House of Commons Journal Volume 12: 16 February 1699

Jovis, 16 die Februarii;

11° Gulielmi Tertii.

Prayers.

Andrews' Estate.

SIR Charles Barrington, according to Order, presented to the House a Bill for Sale of the Manor of Downham, in the County of Essex, the Estate of Sir Francis Andrews; and for buying and selling other Lands to the same Uses: And the same was received; and read the First time.

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

Newport Election.

A Petition of John Prideaux Esquire was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioner, and Thom. Stratford Esquire, stood Candidates at the Election of a Burgess to serve in this present Parliament for the Borough of Newport, in the County of Cornwall; where the Petitioner had a Majority of 34 Voices, duly qualified; yet the Vianders, who, with the Freeholders and Inhabitants, ought to have made the Return, withdrew themselves from the said Borough without declaring who was duly elected, though demanded thereto by the Petitioner, and his Electors; and, in another County, by themselves alone, signed a Return from Mr. Stratford; contrary to the ancient Constitution of the said Borough, and in Prejudice to the Petitioner's Right: And praying the Relief of the House in the Premises.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee of Privileges and Elections: And that they do examine the Matter thereof; and report the same, with their Opinion therein, to the House.

Papists Protestant Heirs.

Sir Richard Cocks, according to Order, presented to the House a Bill to prevent Settlements, made by Papists, from disinheriting their Protestant Heirs: And the same was received; and read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time, upon Monday next, at Twelve a Clock.

Ledgingham's newinvented Fire Engine.

Ordered, That Sir Richard Onslow and Mr. Weston be added to the Committee, to whom the Petition of Robert Ledgingham is referred.

Woollen Manufacture.

A Petition of the Corporation of the Borough of Leeds, in the West Riding of the County of York, and of the Merchants, Clothiers, Clothworkers, Traders in the Woollen Manufactures, and of other the Inhabitants of the said Borough, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That, for many Years past, great Quantities of our Woollen Manufactures have been transported, and vended in Flanders; but foreign Letters give an Account, that the Prohibition, or great Duties, laid upon their Manufactures imported hither, puts them upon renewing a Trade of making Cloth, as they formerly did; and there is great Reason to believe, that they intend to prohibit our Woollen Manufactures: And praying, That the Woollen Manufactory may by some means be prevented from being set up in Flanders, and other foreign Countries; and that the Commerce and Trade of this Kingdom in that great staple Commodity, may be still preserved and maintained.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee, to whom the Petition of the Gentlemen, Clothiers, Clothworkers, Traders in the Woollen Manufactures, and other the Inhabitants of the Town of Ratchdale, is referred:

And that the Lord Fairfax, Lord Chenie, and all that serve for the Counties of York and Cornwall, be added to the said Committee.

Trent Navigation.

Ordered, That Leave be given to bring in a Bill to make the River Trent, up to Burton, navigable: And that Mr. Pagit, Mr. Dyott, and Mr. Cook, do prepare, and bring in, the Bill.

Preventing Corruption of Juries.

Ordered, That Leave be given to bring in a Bill to prevent the Corrupting of Juries: And that Sir Richard Cocks and Sir John Williams do prepare, and bring in, the Bill.

Leave of Absence.

Ordered, That Henry Yates Esquire have Leave to go into the Country for a Fortnight, upon extraordinary Occasions.

Liverpoole Parish.

Sir Robert Cotton, according to Order, reported from the Committee, to whom the Bill for the enabling the Town of Liverpoole to build a Church, and endow the same, by their own Contributions, and otherwise; and for making the said Town, and Liberties thereof, a Parish of itself, distinct from Walton; was committed; That they had made several Amendments to the Bill; which they had directed him to report to the House; which he read in his Place; and afterwards delivered in at the Clerk's Table: Where the same were once read throughout; and then several of them a Second time, one by one; and, upon the Question severally put thereupon, agreed unto by the House.

Ordered, That the further Consideration of the said Report be adjourned till To-morrow Morning, Ten a Clock; and nothing to intervene.

Victualing the Fleet.

Mr. Papillon, from the Commissioners for Victualing, acquainted the House, That their Order of the 14th Instant being general, they desired the same might be explained.

Ordered, That the Commissioners for Victualing do lay before this House their Observations and Exceptions to the Account of Admiral Russell, of his victualing the Fleet in the Mediterranean.

Claims for Prizes.

A Petition of Captain James Atkins, late Commander of his Majesty's Ship Greyhound, in behalf of himself, and Ship's Company, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That, in 1695, he was, by the Order of Admiral Russell, commanded to cruize off the Straits Mouth; where he took a French Prize, called the St. John Baptist, of Twenty Guns, whose Cargo cost, at Lisbon, betwixt 26 and 30,000 l. Sterling; which Ship and Cargo the Petitioner delivered up to the said Admiral; who ordered him to cruise again off Thoulon; which he did; and, about Two Months after, returning, he received 2,500 Pieces of Eight, of Martin Westcomb Esquire, who told him, That was all that was ordered him, as his, and Company's, Share of the said Prize; and the Petitioners never received any more; to their great Discouragement: And praying, That Justice may be done them, so that they may have their Share of the said Prize, as the Law directs therein.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee, to whom the Petition of Captain Crow is referred: And that they do examine the Matter thereof, and report the same, with their Opinion therein, to the House.

Price of Gold and Silver, and Currency of Guineas.

Sir Godfrey Copley, according to Order, reported, from the Committee of the whole House, to whom it was referred to consider of the Price of Gold, the Resolution of the said Committee; which they had directed him to report to the House; which he read in his Place; and afterwards delivered in at the Clerk's Table: Where the same was read; and is as followeth; viz.

Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That no Person, by reason of the Act, made in the 7th and 8th Year of his Majesty's Reign, intituled, An Act to encourage the bringing Plate into the Mint, to be coined; and for the further remedying the ill State of the Coin of the Kingdom; is obliged to take Guineas at Two-and-twenty Shillings apiece.

The said Resolution, being read a Second time, was, upon the Question put thereupon, agreed unto by the House.

Supply.

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.

Mr. Speaker left the Chair.

Mr. Cowper took the Chair of the Committee.

Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair.

Mr. Cowper reported from the said Committee, That they had come to several Resolutions; which they had directed him to report, when the House will please to receive the same.

Ordered, That the Report be made upon Saturday next, at Twelve a Clock; and nothing to intervene.

Claims for Prizes.

Ordered, That Mr. Eyres, Mr. Rowney, Mr. Harvey, Mr. Swift, Mr. Bertie, Mr. Freeman, Mr. Conyers, Mr. Rudge, Lord Norris, Mr. Churchill, Mr. Greenhill, Mr. Pendarvis, Sir John Rogers, Mr. Carter, Mr. Winington, Mr. Manaton, Mr. White, Mr. Stringer, be added to the Committee, to whom the Petition of Captain Josias Crow is referred.

Committee.

Ordered, That all Committees be revived.

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