DIE Mercurii, 22 die Octobris.

PRAYERS, by Mr. Seaman.

Ds. Grey de Warke, Speaker.

A Petition of the Earl Rivers was read, as followeth:

E. Rivers's Petition, for the Composition for his Delinquency to be remitted him, on account of the great Distresses of himself and Family.

"To the Right Honourable the Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled.

"The humble Petition of John Earl Rivers;

"Sheweth,

"That he, at the Beginning of these unhappy Differences, departing into Cheshire by the Licence of the House of Peers, continued there, without acting any Thing prejudicial to the Proceedings of Parliament, until he was strictly commanded by the King to attend His Person at Yorke; at which Time the Petitioner most humbly confesseth, that, by His Majesty's special Command, he undertook the Execution of the Commission of Array for the County of Chester; and that afterwards a Regiment of Foot did voluntarily list themselves under the Petitioner's Command, for His Majesty's Service; that the Petitioner hath laid down his Arms above Two Years ago, and never acted any Thing since, either by his Person or Estate, in Opposition of Parliament: Forasmuch as the Petitioner's Real Estate, being entailed upon his Eldest Son (and at this present not worth above Nine Hundred Pounds per Annum, and in the best Times never exceeding the Yearly Value of Two Thousand Five Hundred Pounds), lieth under a Debt of Forty-five Thousand Pounds; and that his Personal Estate to the Value of Twenty Thousand Pounds is utterly wasted and destroyed; so that their Lordships cannot by any Means raise a Sum of Money for a Composition, and must needs be ruined, if his Estate be continued under Sequestration:

"The Petitioner, humbly acknowledging his former Errors, and being heartily sorry for the same, and thoroughly resolved, by God's Assistance, never to commit the like Offences again; humbly craves, that his past Sufferings and Losses may, in their Lordships favourable Regard, go in Lieu of Satisfaction for his former Offences; and that the Honourable Houses, taking him into their own Hands, will be pleased so to commiserate his Condition, and extend their Favours, that himself and Family may be preserved from Ruin, who are otherwise so near it, even for Want of ordinary Necessaries, as he is unwilling to express."

To compound for his Delinquency; and Sir A. Beauchamp to be considered.

Upon this, the House Ordered, That the Lord Rivers shall be admitted to make his Composition with the Parliament; and then he may be admitted to offer what Particulars he shall think, for Mitigation; and that Sir Anthony Beauchamp, who hath faithfully served the Parliament in the Army late under the Command of the Earl of Essex, be taken into Consideration, and be remembered in the said Composition of the said Earl Rivers.

A Paper was read, reported by the Earl of Manchester, from the Committee of both Kingdoms, as follows:

Paper from the Scots Commissioners, desiring Cloathing for their Army; and that Two of them are gone to hasten it up towards Newark.

"We desire your Lordships to represent to both Houses of Parliament, that we have resolved to send Two of our Number forthwith to the Scottish Army, to presse the Desires of both Houses, for their speedy Advance toward Newarke; and for the better Encouragement of the Soldiers, that are very naked, we desire the Houses will be pleased to give Order to provid Clothes for them; without which, they are able to doe no Service in the Winter Season.

"By Comand of the Commissioners for the Parliament of Scotland.

21 October, 1654.

"Jo. Cheislie."

Ordered, That this Paper be communicated to the House of Commons; and to desire that the Scottish Soldiers may have Cloaths sent them as speedily as conveniently may be.

Ordinance for paying Waggoners.

Next, was read the Ordinance for paying the Waggoners; which was Agreed to, with an Alteration, wherein the Concurrence of the House of Commons is desired.

Message to the H. C. with it, and the Scots Paper; and about the following Particulars.

A Message was sent to the House of Commons, by Sir Edward Leech and Mr. Page:

1. To deliver the Scottch Paper to them; and desire that the Cloaths may be appointed to be sent with all convenient Speed to the Scotish Army.

2. To desire their Concurrence in the Alterations in the Ordinance for paying the Waggoners.

3. To desire they would expedite the Business concerning the Lord Blany.

4. To let them know, that this House hath passed the Ordinance for suspending the ignorant and scandalous Persons from the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper.

5. To put them in Mind of Captain Poe's Petition.

6. To put them in Mind of Captain Cannon's Business.

7. To put them in Mind of Captain Hutchings' Business.

Ordinance concerning the Iron Works for Col. Massey.

Next, was read the Ordinance for the Iron Works for Colonel Massy, and committed to the Consideration of these Lords Committees following:

Any Three, to meet To-morrow Morning, at Nine a Clock; and Mr. Justice Bacon to attend the said Committee.

Ordinance to sell some old Men of War.

Next, was read the Ordinance for the Sale of some Ships of the Navy.

Ordered, To be committed to the same Committee as is appointed to consider of the Ordinance concerning the Iron Works.

Col. Weldon's Ordinance to be Governor of Plymouth.

