=z!l ordered in, for fixing a Period to the Bolton, in Lancashire; as was sir Timothy Parliament. Upon the return of Featherstonhaugh, at Chester. Capt. John ell we find that the Bill for an equal Benbow was also shot at Shrewsbury. Most sentative in Parliament was briskly re- of the common soldiers were sent to the Engfor it was, this day, ordered to be taken lish plantations; and 1500 of them were bate the next morning, and nothing to in-granted to the Guinea merchants, and sent to e. Accordingly, Sept. 17, it was made the work in the gold mines there. t almost of this whole day; but nothing Act passed for Encouragement of Navigation.] is entered concerning it, than that it was The only law passed this month worthy of our ned to this day sen'night; and then the notice, was intitled, An Act for Increase of to be made to the house of it, the first Shipping and Encouragement of the Naviga >The 24th and 25th of this month tion of this Nation.' As this Act is in itself most wholly employed in debating the very interesting, and the passing thereof, was point of a new Representative; on the the foundation of the Grand Quarrel that soon of which the question being put, That a after ensued between the republics of England brought in for setting a Time certain for and Holland, we shall give an abstract of it. tting of this Parliament, and for calling The preamble sets forth, "That the Increase. one with such fit rules, qualifications, or Shipping, and the Encouragement of the Lions, and other circumstances, as this Navigation of this Nation, is, under the good uent shall think fit, and shall be for providence and protection of God, a great, od and safety of this Commonwealth, means of the welfare and safety of this Com-use divided, and the Yeas went forth; monwealth and therefore the parliament the Lord-General and Mr. Scott, the enacted, That no goods should be imported sof them, brought in the numbers 33;from Asia, Africa, or America, but in English Mildmay and sir James Harrington e Noes, 26; on which the Bill was orin, and a committee appointed for that sc. ships, under the penalty of forfeiture of the said goods and ship: one moiety thereof to the use of the Cominonwealth, and the other to the prosecutor; nor from any part of t. 26. An Act For setting apart the Europe, except in such vessels as belong to the of Oct. 1631, for a Day of public Thanks-people of that country of which the goods are , together with a Narrative declaring the ds and Reasons thereof,' was read a 3rd and passed. . 1. The grand question of fixing a time tting an End to the present Parliament carried in the affirmative, as before meu, the Bill was ordered to be brought in ay se'night. the growth or Manufacture, under the like penalty: That no goods of foreign growth or manufacture should be imported, but from the ports where such goods could only be, or usually had been, first shipped for transportation, under the like penalty: That no salt-fish, whale-fins, or oil should be imported, but what were caught or made by the people of Eng . 8. The Bill was read a first time, and laud; nor any salt-fish exported, or carried ett a 2nd reading on the 10th, when it from one port to another in this nation, but ommitted to a grand committee of the in English vessels, under the like penalty: But ; to sit de die in diem, with some inter-commodities from the Levant Seas, the Eastas, for a fortnight, on this important affair. * When the carl of Derby was summoned · Earl of Derby and others executed.] 14. By a Letter from Chester, the par-[by Ireton] to surrender the Isle of Man, he rent was informed that the Court-Martial turned this spirited and memorable answer: had tried and condemned to death, I received your letter with indignation, and s earl of Derby, sir Timothy Featherston'with scorn return you this answer; that I , and capt. John Benbow, the first of 'cannot but wonder whence you should gather onth. And, this day the house receivLetter, by the Speaker, from the earl; being put to the question, to read it or as carried in the affirmative by 22 against So the Letter, with a Petition inclosed, d, The humble Petition of James earl rby,' were both read; but nothing is enfurther about them in the Journals, ver an authority before cited informs us,* at the earl offered to give up the Isle of and send the necessary orders to his lady he governor for that purpose, on condition taining his pardon; and that the Petivas presented by his son lord Strange." he parliament paid no regard to this pro; for he was beheaded the next day at Nouvelles Ordinaires de Londres, No. 64. any hopes, that I should' prove like you, 'treacherous to my sovereign, since you can"not be ignorant of my former actions in his late majesty's service, from which principles of loyalty I am no whit departed: I scorn your proffers; I disdain your favour; I abhor your treason; and am so far from de livering up this Island to your advantage, that • I shall keep it to the utmost of my power to your destruction. Take this for