Inncency Cleared. OR THE Case and Vindication OF Col. GEORGE GILL: WHEREIN Is made apparent how the Sentence of Parliament was procured against him, and by what means the rehearing hath been delayed. Humbly Presented to the Parliament, with desires of speedy JUSTICE. Job 19 7. Behold, I cry out of wrong, and I am not heard; I cry aloud, but there is no Judgement. Psal: 12. 5. I will arise saith the Lord, I will set him in Safety, from him that puffeth at him. Mich: 7. 7, 8. Therefore will I look unto the Lord, I will wait for the God of my salvation, my God will hear me. Rejoice not against me O mine Enemy, when I fall I shall arise. &c. Printed 10 September, 1651. TO THE supreme Authority, The Parliament of the Commonwealth of ENGLAND, Right Honourable, WIth all due humility that is owing to so High and Great an Assembly and Authority, I approach once again, after a long, and years attendance at your Door, begging, that as you have had the favour, and if I may say so, the indulgence of the Almighty upon your Actions; so you will be pleased to answer him in doing Justice. The Sentence I lie under is hard and severe, it dispossesses me of all that is dear to me, which is, my honesty and good affection to the State, and indeed unmanned i; I am in a manner my own prosecutor, for how have I sought to have my business reheard? If it appear foul in your eyes, I shall sit down under your censure, if I appear a just man▪ let me crave justice from you. God hath placed you in the highest seat: no man prays more heartily for you; do then, I beseech you, though it be for a friend, yet as Judges: delaying of Sentence may be severity. I do not presume to say any thing of your former Sentence; I know they that could Report the first business in five days, and hinder Col. Downs' Report nine Months, have stood in my way and delayed me from being so clearly represented to you, as I hope it will be made appear I ought to be. For God's sake let me once have justice, 'tis all I beg, and then I shall account my losses, intermission of Calling, and time spent, a Gain; For truly, if I had not a Confidence of my innocency, I should not have dared to solicit at your tribunal, and to that supreme Authority, for which I daily send up supplications to Heaven, Being indeed, Your honour's most faithful though misunderstood Orator. GEORGE GILL. A Vindication of Col. GEORGE GILL. Wherein the unjust proceedings of his Adversaries, both in procuring of the Sentence of Parliament against him; and keeping of the rehearing, is fully manifested. WHEN I consider the way of my Education, and the course of my life; which hath been wholly strange to publishing of books; I begin to think that as God Almighty brings into every man's life somewhat unexpected and remarkable, so that by this cross necessity that at the present lies upon me, he would make it evident to me in particular, that our lives are but clay in his hands, and that we scarcely come ever so sensibly to feel his hand as in the day of our adversity. And therefore though I bemoan the injustice of men towards me, yet him I justify and resign myself up ro his will, and truly since he hath been pleased to permit affliction to lie upon me, to have my good name, nay my estate and trust taken away (which nevertheless he will restore in his due time) I shall not doubt to lay open the whole series and proceedings of my troubles, the unjust and fraudulent prosecution of my adversaries, the nature of my crime freely and clearly laid out, and lastly the sufferings that it hath occasioned to me. For though this be but a private business, and my Wife and Children seem only to be Sufferers, yet in a Commonwealth, since every man hath interest in justice, and all men are tied to join their Forces against unrighteousness, I hold it more than private; and come what will, I will lay it open, cleaving always to the truth, and carrying myself with that duty and civility, as becomes me to that Power which God hath set over me. I can speak it in the sincerity and uprightness of my heart, and I hope without boasting, my conversation among men, hath been such ever since I came to deal in the world, that I never yet had any man justly mine Enemy; but either he who was an Enemy to the Cause I embarked in, or else some other, whom I had opposed in some unjust proceedings, and whom I had kept from oppressing the weaker: And upon this latter score, I justly fear, That Sir William Allenson of York, and a Member of this present Parliament, became so sharp and so eager an Enemy, that for a crime which is no crime at all, or in the most rigorous interpretation, a mistake, I am Voted uncapable of their Service, whom I had faithfully and diligently served so many years (to the neglect of my