Martis, 15 die Januarii;

Sexto Gulielmi Tertii.

Prayers.

Apothecaries exempt from Parish Offices.

MR. Price reported from the Committee, to whom the Bill for exempting Apothecaries from serving the Offices of Constable, Scavenger, and other Parish and Ward-Offices, was committed; and to whom the Examination and Consideration of the Petition of the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Common-Council, of the City of London, was referred; That the Committee had examined and considered the said Petition accordingly; and had made several Amendments to the Bill; which they had directed him to report to the House; and which he read in his Place; and afterwards delivered in at the Clerk's Table: Where the same were once read throughout; and then a Second time, one by one; and, upon the Question severally put thereupon, agreed unto by the House.

A Clause was offered to be added to the Bill, That such Apothecaries as are now in any of the said Offices, shall hold the same:

And the same was twice read; and, upon the Question put thereupon, agreed unto by the House.

And the Question being put, That the Bill, with the Amendments, be ingrossed;

The House divided.

The Yeas go forth.

So it was resolved in the Affirmative.

State of the Revenue.

Mr. Guy, from the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury, presented to the House a State of the Revenue, from Michaelmas 1693, to Michaelmas 1694; with the Loans, Debts, and Charges upon the Revenue; together with an Account of the Establishment:

And the same was read; and is as followeth; viz.

CUSTOMS.

The Duties, by the Act of Parliament determined at Christmas now last past, commonly called the Customs; which did arise from Michaelmas 1693, to Michaelmas 1694; and did, at the End of every Week, remain, after Payments made thereout upon Debentures for Goods reshipt; for Corn exported; or for Discounts upon Bonds; with Allowances for damaged Goods, and Portage-Bills; were divided into Three-fourth Parts, and One-fourth Part: The Three-fourth Parts were constantly paid into the Exchequer, and there applied towards Payment of the Principal Money borrowed thereupon, with the Interest thereof; and out of the One-fourth Part the Receiver-General paid so much of the Charge of managing the Customs, as was payable by his Hands; and the Residue of the said Fourth Part was applicable to Uses of the Civil-List.

The Receipts of the said Customs in the said Year ended at Michaelmas 1694, over and above the Debentures, Discounts, and Allowances, aforesaid; and over and above the Charges of Management; did amount to 406,987 l. 16s. 6¾d.; besides the Sum of 24,282 l. 7s. 7½ d.; which was not the real Produce of the Revenue, but Money within the said Year advanced, and paid beforehand, by the Receiver, upon the said Fourth Part.

The Principal Money remaining unpaid this 14th of January 1694, upon the Register for the ¾ Customs, doth amount to 232,447 l. 15s. 9d. besides the Interest thereof.

The Principal Money borrowed, and remaining unpaid this 14th of January 1694, upon the ¼ Customs, is 15,000 l.; for which Interest is also payable.

The annual Charge, usually borne on the Revenue of Customs by Letters Patents, or Grants for Pensions, and other Yearly Payments, Part of the Civil List, doth amount, in the Whole, unto 6,783 l. 5s. 1½d.

Whereof the Particulars are contained in the annexed List marked A.

COFFEE and TEA.

The new Duties on Coffee and Tea were applicable to Uses of the Civil List; and the net Receipts thereof, in the Year ended at Michaelmas 1694, did amount to 2,153 l. 9s. 0d.; but these are expired at Christmas last, and are not regranted by the Act newly passed.

EXCISE.

The Rates of Excise granted in Fee, and those now enjoyed during his Majesty's Life, which are called the Hereditary and Temporary Excise, did, by the Receipts thereof in the Year ended at Michaelmas last, produce, in net Money, over and above the Charges of Management, the Sum of 413,053 l. 14s. 0¾d.

The Principal Money borrowed and charged by Tallies on the said Two Branches, and now remaining unsatisfied, doth amount to the Sum of 260,748 l. 11s. 11d.; and Interest is payable for the same.

Besides which Sum of 260,748 l. 11s. 11d. and Interest, the said Hereditary Branch of Excise stands charged, with an old Debt of 1,333,873 l. 14s. 7¼d. due to several Bankers, and others, or their Assigns; for which his late Majesty King Charles the 2d granted to them, and their Heirs, several Sums, making 80,032 l. 8s. 1d. per Annum, in the Nature of perpetual Interest, until they should be respectively satisfied the Principal; and the said perpetual Interest is in Arrear for Eleven Years, and Three Quarters, amounting to 940,380 l. 14s. 11d. or thereabout; and the said Two Branches of Excise, jointly or severally, do stand specially charged by particular Letters Patents or Grants for Pensions, and other yearly Payments, Part of the Civil List, with several annual Payments, amounting to 79,069 l. 15s. 2d. per Annum; whereof the Particulars are contained in the Schedule hereunto annexed, marked A.

LOW WINES.

The Duties upon the Low Wines produced, in the net Receipts thereof, for the said Year ended at Michaelmas 1694, the Sum of 13,698 l. 15s. 8¼d.; and have no Debt thereupon.

LETTER-MONEY.

The Revenue arising in the General Post-Office, in the Year ended at Michaelmas 1694, produced, over and above the Charges of Management, the Sum of 59,972 l. 14s. 9d.

The present Debt, by Tallies upon this Revenue, is 19,205 l. 9s. 2d.; and the yearly Charge, by special Grants thereupon, doth amount to the Sum of 21,200 l. per Annum, which is also Part of the Charge of the Civil List, as appears by the annexed List, marked B.

SMALL BRANCHES, and CASUALTIES.

All the Sums which have been answered in Money into the Receipt of the Exchequer, or by Tallies levied upon the small Branches, and Casualties, within the Year beforementioned, excluding the Coinage-Duty, which is appropriated to the Mint, do amount to the Sum of 77,435 l. 11s. 5¼d.

The Revenue of Wine-Licences, one of the small Branches, was granted to Sir Stephen Evance and others, for Ten Years, from Lady-day 1691; and thereupon they advanced Thirty thousand Pounds, of which there still remains unpaid 21,000 l.

State of the Revenue.

The yearly Charge on small Branches, as by the List marked B, doth amount; viz.

State of the Revenue.

State of the Revenue.

Mr. Foley, according to Order, presented to the House, from the Commissioners for taking and stating the publick Accounts, Abstracts of the Revenues of the Excise, Customs, Post-Office, and small Branches, from Michaelmas. 1693, to Michaelmas 1694.

And the same was read; and is as followeth; viz.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said State and Abstracts be referred to the Committee of the whole House, to whom it is referred to consider further of Ways and Means for raising the Supply to be granted to his Majesty, for carrying on the War against France with Vigour.

Free Proceedings in Parliament.

Sir John Bolles, according to the Order of the Day, reported from the Committee of the whole House, to whom the Bill touching free and impartial Proceedings in Parliament was committed, That they had made several Amendments to the Bill; which they had directed him to report to the House; and which he read in his Place; and afterwards delivered in at the Clerk's Table: Where the same were once read throughout; and then a Second time, one by one; and, upon the Question severally put thereupon, agreed unto by the House.

And some other Amendments were made by the House to the Bill.

And an Amendment being proposed to be made in respect of the Word "Heirs;"

And a Debate arising thereupon;

Resolved, That the Debate be adjourned till Saturday Morning next, Eleven a Clock.

Ways and Means.

Resolved, That this House will, upon Friday Morning next, at Eleven a Clock, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider further of Ways and Means for raising the Supply to be granted to his Majesty, for carrying on the War against France with Vigour.

And then the House adjourned till To-morrow Morning, Nine a Clock.

Footnotes