House of Commons Journal Volume 10: 27 November 1691

Veneris, 27 die Novembris; 3° Gulielmi et Mariæ.

Prayers.

Plantation Servants.

A BILL for Registering of Servants that shall go to the Plantations, pursuant to Letters Patents granted for that Purpose, was read the Second time.

Resolved, That the Bill be committed to Mr. Palmes, Sir John Fagg, Mr. Christie, Mr. Blowfeild, Mr. Newport, Sir John Moreton, Mr. Hutchinson, Mr. Thornhaugh, Mr. Stockdale, Sir Tho. Hussey, Sir Edw. Hussey, Mr. Norreis, Mr. Sherrard, Sir Rob. Cotton, Sir Tho. Vernon, Mr. White, Sir Wm. Strickland, Mr. Lutterell, Sir John Gray, Mr. Brewer, Mr. Waller, Mr. Arnold, Mr. Hawtry, Lord Colchester, Major Vincent, Mr. Travers, Sir Thomas Darcye, Mr. Parkhurst, Mr. England, Mr. Slater, Sir Peter Colleton, Mr. Preston, Sir Tho. Dyke, Mr. Fuller, Mr. Carter, Mr. Thomson, Mr. Hedger, Sir Jonath. Jennings, Mr. Clerke: And they are to meet this Afternoon, at Four of the Clock, in the Speaker's Chamber.

Making Saltpetre.

A Petition of Ralph Bucknall, and Richard Goodall, on Behalf of themselves, and others, concerned in the making Saltpetre, was read; setting forth, That they are Assignees to a Patent granted to Andrew Parry, Esquire, and others, for the sole exercising the Invention of making Saltpetre, in great Quantities, for Fourteen Years: And the Petitioners have been making great Preparations for the same, to their great Charge: And having brought the same to great Perfection, whereby they are capable to supply their Majesties with great Quantities of the best of Saltpetre, at as reasonable Prices as any others can pretend to do; and in the Making thereof do not dig up, or come upon any other Man's Ground; and finding Leave is given to bring in a Bill to make Saltpetre; and praying they may be heard, to make out their Right to the same; and that they may proceed in making Saltpetre, as by their Letters Patents they are enabled by Law to do.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee appointed to prepare and bring in a Bill for the making Saltpetre here in England.

Privilege-Petition from a person in custody.

A Petition of James Wellwood, Doctor in Physick, in Custody of the Serjeant at Arms, was read; acknowledging his Offence to the House; and humbly praying to be discharged of his Imprisonment.

Ordered, That Dr. Wellwood, be brought to the Bar To-morrow Morning, in order to his Discharge.

London Orphans.

A Petition of the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Council of the City of London, was read; setting forth, That by the many Losses of the said City, in and since the Reign of King Charles the First, their Debts to the Orphans amount to a greater Sum than they are able to pay, without the Assistance of the House: That, after many Considerations of the best Ways of satisfying the said Debts, as far as possible, without destroying the Government of the City, the Petitioners have agreed in Common Council, That Eight thousand Pounds per Annum shall be charged upon the Lands, and all other the Estate belonging to the said City, towards paying the Orphans Four Pounds per Cent. per Annum: And humbly imploring the Compassion and Assistance of this House in their Necessities, for the raising and settling a sufficient Fund for an annual Payment to be made, in lieu of the said Debts, or such other Provision for the same, as the House shall think fit.

Ordered, That Leave be given to bring in a Bill for Relief of the Orphans of the City of London.

Deerstealers.

Ordered, That Leave be given to bring in a Bill for the better Discovery and Punishment of Deer-stealers.

Transport Debt.

Mr. Perry reports from the Committee to whom the Examination and Consideration of the Petition of a great Number of their Majesties Subjects, employed in their Majesties Transport Service, was referred; and to report their Opinions therein; That they had examined and considered the Matter to them referred: And that, after having heard the Parties, and read a Commission under the Great Seal, granted to one Mr. John Bowles, for readmeasuring the said Transport Ships, the Committee came to the following Resolutions; viz.

Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That the particular Methods for Measuring of Transport Ships, directed in their Majesties Commission to Mr. John Bowles, dated the Thirtieth Sept. 1690; viz. by multiplying the Length of the Keel into the main Breadth of the Ship, taken from Outside to Outside; and the Product of That by the half Breadth; then dividing the Product of the Second Multiplication by Ninety-four, whereby the Number of Tons sought for shall be found in the Quotient; ought to have been the Rule for measuring the said Ships; and no other.

Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That Mr. John Bowles has varied from the Rules prescribed to him by their Majesties Commission for measuring the Transport Ships taken into their Majesties Service, by deducting for Rake; by which there will happen to be a considerable Abatement, to the Prejudice of the Petitioners.

Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That it appears to the Committee there is Three hundred nine thousand Nine hundred Sixty-nine Pounds Fourteen Shillings due for Transport Service, from the Twentieth June 1689, to the Fourth of October 1691.

And a Debate arising upon the said Report;

Ordered, That the said Debate be adjourned.

Dr. Jane thanked.

Ordered, That the Thanks of this House be given to Doctor Jane, Dean of Gloucester, for the Sermon preached by him Yesterday before this House at St. Margaret's, Westminster: And that he be desired to print the same: And that Sir Jos. Tredenham and Mr. Travers do acquaint him therewith.

East India Company.

A Petition of the Clothiers of the County of Gloucester, was presented to the House.

And the Petitioners were called in to the Bar; and there owned the same:

And being withdrawn;

The Petition was read; setting forth, That they are informed, That by the Heads delivered in against the East India Company, some... Complaints against Armenians trading to those Parts: And do therefore represent to the House, That, since the War with France, they have sold but few Cloths for remote Countries; but the chiefest Employment they have had in their Trade hath been by Cloths bought by the Armenians: And praying, That this House would not discountenance so great an Advantage to this Nation, as this profitable Trade is, to the Discouragement of all Enlargement of Trade, and of so many hundred Families, who are employed in this Manufacture.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee of the whole House, to whom the Consideration of the Petitions touching the East India Trade, is referred.

Ditto.

A Petition of Anne Jolliffe, Widow of John Jolliffe, Merchant, deceased, Judith Gold, Widow, Alice Doggett, Widow, on Behalf of themselves, and many other Widows, was read; setting forth, That the Petitioners, and their fatherless Children, may, in Probability, happen to suffer very great Damage, if not a total Ruin of their Estates, and of the Estates of their said Children, if any Alteration should be made of the present joint Stock of the East India Company; without Provision be first made for the Security of their Estates, and due Consideration had of their several different Interests and Settlements upon the said growing Stock of that Company: Which, the Petitioners humbly hope, the House will think the more reasonable and necessary, because several of them have already deeply suffered by the Failure of the Chamber of London: And praying the House would take their distressed Case into Consideration; and to admit their Cases to be represented to this House by their Counsel; to the end the Petitioners may be relieved.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee of the whole House, to whom the further Consideration of the Petitions touching the East India Trade, is referred.

State of the Nation.

Resolved, That this House will, upon Monday Morning next, at Eleven a Clock, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of the State of the Nation.

Alborough Election.

Ordered, That the Report from the Committee of Privileges and Elections, touching the Election for the Borough of Alborough in the County of Suffolk, be made upon Tuesday Morning next, at Nine of the Clock.

Chipenham Election.

Ordered, That the Report from the Committee of Privileges and Elections, touching the Election for the Borough of Chipenham in the County of Middlesex, be made upon Tuesday Morning next, after the Report touching the Election for Alborough.

East India Company.

Then the House, according to the Order of the Day, resolved itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider further of the Petitions touching the East India Trade.

Mr. Speaker left the Chair.

Sir John Guise took the Chair of the Committee.

Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair.

Sir John Guise reports from the said Committee, That they had made some further Progress in the Consideration of the said Petitions; and had directed him to move the House for Leave for the said Committee to sit again.

Resolved, That this House will, upon Wednesday Morning next, at Ten a Clock, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider further of the Petitions concerning the East India Trade.

Committees.

Ordered, That all Committees be adjourned.

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