The 52nd day of this session of parliament
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Prayer said and rolls called.
The king being present.
The which day the report from the committee above-mentioned for considering upon the commotion of Ireland being read in audience of his majesty and parliament, of this tenor following, namely: the committee appointed for taking to their consideration the commotions in Ireland being met in [Alexander Leslie, earl of Leven], lord general's house, and having read the letter directed to the king's majesty from [Edward Chichester], lord Chichester, dated at Belfast, 21 October 1641, have considered that his majesty, out of his wisdom and royal care of the peace of his kingdoms, has already acquainted the parliament of England with the intelligence from Ireland, and has sent to Ireland to know the certainty of that commotion and of the forces of that combination, which, until it be further known, there can be no particular course taken for suppressing thereof; and the kingdom of Ireland being dependent upon the crown and kingdom of England, the English may conceive jealousies and mistake our forwardness when they shall hear of our preparations without their knowledge in this, wherein they are first and more properly concerned; and if the insurrection be of that importance as the British within Ireland are not powerful enough to suppress it without assistance of greater forces than their own, and that his majesty and parliament of England shall think our aid necessary to join with them, we conceive that the assistance which we can contribute may be in readiness as soon as England; and if, after resolution taken by his majesty with advice of both parliaments, it shall be found necessary that we give a present assistance, we shall go about it with that speed which may witness our dutiful respect to his majesty's service and our affection to our brethren, his majesty's loyal subjects of England and Ireland, as the report bears. His majesty and parliament appoint three of the barons and three of the burghs to meet with [Alexander Montgomery], earl of Eglinton at 3 o'clock after noon to take to their consideration by way of estimation or conjecture the number of boats or lymfads† which in the parts of this kingdom lying opposite to Ireland may be had in readiness, and what number of men may be transported therein, and to report again to the parliament. And ordain the foresaid report above-mentioned this day read and produced to be recorded in parliament for future memory as is above-written as a testimony of their affection to his majesty's service and the good of the neighbouring kingdoms.
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Our sovereign lord and estates of parliament, considering the great prejudices his majesty's lieges do sustain by the inconvenience of the present terms of payment of their debts and annualrents at Whitsunday [May/June] and Martinmas [11 November] heretofore, whereas if the same were altered and changed to Lammas [1 August] and Candlemas [2 February] yearly, they might get in their own rents and duties to pay their lawful creditors therewith more easily at the said terms of Lammas and Candlemas than at the former terms of Whitsunday and Martinmas. Therefore, our sovereign lord and estates of parliament have now altered and changed the former course of terms of payment from Whitsunday and Martinmas to the terms of Lammas and Candlemas in all time hereafter and ordain the same to be usual terms of payment of all debts and annualrent and for using of all order of redemption; and ordain all premonitions and requisitions to be made before the said terms of Lammas and Candlemas in place of the terms of Whitsunday and Martinmas in time coming, notwithstanding of any clause of redemption, premonition or requisition contained in any bonds or other writs bearing same to be made or done either before Whitsunday or Martinmas in manner specified therein, with the which our sovereign lord and estates of parliament dispense for ever; beginning the first term's redemption, premonition or requisition at and before Candlemas next, in place of the term of Martinmas, and the next term at and before Lammas next, for and in place of Whitsunday, and so forth yearly and termly in all time coming, without prejudice to all creditors of all their just annualrents that shall be due to them from Martinmas next to Candlemas next, and from Whitsunday to Lammas, which is declared to be one quarter's annualrent, and likewise without prejudice to them of all other bygone annualrent resting owed to them of whatsoever other years or terms preceding, which are and shall be paid at the term of Candlemas next. And this act to be understood only for borrowing and lending of monies upon bonds or infeftment and payment of annualrents, and the former terms of Whitsunday and Martinmas to stand for redemptions, proper wadsets, flitting and removing of tenants both in burgh and land.