your final answer, and forbear any further solicitations, for if you trouble me with any more messages of this nature, I will barn the paper, and hang up the bearer. This is the immutable resolution, and shall be the undoubted prac tice of him, who accounts it his chiefest glory to be his majesty's most loyal and obedient subject." Ilume. Indies, the parts of Spain or Portugal, might be imported from the usual ports or places of trading used heretofore, though the said commodities were not the growth of the said places." This Act did not extend to bullion or prize goods, nor to silk or silk wares brought by land from Italy to Ostend, Amsterdam, &c. provided they were brought from those ports in English vessels. shall not sit, the house divided; when th Yeas, brought in by the lord-general Cronne and the lord chief justice St. John, were 4 the Noes, by col. Morley and Mr. Boné. After this Resolution, the house arljourne the 18th, when it was resolved, That the T for the Continuance of this Parliament. : youd which they resolve not to sit, shal the 3d of Nov. 1654.-Thus was this r business, which had continued in agaar many months, at length concluded, be Dissolution put off ed longum dien. ! ever, they did not live to the destined per for, before that time, this remnant of s liament met its fate, under the superior 12of their lord-general Cromwell and his AA New Council of State elected.] \ . Account of the King's Escape into France, as published by Authority of the House.] October 28. Notwithstanding the Proclama tion of 1000!. reward lately issued, for Apprehending of the King's Person, and the indefatigable pains taken to discover him, he evaded all his pursuers, found means to hire a vessel on the coast of Sussex, and landed at Havre-de-Grace. This day an Extract of two 19. A Report being made from the Co Letters from Paris were published, (licensed of State, That the time of the ceasing ei by the clerk of the parliament) setting forth, power of the said Council determined an "That on the 19th the Scots king arrived there, 1st of Dec. next, the house resolved, Tav and was met by the duke of Orleans not far number thereof for the year ensuing, s from that city, who had the day before sent he 21 chosen out of the present memær, some coaches for him to Maguy, where he lay 20 new ones; to be elected, as before, unli that night that his highness conducted him to lot. Accordingly, a few days after, the e the Louvre, where the late queen, his mother, proceeded to the election, when the lws repaired presently after from Chaliot, where neral Cromwell, the lord commissioner " she had been erecting a nunnery: that the locke, the lord chief justice St. John, er king gave the company a full Narrative of Vane, jun. John Gurdon, lieut. gen. 1all the particulars of what happened at the wood, the lord chief justice Rolle, the .* Fight at Worcester, threw out some reproach-commissioner Lisle, serj. Bradshaw, sir A in ful words against the Scots, put some scurrilous language on the Presbyterian party in England, and boasted much of his own vaJour: That he told them how he slipt out of Worcester, and how near he was of being taken there; first in the fort, and after in his chamber: how he disguised himself, and went from county to county, and what shift he made for victuals and lodging; sometimes being driven to beg, a piece of bread and meat, and ride with bread in one hand and meat in the other; and sometimes setting a guard about a little cottage while he rested there until the morning: as also his being in London, and the manner of his passing dis-power, 120 Members were present, thech guised through several counties in England, upon other occasions, the house very 564 till he made his escape: the relation whereof consisted of more than 50, and oftentimes 2 » produced some laughter, at the ridiculousness der 40. of his condition." Thus much for the Parliament's Account of the king's Escape. His majesty's own Narrative thereof may be found at large in lord Clarendon's History, who had all the particulars from the king himself.* The Parliament for upon a Time for their Dissolution.] Nov. 14. The members in and about Westminster Hall, as well Judges as others, were all ordered to be summoned, by the serjeant with his mace, and required to give their attendance in the house. The debate upon the Bill for the Dissolution of the Parliament was then resumed; and the question being put, That it is now a convenient time to declare a certain period for the continuance of this Parliament, beyond which it See vol. vi. p. 413, et seq. selrig, Dennis Bond, and Tho. Scott, eci *** Limerick, and the Isles of Jersey and " surrendered to the Parliament's Forces, last thing we find memorable, in the pr ings of this month, was appointing another of Thanksgiving, for the taking of the Limerick, by the lord-deputy there. Oct with all the artillery, arms, ammuniti therein: likewise for taking the Isles of Je and Man,* with all their castles and farts, * "The Countess of Derby