THE Rattel-head Ladies being assem­bled at Kattes in Coven Garden, and having spent some time in choosing their Speaker, it having been objected against my Lady Dutches, that she had used beating up of Quarters and other unlawfull sports, so frequently met Prince Rupert, that at last, re­solved upon the Lady Isabella Thyn, hoping thereby that their Acts might have greater influence upon the Kings Majesty. Then they took into consideration their own busines, and Voted;

• 1 That no Roundhead dare to come into any of their quarters.
• 2 That on the contrary none of their mem­bers, Viz. Cavalry, do cohabite in any of the Roundheads quarters, or pay Contribute to them by way of benevolence or otherwise.
• 3 That thanks be given to the Lady Moun­tague, Penham, Craven, &c. for their cour­teousie and favours to the distrested Cavaliers beyond the Seas, Ordered thereupon, that the Lady Pope, the Lady Stanhope, have leave to sell, give away, or otherwise dispose of their French Commodities, without paying Excise or Custome.
• [Page]4 That Mistris Philips be forth with sent to France from this House to acquaint the Lord Mountague how his Lady hath Negotiated with the assembly of the House.
• 5 That Mistris Gamlyns for the Protestants and Mistris W [...]borne for the Papists, be ap­proved Messengers to attend the House, and that they have this title given them of the Messengers of the Chambers.

The said Ladies in Parliament did declare, That by their first Votes of this day, did not a­ny wise intend to exclude from their Quarters that part of the House of Peers which Voted the Bill for the maintenance of the Army out of their House, in that their said Lordships are understood to be welaffected and not Round­heads.

Whilst those things were in aggitation, in comes a Sergeant from the House of Ladies at Mrs Chips Assembled; In the name of which, he pronounced this unlawfull Assembly a Mungrel Parliament, commanding them to confine their Votes to their own Houses, there to continue during pleasure, Hidepark, S Jameses park, Spring Garden, Kattes, &c. in any wise notwithstanding.

This puts their Ladiships into greater disor­der and more confusion then that they had been taken with their Gallants by all, and each of their respective husbands, which is the cause we hear no words of this Parliament.

The Ladies wel-affected being as you have [Page]heard assembl'd at Spring Garden, spent some time in chusing their Speaker; the maior part pitching upon the Lady Holland, she desires to excuse her self, alleadging her husbans deser­tion, and further desired that all her Right might be confirmed upon the Lady Carlile, but the said Lady being not thought fit to be trusted, the Lady Exon was named, but it was obiected by the Lady Hipsley, that the said Countess was a Delinquent, and had formerly carried in supplies to the King, pretending that her husband Sir John Hipsley was much dam­nified in his estate and office by the said sup­plies; but the Lady Salisbury coming in, the dispute was soon ended, and the charges con­ferred with her (nemine Contradicede) who im­mediatly nameth M. Peel Messenger to attend the House, and the Lady Wharton with the Lady Staplton to be Door Keepers, who were ordered to keep all out but Messengers: this was all assented to notwithstanding some excep­tions were taken at the slownesse of Mr Peels pace, it being aggrivated by one that she went slower then the Masters of the Chancery when they go on Messages.

1 Then their Ladiships taking in the first place into Consideration the difficult cause that might fall out in the businesse of their House, Ordered, That Mistris Doctor Wither­burne be sent from Holmby, and Mistris Do­ctor Darison to be assistant to this House.

2 Ordered further, That Doctor Hinton [Page]and Doctor Chamberlain be likewise assistant, that with greater secrecy and ease, their La­diships may be helped out with their most troublesome and pressing affairs.

3 The House then adjourned to the day following; and being met accordingly, the First businesse was to send the aforesaid Mes­sage to the unlawfull Assembly at Kates.

4 Next falling upon their votes in particu­lar, Declared, that part of their Orders to be an absolute breach of Priviledges, which find the Cavaliers entrance into the Roundheads quarters. And accordingly

5 Ordered, That the said Cavaliers shall within two dayes depart this City, and shall not come within twenty miles the Lines of Communication. And further Voted,

6 That no Malignant Lady presume to walk in Spring garden after 12 a clock at night upon any pretence or pretext whatsoever.

7 Next their Ladiships took into Consider­ation the great number of Delinquents, Or­dered, That there be a Committee for Com­possitions to meet at the Lady Kents for the Protestants, and at the Lady Lakes for the Papists.

