House of Commons Journal Volume 11: 25 January 1696

Sabbati, 25 die Januarii ;

7° Gulielmi Tertii.

Prayers.

Portsmouth Writ.

Ordered, That Mr. Speaker do issue his Warrant to the Clerk of the Crown, to make out a new Writ, for electing a Burgess to serve in this present Parliament for the Borough of Portsmouth in the County of Southampton, in the room of Edward Russell Esquire, who made his Election to serve for the County of Cambridge; the last Election being adjudged void.

Coparcenary Lands.

Ordered, That Leave be given to bring in a Bill for the more easy Division of Estates of Coparceners: And that Mr. Tredenham do prepare, and bring in, the Bill.

Duty of Coals.

A Petition of the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Commons, of the City of London, in Common-Council assembled, was presented to the House and read; setting forth, That all the Inhabitants in the said City are greatly burdened by the late Imposition of 5s. per Chaldron upon Coals: That many Persons, whose Trades require a greater Consumption of Coals than others, are not able to carry on their Trades, by reason of their Dearness; to the Impoverishment of their Families, and the great Increase of the Poor: And praying the Relief and Consideration of the House in the Premises.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee appointed to consider of the Act, made the last Parliament, for granting to his Majesty certain Duties upon Glass Wares, Stone and Earthen Bottles, Coals, and Culm, for carrying on the War against France; and of the Doubts and Complaints relating thereunto.

Darwent Navigation.

A Petition of the Gentry, Lead-merchants, Freeholders, Mines, and others, concerned in the Trade of Lead in the County of Derby, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the making the Rivers of Darwent, in the County of Derby, navigable, from the River Trent to the Town of Derby, will be of great Use and Advantage to all the adjacent Countries, and will lessen the Charge of Land-carriage, and preserve the Highways, which are almost unpassable in Winter: That this Navigation will greatly encourage Trade, and advance the Rent of Lands; and prejudice Nobody, without a reasonable Satisfaction: And praying the Consideration of the House in the Premises.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee, to whom the Bill for making the said River of Darwent navigable is committed.

Ditto.

A Petition of the Freeholders, Copyholders, Farmers, and others, the Inhabitants of Radford, Bramkote, Sandeacre, Stableford, Eaton, Long Eaton, and Attenbury, in the Counties of Derby and Nottingham, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That there is a Bill now depending in the House, for making the River Darwent, in the County of Derby, navigable, which will be a great Detriment to all Persons bordering thereon; the Meadows and Lands, for many Miles, will be ruined and overflown, by the Breaking down of the Banks; the Fords, over which they now carry Coals, and other Necessaries, from Town to Town, will become useless: the Price of Corn will fall, whereby the Tenant will be disabled to pay his Rent; and, consequently, the Rents of Land must abate; and many Thousands of poor People, who subsist by the Land-carriage of Commodities out of the Counties of Derby, Nottingham, and Leicester, into Cheshire, and other Parts, will be utterly ruined; together with many other Inconveniencies that attend the said Navigation: And praying the House to take the Premises into Consideration.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee, to whom the said Bill is committed.

Ditto.

A Petition of the Gentlemen, Freeholders, and others, in the County of Nottingham, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Bill, now depending in the House, for making the River Darwent, in the County of Derby, navigable, if passed, will be of great Damage to the Petitioners, in reducing the Price of Corn; and bring so many other Inconveniences upon them as they dare not now express: And praying, That they may be heard by Counsel before the Passing of the said Bill.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee, to whom the said Bill is committed.

Avon Navigation.

A Bill for making the River Avon, in the Counties of Wilts, Gloucester, and Somerset, navigable, was, according to Order, read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time.

Duties on Glass, &c.

A Petition of the Mayor and Jurats, on behalf of themselves, and the Commonalty, of the Town and Port of Hastings, one of the Cinque-Ports, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That all the Vessels belonging to the said Town are employed in the CoalTrade to Newcastle; which Trade is the chief Support of the Town: That, since the War, the Number of their Vessels are reduced to about Sixty old decayed Vessels, which will yearly eat up their Earnings with Reparations; That, by reason of the Duties laid upon Coals water-borne, by the Act, made last Parliament, for granting to his Majesty certain Duties upon Glass Wares, Stone and Earthen Bottles, Coals, and Culm, for carrying on the War against France, the Owners of the said Vessels are under so great a Burden, that they will be necessitated to lay up their Vessels, to the Ruin and Impoverishment of the said Trade and Town: And praying Relief, by Abatement of the said Duty upon Coals, or otherwise, as the House shall think sit.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee appointed to consider of the said Act; and of the Doubts and Complaints relating thereunto.

Preventing Export of Wool.

