upon which these Criminals of the Faction built their own Security though they pretended the Safety of the Nation But that I may give all the light I can possibly into this Affair which filled the City and Nation with Terror and Amazement I will present the Reader with the Lord Digby's Apology which besides the clear account it gives of this Kingston Army will also let in some light into other dark and obscure passages both before and after this time and will set the Arts and Intrigues of the
And truely they had some reason to do so for certainly this was a direct Levying of War being absolutely without the King's knowledge privity or consent and from this Period ought to be Dated the actual Rebellion which manifestly proves the Faction to be the Aggressors A Message was brought up to the Lords by Mr. Nathanael Fiennes 1. To desire that their Lordships would give dispatch to the Scots Propositions 2. To the Bill for a Contribution for Ireland 3. To let their Lordships know Message concerning adjourning to Grocers-Hall c. That the House of Commons do resolve to Adjourn their House till Thursday at Eight of the Clock and had appointed in the mean time a Committee whereunto all that would come should have Voices to sit in London at Crocers-Hall and have given them a large Power 1. Concerning the Safety of the Kingdom 2. Concerning Priviledges of Parliament 3. The Affairs of Ireland 4. Concerning the setling of the present Distempers And the House of Commons desire That if their Lordships think so fit that they would appoint a like Committee and that their Lordships would give them power to meet and confer with the Committee of the House of Commons 4. The House of Commons desires That the Committees for Ireland might meet there if their Lordships think it fit 5. That the Committee that their Lordships have appointed to take Examinations upon Oath as also the Committees appointed to draw a Petition to his Majesty concerning the Breach of Priviledges might likewise sit there Order of the Lords for adjournment to Grocers-Hall if their Lordships think fit To all which their Lordships consented as appears by this their Ensuing Order Ordered That the Committee for the Irish Affairs shall meet at Grocers-Hall on Tuesday the 18th of this Instant January at Nine of the Clock in the Morning and that they shall have Power to Treat and Debate concerning the Safety of this Kingdom the Priviledges of Parliament the Affairs of Ireland and the setling of the present Distempers and to take into Consideration his Majesties Message sent to both Houses And likewise that the Committee to take Examinations upon Oath may be there as also the Committee appointed to draw a Petition to his Majesty concerning breach of Priviledges and to consider of all means for vindicating the same And it is further Ordered That all the Lords may be present at the said Committees and have Votes and every of them shall have Power to Debate among themselves and with the Committee of the House of Commons and to call all Persons whom they shall think fit before them and likewise to Adjourn from time to time and from place to place as they shall see Cause and the Votes and Results of the Committee to Report unto this House This Adjournment was to keep up the belief that they did not sit in safety at Westminster and to countenance the attempt upon the Militia at which they were now driving might and main Still Sir John Byron the Lieutenant of the Tower was a great Beam in their Eye and therefore to get possession of the Tower they had perswaded several Merchants and others to Petition against him and that it was framed by the Artifice of the Faction the wording of it and the Answers of the Petitioners make apparent for they speak the same Language the Commons had taught them at the last Conference for this purpose with the Lords For a Message was brought up from the House of Commons by Sir Henry Vane Junior to this Effect That the House of Commons having by divers Conferences expressed unto their Lordships the just causes of Fears and Jealousies that are in the City by reason of Sir John Byron 's being Lieutenant of the Tower of London which caused the House of Commons formerly to desire their Lordships to joyn with them to Petition the King that he might be removed from that Place which their Lordships thought not fit to joyn in then Now the House of Commons present to their Lordships a Petition delivered to them from divers Merchants and Goldsmiths of London that have great store of Bullion in the Tower and have divers Ships laden with Bullion lately come into the River and by reason of the Fears and Jealousies they have of the now Lieutenant of the Tower they forbear to bring in their Bullion as may appear by the Petition which was read in haec verba To the Honourable Assembly of the House of Commons in Parliament The Humble Petition of the Merchants and Goldsmiths Traders to His Majesties Mint with Foreign Bullion and Coin Sheweth THat many Jealousies and Fears have risen in your Petitioners Merchants and Goldsmiths Petition against the Lieutenant of the Tower Jan. 17. 