House of Commons Journal Volume 9: 16 December 1667

Die Lunæ, 16 Decembris, 1667.

Golding's Estate.

A BILL for making good Recoveries, suffered by Richard Golding, was read the Second time.

Resolved, &c. That the Bill be committed to Sir Norton Knatchbold, Sir John Goodricke, Sir Wm. Lowther, Sir Solomon Swale, Mr. Steward, Mr. Crouch, Sir John Talbott, Mr. Hobby, Sir Jo. Brampston, Mr. Pepys, Mr. Westphaling, Sir Cha. Harbord, Sir Clifford Clifton, Sir Cha. Wheeler, Sir Tho. Dyke, Sir Tho. Gower, Sir John Covert, and all the Members of this House that serve for the County of Essex: And they are to meet at Two of the Clock this Afternoon, in the Speaker's Chamber: And they are to summon and hear all Parties concerned: And to send for Persons, Papers, and Records.

Throckmorton's Debt.

A Petition of Sir Baynham Throckmorton, Sir Trevor Williams, and others, was read, praying Relief and Satisfaction of Two thousand Pounds owing by the Earl of Cleaveland.

Resolved, &c. That this Petition be referred to the same Committee to which the Bill of Sir John Weld, for Satisfaction of a Debt due to him from the Earl of Cleaveland, was committed; to take the Matter of the Petition into Consideration; and report it, with their Opinion, to the House.

* Privilege.

Upon Information given to the House, that one * Wormwell, John and Fran. Wrenham, and Francis Johnson, having recovered a Verdict against one * Deacone, a Tenant of the Lord Newborough, a Member of this House; and have since that Time, viz. about a Fortnight since, without Judgment obtained, which the Judges of the King's Bench refused to permit, by Force and Practice turned the said Deacon out of Possession of a Tenement in Sutton Marsh, which he holds of the Lord Newborough; contrary to the Privileges of Parliament;

Ordered, That this Matter of Breach of Privilege, be referred to the Committee of Privileges and Elections; to examine, and report it, with their Opinions, to the House.

Woodmongers and Inn-holders.

Sir Thomas Higgons reports from the Committee to which it was referred to examine Abuses and Extortions in inhancing the Prices of Wood, Coal, and Fewelling, and Abuses in ballasting of Ships, was committed; several Votes and Resolves agreed by the Committee: Which he opened in his Place; and after delivered the same in at the Clerk's Table: Which are as followeth; viz.

Woodmongers and Innholders.

That the selling of Billets by Notches, by the Woodmongers and Retailers of Wood, in and about the Cities of London and Westminster, and the Suburbs thereof, is an uncertain and deceitful Way, and not fit to be continued.

That Billets, for the future, shall be sold by the Stack, within the Liberties of London and Westminster, and the Suburbs thereof.

That every Stack shall contain Eight Foot in Length, and Four Foot in Height.

That every Billet shall contain the Length now directed by the Statute; viz. Three Foot and Four Inches.

That whatever Woodmonger, or Retailer of Wood, within the Liberties of London and Westminster, shall sell Billets otherwise than is hereby directed, being convicted thereof by Two Witnesses, before a Justice of the Peace, or by the View of a Justice of the Peace, shall, for the First Offence, forfeit to the Informer; for the Second Offence, shall forfeit his Wood so offered to Sale, and Five Pounds; and, for every other Offence, shall forfeit his Wood so offered to Sale, and Ten Pounds; the said Penalty to be levied by Warrant under the Hand of the said Justice, before whom such Conviction is had.

Provided, that, if the said Woodmonger be aggrieved he may have Appeal to the next Sessions.

That, for the future, there shall be one Size of Hardwood Faggots sold in the Liberties of London and Westminster.

That the Size of Faggots shall continue as they are now by the Statute.

That the Stops of Faggots shall not exceed Four Inches about; nor be less than a Foot in Length.

That whosoever shall, after the First of May 1670, sell any Faggots of any lesser Size than is hereby provided, shall forfeit the Faggots so sold; and incur the same Penalty, as in case of Stackwood.

That the House be moved for a Bill to be brought in for selling of Billets and Faggots according to this Regulation.

That the House be moved to insert a Clause in this Bill, for repealing the Woodmongers Charter, and preventing any such Charter for the future.

That, for the future, all Ballast-lighters be gauged and marked once in Two Years; and no Lighter employed, but what is gauged and marked.

That the Master of the Trinity House be required to take care, that no Ships be made stay for their Ballast; and that all Ships may have their full Tonage of Ballast.