Ordered, That Mr. Brewer, Sir Robert Jenkinson, Sir Robert Davers, Mr. Colt, Sir Rowland Gwyn, Lord Spencer, Mr. Lutterell, Serjeant Coward, Mr. Bertie, Sir John Trevillian, Mr. Try, be added to the Committee, to whom the Bill to prevent the Exportation of Wool; and encourage the Importation thereof from Ireland; is committed: And that the Committee do sit de die in diem.

Ailisbury Election.

Ordered, That the Report from the Committee of Privileges and Elections, touching the Election for the Borough of Ailisbury, in the County of Bucks, be made upon Tuesday Morning next.

Debtors Relief.

Sir John Lowther reported from the Committee, to whom the Bill for Relief of poor Prisoners for Debt and Damages was committed, That they had made several Amendments to the Bill; 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 were once read throughout; and then a Second time, one by one; and, upon the Question severally put thereupon, agreed unto by the House.

Ordered, That the Bill, with the Amendments, be ingrossed.

Encouraging Seamen.

A Petition of the ancient Company of Fishmongers, London, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners are informed, That the Company of Fishermen of the River of Thames have petitioned the House for Leave to insert a Clause in the Bill for the Increase and Encouragement of Seamen, to impower the Fishermen to keep a Register of all Fishermen, Dredgermen, and Servants, within their Precincts; and to give an Account of them to the general Register for Seamen: That, if such a Clause should be inserted, it will not only be a great Prejudice to the Petitioners, but also an Injury to the Publick: And praying, That they may be heard, by Counsel, to offer their Reasons against such a Clause.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee of the whole House, to whom the Bill for the Increase and Encouragemen of Seamen is committed.

Supply Bill; Duties on Wines, &c.

Resolved, That this House will, upon Monday Morning next, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider further of the Bill for continuing several Duties, granted by former Acts, upon Wine and Vinegar, and upon Tobacco, and East-India Goods, and other Merchandize, imported, for carrying on the War against France.

Publick Receipts, &c.

Resolved, That this House will, upon Friday Morning next, take into Consideration the State of the publick Receipts and Payments, laid before the House by the Commissioners for taking and stating the publick Accounts.

Commissioners of Accounts.

Ordered, That the Lists of Names of Persons to be Commissioners for taking and stating the public Accounts be brought in upon Saturday Morning next.

Wye and Lugg Navigation.

A Petition of the High Sheriff, Justices of the Peace, Grand Jury, and other the Freeholders, of the County of Monmouth, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners find by the Votes, That a Bill is brought into the House for making the Rivers of Wye and Lugg, in the County of Hereford, navigable: That if the said Bill should pass into a Law, the whole County of Monmouth will manifestly be impoverished, and their Husbandry discouraged: And praying, That the House will take the Premises into Consideration; and that the said Bill may not pass.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee, to whom the said Bill is committed.

Ditto.

A Petition of the Gentlemen, Freeholders, and Inhabitants, of the Parish of Colwall, in the County of Hereford, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Bill now before this House, for making the Rivers of Wye and Lugg, in the County of Hereford, navigable, will be greatly . . . the Damage of the Petitioners: And praying a Time may be appointed for shewing their Reasons against the said Bill.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee, to whom the said Bill is committed.

Ditto.

A Petition of the Gentry, Freeholders, and Inhabitants, of Burgaveney, in the County of Monmouth, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Bill, now depending in the House, for making the River Wye navigable, if it should pass, will impoverish the whole County of Monmouth, and utterly destroy the Trade of the said Town: And praying, That the said Bill may not pass the House.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee, to whom the Bill for making the Rivers Wye and Lugg, in the County of Hereford, navigable, is committed.

Ditto.

A Petition of the Gentlemen, Freeholders, and Inhabitants, of the Parish of Coddington, in the County of Hereford, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Bill, now before the House, for making the Rivers Wye and Lugg, in the County of Hereford, navigable, will be a great Damage to the Petitioners, if it should pass: And praying a Day may be given for shewing their Reasons against the said Bill.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee, to whom the said Bill is committed.

State of the Nation.

Resolved, That this House will, upon Tuesday Morning next, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider further of the State of the Nation, in relation to Trade.

Call of the House.

Ordered, That the House be called over upon Monday Sevennight: And that such Members as shall not then attend, not having Leave to be absent, be sent for in Custody of the Serjeant at Arms attending this House.

Leave of Absence.

Ordered, That Colonel Mordaunt have Leave to go into the Country for a Fortnight, for Recovery of his Health.

Supply Bill; Land Tax.

Sir Thomas Littleton, according to the Order of the Day, reported, from the Committee of the whole House, to whom the Bill for granting to his Majesty an Aid of Four Shillings in the Pound, for one Year, for carrying on the War against France, was committed, the Amendments made by the Committee to the said Bill; 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 were once read throughout, and then several of them a Second time, one by one; and, upon the Question severally put thereupon, agreed unto by the House.

Ordered, That the further Consideration of the said Report be adjourned until Monday Morning next.

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