Memorials of the English affairs, or, An historical account of what passed from the beginning of the reign of King Charles the First, to King Charles the Second his happy restauration containing the publick transactions, civil and military : together with the private consultations and secrets of the cabinet.

October 1653.

[Octob. 1.] Frigots sent Westward.

All the Parliaments Frigots repaired, and sent out again to Sea.

An Act passed, for the Probat of Wills in the several Counties.

[3.] The Hambrough Fleet safely arrived with Masts, Deal, Gunpowder, &c. Convoyed home with four Men of War, though ••2. Dutch Men of War were sent out to interrupt them.

Letters that De Witt was arrived at Copenhagen with 300 Merchantmen, and 40 Men of War, and was to Convoy home their East-India Ships, and other Merchantmen put in there, and in Norway, for security.

A Petition to the Parliament of the Godly Party in Salop, to the effect with former Petitions.

Referred to the Committee of Petitions, to re∣port to the House, &c.

[4.] Votes passed for taking away some Offi∣ces, and reducing of Salaries, for the ease of the Common-wealth.

Tho: Bulstrode, and others, continued Commis∣sioners of the Excize.

Order for a Letter to be sent to the Cantons of the Switzers.

Order touching the Customs, and to prevent Abuses therein.

[5.] Letters that Argyle shewed great Civility Parliament-Forces at Mula Island.

That Captain Minnes in the Elizabeth Frigot, off about Diep, getting the Windward Gage of thirty * 1.1 Sail of Ships, found three of them to be Dutch Men of War, which engaged, and after some dis∣pute, he forced them to bear away clear from him, but could not pursue them, both his Masts being shot quite through, but he fell in among the Mer∣chantmen, and brought twenty of them into the Downs, who pretend to be of Hamburgh and Lubeck.

[6.] Letters that the Emperor had sent to the States, to demand the Imperial Towns, which was of great consequence in respect of England.

[7.] Letters of some Commotions of the High-landers, and their killing of two English Soldiers, and taking three Prisoners; that Middleton was solli∣cited by the Dutch, to attempt some of the Nor∣thern Harbours.

Of an English Ship taken by a Dutch Pickeroon

That two days after the Hambrough Fleet came away, the Dutch came with thirty Men of War to have surprized them.

[8.] The Commissioners for Prisoners, impowred * 1.2 to inquire the causes of Commitment of all Prisoners for Criminal Matters, and to send for the Copies of all Mittimus's, and Records, that the Abuses may be rectified, in Committing Persons for their Judg∣ment, or Conscience, or for Malice.

Alderman V••ner presented to be Lord Mayor of London, approved by the House.

An Act passed to call all Persons to Accompt for Publick Debts, and Commissioners were named for * 1.3 discoveries of Money, or Land concealed, belong∣ing to the State.

[10.] Petition from Congregational Churches in the North, the House Voted, That there shall be a Declaration, giving fitting liberty to all that fear God, and for the preventing the Abuses against Magi∣strates, and for Preservation of such as fear God, among themselves, without imposing one upon the other, and to discountenance Blasphemies, damnable Heresies, and licentious Practices.

General Blake came into the House, whereof he was a Member, and received the thanks of the House, for his great and faithful Services.

Vote for Regulating the Publick Revenue.

Letters that the King of Denmark had promised to send some of his Ships to Convoy the Dutch Mer∣chants home.

[11.] Letters that Captain Hayton in the Saphire, came up to Eight French Ships of War, and shot twice at their Admiral, who gave him again a Broad-side; that Hayton endeavoured to board the Admiral * 1.4 but she got away, and then Hayton being between their Admiral and Vice-Admiral, he fired both sides at them, and the Vice-Admiral called for quarter, and the Admiral ran; that he took the Vice-Admi∣ral, and afterwards another of them in the Chace; and in conclusion their Rear-Admiral also, rich Prizes, and many of their men slain, and lost four men only, and some wounded.

Of more French Prizes taken, and divers Dutch Ships.

That Captain Welch, a Private Man of War, took a Pacquet-Boat of the Dutch with Letters, and next morning took a Dutch Ship of 300 Tuns, la∣den with Iron, Shot, and Guns, and Copper, and two more Ships of three hundred Tuns a piece, laden with Clapboard, and a Dutch Buss loaden with Herrings.

[12.] Vote for Wills to be sealed by Colonel Zanckey Seal-keeper, if the Wills were of a date be∣fore the New Act.

