House of Commons Journal Volume 12: 28 January 1699

Sabbati, 28 die Januarii;

10° Gulielmi Tertii.

Prayers.

Hamburgh Company.

ORDERED, That Mr. Robert Bertie, Sir Geo. Hungerford, Mr. Colson, Mr. Halsey, Mr. Nicholson, Mr. Freeman, Mr. Atkinson, Mr. Eyres, Sir Cha. Barrington, Mr. Pagit, Mr. Orm; Mr. Baggot, Mr. Yates, Mr. Blofeild, Sir Tho. Wagstaffe, Sir Chr. Hales; and all the Members that serve for the Counties of York, Somerset, Wilts, and Nottingham; be added to the Committee, to whom the Petition of divers Merchants, Clothiers, and Clothworkers, of Leeds, is referred.

Ledgingham's newinvented Fire Engine.

Ordered, That Mr. Tredenham, Sir Cloudsly Shovell, Mr. Lowndes, Sir Godfry Copley; and all the Members that serve for the Sea-Ports and Cinque-Ports; be added to the Committee, to whom the Petition of Robert Ledgingham is referred.

Duty on Leather.

A Petition of the Company of Skinners, Leatherdressers, and Glovers, of the Town of Shrewsbury, in the County of Salop, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That they are sorely oppressed by the Duty upon Alum, and milled Leather; and many unnecessary Suits they are put to, by the Excise-men, who collect the Duty, and detain their Goods, by them vexatiously seized, after they have recovered them by Law: And praying the House to take the Premises into Consideration, and relieve them therein.

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

Ditto.

A Petition of the Aldermen, Stewards, and Company of Fellmongers, Leather-dressers, and Glovers, in the City of Chester, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners used to import great Quantities of Lamb-skins from Ireland; the Manufactory whereof employed many Hundreds of Persons; but, by reason of the high Duty upon Lamb-skins in Ireland, and a triple Duty here, with a Duty upon Salt and Leather, the said Manufacture is almost lost, and is improved in foreign Parts; to the Lessening of the King's Revenue; the impoverishing the Petitioners, and their Dependents: And praying Relief in the Premises.

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

Ditto.

A Petition of the Fellmongers, Leather-dressers, and Glovers, of the Town of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That heretofore the Petitioners, and their Ancestors; imported great Quantities of Calves and Lambskins from Ireland, to a good Account; whereby abundance of poor People were employed in manufacturing of them; but since a great Duty thereon in Ireland, and here and the Duty upon Salt, wherewith they are wrought, that Trade is mightily decayed; and improved in foreign Countries; to the utter Ruin of the Petitioners, and their poor Workmen; the Truth of whose Grievances the many Petitions to this House, last Parliament, from all Parts of England, may witness: And praying some speedy Relief in the Premises.

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

Ditto.

A Petition of the Tanners, Cordwainers, Skinners, Glovers, Curriers, and Sadlers, inhabiting and trading within the City of Durham, and Suburbs thereof, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Duty upon Leather, that all the said Trades have felt the ill Effects of it, to the utter Ruin of some, and the Impoverishment of most of them; besides, the Manner of collecting the Duty, and the intolerable Grievances of the Officers, is very vexatious; for that much of their Time is spent in getting Permits, Entries, and Discharges; neither can they buy any Leather but on a Market-Day, when a poor Man has not Money enough to lay in a Stock for the whole Week; nor can the Seller give them Credit, because of the Want of ready Money to pay the King's Duty; so that their several Trades are, in a manner lost: And praying the Relief of the House, so as they may be enabled to carry on their said Trades, and their poor Workfolks Impoverishment thereby prevented.

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

Duties on Leather.

A Petition of the Glovers, in and near the City of Worcester, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Duties upon Leather and Salt, wherewith Alum-Leather is dressed, hath so advanced the Price of Goods, that they cannot find a Market to vend them, as may appear by the small Entries of Gloves to foreign Markets; and this Duty hath put Germany, Holland, and Scotland, to make Gloves, who used to be supplied from England, but can now under-sell us; by which means the Petitioners foreign Trade is quite lost; and they, and their Families, must, in a short time, be ruined, without some speedy Care be taken: And praying Relief in the Premises.

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

Hamburgh Company.

