House of Commons Journal Volume 11: 8 April 1697

Journal of the House of Commons: Volume 11, 1693-1697. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1803.

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'House of Commons Journal Volume 11: 8 April 1697', in Journal of the House of Commons: Volume 11, 1693-1697, (London, 1803) pp. 774-777. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/commons-jrnl/vol11/pp774-777 [accessed 26 March 2024]

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In this section

Jovis, 8 die Aprilis;

9° Gulielmi Tertii.

Exchequer Receipt

A BILL for the better Observation of the Course anciently used in the Receipt of the Exchequer, was read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time, Tomorrow Morning.

A Prosecution ordered.

Ordered, That Mr. Attorney-General do prosecute John Salusbury, for publishing false News in the Paper by him printed, intituled, "The Flying Post, or Post-Master."

Ordered, That the said John Salusbury, in Custody of the Serjeant at Arms attending this House, be brought to the Bar To-morrow Morning, in order to be discharged out of Custody.

Abuses in the Mint.

Mr. Arnold reported, from the Committee appointed to inquire into the Miscarriages of the Officers of the Mint, the Matter, as it appeared to the said Committee, and the Resolutions of the Committee thereupon; which he read in his Place; and afterwards delivered in at the Table: Where the same were read; and are as followeth; viz.

That the Mint, by the Charter thereof, is a Corporation, consisting of the Warden, the Workers, and Moneyers, and other Ministers:

The Warden or Keeper of Exchanges of Bullion, and new-coined Monies, is, by his Office, a Magistrate, set over the Exchanges, or Mints, to do Right and Justice to the Members thereof, in all their Complaints and Differences, except in Causes of Freehold, and Causes relating to the Crown: Standing Orders are made by him, the Master, and Comptroller, or any Two of them, whereof he is One: He takes care of the Buildings, and pays the Charges of Repairs, first allowed by the Master, Comptroller, and Assay-master, or any Two of them, whereof the Master to be One: He supervises the whole Process of the Coinage, and pays the Charges thereof, and the Salaries of the Officers; except the Master's Salary and Wages, and such Salaries and Wages as are appointed to be paid by the Master: With the Consent of the General of the Mint of Scotland, he makes the Standard Weights for the Mint of England and Scotland:

That the Workers are, the Master, and his Melter, Refiner, and Assay-master; with their Assistants, Clerks, and Under-workmen: The Master, upon any new Occasion of Coinage, contracts with the King, by Indenture; and, according to the Indenture, by the Assistance of his aforesaid Servants, receives, melts, or refines; assays and allays the Gold and Silver to be coined; and runs it into Standard Bars; and delivers those Bars, by Weight, to the Moneyers:

That the Moneyers draw, cut out, size, blanch, edge, and coin, those Bars into Monies, Sissel and Broakage back to the Masters, by Weight: These live in the Country, attend the Mint whenever called; take Apprentices; and form themselves into a Government, by electing One of them to be their Provost.

That the other Ministers are, the Comptroller, Assaymaster, Surveyor of the Meltings, Weigher, and Teller, King's Clerk, Clerk of the Irons, &c.: These, and the Warden and standing Officers, with set Salaries, to see that the Workers and Moneyers do their Duty, in working and coining the Gold and Silver: The Workers and Moneyers, except the Master, are no standing Officers, nor have Salaries; but, as Workmen, receive Wages, after a certain Rate in the Pound Weight, for all the Gold and Silver they work and coin:

The Comptroller is, in behalf of the King, a Cheque upon the Master, in his Accounts; and upon the Assaymasters, in their Assays: He makes a ComptrolmentRoll every Year, on Oath, of all the Bullion molten, with its Allay; and of all the Monies coined that Year; and supervises the whole Coinage; and, with the Warden and Master, locks up the Gold and Silver, and the Pix, and Coinage-Duty:

That the Assay-master is, in behalf of the King, a Cheque upon the Master, for his Assays; and keeps Books of all the Gold and Silver, as to the Quantity and Finaness, and of the Pot-assays: When the Importer and Master disagrees about the Price of Bullion, the Assaymaster, in the Presence of the Warden and Comptroller, assays the same; and the Master then receives it, and stands charged with it, according to the Assay-master's Report:

