House of Commons Journal Volume 11: 13 February 1697

Sabbati, 13 die Februarii;

9° Gulielmi Tertii.

Prayers.

Keysar's &c. Nat.

AN ingrossed Bill, from the Lords, intituled, An Act for Naturalizing of John Keysar, and others, was read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time.

Stopford's Estate.

Mr. Sloane reported from the Committee, to whom the Bill to enable Robert Stopford Esquire to sell Lands and Tythes in Wysall, in the County of Nottingham, for Payment of Debts, was committed, That they had examined and considered the same, and had made several Amendments; 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, agreed unto by the House.

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

Milward's Estate.

An ingrossed Bill, from the Lords, intituled, An Act for the Vesting of certain Lands of William Milward, in the County of Hereford, Clerk, in Trustees, for Payment of Debts, was read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time.

Preventing Corruption of Jurors.

A Bill to prevent the Bribing and Corrupting of Jurors, was read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time.

Regulating Printing and Printing-Presses.

A Bill for regulating Printing, and Printing-Presses, was read a Second time.

Resolved, That the Bill be committed to Mr. Attorney General, Dr. Oxenden, Sir Wm. Coriton, Mr. Watlington, Mr. Tredenham, Sir Francis Windham, Mr. Bridges, Sir Wm. Cooper, Mr. Daniel, Mr. Hamond, Mr. Blake, Sir Henry Hobart, Sir Richard Temple, Sir Rowland Gwyn, Sir John Phillipps, Mr. Blofeild, Mr. Dolben, Sir Richard Onslow, Mr. Gwyn, Sir Tho. Littleton, Sir Tho. Hussey, Mr. Campion, Mr. Conyers, Mr. Denzil Onslow, Mr. Solicitor General, Mr. Evelyn, Mr. Bowyer, Mr. Bromley, Mr. Harcourt, Sir Sam. Barnardiston, Mr. Rowney, Mr. Mounstevens, Mr. Phillipps, Mr. Whitaker, Mr. Tayler, Mr. Ryder, Mr. Vaughan, Mr. Baldwyn, Mr. Boyle, Mr. Cox, Mr. Ogle, Sir Wm. Ashurst, Mr. Mason, Mr. Harley, Mr. Brotherton, Mr. Price, Lord Spencer, Mr. Molesworth: And they are to meet this Afternoon at Five a Clock, in the Speaker's Chamber.

Leave of Absence.

Ordered, That Sir Justinian Isham have Leave to go into the Country, upon extraordinary Occasions.

Discount on Bank-Bills.

A Petition of several Inhabitants of the ancient Borough of Sudbury, in the County of Suffolk, and Places adjacent, using the Cloathing Trade, or otherwise employed in the Woollen Manufacture, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That, since the Establishment of the Bank of England, the Petitioners have, for the most part, been obliged to accept of Bank-Bills, instead of ready Money, for their Commodities; which being punctually paid at first, they were able to carry on their Trades; but now the same being come into Discredit, at a Rebate of 16 or 18 l. per Cent. for ready Money, the Petitioners Stock chiefly consisting therein, they cannot pay the same without the said Rebate, nor carry on their Trades, for want of ready Money; whereby they are reduced to great Necessities: And praying, That some Course may be taken for compelling the Bank of England to pay their Bills, and for relieving the Petitioners, who have many of them in their Hands.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table.

Ditto.

A Petition of the Clothiers, Master of the common Work-house, and others concerned in the Cloathing Trade, in Marleborough, in the County of Wilts, for and on the behalf of themselves, and many others of the same Trade, living near the said Town, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That many Thousand poor People have, for several Years past, been employed in the Cloathing Trade thereabouts; and particularly the said common Work-house above 700 yearly; but now, by reason of the great Discount of Bank-Bills, the Petitioners cannot receive the Money due to them for their Goods, sold long since; for the want of which they are disabled any longer to carry on their said Trades: And praying the Consideration of the House thereupon; and Relief in the Premises.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table.

Leave of Absence.

Ordered, That the Lord Walden have Leave to go into the Country for Ten Days, upon extraordinary Occasions.

Proceedings in Courts of Equity.

A Bill for regulating Proceedings in Chancery, and other Courts of Equity, was read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time.

Commissioners of Accounts.