business, and almost ruining of my estate) either as a soldier or a commonwealth's man, and my estate ordered to be sold. But of that hereafter. Now that which hath brought all this trouble upon me, is no other than this. In the second year of the late Charles, Leeds Town and Parish was Incorporated, and that illegally, by reason that the major consent of the Inhabitants was wanting, and it was well known by what Courtmeans it was at that time procured, but however procured it was, and the governors acted accordingly, which produced many Suits and trials at Law between them and the Clothiers. At the beginning of these Troubles, nine of the ten Aldermen appeared for the late King, and thereby became uncapable of civil employment, so that the Town was then at liberty and enjoyed their former right, till these present governors illegally and out of course created themselves, and took upon them to act according to the former Charter. But the Inhabitants being sensible of the inconveniencies they had formerly received by it, and not expecting the best things from them that so lusted after the power, procured a Commission under the broad Seal, directed to Sir John Savill Knight, Charles Fairfax, Henry Goodwick, Esquires, &c. Impowering them to command the High sheriff to empanel twenty four honest legal men, to inquire the legality of the Charter, and their acting, which was accordingly executed, and it was found by the Jury, that the Letters patents were illegally procured without the major consent of the Inhabitants, and that it was prejudicial to the town and Parish, and not standing with the good of the Commonwealth, and that they had illegally elected one another contrary to the letter of the Patent, so that the Inquision was returned, and remains now in the Petty-Bag-Office. Now Sir William alanson fearing, as he had good cause, that it might fall heavy on his Brother, who contrary to his Oath and Trust, had acted so crookedly, and knowing I had a Charge ready against him, procured an Order of the Parliament that such Elections as had been made by the well-affected in any Corporation, though not according to the Letter of the Charter should be good; by which means the present governors I dare affirm have oppressed more within these six years past, and brought greater sufferings upon the poor Inhabitants, than they had suffered in fourteen years before: I therefore having been so zealous and forward in this business in behalf of the Inhabitants as inprocuring the Inquisition, as also by a Petition to the Northern Committee, signed by me by the consent in the name and in the behalf of the Inhabitants, and presented by myself in heir behalfs and Mr. Bains in the behalf of the Aldermen in December 1647. Sir William alanson took an enmity to me because I opposed his Brother, and never since rested from any means that might bring my ruin, though I be verily of opinion, that if I had not opposed his Brother, or Stillington had not been too near Crake Castle, we might have been friends to this day; But because you shall see how justly Sir William affords his Brother this Patronage, and how much need the other hath of it, and how just it is for any man that loves the Commonwealth to lay open the iniquities of such a man; I shall quote you one or two of them whereby he broke his Oath and Trust as a Sequestrator. After the Rendition of York, this Francis alanson who is Sir Williams own Brother, sent some pieces of cloth belonging to Lancelot Iveson a Malignant, to Leeds as his own, and then and there demanded of the said Lancelot Iveson what he would have for them a piece, he answered that such a man whom he then named gave usually 52 shillings or thereabouts; Mr. alanson replied, that if he would let him have them at 30 shillings, well it were, otherwise he would sequester them to the use of the Commonwealth, whereupon the poor man finding himself under a necessity of being cheated, consented, and the Commonwealth lost all the advantage of that Sequestration. Will you have another of them? some four Aldermen of Leeds, whereof Mr. alanson was one, had a Commission or Order for the providing of five or ten thousand pounds worth of cloth for the use of the Scotch army, whereupon they took men's clothes (which the Inhabitants remember with complaint to this day) at what price they pleased, not suffering the Cloathier to sell his cloth to others, and paid them in what price and manner they pleased; by which means they enriched themselves, though it was out of the groans of the poor. But this and other things if they came to be scanned, would I believe deserve a sentence severe enough against Mr. alanson though he be now buoyed up by Sir William his Brother; And truly Sir William for all his