1641. by reason of the sudden Removal of that worthy Gentleman Sir William Balfour Lieutenant of the Tower and that the same is now Commanded by one of whom we have not that satisfaction as formerly we have had Your Petitioners therefore in all humility tender this considerable Request to this Honourable Assembly That there may be such a Lieutenant there-placed it being a Place of so great Trust and Considence as shall be thought fitting by this Honourable Assembly which undoubtedly will not only cease our Fears and Jealousies in these distractive times but will occasion us to continue all possible incouragement to our Correspondents beyond the Seas that the Importation of Bullion and Coin of which great quantity is newly arrived in Spain may have its free Course as in former times to the wellfare of Trade in general And Your Petitioners shall pray c. Henry Futter David Otgher Nic. Corsellis Abra. Fortry Diericke Ooste with several others The House of Commons upon this do desire that their Lordships would joyn with them humbly to Petition the King That Sir John Byron Knight now Lieutenant of the Tower of London may be removed and Sir John Conyers recommended to his Majesty from both Houses for that place Whereupon the Merchants and Goldsmiths that Exhibited the aforesaid Petition to the House of Commons presented another verbatim the same to the Lords which being read the House fell into Debate of it and they were called in and asked these Questions by the direction of the House 1. What number of Merchants and Goldsmiths besides themselves brings in Bullion to the Mint To which they Answered Sir Peter Riccaut and a few more but no great number 2. What reasons they have for their Fears and Jealousies of Sir John Byron Lieutenant of the Tower and why they forbear to bring in Bullion to the Mint They had Conn'd their Lesson perfectly and therefore said That they heard that he hath disobeyed the Orders of both Houses of Parliament when he was sent for to come and attend them Also that he is a Gentleman unknown to them and they desire to have such a Lieutenant put in as the Parliament approves of But the Lords it seems easily saw
distinct Body of an Army and thereupon declared the Lord Gormanston General of the Forces to be raised in the Pale Hugh Birne Lieutenant General and the Earl of Fingal General of the Horse And to straiten the City of Dublin by keeping Provisions from coming thither Luke Neterville sent two strong Parties the one to possess Finglass within two Miles of the City and the other to Santry where they lay till those at Finglass were dislodged from thence by Col. Crafford lately arrived out of England with a Recommendation from the Prince Elector Palatine under whom he had served in the Wars of Germany The dislodging of the Rebels from Finglass happened by a pretty odd Adventure for Crafford having raised a Regiment of the stripped and despoiled English who came to Dublin for Sanctuary he daily Exercised them and being a Person of a good competency of Confidence and forwardness he requested the Earl now His Grace the Duke of Ormond to take a view of them and see how well in so short a time he had improved and disciplined his Men the next Morning His Grace with about 20 Horse of his Servants and some Persons of Quality went into the Field to see them Train but when he came there he found no Men upon the place but presently after hearing some shooting and conceiving they might be marched to some more convenient place he advanced to the place where by the shooting he judged they were when he came near he saw there was a Man brought off wounded whereupon he perceived it was no matter of Jest for it seems Crafford who had resolved to signalize himself had made an attempt upon the Rebels at Finglass but his Men who had scarcely recovered the fright they had escaped were not so well in either Courage or Discipline but that they had shewed the Rebels their Backs if His Grace by the opportune appearance of this small body of Horse had not reinforced them and the Rebels having no Horse and not knowing what strength or numbers were coming upon them immediately retired and drew off from the place The other Party at Santry hearing of the approach of Sir Charles Coot consulted with their heels for the security of the rest of their Bodies and quitted the place with so much fear and haste that they left behind them the best part of their Equipage and Provisions And to add to these misfortunes under which the Government and the English Protestants were so miserably oppressed the Provinces of Munster and Connaght now followed the Example of Vlster and Lemster and broak out into actual Rebellion so that now there was not one Corner of Ireland but what was infected with this dismal Contagion the whole Body was sick and the Heart faint and languishing The landing of Sir Simon Harcourt Sir Simon Harcourt with a Regiment arrives at Dublin Decemb. 