DIE Sabbati, videlicet, 27 die Maii.
PRAYERS.
Earl of Manchester, Speaker.
Votes of the H. C. concerning the Great Seal.
This House took the Votes brought up from the
House of Commons concerning the Great Seal of England into Consideration.
And, for the better Debate thereof, the House was
adjourned into a Committee during Pleasure.
The First Vote was read:
"That the Great Seal of England ought, by the
Laws of the Land, to attend the Parliament."
And, after a mature Debate,
This House was resumed.
And these Questions were put:
"Whether the Use of the Great Seal of England
ought to be applied to the Commands of the
Parliament, according to the Laws of the
Land?"
Resolved Affirmatively.
"Whether the Great Seal of England ought to
attend the Commands of the Parliament, according to the Laws of the Land."
Resolved Negatively.
Next, this House proceeded to the Second Vote:
"That the Great Seal of England doth not attend
the Parliament, as by the Laws of the Land it ought
to do."
And this House Resolved, To have a Conference, to
be informed by them, wherein the Great Seal hath not
been applied to Commands of the Parliament.
3. Likewise this House deferred to give any Resolution to the Third Vote of the House of Commons, until
the Second be Resolved of.
Then this House proceeded to the Fourth Vote:
"That it is the Duty of both Houses of Parliament,
to provide a speedy Remedy for these Mischiefs."
After Debate hereof;
This House made this Resolution, being, with some
Alterations, different with that of the House of Commons:
"4. That it is the Duty of both Houses of Parliament, to use their best Endeavours to provide a fitting and a speedy Remedy for these Mischiefs."
Next, the House proceeded to the Consideration of
the Fifth Vote:
It was put to the Question,
"Whether that a Great Seal of England shall be
forthwith made, to attend the Parliament,
for Dispatch of the Affairs of the Parliament
and Kingdom?"
And it was Resolved Negatively.
Committee to prepare Heads for a Conference about them.
Ordered, These Lords following shall consider
what is fit to be delivered, at the Conference, to the
House of Commons, concerning these Votes:
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E. Northumb.
E. Holland.
E. Bedford.
E. Pembrooke.
E. Clare.
E. Portland. |
E. Rutland.
L. Viscount Conway.
L. Bruce.
L. Lovelace. |
Any Five.
The House was adjourned during Pleasure, and the
Lords went to the Conference; which being ended, the
House was resumed.
Report of the Conference concerning Letters from Lord Fairfax, of the Procedings in the North.
The Speaker reported the Effect of the Conference;
which was,
"To communicate to their Lordships divers Letters:
"1. A Letter of the Lord Fairefaix.
"2. A Letter of Mr. Stockdale's.
"3. A Narrative of the Action of Wakefeild.
"4. A Letter of the Lord Goringe, to Colonel Goringe.
"Upon which Letters Mr. Pym made certain Observations.
Votes of the H. C. concerning them.
"5. Some Votes made by the House of Commons,
upon Consideration of these Letters, wherein they
desired their Lordships Concurrence:
Public Thanksgiving for the Success of Lord Fairfax's Army;
"1. That a Public Thanksgiving shall be given, in all
the Churches and Chapels of London, Westm. and
Suburbs, for the great and good Success it hath pleased God to give the Forces under the Command of the
Lord Fairfaix, at the Taking (fn. *) of Wakefeild; and
that both Houses do send to the City the Letters, the
better to quicken them therein."
Agreed to.
Lord General to send Succours to him;
"2. That it shall be especially recommended unto
my Lord General, to send some speedy and effectual
Succours to my Lord Fairefaix, in such Manner as
shall seem best to his Excellency."
Agreed to.
and for Justice on General Goring.
"3. That my Lord General be desired, that Justice
be done on General Goring, according to the Law of
Arms."
Left to the Lord General.
Message to the H. C. about these Matters.
A Message was sent to the House of Commons, by
Mr. Serjeant Whitfeild and Mr. Serjeant Fynch:
To let them know, that their Lordships do agree to
send the Copy of the Letters to the Lord Mayor of
and for a Thanksgiving to be To-morrow; and do
agree to send to the Lord General, to send Forces to
the Lord Fairefaix.
Lord Lovelace, Leave to be absent.
Ordered, That the Lord Lovelace hath Leave to go
to his House in the Country, and attend this House on
Monday again.
Hardwick and Overman.
Ordered, That the Cause between John Hardwick
and Tho. Overman shall be heard on Monday come
Month.
Lady Stapleton, a Pass.
Ordered, That the Lady Stapleton shall have a Pass,
to go to Oxford.
Inventory of the Earl of Lindsey's Goods to be taken quietly.
The House being informed, "That some Officers are
now taking an Inventory of the Earl of Lyndsey's Goods:"
It is Ordered, That the Gentleman Usher attending
this House shall go to the said Persons, to require them
to inventory the Goods in a fair Way, without any
Violence.
