House of Lords Journal Volume 20: 4 July 1717

DIE Jovis, 4 Julii.

Domini tam Spirituales quam Temporales præsentes fuerunt:

PRAYERS.

Richmond's Bill.

The Earl of Clarendon reported from the Committee, to whom the Bill, intituled, "An Act for vesting in Trustees the Estate of Thomas Richmond Esquire, deceased, in the County of Essex, to be sold, for Payment of his Debts, Legacies, and Funeral Expences, according to the Will of the said Thomas Richmond," was committed: "That they had considered the said Bill, and found the Allegations thereof to be true; that the Parties concerned had given their Consents; and that the Committee had made some Amendments to the Bill."

Which were read Twice, and agreed to.

Ordered, That the Bill, with the Amendments, be engrossed.

Message from H. C. to return the D. of Montagu's Bill.

A Message from the House of Commons, by Mr. West and others:

To return the Bill, intituled, "An Act for Sale of Part of the Duke of Montagu's Estate, for the Intents and Purposes therein mentioned; and for settling other Estates, in Lieu thereof, to the same Uses;" and to acquaint this House, that they have agreed to the same, with some Amendments, to which they desire their Lordships Concurrence.

Parliament-office, Report concerning the Repairs wanting.

The Earl of Clarendon reported from the Committee appointed to view the Tower, or Building, called The Parliament-office, where the Records of Parliament are deposited and kept; and who were empowered to send for the Officers of the Works, to attend their Lordships; and who were afterwards instructed to make what Observations they should think fit; concerning the State and Condition of the Journals of this House:

"That the Committee have viewed the said Tower, or Building; and find the same to be in a very ruinous Condition; and that, for preserving the Records there deposited, it is absolutely necessary the same should be speedily repaired: That the Two Rooms where the Records are at present kept are so full, as not to be capable of containing any more; but that there are Two empty Rooms over those Rooms, of the like Dimensions, where divers of the Records and Papers below, for which no convenient Room remains, as also those Yearly increasing, may very conveniently and safely be deposited, as soon as the said empty Rooms are put into a Condition for receiving them.

"The Committee, pursuant to the Power given them, did send for, and were attended by, the Officers of the Works; who, by their Lordships Directions, did survey the said Tower and House; and thereupon laid an Estimate of the Repairs, which they, upon the said Survey, judged necessary to be done, before the Committee; who, having no Power to contract with the said Officers, have thought proper to lay the said Estimate before your Lordships; which is as follows; videlicet,

"Estimate of several Repairs and additional Works proposed to be done at The Parliament-office; videlicet,

"J. Vanbrugh.
"Charles Dartiquenave.

"And the Committee are of Opinion, That the House be moved, That an humble Address be presented to His Majesty, that His Majesty will be graciously pleased to give Directions to the Officers of His Works, that the said Tower, or Building, may be fitted up, for the safe and necessary Keeping the Records; and such Repairs made and done upon the Premises, in respect thereof, as His Majesty, in His great Wisdom, shall think proper.

"The Committee also, pursuant to the Instruction given them, have viewed the Journals of this House; and observe to your Lordships, that many of them are very indifferently bound; and, by reason of the frequent Use made of them, divers Sheets or Leaves therein are become loose, and also the same Session transposed in different Books, and Abundance of Blank Paper remaining in several of them, whereby it seems necessary that such of the said Journals should be new bound; and the rather, because there are no Indexes to any of them, excepting some few of the Books beginning in the Year 1640; which the Committee propose to your Lordships as a Work of great Use; and likewise that a Calendar be perfected of the whole Journals, in a separate Book, referring to the Dates in the said Journals, whereby such Proceedings as are most material may readily be found; and likewise, that the Omission of Marginal Notes, which in some of the former Books is very great, may be supplied: Which several Works, by reason the same will not only be expensive, but very laborious; the Committee are likewise of Opinion, that the House be moved, That an humble Address be presented to His Majesty, That His Majesty will be also graciously pleased to give such Recompence and Reward, for the Performance of those Services, as His Majesty, in His great Wisdom and Bounty, shall think fit."

Which Report, being read by the Clerk, was agreed to by the House.

And the House being moved, pursuant to the First Opinion of the Committee:

Address for the Repairs to be made:

It is Ordered, by the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parliament assembled, That an humble Address be presented to His Majesty, to lay before His Majesty that Part of the Report to which the said Opinion relates; and humbly to desire His Majesty, "That He will be graciously pleased to give Directions to the Officers of His Works, that the said Tower, or Building, may be sitted up, for the safe and necessary keeping the Records; and such Repairs made and done upon the Premises, in respect thereof, or otherwise, as His Majesty, in His great Wisdom, shall think proper."

