House of Commons Journal Volume 11: 20 April 1695

Sabbati, 20 die Aprilis;

7° Gulielmi Tertii.

Prayers.

Proceedings on late Election of Speaker.

ORDERED, That the Committee appointed to draw up the Proceedings of the House, in relation to the late Election of the Speaker, be revived: And that they do sit de die in diem; and have Power to make the Entry thereof in the Journal.

Gold, &c. exported.

Sir Robert Clayton, from the Commissioners of the Customs, presented to the House, according to Order, an Account of the Entries at the Custom-house of the Gold and Silver exported for Twelve Months last past; and in whose Name entered:

And the Title of it was read.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Account be referred to the Committee of the whole House, to whom the ingrossed Bill, from the Lords, intituled, An Act to prevent counterfeiting and clipping the Coin of this Kingdom, is committed.

Buying and Selling Offices.

Mr. Arnold reported from the Committee, to whom the Examination and Consideration of the Petition of Pencivall Brunskell Gentleman was referred, That they had examined and considered the Matter of the said Petition; and had come to several Resolutions thereupon; which they had directed him to report to the House; and which he read in his Place; and afterwards delivered in at the Clerk's Table: Where the same was read; and is as followeth; viz.

That the said Mr. Brunskell did, in the Year 1674, discover how the Crown was wronged, and the Subject oppressed, by many undue Practices, proceeding from buying and selling Offices; and proposed how to remedy the same: And his Discovery, and Proposals, were agreed to be good Service, and worthy of Reward.

It likewise appeared to the Committee, That his late Majesty King Charles the IId did grant to him the Office of Surveyor-General of the Green-wax Fines, and a Commissioner in the Alienation-Office; but he was soon turned out of those Places, and received little Salary during his Continuance therein:

That the said Mr. Brunskell, by making and prosecuting the said Discoveries, hath lost his Practice (being an Attorney); hath spent his Estate, and contracted great Debts; and hath been a very great Sufferer, ever since such his Discoveries, for such Discoveries:

That, upon this Revolution, his present Majesty, being graciously inclined to restore him to his said Offices, referred his Case to the Consideration of the Barons of the Exchequer; who reported him a Person every way qualified and deserving the said Offices; whereupon his Majesty graciously promised to restore him to his said Places, as appeared to the Committee by a Certificate under the Hand of his Grace the Duke of Bolton.

And that, upon the whole Matter, the Committee thought fit to come to these Resolutions; viz.

Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That the said Mr. Brunskell's Services and Sufferings are worthy of the Consideration of this House.

Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That the House be moved, That an humble Address be made to his Majesty, That he would be graciously pleased to take into his princely Consideration the Services and Sufferings of the said Mr. Brunskell, and reward the same.

The first Resolution being read a Second time;

And the Question being put, That the House do agree with the Committee in the said Resolution;

It passed in the Negative.

Prohibiting Commerce with France.

An ingrossed Bill, from the Lords, intituled, An Act for declaring the Commencement of an Act, intituled, An Act for continuing the Acts for prohibiting all Trade and Commerce with France, and for the Encouragement of Privateers, to be, from the Time that it passed the Royal Assent; to wit, on the 14th Day of March 1692; was read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time.

A Message from the Lords, by Sir Miles Cooke and Mr. Holford:

Mr. Speaker,

Raising the Militia.

The Lords have agreed to the Bill, intituled, An Act for raising the Militia of this Kingdom for the Year One thousand Six hundred Ninety-five; and for repealing of the Statute, of the Third and Fourth Years of King Edward the Sixth, intituled, An Act against Shooting in Hail-shot:

Duties on Paper, &c.

And also, to the Bill, intituled, An Act for explaining and regulating several Doubts, Duties, and Penalties, in the late Act for granting several Duties upon Vellum, Parchment, and Paper; and for ascertaining the Admeasurement of the Tonage of Ships; without any Amendments.

And then the Messengers withdrew.

Quartering Soldiers.

Irish Arrears.

Mr. Harley reported, from the Commissioners for taking and stating the publick Accounts, the Matter, upon the Petition of the Inn-keepers and Victuallers in the City of Coventry, and County of the same; and also upon several Petitions and Complaints touching the Irish Arrears, due to the Army; That considerable Parts thereof were paid to the Colonels, and other Officers, of the Army.

Resolved, That an humble Address be presented to his Majesty, by such Members of this House as are of his Majesty's most Honourable Privy-Council, That he will be pleased to give such effectual Directions, That the Colonels, and other Officers, of the Army, employed for the Reduction of Ireland, may speedily account with, and satisfy, their inferior Officers and Soldiers, as far as they have received Money from his Majesty.

Encouragement of Privateers.

The Order of the Day, for the House to resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider further of the Bill for the better Encouragement of Privateers, was read:

Resolved, That Mr. Speaker do leave the Chair.

Mr. Speaker left the Chair.

Mr. Harcourt took the Chair of the Committee.

Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair.

Mr. Harcourt reported from the Committee, That they had gone through the Bill; and made several Amendments; which they had directed him to report, when the House will please to receive the same.

Ordered, That the Report be received upon Monday Morning next, after Eleven a Clock.

Conference with Lords.

A Message from the Lords, by Mr. Holford and Mr. Pitt:

Mr. Speaker,

The Lords do desire a present free Conference with this House in the Painted Chamber, upon the Subject-matter of the last free Conference.

And then the Messengers withdrew.

To which the House agreed.

And the Messengers were called in again: And Mr. Speaker acquainted them therewith.

Ordered, That the Managers who managed the last free Conference, do manage this free Conference.

And they went to the free Conference.

And, being returned;

Mr. Boyle reported, That they had met the Lords at the free Conference: And that it was opened by the Duke of Bolton; who acquainted them, That the Lords do agree, That the Words in the Bill, after the Word "notwithstanding," in the Second Skin, 22 Line, to the Word "that," in the 35 Line, do stand.

And, after the Word "committed," in the 35 Line, the Lords add these Words following; "Except the Treason or Offence do consist in endeavouring or attempting to do any Hurt, Violence, or Mischief, to the Person of the King."

3 Skin, 8 L. The Lords adhere to the Clause B.

Ordered, That the said Report be taken into Consideration upon Monday Morning next.

Preventing counterfeiting Coin.

The House, according to the Order of the Day, resolved itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider further of the ingrossed Bill, from the Lords, intituled, An Act to prevent counterfeiting and clipping the Coin of this Kingdom.

Mr. Speaker left the Chair.

Mr. Scobell took the Chair of the Committee.

Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair.

Mr. Scobell reported from the Committee, That they had gone through the Bill; and made several Amendments thereunto; which they had directed him to report, when the House will please to receive the same.

Ordered, That the Report be made upon Monday Morning next.

And then the House adjourned till Monday Morning, Nine a Clock.