pretended zeal to the Cause, hath not wanted clothes to keep it warm, for upon pretended losses he had the Hamper-Office given him, and 'tis known that out of Bishops or Deans and Chapters Lands hte hath raised himself a very large Estate. But as I would impeach no man upon Rumours or Conjectures (for myself have felt too much of that) so will I not stand to examine how many men he raised in Yorkshire at the eruption of Charles Stuart, nor will I say he is a Countenancer of Malignants; but 'tis a sign that Sir William hath a hollow place in his heart: For soon after the Death of the late King, in his journey towards Yorkshire, lodging at the George at Stanford, he there boasted to Malignants how wisely he had carried himself, viz. That there was but one other and himself of all his countrymen that voted for a personal Treaty with the King, and that he could wash his hands from having any hand in the King's Blood. And these words are witnessed by Richard Morris and Mrs. Margaret Dobins, and Rich. Morris did repeat the abovesaid words in the presence of Captain Matthew Phillip's 11th. August 1650. and he then said he would justify them upon Oath; Thus much for Sir William. Another back Friend of mine was Mr. Sikes of Leeds, whom though I esteemed very much for his affection to the Parliament, yet I think the Nation is not much obliged by him, by reason of his unworthy discovery of the Mystery of clothing in Holland, and his planting of it in Scotland, to the great prejudice, and if God had not prevented, the inevitable ruin of many thousand of families. Yet because I opposed him in the behalf of M. Martial Steward of the Court of Leeds, whom he endeavoured to have sequestered, to the intent that he might be made incapable of that Office, both by articling against him at the Committees of York and indemnity, where he was both times cleared, Mr. Sikes of a Friend became an Enemy, and with his Son and Sir William alanson laid that train which since blew me up. And truly, my heart bears me witness that I speak not out of malice, but out of love to the weal-public; I envy not that large Estate that Mr. Sikes now enjoys, though it be much above the probabilities that he ever could have; but this in behalf of the Commonwealth I will say, that I am altogether unsatisfied as to the 4000 li. he had ordered him out of Goldsmiths-Hall, and the 3900 and odd pounds out of the Excise, both with Interest, after the rate of eight per cent. for I am confident the Parliament was herein surprised, and that if the business had been rightly understood, no such sums had ever been allowed. Upon these hinges of malice was my ruin turned, and truly both how cunningly and with how high a hand it was brought in, I shall now tell you, and let all the world judge of me how far I have been unjust to this commonwealth, and whether I deserve not pity that have languished above a year under a severe sentence without any hearing, when the Report and the Sentence was hastened within a few days. For any Malignancy, I can in my Conscience say I ought not to be taxed with it; my prayers, my endeavours, my estate have been all for the Parliament, and it hath been the endeavour of my soul to be serviceable to them in my Station, nay even some of these men from whose hands I receive now persecution, had bore witness of it, as may appear by this Certificate. We whose Names are under-written, desire humbly to certify in the behalf of Major George Gill, that he is a man of known integrity, hath extended himself far beyond his ability in the public Service of the Kingdom, in raising of Forces and otherways, & hath had great losses by the Enemies plundering, all which will appear by Certificate, his Petition doth relate his Case and Condition; It is our humble request (to all before whom it shall come) that this our Certificate may be a means to further his proceedings for obtaining such an answer as may move to the rendering of him some reasonable satisfaction. March 1. 1648. John. Thoresbie Alder. John Dawson. Fran: alanson. John Baynes. Richard Milner. James Moxon. Martin Iles. William Smithson. We freely and heartily concur with these Gentlemen in humbly praying that Major Gill may seasonably receive satisfaction. Chr: Martial, Minister. Peter Greatheed. Now when the Parliament had Novemb. 24. 