House of Commons Journal Volume 12: 25 March 1699

Sabbati, 25 die Martii;

Undecimo Gulielmi 3tii.

Prayers.

Aldworth's Estate.

A BILL to enable Robert Aldworth, and Anne his Wife, to sell their Estate, in or near Wantage, in the County of Berks, for raising of 300 l. for Payment of his Debts; and for applying the Residue of the Money arising by the Sale, for the purchasing some other Estate, for the sole benefit of his Wife and Children; was read a Second time.

Resolved, That the Bill be committed to Mr. Rowney, Mr. Buckley, Mr. Yates, Mr. Crane, Lord Cornbury, Colonel Lee, Mr. Freeman, Mr. Clerk, Mr. Blofeild, Sir Robert Nappier, Mr. Harvey, Colonel Perry, Mr. Pye, Sir Robert Clayton, Sir Ja. Oxenden, Mr. Hoar, Mr. Leveson, Sir Cha. Hedges, Mr. Conyers, Sir Fran. Blake, Mr. Shackerly, Mr. Hayes, Mr. Fortescue, Mr. Brotherton, Mr. Berty, Mr. Kent, Sir Abstrupus Danby, Mr. Roberts: And they are to meet at Five a Clock in the Afternoon, in the Speaker's Chamber.

Newfoundland Trade.

Sir Edward Seymour, according to Order, presented to the House a Bill for encouraging the Trade to Newfoundland: And the same was received; and read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time.

Felt-makers Trade.

Mr. Shackerly reported from the Committee, to whom the Consideration of the Petition of the Aldermen, and Stewards, of the Company of Felt-makers in the City of Chester, was referred, That they had examined and considered the same, and had come to a Resolution; 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.

Upon the Petition of the Company of Felt-makers in the City of Chester:

The Committee had considered of the Matters contained in the said Petition, and had heard the Petitioners; who did allege, That it would be a great Advantage to the Nation, if ordinary Women, and Maid-Servants, were obliged to wear Felt-Hats:

First, By employing the Poor: For above one hundred thousand poor People, more than are already employed, will be set to work; and the greatest Part of the Persons so to be employed in this Trade, are aged Men, Women, and Children, and such as are relievable by Charity: And, this Encouragement being once granted, the Poor will not be so numerous; and, consequently, the Parishes eased of the Charge of maintaining them:

It will consume great Quantities of several Sorts of Wool of our own Kingdom: and, according to the Petitioners Computation, above Two hundred and Fifty thousand Pounds per Annum in English Wool will be expended more than now is; besides vast Quantities of Coney-Wool; which, as the Petitioners allege, will advance the Price of barren Lands:

It will encourage the Exportation of our own Manufacture:

This will occasion a Consumption of several Goods from East-India, to the Value of One hundred Thousand Pounds yearly, as the Petitioners allege:

Several other Trades will receive great Benefits from this Manufacture.

And that, upon the whole Matter, the Committee came to this Resolution;

Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That it will be a great Encouragement of Trade, and an Advantage to this Nation, that all Women-Servants in England, and in the English Plantations, whose Wages exceed not Five Pounds per Annum, be obliged to wear Felt-Hats, of the Manufacture of England.

The said Resolution being read a Second time;

Resolved, That the House doth agree with the Committee in the said Resolution, That it will be a great Encouragement of Trade, and an Advantage to this Nation, that all Women-Servants in England, and in the English Plantations, whose Wages exceed not Five Pounds per Annum, be obliged to wear Felt-Hats, of the Manufacture of England.

And a Motion being made, and the Question being put, That a Bill be brought in upon the said Resolution;

The House divided.

The Yeas go forth.

So it passed in the Negative.

Disbanded Officers.

A Petition of William Davison and John Bellingham Gentlemen, late Captains in the Regiment of Foot commanded by the Honourable the Lord Lindsey, which is since disbanded, in Scotland, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners have continually served this Nation ever since the Revolution; and, upon an Order of new Levies in Scotland, were advanced to Companies of Foot, under the Lord Lindsey, which is since broken; and the Petitioners, being Natives of England, are left destitute of any Provision in that Kingdom: And praying, That, in Consideration of their many Years Service, they may be admitted to the Advantage the House shall think fit to provide for disbanded Officers.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee of the whole House, who are to consider further of the Supply to be granted to his Majesty.

Leave of Absence.

Ordered, That Mr. Praed have Leave to go into the Country, upon extraordinary Occasions.

Ordered, That Mr. Mitton have Leave to go into the Country for Three Weeks, upon extraordinary Occasions.

Grant of Needwood.

Ordered, That Major-General Trelawney, Mr. Trelawney, be added to the Committee, to whom the Petition of the Gentlemen, and Freeholders, living and bordering upon the Forest of Needwood, was referred.

Needwood Forest Rights.

Ordered, That Major-General Trelawny, and Colonel Trelawny, be added to the Committee, to whom the Petition of the Gentlemen, Freeholders, and other Inhabitants, who have Right of Estovers and Common in the Forest or Chase of Needwood, in the County of Stafford, Parcel of the Duchy of Lancaster, on behalf of themselves, and divers others, was referred.

Liverpool Parish.

An ingrossed Bill for making the Town of Liverpool a distinct Parish from the Parish of Walton, was read the Third time.

Resolved, That the Bill do pass: And that the Title be, An Act to enable the Town of Liverpool, in the County Palatine of Lancaster, to build a Church, and endow the same; and for making the said Town, and Liberties thereof, a Parish of itself, distinct from Walton.

Ordered, That Sir Robert Cotton do carry the Bill to the Lords, and desire their Concurrence thereunto.

