House of Commons Journal Volume 11: 20 February 1696

Jovis, 20 die Februarii;

8° Gulielmi Tertii.

Prayers.

Heron's Estate.

AN ingrossed Bill, from the Lords, intituled, An Act to enable Sir Charles Heron Baronet to sell Lands, for Payment of a Portion and Debts, was read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time.

Wimondham Roads.

A Bill for Repair of the Highways between Wimondham and Attleborough, in the County of Norfolk, was read the Second time.

Resolved, That the Bill be committed to Sir Henry Hobart, Sir John Turner, Mr. Blofeild, Mr. Sloane, Sir Sam. Barnardiston, Sir Wm. Coriton, Mr. Gardner, Mr. Pepys, Sir Gervas Elwes, Mr. Harrison, Mr. Cooper, Mr. Frewen, Sir Rob. Davers, Mr. Bickerstaffe, Mr. England, Mr. Bagnold, Mr. Fuller, Sir Ri. Onslow, Mr. Hammond, Mr. Morgan, Mr. Moore, Mr. Watlington, Mr. Acton, Mr. Vaughan, Mr. Hedger, Mr. Hoar, Sir Tho. Dyke, Mr. Slater, Mr. Lowther, Mr. Moyle, Mr. Colt, Mr. Walpole, Mr. Onslow; and all that serve for the Counties of Cambridge, Norfolk, and Essex: And they are to meet this Afternoon at Five a Clock, in the Speaker's Chamber.

Avon Navigation.

Ordered, That the Bill for making the River Avon, in the Counties of Wilts, Gloucester, and Somerset, navigable, be read a Second time upon this Day Sevennight.

Preventing Export of Wool.

A Petition of the Inhabitants of the Town of Bampton, in the County of Devon, trading Men in the Woollen Manufactory, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners are informed, the Port of Bridgwater hath petitioned the House to make it a Staple Port for the Discharge of Irish Wool; which, formerly, has been several times attempted in Parliament, but could not be accomplished: That the Petitioners have, Time out of Mind, been furnished with the said Wool conveniently from Minehead; but fear they shall be put to great Charge and Trouble to fetch it from Bridgwater; and conceive it not for the general Good of the Country to make Bridgwater the Staple Port, but the Interest of some private Persons: And praying that Bridgwater may not be made a Staple Port.

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

Cricklade Election.

Ordered, That the Report from the Committee of Privileges and Elections, touching the Election for the Borough of Cricklade, in the County of Wilts, be made upon Saturday Morning next.

Privilege.

Ordered, That the Report from the Committee of Privileges and Elections, touching the Complaint of a Breach of Privilege against Sir Nathaniel Nappier, a Member of this House, be made upon Saturday Morning next.

Brecon Election.

Ordered, That the Report from the Committee of Privileges and Elections, touching the Election for the County of Brecon, be made upon Saturday Morning next.

Irish Arrears.

A Petition of Obadiah Wood, John Newton, Gerrard Cook, and others, on behalf of themselves, and the rest of the Attendants on the Train of Artillery in Ireland, &c. was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners constantly served the said Train till Ireland was reduced; and have served in Flanders, and other Trains, ever since; but cannot receive their Arrears for their Service in Ireland, though many of the said Train are paid; viz. Colonel Richards, Comptroller Aleway, Secretary Monck, Captain Brown, and many others: And praying the Assistance of the House, That the Petitioners may be paid, as well as others.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Commissioners for taking and stating the Publick Accounts: And that they do examine the Matter thereof; and report the same to the House.

Regulating Elections.

Ordered, That the ingrossed Bill for the further Regulating of Elections of Members to serve in Parliament be read the Third time To-morrow Morning.

Servants Wages.

Ordered, That Sir Fra. Molyneux, Mr. Pocklington, Sir John Austen, Mr. Hoare, Mr. Yates, Mr. Whitacre, be added to the Committee, to whom the Bill for the more easy Recovery of Servants Wages is committed.

Carts applying for Hire.

Ordered, That Mr. Ph. Bertie, Sir John Bucknall, Mr. Blofeild, Mr. England, Mr. Fuller, Mr. Speke, Mr. White, Lord Cornbury, Sir John Turner, Sir Ra. Dutton, Mr. Thornhagh, Mr. Halsey, be added to the Committee, to whom the Consideration of the Petition of the ancient Carmen of the City of London is referred.

Taking off Obligation to coin Guineas.

Mr. Godolphin reported from the Committee, to whom the Bill for taking off the Obligation and Encouragement for coining Guineas, for a certain Time therein mentioned, 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, one of them was disagreed, and the rest agreed, unto by the House.

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

Supply Bill; Duties on Wines, &c.

Ordered, That Leave be given, upon the Report of the Bill for continuing several Duties, granted by former Acts, upon Wine and Vinegar, and upon Tobacco, and East-India Goods, and other Merchandizes, imported, for carrying on the War against France, to offer a Clause for the Entry of a coarse Sort of Linen, commonly called Boors-laps; paying Duty ad valorem.

Hawkers and Pedlars.

Ordered, That the Report from the Committee, to whom the Bill for Suppressing of Hawkers and Pedlars was committed, be made To-morrow Sevennight.