Message from the H. C. for a Conference on some Letters from Lord Fairfax;
A Message was brought from the House of Commons,
by Sir Rob't Pye:
To desire a Conference, concerning some Letters received from the Lord Fairefaix.
about the Great Seal;
2. To desire their Lordships to take into Consideration
what was formerly brought up to them concerning the
Great Seal of England.
and for Concurrence in Two Orders.
3. To desire Concurrence in Two Orders:
1. Concerning the cessing of the Twentieth Part of
Mens Estates, that have not contributed, or not
contributed according to their Estates.
2. Concerning some Committees to be added in the
County of Hunt.
The Answer returned was:
Answer.
That their Lordships will give a present Conference,
as is desired, in the Painted Chamber.
To the other Particulars, their Lordships will send an
Answer, by Messengers of their own, in convenient Time.
Lord Fairfax's Letter, that he has taken Wakefield, and about other Proceedings of the Forces in the North.
"SIR,
"Upon the 6th of this Month, I writ to you by a
special Messenger, which I hope is come to your
Hands: Presently after the Dispatch of that Letter,
the News was brought me that the Earl of Newcastle
had possessed himself both of Rotheram and Sheffeild;
the Forces in Rotheram held out Two Days Siege, and
yielded up the Town upon Treaty, wherein it was
agreed that the Town should not be plundered,
and that all the Gentlemen, Commanders, and Soldiers (Six only excepted, that were specially named),
leaving their Arms, should have free Liberty to go
whither they pleased; but, when the Enemy entered,
contrary to their Articles, they have not only plundered the Town, but have also made all the Commanders and Soldiers Prisoners, and do endeavour to
constrain them to take up Arms on their Party. The
Commanders at Sheffeild, hearing of the Loss of Rotheram, and seeing some of the Enemies Forces advanced in View of the Town, they all presently deserted the Place, as not tenable with so few against
so potent an Army, and fled away with their Arms,
some to Chesterfeild, and some to Manchester. The
Loss of these Two Places hath much elated the
Enemy, and cast down the Spirits of the People in
these Parts, who daily see the Enemy increase in
Power, and to gain Ground, and no Succours come
to them from any Part. The Earl of Newcastle's
Army do now reign over all the South-west Part of
this Country, pillaging and cruelly using the wellaffected Party; and the last Week there is a Garrison
of Horse and Foot laid at Knaresbrough, where they
begin to fortify the Town, and pillage and utterly
ruin all the Religious People in those Parts, and round
about them. On Friday Sevennight last, Three
Troops and some other Forces, of which many were
French, came from that Garrison, and pillaged Otley,
and there barbarously used some honest Women of
that Town; and in their Retreat to Knaresbrough, upon
the open Forest, they took a Man and a Woman;
the Man they wounded, and beat cruelly, and before
his Face ravished the Woman. These Particulars I
repeat, that you may the more clearly discern the
Miseries which this County groans under; and here,
about Leeds, Bradford, and Hallifax, being a mountainous, barren Country, the People now begin to be
sensible of Want, their last Year's Provisions being
spent, and the Enemies Garrisons stopping all Provisions both of Corn and Flesh, and other Necessaries,
that were wont to come from the more fruitful Countries to them; their Trade utterly taken away, their
Poor grow innumerable, and great Scarcity of Means
to relieve them; and this Army, which now lies
amongst them to defend them from the Enemy, cannot defend them from Want, which causeth much
Murmur and Lamentation amongst the People; and
for the Army itself, it is so far in Arrear, and no Way
appearing how they shall either be supplied with
Money nor Succours, as they grow very mutinous;
yet, upon Saturday last in the Night, I caused to be
drawn out of the Garrisons, in Leeds, Bradford, Hallifax, and Howley, some Horse, Foot, and Dragooners,
in all about Fifteen Hundred Men, and sent them
against Wakefeild, commanded by my Son, and assisted
by Major General Gifford, Sir Henry Fowles, and Sir
William Fairefax, with divers other Commanders:
They appeared before Wakefeild about Four a Clock
on Sunday in the Morning, where they found the
Enemies (who had Intelligence of their Design) ready
to receive them. There was in the Town, General
Goreing, Serjeant Major General Mackworth, the Lord