defendeal the of Man, and with great reluctance yak the necessity of surrendering to the This lady, a daughter of the illustrious bes Trimoille in France, bad during the (we displayed a manly courage by her about defence of Latham House, against the Pu mentary Forces; and she retained the glar and ammunition contained in them. reton, the victorious general in Ireland, ot long survive his conquest there; for d at Limerick, the 25th of Nov. two days → the house had ordered some physicians over, with all speed, to attend him. missioners appointed for the Government tland.] Dec. 10. The Commissioners sent down into Scotland, in order to inze an English Government in that kingwere this day nominated and appointed, ere these: lord chief justice St. Joha, sir ane, jun. col. George Fenwick, major y, the majors general Lambert and Deane, gen. Monk, and alderman Tichbourne ndon. But the Instructions for these aissioners were forbid by the parliament entered in the Journals, and only one hercof ordered to be ingrossed for the use : Conncil of State. mate and Lilburne punished for petitionainst Sir A. Huslerig.] Jan. 16. Col. me having joined in a Petition with Jorymate, to the house, against sir Arthur rig, complaining of his great Oppression yranny, in seizing on certain Collieries county of Durham; and overawing and ing die commissioners to whom he had d for relief, the said Petition was voted malicious, and scandalous, and ordered burnt by the common hanginan. Pryand Lilburne were fined each 30007. for se of the Commonwealth; 2000l. to sir asterig, for damages, and 3007. a piece • Commissioners before whom the cause een heard. The former of them was also itted to the Fleet till payment should be and the latter was ordered to be banisht of England, Scotland, Ireland, and the ries thereto belonging, and to suffer death e of his return. ril 13. This day a Bill was brought in corporating of Scotland into one Com-ealth and Free State with England; and bolishing the Kingly Office in Scotland. s read a 1st and 2nd time. Fe relating to Tythes.] The business of es, was also another topic this month; fter debate upon them, the house ordered ce referred to the committee appointed eive Proposals for the better Propagation e Gospel, to consider how a convenient ompetent Maintenance for a godly and Ministry may be settled in lieu of Tythes, resent their opinion to the house. And question being put, that this clause be , "That Tythes should be paid as for, mtil such Maintenance be settled," the divided; when it was carried in the afzive, by 27 against 17. Sea fight with the Dutch.] May 21. t this time a Sea-Fight took place in the last person in the three kingdoms, n all their dependant dominions, who itted to the victorious Commonwealth." e. See the preceding note. p. 1374. L. III, the Downs, between the English and the Dutch; the particular Account of which was this day communicated to the house in a Letter from Admiral Blake. Upon which they voted their Approbation of what the Admiral had done in this affair; and ordered the Council of State to take care of the strengthening the Fleet, for the security and benefit of the Commonwealth.-About the same time with the above Sea-Fight, three Ambassadors from the States arrived at Loudon, and were conducted to a public Audience of the house. Mr. Ludlow gives the following account of this Embassy: "The States General, being highly displeased with the late Act of Navigation passed by the parliament, which they accounted to be a great obstruction to their Trade, resolved to leave no means unattempted to procure it to be repealed. To this end they sent three Ambassadors to England; who pretending a desire to finish the Treaty begun formerly between the two States, requested that things might be as they were at the time of the parliament's Ambassador's departure from Holland; designing thereby, that the Act lately passed for the Encouragement of our Seamen should be suspended, and all such merchandizes restored as had been seized from the Dutch by virtue of the said act. The parlia ment refusing to consent to this Proposal, the States General gave Orders for the equipping a considerable Fleet, consisting of about 100 ships of war, giving notice to the house, by their ambassadors, of these preparations; and assuring them, that they were not designed to offend the English nation, with whom they desired to maintain a friendly correspondence; and that they were provided to no other end, than to protect their own subjects in theirTrade and Navigation. But the parliament, being unwilling to rely upon the promises of those, who, by their past and present actions, had manifested little friendship to them, resolved to make what preparations they could to de fend themselves."