Leave of Absence.

Ordered, That Sir Edward Leighton have Leave to go into the Country, upon extraordinary Occasions.

The House being informed, That Langford, Bower, and Hammond, had discharged Pearse;

Ordered, That they be discharged of any further Attendance.

Recovery of small Tythes.

An ingrossed Bill to continue the Act for the more easy Recovery of small Tythes was read the Third time.

Resolved, That the Bill do pass: And that the Title be, An Act for continuing an Act for the more easy Recovery of small Tythes.

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

Scott's Estate.

Ordered, That the ingrossed Bill, from the Lords, intituled, An Act to enable Trustees to sell Part of the Estate of George Scott Esquire, to pay his Debts, and raise Portions for his Brothers and Sister; and to settle other Part of his Estate; be read upon Monday Morning next.

Bridges' Estate.

Ordered, That the ingrossed Bill, from the Lords, intituled, An Act for the vesting and settling the Estate of Anne Bridges, an Infant, in Bermudas, alias the SummerIslands, in America, in and upon Trustees, to be sold; and laying out the Money, arising by such Sale, in England, for the Use of the said Anne Bridges; be read upon Monday Morning next.

Answer to Address.

Mr. Speaker reported, That he, with the House, did attend his Majesty, Yesterday, with their Address; and that his Majesty was pleased to give a most gracious Answer thereunto, as followeth; viz.

Gentlemen,

I Came hither to restore the ancient Constitution of this Government; I have had all possible Regard to it since My Coming; and I am resolved, through the Course of My Reign, to endeavour to preserve it entire in all the Parts of it.

I have a full Confidence in the Affections of My People, and I am well assured, they have the same in Me; and I will never give them just Cause to alter this Opinion.

As to my Subjects who served during the War, I am an Eye-witness of their Bravery, and of their Zeal for My Person and Government; and I have not been wanting to express My Sense of this to My Parliaments, as well as upon other Occasions.

I have all the Reason to trust and rely upon them that a Prince can have; and I am satisfied there is not One Man among them capable of entertaining a Thought, that what was proposed in My Message proceeded from any Distrust of them.

It shall be My Study, to the utmost of My Power to perform the Part of a just and good King: And as I will ever be strictly and nicely careful of observing my Pro mises to My Subjects, so I will not doubt of their tender Regards to Me.

Imprisonment of Counter, &c.

The House, according to Order, resolved itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of the Bill to continue the Imprisonment of * Counter, and others, for the late horrid Conspiracy to assassinate the Person of his Sacred Majesty.

Mr. Speaker left the Chair.

Mr. Cowper took the Chair of the Committee.

Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair.

Mr. Cowper reported from the said Committee, That they had made an Amendment to the Bill; 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.

Half-Pay Officers.

Major-General Erle presented to the House a List of the Names of several Officers of his Regiment, which have been lately disbanded, in order to their being provided for by Half-Pay, with the other Officers, of whom a List hath been laid before the House; as followeth; viz.

Captain William Wilkinson,
Lieutenant Stremer Thomas,
Lieutenant Henry Holland,
Ensign John Medan,
Ensign Adams.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said List be referred to the Committee of the whole House, who are to consider further of the Supply to be granted to his Majesty.

Exporting Wool.

Ordered, That the Bill for the more effectual preventing the Exportation of Wool from England be read upon Wednesday Morning next.

Apprehending Felons.

Ordered, That the Report from the Committee, to whom the Bill for the better Apprehending, Prosecuting, and Punishing, of Felons, that commit Burglary and House-breaking, or Robbery in Shops and Warehouses, was committed, be taken into Consideration upon Tuesday Morning next.

Elections— Qualifying Votes.

Ordered, That the Bill for regulating the Method of Qualifying of Votes in Cities, Boroughs, and CinquePorts for electing Members to serve in Parliament, be read upon Tuesday Morning next.

Poor Laws.

Ordered, That the Bill for the better providing for the Poor, and setting them on Work, be read a Second time upon Wednesday Morning next.

Papers, &c. not to be taken off the Table.

Ordered, and Declared to be a standing Order of the House, That no Member of the House do take a Paper, or the Minute Books, from off the Table, to transcribe in the House, under the Displeasure and Censure of the House.

Duties on Salt.

Ordered, That the Bill for the better ascertaining and collecting the Duties on Salt; and preventing the ill Practices used to defraud the King of the said Duties; be read upon Monday Morning next, at Ten a Clock; and nothing to intervene.

Suppressing Lotteries.

Ordered, That the Bill for the suppressing the Royal Oak Lottery, and all other Lotteries, be read upon Wednesday Morning next.

Duties on Glass.

Ordered, That the Report from the Committee, to whom the Petitions relating to the Duties upon Glasswares was referred, be made upon Wednesday Morning next.

Lascell's Estate.

A Message from the Lords, by Sir Robert Legard and Sir Richard Holford:

Mr. Speaker,

The Lords have passed a Bill, intituled, An Act for vesting the real Estate late of Thomas Lascells Esquire, deceased, in Trustees, to be sold, for the Payment of his Debts: To which they desire the Concurrence of this House.

And then the Messengers withdrew.

Supply.

The House, according to Order, resolved itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider further of the Supply to be granted to his Majesty.

Mr. Speaker left the Chair.

Mr. Cowper took the Chair of the Committee.

Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair.

Mr. Cowper 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 upon Tuesday Morning next.

Mr. Cowper also reported, That he was directed by the said Committee to move, That they may 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 Supply to be granted to his Majesty.

Committees.

Ordered, That all Committees be revived.

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