Goreing, with many other principal Commanders and
eminent Persons, with about Seven Troops of Horse,
and Six Regiments containing Three Thousand Foot,
the Town well fortified with Works, and Four Pieces
of Ordnance; yet our Men, both Commanders and
common Soldiers, went on with undaunted Courages,
and, notwithstanding the thick Vollies of small and
great Shot from the Enemy, charged up to their
Works, which they entered, seized upon their Ordnance, and turned them upon themselves, and pursued the Enemies so close, as they beat quite out of
the Town the most Part of the Horse, and a great
Number of the Foot, and made all the rest Prisoners,
and with them took Four Pieces of Ordnance, and all
the Ammunition then in the Town, and a great Number of Arms; and, amongst the Prisoners, General
Goreing himself, with divers other Commanders, and
other common Soldiers, in all about Fifteen Hundred
Men, and Twenty-seven Colours of Foot, Three
Cornets of Horse, of which I send a more particular
List inclosed. The more exact and particular Relation
of this Service, as it is testified to me under the Hands
of the principal Commanders employed in that Design,
I send you inclosed, for your better Information. And
truly, for my Part, I do rather account it a Miracle
than a Victory, and the Glory and Praise to be ascribed to God that wrought it; in which I hope I derogate nothing from the Merits of the Commanders and
Soldiers, who, every Man in his Place and Duty,
shewed as much Courage and Resolution as could be
expected from Men. When the Town was thus taken,
they found their Number and Strength too weak to
keep it, and their Prisoners; and so they left the
Place, and marched away with their Booty. In taking
the Town, we lost no Man of Note, and not above
Seven Men in all, of which One was the Clerk of
the Store, and an Ensign of Foot, and One a Quarter-master of Horse, the rest common Soldiers; but
many of our Men were shot and wounded. This
Overthrow hath much enraged the Enemies, who
threaten a present Revenge, and are drawing all their
Forces this Way to effect it. I perceive there are
Succours sent to Lincolneshire and other adjacent
Countries, which, if they were here, might be employed to as much Advantage for the Public Safety
as in any Place. I desire our Condition may be seriously thought on by the House, and the Aids often
promised may presently march away to us; and that
Colonel Cromwell, with his Horse and Foot, may also
be ordered to march to me; that, being joined together, I may be able to draw this Army into the
Field, and gain fresh Quarter for the Soldiers, and
furnish ourselves with Powder, Arms, and Ammunition, which is now grown very scarce, and cannot be
supplied until the Passage to Hull be forced open,
which now is possessed by the Enemy. If such Succours come not timely to us, we cannot long subsist,
but must be forced to accept of dishonourable Conditions; which, besides the Loss and Ruin of this
Country, will be a great Disadvantage to the general
Safety, and withal some Course must be thought on,
to furnish some large Proportion of Money, to defray the Soldiers Arrears; which, I beseech you, endeavour for them, and me that am
"Your most affectionate
Friend and Servant,
Leeds, 23 May, 1643.
Fer. Fairfax.
"I send you inclosed a Letter from the Lord Goreing, to his Son General Goreing, found in his
Chamber at Wakefeild, which will let the
House see the Enemies great Desire to have
this Army ruined, that they ought with their
whole Force march Southwards."
"Prisoners, Commanders taken at Wakefeild, May 21,
1643:
Prisoners taken by Lord Fairfax, at Wakefield.
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General Goreing.
Sir Thomas Bland, Lieutenant Colonel to Sir George Wentworth.
Lieutenant Colonel St. George.
Lieutenant Colonel Mackmoyler.
Serjeant Major Carr.
Captain Carre. |
Captain K't.
Captain Wildbore.
Captain Rudstone.
Captain Pemberton.
Captain Croft.
Captain Ledgard.
Captain Lasley.
Captain Kayley.
Captain Nuttall.
Captain Lieutenant Benson. |
"Serjeant Major Carnaby and Captain Nuttall, left
wounded in Wakefeild, upon their Engagements
to be true Prisoners.
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Lieutenants:
Muncktonn.
Thomas.
Wheatley.
Kent.
Nicholson.
Ensigns:
Squire.
Vavasor.
Maskewe.
Lampton.
Duckett. |
Ensigns:
Stockhald.
Baldwinson.
Davis.
Carr.
Gibson.
Smathwaite.
Ballinson.
Watson.
Smelt.
Halliburton.
Cornet Wyvell." |
Narrative of the Action at Wakefield.