8 This day complaint was brought in a­gainst Sir Henry Blunt Knight, for publishing a Haeredicall dangerous Doctrin, (vix.) That it is better to converse with, and to resort to the common Woemen, then Ladies of Honour. Upon mature deliberation, whereto the Ladies with much [Page]indignation, sent for him; he being come, and hearing his Accusation of the House read, was commanded to withdraw during the debate: Up starts the Lady Foster, and offers to the consideration of the House the dangerous ef­fects that this opinion might produce, if that it be suffered to be sown amongst the people, to the after decay of Trade; as also of the particular convey of Rhemish Wine in the Mins-pies, Tarts, Cheese-cakes, Sillibubs, &c. whereby the profit of this House wil be great­ly deminished: The Speech was delivered with marvelous applause to the whole House, and the said Sir Henry Blunt was called the second time, where being commanded to kneel, refused, alleadging that House was not lawfull Judicatory, but appealed to all the Commons of England, which suspended all pro­ceedings at that time.

9 The House considering in the next place, that divers weak persons have crept into places beyond their abillity, and to the end that men of greater abillity may be put into their rooms, apointed that the Lady Middleton, M. Dunch, the Lady Foster, and the Lady Anne Waller by reason of their great experience of the Sonldry of this Kingdom, to be a Committee of Triers for this businesse.

10 The House being ready to adjourn, there comes news of a quarrell between two noto­rious members of this House, Mris. Harris, and Mris. Dunch against the Common Enemy, viz. [Page]their husbands; it was at length ordered, That they should be reconciled, and Tom Temple put up his Blade.

11 The morning following to take into Consideration the severall Garrisons of this Kingdom that were to be kept and what not, Ordered, That Norhton be kept a Garrison, and that the Lady, Sunderland be requested to take the Command upon her, notwithstanding the Self denying Ordinance.

12 That an English Garrison be put into Carlile to prevent a Forraigne Nation getting the possession thereof; and is to be feared by reason of some secret Intelligence had by the French Ambassador in that space.

13 That Leicester, Newport and Marl­brough, and all other that are either old For­tifications or otherwise uselesse, forthwith sleighted. After this they took into Consider­ation the standing services of this Kingdom and there severall incertainties, and Ordered,

14 That the Lord Francis, Mris. Slingsby, Mris. Read, and Mris Jufton have pay allowed them, conditionally, that Hull be provided to draw forth upon service at the least warning.

15 That Col: Cook, Mris Cook, Mris Hen: Howard, Mris Barkers, and Mris Hewill have free quarter.

16 That the Prince Elector, Mris Glescoth, and Prince Griffith (henceforth) pay their Quarters.

17 That Sir John Morley be further paid for his Service to this House, notwithstanding [Page]his Delingquency, but so, if he break forth any more, he shall be irrecoverable at PUT in ver­dicto.

18 Ordered, That all such Forces as shall be disbanded, be sent for, Ireland or otherwise disposed of out of this Kingdom.

19 Their Ladiships were then informed That a Messenge waited at the Door from the House of Commons; and Sir. Peter Went­worth, and Mris-Bainton (who brought it) be­ing let in, they found ill way for relief of maymed Souldiers, their Ladiships referred it to the Lady Peterborongh to consider what relief was to be given to them, to whom they joyned Mris Nonard sometimes Maid of Ho­nour, she hath purged her self of her malignity.

20 The House received divers reports from the Committee of Complaints: First against the Prince Elector, who was accused he was not secret in his trust to this House, but ber [...]y­ed them in their service, and insteed of doing their businesse did his own; the Consideration of this, was put of till another time. And also another Accusation against the said Prince, viz. That he had deserted his imployment: both brought in by the Lady Barrington.

21 The next was Four Articles brought in by Britanicus against Mris Wheeler for hold­ing intelligence with the Enemy, who being found true, she was voted to be Landresse to the Prince Elector.

22 The Thrid was an Accusation against the [Page]Right Honourable the Lord Rich by the Lady Callyn, who pretended That she had been plundered of Jewels and other Commodities by the said Lady to the value of a 1000 l. but it being alleadged by the Lady Warwick, That it was done to one that had been Commander against this Parliament: This Accusation was cast out; then the House adjourned till the next day.

23 The first businesse this day was the Re­port from the Committe of Triers, who named in the first place, The Right Honourable the Earl of Denby to be a man of extraordinary abilities and parts, whereupon it was Order­ed, That he be Commander in Chief of all the Standing Forts of this Kingdom, and that his head Quarters be in [...] till the House have further need of his service.

24 Ordered, That the Lord Camde in re­gard of his great Tallent have a favourable Composition at the Lady Kents.

25 Ordered, That S^t Ambrose a Politick Italian, he had in remembrance of his extra­ordinary paines to consent this House, and that when the affairs of this Kingdom shalbe settl­ed be put into the Dutchy Office, and in the meane time, because what he had before did not content him, he be satisfied out of the Whit­bies commonly called Mrs Hills Arrears which are forfited to the State.