[13.] An Act passed touching Ideots, and Luna∣ticks.

An Act passed for Confirmation of the Purcha∣sers of Sir John Stowel's Estate.

[14.] Letters that the Highlanders increase in their numbers, and take many Horses, and divers debauched and beggarly Fellows come in to them.

The Commander in chief of the Army in Scot∣land, published a Proclamation, reciting former Pro∣clamations, * 1.5 against Vagabonds, and masterful Beg∣gars, and such as commit Murders, Thefts, and Rob∣beries, and join with the Highlanders, requiring such to be apprehended, &c. That none do relieve or assist them, on pain to be adjudged Enemies to the Common-wealth; and those who shall discover, or apprehend them, to be rewarded.

[15.] Letters of an Attempt of Captain Darcy, to take the Hart Frigot, in which were fifty men, but he had with him only twelve men, and the Hart Frigot was forewarned of the Attempt: Yet Darcy fright∣ed the Captain of the Frigot overboard, and fought three hours; some of his Men forsook him, and others leaped overboard, he, and five or six more killed, and wounded sixteen of the Frigots Men; but the rest of the Men in the Frigot, which were Darcy's old Friends, for sook him, though they had engaged their Lives to stand to him in that Enterprize. Darcy had quarter six or seven hours, and afterwards the Captain killed him, in cold blood, with his Pistols, and ran his Sword through him three or four times, then cut him in pieces, and pulled out his heart.

Of seven St. Malloes Men brought in Prizes to Plymouth, and of nine more of them taken and brought in.

The House sate in a grand Committee to debate the business of the inequality of Taxes, and to consider of some means to rectifie it, and passed se∣veral Votes thereupon.

Order for the House to sit in a grand Commit∣tee, * 1.6 to consider of the Act for the Union of Scotland to the Commonwealth of England.

[17.] Letters of Two Prizes brought into Ports∣mouth, by Captain Plumbley, and another by Captain Hawks.

Of the Highlander Tories increasing, incouraged by the Ministers.

That De Witt with Fourteen Men of War, and a great number of Merchantmen was gone out of the Sound Westward; that the Danes were generally perswaded, that the Dutch had wholly vanquished the English at Sea.

Ordered to suspend the hearing of Causes for a Moneth in Chancery; and a Bill for a way of deter∣mining the Causes now depending in Chancery.

[18] Letters from Captain Green of a States Man of War, who fell among five Dutch men of War, that one of them laid him on board, but broke his Boltsprit, and so went off again; the like was done by another of them whose Boltsplit was also broken.

That Seven Sail of English Merchant-men were near him all this time, yet would give no assistance to him, but he came off without the loss of one man, only two wounded, and got a French Prize.

A long Debate in a grand Committee about the equal proportioning of Taxes.

That Middleton was labouring to get Assistance of the States, for the King of Scots, and was offered it by them, in case a Peace with England did not suc∣ceed.

[20] Advice of the French Pickeroons Design a∣gainst the English Fleet coming from Newfoundland.

Of the Highlanders running away from their Officers; that one of them, Kenmorett, marched with a Runlet of strong waters before him, which they called Kenmoretts Drum.

Of Ships daily arriving at the Texel from the Northward.

That the States resolved upon a new Treaty of Peace with England, and appointed Min Heer. New-port, and Joungstal, to be added Commissioners for the Treaty of Peace, with their other two Com∣missioners, now in England.

That the Queen of Sweden shewed extraordinary kindness to the Spanish Ambassadour with her, and was held to be a friend to the English.

[21] Letters that upon the March of the English Party into the Highlands, they Retreated into their usual fastnesses amongst inaccessible Hills and Rocks; That some Vessels came into Leith Road london with Fish and other Commodities, and Pro∣visions.

[22] Letters that the late Easterly wind, for a fortnight together, kept the Pickaroones from the English Coast.

Of the Speaker Frigot, and Ten more of the Men of War gone out from the Downs to the West∣ward.

[24] Instructions passed for Administration of Justice in Scotland, and Officers.

Letters of Kinninores Insurrection in the High-lands; that Argyle advised the Commander of the English Forces not to Advance further against them.

That Holland resolved to renew the Treaty of Peace with England, and in the mean time to pre∣pare for War. That the Swedes had given Letters of Marque against the Dutch.

[25] The House sate in a Grand Committee for the Bill of Union for Scotland with England.