Ordered, That the said Address be presented to His Majesty by the Lords with White Staves.

Then the House being moved, pursuant to the other Opinion of the Committee:

Indexes and Calendar to be made to the Journals.

Ordered, That the Clerk of the Parliaments do cause such of the Journals of this House as necessarily require it to be new bound, and Indexes to be made to all the Journals to which there are none already; and likewise a Calendar perfected of the whole Books, and the Omission or Defect of Marginal Notes supplied, pursuant to the said Report.

Lottery Funds, redeeming, Bill.

Hodie 2^a vice lecta est Billa, intituled, "An Act for redeeming the Duties and Revenues which were settled to pay off Principal and Interest, on the Orders made forth on Four Lottery Acts, passed in the Ninth and Tenth Years of Her late Majesty's Reign; and for redeeming certain Annuities, payable on Orders out of the Hereditary Excise, according to a former Act in that Behalf; and for establishing a general Yearly Fund, not only for the future Payment of Annuities, at several Rates, to be payable and transferrable at the Bank of England, and redeemable by Parliament; but also to raise Monies for such Proprietors of the said Orders as shall chuse to be paid the Principal and Arrears of Interest in ready Money; and for making good such other Deficiencies and Payments as in this Act are mentioned; and for taking off the Duties on Linseed imported, and British Linen exported."

Ordered, That the said Bill be committed to a Committee of the whole House, To-morrow.

Stone's Bill:

Hodie 3^a vice lecta est Billa, "intituled, "An Act for Sale of the Estate of John Stone the Elder and John Stone the Younger, in the County of Sussex, for discharging the Incumbrances thereon, in respect of the Infancy of One of the Coheirs of John Stone the Younger; and for securing the Residue of the Money as therein is mentioned."

The Question was put, "Whether this Bill, with the Amendments, shall pass?"

It was Resolved in the Affirmative.

Message to H. C. with Amendments to it.

A Message was sent to the House of Commons, by Mr. Fellowes and Mr. Orlebar:

To acquaint them, that the Lords have agreed to the said Bill, with some Amendments; to which their Lordships desire their Concurrence.

Heldt & al. Nat. Bill.

The Amendments made by the Commons to the Bill, intituled, "An Act to naturalize John Jacob Heldt, "Theodore Van Rheden, and others," were read, and severally agreed to by the House.

And a Message was sent to the House of Commons, by the former Messengers:

To acquaint them, that the Lords have agreed to their Amendments made to the said Bill.

Irish Linen, Bill.

Whereas Monday last was appointed, for the House to be put into a Committee of the whole House, upon the Bill for continuing the Liberty of exporting Irish Linen Cloth to the British Plantations in America, Duty-free; and for other Purposes:

It is Ordered, That this House shall be put into a Committee thereupon, To-morrow.

Bank Bill.

Whereas Monday last was likewise appointed, for the House to be put into a Committee of the whole House upon the Bill for redeeming several Funds of the Governor and Company of the Bank of England, pursuant to former Provisos of Redemption, and for other Purposes:

It is Ordered, That this House shall be put into a Committee thereupon, To-morrow.

Lady Butler's Bill:

Hodie 3^a vice lecta est Billa, intituled, "An Act for raising and paying the Lady Amelia Butler's Portion, out of Lands in Ireland."

The Question was put, "Whether this Bill shall pass?"

It was Resolved in the Affirmative.

Message to H. C. that the Lords have agreed to it.

A Message was sent to the House of Commons, by the former Messengers:

To acquaint them, that the Lords have agreed to the said Bill, without any Amendment.

Equivalent, Scotland, Bill.

Hodie 2^a vice lecta est Billa, intituled, "An Act to continue an Act of the First Year of His Majesty's Reign, intituled, "An Act for taking and stating the Debts due, and growing due, to Scotland, by Way of Equivalent, in the Terms of the Union; and for Relief of the Creditors of the Public, and the Commissioners of the Equivalent."

Ordered, That the said Bill be committed to a Committee of the whole House, on Saturday next.

D of Montague's Bill.

The Amendment made by the Commons to the Bill, intituled, "An Act for the Sale of Part of the Duke of Montagu's Estate, for the Intents and Purposes therein mentioned; and for settling other Estates, in Lieu thereof, to the same Uses," were read, and severally agreed to by the House.

And a Message was sent to the House of Commons, by the former Messengers:

To acquaint them, that the Lords have agreed to their Amendments made to the said Bill.