A Petition of divers Merchants, Clothiers, and Clothworkers, and others, in Halifax, and elsewhere, in the West Riding in the County of York, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Exportation of our English Woollen Manufactures was first carried on by the Company of Merchant-Adventurers of England, to the great Benefit of this Nation; but, of late Years, their Privileges have been infringed by Foreigners, who have already got a great Part, and Insight of that Trade; which they have set up in foreign Parts; and will endanger the Loss of it, if not timely prevented: And praying, That a Bill may be brought in to encourage and protect the said Company in their Privileges, exclusive of all Foreigners, upon such Conditions and Regulations as the House shall think sit.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee, to whom the Petition of divers Merchants, Clothiers, Cloth-workers, and others, of the Town of Leeds, in the County of York, is referred:

And that they do examine the Matter thereof; and report the same, with their Opinion therein, to the House.

Stanhope's Petition.

A Petition of Thoms Stanhope, a Minor, under the Age of One-and-twenty Years, by Dorothy Stanhope, his Mother, and Prochein Amy, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That * * * *

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

Claims for Prizes.

Mr. Parkhurst, from the Commissioners of Prizes, presented to the House an Answer to the Petition of Josias Crow, late Captain of his Majesty's Ship the Newark, in behalf of himself, and Company; presented to the House the 25th Instant.

And the Title thereof was read:

And the said Answer is as followeth:

About May 1697. The St. John, loaded with Wine at Burdeaux in France.

Latter-end of June 1697, was seized by the Newark.

July 2d, 1697. Brought into Plymouth.

September 30, 1697. The Ship and Lading condemned, except 4 Hogsheads, and 6 Half-Hogsheads, of Wine, and 1 Half-Hogshead of Vinegar, belonging to the Ship's Company; but immediately appealed.

October 14th, 1697. An Order signed, which was so soon as the Decree of Restitution was brought up, for the Delivery of the said 4 Hogsheads, and 6 Half-Hogsheads, of Wine, and 1 Half-Hogshead of Vinegar.

November 10th, 1697. The Judge of the AdmiraltyCourt directed, That she should be brought about to London; and the Goods sold, as perishable.

November 18, 1697. An Order was sent down accordingly.

The Latter end of January 169⁷/8 she arrived at London.

30 March 1698. The Goods put up for Sale; being 88 Hogsheads of High Country White-wine, 61 Hogsheads of Bourdeux White-wine, 20 Tierces of Molasses, 28 Casks of Prunes, and 3 Puncheons of Brandy, being the whole Cargo which came out of her; and the Brandy, Molasses, and Prunes, and 27 Hogsheads of the Bourdeaux White-wine, were then sold at the Prices mentioned in the Account of Sales; but the High Country Whitewine being put up then at 5 l. per Tun, nobody would bid for them, being very mean Wines, and 5 High Country Hogsheads making but 4 of the Bordeaux Gauge.

8 April 1698. The said Wines were again put up at 4 l. per Tun; and afterwards at 3 l. per Tun; but nobody advanced any thing for them.

20 May 1698. The Wines were again put up for Sale, at 2 l. per Tun; and then sold to the highest Bidder, being Mr. Robert Rigdon, at 2 l. 6s. per Tun; and made out, when delivered, 84 Hogsheads full: The Remainder of the Bourdeaux Wine, being 34 Hogsheads, were sold, at 6 l. per Tun, to Mr. Richard Harrison.

9 June 1698. The Ship was sold, at publick Sale, to Captain Young, for 140 l.; which is also made good in the Account.

Note, The Loss in Quantity proceeds from their so long lying on board, whereby the Hoops were rotted, and some of them flying, occasioned great Leakage so that great Part of them came out but a Quarter, others One-third, full; and, in general, every one of them wanting considerably of being full; so that it took up 26 Tuns, or thereabouts, to fill up the rest.

Note, The Loss between Filling up, and Delivery, is but One Tun; which is very small Leakage, considering they had lain near 4 Months in the Cellars, after their first Filling up; and the Waste in tasting, in order to Sale, &c.

Note, further, From her first coming in, till she was delivered, there was always Waiters on board, as well for the Custom and Excise, as the Prize-Office; and Locks kept on the Cellar-doors, by the Three Sets of Officers, till the Delivery to the Buyer; which was in the Presence of them all.

There was also Directions always given, That the Captains or their Agents, might put a Waiter or Waiters on board, join One or Two Appraisers in the Appraisment, and put Locks on the Cellar-doors, until Delivery, if they were so pleased; or the Captains, or their Agents, might have been present at the Sale, there being publick Notice always given.