1642. enabled the Lord Ferdinando Fairfax to receive Money, Plate, Horse, and arms upon the Propositions, for which the public Faith was to be engaged, I lent 60 li. upon the Propositions, and timely appeared in raising of a troop of Horse completely armed, which with incident charges cost me above 600 li. 450 li. whereof I have paid Interest for ever since. I was plundered to the value of a great sum while I was in the Service, I lost the use of a profitable Calling, which I can with a safe Conscience aver, brought me in more than the pay of that Command, though it had been fully and immediately discharged. After the Battle of Namptwich, I was sent by Sir Tho: Fairfaix to London with a Letter to the E. of Essex & about moneys, and I may justly say, I was mainly instrumental in procuring the City by way of loan, to lay down 10000li. which in that juncture of time, how acceptable a sum it must needs be, I leave any man to consider. In this Service we continued till by Order we disbanded, and my Arrears amounted to 1657li. 16s. 3d. After this the Parliament by Ordinance May 22. 1647. provides for the payment of the one third of the arrears of the Northern Officers to be accepted by them in full satisfaction: myself being one of the said Officers, my accounts being audited, and so stated that the 600 li. which I advanced in Horses and Arms upon the public Faith was accounted amongst my Arrears, I was then in a straight, conceiving that the Parliament intended not to give one third in full for my Money lent, yet being in necessity for moneys by reason of my losses in serving the Parliament, I was willing to accept of one third in full for my arrears, and to receive one third of my 600 li. lent, but not for satisfaction. Therefore upon the 27 of May, before I took any assignment for any Money, five days after the said Ordinance passed, I Petitioned the Committee of the Northern Association, showing that I could not accept of one third for the whole of my 600li. lent, & that the Ordinance mentioned only Arrears, and desired that my Case with my losses and sufferings might be represented to the Parliament; whereupon the committee ordered that my Petition should be reported to the Parliament, and the Lord Fairfax writ Letters to Mr. Speaker, Sir Henry Vane, M. Brian Stapleton, and Mr. Luke Robinson, desiring that my Petition might be answered, and I might be satisfied for the said 400 li. and my losses. Hereupon I received my Petition, and my Account, which was to make good the Petition, from the Clerk of the Committee, and put them into the hands of Mr. Bryan Stapleton to report to the Parliament, who as he hath already testified under his hand and seal, had them in his hand one whole year, but after his withdrawing I put them into the hands of Sir William alanson, (so confident I was of my Innocency and Justice in the business) from whom I am to acknowledge I have received fair words, but that was all. By this time were two years spent, and I could hear of no reparations for my losses and sufferings, and the Parliament at that time passing an Act for doubling upon Deans and Chapters Lands, I thought it but just and in-offensive to double the forementioned 400 li. being the two remaining thirds of the 600 li. with its allowed interest which made it 600 li. as money due upon the public Faith, not discharged by way of arrears. Now this hole being found in my Coat, Sir William alanson and the Corporation of Leeds, Mr. Sikes the elder, who were my friends as I mentioned before, and Col. Matthew Alured (who hath made it since appear that he thirsted after my Regiment, and I have cause to fear knew too much of the plot, for to a Friend of his he foretold the sentence ten days before) put their heads together and endeavoured to bring me into the Penalty provided in the Act, and make me forfeit my Purchase which was a moat in somebody's eye. So the business was referred to a Committee, before whom I appeared the 20th of July 1650. to make my defence, but there was nothing done in it, because Sir William alanson would not suffer me to make my defence, and inform Col. Boswell who was in the examination of the business, as some worthy Members there present can witness; though Sir William alanson making it his business, writ into Scotland that I was heard, and Col. Alured endeavoured to persuade the Commanders there the same, the better to weaken me in their opinions, and to keep back the assistance of my Lord general in case I should have Petitioned for it. I went down into the North, to raise my Regiment, and then Sir Wil. alanson saw it was his time, so that there being the 25th. day of July after, a Committee, Sir William alanson, being of the Sub-Committee, drew up a report, and as I have reason to think, made it be entered into the book as past the twentieth (when it was known there was nothing done in it that day) and Sir Wil. alanson the 30th. day after reported it to the House (I being then 150 miles off raising a Regiment for Scotland) which, I not being heard, and some being surprised, others I fear me not considering the depth of the matter, produced this Vote. 31 July 1650. ORdered by the Parliament, That the