House of Commons Journal Volume 11: 8 February 1697

Lunæ, 8 die Februarii;

8° Gulielmi Tertii.

Prayers.

Duke of Ormond's Estate.

AN ingrossed Bill, from the Lords, intituled, An Act for enabling James Duke of Ormond to raise Money by Sale of Woods, and make Leases for Lives renewable for ever, for Payment of Debts; and for encouraging English Plantation in Ireland; and for Charles Lord Weston Earl of Arran, in the Kingdom of Ireland, to make Leases of his Estate in the said Kingdom; was read a Second time.

Resolved, That the Bill be committed to Mr. Gwyn, Sir Robert Burdet, Sir Henry Colt, Mr. Bagnold, Mr. Newport, Lord Hide, Mr. Arnold, Sir Wm. Strickland, Mr. Bromley, Mr. Kendall, Mr. Morgan, Mr. Watlington, Sir Rich. Onslow, Mr. York, Mr. Boyle, Mr. Blaake, Sir Wm. Lowther, Sir Fran. Massam, Mr. Conyers, Lord Ranelagh, Sir Robert Davers, Mr. Tredenham, Mr. Colt, Mr. Blofeild, Sir Wm. Hustler, Mr. Phillips, Mr. Brotherton, Mr. Neale, Lord Walden, Mr. Trelawney, Lord Fairfax, Mr. Moyle, Sir Eliab Harvey, Mr. Heveningham, Mr. Mansell, Mr. Mountstevens, Lord Coningsby, Mr. Price, Mr. Travers, Mr. Pendarvis, Mr. Dolben, Mr. Henley, Mr. Bridges, Sir John Phillips, Sir Sam. Barnardiston, Mr. Bertie, Mr. Mordaunt, Mr. Lowther, Sir John Trevillian: And they are to meet this Afternoon at Five a Clock, in the Speaker's Chamber.

Milson's Estate.

A Bill for vesting certain Messuages, Lands, and Tenements, late of Charles Milson, deceased, in Trustees, to sell, for Payment of Debts and Legacies; and to lay out the Surplus-monies in Land, for the Use of Edward Milson, and his Heirs, according to the Will of the said Charles Milson; was read a Second time.

Resolved, That the Bill be committed to Mr. Conyers, Sir John Phillips, Mr. Mounstevens, Mr. Stonehouse, Mr. Brotherton, Mr. Whitaker, Mr. Colt, Sir Herbert Crofts, Mr. Phillips, Mr. Manly, Mr. Bertie, Mr. Molyneux, Mr. Foley, Mr. Price, Sir Jos. Tily, Mr. Nevill, Mr. Watlington, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Perry, Mr. Freke, Mr. Blaake, Sir Fran. Winington, Sir Robert Burdet, Mr. Harcourt, Mr. Palmes, Mr. Molesworth, Mr. Sherrard, Mr. Moor, Mr. Newport, Mr. Mawdit, Mr. Gray, Sir Hen. Colt, Mr. Morgan, Sir John Fleet, Sir Fran. Massam: And they are to meet this Afternoon at Five a Clock, in the Speaker's Chamber.

Russia Company.

A Petition of the Company of English Merchants for Discovery of new Trades was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That their Predecessors were, by Letters Patents, 1° & 2° Phil. & Mariæ, incorporated, and to have the sole Trade to all Parts unknown lying Northward, North-Eastward, or North-Westward; with other Powers: Which Charter was ratified by Act of Parliament, made 8° Eliz. to the said Company, and their Successors, for ever; who have since much increased their Trade to Russia, and other Parts, to the Advantage of the Kingdom; and export and import more Merchandize than they can sell here or there: That the Petitioners are at great Charges in supporting their Company, and entertaining Ambassadors sent hither from Russia, and those sent thither; yet, nevertheless, do admit all Persons, at very easy Rates, to trade to all Places within their Charter, except Archangell: That the Petitioners understand, there is a Bill in the House, for admitting Merchants into the Freedom of the Russia Company, upon reasonable Terms; which, should it pass into a Law, will be greatly prejudicial to all Persons bred up in the said Trade, the Petitioners taking Apprentices, and making them free of their Company; and tends to subvert the Petitioners said Right: And praying, That they may be heard, by their Counsel, at the Bar of the House, before the said Bill be read a Second time, or otherwise, as the House shall think fit.

And a Motion being made, and the Question being proposed, That the Petitioners be heard, at the Bar of this House, by their Counsel, against the said Bill, upon the Second Reading thereof;

The Question was put, That "by their Counsel" stand Part of the Question:

And it passed in the Negative.

Ordered, That the Petitioners be heard, at the Bar of this House, against the said Bill, upon the Second Reading thereof.

Ordered, That the said Bill be read a Second time upon this Day Sevennight.

Committees.

Ordered, That all Committees be revived.

Leave of Absence.

Ordered, That the Lord Irwyn have Leave to go into the Country, for Recovery of his Health.

Leave of Absence.

Ordered, That Sir John Leveson Gower have Leave to go into the Country, for Recovery of his Health.

Russia Company.

