House of Commons Journal Volume 11: 19 December 1696

Sabbati, 19 die Decembris;

8° Gulielmi Tertii.

Prayers.

Discount on Bank-Bills.

A PETITION of all the Clothiers, and other substantial Tradesmen, within the Borough of Newbery, in the County of Berks, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That, by reason of the Non-currency of Money, and the great Discount made upon Bank-Bills, the Petitioners cannot get Money from London, without great Loss; whereby they are incapable to buy Materials for carrying on their Trades, and employing the Poor, who otherwise must perish: And praying, That BankBills may be made payable without Discount.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table.

Stopford's Estates.

Ordered, That Leave be given to bring in a Bill to enable Robert Stopford Esquire to sell Lands and Tythes in Wysall, in the County of Nottingham, for Payment of Debts: And that Mr. Sloan do prepare, and bring in, the Bill.

Repairing Havens.

Ordered, That Leave be given to bring in a Bill for the Repair of decayed Havens, and making them more navigable: And that Mr. Brewer and Mr. Blofeild do prepare, and bring in, the Bill.

King's Lynn Port.

Ordered, That Leave be given to bring in a Bill for the better Preservation of the Navigation of the Port of King's Lynn, in the County of Norfolk: And that Sir Henry Hobart and Sir Charles Turner do prepare, and bring in, the Bill.

Committees.

Ordered, That all Committees be revived.

Privilege—a Person discharged.

James Dover, the Printer, was, according to Order, brought to the Bar: Where, upon his Knees, he received a Reprimand from Mr. Speaker.

Ordered, That the said James Dover be discharged out of Custody, paying his Fees.

Weaving Trade.

A Petition of the Churchwardens, Overseers of the Poor, and other ancient Inhabitants, of the Parish of St. Leonard, Shoreditch, in the County of Middlesex, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That a Considerable Part of the Inhabitants of the said Parish are either Weavers, or such who depend on them; who in great Numbers, have been destitute of Employment, as great Quantities of East-India-wrought Silks have been imported hither, though before well to pass; insomuch that the said Parish hath paid 1,500 l. a Year to the Subsistence of their Poor, and run themselves in Debt near 700 l. besides: That, lately, great Imports have been made of such Goods; and thereby many Weavers, and their Dependents, have been compelled to lay down their Trades, and fallen to the Parish; which is not able to relieve them: And praying the Commiseration of the House, That some Way may be found out for the Employment of their numerous Poor, as the House shall think fit.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table until the Bill to restrain the Wearing of all wrought Silks and Bengals, imported into this Kingdom from Persia and East-India, and all Callicoes printed or stained there, be read the Second time.

Letters of Marque.

Ordered, That Sir Rowland Gwyn, Mr. Culliford, Mr. Bertie, Mr. Sandford, Sir Ra. Dutton, Mr. Harcourt, Mr. Hamond, Mr. Baldwyn, Mr. Bohun, be added to the Committee, to whom the Consideration of the Petition of several Merchants of London is referred.

Excise Duties.

Ordered, That Mr. Duke, Mr. Mountague, Mr. Chadwick, Sir Bazil Dixwell, Mr. Bere, Mr. Mountstevens, Sir Wm. Coriton, be added to the Committee, to whom the Petition of the Brewers of the City of London is referred.

Regulating Elections.

A Petition of the Inhabitants of the Town and Borough of Honiton, in the County of Devon, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Bill, now depending in the House, for regulating Elections of Members to serve in Parliament, is to disable such Persons as have not a certain real Estate from serving in Parliament; which may so restrain the ancient Liberties of the said Borough, that many of its prudent Members, who have great personal Estates, may be rendered uncapable to represent them in Parliament: And praying, That the Rights and Privileges of the said Borough may be preserved.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table.

Leave of Absence.

Ordered, That Mr. Blake have Leave to go into the Country for Three Weeks, upon extraordinary Occasions.

Ordered, That Mr. Baldwyn have Leave to go into the Country, upon extraordinary Occasions.

Forestalling Leather.

A Petition of the Shoemakers, Sadlers, and Bookbinders, of the Town of Hallifax, in behalf of themselves, and several other Parishes, within the West Riding of the County of York, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth; That the said Town hath formerly been very eminent for buying and selling Leather; but, by the illegal Practices of Forestallers, who buy it untanned in the Pits, the Petitioners must go into other Counties to supply themselves, or give such Forestallers 18d. per Pound for what they bought before for 12 d. to the Impoverishing of the Petitioners, and Ruin of their Trades; effectual Provision not being made in the Acts of Parliament to prevent forestalling the Markets: And praying, That the House will take some effectual Course to prevent the like Abuses for the future.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to a Committee: And that they do examine the Matter thereof; and report the same, with their Opinion therein, to the House:

And it is referred to Lord Fairfax, Sir William York, Mr. Heveningham, Colonel Perry, Sir John Bolles, Mr. Slater, Mr. Foley, Mr. Clerk, Sir John Kay, Mr. Harvey, Mr. Pagit, Mr. Pierpoint, Sir Wm. Hustler, Mr. Pocklington, Sir S. Barnardiston, Mr. Norris, Sir Marm. Wyvell, Mr. Stonehouse, Lord Spencer, Mr. Mawdit, Mr. Thornhagh, Sir Jos. Tilly, Mr. Bethell, Mr. Lawton, Sir Gerv. Elwes, Mr. Baldwyn, Mr. Burdet, Mr. Fuller, Sir Richard Onslow, Mr. England: and all that serve for the Counties of York and Lancaster: And they are to meet this Afternoon at Five a Clock, in the Speaker's Chambers.

Regulating Elections.

An ingrossed Bill for the further regulating Elections of Members to serve in Parliament was, according to the Order of the Day, read the Third time.

An ingrossed Proviso was offered, as a Rider, That the Act shall not extend to disable any natural-born Subject of England, or the Dominions thereof, being a Merchant, who has Right of Election, from serving for that Place himself, upon making Oath that he is worth 5,000 l. in real and personal Estate: But no Person to be esteemed as a Merchant for having any Money in the Bank, or any other Company, only by reason of such Adventure:

And the same was twice read, with Blanks; which were filled up by the House:

And then the same was read the Third time; and, upon the Question put thereupon, agreed unto by the House to be made Part of the Bill.

Another ingrossed Proviso was offered, as a Rider, That, when the Election of a Knight of the Shire for Sussex shall be at Chichester, the Sheriff, at the Request of a Candidate, shall adjourn the Poll, after the Freeholders there are all polled, to Lewis, in the same County:

And the same was thrice read; and upon the Question put thereupon, agreed unto by the House to be made Part of the Bill.

A Motion being made, and the Question being put, That the Bill do pass;

The House divided.

The Yeas go forth.

So it was resolved in the Affirmative.

Ordered, That Sir Richard Onslow, do carry the Bill to the Lords, and desire their Concurrence thereunto.

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