House of Commons Journal Volume 12: 2 May 1698

Lunæ, 2 die Maii;

Decimo Gulielmi.

Prayers.

HILARY Reneu, Margaret Reneu, Peter Reneu, and Mary Lasseur, took the Oaths appointed, in order to their Naturalization.

Arrears of Annuitants.

A Petition of several Persons, on behalf of themselves, and others, the Contributors and Proprietors of Annuities on the Tonage of Ships, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners did advance the Sum of 300,000 l. on the Credit of the Act of Parliament for granting several Duties upon Tonage of Ships, &c.: That by reason of the Regulation of the Coin, or otherwise, their Annuities, due on or before Lady-day 1696, have not been paid; and, though the House hath lately provided for the Deficiencies incurred between 17th May 1696, and 17th of May 1697; yet there is no Provision made for the Arrears due at Lady-day 1696: And praying some Provision may be made for such their Arrears.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table until the Bill for the better and more orderly Payment of the Lottery-Tickets, now payable, out of certain additional Duties of Excise, be read the Second time.

Removing the Haymarket.

A Petition of the Inhabitants of the Streets called the Haymarket, Panton-street, Norris-street, and several other Streets and Places adjacent, in the Parishes of Saint Martin's in the Fields and Saint James's, within the Liberty of Westminster, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, that the Petitioners are very much prejudiced in their Trades, by the great Crowds of Carts causing frequent Stops in the said Market, the same being the great Thoroughfare to the Western Road; and that they are deprived of entertaining Lodgers, so conveniently as they might be able to do, being in the Neighbourhood of Whitehall, Westminster, and Saint James: And praying Leave may be given to bring in a Bill for removing the said Haymarket to some other more convenient Place; subject to such Duties, Rules, and Directions, as may be agreeable to an Act of Parliament lately made touching the said Market.

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 Mr. Mountague, Sir Henry Colt, Mr. Gery, Mr. Baldwin, Mr. Boscawen, Mr. Mountstevens, Sir Robert Davers, Mr. Lowther, Sir William Drake, Mr. England, Mr. Fuller, Mr. Bromley, Mr. Pagitt, Colonel Lee, Mr. York, Sir Richard Onslow, Sir Rowland Gwyn, Mr. Granville, Mr. Newport, Mr. Manly, Mr. Arnold, Mr. Machell, Sir Cha. Hotham, Sir Ra. Delavall, Mr. Norris, Mr. Morgan, Sir Edward Norris, Sir Henry Hobart, Colonel Godfrey, Sir John Kay, Mr. Methwen, Sir Jacob Astley, Mr. Farrer, Mr. Blofeild, Mr. Gardner, Sir Matth. Andrews, Mr. Poultney, Mr. Mawdit: And they are to meet this Afternoon at Five a Clock, in the Speaker's Chamber.

Lewen's Estate.

Mr. Bromley reported from the Committee, to whom the Bill for rectifying some Mistakes in an Act, passed this Sessions, intituled, An Act to enable John Lewen to sell certain Messuages in Southwark, for Payments of Debts, was committed, That they had examined and considered the same; and had directed him to report the same to the House, without any Amendment: And he delivered the same in at the Clerk's Table.

Ordered, That the Bill be ingrossed.

Embezzlement of Naval Stores.

Mr. Norris, according to Order, presented to the House a Bill for enforcing the Laws against such as steal and embezzle his Majesty's Ammunition, Sails, Cordage, and other Habiliments of War; and for preventing divers Cheats and Frauds in the paying of Seamen serving on board his Majesty's Ships: And the same was received; and read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time.

Supply Bill; Duties on Coffee, &c.

Mr. Norris, according to Order, presented to the House a Bill for continuing the Duties upon Coffee, Tea, Chocolate, and Spices, towards further Satisfaction of the Debt due for Transport-Service for the Reduction of Ireland: And the same was received; and read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time.

Exporting Wool, Fullers Earth, &c.

Ordered, That the Committee, to whom the Bill for the preventing the Exportation of Wool to Scotland; and also for the preventing the Exportation of Fullers Earth; is committed; have Power to receive a Clause to prevent the Exportation of Teafils.

Sufferers at Londonderry.

Sir Robert Clayton reported from the Committee, to whom it was referred to prepare an humble Address, to be presented to his Majesty, relating to the Citizens of Londonderry in Ireland, That they had prepared an humble Address accordingly; which they had directed him to report to the House; which he read in his Place; and afterwards delivered in at the Clerk's Table: Where the same was read; and is as followeth; viz.