Bankrupts Bill:

Hodie 3^a vice lecta est Billa, intituled, "An Act to empower Commissioners in Commissions of (fn. 1) Bankrupts, issued since the Four and Twentieth Day of June One Thousand Seven Hundred and Six, and on or before the Six and Twentieth Day of June One Thousand Seven Hundred and Sixteen, to make Certificates for Bankrupts; and the Lord Chancellor, Lord Keeper, Commissioners of the Great Seal, or Two Judges, to confirm the same, notwithstanding the Acts of the Fourth and Fifth and the Fifth of Queen Anne are expired; and for continuing a Clause in a former Act, for adjusting Accompts between Bankrupts and their Debtors."

"The Question was put, "Whether this Bill shall pass?"

It was Resolved in the Affirmative.

Message to H. C. that the Lords have agreed to it.

A Message was sent to the House of Commons, by the former Messengers:

To acquaint them, that the Lords have agreed to the said Bill, without any Amendment.

Act for registering Papists Estates, Bill to explain,

The House (according to Order) was adjourned during Pleasure, and put into a Committee, to consider further of the Bill, intituled, "An Act for explaining an Act passed the last Session of Parliament, intituled, An Act to oblige Papists to register their Names and Real Estates; and for enlarging the Time for such registering."

And, after some Time spent therein, the House was resumed.

And the Earl of Clarendon reported from the said Committee, "That they had gone through the Bill, and made several Amendments thereunto; which he was ready to report, when the House will please to receive the same."

Ordered, That the said Report be received on Saturday next.

Sheriffs Office, &c. Bill.

Hodie 2^a vice lecta est Billa, intituled, "An Act for the better regulating the Office of Sheriffs, and for ascertaining their Fees, and the Fees for sueing out their Patents, and passing their Accompts."

Ordered, That the said Bill be committed to a Committee of the whole House, on Saturday next; and the Lords to be summoned, with Notice of the Occasion; and One of the Judges of each Court then to attend.

Sheriffs Patents, Accompts, &c. Bill.

Hodie 2^a vice lecta est Billa, intituled, "An Act for the better enabling Sheriffs to sue out their Patents, and pass their Accompts."

Ordered, That the said Bill be likewise committed to a Committee of the whole House, on Saturday next.

Commissioners for Army Accompts, Bill.

The Earl of Clarendon (according to Order) reported from the Committee of the whole House, to whom the Bill, intituled, "An Act to continue and revive several Acts, therein mentioned, for appointing Commissioners, to take, examine, and state, the Debts due to the Army; and also to enable the said Commissioners to determine the said Debts, and to grant Certificates of such Debts, in order to make out Debentures for the same; and for enabling the Commissioners appointed to inquire into the forfeited Estates to certify the Names of Persons who have been in Possession, or received any Rents out of the said forfeited Estates, into the Exchequer; and for enlarging the Time for making Claims on the said Estates; and for enabling Trustees for Creditors or Children to make Claims for such Creditors or Children," was committed, the Amendments made by the Committee to the said Bill.

Which were read, and agreed to, as follows:

"Pr. 10. L. 2. Leave out from the Word ["Debts"] to the End of the Bill.

"In the Title of the Bill,

"Line the 5th. Leave out from the Word ["same"] to the End of the Title."

Ordered, That the said Bill be read the Third Time on this Day Fortnight.

Highways towards Staines Bill, Officers to produce Books of Taxes.

Ordered, That the respective Officers, who have the Land Tax Books and Window Books for the Year last past in their Custody, do, on the Request, and at the Charge, of the Petitioners against the Bill for repairing the Highways towards Staines and Colnebrooke, in the County of Middlesex, produce those Books which concern the Assessments or Duties in the several Parishes through which the Road intended to be repaired lies, in the said County, at the Bar of this House, Tomorrow.

Richmond's Bill:

Hodie 3^a vice lecta est Billa, intituled, "An Act for vesting in Trustees the Estate of Thomas Richmond Esquire, deceased, in the County of Essex, to be sold, for Payment of his Debts, Legacies, and Funeral Expences, according to the Will of the said Thomas Richmond."

The Question being put, "Whether this Bill shall pass?"

It was Resolved in the Affirmative.

Message to H. C. with it.

A Message was sent to the House of Commons, by the former Messengers:

To carry down the said Bill, and desire their Concurrence thereunto.

Adjourn.

Dominus Cancellarius declaravit præsens Parliamentum continuandum esse usque ad et in diem Veneris, quintum diem instantis Julii, hora undecima Auroræ, Dominis sic decernentibus.