That the Surveyor of the Meltings is, in behalf of the King, a Cheque upon the Melter, to see that the Gold and Silver, and its Allay, set out, and nothing else, be put into the Melting-pot; and that the Pot-assays be duly taken out, and carried to the Assay-masters: He keeps a Book of all the Gold and Silver molten, with the Allay put into it:

That the Weigher and Teller weighs all the Gold and Silver brought into the Office of Receipt, either before or after Coinage; and, when it is requisite, he tells it there:

That the King's Clerk registers the Papers which pass between the Treasury and the Mint: Also he, and the Warden, and Comptroller, by their Clerks, or, at least, Two of the Three, in behalf of the King, rate and standard all the Gold and Silver brought into the Mint, and examine the Pots set out by the Master; and enter these Accounts in Day Books, Leidger-Books, and Books of Drs and Credrs:

That the Clerk of the Irons Business is, to keep an Account of all the Dyes made and hardened by the Smith; and, when they are worn out, he sees them defaced, in the Presence of the Warden, Master, and Comptroller: He now keeps an Account of all the Dyes that are sunk; and, for that End, has One of the Keys to the great Press, and to the Box of the Puncheons:

That there are also Two Auditors; who yearly examine and allow the Accounts of the Warden, and Master, and the Comptrolment-Roll: Also an Engraver, Two Engineers, and Smith; and above 200 Labourers, and ordinary Workmen, not necessary to give a particular Account of; nor of the extraordinary Clerks and Ministers employed by the Master upon this present Occasion, for re-coining the clipped hammered Money, and the Plate.

That it hath appeared to this Committee, That, in the Mints at York and Norwich, there lieth dead very great Sums of hammered Money uncoined, by the Negligence of the Officers in those Mints; whereas, at the Mint at Bristoll, there is now weekly coined 15,000l. per Week: That there hath appeared a very great Neglect both in the Moneyers and Officers of the said Mints; and that speedy Care ought to be taken therein.

That the Committee finding, by the Examinations of the Officers of the Mint, that almost the sole Government of the Making of the Money, not only in the Tower, but in all the Mints at Bristol, Chester, York, Exeter, and Norwich, depended on the Moneyers, who pretended to be a Corporation; the Committee sent for the Provosts, and others of the Moneyers, and required them to produce their Charter; which, after many trifling Delays and Excuses, they pretended was left by them in the Hands of the late Comptroller of the Mint, Mr. Hoar, deceased: The Committee sent for Mr. Hoar's Executrix; who delivered in to the Committee several Grants, Charters, and Inspeximus's, with other Papers relating to the Mint; but no Grant to the Corporation of Moneyers:

The said Provost and Moneyers being again required to produce their Grant, or Patent, they then pretended, That their Grant, or Charter, was, by them, left with the Lord Chief Baron: But, when that was brought, it proved only a Decree of his Majesty's Court of Exchequer, to exempt some of the Moneyers from bearing ParishOffices, and paying of some Duties, particularly therein mentioned:

That Mr. Braint, the Provost of the Moneyers, declared, He never had any Grant, or Charter, in his Hands: And believeth, what Charter there is, to be in Dr. Newton the present Warden's Hands:

Mr. Neale, a worthy Member of this House, and Master-worker of the Mint, declared, at the Committee, That he always looked on the Moneyers as a Corporation:

Dr. Newton, present Warden of the Mint, declared, That he had never seen any such Grant, or Patent, to the Moneyers; and believed, They had no other Charter but the general Charter of the Mint; which he had in his Possession; and was read over by the Committee, and contained no such Privilege and Powers as are now claimed by the Moneyers.

That one Hunter, who was a Servant to the Moneyers, conveyed away several of the Mint Dyes: That it appeared either a Connivance, or a great Neglect, in the Person intrusted with the Dyes: And that both the said Hunter, and one Scotch Robin, who was also concerned in the same Fact, have sheltered themselves in the Mint in Scotland.

That it appeared to the Committee, That, if the Melter and Assay-master of the Mint at the Tower, or at any other Mint, shall agree, and have a right Understanding, in the worst Sense, between them, that they may cheat the King, and the Publick, of vast Sums; and yet the Constitution of the Mint cannot prevent them.

