Martis, 4 die Februarii ;

7° Gulielmi Tertii.

Prayers.

Preventing Export of Wool.

A PETITION of Henry Howard, of Norfolk, Esquire, and Henry Horzdesnell, Executors of the last Will and Testament of Frances late Countess Dowager of Portland, deceased, on the behalf of the Creditors and Legatees of the said Countess, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Petition of the Dyers, Cloth-workers, Packers, &c. formerly delivered to the House, praying a Prohibition against the Transportation of all Woollen Manufactory undyed, will be highly prejudicial to a Grant made by King Charles the Second, in the Twenty-ninth Year of his Reign, for Thirty-one Years, to impower Trustees for the said Countess to license the Exportation of all white Cloths undyed; which Licence was granted, as the Petitioners conceive, at the Request of the then Hamborough Company: And Cloths unlicensed were neither then, nor now are, vendible: That the said Countess died very much in Debt, leaving this Part of her Estate charged with several Debts, Legacies, and Annuities, far greater than it will bear; her other Estate being mortgaged, and over-charged; and several poor Relations, who have Legacies and Annuities, are ready to starve: And praying, That the House will preserve the Right of the said Patent, for the Relief of the said poor Creditors and Legatees.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee, to whom the Bill for prevent ing the Exportation of Wool is committed.

Darwent Navigation.

A Petition of the Mayor, Aldermen, and Inhabitants, of the Borough of Newark upon Trent, in the County of Nottingham, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Bill, now in the House, for making the River of Darwent, in the County of Derby, navigable will be a publick Advantage to Trade in those Parts, and remove many Obstructions therein, through the Inconvenience and Charge of Land-carriage: And praying the Consideration of the House in the Premises; and that they will promote the said Navigation.

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

Bamfeild's Estate.

A Bill to enable certain Trustees, therein named, to make, renew, and fill up, Leases of the Estate of Sir Coppleston Warwick Bamfeild, Baronet, during his Minority; and for laying out the Monies raised thereby in Purchases, to be settled to the same Use the said Estate now is; was read a Second time.

Resolved, That the Bill be committed to Sir Charles Windham, Sir Fra. Massam, Mr. Whitacre, Mr. Hooper, Mr. Conyers, Mr. Price, Sir Sam. Barnardiston, Sir Fra. Winnington, Mr. Ash, Mr. Blofeild, Mr. Cary, Mr. Freke, Mr. Stonehouse, Sir Tho. Roberts, Mr. Palmer, Mr. Harcourt, Mr. Norris, Mr. Farrer, Mr. Baldwyn, Mr. Pocklington, Mr. England, Sir John Trevillian, Mr. Perry, Mr. Bowyer; and all that serve for the Counties of Somerset and Devon: And they are to meet this Afternoon at Five a Clock, in the Speaker's Chambers.

And it is to be an Instruction to the said Committee, That they do hear Amias Bamfeild Esquire, or his Counsel, to the said Bill.

Jenkins's Estate.

A Bill for vesting the Estate of Newce Jenkins, an Infant, in Trustees, to be sold, for Payment of Debts, and for buying another Estate, was read a Second time.

Resolved, That the Bill be committed to Mr. Price, Mr. Lowther, Mr. Baldwyn, Mr. Bagnold, Sir Richard Onslow, Mr. Waller, Mr. Owen, Sir Sa. Barnardiston, Mr. Burdet, Sir Robert Cotton, Mr. Blofeild, Sir John Lowther, Mr. Fuller, Mr. Conyers, Sir John Bolles, Mr. Bowyer, Sir Fra. Massam, Mr. Whitacre, Sir Wm. Williams, Mr. England, Serjeant Wogan, Mr. Onslow, Mr. Boyle, Mr. Brewer, Mr. Gardner, Mr. Bertie, Mr. Phillips, Mr. Arnold, Mr. Cox, Mr. Vaughan, Mr. Molesworth, Mr. Gery, Mr. Farrer, Mr. Lee Banks, Mr. Watlington, Mr. Brotherton, Mr. Norris, Colonel Nanny, Sir Rowland Gwynn: And they are to meet this Afternoon at Five a Clock, in the Speaker's Chambers.

Marshal's Court.

Ordered, That the Bill for regulating and restraining the Proceedings in the King's Court of the Palace at Westminster, called the Marshal's Court, be read a Second time upon Monday Morning next.

Debtors Relief.

An ingrossed Bill for the Relief of poor Prisioners for Debt, or Damages, was read a Third time.

An ingrossed Clause was offered as a Rider, That the Act shall not extend to discharge any Person for Robbery of Felony, for which any Action hath been brought:

And the same was thrice read; and upon the Question put thereupon, agreed to be made Part of the Bill.

Another ingrossed Clause was offered, as a Rider, That no Man, being under Forty Years of Age, shall, during the War, be discharged, unless he shall list himself in the King's Service, or procure an able Man to serve for him:

And the same was twice read; and amended; and then read the Third time; and, upon the Question put thereupon, agreed unto by the House to be made Part of the Bill.

Resolved, That the Bill do pass: And that the Title be, An Act for the Relief of poor Prisoners for Debt, or Damages.

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

Raising Militia.

Ordered, That Leave be given to bring in a Bill for raising the Militia for the Year 1696, although the Month's Pay, formerly advanced, be not repaid: And that the Lord Coningsby do prepare, and bring in, the Bill.

Barkham stead Manor.

A Message from the Lords, by Sir Miles Cook and Sir John Franklyn:

Mr. Speaker,

The Lords have passed a Bill, intituled, An Act to enable Trustees to sell Part of the Manor of Barkhamsted; and to pay off the Incumbrances charged on the same; and to lay out the Overplus in an Estate, to be settled as the said Manor is now settled: To which they desire the Concurrence of this House.

