A DECLARATION of the Great and weighty Affayres and Matters of Conſequence concerning this Kingdome.
Alſo the ſeverall Orders made by the Houſe of Parliament, March 22, 1641.
With ſome Remarkeable Occurrences from Holland, and the Kingdome of IRELAND.
Printed by Order of the Houſe of Parliament,March 22. 1641.
LONDON, Printed for John Thomas. 1641.
WHereas the Abuſes and Vſurpations of the Papiſts in their Religion, hath given cauſe to the poore Subjects of this his Majeſties Kingdome, to preſent divers Peitions unto this Honourable Aſſembly; therein deſiring reliefe and deliverance from their eminent grievances, appearing by reaſon of their too much power over them, and over-much duty towards the Pope; by which occaſion they deny that authority and ſupremacy belonging to his Majeſty over the Church, contributing the ſame unto his Holineſſe, who is their ſupream head; as alſo, being men of abilities for the moſt part, thay uſe extream rigour towards choſe Tenants, who are Proteſtants, not onely in the way of exaction of their due before the time it ſhould grow payable, but alſo by raiſing their Rents yearly, by renewing of Fines, and laying other exactions upon them; we therefore having been moved often in this behalfe, taking it into our conſideration have Ordered concerning the ſame, as followeth.
1 That all Papiſts and Recuſants within this his Majeſties Kingdome of England and Wales, of what condition, ſtate, or ability ſoever, denying to take the Oath of Supremacy, adminiſtred unto them by a Juſtice of the Peace, be forthwith committed to priſon in his Majeſties Goaie next adjoyning, unleſſe they give ſecurity for their appearance at the next Seſſions, their ſurety being bound in the value of 1000. l. to produce the party, or parties ſo denying the ſame.
2 Concerning thoſe Knights and Gentlemen within this Kingdome, who are Recuſants, and whoſe Tenants are Prokeſtants: It is Ordered, that the Rent of their Lands, Leaſes Houſe, or houſe-roome be valued and payed for according to the proportion that other Neighbours adjoyning, ſhall pay to their Proteſtant Landlords, there being deducted out of the ſaid ſum upon every pound to be diſtributed to the poore, the ſumme of twelve pence.
3 That as for thoſe perſons Papiſts, who ſhall be proved to have any mutuall concurrence with the Rebels in Ireland in theſe wayes, either for ſupplyes of Victuall, contribution of money, loan, or ſuch like, their goods be confiſcate to the King, and thoſe that ſhall deſire the ſame, ſhall have a reward from the Parliament.
THere being likewiſe divers Petitions delivered to this Honourable Aſſembly, to free them from thoſe feares of Innovations, by reaſon of his Majeſties Forts in the County of South-hampton, and the Iſle of Wight, not being Fortified as they ought to have beene in ſome of them; there being not above two, others three pieces of Ordnance, fit for ſervice: alſo others not having Powder and Ammunition to reſſiſt Innovations; For the amendment of which, and Removall of the Country Grievances, it was Ordered:
1 That the Cattles of Yarmouth, the Cows Hurſt Caſtle, Southſide Caſtle, Dunſe Caſtle Morby Port, Newſton Port in the Iſle of Wight, the Caſtles of Weymouth, Purbeck; Nelſon. Holibey, Darkingdon, Mockliffe, Painſwick, Harrowbey, Bantum, Walloway, Aggerton, and Veſtoll in the County of Dorſot. The Caſtles of Tanton Dean, Appleby, Brownſoad, Bridgwater, Pimbley, and Norton in the County of Somerſet, with all other his Majeſties Caſtles within the aforeſaid Dominions, ſhould be every one provided with 100. of the beſt and moſt ableſt men, neare and neighbouringly adjoyning to the ſaid Caſtles, choſen out of the Train-Bands of the ſaid Counties; and ſuch as ſhall not faile in performance of their duty therein.
2. That every one of the ſaid Caſtles be fortifled with ten pieces of Ordnance at the leaſt, well mounted, and ſit for ſervice.
3 That the Captain of the Caſtle be a man noted for a Religious perſon, and not given to the Catholique Roman Religion, but to be carefull of performing that duty impoſed upon his charge. But if in caſe they ſhall prove otherwiſe, upon juſt complaint and proofe thereof be diſcharged; according to the Order now Enacted.