Lands purchased by Major George Gill, of the Lands of the late Deans and Chapters Land, be resumed to the use of the Commonwealth, in respect of the cozenage done by the said Maj. George Gill to the State in that purchase, according to the Act of Parliament. And that the trusties and Contractors for the sale of the said Lands, be Authorized and required to resume the same accordingly. And all other Officers within the Acts are required to take notice thereof. But this was not enough, there was somebody had a mind to my Command, as well as others to my estate, and therefore, though I humbly conceive, the Statute only provided for the forfeitures of lands so purchased, as it was alleged mine was, I must out of my Command, and be incapable of any other for the future. This Order was added the same day. Ordered. That it be referred to the council of State to take such speedy course as they shall think fit, for removing Maj. George Gill from his place of Command, and that he be disabled for ever hereafter from any further employment or Command in the Service of the commonwealth. All this while I was in Yorkshire, and knew nothing, when an unexpected Letter comes to me from the council of State, requiring me to give up my Command to Col. Alured, which I immediately obeyed, and repaired to London to clear my innocency, writing also to my Lord general, to beseech his favour that I might be heard, and punished according to the merit of my cause. Whereupon his Excellency most Nobly (I most humbly acknowledge so great a favour) writ a Letter to Mr. Speaker, which said thus: SIR, COl. George Gill, had a Regiment under my Command, I knew nor heard of any thing, but what was honest and Christian in the man; until the Parliament was pleased to pass a sentence upon him; and I commanded to discharge him from his Regiment: I did yield present obedience to your Commands, as became me. Since that time, the man hath written unto me to desire that I would mediate to some friends, that he might have liberty to make his innocency to appear. I persuading myself that nothing would be more welcome to the Parliament, then to hear and redress Innocency, which is so confidently stood upon by this man, do in all humility desire he may be heard; and if it be found Impudence in him, he may have his punishment double. It is not any importunity in the person occasions this boldness, but because I durst not deny my conscience. Craving pardon for this trouble I rest, Sir, Your most humble Servant, Edinburgh 2 Octob. 1650. O: Cromwell. Hereupon after much solicitation and attendance of three months. I got a Petition read in the House, which procured me this Order. Die Veneris 8 Novemb. 1650. The humble Petition of Col. George Gill, was this day read. ORdered by the Parliament, That the business of Col. George Gill, be referred to the Committee of the Army, to examine the business and state it to the House; and the Northern Committee are joined to the Committee of the Army, as to this purpose, and in the mean time all proceedings against him in sale of the Lands by him purchased is stayed, and the trusties, and contractors and other Officers for Deans and Chapters Lands are to take notice hereof, and to forbear proceeding accordingly. Hen. Scobell Cler. Parliamenti. Now by these Committees hath my business been considered, and a report put into the hand of Col. downs drawn up, but for these nine months, every day almost whereof, I have attended at the door, could not I get it brought in, though I have been at great expenses in attendance, had a stop in my calling, had my lands sequestered, (and still by my adversaries kept under sequestration, notwithstanding an Order of the Committee for obstructions in the sale of Deans and Chapters Lands, of the 20th. Decemb. 1650.) my credit ruined, and indeed, very little of the outward man left me, and truly I do very much suspect that some of the great ones sitting in the House are afraid the matter should come in their scanning, lest it should fly in their faces. For I am not ignorant what artifices have been used to keep it back, what by prepossessing the members (for which I must thank Mr. Henry Darley, though he hath countenance enough for Delinquents as will one day appear) what by bringing on other business, as Sir John Bowcher brought on a particular business, of his own, when Wednesday 30th. of July last, was purposely appointed for mine; so that though it hath been often called for, and several times Ordered to be heard (that worthy Patriot Mr. Luke Robinson having procured me two or three Orders to that purpose, and having stayed one time a whole week in the Town purposely to bring on the Report,) yet it could never be heard, though it hath pleased God to move the hearts of several Members to resent me and my condition. For Col. Boswell hath confessed to me that he was surprised in it, and Sir John Bowcher himself told Mr. Speaker one day in the Parliament House, That his judgement went against the said report, but he could not help it. Now 〈…〉 the whole Narration and nature of it, be pleased but to direct thy judgement by these particulars, and first, to peruse this account. October 8. 