31. a brave Experienced Captain with his Regiment who arrived at Dublin the last of December raised some hopes that Assistance and Relief would come from England but those very hopes were strangely over-ballanced by the Fears lest they should come too late And these delays had like to have proved Fatal for many of the Soldiers who came out of England seeing the weak and low condition of the City and the great Strength and Numbers of the Rebels began not only to shrink from the Service which appeared so desperate but mutinuously to perswade their fellows to return for England which occasioned the Publishing of this Proclamation By the Lords Justices and Council William Parsons John Borlase WE do hereby in His Majesties Name A Proclamation forbidding Soldiers to return to England Charge and Command all His Majesties Soldiers of this Army that upon pain of Death none of them presume to depart hence for England without express License in that behalf from the Lieutenant General of the Army And we Command all Owners and Masters of Ships Barques and other Vessels that upon pain of Death none of them do permit or suffer any of the said Soldiers to go aboard them or to be carried from hence into England And we require the Searcher and all other Officers and Waiters of the Customs that they and every of them do take special Care to prevent the Shipping or Exporting of any of the said Soldiers as aforesaid whereof they may not fail Given at His Majesties Castle of Dublin the 18th of Jan. 1641. Ormond Ossory R. Dillon Ad. Loftus J. Temple Charles Coote Fra. Willoughby Rob. Meredith The Board had not been at all wanting to represent the sad Condition of their Affairs to the Lord Lieutenant and the Two Houses of Parliament in England and the Reader may have observed that upon all occasions His Majesty had indeavoured to the uttermost of the Power he had left to forward the Relief and Assistance of Ireland But the Scots stood upon high Terms being rather managed with the desire of the English Money the sweetness of which they had tasted then with compassionate Zeal and Brotherly Kindness though they affected that word mightily to afford Sudden and Seasonable Relief to Ireland which they might with the greatest ease imaginable have done from Scotland that Country lying so near as to be within a few hours Sail from thence And for the Two Houses of Parliament in England they were so wholly taken up with their own Affairs and Designs against the King which now began to ripen apace towards an open Rebellion that they had no leisure to attend the present Relief of Ireland to any purpose insomuch that the Arms and Ammunition taken out of the King's Stores for that Service could not get a conveyance to the Ports whither they were Ordered for Transportation for want of Money as was often represented to the Two Houses by the Lord Newport Master of the Ordnance as before hath been made appear from the Journals and the Men who were raised and got as far as Chester lay there also Money-bound as is evident from this following Letter written from Col. Monk afterwards the memorable Duke of Albemarle to the Lord Lieutenant My Lord I Have received one Letter from your Lordship A Letter from Col. Monk to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and one from your Secretary and all your Lordships Commands have been observed here are Twelve Companies of your Lordships Regiment come to Chester there is only wanting your Lordships own Company and 40 Men of Captain Cope 's Company the which 40 Men he is bringing up himself and your Lordships Regiment is 1200 marching Men in Rank and File at this present We shall want nothing for our present Imbarquing but Money and your Lordships own Company for our Men are all Armed and Shipping ready to carry them over the want of Money with us has been very great by reason we have been forced to pay our Companies our selves ever since our Arrival here We could not prevail with the Townsmen of Chester for the furnishing of us with any
attempt in their Petition and Protestation against the King and Parliament These Gentlemen with my self and others having the prosecution of that business and other Charges of great Crimes against them committed to our Trust did unanimously with one consent follow the same bringing to a period our Debates and Disputes concerning their Crimes what we conceived they were guilty of upon their several Charges and what guilty of for framing and preferring their Petition and Protestation to His Majesty that they were guilty of Misprison of Treason upon their former Accusations and guilty of High Treason upon this their last design And these our Votes and Conclusions grounded and warranted not only by the Common Laws of this Land but by divers Acts of Parliament and Presidents we presented to the whole House for Consideration and Confirmation of the same by general Vote with whom we again agreed by our publique Votes and thereupon they were Impeached and Committed This I conceive provoked their malice against us and was the principal cause of this their Plot in drawing an Accusation against us for the same Crime of Treason thereby to make us seem as vile as themselves and to take away our Votes at their Tryal And thus I have joyn'd together both the Cause and the Authors of this Accusation The Effects I conceive will be dangerous and cause great Trouble in these respects 1. In turning the Current of the Parliaments Proceedings against them upon us by which device they shall have further time to put in practice their Plots and bring to perfection their purposes against the Parliament 2. That