Monday, the 5th of September, 1653.
Army in Ireland.
COLONEL Clerk reports from the Committee of
the Army, a Reducement, together with an Establishment for the Forces in Ireland.
Resolved, That this House doth agree, that the Forces
in Ireland be reduced, according to this Report, to
Twenty thousand Six hundred and Ninety, besides the
Train of Artillery, and General Officers, according to
the Establishment, now presented.
Resolved, That Four thousand Pounds a Month only
be allowed for Contingencies: And the Establishment,
with that Amendment, being put to the Question, was
agreed.
Resolved, That this Establishment do commence from
the 24th of October 1653 (fn. [a]) .
Publick Revenue.
Captain Stone reports from the Committee for inspecting the Treasuries, Certain Proposals for bringing in
Money.
Resolved, That this be referred to the Committee for
publick Debts, to add several Clauses to the Effect of
these Proposals in the Bill; which is already committed
to them.
Resolved, That it be likewise referred to the same Committee, do bring in a Clause in the same Bill, that all
Persons who hold any the Lands, Rents, or other Estates
of the late King, Queen, or Prince; or of Bishops, Deans
and Chapters, not yet discovered, or surveyed; be, by a
Day to be prefixed, discovered to such Persons as the
Parliament shall appoint, by the Possessors or Occupiers
thereof, upon Pain of Sequestration of the Estate, Real
and Personal, of the said Possessors or Occupiers not
discovering the same by the Time to be prefixed; and to
manifest by what Title they had the same.
Publick Debts.
Resolved, That Mr. Studley, Mr. Phesanut, Mr. Coates,
Mr. Sweet, and Mr. Sawrey, be added to the Committee
for publick Debts.
Publick Treasuries.
Ordered, That Mr. Phesanut be added to the Committee for Inspection of Treasuries, and Regulating of
Salaries.
Ways and Means.
Resolved, That it be referred to the Committee for
raising of Monies (upon a Certificate made to them of the
Gifts given by the last Parliament) to offer to the House
what they shall think fit, for the Advantage of the Commonwealth.
Fee-farm Rents.
Colonel West reports from the same Committee, A
further explanatory additional Act for Sale of the Feefarm Rents; and for Finishing of that whole Affair:
Which was this Day read the First and Second time.
And the Blanks being filled up at the Table;
And the Question being put, That this Bill be ingrossed;
It passed with the Affirmative.
Letter read.
A Letter from several Persons, Prisoners in Horne,
dated the 13th of August 1653, was this Day read.
Resolved, That this Letter be referred to the Council
of State.
Navy.
Mr. Carew reports from the Commissioners for the
Admiralty and Navy;
THAT, upon a late Conference with the Commissioners of the Navy, and Information received in Writing from them, and the Treasurer, touching the present
State and Condition of the Navy, they do find, that according to an Estimate lately delivered to the Council of
State, the Charge of the Fleet, to the last of December
next, will amount to Eleven hundred and Fifteen thousand
Pounds; towards which the Provision already made will
not exceed Six hundred thousand Pounds, by the largest
Calculation of the several Treasuries, upon which the
Assignments remain: Since which there hath been an
Engagement at Sea, that hath occasioned much Expence
by Provision for Sick and Wounded, Gratuities to the
Widows and Orphans of Officers, and private Seamen,
slain therein; and also by Repair of the Hulls, Tackle,
and Masts of Ships, and Supplies of Ammunition; which
hath very much drained the publick Stores, and increased
the Charge; of which there was no former Estimation.
They also find, That the daily Clamours which are
made by Persons, with whom Contracts for Commodities
to supply the Fleet are long since broken, the vast and
unreasonable Charge the State is at, in the Price of all
Provisions, for want of ready Money; which, besides the
Disrepute the State, and their subordinate Instruments,
lie under for Non-performance of Contracts, is more than
Twenty in the Hundred clear Loss.
That, in regard Ships are coming in daily to be paid
off, and within few Weeks the whole Fleet is expected;
and if ready Money be not provided against that time;
every Day's Delay (after the several Ships, so ordered to
be paid off, are come in) will be of no less Prejudice
than the paying after the Rate of Three hundred Pounds
Interest yearly, for One hundred Pounds Principal.
Upon the Whole, they conceive, that the Sum of Five
hundred and Fifteen thousand Pounds will be necessary
to be provided for the present Carrying-on of the Service
of the Navy:
And that it be likewise reported, That there is no
Provision made in the former Estimate for the Winter's
Guard, nor for the Ten Second-Rate Ships which the
Council have ordered to be built.
Supply.
Resolved, That for Ten Days, to begin on Thursday
next, the House do take into Consideration the Business
of Money; and no other Business to intervene.
Comm rs of Excise.
Resolved, That the Committee for Inspection of Treasuries, and for regulating Officers, and their Salaries, be
authorized and impowered to call to Account the Commissioners for the Excise, for the Fines which have been
by them set and received within the Cities of London and
Westminster, and Suburbs thereof, and Borough of Southwark; and to give Order to some Gentlemen in every
County, to call to Account the Sub-Commissioners, and
Farmers of the Excise, in the respective Counties, for the
Fines, which have been by them set and received in the
respective Counties; and make Return thereof to the said
Committee (fn. [b]) .
Redeeming Captives.
Resolved, That the same Powers, which were in the
Committee of the Navy, as to the Redemption of Captives, be vested in the Council of State; and that their
Order therein be observed touching the issuing out of the
Monies for that Purpose, as if the same had been done
by Order of the said Committee of the Navy.