That when Men have once paid for their Ballast they may dispose of it as they please, at their own Charges.

That the Abuse in the Ballast is but a pretext for raising of Coals.

That the Price set upon Coals, betwixt this and the Five-and-twentieth of March next shall not exceed Thirty Shillings the Chaldron.

And the several Votes and Resolves concerning Billets, Faggots, and Wood, were Twice read; and, upon the Question, severally agreed.

The Votes concerning the Ballasting of Ships and Lighters, were read the Second time:

Resolved, &c. That the further Debate of the Votes concerning Ballast, be adjourned till the Meeting after Christmas.

The Vote concerning setting a Price on Coals was Twice read:

The Question being put, That the further Debate of this Vote be adjourned till after Christmas;

The House was divided:

The Yeas went out.

Tellers,

And so it was Resolved in the Affirmative.

Fortifying Sheernesse.

The Lord Ancram reports from his Royal Highness the Duke of Yorke, an Answer in Writing to the Desire of this House: Which he read; and delivered in at the Clerk's Table: Which is as followeth; viz.

"Being desired by the House of Commons to let them know what Orders I gave for the fortifying of Sheernesse; and to whom, and when; I am very ready to give them what Satisfaction I can; though it be but little I am able to say to them on this Subject."

"I waited on his Majesty, when he went to Sheernesse, at the latter End of February last; and I . . . present, when his Majesty caused the Fort to be marked out; and, also, when he gave Order to the Commissioners of the Ordnance to go in hand with the Building of it: But, it not being in my Province to give Orders on Shore, neither the Commissioners of the Ordnance, nor any body else, did ever receive Orders from me for doing that Work. It's very true, that knowing the Importance of that Place for the securing of his Majesty's Navy, I did presently after his Majesty's Return from thence to London, recommend to the Commissioners of the Ordnance, the going in hand with the Battery upon the Point at Sheernesse."

"James."

Apprehending Earl of Clarendon.

Resolved, &c. That the Debate of the Reasons from the Lords, delivered at the last Conference, for their dissenting from the Vote of this House, for desiring his Majesty to issue a Proclamation for summoning the Earl of Clarendon by a Day, and apprehending him, in order to a Trial, be taken up this Afternoon at Three of the Clock.

And then the House adjourned till Three of the Clock this Afternoon.

Post Meridiem.

Ditto.

THE House debated the Reasons from the Lords, delivered the last Conference.

The Question being propounded, That the Lords Reasons are satisfactory;

And the Question being put, That the Question be put;

The House was divided:

The Yeas went forth.

Tellers,

So it passed in the Negative.

Banishing Earl of Clarendon.

The Question being propounded, That the ingrossed Bill from the Lords, for Banishing and Disenabling the Earl of Clarendon, be now read the Second time;

And the Question being put, That the Question be now put;

It was Resolved in the Affirmative:

And the main Question being put, that the Bill be now read;

The House was divided:

The Yeas went forth.

Tellers,

So it was Resolved in the Affirmative.

The Bill was read the Second time accordingly.

Resolved, &c. That the said Bill be committed, upon the whole Debate, to Mr. Vaughan, Sir Robert Howard, Mr. Garraway, Sir Tho. Littleton, Sir Robert Carr, Sir Tho. Lee, Sir Jo. Heath, Mr. Comptroller, Sir Antho. Cope, Col. Birch, Sir Cha. Harbord, Sir Tho. Gower, Sir Jo. Bennett, Sir Wm. Lowther, Sir Robert Brookes, Sir Solomon Swale, Sir Gilbert Gerrard, Mr. Brunckard, Lord Fitzharding, Lord St. John, Sir Fran. Goodricke, Mr. Swinfen, Sir Tho. Osborne, Sir Rich. Temple, Mr. Pryn, Sir Edm. Windham, Sir Geo. Reeves, Mr. Solicitor General, Mr. Trevor, Sir Tho. Strickland, Sir Tho. Clergis, Mr. Marvin, Serjeant Charleton, Sir Phill. Warwicke, Sir Wm. Hickman, Sir Trevor Williams, Sir Hugh Wyndham, Sir Cha. Wheeler, Sir Jo. Knight, Sir Nicho. Carew, Col. Kirby, Sir Jo. Talbott: And all that come are to have Voices: And they are to meet To-morrow at Two of the Clock in the Afternoon, in the Speaker's Chamber: And to have Power to send for Persons, Papers, and Records.