being busily imployed concerning this business in their disputes about breach of Priviledg of Parliament in illegal accusing the Members thereof in drawing a Declaration to his Majesty concerning the same in appeasing him by shewing the sincerity and integrity of the Parliament toward his Majesty and other things pertinent thereunto this High Court may lay aside their Proceeding and avert their Purposes touching the Irish Affairs whereby the Rebellion there may increase and forraign Aid brought to them to the utter losing of that Kingdom 3. Many Fears and Troubles will arise in the Citizens concerning this Accusation of desperate and devillish Stratagems in agitation as well against them as the Parliament by disconsolate and disaffected persons to the Safety and Security thereof causing their continual Watching and Guarding by their Trained Bands which will be to them a great Charge and Molestation 4. It will incourage ill-affected and pernitious Cavaliers and Commanders about Court to attempt any mischief against both Houses of Parliament or particular Members thereof upon the least opportunity that shall be offered them thinking thereby they shall do the King good service which otherwise they dare not adventure to put in practise 5. And lastly It will provoke and stir up a dislike of these designs in the Hearts of all his Majesty's Subjects and disaffection to his Sacred Person cause great Uproars and Tumults of the Citizens yea and I fear a general Insurrection in the Kingdom if not suddainly prevented which God forbid And thus Master Speaker having nothing more to say concerning these Articles I humbly crave of this Honourable House That I may have Expedition in my Tryal upon the same and that all things done by this Wise Councel may tend to the Honour and Glory of Almighty God the Peace and Safety of His Sacred Majesty and all his Kingdoms A Message was this day brought up from the House of Commons by Sir John Hotham to desire a present free Conference Tuesday Jan. 4th if it may stand with their Lordships conveniency by a Committee of both Houses touching the safety of the King and Kingdom and the Privileges of both Houses of Parliament The Lord Keeper Reported the effect of the Conference which was To move the Lords again to joyn with them humbly to move his Majesty that the Guards at White-Hall may be discharged and to vindicate the Priviledges of Parliament and they do reiterate their desires of Yesterday upon these Reasons 1. The House of Commons have received fresh Informations that divers Gentlemen have made their Addresses to the Gentlemen of the Inns of Court and have dealt with them to come Armed to White-Hall when they shall be required yet they have not condescended thereto 2. The House of Commons have met with a scandalous Paper as was published abroad which contained Articles of High Treason against the Lord Kymbolton c. The House of Commons desires their Lordships would joyn with them to find out the Authors and to bring them to condign punishment for so high a breach of the Priviledges of Parliament But nothing at this time was Resolved of In the Commons House the Lord Faulkland reported the King's Answer to the Message of this House delivered to his Majesty last night That his Majesty asked them whether the House did expect an Answer They replied they had no more in Commission to say but only to deliver the Message The King asked them as private Persons what they thought of it They said they conceived the House did expect an Answer but his Majesty was informed the House was up so he said he would send an Answer this Morning as soon as this House was set but in the mean time he Commanded them to acquaint the House that the Serjeant at Arms did nothing but what he had directions from himself to do Mr. Whittaker Reported from a Committee at Guild Hall Mr. Toby Wood committed to Newgate That an Information was Exhibited upon Oath by one John Bricker against Mr. Toby Wood for Seditious and Treasonable Words whereupon he was committed to Newgate by Order of the Committee at Guild-Hall Also a Vote passed Sir Will. Killegrew a Delinquent That Sir William Killegrew be forthwith sent for as a Delinquent by the Sergeant at Arms attending on the House Then Mr. Smith Mr. Ellis Mr. Hill Mr. Brown and Sir Richard Vivian were appointed to go to the several Inns of Court Message to the Gentlemen of the Inns of Court and to acquaint them That this House hath taken notice of the Practice of some Gentlemen that have endeavoured to engage the Gentlemen of the Inns of Court to be in readiness upon all Occasions to come down to the Court if they should be required That this House hath sent for the Gentlemen that were with them as Delinquents and do believe that their Crime will prove to be of an high Nature And further to inform them That the Parliament is and will be upon all occasions as ready to defend his Majesties Person as any others and they are to inform them that the Cause of sending to them is not any diffidence they have in them but to advise them from any Practices that they shall be moved unto And that upon this occasion put the whole City into an uproar Message to the Common-Council It was Ordered That Alderman