House of Commons Journal Volume 11: 23 December 1696

Mercurii, 23 die Decembris;

8° Gulielmi Tertii.

Prayers.

Prohibiting India Silks, Callicoes, &c.

A PETITION of divers Serge-makers, Woolcombers, and Yarn-makers, Inhabitants in and about the Town of Kettering, and Places adjacent, in the County of Northampton, on behalf of themselves, and other their Dependents, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners, who formerly employed but a few Hands, now employ many Hundred Families, who otherwise would want, in the Way of their Trade; which is much increased, by reason of the Scarcity and Dearness of East-India wrought Silks and Commodities; but, lately, great Quantities having been imported, it has struck such a Damp upon the Petitioners Trade; so that many of them are, and more will be, reduced to great Extremity, unless the Bill before the House, 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, do pass into an Act: And praying the House will hear what they have to offer in behalf of the said Bill.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table until the said Bill be read a Second time.

Ditto.

A Petition of the Worsted, Yarn, and Say-makers, of the ancient Borough of Bury St. Edmonds, in the County of Suffolk, and others, of the same Employment, within the said County, was presented to the House, and read: setting forth, That the Petitioners employ many Thousand poor Families in their Trades, whose Necessities require immediate Pay; and that the Petitioners, upon Sale of their Goods, though to Loss, cannot get ready Money, through the Scarcity of current Coin; but are forced to take Bank-Bills, as Payment; which will not pass again without a Discount of 15, 16, or 18 l. per Cent.; so that they are at great Loss thereby; and will be rendered uncapable to carry on their Trades, and employ and pay the Poor, who otherwise must starve: And praying the House to take their Condition into Consideration; and to give them some speedy Relief therein.

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 a Second time.

Privilege.

A Complaint being made to the House, That Colonel Lutterell, a Member of this House, was, for another Person, arrested by Joseph Blow and Thomas Clarke, and by them detained in Custody, notwithstanding they were acquainted and assured, by the said Mr. Lutterell, That he was a Member of this House, and not the Person they took him to be; in Breach of the Privileges of this House;

Ordered, That the said Joseph Blow and Thomas Clarke be, for the said Breach of Privilege, taken into the Custody of the Serjeant at Arms attending this House.

Preventing Exportation of Wool.

A Petition of the principal Gentry, Freeholders, and others, now or late Inhabitants of the Cinque-Ports, and Places adjacent, in behalf of themselves, and many others, having Estates near the Sea-Coasts, within the Counties of Kent and Sussex, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That, by a late Act of Parliament for the more effectual preventing the Exportation of Wool, &c. the triple Value and Forfeiture of such Wool as shall be transported, is justly inflicted; but that the Petitioners, and their Estate, being liable to answer the Forfeiture, wherein they are no-ways guilty, they think it hard; it not being in their Power to prevent such ill Practices; the same being done in the Night-time, by obscure Persons, of no Substance; so that if they should be discovered, they are not able to make Satisfaction for the Forfeiture, as the Act intended; so that the Petitioners Estates in those Parts are become of little or no Value; most of them not daring to live there themselves; and others refusing to take any Leases thereof, without Covenants of Indemnity against the said Forfeiture; whereby there will be no other Persons resident, but the Actors in those Mischiefs; which will rather advance than suppress them, and ruin the Petitioners: And praying, That the Rigour of the said Act may be mitigated as to the Petitioners; and that some other more effectual Way may be found out for punishing the Offenders.