1649. Commonweath of England Debtor to Col. George Gill. FOr 60l. lent in Feb. 1642. upon the Propositions of Parliament. li. s. d. 60. 0. 0. For interest for the said 60 l. from Febr 1642. to the 12 of Oct. 1649. being 6 years, 7 months, 12 days, at 8 l. per cent.— 31. 15. 7. For 600 l. disbursed in raising and completing my Troop on the 23 of May, 1643.— 600. 0. 0 For Interest for the said 600 l. from the 23 of May 1643. to the 8. of Octob. 1649. being 6 years, 4 months, 14 days at 8 l. per cent.— 305. 15. 6 For my arrears for personal pay, (as by my account appeareth)— 1657. 16. 3 sum is— 2655. 7. 3. Commonwealth of England Creditor. BY 747 l. 18 s. 1 d. assigned this accountant upon the Excise, of which 387 l. was lost by transferring.— li. s. d. 747. 18. 1 By Interest for the said 747 l. 18s. 1d. from 22 May, 1647. till the 30. of April, 1649. being 23 months, and a quarter, at 8 l. per cent.— 106. 11. 0 By the two thirds of my Troop, being 400 l. with Interest for the same, in all 600 l. doubled at Gurney, House, equal to which sums in bills might have been purchased with ready money for 90. l. 600. 0. 0. By 42 l. received by him in June 1647. for one Months pay allowed him, with other Officers in the same List then in town— 42. 0. 0. By Interest for the said 42 l. from June, 1647. to the 8. of Octob. 1649.— 7. 14. 0. By 3 parts of 1657, l. 16. s. 3. d. discounted for free quarter.— 1105. 4. 2 Sum is— 2609. 7. 3. Rests due to Geo. Gil from the commonwealth to balance the account— 46. 0. 1. Now Mayst thou see my crime, Of 1657 li. 16 s. 3 d. Arrears, and 600 li. laid out of my purse in raising my Troop, I had of each but a third allowed me, which made 752 li. 12 s. 1 d. 387 li. whereof was lost by transferring it from the Excise to Deans and Chapters lands. And yet upon doubling the remaining two thirds of the 600 li. (which I laid out of my purse, and was a Debt, not an Arrear) and Interest (a Sum that I could have bought in Bills for 90 li. at Gurny house.) I am ruined in my fortunes and credit, notwithstanding I pay Interest for most of the moneys disbursed in that service to this day. And thus it may appear how much I have gained by the Service of the commonwealth, that of one third of my Arrears, and Troop, having lost 387 li. by transferring, and not suffered to double the remaining 400 li. I have not received the first 660 li. accounting my receipt and doubling at the price current. Now since the words of the first Report runs thus, for surrepticious taking his Accounts, I deny it, for I had my Accounts, my Petition, & the Order of the Committee, (which was the 28th. of May 1647.) delivered me by the Clerk of the said Committee, as appears by a note under his hand, and have since acted according to the sense of the Committee in daily soliciting the hearing of the business; and I am to note, my case is different from all others except Major Lilburns. It may be asked indeed, whether by the Ordinance of the 22 of May 1647. I be tied to accept a third in full of my disbursements? I answer, According to the letter of the Ordinance, no, because it mentions only Arrears of pay; and secondly, it is not to be supposed the Parliament intended to pay a principal, for which their Creditor pays interest 〈…〉 part of the principal only. It may be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by accepting the Contract I was tied thereto. Whe●●●●… I answer, that consequently the Parliament is engaged to perform their Contract, and if I am bound to return a full value in doubling &c. the Parliament is by the same Law (as I humbly conceive) to make satisfaction for the loss in transferring, which is treble the value of doubling, or public Faith Bills. And my acceptation of the third part was in regard of the validity of the security, (viz. the Excise) sufficient to advance the whole proportioned sum, and transferred Money would not yield above a moiety, which consideration inclined the Parliament to give satisfaction to colonel Alured and Lieutenant Mason in the same case. It may be further objected, That I did receive for a Months pay 42 li. which was to be deducted out of the sum proportioned for my thirds upon Account. I acknowledge the receipt of the said sum as other Officers in the same List, for which upon my Account I would have discounted, but