And then the Messengers withdrew.

Hawkers and Pedlars.

A Petition of divers Merchants and Traders in and about the City of London was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Bill, now depending in the House, for suppressing of Hawkers and Pedlars, will, as the Petitioners conceive, be greatly destructive to the Trade of all Corporations and Market-Towns in England; and tends to license a numerous Company of Scotchmen, and other wandering Persons, who no-ways contribute to the Support of the Government: And praying, That they may be heard against such Part of the Bill as tends to establish the said Hawkers and Pedlars.

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

Regulating Elections.

A Bill for the further Regulating of Elections of Members to serve in Parliment was, according to Order, read a Second time.

Resolved, That the Bill be committed.

A Motion being made, and the Question being put, That the Bill be committed to a Committee of the whole House;

It passed in the Negative.

Resolved, That the Bill be committed to Sir William Williams, Mr. Pocklington, Mr. Bowyer, Mr. Gwyn, Mr. Boyle, Sir Robert Cotton, Sir John Banks, Mr. Harcourt, Sir Robert Davers, Sir Chr. Musgrove, Sir Fran. Massam, Sir Gerv. Elwes, Sir Wm. Cooper, Mr. Byrdet, Mr. Norris, Mr. Baldwyn, Mr. Arnold, Mr.Price, Colonel Granville, Sir John Bolles, Mr. Travers, Mr. Monson, Mr. Molesworth, Mr. Brewer, Mr. Finch, Sir Wm. Coriton, Mr. Owen, Sir Jo. Hotham, Mr. Moyle, Mr. Vaughan, Mr. Moor, Mr. Dolben, Mr. Colt, Mr. Phillips, Mr. Sloan: And all that come are to have Voices: And they are to meet this Afternoon at Five a Clock, in the Speaker's Chambers.

A Motion being made, and the Question being proposed. That the Committee have Power to receive a Clause, That all Elections of Members to serve in Parliament be by a Balloting;

The previous Question was put, That That Question be now put:

And it passed in the Negative.

Leave of Absence.

Ordered, That Sir John Manwaring have Leave to go into the Country for a Fortnight, upon extraordinary Occasions.

Bringing Plate to be coined.

Resolved, That this House will, To-morrow Morning, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of the Bill to encourage the bringing in of milled, broad, and unclipped, Monies, to be exchanged, by Commissioners in the several Parts of this Realm, with the common People, for their clipped Monies; and for the Encouragement of Persons to bring Plate into the Mint, to be coined.

Resolved, That it be an Instruction to the said Committee, That they have Power to receive a Clause, to prevent the Melting down, and Exportation, of Coin, or any Bullion.

Resolved, That it be an Instruction also, That the said Committee do consider of a further Encouragement to be given for bringing in Plate to be coined, and broad Money, in order to be exchanged for clipped Money.

Aaron Smith's Accounts.

Mr. Aaron Smith attending, according to Order;

He was called in; and heard, why he had not brought in his Accounts to the Commissioners for taking and stateing the publick Accounts: And he desired further Time for the doing thereof.

And then withdrew.

And, after he had been withdrawn some time, he was called in again: And Mr. Speaker, by Order of the House, acquainted him, That the House expected he should bring in his Accounts to the said Commissioners in Ten Days, or that he must expect to incur the Displeasure of the House.

Supply.

Sir Thomas Littleton reported, from the Committee of the whole House, to whom it was referred to consider further of the Supply to be granted to his Majesty, for carrying on the War against France, the Resolutions of the said Committee; 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 read; and are as follow; viz.

Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That, towards the Supply to be granted to his Majesty, for carrying on the War against France, a Fund be settled for the Payment of Interest, not exceeding 7 l. per Centum, redemable by Parliament.

Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That the said Fund be raised by continuing the Duties upon Salt, granted by an Act, made in the 5th and 6th Years of the Reign of King William and Queen Mary, intituled, An Act for granting to their Majesties certain Rates and Duties upon Salt, and upon Beer, Ale, and other Liquors, for securing certain Recompences and Advantages, in the said Act mentioned, to such Persons as shall voluntarily advance the Sum of Ten hundred thousand Pounds, towards carrying on the War against France.

The First Resolution being read a Second time;

An Amendment was proposed to be made therein, by adding "perpetual" before "Fund:"

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, towards the Supply to be granted to his Majesty, for carrying on the War against France, a perpetual Fund be settled for the Payment of Interest, not exceeding Seven Pounds per Cent. redeemable by Parliament.

The Second Resolution, being read a Second time, was upon the Question put thereupon, agreed unto by the House.

Resolved, That it be an Instruction to the Committee of the whole House, who are to consider further of the Supply to be granted to his Majesty, for carrying on the War against France, That they be impowered to consider of a Compensation for the Duties upon Coals, and the Tonage of Ships, or either of them.

Commissioners of Accounts.

The House, according to the Order of the Day, resolved itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of the Bill for taking and stating the publick Accounts.

Mr. Speaker left the Chair.

Mr. Harcourt took the Chair of the Committee.

Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair.

Mr. Harcourt reported from the said Committee, That they had gone through the Bill, and made several Amendments; which they had directed him to report, when the House will please to receive the same.

Ordered, That the said Report be made To-morrow Morning.

Ditto.

Ordered, That the Report from the Committee appointed to inspect the Lists given in of Persons Names to be Commissioners for taking and stating the publick Accounts; and report upon whom the Choice shall fall; be made To-morrow Morning.

State of the Nation.

Resolved, That this House will, upon Friday Morning next, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider further of the State of the Nation, in relation to Trade; and particularly to the East-India Trade.

Ordered, That all the Members of the House do then attend, upon Pain of incurring the Displeasure of the House.

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