House of Commons Journal Volume 11: 2 February 1697

Martis, 2 die Februarii;

8° Gulielmi Tertii.

Prayers.

Stepney Parish.

A PETITION of the Inhabitants of the Hamlet of Spittle-Fields, in the Parish of Stebunheath, alias Stepney, in the County of Middlesex, was presented to the House, and read; . . . . . . ., That their Parish-Church is not large enough to hold One-tenth of the Parishioners, nor their Burial-place sufficient to contain the vast Numbers of their Dead; and the Petitioners are at great Distance from the said Church: And praying, That, out of the Monies to be raised by the Act for completing the building and adorning the Cathedral Church of St. Paul's, London, some Provision may be allotted for building a Place for Divine Worship, for the Use of the said Inhabitants of the said Hamlet.

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

Privilege a Person petitions for Discharge.

A Petition of John Tilly Esquire, in Custody of the Serjeant at Arms attending this House, was presented to the House, and read; by which he prayed to be discharged out of Custody.

Ordered, That the said Mr. Tilly be brought to the Bar of this House To-morrow Morning, in order to his Discharge.

Privilege a Person reprimanded and discharged.

Robert Markham, in Custody of the Serjeant at Arms, was, according to Order, brought to the Bar: Where, upon his Knees, he received a Reprimand from Mr. Speaker.

Ordered, That the said Robert Markham be discharged out of Custody, paying his Fees.

Committees.

Ordered, That all Committees be revived.

Leave of Absence.

Ordered, That Mr. Popham have Leave to go into the Country for a Month, for Recovery of his Health.

Regulating Printing and Printing Presses.

Mr. Bere, according to Order, presented to the House a Bill for the regulating Printing, and Printing-presses: And the same was received.

The Bill was read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time.

Russia Company.

Mr. Moor, according to Order, presented to the House a Bill for admitting Merchants into the Freedom of the Russia Company, upon reasonable Terms: And the same was received.

The Bill was read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time.

St. Paul's Cathedral.

A Bill for completing the building and adorning the Cathedral Church of St. Paul's, London, 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.

Ordered, That it be an Instruction to the said Committee, That they have Power to receive Clauses, for making such Conveniencies to the Church of St. Paul's as shall be proper and necessary.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition of the Inhabitants of Spittle-Fields be referred to the said Committee of the whole House.

Westminster Abbey.

A Petition of the Dean and Chapter of the Collegiate Church of St. Peter's, in Westminster, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the said Church hath been hitherto supported at the sole Charges of the said Dean and Chapter; and although there has been expended, in the Repairs thereof, since the Restoration of King Charles the IId, near 20,000 l. besides great Sums laid out in the Two first Years after the said Restoration, yet the Structure of the said Church is so very defective, that the Petitioners are advised by Surveyors, that it will cost about 40,000 l. to support and repair the same as it ought to be; which the Petitioners are not able to raise, or support the said Church any longer, without the Aid of the House: And praying, That they may have some Allowance made out of the said Act for repairing the said Church.

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

Answer to Address.

The Lord Coningsby reported to the House, That their Address, in relation to the Newfoundland Trade, having been presented to his Majesty, his Majesty was pleased to say, That he had and would take all imaginable Care for the retrieving so beneficial a Trade.

Stopford's Estate.

A Petition of Sir Thomas Hales Baronet was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That there is a Bill depending in the House to enable Robert Stopford Esquire, to sell Lands and Tythes in Wysall, in the County of Nottingham, for Payment of his Debts: That James Stopford Esquire, deceased, Father of the said Robert, was indebted to the Petitioner's Testator 200 l. Principal Money, upon Bond; which is not yet paid; but the Bond is now in Suit in Ireland; so that the Petitioner cannot produce it, to prove his Debt, which is just: And praying, That the said Bill may not pass, without Care be taken for Payment of the said Debt.

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

And that Mr. Whitaker, Mr. Worsley, Mr. Culliford, Mr. Bridges, be added to the said Committee.

Proceedings in Courts of Equity.

Sir Richard Temple presented to the House a Bill to regulate the Court of Chancery, and other Courts of Equity: And the same was received.

Preventing Exportation of Wool.

Mr. Brewer, according to Order, presented to the House a Bill for the more effectual preventing the Exportation of Wool: And the same was received.

Prohibiting India Silks, Callicoes, &c.

Ordered, That the ingrossed 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 Third time upon Thursday Morning next, after the Reports from the Committee of Privileges and Elections.

Preventing the purchase and sale of Offices.

A Bill to prevent the Buying and Selling of Offices and Places of Trust was read a Second time.