The Committee doth observe, That the present Assaymaster, and the present Melter, of the Tower, have married Two Sisters: And that, notwithstanding the last Melter, Mr. Sheldon, gave up his Place of Melter, as not able to melt the Silver at 4 d. per Pound Weight, and bear all the Hurt and Loss; yet Mr. Ambrose, the present Melter, hath got a great Estate by this Place, and keeps his Coach:

The like is between the Master and Wardens of Goldsmiths Company and the Assay-master of the Mint, as to their being a Cheque upon the Standard, and the Assaying of Silver and Gold; and, if there shall be a Conspiracy either between the Melter and Assay-master of the Tower, or between the Master of Goldsmiths-hall and the Assay-master of the Tower, the King and Nation may be defrauded of vast Sums, if not prevented by some Comptrol over each of them; nor will the Pix-Box, or the Jury that serves or sits on that Assay, prevent it as the Law now stands; therefore to be prevented by a new Law.

The Committee does observe, That, notwithstanding the very great Trust, the Melter, the Assay-master, and the Moneyers, who have commonly 100,000l. of the King's and of the Nation's Money in their Hands; and, when the Plate comes in, will have greater Sums; having given no Security to the King, nor to the Mint, to answer the same;

The Committee does observe, That a Scire facias was brought by King James against Henry Slingsby Esquire, for not doing his Duty, as Comptroller of the Mint, in the Tower: And he was turned out; but, on Application of his good Friends, he had 500l. per Ann. for his Life.

Abuses in the Mint.

That the Committee do find, by the ancient Establishment of the Mint, That Seven Shillings was allowed for the Coinage of a Pound of Gold, and One Shilling and Six-pence for One Pound Weight of Silver; and One Shilling for One Pound Weight of Gold, and One Penyweight of Silver, to the King:

That the Scavanage, which is a Duty formerly paid towards the Coinage; but is taken away by Act of Parliament, and 500l. per Ann. settled in lieu thereof.

By a Patent, produced to the Committee, granted by the late King James to Thomas Neale, * Hoare, and Charles Duncomb, Esquires, it appears, That for the Coinage of the Copper Halfpence and Farthings, that 20d. per Pound was allowed for coining and milling the same in the Tower: And that 40l. per Cent. should be paid to the King out of the Profits of the same:

That the Committee do observe, That a new Patent is granted to several Commissioners for Term of
Years; and they to change all the Tin Halfpence and Farthings:

That the Committee hath had several Complaints, That the said Tin Farthings and Halfpence are not yet changed; but that several Thousand Pounds lie yet unchanged;

That Mr. Lawrence, of St. Peter's the Poor, London, Haberdasher, informed the Committee, That he hath very often pressed the present Commissioners for the making Copper Halfpence and Farthings, and their Officers, at their Office, to change him some Part of the Worth of 200l. he had by him, of good Tin Halfpence and Farthings; which they refused to do, and have refused above Two Years last past; but did proffer him, for 50l. in new milled Money or Guineas, they would change him 10l. worth of his Tin Halfpence and Farthings, and sell him 50l. worth of new Copper Farthings; and so proportionably for all his 200l.:

And that he knows of several 1,000l. worth of Tin Halfpence and Farthings that are left in several WareHouses in London and Southwark, of poor Country Tradesmen, and of Tradesmen of the poorer Sort of the Suburbs of London, to their very great Loss; and the said Office do refuse to change the same, contrary to the express Words of their Patent, or Grant, from his Majesty; it being the only Acknowlegment, or Rent, that they pay to the Crown, was the Changing and Taking in of Tin Halfpence and Farthings; which hath been a Cheat to the poorest trading People of England above 100,000l.:

That Mr. John Shorey, of St. Mechael, (fn. 1) [Backeasham.] Pewterer, faith, That because he could not (though he very earnestly endeavoured, for above Two Years, with the Commissioners and Officers of the Copper Farthings) change his Tin Halfpence and Farthings, he has been forced to melt down above 400l. Sterling worth; to his very great Loss and Damage: And that he bought some of them of the Officers of the Copper-Office:

That Mr. John Dyer, his Neighbour, hath melted down above 200l. Sterling worth; to his great Loss:

That he knoweth, That what Mr. Wm. Lawrence hath before informed, to be true, to his Knowlege:

That he was at a Committee of the Commissioners of Copper Farthings, about a Fortnight since; and they told him, they did not care to change any more Tin Farthings, but that they would pay him 10s. a Month for every 100l. worth; which is but the Interest of his said 100l.: And they did proffer him, if he would pay them 100l. in new milled Money or Guineas, and 5l. in Tin Halfpence and Farthings, they would pay him 105l. in Copper Halfpence and Farthings: That he sent their own Bills to them, for above 75l. and they did, nor would, pay him but 1l. 15s. in a whole Year's time.

