It was also referred to the Councell of Estates to consider of the
value of the Standard in the Palace yard, that the money to be made
thereof may be employed for the publique, in case it be taken away.
The good and faithfull service or Sit George Ascue were taken into
consideration, and it was ordered that for the time being he should be
Vice admirall of the Irish Seas, and a good ship provided for him for
that service.
Two hundred pounds was ordered for such Officers and Souldiers
which declined the L. Inchiquin, and are come over into England, for
their present supply.
This forenoon the E. of Holland was brought to the Bar of the high
Court of Justice and after he had spoken a while the Court demanded
whether he had any new matter to plead which he answered in the negative,
only desired Councel which was denied; then he was withdrawn
and the Court adjourned till two post meridium.
In the afternoon the E. of Cambridge was brought to the Ba[nl]r and the
Councell for the Common wealth by way of answer to what his councell
had formerly pleaded in extenuating his offences, laid open the
notoriousnesse of his trayterous actions, which being done, the Earl had
liberty to speak again for himself, but the substance of his discourse relating
only to those things which had formerly been pleaded, he was
then commanded from the Bar with this Omen, that the next time of
his coming thither was for judgment.
Report was made to the house that the Scots Commis. (which subscribed
the papers I told you of in my last) were stayed at Gravesend,
the house ordered the sending of them away with a Guard, and agreed
on certain instructions for those appointed to guard them.
Saturday March 3.
THe Parliam ships provided for this Summers Guard are many of
them already put to Sea, and a Squadron of them sayled towards
the Irish Seas, whose voyage (if prosperous) will exceedingly revive
t[nl]he drooping spirits of those distressed soules at Dublin, who are now
besieged at Sea, by a Fleet of about 40 sayle, and are in no lesse danger
at land, the chiefest hopes they had of retarding the enemies sudden
approach against that City in a great measure fayling: for Belfa[nl]st and
divers other Garisons which were for the Parl. in the North of Ireland
to threaten to stand upon their own Guard, unlesse Col. Monke, will
absolutely declare for the Covenant, as the Scots in those parts doe,
which Ormond and Inchiquin likewise doing, wee see nothing but an