It may be further observed, That the 2 l. 6s. per Tun, for which the High Country Wines were sold, being but Four-fifths of a Tun, is 2 l. 15s. per Tun; and the Merchants are obliged to pay the Duties accordingly; which being ¹/5th Part more, the Custom comes to near 35 l. per Tun; which makes together 37 l. 15s. per Tun; which, if considered, is a great Price for such Wines, as had lain so long in a perishing Condition, which rendered some of them eager, and the rest palled and decayed, for want of filling up.

Edward Ayscoghe,
John Parkhurst,
John Paschal.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition, and Answer thereunto, 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. Hoblyn, Mr. Calthrope, Mr. Bridges, Sir Sam. Barnardiston, Sir Godfry Copley, Sir Wm. Drake, Colonel Kirkby, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Conyers, Sir Steph. Lenard, Mr. Hancock, Mr. Hoar, Sir Wm. Cook, Sir Walt. Young. Mr. Clayton, Mr. Weston, Sir James Houblon, Sir Jos. Tredenham, Sir John Phelips, Mr. Dyot, Mr. Mountstevens, Mr. Foley, Sir Richard Cocks, Mr. Gwyn, Mr. Dalby, Mr. Barnardiston, Mr. Jolly, Mr. Phillips, Mr. Cook, Sir Rich. Onslow, Mr. Phippard, Sir Robert Cotton, Sir Cha. Hedges, Mr. Yates, Mr. How, Mr. Duke, Mr. Ekins, Mr. Vernon, Mr. Harvey: And they are to meet this Afternoon at Five a Clock, in the Speaker's Chambers.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the Petition of George Camock, late Captain of his Majesty's Ship the Bridget Intelligence, in behalf of himself, and Company; and the Commissioners of Prizes Answer thereunto; be referred to the said Committee: And that they do examine the Matter thereof; and report the same, with their Opinion therein, to the House.

Abuses in King's Bench and Fleet Prisons.

A Petition of Antony Morris, Administrator of Captain Robert Thomas, deceased, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That Agent Richard Roberts being a Prisoner in Execution, in the Prison of the King'sBench, for 216 l. at the Petitioner's Suit, Geo. Taylor Esquire, the Marshal hath suffered him to go at large; who hath several times met the Petitioner, and laughed at him, saying, He had his Liberty, as though he was no Prisoner: Notwithstanding the Petitioner hath spent more Money in prosecuting the said Roberts, than his Debt amounts to; yet he can have no Benefit of the Law, though he has made Application to the said Marshal for the Confinement of his said Prisoner: And praying Relief in the Premises.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred 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 King'sBench and Fleet.

Chenevix's, &c. Nat.

The Lord Marquis of Hartington, according to Order, presented to the House a Bill for naturalizing Philip Chenevix, and others: And the same was received; and read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time.

Conference with Lords.

The Managers went to the Conference with the Lords, upou the Subject-matter of the Amendments, made by the Lords, to the Bill to prohibit the Exportation of Corn, Malt, Meal, Flour, Bread, Biscuit, or Starch, for One Year, from the 20th Day of January 1698.

And being returned;

Mr. Heveningham reported, That they had given the Lords the Reasons for disagreeing with their Lordships to some of the said Amendments; and left the Bill, and Amendments, with their Lordships.

Newport Election.

A Petition of John Acton Esquire was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioner, and * Greenhill Esquire, stood Candidates to serve in this present Parliament, as a Burgess for the Borough of Newport, alias Medena, in the Isle of Wight; and the Petitioner was duly elected by the Majority of legal Voters; but Mr. Greenhill, being Commissioner of the King's Dock at Portsmouth, not only by corrupt Methods, but by notorious Practices, to the apparent Disservice of his Majesty, and very prejudicial to his Fleet, hath procured himself to be returned a Member for the said Borough, to the Petitioner's Prejudice: And praying the Relief of the House therein.

And a Motion being made, and the Question being put, That the Merits of the said Election be heard at the Bar of the House;

It passed in the Negative.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition 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.

Leave of Absence.

Ordered, That Mr. Blisse have Leave to go into the Country for Ten Days, upon extraordinary Occasions.

State of the Navy.

The House, according to the Order of the Day, resolved itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider further of the State of the Navy.

Mr. Speaker left the Chair.

Mr. Boyle took the Chair of the Committee.

Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair.

Mr. Boyle reported from the said Committee, That they had made a further Progress in the Matters to them referred; and had directed him to move, That the ymay have Leave to sit again.

Resolved, That this House will, upon Thursday Morning next, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider further of the State of the Navy.

Committees.

Ordered, That all Committees be adjourned.

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