And further faith, That, when the King is beyond Sea, and the Parliament up, the Commissioners would change no Tin Farthings; but sold several 1,000l. worth to the Country Shopkeepers: And the City cry out of this Oppression, as a very great Scandal and Abuse to the King, Parliament, and whole Government:

That, by the late Act of Parliament, One Shilling and Two-pence was allowed for the Melting, Milling, and Edging, of the Silver Money, to be coined; which One Shilling and Two-pence the great Officers have thus distributed;

Abuses in the Mint.

s. d.
To the Moneyers, for every Pound Weight of melted Silver 9
To the Master-worker
To the Smith that does all the Work — ¼
For rounding, blanching, and edging

Mr. Ambrose agreed with the Lords of the Treasury for Four-pence a Pound for melting all the clipped and hammered Money, to be melted at the Exchequer.

That the Committee observes, The King still pays One Shilling and Sixpence a Pound for the Coinage, besides the Charge of the Carriage to the Tower; notwithstanding the late Act ordained, That he should pay but One Shilling and Two-pence.

That the Committee do observe, That this Distribution is very unequal; some of the Workers having too little, and others too much: And the Committee is of Opinion, That it would be cheaper for the King, and better for the Mint and Coinage, if all the Moneyers and Officers had Salaries paid them by the King; and that no Fee should be taken of the Mint, but of the King.

That it appeared to the Committee, by the Confession of Mr. Samuel Sheppard, and also by an Account, under his own Hand, delivered, That he had received out of the Profits of the Master-worker's Place, from the 12th of June 1696, to the 19th of January of the same, the Sum of 5,996l. 11s. 1d. which he took and received to his own Use, by virtue of a Mortgage and an Assignment of 10,500l. made to him, by the Master-worker, Man, in the Mint in May last.

That the Committee doth further observe, That Mr. Hall, a very careful diligent Officer, and is the Masterworker's Deputy, and doth almost the whole Business of the Mint in Mr. Neale's Absence, hath but 400l. Salary, and that not paid by the Master-worker; though, upon the modestest Computation, his Profits will come to above 14,000l. this Year, yet the King pays him this 400l. per Ann. on a New Establishment; which Charge the Committee think very reasonable; and that Mr. Sheppard, or the Master-worker should ease the King of paying the same.

It also appeared to the Committee, by the Accounts sent from the several Mints in the Country, That there is no Assay-master in some of the Country Mints:

And that, in the Mints at York and Norwich, there are far greater Deficiencies than in any of the other Mints; viz. in that at York, by above 2,800l. and that of Norwich, by above 500l.: The several Accounts of the several Mints, which the Committee cannot make up and balance exactly, the Officers of the said Mints pretending, That they have nor cannot yet make up the same until they have melted down their several Sweeps.

And the Committee do observe, That the same Men have two Offices in the said Mint; and some of the said Offices are or should be Cheques or Comptrols on the other; as Melter and Comptroller, as in York Mint; by which, the Committee is informed, That the King lost, in the Melting down of the clipped and hammered Money, 2,040l. in Weight in the standardizing the said Money: For, at the first Melting, the Loss is not borne by the Melter, but by the King; the Melter being charged only with the Loss after the Silver is melted and standardized, and the King bears the Loss both in the Melting and Refining, as Dr. Newton, the Warden of the Mint, informed this Committee.

That the Committee do find, by several Informations, and particularly by the Information of Colonel Colt, a Member of this House, That the Plate marked both with the Tower and Goldsmiths-hall Mark, though it have no Sodder in it, doth not, when it is melted, hold to be Standard, by 6d. or 8d. or 12d. in the Pound, Troy Weight; which is a very great Fraud and Abuse to the People that pay for Standard Plate; and ought to be remedied, especially at this time.