Halfpence and Farthings.

Ordered, That the Report from the Committee, to whom the Complaint concerning the Farthings and Halfpence was referred, be made in a full House.

Earl of Torrington's Grant in Bedford Level.

A Bill for confirming a Grant, under the Great Seal of England, to Arthur Earl of Torrington, by King William and Queen Mary; of several Parcels of Land, Part of the great Level of the Fens, called Bedford Level; and for the better enabling the said Earl to recover the Arrears of Rent, and Mesne Profits; was, according to Order, read a Second time.

Ditto.

And the Petition of the Countess of Dorchester, which lay on the Table, was read; setting forth, That King Charles the IId, by Letters Patents, dated 14 Dec. in the 13th Year of his Reign, did grant unto the late Duke of York, his Heirs and Assigns, divers Lands, being Part of the great Level of the Fens, called Bedford Level: That the said Duke, by Indenture, dated the 3d March 1683, did grant a Rent-charge of 600 l. per Ann. issuing out of the said Premises, to certain Trustees, in Trust, for the Petitioner, during her Life; which Indenture is entered in the Fen-Office: That, his Majesty and the late Queen Mary having made a Grant to the Earl of Torrington of the said Premises, chargeable with the said Rent-charge, the Petitioner demanded her Arrears, amounting to above 4,000 l.; which the said Earl refused to pay; and, thereupon, the Petitioner preferred her Bill in Chancery against the said Earl, and her Trustees, to compel an Execution of the said Trust, and to recover her said Arrears; but the Earl of Torrington insists on his Privilege; and the Petitioner hath had no Benefit by her said Bill: That this House hath given Leave to bring in a Bill for confirming the said Grant made to the Earl of Torrington; and for the better enabling the said Earl to recover the Arrears of Rent, and Mesne Profits of the Premises: And praying, That the said Bill may not pass in Prejudice of the Petitioner's Right; but that her Right to the said Rent-charge may be ratified, and confirmed, by the said Bill.

And the Question being put, That the Bill be committed;

The House divided.

The Yeas go forth.

So it was resolved in the Affirmative.

And it is committed to Mr. Harley, Sir Sam. Barnardiston, Colonel Granvill, Sir Edward Seymour, Sir John Lowther, Mr. Geo. Bridges, Mr. Colt, Lord Digby, Mr. Heveningham, Mr. Boyle, Sir Tho. Pope Blount, Sir Row. Gwynn, Sir Hen. Colt, Mr. Foot Onslow, Mr. Burdett, Mr. Monstevens, Mr. Attorney-General, Mr. Yates, Colonel Perry, Sir Richard Temple, Mr. Tredenham, Mr. Hoblyn, Mr. Onslow, Mr. Moore, Mr. Arnold, Mr. Mountague, Mr. Cartwright, Mr. Norres, Mr. Dolben, Mr. Newport, Sir Rich. Onslow, Mr. Morgan, Mr. Gwyn, Mr. Mason, Lord Cutts, Mr. Burrington, Lord Pawlet, Mr. Gery, Mr. Webb, Mr. Lowther, Mr. Woodroffe, Mr. Sloan, Mr. Foley, Mr. Mordaunt, Mr. Hammond, Sir Wm. Williams, Sir Scroop How, Mr. Se. Tredenham, Mr. Burdet; and all the Members that serve for the County of Lincoln: And all that come are to have Voices: And they are to meet this Afternoon at Five a Clock, in the Speaker's Chamber.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the said Committee.

State of the Nation.—East-India Trade.

Colonel Granvill, according to the Order of the Day, reported, from the Committee of the whole House, to whom it was referred to consider further of the State of the Nation, in relation to Trade; and particularly the East-India Trade; 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 the joint Stock for carrying on the Trade to the East-Indies shall not exceed Two Millions.

Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That the said joint Stock of Two Millions be raised by new Subscriptions, regard being had to the real Value of the Stock of the present East-India Company.

Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That the said Subscriptions shall commence on the First Day of May 1696.

. . . . . . .

Ordered, That a Bill be brought in upon the said Resolutions: And that Colonel Granville, Sir Tho. Littleton, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Attorney-General, Sir Wm. Williams, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Finch, Mr. Harley, Mr. Ja. Mountague, Mr. Solicitor-General, Sir Wm. Scawen, Mr. Moor, Mr. Papillion, Sir Wm. Coriton, Sir John Fleet, Mr. Sloan; or any Five of them; do prepare, and bring in, the Bill: And they are to have Power to send for Persons, Papers, and Records.

Ways and Means.

The House resolved 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.

Mr. Speaker left the Chair.

Sir Tho. Littleton took the Chair of the Committee.

Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair.

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

Ordered, That the said Report be made upon Monday Morning next.

Supply Bill; Duties on Wines, &c.

Ordered, That the Report from the Committee of the whole House, to whom the Bill for continuing several Duties, granted by former Acts, upon Wine and Vinegar, and upon Tobacco, and East-India Goods, and other Merchandize, imported, for carrying on the War against France, be made To-morrow Morning.

Committees.

Ordered, That all Committees be adjourned.

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