4 That to every of the aforeſaid Caſtles, there be allowed as many Gunnes as Ordnance; beſides, every Gunner to have his Matiſe or man to attend him.
WHereas by Letters written by the Sheriffe, and divers Iuſtices of peace of the County of Durham, to an Honorable Member of this Houſe, and this day read in this houſe, It doth appeare that great Multitudes of People have of late aſſembled themſelves at ſeverall times, in ſeverall places of that County, to the number of three or foure Hundred in one Company in Warlike manner, vpon a pretence of pulling downe ſome incloſurs, which they have already done in a very outragious manner in ſome parts of the County, and threaten to doe the like in other parts, And for that, this Houſe conceiveth that ſuch tumultuous and diſorderly meetings are altogether in themſelves vnlawfull, and may in theſe times prove of very dangerous conſequence. It is therefore this day, Ordered by the Houſe of Commons, that the Juſtices of peace of the ſaid County ſhall make diligent inquitie after the names of ſuch Perſons, as were the chiefe Leaders in the ſaid tumultuous aſſemblies, or any of them and certifie their names forthwith to this Houſe, that ſuch ſpeedy and exemplarie courſes may be held againſt them as to Law and Juſtice appertaines. And for the f•…e it is farther Ordered, that if any tumultuous aſſemblies or routs of people, vpon any pretence whatſoever ſhall at any time hereafter be made in any part of the ſaid County, that the ſaid Iuſtices of peace & Sheriffe ſhall by all wayes and meanes poſſible endeavour to ſuppreſſe the ſame, and that if need be, the Sheriffe ſhall goe with the power of the County to arreſt ſuch offenders and Riotours and ſhall Arreſt them, and the ſaid Juſtices and Sheriffe ſhall record that which they ſhall ſo find done in their preſence againſt the Law, and if it happen that ſuch treſpaſſers and offenders ſhall be ſcattered and departed before the comming of the ſaid Juſtices and Sheriffe, that the ſaid Juſtices or any three or two of them ſhall diligently enquire after ſuch aſſembly and Rout of people ſo made, and ſhall doe therein, what by the Statute and Lawes of this Realme they are enabled to doe, and they are hereby further required to certifie the names of offenders and their further proceedings in the premiſſes to this Houſe, That in caſe ſuch offenders ſhall by their Multitudes as otherwiſe evade ſuch puniſhment as the Juſtices of the Peace can inflict upon them.
Then this Houſe may take the ſame into further conſideration and take ſuch courſes for Puniſhing the offenders as inJuſtice ſhall be thought meete.
Nevertheleſſe this Houſe doth further declare, that if any Perſon or Perſons whatſoever be injured by any incloſure of late made in this County without juſt Warrant of Law or conſent of parties vpon their addreſſe to this Houſe by Petiton otherwiſe of their juſt complaint. This Houſe will bee carefull to take ſpeedy courſe for their reliefe as ſhall bee agreeable to Juſtice. And will alſo take into conſideration in due time the Petition now remaining before them: againſt the Biſhop of Durham and others, for their incloſuers. And the Sheriffe of the Countie is likewiſe hereby required to publiſh this Order that it may be taken notice of throughout the Countie.