That it appeared to the Committee, That 325l. per Ann. Salary was allowed for the Master-graver, his Assistant, Clerk, Servants, and Workmen: That old Rotteer, and his Three Sons, were brought over by King Charles the Second, and the said 325l. allowed to the Father, with the Addition of 450l. per Ann. by Patent under the Great Seal to the Three Sons; viz. 150l. apiece for their several Lives; which hath been constantly paid him that remained here, notwithstanding one of them went several Years since into Flanders, and the other fled to France, where he is now in the French King's Service: And,

Thomas Neale Esquire, a Member of this Honourable House, and Master-worker of his Majesty's Mint, produced Articles of Agreement made betwixt him and the younger of the Rotteer's, to pay him, the said Rotteer, over and above the said 325l. per Ann. and 450l. Annuity, the further Sum of 800l. yearly: Though it appeared to the Committee at the same time, That Henry Harris Esquire was sworn into the Office of Graver of his Majesty's Mints, and hath a Patent for the same; and that the said Rotteers are not only violent Papists, and refuse to take the Oaths, or to subscribe the Association, as by Law they ought to do; yet they still continue in the House belonging to his Majesty's Chief-Graver; and have received the said Three Salaries, over and above what they have received from France; for it appeared to the Committee by Two Letters out of France, written by Daniel Arthur, who is outlawed for High Treason, and directed to the said Rotteer, with Two several Bills of Exchange from France, even since the Act of Parliament that makes it Capital to hold Correspondence with France; which Letters were taken in the House of one Connigs, a Merchant, amongst several other very treasonable Papers and Correspondencies:

And it further appeared to the Committee, by the Evidence of Mr. Aaron Smith, that he hath seen another Letter from the said Daniel Arthur to the said John Rotteer, wherein he mentioned the Stipend, or Salary, from the French King to the said Rotteer.

And it appeared to the Committee, by the Information of several Witnesses, as Mr. Brown, Mr. Fox, Mrs. Pigeon, and others, That John Rotteer the younger was in the Company of Rookwood and Bernardo, the Assassinators, when they were apprehended; and was suspected to be in that Conspiracy himself; having at that time provided himself of Horses and Arms, at his own House in Essex; where he entertained very ill Company, to the great Terror of the Neighbourhood: That there hath been Messengers sent out, and a Warrant of High Treason, against him, by the Honourable the Lord Lucas; but he is fled from Justice:

The Committee do observe, that old Rotteer is still continued in the Graver's House, in the Tower; though will not, nor did ever, own the King, or do any One thing as a Graver since the Revolution: And that the Governor of the Tower hath declared to some Members of this Committee, That he is a dangerous Person to be in the Tower; and that he would remove him, if he could.

That the Committee being informed by one Edward Wintour, That whereas Geo. Smith, of Nibley, a Justice of Peace for the County of Gloucester, had granted a Warrant to apprehend Captain Wm. Wintour, of Dimock, in the said County, for High Treason, for having clipped and counterfeited the current Coin of the Realm; the said George Smith had, notwithstanding, given a Meeting privately to the said Captain Wintour in London; and offered him, for a Sum of Money, to have dropped the Prosecution: Because the said Captain Wintour would not give a Price high enough, the said Smith had complained to the Lords Justices of England, and procured a Proclamation to be issued forth, for apprehending the said Captain Wintour; and that the said George Smith had also, since the said Captain Wintour was apprehended, endeavoured to suborn him, the said Captain Wintour, to accuse Mr. Smith, a Member of this House, as an Accomplice with him in the said Treason:

And the said Edward Winter did also inform the said Committee, That Gabriel Smith, Druggist, at the Sign of the Three Crowns, in Lumbard-street, Uncle to the said Geo. Smith; and Wm. Humphreys, an Oilman, at the Sign of the Woolpack, in the Poultry, London, could testify the same.

That it did appear to the Committee, upon Hearing of all the Parties, That the said Gabriel Smith and Wm. Humphreys were the Persons who did earnestly solicit the said George Smith to meet the said Wm. Wintour; and that the said George Smith, in order to serve the Government by such Meeting with Captain Wintour, did attend Judge Rokesby, and desired his Opinion, and Permission, to meet the said Captain Wintour; which the said Judge granted, upon Condition, That the said George Smith should immediately discover, to One of his Majesty's principal Secretaries of State, what Conversation he had with Captain Wintour:

That it did also appear to the Committee, That the said Gabriel Smith and Wm. Humphreys were present at the said Meetings; though they had no Permission from any lawful Authority so to do:

