House of Commons Journal Volume 11: 23 January 1697

Sabbati, 23 die Januarii ;

8° Gulielmi Tertii.

Prayers.

Crowle's Estate.

MR. Preston, according to Order, presented to the House a Bill for vesting Part of the Estate of Roger Crowle, Esquire, deceased, in Trustees, for raising Portions for his younger Children, according to a Power reserved to him in his Marriage-Settlement; but could not be executed by him, by reason of his Lunacy, after his Marriage: And the same was received.

The Bill was read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time.

Taxes paid into Exchequer.

The Officers of the Exchequer, and Agents for Taxes attending;

They were called in; and, at the Bar, presented to the House a Certificate of all the Monies paid into the Receipt of the Exchequer upon Taxes, between the First Day of February 1695, and the 24th of June 1696; and upon what respective Funds the same were paid; with the Names of the Receivers: And also,

An Account of all Monies paid into the Receipt of the Exchequer, by the Receivers of the Revenues and Taxes, between the 1st Day of February last and the 24th Day of June 1696.

And the Titles thereof were read.

Ordered, That the said Certificate and Account do lie upon the Table, to be perused by the Members of the House.

Privilege—a Person reprimanded and discharged.

John Rye, in Custody of the Serjeant at Arms, was, according to Order, brought to the Bar: Where he upon his Knees, received a Reprimand from Mr. Speaker.

Ordered, That the said John Rye be discharged out of Custody, paying his Fees.

Committees.

Ordered, That all Committees be revived.

Irish Arrears.

A Petition of Captain James Jones, Captain Francis Purefoy, and Captain Joseph Bennett, in behalf of themselves, and the rest of the Officers of Brigadier Ingoldesby's Regiment of Foot, lately commanded by Colonel Toby Pursell, now Governor of Cork, in the Kingdom of Ireland, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That, in 1692 the said Colonel Pursell received of Charles Fox Esquire the Sum of 3,000 l. at Two several Payments, for the Use of the said . . . . . . ; but that he converted 1,000 l. of it to his own Use, though the same is stopped out of the Petitioners personal Pay, as appears by Mr. Fox's Books; and Colonel Pursell refuses to pay the Petitioners: That they cannot maintain an Action at Law in Ireland, where Colonel Pursell resides, by reason the Money was received by him in England, and the Proofs lie in Mr. Fox his Office here: And praying the Consideration of the House in the Premises, and Relief therein.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee, to whom the Petition of John Hakewell, and other Troopers, is referred.

Conrtney's Estate.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the Petition of Dorothea Trefusis Spinster, which was laid upon the Table until the Bill to enable Trustees to sell the Estate of Humphry Courtney, late of Tremeere, in the County of Cornwall, Esquire, deceased, for the Payment of his Debts, was read a Second time, be referred to the Committee, to whom the said Bill is committed.

Bridlington Harbour.

A Petition of the Gentry, Merchants, Masters and Owners of Ships, Freeholders, and others, inhabiting in and near the Town of Bridlington cum Key, in the County of York, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Bay of Bridlington is a safe and commodious Haven, for his Majesty's, and all other, Ships, that may have Occasion to lie there, from the Rage of the Sea; but that lately the North Pier was, by the Violence of the Sea, broken down; and the Materials thereof has so choaked up the Harbour, betwixt the North and Soath Piers, that there is not any Passage for Ships or Boats to go into or out of the said Haven; and the whole Piers are in Danger of being utterly demolished, if not timely prevented: That the Repairs of the said Piers will be so vastly great and chargeable, that it cannot be effected without the Aid of the House: And praying, That Order may be taken for the repairing the Haven, Key, and Piers of the said Harbour; and for the future Support and Maintenance of the same.

Ordered, That Leave be given to bring in a Bill, according to the Prayer of the said Petition: And that Sir Wm. Strickland and Sir Wm. Hustler do prepare, and bring in, the Bill.

Neve's Estate.

An ingrossed Bill, from the Lords, intituled, An Act for enabling Oliver Neve, of Great Witchingham, in the County of Norfolk, Esquire, to sell Two Houses in London; and for vesting other Lands, in the said County, of greater Value, to the same Uses; was read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time.

Rygate, &c. Roads.

A Bill for repairing and amending the Lane called Horshill, leading from Rygate to Hookwood Common, and a Lane called Bonehurst, in the Parish of Horley, in the County of Surrey, was read a Second time.

Resolved, That the Bill be committed to Sir Richard Onslow, Sir Sam. Barnardiston, Mr. Conyers, Colonel Gibson, Mr. Machell, Mr. Taylor, Sir Gervas Elwes, Lord Coningsby, Mr. Bowyer, Mr. Palmes, Mr. Clark, Mr. Mitchell, Mr. Colt, Lord Cornbury, Sir Tho. Mompesson, Sir John Bucknall, Sir Wm. Bowes, Sir Hen. Hobart, Sir Wm. York, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Culliford, Sir Marm. Wivell, Sir Fra. Masham, Sir John Fagg, Mr. Stonehouse, Sir John Bolles, Mr. Rowney, Sir Tho. Roberts, Mr. Swift, Mr. Norris, Mr. Pocklington, Mr. Gwynn, Mr. Hedger, Mr. Maudit, Mr. Freke; and all the Members that serve for the Counties of Surrey and Sussex: And they are to meet this Afternoon at Five a Clock, in the Speaker's Chambers.