Ordered, That a Committee be appointed to inspect the Laws for preventing the Exportation of Wool; and to consider of the most effectual Means for preventing the Exportation of Wool; and to report their Opinion therein to the House:

And it is referred to Mr. Pelham, Mr. Fuller, Sir Tho. Dyke, Mr. White, Sir John Fagg, Mr. Heveningham, Sir Rowland Gwyn, Mr. Hammond, Lord Coningsby, Mr. Norris, Sir Chr. Musgrove, Sir Gerv. Elwes, Mr. Blofeild, Mr. Moor, Serjeant Wogan, Mr. Perry, Mr. Brewer, Mr. Dolben, Sir John Bolles, Mr. Dore, Sir Cha. Sidley, Mr. Pocklington, Sir Wm. Twisden, Mr. England, Mr. Gwynn, Mr. Whitaker, Mr. Desbovery, Sir Ra. Delavall, Mr. Aislaby, Sir Fra. Massam, Sir Wm. Lowther, Mr. Chadwick, Mr. Hedger, Mr. Farrer, Mr. Roberts, Sir John Kay, Sir Wm. Ashurst, Mr. Mawditt, Sir Tho. Roberts, Mr. Onslow, Mr. Harvey, Mr. Boscawen, Sir Wm. Honywood, Dr. Oxenden, Sir Jacob Ashley, Sir Geo. Hungerford, Mr. Baldwyn, Mr. Osborne; and all that serve for the Counties of Kent, Sussex, Wilts, Somerset, Gloucester, Worcester, Devon, and Hereford; and the Commissioners of the Admiralty, who are Members of the House: And they are to meet this Afternoon at Five a Clock, in the Speaker's Chambers; and sit de die in diem: And are impowered to send for Persons, Papers, and Records.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the said Committee.

Letters of Marque.

Ordered, That the Merchants of the House, and Members of the Sea-ports, be added to the Committee, to whom the Consideration of the Petition of several Merchants of London, for Letters of Marque, is referred.

Answer to Address.

Sir Henry Goodrick reported to the House, That his Majesty having, according to their Order, been attended with their Address, That he would please to cause the Informations in relation to Conrade-Griebe to be laid before this House, his Majesty had been pleased to give an Answer thereunto in Writing, signed by his Majesty; and to command him to deliver the same to the House; which he did: And the same was read; and is as followeth; viz.

William R

HIS Majesty having received an Address from the House, whereby it was desired. That he would please to cause the Informations in relation to Conrade Greibe to be laid before this House, is pleased to acquaint them, That, upon the Discovery of the late Conspiracy against his Person and Government, the said Greibe was taken into Custody, among other suspected Persons, as being concerned in that Plot; and, about the same time, several Informations being sent and delivered to his Majesty, whereby he appeared to be a very dangerous Person, his Majesty thought it for his Safety, not to suffer him, being an Alien, to continue longer in this Kingdom; and did order the Duke of Wirtemberg, who was then going for Flanders, to transport him thither, in order to send him to the Elector of Brandenburg, his natural Prince; which was done accordingly: And the said Greibe was delivered to the General of the said Elector, who was by him appointed to receive him, together with the Informations.

Excise Duties.

A Petition of Henry Waddell Esquire, Mayor of the City of Canterbury, George Knowler, William Stanly, and John Shatwater, on behalf of themselves and the rest of the common Brewers inhabiting within the said City, and Places adjacent, and for the Town and Port of Feversham, in the County of Kent, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners have, with great Difficulty, complied with several Acts for a Duty of Excise, and hoped to be encouraged in their Trade; but, instead thereof, they suffer very great Hardships by several Clauses in the said Acts; and, more particularly, by the Act for laying several Duties on low Wines, and other things; which are so very grievous, that, if continued, the Petitioners cannot exercise their Trades: And praying, That they may be heard to make out their Grievances; and be relieved therein, as the House shall think fit.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee, to whom the Petition of the Company of Brewers of the City of London is referred.

Worsted, &c. Trade.

A Petition of the Worsted, Yarn, and Say-makers, of the ancient Borough of Bury St. Edmonds, in the County of Suffolk; and others of the same Employment, within the said County; was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That * * * *

That the said Petition do lie upon the Table.

Blackwell-hall Market.

Ordered, That Leave be given to bring in a Bill to restore the Market for Woollen Cloths in Blackwell-hall, and Welch-hall, to the Clothiers: And that Sir George Hungerford and Sir Thomas Mompesson do prepare, and bring in, the Bill.

Deficiency of Funds.

