Lunæ, 1 die Aprilis;

Septimo Gulielmi Tertii.

Prayers.

Making salt Water fresh.

SIR Thomas Littleton reported from the Committee, to whom the ingrossed Bill, from the Lords, intituled, An Act for the making salt Water fresh, was committed, That they had made some Amendments to the Bill; 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 were twice read; and, upon the Question severally put thereupon, agreed unto by the House; and are as follow; viz.

Pr. 6. L. 2, after "mentioned," insert "Invention."

L. 5, after "Assigns," insert "for every Day, that such Offence shall be committed; which shall and may be recovered by the said William Walcot, his Executors, Administrators, or Assigns, in any of his Majesty's Courts of Record, by Action of Debt, or by such other Ways and Means, in such Courts of Record, as herein before mentioned."

The Bill was read the Third time.

Resolved, That the Bill do pass.

Ordered, That Sir Thomas Littleton do carry the Bill to the Lords, and acquaint them, That this House hath agreed to the same, with some Amendments: To which they desire their Lordships Concurrence.

Compelling Craggs, &c. to account.

Mr. Harley, according to Order, presented to the House a Bill to oblige Mr. James Craggs and Mr. Richard Harnage to discover how some of the Monies, relating to cloathing the Army, had been disposed of; and for punishing them, in case they shall not make such Discovery: And the same was received.

The Bill was read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time Tomorrow Morning.

A Witness committed for refusing to answer.

Ordered, That Mr. Richard Harnage, concerned in the cloathing the Army, for refusing to answer, upon Oath, before the Commissioners for examining, taking, and stating, the public Accounts, concerning the Monies by him received, thereby obstructing the Inquiry into the Disposal of publick Money, be taken into Custody of the Serjeant at Arms attending this House.

Regulating Printing and Printing-Presses.

A Petition of several free Workmen, Printers, in behalf of themselves, and the rest of the said Trade, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners are informed, there is a Bill depending in the House for the better Regulating of Printing, and Printing-Presses; which Bill, as the same now stands, doth leave the said Trade open to all Persons; which may not only prove of dangerous Consequence to the Government, but will be ruinous to the said Trade: That the Masters and Apprentices of the Art of Printing have been always restrained in their Numbers by the late Acts for Regulating of Printing; which has tended to the Preservation of the Petitioners Trade; notwithstanding which, their Workmen are now so very numerous, that there is not lawful Employment for Two-thirds of them; so that several are forced to take up other inferior Employments, for the Support of themselves, and their Families: And praying, That they may be heard; and that the Number of Masters and Apprentices may be restrained.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee, to whom the said Bill is committed.

Committees.

Ordered, That all Committees be revived.

Bankrupts Estates.

Ordered, That Mr. Stonehouse, Sir Jon. Jennings, Sir Wm. Honywood, Mr. Hedger, Sir Matth. Andrews, Mr. Arnold, Mr. Hopkins, Sir Robert Cotton, Mr. Dryden, Sir Robert Eden, be added to the Committee, to whom the Bill for the better Discovery of Bankrupts Estates is committed.

Gollop's Estate.

An ingrossed Bill, from the Lords, intituled, An Act to enable Peter Gollop Gentleman to sell a Farm, and certain Lands, called Wantsley; and to vest the Inheritance thereof, in Fee-simple, in such Person or Persons who shall be Purchaser or Purchasers thereof from him, subject only to the Payment of the Sum of One thousand Pounds Principal Money, with the Interest thereof due, and to grow due, unto the executory Estate of Robert Merefeild Gentleman, deceased; was read the Third time.

Resolved, That the Bill do pass.

Ordered, That Mr. Christy do carry the Bill to the Lords, and acquaint them, That this House hath agreed to the same, with an Amendment: To which they desire their Lordships Concurrence.

Irish Arrears.

A Petition of Martha Nears, Frances Robinson, Frances Lindsey, Blanch Laws, and Mary Clifton, Widows of Officers in the Regiment late of Sir John Laniers, was presented to the House, and read.

Ordered, That the said Petition be delivered to one of the Commissioners for taking and stating the publick Accounts, who is a Member of this House.

Preventing Correspondence with France.

A Bill for the better preventing Correspondence with France was read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time.

Boats carrying Coals.

Mr. Christy reported from the Committee, to whom the Bill for the better Admeasurement of Keels and KeelBoats, in the Port of Newcastle upon Tyne, and Members thereof; and for the Encouragement of Navigation, by the Exportation of Coals from the same; 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.

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

Supply Bill; Annuities for Life.

An ingrossed Bill for enabling such Persons as have Estates for Life, in Annuities, payable by several former Acts, therein mentioned, to purchase and obtain further, or more certain, Interests in such Annuities; and, in Default thereof, for admitting other Persons to purchase or obtain the same; was read the Third time.

Resolved, That the Bill do pass: And that the Title be, An Act for enabling such Persons as have Estates for Life, in Annuities, payable by several former Acts, therein mentioned, to purchase and obtain further, or more certain, Interests in such Annuities; and, in Default thereof, for admitting other Persons to purchase or obtain the same; for raising Monies for carrying on the War against France.

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

Preventing counterfeiting Coin.

Ordered, That the ingrossed Bill, from the Lords, intituled, An Act to prevent counterfeiting and clipping the Coin of this Kingdom, be read To-morrow Morning.

Supply Bill; Duties on Marriages, &c.

Ordered, That the Report from the Committee of the whole House, to whom the Bill for granting to his Majesty certain Duties upon Marriages, Births, and Burials, and upon Bachelors and Widowers, for the Term of Five ....., towards carrying on the War against the French King with Vigour, was committed, be made To-morrow Morning.

Answer to Address.

Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer acquainted the House, That such Members as are of his Majesty's most Honourable Privy-Council, had presented to his Majesty the Address of this House, That his Majesty would please to remove Henry Killigrew Esquire, Henry Villers Esquire, and Richard Gee Esquire, from the Commission for putting in Execution the Act for licensing and regulating Hackney Coaches and Stage Coaches: And that his Majesty was pleased to say, It should be done.

Ways and Means.

The House, according to the Order of the Day, resolved itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of Ways and Means for raising the Supply to be granted to his Majesty, for the Payment of those Persons whose Ships were employed in the Reducing of Ireland.

Mr. Speaker left the Chair.
Sir Thomas Littleton took the Chair of the Committee.
Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair.

Sir Thomas Littleton reported from the said Committee, That they had considered the Matter to them referred; and had come to several Resolutions; which they had directed him to report to the House, when the House will please to receive the same.

Ordered, That the Report be received To-morrow Morning.

Punishing Mutiny and Desertion.

Ordered, That the Report from the Committee of the whole House, to whom the Bill for continuing Two former Acts for punishing Officers and Soldiers who shall mutiny, or desert his Majesty's Service; and for punishing false Musters; and for Payment of Quarters; for One Year longer; was committed; be made To-morrow Morning.

Compelling Sir T. Cook to account.

Resolved, That this House will, To-morrow Morning, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of the Bill to oblige Sir Thomas Cook to give an Account to whom he paid and distributed Eighty-seven thousand Four hundred and Two Pounds Twelve Shillings and Three-Pence; and other Sums of Money, mentioned, in the Report from the Committee appointed to inspect the Books of the East-India Company, to be received and distributed by him.

Encouragement of Privateers.

Resolved, That this House will, upon Wednesday Morning next, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider further of the Bill for the better Encouragement of Privateers.

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