Econlib

The Library

Other Sites

 Front Page arrow Titles (by Subject) arrow Some Remarkable Passages out of the Countie of Hereford and Southwales concerning Sir Robert Harley and other Members of the Howse of Comons &c. a - The Clarke Papers. Selections from the Papers of William Clarke, vol. 2

Return to Title Page for The Clarke Papers. Selections from the Papers of William Clarke, vol. 2

Search this Title:

Also in the Library:

Subject Area: Political Theory
Subject Area: History
Topic: The English Revolution

Some Remarkable Passages out of the Countie of Hereford and Southwales concerning Sir Robert Harley and other Members of the Howse of Comons &c. a - Sir William Clarke, The Clarke Papers. Selections from the Papers of William Clarke, vol. 2 [1894]

Edition used:

The Clarke Papers. Selections from the Papers of William Clarke, Secretary to the Council of the Army, 1647-1649, and to General Monck and the Commanders of the Army in Scotland, 1651-1660, ed. C.H. Firth (Camden Society, 1894). 4 vols.

Part of: The Clarke Papers. Selections from the Papers of William Clarke, 4 vols.

About Liberty Fund:

Liberty Fund, Inc. is a private, educational foundation established to encourage the study of the ideal of a society of free and responsible individuals.


Some Remarkable Passages out of the Countie of Hereford and Southwales concerning Sir Robert Harley and other Members of the Howse of Comons &c.a

In primis Sir Robert Harley and Sir William Lewis and other members of Southwales, &c. did impannel themselves in the name of a Comittee of South Wales, and contrary to all ordinances of Parliament, did order in the said committee that all delinquents in South Wales should not bee sequestred, except Papists in armes and such as defended garrisons in the Kings right, on purpose to make such creatures of theire owne members of Counteyes and shires to sitt in the House of Parliament; and were not at all sequestered till now of late Commissioners were sent down by speciall command from the House of Parliament, and some that were sequestred had their sequestracions taken off on purpose to make members to sitt in Parliament, vizt Mr. Lewies in the County of Radnour, and Mr. Rotherway Gwyn who made Majour Robt. Harlow Burges of Radnour, and one Mr. Ansloeb a Irishman Knt. of Radnour shire; and soe look on all South Wales, and yow will hardly heare of a man there that serves in the House, but have either bin made by delinquents, or have bin Comissioners of Aray or otherwise assisting the Kinge in party, the Earle of Carbery having a great hand in makeing of them and alsoe your Comittee men and Justices of Peace, this Earle being Generall of all South Wales for the Kinge.

Item, the Citty of Hereford hath two members that serves in the House for it, one Benjamyne Hoskins always a Comissionour of array, and one Edm. Weaver a cavalier, both made by delinquents that have bin in armes against the Parliament.

Item, Lemster have two Burges serves for it, Col. Birch and Walter Kerle, lawyer, the first have much enriched him selfe inderectly by the warr, the latter a great Cavalier, and have kept correspoundency with the Enimyes garrisons and by raising moneyes and provision for them: this Lenpster is within this County of Hereford.

Item, the two Knights of the County are Sir Robert Harlow, one who hath much deserted the godley partey, and did solicite and write to divieres delinquents together with his son and papists for their voyces to make his said son Col. Edw. Harlow, Knight of our County of Hereford, contrary to the freedome of the people.

Item, the said Col. Edw. Harlow, Col. Birch, and one John Hackett a Committee man have bought seaven Lordshipps and woods, 3 parts in 4 less then the worthe of it, of the Bishopps lands within the said County, which much hinders the state in paying the publique debts of the Kingdom.

Item, the said Coll. Edw. Harlow and Major Harlow his brother, with Sir Robt. Harlow their father, would never suffer any Comittee man to bee made within the County of Herford but men of their owne creatures, whereby dyvers summs of money have bin receved by the said Col Harlow and Major Harlow, sons to the said Sir Robt, by order of the said Comittees, themselves being two of them.

Item, the said Robt. Harlow hath by his deputies received great sumes of money out of the Bishopps and Deane and Chapter lands, and how that hath bin disposed of few doe know.

Coll. Burch have enriched himselfe from a man that drove packhorses with Manchester ware, his stock I am perswaded not being 200 ɫi., untill in Bristoll hee married a widdowe which was thought to bee worth 1000 ɫi. more, soe that it is guesed hee was full worth 1200 ɫi.; now sence this warr hee hath purchased in London and Herefordshire 6 or 700 ɫi. per annum, and will purchase more besides his said stock, which was abroad at interest is thought still to remaine. Hee seized on all delinquents estates, almost in the taking of Hereford, raysed what money hee pleased to great summs, gott 2 or 3000 ɫi. by dead pay of his regiment in Kent, and divers others wayes, and I am confident he hath given in a very false account, and I believe hee hath receved when hee was Govenour of Hereford and comanded in Kent as much moneyes as his pay did amount unto, never the less hee hath 1800 ɫi. charged upon the Excise, and 750 ɫi. outt of Gouldsmithes Hall, besides hee sould the Castle of Hereford which cost him about 130 ɫi., being a garrison, for 600 ɫi. to Sir Robt. Harlow, on purpose that one Coll. More a creature of the said Sir Robert should comand it. Coll. Massey hath much enriched himselfe by the warre, for affter he came from the voyage against the Scottes (when the Scotts first invaded England when the Papists army went against them some eight yeares since) in which expedicion the said Massy was made Capt. of Pyoneeres by Nicholas Davenant, poet Davenant’s brother: I say after which voyage hee had not 12d. some time in his pockett to pay for his dinner, the said Nicholas Davenant being now in London at the Feathers in Longe Aker, as is thought now att this present expecting a comand fram Massey. This Massy did raise vast summes of money by his warantes out of our Herefordsheire, Glocestershire Worcestershire & Wiltshire by way of contribucion, and by ceaseing of all delinquents persons and estates, releasing them for money, besides the selling of all the Gentl[emen] and Comanders which was taken at Highnam by Sir William Waller, being 2 or 300 (he receuing for said Kts. as Sir Hen. Lingen, Sir Trever Williams, and others 500 ɫi. apeice, then 300 ɫi. and 200 ɫi. apeice which raised to vast summes of money) the releasing of which caused the garrisones in South Wales to the great prejudice of the well affected in those partes, besides the selling of Mr. Dutton the Knight of Gloucester shire, and others prisoners of note when they were taken, as Sir Richard Ducy, Barronett Tracy and many others; one tax he ceased Gloucestershire was 17000ɫi. for 3 moneths, besides the said Massey had vast sumes of money from the House of Parliament, and the impost of currants from the Custome House which a Committee of Gloucester received for him, and other great summes hee often received as from the Lord of Essex, besides many prizes that was taken upon the River Severne.

That Sir R. H. hath a thousand pounds in his hands, of one Charles Price a delinquent, and will not deliver it, and hath bought one Mr. Howes his estate, a delinquent which hath been in armes.

[a ]The paper is given in the MS. at the close of 1648, but from its contents is not improbably of earlier date.

[b ]Arthur Annesley.