House of Commons Journal Volume 12: 14 January 1699

Sabbati, 14 die Januarii;

10° Gulielmi Tertii.

Prayers.

Weobly Return amended.

THE Clerk of the Crown attended, according to Order; and amended the Return for the Borough of Weobly, in the County of Hereford, by taking off the Indenture by which John Byrch Esquire together with Robert Price Esquire were returned.

Writs of Error.

Mr. Thursby, according to Order, presented to the House, a Bill for the limiting certain Times, within which Writs of Error shall be brought for the Reversing Fines, common Recoveries, and ancient Judgments: And the same was received; and read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time.

Distillation from Corn.

A Petition of the Justices of Peace, Grand Jury, and Gentlemen, at a Quarter-Sessions, held the 10th of January instant, for the County of Kent, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That if the Bill, depending in the House, to prohibit the distilling of Spirits, and low Wines, from Corn; and to prevent Frauds in Distillers; should pass into an Act, it will greatly prejudice the said County; for that, by reason of the great Rains, and wet Harvest, last Year, great Quantities of their Corn are so much damaged, that the same will yield but very little, to make the same into Malt for Beer; its Returns from London amounting but to 13 s. per Quarter; yet the same may be more useful for the Distillery; so that, if the said Bill should pass, the greatest Part of the Corn in the said County will thereby become of very little Value: And praying such Relief therein as the House shall think fit.

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

Bulwer's Estate.

Mr. England, according to Order, presented to the House a Bill to enable Edward Bulwer Esquire to sell certain Lands, in the County of Norfolk; he settling other Lands in the same County, of equal Value, to the same Uses: And the same was received; and read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time.

Agmondesham Election.

Ordered, That the Report from the Committee of Privileges and Elections, touching the Election for the Borough of Agmondesham, be made upon Monday Morning next.

Encouraging sowing Flax.

A Petition of Robert King, and other the Inhabitants of Yeovill, Wincaunton, and the adjacent Places, in the County of Somerset, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners, during the late War, have applied themselves to the sowing of Flax, and making Linen Cloth; wherein they have attained to make the same equal in Goodness to the most used foreign Linen Manufactures; whereby great Numbers of our Poor have been maintained: but the Petitioners are doubtful, that our Neighbour Nations, by the low Prices that their Poor are forced to work at, with which an Englishman cannot subsist, will undersell us in our own Markets, to the total Loss of the said Trade: And praying That the sowing Flax, and making the Linen Manufacture, may be encouraged, by preventing the Running of foreign Commodities of the same Nature.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to such Members of this House as are Commissioners of the Customs, to take care therein.

Hindering Papists from disinberiting Protestant Heirs.

Ordered, That Leave be given to bring in a Bill to hinder Papists from disinberiting their Protestant Heirs: And that Sir Richard Cocks, Mr. Stringer, and Mr. Cowper, do prepare, and bring in, the Bill.

Liverpoole Parish.

A Petition of the Churchwardens of the Parish of Walton, in the County of Lancaster, was presented to the House, and read, setting forth, That there being a Bill in the House, to enable the Town of Liverpoole to build a Church, and endow the same, by their own Contributions, and otherwise; and for making the said Town, and Liberties thereof, a Parish of itself, distinct from Walton: And, the Church of Walton being very ancient, and under Decay; the yearly Repair thereof will be very heavy upon the rest of the Parish of Walton, if Liverpoole be exempted from paying their Rate to Repairs; they therefore pray, That if Liverpoole be made a separate Parish, they may yet pay their proportionable yearly Rate to the Repairs of Walton Church; or that they pay such a gross Sum as may answer the Ends thereof.

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

Abuses in King's Bench and Fleet Prisons.

Ordered, That Mr. Lowther and Mr. Phillips be added to the Committee, to whom the Petition of John Goodall is referred; and who are to inquire into the ill Practices, and Abuses, of the Prisons of the Fleet, and King's Bench; and all that serve for Middlesex and Surry; and all the Merchants of the House.

Committees.

Ordered, That all Committees be revived.

Exporting Wool.

Ordered, That Leave be given to bring in a Bill for the more effectual preventing the Exportation of Wool: And that the Lord Fairfax and Mr. Sloane do prepare, and bring in, the Bill.

Woollen Manufacture.

A Petition of Sir Robert Southwell, and others, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Bill, now depending in the House, to encourage the Woollen Manufacture in England; and to restrain the Exportation of Woollen Manufactures from Ireland into any foreign Parts; and for the better preventing the Exportation of Wool from England and Ireland; if it should pass into a Law, will greatly prejudice the Trade of England, and ruin the Protestant Interest of Ireland: And praying to be heard, by themselves, and Counsel, against the said Bill.

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

Process of Capias for Debts under 40 s.

Ordered, That Leave be given to bring in a Bill, to take . . . . all Process of Capias for Debt, or Damages, under 40 s.: And that Sir Joseph Jekill and Mr. Harley do prepare, and bring in, the Bill.

Ordered, That it be an Instruction to them, That they do bring in a Clause, or Clauses, for making the Act, of the 22d and 23d Years of King Charles the IId, for giving no more Costs than Damages, to extend to the Dominion of Wales, and all the Counties Palatine.

Preventing Export of Corn, &c.

An ingrossed Bill to prohibit the Exportation of Corn, Meal, and Bread, for One Year, was read the Third time.

And an Amendment was proposed to be made, Press *, L. *, after " Affize," to insert " or of the Great Sessions of Wales:"

And the same was, upon the Question put thereupon, agreed unto by the House; and the Bill amended at the Table accordingly.

Resolved, Nomine contradicente, That the Bill do pass: And that the Title be, An Act to prohibit the Exportation of Corn, Malt, Meal, Flour, Bread, Biscuit, or Starch, for One Year, from the 20th Day of January 1698.

Ordered, That Mr. Heveningham do carry the Bill to the Lords, and desire their Concurrence thereunto.

Spirits exported.

Sir Walter Young, from the Commissioners of the Customs, presented to the House an Account of what Spirits have been exported from the Port of London since the Act made for distilling low Wines, and Spirits, from Corn; and particularly since Michaelmas last.

And the Title thereof was read:

And the Account is as followeth; viz.

W. Marsh, Exam' Outwards.

Ordered, That the said Account do lie upon the Table until the Bill to prohibit the Distilling of Spirits from Corn; and to prevent the Frauds in Distillers; be read a Second time.

Ordered, That the said Bill be read a Second time upon Monday Morning next.

Disbanding the Army.

The Order of the Day, for the House to resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider further of the Bill for the Speedy and effectual Disbanding the Forces in England and Ireland, was read: And

Mr. Speaker left the Chair.

Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair.

The House being informed, That there was a Difference in the Committee, who should take the Chair of the Committee;

Ordered, That Mr. Conyers do take the Chair of the Committee.

Then the House resolved itself into the said Committee.

Mr. Speaker left the Chair.

Mr. Conyers took the Chair of the Committee.

Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair.

Mr. Conyers reported from the said Committee, That they had gone through the Bill; and made several Amendments thereunto; which they had directed him to report, when the House will please to receive the same.

Ordered, That the Report be made upon Monday Morning next.

And then the House adjourned till Monday Morning, Eight a Clock.