A Petition of several Merchants free of the Eastland Company, residing in the City of York, on behalf of themselves, and others, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Countries and Territories to which the Russia Company have Liberty of Trade, granted to them by Charter, and confirmed by Act of Parliament, is of vast Extent, and capable of great Improvement; the said Company driving but little Trade into the Privileges granted them; and all other Persons being prohibited to trade within their Limits, without their Licence, upon Forfeiture of Ship and Goods: That the said Company pretend the Narce is within their Limits, though the Petitioners first discovered the Trade thither, and is chiefly managed by them, and others not free of the said Company, who are forced to pay such Duties as the Russia Company please to impose, for Leave to trade thither: And praying, That they may be admitted to pursue their Trade to the Narve, or else let into the Freedom of the Russia Company, for the Fine which the Members of the said Russia Company, and all English Merchants, may be admitted into the Hamborough and Eastland Companies; or that the said Trade may be inlarged and regulated.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table until the Bill for admitting Merchants into the Freedom of the Russia Company, upon reasonable Terms, be read the Second time: And that the Petitioners be then heard, at the Bar, for the said Bill.

Hill's Sincure.

A Petition of the Dean and Chapter of Banger was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That there is a Bill brought into the House for re-vesting the Sinccure of Llandinam, in the County of Montgomery, in John Spademan, in Trust for Joseph Hill: That the said Premises are divided into Two equal Comportions; one of which hath been many Years actually possessed by the Petitioners; and that Mr. Spademan never had a legal Title to the other, as advised; for that one Man's taking Institution for another cannot create a fair Title, but tends to defeat all the Laws against Simony; but, Mr. Spademan having forfeited his pretended Title, the same is now vested in the Petitioners, by Act of Parliament, in Trust for several charitable Uses; for which there is no other Provision: And the Passing of the said Bill not only tends to the Disinherison of the Petitioners of their just Rights, as Trustees, but may be of dangerous Consequence, in the Example, to the Government, and to several worthy Persons preferred to such Places, as were forfeited by others for their not taking the Oaths of Fidelity to the Government: And praying, That the said Bill may not pass; but that the Petitioners, and Mr. Spademan, may be left to enjoy such Rights and Privileges as they are severally intituled unto by the present Laws.

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

And that Mr. Dolben, Mr. Gwyn, and Mr. Boyle, be added to the said Committee.

African Company.

A Petition of the Merchants and Planters trading to, and interested in, the Island of Barbadoes, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Bill, now depending in the House, for settling and regulating the Trade to Africa, if the same should pass into a Law, as the same is now drawn, will be very prejudicial to the Trade of the said Island, and, in many respects, be detrimental to the Interest of England: And praying That, they may be heard, as the House shall think fit, in relation to the said Trade, before the said Bill do pass.

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

St. Martin in the Fields Church.

A Petition of the Vicar, Churchwarden, Justices of the Peace, Vestrymen, and other Inhabitants, of the Parish of St. Martin in the Fields, in the County of Middlesex, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That their Parish-Church is in a very ruinous Condition, and, in all Probability, in a few Years will tumble down; the Repairs being very great, and yearly increasing; by means whereof, and their numerous Poor, which cost the Inhabitants above 3,500 l. per Ann. they are now above 1,000 l. in Debt: That there is a Bill in the House depending, for completing the building and adorning the Cathedral Church of St. Paul's London: And praying, That, towards rebuilding the said Parish-Church, such Sum of Money as the House shall think fit, may be paid out of the Impositions intended by the said Bill; and that a Power may be given to make a Rate on the Inhabitants for the Remainder.

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

St. Hellen's Church.

A Petition of the Parishioners of the Parish of St. Hellen's, London, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the said Parish-Church is one of the ancientest and largest Churches within the Walls of the City of London, and one of the least Parishes; there being not above 110 Houses in the same: That, their said Church being extremely out of Repair, they did resolve to repair it, and, last Summer, expended about 500 l. therein; but finding that 2,500 l. more, at least, is absolutely necessary for finishing the said Work, or else that the Church must go to Ruin, they proceeded no further therein, the Parish not being able to raise so much Money: And praying, That some Provision for repairing the said Church may be made in the Bill, now depending in the House, for completing the building and adorning the Cathedral Church of St. Paul's, London.

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

Lancaster Writ.

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 Lancaster, in the County of Lancaster, in the room of Thomas Preston Esquire, deceased.

General Naturalization.

A Motion being made, and the Question being put, That Leave be given to bring in a Bill for a general Naturalization;

The House divided.

The Yeas go forth.

So it was resolved in the Affirmative.

Ordered, That Colonel Wharton and Sir Hen. Hobart do prepare, and bring in, the Bill.

Supply.

Resolved, That this House will proceed, de die in diem, in the Consideration of the Supplies granted to his Majesty.

A Message from the Lords, by Sir Miles Cook and Sir Richard Holford:

Mr. Speaker,

Earl of Nottingham's Estate.

The Lords have passed a Bill, intituled, An Act for the Exchange of certain Advowsons, between the Bishop of London and the Earl of Nottingham: To which they desire the Concurrence of this House: And also,

Savile's Estate.

A Bill, intituled, An Act for settling the Estate of Mary Savile, an Infant, upon her Marriage: To which they desire the Concurrence of this House: And also,

Lord Holles' Debts.

A Bill, intituled, An Act for the speedy satisfying the Debts of Francis Lord Holles, deceased: To which they desire the Concurrence of this House.

And then the Messengers withdrew.

African Company.

The House, according to the Order of the Day, resolved itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of the Bill for settling and regulating the Trade to Africa.

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 made some Progress in the Bill; and had directed him to move, That they may have Leave to sit again.

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

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