never receiving the same in manner and form as by the Ordinance was appointed, I could not discount for it as might be expected; (yet in my Account betwixt the commonwealth and myself as Debtor and Creditor, I have charged myself with the same. You may see now how my case stands, and with what power and prosecution it was carried on, and truly I make any man my Judge, whether if it had been his case he would not have said, he had drunk of the Cup of bitterness and tasted of Affliction, my crime being of that nature I have told you, and (if I 〈…〉. But as Job says, Though he kill me, yet will I trust in him; so I may say, though I perish in this cause, yet must I love it; and therefore I hope God intends better things to me by this seasonable Affliction, which I willingly take upon my shoulders, in hope he will in his time remove it. In the mean time I wish all prosperity to the Commonwealth, a continual succession of a Representative, ever filled with a Spirit of counsel, unity, and self-denial, which to me would be the most precious sight in the world, though I found my own ruin in it. The End. December 1647. To the Honourable Committee of the Northern affairs. The Humble Petition of the Aldermen, Burgesses, and Inhabitants of the town and Parish of Leeds in the county of York. Showeth, THat the town and Parish being a place of much Trading in clothing heretofore, that is to say, in the second year of His now majesty's reign, Letters patents were obtained from His Majesty for the Incorporation of the said Town and Parish, consisting of one Alderman, nine Burgesses, and twenty Assistants, by whom the said town and Parish hath ever since been governed. But so it is, that by reason of many inconveniences that have happened in the Government by the said Incorporation, many vexatious suits have arisen between the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thiers of the said town and Parish, which hath been very prejudicial and hurtful to the common good of that place, and also to the Commonwealth: For the prevention whereof, and of the many future inconveniences, and for the better settlement of the said Trade, and for a more stable and sure Government of the said town and Parish, and Clothing, your Petitioners having upon mature deliberation found out the many inconveniences and defects in the former Incorporation, and Government thereby, and by their mutual consent and agreement under their hands in writing, bearing date the ninth day of October last past, which is hereunto annexed, they have conceived ways for redress and amendment of the same; By which their humble desires are represented unto your Honours, and shall be ready more particularly, when your Honours please, to make known the particular defects and inconveniences of the former Incorporation, and the benefit and advantage of the new Corporation now desired. Wherefore your Petitioners do humbly desire you would be pleased to take the matter into your consideration, craving your aid and assistance for the obtaining an Act or Ordinance from the Honourable House of Parliament, for the Incorporating of the said Town and Parish into a better way, with such alterations, additions, and clauses, as shall be thought meet and convenient, to be in such Act of Incorporation for the better Government of the said town and Parish, and of the clothing there. And they will ever pray, &c. G: G: i: Baines. 〈…〉 At the Comm●●●●… of Parliament for removing of Obstructions in the sale of Deans and Chapters Lands. WHereas in the cause upon the Petition of Major George Gill against Tho: Croft Esq concerning the sum of 20 li. 16 s. 3 d. claimed by the said Major, for half a years Rent due by the said Tho: Croft the second of Feb. 1649. issuing out of the manor of Stillington in the County of York, unto him the said Maj. as Purchaser of the present Rent and Reversion of the said manor, of the trusties and Contractors for sale of the said Lands, did the 3 day of May last, order that the said Tho: Croft should pay unto the said Purchaser the said sum of 20 li. 16 s. 3 d. due for the said half years Rent as aforesaid: And did by their Order of the 26th. of November last confirm their said former Order; It is therefore this day, upon motion made by Mr. Sedgewicke of counsel of the said Major Gill, Ordered that the said Tho: Croft be (and he is hereby) enjoined to pay unto the said Maj. Gill the residue of the growing Rents of the said manor now due, or shall from henceforth become due and payable to the said Major Gill by virtue of his Purchase aforesaid. Cop. ex. Edw: noel clerk, attending the said Committee. By virtue of this Order I received two Rents, but by reason of Sir W. Allonson or some others, they are since detained. GEORGE GILL.