A Petition from the Common Councel of Lon∣don against the Lord Mayor Fowke, referred to a * 1.7 Committee.

An Act past for the discovery and prosecution of Thieves and Highway-men.

The Lords Newport and Youngstal, came to Lon∣don to joyn with the other Two Deputies of the State, to Treat with the Parliament for a Peace.

[26] Order for an Act against solliciting Mem∣bers of Parliament for any Places, and to disable such as shall do it.

That the Queen of Sweeds Agent came to the House to take his leave; and that the Lord Am∣bassadour Whitlock was ready to go for Sweedland within two or three days.

Letters, that Captain Sparling, and another of the Parliaments Frigots, had taken a Ship with Twelve hundred thousand pieces of Eight in her; she pretended to be an Ostender.

Divers Seamen Armed, and in a Tumultuous * 1.8 manner demanded at the Prize Office, their shares of some Prizes taken, and were so uncivil with the Commissioners, that they were forced to send for Souldiers to appease them; one of the Seamen was slain, and divers were wounded on both sides.

Afterwards the Seamen came to Whitehall, where they carried themselves more civilly, and had good words given, and were made sensible of their Er∣rour, and promised satisfaction, and so they depart∣ed quietly.

[27] The Seamen more in number than before, and better Armed, came down again Tumultuously to White-Hall, but was met with by the General his Life-Guard and soon dispersed.

Orders for the Reduced Officers in Ireland, for their Arrears.

[28] Letters of Two Prizes brought into Leith.

Of Two Sea-Rovers put out of France, pretend∣ing to have Commissions from Prince Rupert, in the Name of the King of Scots.

That Argyle was raising Forces against his Coun∣trymen * 1.9 the Highlanders, but was not able to bal∣lance their Power. That upon the approach of the Parliaments Forces towards them, the Highlanders retreated to their Fastnesses.

Upon the Tumults of the Seamen, the Council * 1.10 published a Proclamation, Declaring that Exem∣plary Justice shall be done upon the chief. Authors, or Ringleaders in the Mutiny, and Sedition; some whereof are in Custody, and commanding that no Sea-men, or others, on pain of Death do meet in a Muti∣nous, or Seditious manner, and that the accounts shall be Stated, and just payment made of all dues unto the Seamen.

The Parliament passed an additional Article to the Law of War; and Ordinances of the Sea, for punishing Mutinous Seamen.

[29] Upon a Report from the Council of State, the House conferred several Gratuities, to the Widdows and Children of those slain in the late Sea Fight.

The House approved the number, and charge of Ships for this Winter Guard, and Ordered Moneys for them.

The Lord-Ambassador▪ Whitlock received his Commission, and instructions for Sweedland, from the hand of the Speaker in the House, and is sud∣denly to go for Sweedland.

[31] Upon the Petition of the Water-men, * 1.11 and antient Coach-men in London, against the Ex∣orbitancy, and Multitudes of Hackney Coach-men; Order for an Act for Redress thereof.

Votes for rewarding the Commissioners for Ad∣ministration of Justice in Scotland.

Upon a Report from the Council,

Order for Dr. Cox to be Master of St. Kathe∣rines-Hospital.

The Spanish Ambassador had audience in the House.

The Four Dutch Deputies met with the Com∣missioners of the Council, about the Treaty for Peace.

Two of the Tumultuous Seamen were Con∣demned at a Council of War, one of them was * 1.12 Hanged, the other Whipped under the Gallows.

A Petition of many who suffered by the delay of Justice, in granting, and allowing Writs of Error * 1.13 after Verdict and Judgment, praying Remedy.

An Act passed for continuing the Powers of Commissioners for Compounding, for advance of Moneys and Indempnity.

Letters of the Queen of Sweeds return to Stock-holm; and the Spanish Ambassador Piementel with her.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Minnes.
• * 1.2

  Commit∣tee for Prisoners.
• * 1.3

  October.
• * 1.4

  Hayton beats the French Fleet.
• * 1.5

  Proclama∣tion.
• * 1.6

  Union of Scotland.
• * 1.7

  Petition a∣gainst the Lord Mayor.
• * 1.8

  Seamen Tumultu∣ous.
• * 1.9

  Highlan∣ders.
• * 1.10

  Proclama∣tion.
• * 1.11

  Water-men Peti∣tion.
• * 1.12

  Mutiners Condem∣ned.
• * 1.13

  Petition a∣bout Writs of Error.