Lunæ, 2 die Decembris;

Septimo Gulielmi Tertii.

Prayers.

Tewksbury Election.

A PETITION of Sir Richard Cocks Baronet was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That at the Election of Burgesses to serve in this present Parliament for the Borough of Tewksbury; in the County of Gloucester, many undue Practices were used by Sir Francis Winnington, and his Agents, against the Petitioner, and those that intended to vote for him; not only by threatening those that had voted for the Petitioner, to turn them out of their Houses, if they did not withdraw their Votes; but also, by detaining the Town-Book, wherein all the Names of the Freemen are entered that had a Right to vote: That though the Petitioner had the greater Number of legal Votes, yet the Sheriff hath returned the said Sir Francis Winnington: And praying the House to take the Premises into Consideration.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee of Privileges and Elections: And that they do examine the Matter thereof; and report the same, with their Opinion therein, to the House.

Exeter Election.

A Petition of Sir Edward Seymour Baronet, and John Snell Esquire, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners were duly elected, by the Majority of Voices, to serve in this present Parliament for the City of Exon; but that Mr. Tyly and Mr. Seyward, by Menaces and Bribes, and by Combination with the Sheriff of the said City, have obtained a Return to the Prejudice of the Petitioners Right: And praying, That the House will take the Premises into Consideration, and examine the Matters of Fact.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee of Privileges and Elections: And that they do examine the Matter thereof; and report the same, with their Opinion therein, to the House.

Mitchell Election.

A Petition of Humphrey Courtney Esquire, and Thomas Vivian Esquire, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners were duly elected Burgesses to serve in this present Parliament for the Borough of Mitchell, in the County of Cornwall: That the Return of the Petitioners, by the Port-reeve of the said Borough, was delivered to the Sheriff of the said County, who affixed the same to the Writ with the other Returns of that County, and sent the same up, by express, to the Clerk of the Crown: That before the said Writ and Return were filed with the Clerk of the Crown, Two other Indentures were, in Town, annexed to the said Writ, pretended to be made by the Portreeve and Burgesses of the said Borough; by which fictitious Indentures Ant. Row and Tho. Dodson Esquires are mentioned to be elected Burgesses: By which ill Practice the Petitioners are excluded from their Places in the House: And praying, That the said fictitious Indentures may be taken off the File; and that the Parties procuring the same may be censured, as the House shall think fit.

Whereupon, Mr. Sherrard and Mr. Hoblyn were called in; and examined touching the annexing the Return of Mr. Row and Mr. Dodson.

And then withdrew.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee of Privileges and Elections: And that they do examine the Matter thereof; and report the same with their Opinion therein, to the House.

Ordered, That it be an Instruction to the said Committee, That they do examine, When the Returns for the County of Cornwall came to the Hands of the Clerk of the Crown; and by what Means the same were delayed.

Blount's Estate.

A Bill to enable Sir Thomas Pope Blount Baronet to make Provision for his younger Children, upon the Marriage of his eldest Son, was read a Second time.

Resolved, That the Bill be committed to Sir Robert Cotton, Mr. Aislaby, Sir Cha. Windham, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Lowther, Mr. Brotherton, Mr. Speke, Sir Wm. Cooper, Mr. Hoare, Sir S. Barnardiston, Mr. Serjeant Bond, Sir John Fleet, Sir Edw. Aiscough, Sir Math. Andrews, Sir John Bolles, Mr. White, Sir Fra. Drake, Mr. Blofeild, Mr. Fuller, Lord Wm. Pawlet, Mr. England, Mr. Paget; Mr. Stonehouse, Mr. Mawdit, Mr. Lawson, Mr. Hedger: And they are to meet To-morrow at Four of the Clock in the Afternoon, in the Speaker's Chambers.

Recovery of SmallTythes.

Ordered, That Leave be given to bring in a Bill for the more easy Recovery of small Tythes: And that Mr. Bickerstaffe and Sir Thomas Dyke do prepare, and bring in, the same.

Regulating Elections.

Sir William Williams presented tot he House, according to Order, a Bill for the preventing Charge and Expences in Elections of Members to serve in Parliament: And the same was received: and read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time upon Friday Morning next.

Supply.

Sir Thomas Littleton, according to Order, reported from the Committee of the whole House, to whom was referred the Consideration of the Motion for a Supply to be given to his Majesty, the Resolution of the said Committee; 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.

Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That a Supply be granted to his Majesty.

The said Resolution being read a Second time;

An Amendment was proposed to be made, by adding "for carrying on the War against France with Vigour:"

And the same was, upon the Question put thereupon, agreed unto by the House.

Resolved, That the House doth agree with the Committee in the said Resolution, so amended, That a Supply be granted to his Majesty, for carrying on the War against France with Vigour.

Resolved, That this House will, To-morrow Morning, at Ten a Clock, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider further of the Supply to be granted to his Majesty, for carrying on the War against France with Vigour.

Army Estimate.

Resolved, That an humble Address be presented to his Majesty, by such Members of this House as are of his Majesty's most Honourable Privy-Council, That he will please to command, That an Estimate for the next Year's Service, for the War, be laid before this House.

War Quotas.

Resolved, That an humble Address be presented to his Majesty, by such Members of this House as are of his Majesty's most Honourable Privy-Council, That he will please to command, That the State of the War, relating to the Quotas the Confederates are to furnish for the carrying on the War, for the Year 1696, be laid before this House.

Public Receipts, &c.

Ordered, That the Commissioners for taking and stating the publick Accounts do lay before this House an Account of the publick Receipts and Payments, since the Account they delivered the last Session of Parliament.

State of the Nation.

The House, according to the Order of the Day, resolved itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider further of the State of the Nation.

Mr. Speaker left the Chair.

Colonel Granvill took the Chair of the Committee.

Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair.

Colonel Granvill reported from the said Committee, That they had made a further Progress in the Matter to them referred; and had directed him to move, That they may have Leave to sit again.

Resolved, That this House will, upon Wednesday Morning next, at Ten a Clock, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider further of the State of Nation.

Committees.

Ordered, That all Committees be adjourned.

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