Sir Richard Onslow reported from the Committee appointed to consider, and state to the House, the Nature of the Deficiencies of Parliamentary Funds, and of the several Duties already voted; and how the said Deficiencies may be best provided for by the said Duties; and to whom was referred the Consideration of the Petition of the Persons who advanced the Sum of 564,700 l. upon the Credit of the Act for granting several Duties upon Glass-wares, Coals, and Culm; That they had considered the Matter to them referred; and had directed him to make a Report thereof, specially, to the House, in several States of the several Funds, and Deficiencies, and Duties; which he read in his Place; and afterwards delivered in at the Clerk's Table: Where the same were read; and are as follow; viz.

That the Committee had, accordingly, proceeded to examine the Nature of the several Parliamentary Funds; what Sums of Money have been borrowed upon each of them; how much they have paid off; the particular Remains; and what may be the Deficiencies of those Funds; and the Deficiencies arising by clipped Money:

They have also considered the Duties the House have already voted to grant; and what may be the Produce of those Duties, in the time for which they are intended to be granted:

And they have likewise considered how far those Duties may make good those Deficiencies:

And that the Committee have commanded him to lay before the House the State of the several Funds, with their particular Deficiencies; and also an Abstract of them, under the several Heads in which the Committee had considered them:

That the Committee had not proceeded to offer their Opinion about placing the several Funds, in order to make good the Deficiencies, till they knew whether the House intended to have any particular Regard for the Deficiency of the Coal-Act, and Tonage, which is taken away by Parliament:

But the Committee, being ordered to report, specially, the State of the Petition of those Persons who had advanced the Sum of 564,700 l. upon the Credit of the Act for granting several Duties upon Glass-wares, Coal, and Culm, did find, that the Allegations therein contained are true; and commanded him to report the same accordingly.

The NATURE of the FUNDS, whereunto the Deficiencies, either in the Produce, or by the clipped Money, or both, have any Relation; viz.

Deficiency of Funds.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Report be referred to the Committee of the whole House, who are to consider of the Supply granted to his Majesty, for making good the Deficiencies of Parliamentary Funds.

Resolved, That this House will, upon Tuesday Morning next, resolve itself into the said Committee of the whole House.

Supply; Deficiency or Coinage.

Colonel Wharton, according to the Order of the Day, reported from the Committee of the whole House, to whom it was referred to consider further of the Supply to be granted to his Majesty, for making good the Deficiency in re-coining hammered Money; and the Recompence to be given for bringing Plate into the Mints, to be coined; the Resolution of the said Committee; which they had directed him to report to the House; and which be read in his Place; and afterwards delivered in at the Clerk's Table: Where the same was read; and is as followeth; viz.

Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That, for making good the Deficiency in re-coining hammered Money; and the Recompence to be given for bringing Plate into the Mints, to be coined; the Sum of 125,000 l. be granted to his Majesty.

The said Resolution, being read a Second time, was, upon the Question put thereupon, agreed unto by the House.

Ways and Means.

Resolved, That this House will, upon Wednesday Morning next, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of Ways and Means for raising the Supply granted to his Majesty, for making good the Deficiency in re-coining hammered Money; and the Recompence to be given for bringing Plate into the Mints, to be coined.

Supply; Transport Debt.

Then the House, according to the Order of the Day, resolved itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of the Motion, made on Thursday last, for a Supply to be granted to his Majesty, for making good the Deficiency of the Provision for Payment of the TransportDebt, for the Reducing of Ireland.

Mr. Speaker left the Chair.

Mr. Norris took the Chair of the Committee.

Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair.

Mr. Norris reported from the said Committee, That they had considered the Matter to them referred; and had come to a Resolution; which they had directed him to report, when the House will please to receive the same.

Ordered, That the said Report be made upon Tuesday Morning next.

Commissioners of Account.

Resolved, That this House will, upon Saturday come Sevennight, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of the Bill for examining, taking, and stating, the publick Accounts of the Kingdom; to commence from the Expiration of the present Commission; and then proceed to a new Election of Commissioners.

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