Resolved, That the Bill be committed to Colonel Wharton, Sir Wm. Lowther, Lord Coningsby, Sir Chr. Musgrave, Mr. Mountague, Mr. Heveningham, Mr. Molesworth, Mr. Attorney-General, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Price, Mr. Manly, Mr. Culliford, Sir Cha. Sidly, Mr. Pocklington, Mr. Arnold, Mr. Lowther, Mr. Morgan, Mr. Chadwick, Mr. Vernon, Sir Tho. Roberts, Sir Wm. Honywood, Mr. Fleming, Mr. Mountstevens, Sir John Bolles, Mr. Foley, Mr. Winington, Mr. Clark, Mr. Bowyer, Sir Hen. Hobart, Mr. Whitaker, Mr. Stockdale, Sir John Phillips, Mr. Hoar, Mr. Brewer, Mr. Colt, Sir Fra. Masham, Dr. Oxendon, Sir Fra. Winington, Sir Sam. Barnardiston, Mr. Freke, Mr. Perry, Mr. Gwyn, Sir Phill. Buller, Sir Walter Young, Sir Rowland Gwynn: And they are to meet this Afternoon at Five a Clock, in the Speaker's Chamber.

Abuses in the Mint.

Mr. Arnold reported from the Committee appointed to examine what Dyes have been got out of the Tower, and by what Means; and to inquire into the Miscarriages of the Patent-Officers of the Mint; That they, having examined some Officers of the Mint, in the Tower, in relation to the Dyes which have been clandestinely delivered out of the Tower, by some Persons concerned in the Coinage, do find, by the Evidence of Captain Harris, and the Warden of the Mint, That several Pieces of new Crowns and Half-crowns have been counterfeited lately; which, they are positive, were done with the Dyes that are in the Tower:

And that it appeared to the Committee, That Mr. Roteer, who cuts the Dyes, has the keeping thereof, and of the great Press; and though Captain Harris be the Patent-Officer, and ought to have the Inspection of the Dyes, yet that the said Roteer would never suffer him to come into the House where the Press and Dyes are kept: And,

That one Daniel Ware made a Press for one White, who lies now under Sentence of Condemnation: And that White did tell him, That he could have Dyes from Roteer when he pleased:

And that the Committee do conceive, That it is too great a Trust, and may be of dangerous Consequence, for the said Roteer to have the Custody of the Dyes, he being a Roman Catholick, and keeping an Irish Papist in his House; and having the Custody of the said Dyes, it lies in his Power to let them out when he pleases, or to coin false Money in the Tower:

That the Lord Lucas has complained, That the Tower is not safe, while so many Papists are entertained in Roteer's House:

And that it appears, That the said Roteer is a very dangerous Person: And that the Master of the Mint, the Warden of the Mint, and the Engraver, all declared, That the Coinage might be carried on without the Assistance of Roteer:

And that the Committee had directed, That the House should be moved, That they would give Directions for securing the Dyes and Punchions in the Tower:

Ordered, That all the Punchions, Dyes, Presses, and other things belonging to his Majesty's Mint, in the Hands of Mr. Roteer, in the Tower, be immediately seized by the Officers of the Mint.

Ordered, That the said Committee do also inquire into the Miscarriages of the Mints in the Country.

Supply.

The House, according to the Order of the Day, resolved itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider further of the Supply to be granted to his Majesty, for making good the Deficiency of Parliamentary Funds; and of that Part of his Majesty's Speech which relates to the Credit of the Nation.

Mr. Speaker left the Chair.

Sir Thomas Littleton took the Chair of the Committee.

Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair.

Sir Thomas Littleton reported from the said Committee, That they had come to several Resolutions; which they had directed him to report, when the House will please to receive the same.

Ordered, That the said Report be made To-morrow Morning.

Ways and Means.

Resolved, That this House will, To-morrow Morning, after the said Report, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider further of Ways and Means for raising the Supply granted to his Majesty, for carrying on the War against France, for the Service of the Year 1697.

African Company.

Resolved, That this House will, upon Monday Morning next, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of the Bill for settling and regulating the Trade to Africa; and nothing to intervene.

Commissioners of Accounts.

Resolved, That this House will, To-morrow 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 will then proceed to a new Election of Commissioners; and nothing to intervene.

Supply Bill; Duties on Paper, &c.

Ordered, That the Bill for granting to his Majesty several Duties on Paper, Vellom, and other Things, to encourage the Bringing in of Plate, and hammered Money, to be coined; and for other the Purposes therein mentioned; be read a Second time upon Friday Morning next.

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