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

Newsletters, 1658 1 - Sir William Clarke, The Clarke Papers. Selections from the Papers of William Clarke, vol. 3 [1899]

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 (London: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1899). 4 vols.

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

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Newsletters, 16581

London, January 1, 165⅞.—

xxx. f. 1.Wee have little newes in this place, being a time of negotiation amongst Ministers of State, who cutt out worke for others to doe in the Spring time. There is onely an ill accident falne out heere of my Lord Howard his Lady, who itt is said is deliver’d of a sonne 13 weekes too soone for my Lord’s account. His brother Phillipp has challeng’d my Lord Bellassis uppon that account, who have fought, and my Lord Bellassiss is hurt in the left hand, butt seconds did interrupt any further action.2 Itt appeares that this was a mistake, for the Colonell himself and his brother Tom have both taken post to fight some other person in Scotland, whome they have intelligence of.3 His Highnesse gave orders to apprehend them. My Lord knoweth nothing that his Brother is gone to that same purpose.

J. D.

January 12, 1657.—

f. 5.A souldier is ordered to be reduced in each regiment that keepes guard in any part of the country, and his pay to be applyed for fire and candle. 4s: 2d. per diem ordered to each regiment now quartered at the Mewse for fire and candle,f. 5b. many recusants and other disaffected persons are seized on in the severall counties, and all the regiments of foote here are recruiting. The guards at Whitehall and else where in the Citty are doubled; the ground hereof is said will suddenly be declared. Collonel Goffe is made Major Generall, and ordered to have his late regiment of foote; his now regiment of horse1 and that of the Lord Lambert’s are to be commanded by the Lord Richard Cromwel and the Lord Faulconbridge.

G. M.

January 23.—

f. 11.Wednesday last about 11 in the forenoone his Highnesse came by water to the House formerly call’d the Lord’s House, where a canopy and chaire of state was prepared for him. There met him the most of them whom he had appointed to be of that House, save the Lords Say, Wharton, Warwicke, Mulgrave, and some others whom I cannot now name.

After meeteing as afforesaid, a message was sent by the Black Rod to the Commons to aquaint them his Highness stayed for them, upon which they presently came to the Bar of that House. Mr. Scobell was then chosen Clearke to the Lords, and Mr. Smith to the Commons, and his Highness standing bare made a short speech, which I tooke; he stiled them thus:

My Lords and Gentlemen [of] the House of Commons.

The substance of it was, that he met them in that capacitie by their Advice and Petition, acknowledging their great paines and industry to proceed so for to a settlement of our libertyes both civill and religious, and tooke occation to speake of the former part of the 85th Psalme, compareing God’s mercyes to us as to them of old. And also made mention of the former bad ministry and the good ministry which is now, and hoped the Lord would still goe alonge with them, that by his assistance they might still be accompted the blessed of the Lord, to be made the repairer of breaches and the restorer of pathes to dwell in. Concludeing that he had some infirmities upon him wherby he could not continue to speake longe, but had desired an honourable person (the Lord Fiennes) to discourse a little more pertickularly what might be more proper for that occation and meeting.

Presently after which his Highnesse tooke the chaire, and directed all the Lords to sit downe, upon which the Lord Fiens made a speech; his stile to them was this:

My Lords and Gentlemen and both those most Honourable Houses of Parliament.

The substance of his speech was declaring the condition wee were in, the mercies we were under, the rocke and dangers and the remedies to avoid them, and lastly the necessity for their assistance in suply of moneys for carrying on the Christian warr already begun.

After he had done the House of Commons retourned to their House and adjourned, and likewise the House of Lords. The Lord Fiens is their Speaker. Both Houses being but in preparation for businesse I cannot give a further accompt theirof. The House of Commons have appointed Wedensday next for a fast, and Mr. Griffith and Mr. Calamy are to preach before them.

R. Hatter.

Chairing Crosse,
the 23d of January, 165⅞.

January 24.—

f. 13.. . . About 200 of the Commons appeared, and about 40 of the other House, wherein were noe peeres, save the Lord Falconbridge and Lord Ewer. . . . The other House have only named a Committee for privileges, and another to receive petitions, whereof the Lord Pride and John Lord Hewson are members. . . . Lord Lambert and Sir Arthur Haslerigge satt in the House of Commons.1

[1 ]The letters which follow are from vol. xxx. of the Clarke MSS.