-But all these negotiations had no effect; for we find that the English demands being to have satisfaction from the Dutch for all charges and damages this State had sustained and been put to this summer, on their account, the Dutch denied to consent to it: and the Ambassadors having desired to take their leave of the house, it was granted on the 29th. 1 July. 6. The war with Holland now began, to be entered into in carnest; sir George Ayecough, one of the English Adinirals, lately returned from reducing the Plantations to the obedience of parliament, fought the Dutch Fleet, under admiral Van Tromp, and took, . sunk, and dispersed 36 sail of their ships. An Account of which coming this day to the house, they ordered that a Letter of Thanks be written from the parliament to sir George, taking notice of his great services to the Commonwealth, and that he should give their Thanks also to the officers under him.—Admiral Blake was sent with a strong squadron Northward, to 4 T were now canvassing was the Proporti Members for Scotiaud to sit in the Eng_PA linment and the time of their sitting, disturb the Dutch Fisheries on that coast, where he fought and dispersed their men of war, and took most of their Fishing Bussess, &c. Aug. This month the house went principal-was, at last, referred to the commnice krt ly upon the Distribution of the Lands lately new Representative. The rest of the conquered in Ireland, and appointed Cromwell actions in this mouth are too inconsidera.c Captain General of all the Parliament's Forces; our purpose. licut. general Fleetwood, as commander in chief under him in Ireland; lieut. gen. Ludlow, Miles Corbett, John Jones, and John Weaver, esqrs. commissioners for ordering and managing the affairs of that nation. Deputies come up from Scotland, to treat with the Parliament about the intended Union of the two Nations.] October. A Deputation of 21 Commissioners from Scotland came up to London about this time, and were lodged in Westminster by the parliament's orders. These gentlemen came to treat with the parliament about the intended Union between the two nations and, to that end, the house appointed 12 of their members, to meet these Deputies, to peruse their commission, and see that it was in pursuance of, and according to, a Declaration of Parliament lately published. --Mr. Ludlow writes "That this proposition of Union was chearfully accepted by the most judicious of the Scots nation, who well understood what a great condescension it was in the parliament of England, to permit a people they had conquered to have a share with them in the legislative power." But the Scots Clergy, as Heath informs us, protested against this Union, lest such an incorporation should draw with it a subordination of the kirk to the state in the things of Christ." January. The house began this month a very considerable reduction of their In Forces, so as to lessen their pay from 0.1 70,0007, a month. Great Naval Victory obtained over the D after an Engagement of Days.] Ma: This day a Letter from the three adm the Fleet, Blake, Deane, and Monk, adul to the Speaker, and dated aboard the InFeb. 27, in Stokes Bay, was read in the It contained an Account of a great Naval 1 obtained over the Dutch after an Engages a of 3 days. The English Fleet consisted sail, Blake commanded, and Deane 1 him, together with Monk, who had been sch for from Scotland. When the English Portlaud (Feb. 18.) they descried, near i of day, a Dutch Ficet of 76 vessels, s the channel, along with a convoy of SUC chantinen. Tromp, and, under him, de Rom commanded the Dutch. The battle wa most furious that had yet been fought betw these warlike and rival nations. Three day the combat continued with the utmost magnu obstinacy. The Dutch admiral made a ful retreat, and saved all the merchant except 30. He lost 11 ships of war, ind men slain, and near 1500 taken pr. 1 The English, though many of their ships extremely shattered, had but one sunk. Is slain were not much inferior in nut those of the enemy.-In consequence e great Victory, the house ordered that Thana given to Almighty God, the next Lord's throughout London and Westminster. Speaker was also directed to write a Lete Congratulation to each of the three Ada taking notice of the parliament's reser of their great and faithful services in the a Engagement, with Thanks to them and veral commanders under them; and a lection was ordered to be made in the b for the widows of sailors killed in the A new Council of State chosen.] November. The election for a new Council of State was according to annual custom, carried through this month. The serjeant at arms, with his mace, was ordered to go out and summon all the members in Westminster-Hall, and the parts adjacent, to attend the house. The doors were then ordered to be shut, when the number of members present appeared to be 122. The 21 members of the Council to be continued for the year ensuing, were Cromwell, Whitlocke, St. John, lord chief justice Rolle, sir H. Vane, jun. sir A. Haslerig, Tho. Scott, Herbert Morley, and Dennis Bond, esqrs. col. Purefoy, John Bradshaw, serj. at law, John The Duke of Gloucester sent out of là an Gurdon, esq. Ford-commissioner Lisle, col. dom.] March. 