"Saturday Night, the 20th of May, the Lord General gave Order for a Party of One Thousand Foot,
Three Companies of Dragooners, and Eight Troops
of Horse, to march from the Garrisons of Leeds,
Bradford, Hallifax, and Howley; Sir Thomas Fairefax
commanded in Chief. The Foot were commanded by
Serjeant Major General Gifford and Sir William Fairefax; the Horse were divided into Two Bodies, Four
Troops commanded by Sir Thomas Fairefax, and the
other Four Troops by Sir Henry Fowlis: Howley was
the Rendezvous, where they all met on Saturday last,
about Twelve a Clock at Night. About Two next
Morning, they marched away, and, coming to Stanley,
where Two of the Enemies Troops lay with some
Dragooners, that Quarter was beaten up, and about
Twenty-one Prisoners taken. About Four of the
Clock in the Morning, we came before Wakefeild,
where, after some of their Horse were beaten into
the Town, the Foot with unspeakable Courage beat
the Enemies from the Hedges, which they had lined
with Musketeers, into the Town, and assaulted it in
Two Places, Wrengate and Norgate; and, after an
Hour and a Half Fight, we recovered One of their
Pieces, and turned it upon them, and entered the
Town at both Places at one and the same Time;
When the Barricadoes were opened, Sir Thomas Fairefax with the Horse fell into the Town, and cleared
the Streets, where Colonel Goreing was taken by
Lieutenant Alrud, Brother to Captain Alrude, a
Member of the House; yet in the Market-place there
stood Three Troops of Horse, and Colonel Lampton's
Regiment, to whom Major General Gifford sent a
Trumpet, with Offer of Quarter if they would lay
down their Arms. They answered, "They scorned
the Motion." Then he fired a Piece of their own Ordnance upon them, and the Horse fell in upon them,
beat them out of the Town, and took all those Officers
expressed in this inclosed List, Twenty-seven Colours
of Foot, Three Cornets of Horse, and about Fifteen
Hundred common Soldiers. The Enemy had in the
Town Three Thousand Foot, and Seven Troops of
Horse, besides Colonel Lampton's Regiment, which
came into the Town after we had entered the Town.
The Enemy left behind them Four Pieces of Ordnance,
with Ammunition, which we brought away.
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Tho. Fairefax.
Hen. Foules.
Jo. Gifford.
William Fairefax, |
Jo. Hollman.
Rob't. Fowlis.
Tytus Leighton.
Fran. Talbott." |
Mr. Stockdale's Letter from Leeds, desiring a Reinforcement of Horse.
"After this Letter was concluded, our Men took
Wakefeild, of which I send a particular Relation inclosed, and List of the Prisoners and other Booty
taken. If we had now any Force of Horse to join
with us, we should in all Probability utterly rent the
Enemies in this Country, or shut them in Holes;
which if it do not speedily come, we shall be in
Danger to perish, if the Enemy draw his whole Force
upon us. I had forgotten, in the Letter to the
Speaker, to mention the new Commissions granted by
the King, wherein His Majesty, according to the
known Laws of the Land (as all Things are said to
be done), gives Liberty to the Parties to whom the
Commissions are directed, to plunder and take Mens
Estates, so as they account for the Moiety of the
Profit to His Majesty. This is confessed by the Captains now Prisoners here.
Leeds, 23 of May, 1643.
"Your Servant,
Thomas Stockdale.
"It is now about Three Weeks since we
had any Letter from you, or any
Advertisement from the South."
"George,
Lord Goring's Letter to his Son the General.
"I saw what you wrote to H. Germyn, and find that
the Business will be put on that Way; but I am of
Opinion that your General will never consent to (fn. *)
the latter Way of dividing his Force, unless it be
in the Country, where he will abide his self. This
will be tried To-morrow at his Return hither, where
the Queen expects him. In the Interim, if it were
possible to give the Enemy any such Knock, or considerable Disturbance to the Country round about
them, which hath not felt the Misery of their Neighbours, I could not doubt but the Treaty might be
resumed again; by which Means, and by no other,
your Army may be set at Liberty to change your Stations, (fn. *) and do somewhat that may be of some Consequence indeed. I pray you think seriously hereof, and
once in your Life follow the Advice of your best
Friend, and dearly loving Father,
May 17, 1643.
"Goreing."
Lord Goreing's Second Letter to his Son.
"After I had sealed my Letter, I was advised to advertise you, that the Lord Fairefax never believed
you would look into the Parts where now you are,
but intended to draw back to the Place from whence
ye came, which made him so lofty in his Condition;
wherefore, if you can (as my Authors propose) (fn. †) get
between Bradford and Leeds, you will so annoy, divert, and separate them in all their Designs, as you
may be sure to carry Hallifax and Bradford on that
Hand, or Leeds on the other. Take this to Heart;
and let General King, with my humble Service,
know this much, not as new to him and the rest of
you, but as that which all the wisest and most knowing Men in the Country advise and hope. This will
so scare them, and satisfy this Country, and will give
you such other Advantages, as will render (fn. *) it happy
and glorious to you; whereas, on the contrary, all
will fall flat, both in Power and Reputation, past Expression; and Her Majesty, either unprovided of such
a Convoy from thence as is fit for Her, and the King's
present Occasions, or else leave this Country naked
to the Tyranny of the merciless Enemy, contrary to
Contract and all due Justice. This is the Opinion of
others, far better able to advise than he that so
heartily prays for you, and is yours,
"Goreing.
"Cudgel them to a Treaty, and then let us alone
with the rest."
Yorke, the 17th of (fn. ‡) May, 1643.
Adjourn.
House adjourned till 10a, Monday.