King's Lynn Port.

A Petition of the Proprietors and Owners of Part of the 210,000 Acres in the great Level of the Fens, called Bedford Level, on the behalf of themselves, and others, Proprietors of the said 210,000 Acres, being no Part of the 95,000 Acres set out for the draining the said great Level, and lying in the Towns of Ely, Little-Port, Sutton, Haddenham, Wilburton, Witchford, Mepall, Coveney, Swafham, Reach, Soham, Isleham, Burwell, Southerey, Downham, Willingham, and Cottenham, being Part of the South Level, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Corporation of King's Lynn have lately required the Corporation of the Fens of Bedford Level to remove their navigable Sass, near Erith, and letting in the River Owze into the old Channel there: by which Sass and the Sluices at Denver Dam, and a Bank 21 Miles in Length, 100 Feet wide, and Seven Feet high, from the said Sass to Denver Dam, the Petitioners Estates have been drained, and preserved; but, if the same should be taken away, their Estates will inevitably be drowned; and, consequently, be the Destruction of the whole Levels: And praying, That a bare Suggestion of the Corporation of Lynn, for the meliorating the Navigation thither, may not obtain Credit, to the Ruin of the Petitioners, without any Advantage to Lynn, as the Petitioners hope to prove to the House.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table until the Bill for the better Preservation of the Navigation of the Port of King's Lynn, in the County of Norfolk, be read a Second time: And that the Petitioners be then heard, by their Counsel, at the Bar, against the said Bill.

Army Arrears.

A Petition of Gasper de la Balme, Major to the Regiment of Foot whereof Major de la Meloniere is Colonel, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That there is due to the Petitioner near 350 l. for his Subsistence; which Mr. Peter Davall, Agent to the said Regiment, hath, in great Part, received; yet denies to pay the Petitioner: And praying the Relief of the House therein.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee, to whom the Petition of John Hakewell, and other Troopers, is referred.

Prisons and pretended privileged Places.

Mr. Pocklington reported from the Committee appointed to consider how the Abuses of Prisons, and other pretended privileged Places, might be regulated; and to whom it was referred to examine Mr. Tilly, and the Marshal of the King's-Bench; and to inspect the Books of the King's-Bench Prison; That they had taken several Examinations; 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.

Ordered, That the said Report do lie upon the Table until Monday Morning next, and be then read.

Leave of Absence.

Ordered, That Mr. Cartwright have Leave to go into the Country for a Fortnight, upon extraordinary Occasions.

Supply Bill; Land Tax.

The House resumed the adjourned Debate of Yesterday, upon the Clause offered to the Bill for granting an Aid to his Majesty, as well by a Land-Tax, as by several Subsidies, and other Duties, payable for One Year:

And the Clause was read a Second time; and agreed unto by the House.

Another Clause was offered, to be added to the Bill, with Blanks, to exempt the Children of such Parents not charged to such a Value:

And the same was twice read; and the Blanks filled up; and, upon the Question put thereupon, agreed unto by the House to be made Part of the Bill.

Another Clause was offered, to be added to the Bill, touching Suits depending:

And the same was read the First time.

And the Question being put, that the same be read a Second time;

It passed in the Negative.

Another Clause was offered, to be added to the Bill, to exempt poor Housekeepers, who do not pay to Church and Poor:

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

Then a Motion being made, and the Question being put, That the Bill, with the Amendments, be ingrossed;

The House divided.

The Yeas go forth.

So it was resolved in the Affirmative.

Commissioners of Accounts.

Resolved, That this House will, upon Tuesday Sevennight, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of the Bill for examining, taking, and stating, the publick Accounts of the Kingdom, to commence from the Expiration of the present Commission; and will then proceed to a new Election of Commissioners.

Aldborough Writ.

Ordered, That the adjourned Debate, upon the Motion made for a Warrant to be issued, for a new Writ, for the electing a Burgess to serve in this present Parliament for the Borough of Aldborough, in the County of York, in the room of Sir Michael Wentworth, deceased, be further adjourned until Wednesday Morning next.

Supply; Deficiency of Funds.

The House, according to the Order of the Day, resolved itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider further of the Supply to be granted to his Majesty, for making good the Deficiency of Parliamentary Funds; and of that Part of his Majesty's Speech which relates to the Credit of the Nation.

Mr. Speaker left the Chair.

Sir Thomas Littleton took the Chair of the Committee.

Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair.

Mr. Thomas Littleton reported from the said Committee, That they had made a further Progress in the Matters to them referred; and had directed him to move, That they may have Leave to fit again.

Resolved, That this House will, upon Wednesday Morning next, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider further of the said Supply; and of that Part of his Majesty's Speech which relates to the Credit of the Nation.

And then the House adjourned till Monday Morning, Nine a Clock.