the poore with coles, and an Act ordered to be drawn to find out some
way to set the poore at worke, that so none may beg or perish through
floath or want, to which purpose the Justices of peace were ordered to
meet monthly as heretofore for the reliefe of the poore throughout the
Land : An Act was also published for the abolishing of the House of
Lords, And the Committee of Lords and Commons for Sequestrations
voted null.
A Petition was presented from the county of Leicester, for the taking
away of free Quarter, and of Tithes, and for the removing other oppressions,
The Petitioners were called in, and had the hearty thankes of
the House returned them.
A Letter was received from Baron Wild (so lately instituted by authority
of Parliament) the substance was to give Intimation of the Disrespect
of the Mayor of Excester, and many justices of the peace in that
county, shewed to him at the time of the Assizes in that city. The Letters
was Ordered to be referred to the Councell of State to proceed
therein as they shall thinke expedient.
I made mention before of the Letter sent from the Parliament of
Scotland in this place the better to lead your understanding on I will give
an account of the particulars.
SIR,
HAving sent a paper of the 24. of February last given in to you by
our Commissioners with a Printed paper, thereupon, of the 26. of
February entituled a Declaration of the Parliament of England, declaring
the aforesaid paper, given in by our Commissioners, to containe reproachfull
matter against the proceedings of the Parliament of England,
and assuming power over the Lawes and Government of that Nation,
with a design to raise sedition, and lay the grounds of a new War in that
Land; and further ordering a message to be sent to Us to know whether
we will own the said paper presented so our names; And hearing that
our Commissioners (being by command from us upon their return from
that Kingdome) are restrained, and a guard set upon them.
We could not be so far wanting in that duty we owe to this Kingdome,
and the care and reguard which in justice and honour we ought
to have of the safety and freedome of those employed in so publike a
trust as not to take speciall notice of their condition and hard usage :
And have therefore resolved and thought fit to signisie to you that we
doe own that paper given in by our Commissioners, as agreeable to the
Instructions, which they had from us, wherein we, and they in our names
could not but give a testimony against those things which we conceive