House of Commons Journal Volume 11: 17 November 1696

Martis, 17 die Novembris;

8° Gulielmi Tertii.

Prayers.

Malmsbury Writ.

GOODWYN Wharton, Esquire, being elected a Burgess to serve in this present Parliament for the Borough of Cockermouth, in the County of Cumberland, and for the Borough of Malmsbury, in the County of Wilts; made his Election to serve for the Borough of Cockermouth.

Ordered, That Mr. Speaker do issue his Warrant to the Clerk of the Crown, to make out a new Writ, for the electing a Burgess to serve in this present Parliament for the Borough of Malmsbury, in the County of Wilts, in the room of Goodwyn Wharton, Esquire, who hath made his Election to serve for the Borough of Cockermouth, in the County of Cumberland.

A Member discharged from custody.

Ordered, That Mr. Foster, in Custody of the Serjeant at Arms attending this House, for absenting himself from his Service in Parliament, be discharged out of Custody, paying his Fees.

Coinage.

A Petition of the Town of Bodmyn, in the County of Cornwall, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That Six-pences unclipped, and old hammered Monies, which are most current, are refused in all Payments, unless by Weight; the Loss thereby being so great, and little or no milled Money being among them, that Trade fails, and the Poor must either steal, or starve: And praying some speedy Relief in the Premises.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee of the whole House, to whom the Bill for the further remedying the ill State of the Coin of the Kingdom; and encouraging the bringing Plate into the Mints, to be coined; is committed.

Ditto.

A Petition of the City of Chester was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That, of late, all hammered Money is refused in Payments; which hath put a Stop to all Trade; and the Petitioners can hardly get passable Money for the necessary Subsistence of their Families: And praying, That the unclipped hammered Money may pass by Tale; and such as is clipped to go by Weight.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee of the whole House, to whom the Bill for the further remedying the ill State of the Coin of the Kingdom; and encouraging the bringing Plate into the Mints, to be coined; is committed.

Coinage.

A Petition of the Mayor, Aldermen, Brethren, Common-Council, and other Inhabitants, in and about the Borough of Derby, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That, without the Currency of unclipped hammered Money, their Trades must be at a Stand; being far from the Mints, and having no milled Money among them: And praying the Currency of unclipped Money by Tale.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee of the whole House, to whom the Bill for the further remedying the ill State . . . . . of the Kingdom; and encouraging the bringing Plate into the Mints, to be coined; is committed.

Commissioners of Account.

Ordered, That Leave be given to bring in a Bill for examining, taking, and stating, the publick Accounts of the Kingdom; to commence from the Expiration of the present Commission: And that the Lord Spencer and Sir John Kay do prepare, and bring in, the Bill.

Ways and Means.

Resolved, That this House will, upon Thursday Morning next, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of Ways and Means for raising the Supply granted to his Majesty, for carrying on the War against France, for the Service of the Year 1697.

Members summoned.

Ordered, That the Serjeant do go with the Mace into Westminster-hall, and the Courts there, and the Court of Requests, and summon the Members there to attend the Service of the House immediately.

And he went accordingly.

And, being returned with the Mace;

Fenwick's Attainder.

The House proceeded further in the Matter relating to Sir John Fenwick.

And he was brought to the Bar:

And his Counsel were heard.

And then Sir John Fenwick, and the Counsel on both Sides, withdrew.

Ordered, That Sir John Fenwick be brought in without the Counsel.

And he being brought in accordingly;

Mr. Speaker by Direction of the House, required him to give an Account of what he knew, in relation to the Persons of Quality, that have been in this Government, against whom he had given Information:

Whereunto Sir John Fenwick replied, That he was under a double Prosecution for his Life; and did not know but what he might say might be to his own Prejudice: And since the House had done him the Favour to hear him by his Counsel, he hoped they would please to consider what they had said.

And being pressed again, by Mr. Speaker, to give the House Satisfaction in what they required;

He insisted on what he had said before; and that he did not do it out of any Obstinacy, but for his own Preservation.

And then withdrew.

Afterwards, Sir John Fenwick was again brought to the Bar; and the Counsel were called in.

And Mr. Vernon gave his Evidence, according to Order.

And the Counsel for Sir John Fenwick were heard thereupon.

And then Sir John Fenwick, and the Counsel on both Sides, withdrew.

Candles.

Ordered, That Candles be brought in.

Ordered, That the Counsel of both Sides be discharged from any further Attendance at this time.

Then the Bill to attaint Sir John Fenwick Baronet of High Treason was, according to Order, read a Second time.

And a Motion being made, and the Question being put, that the Bill, be committed;

The House divided.

The Yeas go forth.

So it was resolved in the Affirmative.

Resolved, That the Bill be committed to a Committee of the whole House.

Resolved, That this House will, upon Friday Morning next, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of the said Bill.

Ordered, That Sir John Fenwick be remanded to the Prison of Newgate.

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