The House, according to the Order of the Day, proceeded to a new Election of a Commissioners for taking and stating the publick Accounts:

And the Members put into Glasses their Lists of Names for that Purpose; the Clerk, and Clerk-Assistant, going on each Side the House to receive the same.

Ordered, That the former Committee do withdraw into the Speaker's Chamber, to examine the Lists given in by the Members of the House; and that they do report to the House upon whom the Choice shall fall.

Abuses in Exchequer, and Receivers of Taxes.

Resolved, That a Committee be appointed to inquire into the Abuses of the Officers of the Exchequer, and Receivers of the Taxes and Revenues:

And it is referred to Mr. Lowndes, Sir Charles Hotham, Sir Edward Seymour, Mr. Bromly, Mr. Gwyn, Mr. Sloane, Mr. Moor, Mr. Phillipps, Mr. Price, Mr. Boscawen, Mr. Robert Harley, Mr. Machell, Mr. Thompson, Mr. Chr. Musgrove, Mr. Aislaby, Mr. Pelham, Lord Coningsby, Mr. Hunt, Sir Richard Onslow, Mr. Fox, Mr. Smith, Mr. Pagit, Mr. Palmes, Sir Tho. Middleton, Lord Ranelagh, Sir Wm. St. Quintin, Sir Tho. Pope Blount, Mr. Culliford, Sir William Williams, Sir John Phillips, Sir Godfrey Copley, Lord Norres, Lord Digby, Sir Herbert Crofts, Mr. Fleming, Mr. Ogle, Mr. Boyle, Sir Robert Davers, Mr. Bertie, Mr. Tredenham, Mr. Perry, Mr. Arnold, Sir Wm. Honywood, Mr. Norris, Sir Wm. Strickland, Sir Edward Ayscough, Mr. Mawdit, Sir Henry Goff, Mr. Molesworth, Mr. Staines, Sir Cha. Sidley, Mr. Morgan, Mr. Colt, Mr. Hamond, Mr. Clark, Sir Phil. Butler, Sir Walt. Yonge, Mr. Onslow, Sir Tho. Dyke, Sir Rowland Gwyn, Sir Marm. Wivell, Sir Wm. Hustler, Sir Wm. Lowther, Colonel Granvile, Mr. Trelawney, Sir Wm. Coriton, Mr. Hoblyn, Mr. Molineux: And they are to meet this Afternoon at Five a Clock, in the Speaker's Chamber; and to sit de die in diem: And have Power to send for Persons, Papers, and Records: And it is to be an Instruction to the said Committee, That they do send to every County, for an Account of what Money was paid in by the Country before the 4th Day of May last.

Exchequer Receipts.

Ordered, That a Bill be brought in for restoring and establishing the ancient Methods and Practice of Receipts and Issues of Monies in his Majesty's Exchequer; and to prevent all Abuses of Officers of the Exchequer, in relation thereunto: And that Mr. Lowndes and Mr. Pelham, do prepare, and bring in, the Bill.

Commissioners of Accounts.

Mr. Daniel reported from the Committee appointed to examine and peruse the Lists, given in by the Members of the House, of a Person to be a Commissioner for examining and taking the publick Accounts; and to report upon whom the Choice should fall; That they had examined and perused the Lists accordingly; and that the Choice fell upon Lord Wm. Powlet, 123.

Whereupon, the Lord William Powlet stood up in his Place, and made it his Request to the House, That he might be excused from the said Employment:

And the Question being put, That the said Lord William Powlett, at his own Request, be excused from being a Commissioner for taking and stating the publick Accounts;

The House divided.

The Yeas go forth.

So it was resolved in the Affirmative.

Resolved, That the House do proceed to a new Election of a Commissioner, in the room of the Lord Wm. Powlet.

A Motion being made, and the Question being put, That the House do proceed immediately to the Election of the said Commissioner;

The House divided.

The Yeas go forth.

So it was resolved in the Affirmative.

Then the Members put into Glasses their Lists of Names, for that Purpose; the Clerk and Clerk-Assistant going on each Side the House to receive the same.

Ordered, That the former Committee do withdraw into the Speaker's Chamber, to examine the said Lists; and report to the House upon whom the said Choice shall fall.

African Company.

Resolved, That this House will, upon this Day Sevennight, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider further of the Bill for regulating and settling the Trade to Africa.

Ways and Means.

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

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