Most Gracious Sovereign,

We, your Majesty's most loyal and dutiful Subjects, the Commons, in Parliament assembled, having received a Petition from the Mayor, Commonalty, and Citizens, of your City of Londonderry in Ireland, setting forth their early and singular Services and Sufferings, on the late happy Revolution, by the Securing and Defence of that City, against a long and cruel Siege: which eminently contributed to the destroying the Designs of the Enemies of these Kingdoms; and shewing That thereby not only the greatest Part of the City and Suburbs was demolished, or rendered ruinous; but also, That their Disbursements, upon this Occasion, for Fortifying, providing Arms and Ammunition, raising and subsisting Forces, and other publick Uses, did, on a moderate Computation, amount to about Thirty thousand Pounds, besides private Losses and Charges; and that, as they had willingly exposed themselves, and their All, for the publick Interest and Service, so they had patiently these Eight Years lain under their Losses, in hopes, if the War ended, to be so considered, as they should then no longer remain a poor ruinous Spectacle to all, a Scorn to their Enemies, and a Discouragement to other well-affected Subjects; and praying our Recommendation of their Case to your Majesty, for your Royal Favour, in order to their Relief, in the Kingdom of Ireland:

Which Petition we having duly examined and considered, do humbly conceive, That the Allegations therein contained are true; and that the publick Disbursements, Losses, and Damages, sustained by the Inhabitants of that City, are, in the Petition, very moderately computed; and that the private Losses, besides, are very great:

That the Services and Sufferings of that City, on this late Revolution, were very eminent, and of great Consequence to your Majesty's Service, and the Preservation of your Three Kingdoms; and that, in regard thereof, the said City hath well deserved to be considered, for the Damages in the Petition mentioned: and to have some special Mark of your Majesty's Bounty, for a lasting Monument to Posterity.

All which we do humbly represent to your Majesty; praying, That your Majesty, in Consideration of what the said City hath so done and undergone, would be graciously pleased to make some Compensation to them for their said Disbursements, Losses, and Damages, out of the Customs arising at the Port of that City, or otherwise, as your Majesty, in your princely Wisdom, shall think fit.

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

Mitchelburne's Petition.

A Petition of Colonel John Michelburne was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, * * * *.

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

And it is referred to Mr. Harley, Mr. Boscawen, Major-General Erle, Mr. Blofeild, Mr. King, Mr. York, Sir Robert Burdet, Sir Jacob Astly, Sir Matth. Andrews, Mr. Norris, Sir Henry Hobart, Sir John Kay, Sir Robert Clayton, Mr. Manley, Mr. Lowther, Mr. Hore, Mr. Yates, Mr. Thompson, Mr. Arnold, Mr. Mountstevens, Mr. Culliford, Mr. Harvey, Mr. Vincent, Mr. Brotherton, Mr. Egerton, Mr. Bromley, Colonel Lee, Mr. Morgan, Mr. Kirby, Mr. Papillion, Sir William Lowther, Sir Edward Norris, Mr. Lampton, Sir William Drake, Colonel Granville, Sir Jo. Trevillian, Mr. Granville, * Bev. Granville, Mr. Baldwyn: And they are to meet this Afternoon at Five a Clock, in the Speaker's Chamber.

Arbitrations.

Mr. Clarke reported from the Committee, to whom the ingrossed Bill, from the Lords, intituled, An Act for determining Differences by Arbitration, was committed, That they had made one Amendment to the Bill; which they had directed him to report to the House; which he read in his Place; and afterwards delivered in at the Clerk's Table: Where the same was twice read; and, upon the Question put thereupon, agreed unto by the House; and is as followeth; viz.

Pr. 1. L. 32, leave out "unto."

The Bill was read the Third time.

Resolved, That the Bill, with the Amendment, do pass.

Ordered, That Mr. Clark do carry the Bill to the Lords, and acquaint them, That this House hath agreed to the same, with an Amendment: To which they desire their Lordships Concurrence.

Restraining Expence of Law Suits.

Ordered, That the ingrossed Bill, from the Lords, intituled, An Act to restrain the great Expence and Length of Suits in Courts of Law and Equity, be read the Second time on this Day Sevennight.

Prevention of Gaming.

Mr. Arnold, according to Order, presented to the House a Bill to prevent Gaming: And the same was received; and read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time.

Exporting Watches.

A Bill to explain the Act, made in the Seventh and Eighth Years of his Majesty's Reign, intituled, An Act to encourage the bringing Plate into the Mints to be coined; and for the further remedying the ill State of the Coin of the Kingdom; so as to give Leave for the exporting Watches, Sword-hilts, and other Manufactures of Silver; was, according to Order, read a Second time.

Resolved, That the Bill be committed to Sir Thomas Mompesson, Mr. Farrer, Sir Henry Hobart, Mr. Neale, Sir Samuel Barnardiston, Sir Eliab Harvey, Sir John Elwell, Sir Wm. Lowther, Mr. Culliford, Mr. Brotherton, Mr. Yates, Sir Wm. Drake, Mr. Boscawen, Mr. Clark, Sir Henry Colt, Mr. Moore, Mr. Harley, Serjeant Bond, Mr. Lowther, Sir Walter Young, Sir Richard Onslow, Mr. Colt, Sir Marm. Wyvell, Mr. Norris, Mr. Foley, Mr. Aislaby, Mr. Mountague, Mr. Evelin, Mr. Bertie: And they are to meet this Afternoon at Five a Clock, in the Speaker's Chamber.

Privilege.

A Complaint being made to the House, That the Goods of Dr. Barbon, a Member of this House, have been taken in Execution by George Howard, a Bailiff, and John Smith and John Bunting, his Followers, in Breach of the Privilege of this House:

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

African Trade.

The House, according to the Order of the Day, resolved itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider further of the Bill to regulate and settle the Trade to Africa.

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 made a further Progress in the Matter to them referred; and had directed him to move, That they may have Leave to sit again.

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

Committees.

Ordered, That all Committees be adjourned.

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