17. Some time ago the p Wauton, sir Js. Harrington, sir Wm. Mashaa,ment had ordered, That HenryStuart, com Tho. Chaloner and Rob. Wallop, esqs. sir ly called duke of Gloucester, youngest 80 Gilbert Pickering, sir Peter Wentworth, and the late king, should be released from Cr7|| Nich. Love, esq. The 20 new Members, now brooke-Castle, in the Isle of Wight, sa s elected, were, Rob. Goodwin, esq. alderman to Dunkirk: This day they received 369 Allen, col. Thompson, Walter Strickland esq. of his being arrived at Breda, where be Sir H. Mildmay, maj. gen. Skippon, lord Grey, most affectionately received by his sister col. Sidney, Edm. Prideaux, esq. attorney-ge- princess royal, dowager of Orange. neral, sir John Trevor, col. Norton, Tho. Lister, esq. col Ingoldsby, sir John Bourchier, Wm. earl of Salisbury, Win. Cawley, esq. sir Wm. Brereton, John Fielder and Wm. Say, esqr, and major-gen. Harrison.. December. The Treaty with the Depaties from Scotland, still went on; the point they The Dutch sue for Peace.] March 22 Dutch having been heartily drubbed a last Naval Engagement, seem now to lower their top-sails, and sue for peace. end we are told, by the Journals, that my heet Paw's private secretary was set with a Letter from the States of Holanda Frizeland to the Parliament; on which | on the house ordered the Council of to prepare an Answer thereto, and a addressed to the States General, both tin, for the parliament's approbation; was done accordingly, and sent away by cial messenger: but these Letters imno more than a general intimation of rliament's good disposition to Peace upon terms. mwell comes to the House and turns the persuade them, as they had occasion from time to time, telling them, How the country people did expect it ;' and, after all that, sent a letter, and had meetings with divers whom they looked upon as most ready to promote the public good; and at one time met with almost 30, and endeavoured to engage them to act therein; giving them reasons for the passing of those things which they proposed, for the general good of the people: but the members only answered, That when they were in par liament they had liberty of their Yeas and their Noes.' The last night before this dismission, there were near 20 members with the General, to whom the danger of the Act, for calling a new Representative, was declared, as the house was about to pass it; it giving so much liberty, that many disaffected persons might be chosen; and by the said Act these present members were to sit and to be made up by others chosen, and by themselves approved of: hereupon they engaged not to meddle with it this day; and when major gen. Harrison saw, this morning, that they fell upon it, he most sweetly and humbly desired them to lay it aside, shewing them the danger of it; but they going on, the Lord General required them to depart the house; and lieut. col. Worsley, with some soldiers, came in and ordered the house to be cleared; took the mace away, and caused the house to be locked up. The next day there was a Paper, by somebody, posted upon the Parliament House door, thus: This House is to be Lett, now unfurnished." Mr. Whitlocke writes thus :-" On the 19th of April there having been a great meeting at Cromwell's lodgings at Whitehall, of parliament men, and several officers of the Army, sent to by Cromwell to be there; and a large discourse and debate having been amongst them touching some expedient to be found out, for the present carrying on of the govern ment of the Commonwealth, and putting a period to this present parliament, it was of fered by divers, as a most dangerous thing to dissolve the present parliament, and to set up any other governmeut; and that it would neither be warrantable in conscience or wisdom so to do; yet none of them expressed themselves so freely to that purpose as sir Tho. Widdrington and Whitlockė then did. Of the other opinion, as to putting a period forthThe Officers of the Army have, for 16 with to this parliament, St. John was one of s past, or more, used all possible means the chief, and many more with him, and geneve persuaded the parliament to have pas-rally all the othcers of the Army; who stuck uch things as might be for the common , and proposed the particulars to them; many endeavoured to present Petitions several parts of the nation to the officers, hey refused to meddle, leaving it to the ament, desiring that all might be acted by 1. The officers used all private means to Several Proceedings in Parliament, and Intelligence and Affairs, from Thursday 14th to Thursday the 21st of April, 1653. ted for Robert Ibbetson, No. 186. | close in this likewise to their General. And the better to make way for themselves and their ambitious design of advancing them to the civil government, as well as they were in the military power, they and their party declared their opinions, That it was necessary the same should be done one way or other, and the mems bers of parliament not permitted to prolong their own power. At which expression Cromwell seemed to reprove some of them; and Memorials, p. 529. |