WEE are here at the Hage, but in little better caſe, as touching feares and Iealouſies, then you are in England: true, the matter of the Prince of Orange is ſeemingly compoſed, J wiſh I could ſay ended, fire raked up, may poſſibly appeare, yea and flame: The States will not truſt him with monies. and paying of the Armie, as formerly, but will ſet up and create a new Officer for that purpoſe, this ſometimes diſcontents his Highneſſe, the Governor of Bergin up Zone, that towne of ſo great ſtrength, being once a neere ſervant to his Highneſſe, and brought up a long time under him, in very neere ſervices, and preferred unto that great place of truſt by the Princes mediation, him would the States now very faine remove; but the talke goes here that he will not hearken to it, having that great garriſon firme on his ſide; as it is feared upon too juſt grounds; the Prince hath all the Armie, ſo that wee are not yet here quite cleer of all furmizes of after claps the Burgers in the Townes, plainely give out, that they feare the Prince has been aforehand with them, and one of the Burgemaſters of Fluſhing, openly in my Mr. the Princes-preſence Chamber, told my Lord Goring, in my hearing, that they had juſt cauſe to feare, that the Princes Sons Marriage with the eldeſt daughter of the King of great Brittaine, had ſet the Prince on ſuch a high ſtraine, that ſhortly he doubted either their ruine or his owne, pray God things ſtand as they were, for unwonted aſpiring thoughts, produce many times enterprizes more pleaſing then ſucceſſfull, if diſtempers ſhould againe breake out heere: I thinke we muſt be forted to come and viſite you in England, truth is, the States General have never the better opinion of the Prince ſince this match, ſome thinke the worſe, nay their uſuall reſpects are ſomething colder toward my Lady, and Maſter, who J dare ſay upon oath, is heartily grieved for this difference, and diſcorreſpondencie between the Prince and them, and hath no intereſt or partnerſhip but ſorrow in in it, and who muſt reape diſconvenience by it, and may account this to the reſt of her croſſes the Queenes entertainment at the Hage, is in my very ſoule more royall then heartie the Dutch liberalitie is almoſt at an end and the Queenes entertainment begins to ſlacken with them, only his Highneſſe houlds on his wonted nobleneſſe in chearing her, they ſet her Majeſtie a day, that they would be rid of her, if ſo it pleaſe or ſtand with her occaſions, Proclamation is made againſt your Parliament delinquents, forbidding them ſtrictly to repayre hither during her Majeſties abode here upon paine of impriſonment, and ſending backe into England with ſtrict guard, hath been here publiſhed in all Townes and Dominions of the States, yet two have bravely adventured to kiſſe her hand, who came hither wonderfully well diſguiſed and walked not openly in Court, lay in the Prince of Oranges ownelodging, and after two dayes tooke leave to goe to Bruſiels, God knowes the Queene is very narrowly warched here, as a perſonage of her quality may be, and I durſt pawne my life the Parliament hath ſome agents here meerely to attend that buſines, and three of them are in my Conſcience L. O. S. S. J. H. Her Majeſtie would have gone to Cullen, to have attended upon her Mother, then to Bruſſels, but was denied, the Prince of Orange ſeemed very forward to accompliſh her deſire in both, as farre as in his power, but he was not ſo forward, but ſhe found the Dutch as froward, who abſolutely denyed in plaine termes, ſtudying all the wayes they can to gratifie and comply with the Parliament, not caring who they diſpleaſe, ſo they ſatisfie them, I verely thinke the Queen as the matter ſtands will not trouble them long here, and that yee ſhall have her in England yet a good while before Eaſter.
Thus hoping your welfare, and all our contents from his Highneſſe Court at the Hage this preſent Friday, March the 18., J remaine your ever true and loving Brother and Servant,
I Have written by the two laſt Poſts, and now J have gotten a lame hand: but having good Newes, it ſhall trot to impart it unto you. The laſt Saturday the Lord Moore and Sir Henry Titchbourne fallyed out of the Towne, and fell upon the enemies, and drove them out of their Trenches, and raiſ'd their ſiege, ſlew about 350, of their men, and tooke many of their chiefe Officers, and have relieved themſelves bravely, and tooke 150, of their Muskers, and a field full of Pikes, we having loſt as ſome affirme, no men. Here are three of our Captaines come by Land, ſo that this Newes is true. Vpon Munday our Forces went out, 4000. Foot and 500. Horſe, they are already within 5. myles of Tredagh: by the way; Lievtenant Colonell Read came in to our men, and ſubmitted; if he had not done it, he could not have fled: he is ſent hither, and lodg'd in the Caſtle. I doe believe we ſhall now get good ſtore of Corne out of the Country, which will keepe the price from riſing. Our men are not expected home this weeke, pray God keepe them ſafe. Sir Philimy Oneale was in the Battell, but was faine to ſlye; and that was not like to ſerve turne, ſo he hid himſelfe in a Furs-Buſh.
It is this day Ordered, That this Letter be forthwith printed.
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