Next, the Ordinance for Colonel Ralph Weldon to be Governor of Plymouth, was read, and committed to the same Committee as the Ordinance for the Iron Works.

Committees for Bucks.

The Order, That Henry Andrew Esquire, Christopher Egleton Esquire, Thomas Ayres, Henry Harris, John Deverell, Wm. Russell, John Woodward, Henry Allen, and Richard Bauldwyn, Gentlemen, be, and are hereby, added to the Committee for the County of Bucks, was read, and Agreed to.

Orders for Concurrence.

The Order for Lieutenant General Cromwell to be continued for Four Months, was read, and Agreed to.

(Here enter it.)

The Order for Colonel Mountague to be added to the Committee of the Army, was read, and Agreed to.

(Here enter it.)

The Order for Captain Bettisworth to be High Sheriff of Hampshire, was read, and Agreed to.

(Here enter it.)

The Order for Captain Bettisworth to command the Horse in Hampshire, was read, and Agreed to.

(Here enter it.)

The Order for Mr. Maynard to have my Lord Banks's Books, was read, and Agreed to.

(Here enter it.)

The Order for Mr. Recorder to have Mr. Vaughan's Books, was read, and Agreed to. (Here enter it.)

The Ordinance for One Thousand Pounds, out of the Excise, for Nottingham, was read, and Agreed to.

(Here enter it.)

E. of Chesterfield, Leave to change his Lodgings.

It was moved, as the humble Desire of the Earl of Chesterfield, "That he might be permitted to change his Lodging where now he is, to another not far off:"

It is Ordered, That he shall have Leave so to do, provided he lie under the same Restraint there as now he doth.

Berkley Castle, not to be demolished.

Upon reading the Petition of George Lord Barckley: (Here enter it.) It is Ordered, To (fn. *) be recommended to the Committees of Gloucester and Bristoll, that the Castle of Barckley be not demolished.

The Lord Viscount Say & Seale reported a Paper from the Committee of both Kingdoms; which was read:

"Die Lunæ, 20 October, 1645.

"At the Committee of both Kingdoms at Derby House.

Officers, &c. coming in from the King's Party.

"Ordered, That it be reported to both Houses, that there are divers Soldiers, Officers of Quality, to come in from the King; and to desire the House to give Direction therein."

Gen. Cromwell to continue in his Command.

"Ordered, by the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, That Lieutenant General Cromwell be continued in the Command of Lieutenant General of the Horse, under the same Entertainment he is now established, for Four Months after the Determination of the Time for which he was last continued in that Command; and that his Service in the House be in the mean Time dispensed with."

Col. Mountague to be added to the Committee of the Army.

"Ordered, by the Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled, That Colonel Edward Mountague be added to the Committee made by Ordinance of 29th March last, touching the Affairs of the Army under Sir Thomas Fairefax, and the Payment thereof, in the Place of Mr. William Strode deceased."

Mr. Bettisworth to be Sheriff of Hants;

"Resolved, by the Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled, That the Houses do nominate and approve of Thomas Bettisworth Junior, Esquire, to be High Sheriff of the County of Hants; and that the Commissioners of the Great Seal do give him a Commission accordingly."

and to command the Horse there.

"Resolved, by the Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled, That the Houses do approve of Captain Thomas Bettisworth Junior, to command the Horse of Hants; and that the Members of both Houses that are of the Committee of both Kingdoms do grant a Commission accordingly."

Mr. Maynard to have Ld. C. J. Banks's Books.

"Ordered, by the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, That Mr. Maynard shall have all the Books and Manuscripts belonging to the late Lord Chief Justice Banks bestowed upon him; and that he have Power to seize upon the same, in any Place where they can be found, and to retain the same to his own Use."

Mr. Recorder to have Mr. Vaughan's Books.

"Ordered, by the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, That Mr. Recorder shall have all the Books and Manuscripts belonging to Mr. John Vaughan, of The Inner Temple, bestowed upon him; and Mr. Lisle and Mr. Nicholas do take Care to secure the said Books where they shall be found; and that they be delivered over to Mr. Recorder, to be by him retained for his own Use."

Order for 1000l. out of the Excise, for Nottingham.

"It is this Day Ordained, by the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, That One Thousand Pounds, with Interest for the same, shall be paid in Course, out of the Receipts of Excise, by Ordinance of the 11th September, 1643, for the Service of the Foot at Nottingham, unto Mr. Gilbert Millington and Jervas Piggott, or either of them, whose Receipt or Receipts shall be unto the Commissioners of Excise for the Time being their sufficient Warrant and Discharge for Payment of the said One Thousand Pounds, with Interest for the same accordingly: And it is further Ordained, That the Interest for the said One Thousand Pounds shall be paid to the Lenders thereof, or of any part thereof, at the End of every Six Months, until the said One Thousand Pounds and Interest as aforesaid shall be fully satisfied."

Footnotes