Veneris, 26 die Martii;

9° Gulielmi Tertii.

Prayers.

Wine Duties.

A PETITION of the Makers of long and short Bocking and Coxall Bays was presented to the House, and read: setting forth, That the said Bays are a considerable Part of our Woollen Manufactory, by which many Thousand Families are maintained; and the same are exported into Spain and Portugal, the Returns whereof are Wines; and, since the War, the Exportation thereof is much increased: That a Bill is brought into the House for granting to his Majesty certain Duties upon Wines, for carrying on the War against France; which, in a manner, is a Prohibition to import those Wines; whereby the Petitioners said Trade will be much lessened, and the Poor thereby be reduced to great Extremities, for want of Work; although the Portuguese should not lay a greater Custom on their Wines, which is very likely they will, should the said Duty be laid: And praying, That the said Duty on Wines may not be laid, to the Prejudice of their said Trades; but that they may be encouraged therein.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table until the said Bill be read a Second time.

Wine Duties.

A Petition of the Merchants and Vintners, in the City of Bristoll, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That although several great Duties are already laid upon Wines, yet the House intends to lay a further Duty thereon, of 12l. 12s. per Tun; which, the Petitioners conceive, will utterly hinder the Importation thereof; the same being much diminished since the last Duty laid on Wines; and, if that Trade be lost, consequently a great Number of Retailers must be undone; the King's Customs, and Exportation of our Woollen Manufactures, Leather, Lead, Butter, and many other English Commodities exported for the Buying of Wines, will be much lessened and discouraged: And praying, That the said Duty may not be imposed on Wines.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table until the Bill for granting to his Majesty certain Duties upon Wines, for carrying on the War against France, be read a Second time.

Poor Laws.

Mr. Blake reported from the Committee, to whom the Bill for supplying of some Defects in the Laws now in Force for the Relief of the Poor of this Kingdom 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, with the Coherence; 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.

A Clause was offered, to be added to the Bill, That it shall not extend to make void any Agreement made by any Churchwardens, or Overseers of the Poor, to take back any Persons, in case they should become 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.

Another Clause was offered, to be added to the Bill, with a Blank, That the Appeal brought against any Order, for removing any poor Person out of any Parish, shall be prosecuted at the General or Quarter Sessions for the Place from whence such poor Person shall be removed:

And the same was twice read; and the Blank filled up; and other Amendments made thereunto: And the same was, 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, for the Settling of Parishes and Villages:

And the same was read the First time; and, by Leave of the House, withdrawn.

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

Leave for Members to attend Lords.

The House proceeded to take into Consideration the Message from the Lords, of the 20th Instant, That such Members of this House as are Commissioners of the Admiralty, may have Leave to attend the Lords Committees, when desired, appointed to make an Inquiry concerning the Thoulon Squadron getting into Brest, without any Opposition, in April 1696:

And a Motion being made, and the Question being proposed, That a Committee be appointed to search Precedents of what hath been done in the like Cases;

The previous Question was put, That that Question be now put:

And it passed in the Negative.

Resolved, That such Members of this House as are Commissioners of the Admiralty, have Leave to attend the Lords Committees, when desired, appointed to make an Inquiry concerning the Thoulon Squadron getting into Brest, without any Opposition in April 1696.

Ordered, That Colonel Granville do go to the Lords, and acquaint them therewith.

Leave of Absence.

Ordered, That Mr. Edward Kinaston have Leave to go into the Country, upon extraordinary Occasions.

Ordered, That Mr. Bromley have Leave to go into the Country, upon extraordinary Occasions.

Bank of England.

A Petition of the Governor and Company of the Bank of England was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That there is a Clause inserted in the ingrossed Bill, depending in the House, for making good the Deficiencies of several Funds, therein mentioned; and for enlarging the Capital Stock of the Bank of England; and for raising the publick Credit; which Clause is, for continuing the present Governor and Directors in their Offices till the 24th of June 1697, and until others shall be chosen in their Places; and that, in future Elections of Directors, not above Two-thirds of those for the preceding Year shall be chosen: That the Petitioners do find, that the said Clause is an Alteration of, and contrary to, the Liberty of Choice given them by the Act of Parliament, and Charter, by which they are established: And praying, That the said Clause may be withdrawn; or that they may be heard, at the Bar of the House, before the said Bill do pass.

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

The said ingrossed Bill was read the Third time.

Supply Bill; Deficiencies, and Bank Stock, &c.

An ingrossed Clause was offered, as a Rider to the Bill, That until Proclamation shall be made, That the Commissioners of the Treasury have sufficiently provided, that all Persons who have Exchequer Bills may have ready Money for them, such Bills shall be current only for the Supplies for the War, for 1697, except the 3s. Aid; but, after such Proclamation, the same shall be current for all Revenues, Taxes, or Payments, to his Majesty;

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

Another ingrossed Clause was offered, as a Rider to the Bill, with Blanks, That if, upon drawing any Tobaccopipes out of the Kiln, any of them are unfit for Sale, the Maker may burn the same again, giving Notice to the Officer, and paying the Duty charged by the Act for laying the same:

And the same was twice read; and the Blanks were filled up:

And then the Clause was, upon the Question put thereupon, agreed unto by the House to be made Part of the Bill.

Another ingrossed Clause was offered, as a Rider to the Bill, touching a Drawback upon Fish:

And the Question being put, That the Clause be received;

It passed in the Negative.

Another ingrossed Clause was offered, as a Rider to the Bill, touching the Islands of Jersey and Guernsey:

And the Question being put, That the Clause be received;

It passed in the Negative.

And several Amendments were proposed to be made in the Bill; viz.

Press 16. L. * to leave out "expressed," and insert "excepted," instead thereof:

Press 37. L. * to leave out "adjusted," and insert "adjudged," instead thereof:

Press 42. L. * after "Vessels," to insert "and upon Coals:"

Press 59. L. * to leave out "April," and insert "June," instead thereof:

And the like in several other Places:

Press 68. L. * after "Bills," to insert "or such Security as shall be agreed upon between the said Commissioners of the Treasury and the said Contractors:"

And the same were, upon the Question severally put thereupon, agreed unto by the House; and the Bill amended at the Table accordingly.

Then the Question being put, That the Bill do pass;

The House divided.

The Yeas go forth.

So it was resolved in the Affirmative.

Ordered, That the Title be, An Act for making good the Deficiencies of several Funds, therein mentioned; and for enlarging the Capital Stock of the Bank of England; and for raising the Publick Credit.

Ordered, That Sir Thomas Littleton do carry the Bill to the Lords, and desire their Concurrence thereunto.

Supply Bill; Malt Duties.

Resolved, That this House will, To-morrow Morning, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of the Bill for granting to his Majesty certain Duties upon Malt and Mum, Sweets, Cyder, and Perry, as well towards carrying on the War against France, as for the necessary Expence of his Majesty's Houshold, and other Occasions.

Ways and Means.

Ordered, That the Report from the Committee of the whole House, to whom it was referred to consider of Ways and Means for raising an effectual Security for paying the 840,000l. charged upon Coals, Tonage of Ships, and Salt, be made To-morrow Morning.

Transport Debt.

Resolved, That this House will, upon Monday Morning next, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of the Bill for a further Provision for Payment of the Interest of the Transport-Debt, for the Reducing of Ireland; and nothing to intervene.

Supply Bill: Wine Duties.

Ordered, That the Bill for granting to his Majesty a Duty upon Wines be read a Second time upon Monday Morning next.

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