That it did also appear to the Committee, That, the very next Morning; viz. on Tuesday August the 25th last past, the said George Smith did attend his Grace the Duke of Shrewsbury, with a Letter from the said Captain Wintour, and an Account of the Conversation he had with him the Day before; and delivered the said Letter to the Duke, in the Presence of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Lord Keeper of the Great Seal of England, Lord Privy-Seal, and Lord Godolphin, as Lords Justices, in the Secretary's Office: Of all which the said George Smith produced Certificates under the Hands of the said Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Keeper of the Great Seal, Lord Privy-Seal, Lord Godolphin, and Judge Rokesby:

That it did also appear to the Committee, That the Imputations objected against the said George Smith, as though he would have made a Bargain with the said Captain Wintour to have dropped the Prosecution against him, for a Sum of Money; and that the said George Smith would have suborned the said Captain Wintour to falsly accuse the said Mr. Swift; are false and groundless:

That it did also appear to the Committee, That the said George Smith has received the Thanks of his Majesty's most Honourable Privy-Council, and of the Lords Justices, for his good Service, in the discovering the said Captain Wintour, and divers others, notorious Clippers, and Coiners: And that the said George Smith had also been reimbursed the Money he had expended in the said Discoveries, by Order from the Right Honourable the Lords Commissioners of his Majesty's Treasury, for his said Service:

And it also appeared to the Committee, That the seeming Scandal and Accusation against a worthy Member of this House, Samuel Swift Esquire, is altogether groundless and frivolous; and appeareth to be only an Hearsay at the First; and that no Evidence was given, . . so much as endeavoured to be given, against the worthy Member.

That, upon the whole Matter, the Committee came to these Resolutions following;

Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee, that the present milled Money, as it is now milled, is subject to be diminished, and to be counterfeited, if not effectually prevented by a Law.

Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That undeniable Demonstrations have been given, and shewn unto this Committee, by Mr. Wm. Chaloner, That there is a better, securer, and more effectual, Way, and with very little Charge to his Majesty, to prevent either Casting or Counterfeiting of the milled Money, both Gold and Silver, than is now used in the present Coinage.

Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee, . . . . no Officer of the Mint ought to have or enjoy any Place in the same for Life.

Resolved, That the House be moved, That an humble Address be made to his Majesty, That no Grant, or Patent, do pass for Life; but quam diu se bene gesserit.

Resolved, That the House be moved for Leave to bring in a Bill, or Bills, to prevent the Abuses of the Officers of the Mints; and for a better Regulation of the Coinage, both of the Mints in the Tower, and of the several Mints in the Country.

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

Corporation of Moneyers.

Ordered, That Leave be given to bring in a Bill for regulating the Corporation of Moneyers: And that Sir Hen. Hobbart, Mr. Lownds, and Mr. Arnold, do prepare, and bring in, the same.

Abuses in Exchequer.

Ordered, That the Report from the Committee appointed to inquire into the Abuses of the Officers of the Exchequer, and Receivers of the Taxes and Revenues, be taken into Consideration To-morrow Morning.

Disannulling Knight's Marriage.

Ordered, That the ingrossed Bill for disannulling the Marriage of Hannah Knight, an Infant; and for punishing the Persons concerned in conveying her away; be read the Third time To-morrow Morning.

Supply Bill; Duty on Tin and Pewter.

The House, according to the Order of the Day, resolved itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of the Bill for lessening the Duty upon Tin and Pewter exported; and granting an Equivalent for the same, by laying a further Duty upon Drugs imported.

Mr. Speaker left the Chair.
Sir Hen. Hobbart took the Chair of the Committee.
Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair.

Sir Hen. Hobbart reported from the said Committee, That they had gone through the Bill, and made some Amendments; 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.

Supply Bill; Malt Duties.

Sir Tho. Littleton reported from the said Committee of the whole House, to whom the Bill for granting to his Majesty certain Duties upon Malt, Mum, Sweets, Cyder, and Perry, as well towards carrying on the War against France, as for the necessary Expence of his Majesty's Houshold, and other Occasions, 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, with the Coherence; and afterwards delivered in at the Clerk's Table: Where the same were read the First time throughout.

Ordered, That the further Consideration of the said Report be adjourned till To-morrow Morning.

Ordered, That Leave be given to bring in a Clause to prohibit the Importation of Malt.

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

Footnotes

  • 1. Supplied from the original Report.