This businesse being over, up starts the learned and well-affected Lady, the Lady [Page]May, and moved that publick Fasts might be imploring a blessing upon mens constant affe­ctions to the houses, as also to stop the vanta­gious affections that are now crept in amongst us, and like to over spred us all if not speedily stopt.

The Ladies in the next place taking into serious consideration the great decay of Catel in this Kingdom, thought the safest means for remedy to see their Ladiships sending as they did to the house of Commons to intreat that some of their members might joyn with them to consider of the said things.

A Committe to debate & consider the fittest means to mnltiply and recruit the said Beasts to whom they gave these following instructions.

1 That they shall intreat all or the most part of the Morlies in England, and other men of that stamp to marry.

2 That all such men, either prisoners or freemen that have vowed never to cut their beards till his Majesty comes to LONDON be incouraged therein.

3 That Master Sabra be intreated & in the name of this house be therein used to return for some further time to his Concubine here notwithstanding his wife be alive in Geneva, for that Geneva hath not any such urgent ne­cessity of Multiplication as this Island.

The house took into consideration the saile of Delinpuents Lands, and Ordered, That master Harrison have for his faithfull service [Page]the Earle of New-Castles baggage, as also the Lady Devonshire have Worcester house, not­withstanding the Votes of the House of West­minster in favour of the Earl of Salisbury that her Ladiship may be present with lesse trouble at her serions Negotiations with the Scots Commissioners.

This day a Petition came from the Lady Stanhope, humbly desiring she might be recei­ved into the House, pretending, that she was well affected, but that a Scotish affection min­gled with feares, would never make a well affected Lady; & was further alleadged, That the same Lady had bin in Armes under Colonel Slingsby, but some friend apcars in her behalf & saies it was Master Slingsby, he was ordered to be sent up for by this House, the debate was put off till another time.

A motion was made for the putting down of Playes, whereupon the Lady Monmouth stood up and desired it might be explained, what Plaies was meant; forasmuch as it should put down the Playes, it might procure much to the providence of the House, as also for Mistris Young who had deserved well of their Lordships, but answer being made, Stage plays were only understood, she declared that she could concur with the House; in that S^r John Sucklin was denied, but she liked his play well.

It was moved by the Lady of Complaints, that a Thanksgiving day might be appointed for the recovery of the Earl of Pembrook, [Page]which was consented to: Mr Caldnot desir­ed to preach, and say the same in English and not in Hebrew. Ordered, Thanks be given to Master Robinson for his Sermon and devoute prayers that the said Lord might once more clime up May Hill.

The House appointed Committees to move His Majesty, Viz. The Lady Oxford, Stamford, and the Lady May to move his Majesty, and to gaine his heart and Royal assent, that so a happy Union might be wrought.

This done, there was an Act of Oblivion prepared for the Lady Delketh, the Lady Katherin Scot, the Lady Antrime, and Mris Rotter for Delinquencies in the Enemies quarters; soon after the Lady Norton Doore Keeper to the House, complains of Sir Robert Harlow, a member of the House of complaints for attempting to deface her; she the said Lady being a zealous Independent and so one of the Saints: And Sir Robert having found out that she was likewise painted, she pretended she came into his Ordinance, viz. Idolatry and painted Crosses, &c. But some friend of the said Lady urging in her behalf, That none did ever it attempt to adore or worship, she was justified; and the Ladies thereupon declared, That if any person by vertue of any power whatsoever pretended to be derived from the House of Commons, shal go about to impeach, hinder, or disturbe any Ladies from painting, washing, and adoreing of her self to her best [Page]advantage; and also from platting of her hair, that Act is a breach of priviledge of this house, and that the offender shall be proceeded a­gainst.

In the last place the Ladies being to adjourn for some weeks, desired First, That the name Paint in divinity might be first desired, & what is meant by the word due benevolence in the new Testament, & the Order thereunto they send to the Ministers of the Assembly, intreating them to make some Declaration concerning the same: The messenger found the said as­sembly busie about their own affairs, indea­vouring to bring the Text (Kisse the Son least he be angry) to prove the Presbitery; Yet understanding their Ladiships request, they left off presently and fell upon the debate of the (benevolence,) which I do not intend to set down particularly, it being not to be found in the Ladies Journall, only, That all and eve­ry man coupled to the bond of matrimony and wedlock is ingaged to content his mate, and fill one seller — as oft as his strength and constitution of body wil possible permit, their Ladiships having received this their direction, desired, That they would make it Jure divino, and publish it, that no husband in the Country may extend Ignorance: but their Holinesse made this ensuing Cannon.

This day following in the Evening, this Deeree being brought to their Ladiships, they Ordered, That the Speaker of their House should give thanks to the said ministers of the assembly of Divines for their great care and pains in reforming this Kingdom, and in par­ticular, for this present Declaration; after which they Ordered those their Votes to be Printed, and so adjourn till further time.