House of Commons Journal Volume 11: 25 January 1697

Lunæ, 25 die Januarii;

8° Gulielmi Tertii.

Prayers.

Leigh's Estate.

A BILL to enable Edward Leigh Esquire, and Jane his Wife, and their Trustees, to sell the Manors of Waxham and Horsey, and certain Lands and Tenements, in Norfolk; and to purchase and settle other Lands, to the same Uses; was read a Second time.

Resolved, That the Bill be committed to Mr. Serjeant Bond, Sir Robert Cotton, Mr. Farrer, Sir Tho. Roberts, Mr. Serjeant Wogan, Sir Geo. Chute, Sir Cha. Windham, Sir Fra. Masham, Mr. Price, Sir Cha. Turner, Mr. Harcourt, Mr. Campion, Mr. Foley, Sir Wm. Hustler, Mr. Fleming, Sir Philip Butler, Mr. Bagnold, Mr. Blofeild, Mr. Watlington, Mr. Serjeant Coward, Mr. Ryder, Mr. Bohun, Mr. Colt, Mr. Cary, Mr. Rowney, Mr. Chadwick, Dr. Oxendon, Sir John Turner, Mr. Brotherton, Mr. Tilney, Mr. Pudsey, Mr. Woodrofe; and all that serve for the Counties of Norfolk and Suffolk: And they are to meet this Afternoon at Five a Clock, in the Speaker's Chamber.

Ashton's Marriage Settlement.

An ingrossed Bill, from the Lords, intituled, An Act to enable Sir Ralph Ashton Baronet to supply an Omission of a Limitation intended in his Marriage Settlement, for the Benefit of his Issue Male, was read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time.

Punishing Mutiny and Desertion.

A Bill for continuing several former Acts for punishing Officers and Soldiers who shall mutiny, or desert his Majesty's Service; and for punishing false Musters; and for Payment of Quarters; for One Year longer; was read a Second time.

Resolved, That the Bill be committed to a Committee of the whole House.

Resolved, That this House will, upon this Day Sevennight, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of the said Bill.

King's Lynn Port.

A Petition of the Chancellor, Masters, and Scholars, of the University of Cambridge, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Navigation from the Town of King's Lynn to the said University is of such Importance that they cannot reasonably subsist without it; and several Laws have been made for its Preservation; but the Petitioners are under great Apprehensions of losing the Benefit of the said Navigation; which Mischief is solely imputed to the Works of the Drainers of Bedford Level: And praying, That they may be freed from the great Inconveniencies they apprehend themselves liable unto.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table until the Bill for the better preservation of the Navigation of the Port of Lynn Regis, in the County of Norfolk, be read a Second time.

Ditto.

A Petition of the Mayor, Aldermen, and CommonCouncil, of the Town and Borough of Cambridge, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the said Town, and Parts adjacent, heretofore have been well supplied with Coals, Fish, Salt, and all Sorts of foreign Merchandize, at reasonable Rates, from the Port of King's Lynn, by the Rivers of Great Owze and Grant, in Vessels and Barges of great Burden; but, by reason of a Dam and Sluice, erected at Denver, cross the Owze, by the Adventurers for draining Bedford Level, the said Navigation is much prejudiced, not only by Delays in passing through the said Sluice, but also for that the Owze, from that Sluice to Sea, is choaked up, that small Vessels cannot pass therein, without great Danger, Delay, and Charge; and the Navigation is very likely to be suddenly lost, if not prevented: And praying, That all Obstructions to the said Navigation may be removed, whereby their usual Trade and Commerce may be restored.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table until the Bill for the better Preservation of the Navigation of the Port of Lynn Regis, in the County of Norfolk, be read a Second time.

Ditto.

A Petition of the Deputy-Lieutenants, Justices of the Peace, and Grand Jury, at the Quarter-Sessions for the County of Huntingdon, and of other the Gentlemen, Freeholders, and Inhabitants, of the said County, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Corporation of King's Lynn have lately demanded the Corporation for draining Bedford Level to take away their navigable Sass, erected at the Hermitage near Erith, and their Sluices at Denver Dam; which will deprive the Petioners of the Use of the 100 Foot River; whereby the Petitioners Towns and Countries have a far quicker and more certain Navigation than before the Draining, to the great Advancement of Trade and Commerce: And praying, That the said navigable Sass and Sluices may be continued; and thereby the Navigation of the said 100 Foot River will be preserved.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table until the Bill for the better preservation of the Navigation of the Port of Lynn Regis, in the County of Norfolk, be read a Second time.

Avon Navigation.

Mr. Freke, according to Order, presented to the House a Bill for making the River Avon navigable: And the same was received.

Call of the House

The House was, according to the Order of the Day, called over:

And such as made Default to appear were noted down: And the Absence of some were excused, upon Account of Sickness, and urgent Occasions: And others were not excused; viz. William Howard Esquire, Sir Stephen Evance, Sir Isaac Rebow, and William Elson Esquire.

A Motion being made, and the Question being put, That William Howard Esquire be sent for in Custody of the Serjeant at Arms attending this House, for absenting himself from his Service in Parliament.

It passed in the Negative.

Ordered, That Sir Stephen Evance be sent for in Custody of the Serjeant at Arms attending this House, for absenting himself from the Service of the House.

Ordered, That Sir Issac Rebow be sent for in Custody of the Serjeant at Arms attending this House, for absenting himself from the Service of the House.

Ordered, That William Elson Esquire be sent for in Custody of the Serjeant at Arms attending this House, for absenting himself from the Service of the House.

Ordered, That the House be called over again upon this Day Fortnight.

Ordered, That such Members as shall not then be excused from their Attendance, be taken into the Custody of the Serjeant at Arms attending this House.

And then the House adjourned till To-morrow Morning, Nine a Clock.