[2 ]See Cal. State Papers, Dom. 1657-58, pp. 258, 551; Nicoll’s Diary, p. 209; and Thurloe, vi. 741.

[3 ]Lord Rothes.

[1 ]Once that of Col. Saunders. See Thurloe, vi. 699, 858.

[1 ]The newsletters amongst the Carte MSS. add further details on the first proceedings of this session of Parliament. The first is dated January 27:

‘The great debate about the title of the other House hangs still in limine; when this fast day is over we shall come to some resolucion in it. I dread the issue; here are very strange spiritts come in amongst us, and there are dayly more flocking in; there are 206 sworne, and likely to be a full House, but how longe lived I cannot say. The great Sir Arthur (notwithstanding his higher call) vouchsafed on Monday last to take his seate amongst the Commons. Lord Lambert, Sir Anth. Ashley Cowper, Coll. Rossiter, and Baron Thorpe came in at the same tyme. His Highnes sent a lettre to us on Monday desireing a meeting with both Houses that afternoone in the banqueting house, where he made a very longe and serious speech relateinge to the state of our affaires both at home and abroad, our dangers and necessityes, inviteing us to unite for preservacion of the whole.

We have had a very smart debate upon the representacion which Mr. Scobell clerk of the other House sent to us, in answer to our order for delivering the records, bookes, and writeings, belonging to this House. He pretended he had an Act of Parliament for being clerk for his life-and to have the custody of the records, which was very ill resented. It’s [?] agreed that his non attendance has forfeited his place, and alsoe the keeping of the records, and such an answer was not expected from a servant. A Comittee is appointed to take an inventory of all the bookes, records, and writeings, and they are to be delivered to our clerk. Mr. Scobell must buckle, and sayes he will not reflect soe much upon our House as to appeale to the other. Every thing adds to the flame. I confess I like not the face of affairs. Wee shall either sitt a great while, or rise very soone.’—(Carte MS. ccxxxix. f. 461.)

The second, which is addressed to Lord Wharton and signed ‘R. B.,’ is dated January 30:

‘The Commons House have not yet fallen upon anything of publique concernement, declineing on purpose till their domesticall fast was over. The firste efforte of the other House was a message sent downe by two of the judges for concurrance on a publike day of hamiliation, which being delivard by them as from the Lords, stirred the passions of some and exercised the witts of others; but in fine ended in a resolution to send an answer by messengers of their owne. In the meane tyme the Protector takeing notice of the constitution of the House by the accesse of the secluded Members, invited them by letter to a meeting in the banquetting house, where he made a speech to them, pressing unto unanimitie and representing dangers. I was present at some parte of it, but since I heare that a Committee hath beene sent to desire it may be printed, I shall not presume to give any account of it. Upon their day of humiliation there preached in the Commons House Mr. Griffeth and Mr. Calamy; in the other Mr. Caryl and Mr. Reynolds. Mr. Griffeth upon these words—we knew not what to doe but our eyes—His observation was that in tymes of doubt and difficultie it was good to observe providence, instanced in Rahab’s closing with the Israelite, the people with Saul after the businesse of Jabeth Gilead, and with David after his successes against Isboseth, and David concluding the Lord would now establish him when Hiram a heathen king owned him. He made this application, goe ye and doe likewise; which was the more taken notice off because he is said to be an adversarie to the higher tytie. Mr. Calamie meddled not with any thing of state, but shew’d out of Haggai that the ground of not succeeding in affayres was the neglect of the Church of God, instanced in 10 or 12 things of that kinde, declared himself by judgment and obligations a Presbyterian that protests againste an imposing spirit on the one hand as a lukewarme on the other. When the service was over the next day they began to fall to worke, severall motions were made about priviledges, questioning the secludors of the members, the tytles of the supreme magistrate, another House. In the issue a motion was made to take in consideration what answer to send to the message sent by the judges, which giving occasion to take in the tytle of the House and their chooser was assented unto, and ordered that noe private businesse should be received for a month, by which the Lord Craven’s businesse was putt off, which should have beene heard the next day. The motion aforesaid was made by Sir A. A. C.’—(Carte MS. lxxx. 753.)