House of Commons Journal Volume 11: 7 December 1696

Lunæ, 7 die Decembris;

8° Gulielmi Tertii.

Prayers.

Bank of England.

ORDERED, That a Copy of the Account of Stock, and List of Tallies delivered by the Governor and Directors of the Bank of England in to the House, be delivered to the Committee, who are to inspect the Books of the said Bank, and examine into their Accounts.

Regulating Elections.

Ordered, That the ingrossed Bill for the further regulating Elections of Members to serve in Parliament be read the Third time, upon Friday Morning next.

A Member discharged from Custody.

Ordered, That Mr. Preston, in Custody of the Serjeant at Arms attending this House, for absenting himself from his Service in Parliament, be discharged out of Custody, paying his Fees.

Ease of Sheriffs.

A Bill for the Ease of Sheriffs in passing their Accounts, and Execution of their Offices, was read a Second time.

Resolved, That the Bill be committed to Sir Robert Cotton, Mr. Bridges, Sir Henry Colt, Mr. Clark, Mr. Harley, Mr. Lowther, Mr. Shackerly, Mr. Colt, Sir Fra. Massam, Mr. Mountague, Mr. Heveningham, Sir Roger Bradshaw, Serjeant Bond, Mr. Hamond, Mr. St. John, Mr. Onslow, Sir John Kay, Sir Gerv. Elwes, Mr. Fox, Sir William Lowther, Sir Cha. Windham, Mr. Blofeild, Sir Marm. Wivell, Mr. Phillipps, Mr. Whitaker, Mr. Stevens, Mr. Newport, Mr. Bowyer, Mr. Brotherton, Mr. Pocklington, Mr. Stockdale, Mr. Nevill, Mr. Staines, Mr. Brewer, Mr. Harcourt, Mr. Preston, Mr. Etterick, Mr. White, Mr. Palmes, Sir John Bolles, Mr. Hedger, Mr. Serjeant Wogan, Mr. Foley, Mr. Price, Sir Wm. Coriton, Mr. Harrison, Mr. Ja. Mountague, Mr. England, Mr. Chase, Mr. Stonehouse, Mr. Harvey, Mr. Mawdit, Lord Pawlett, Mr. Le Banks, Mr. Farrer, Mr. Evelyn, Mr. Perry: And they are to meet this Afternoon at Five a Clock, in the Speaker's Chambers.

African Company.

A Bill for settling and regulating the Trade to Africa was read a Second time.

Resolved, That the Bill be committed to a Committee of the whole House.

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

Ditto.

A Petition of the Merchants and Planters, trading to, and interested in, the Plantations of Virginia and Maryland, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the said Plantations are capable of great Improvements; but, for want of Servants to carry on the Work, many Plantations are wholly deserted; chiefly occasioned by the unlawful Practices of the African Company, by seizing all Ships and Effects that brought any Negro Slaves for the Service of the Plantations, though they would not send so much as One Slave thither themselves; whereby the Revenue is much decreased, and Navigation discouraged; and the Consumption of our Woollen Manufactures much lessened: And praying, That the Trade to Africa may lie open to all his Majesty's Subjects; whereby the Plantations may be cheaply supplied with Slaves.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee of the whole House, to whom the Bill for settling and regulating the Trade to Africa is committed.

Ditto.

A Petition of the Merchants and Planters, trading to, and interested in, the Island of Jamaica, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Commodities of the said Island are produced by the Labour of Negroes; and are cheaper or dearer, according to the Plenty and Price of Negroes brought thither from Guiny: That whilst the African Company exercised their Power, under Pretence of a Charter, the said Island was not sufficiently supplied with Negroes; and those that came were sold partially, and at extravagant Rates: That the Trade to Africa being open, or in a regulated Company, is the only way to make the Jamaica Trade advantageous to England, and to sustain the Loss by the late Earthquake, and the Descent of the French, and Losses at Sea, to the Value of 1,200,000£.: That if the Trade to Africa be restrained to a Company, in a Joint-Stock, it will be very prejudicial to the Jamaica, Trade: And praying, That the Trade to Africa may be left free to all, or in a regulated Company, as that to Turkey.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee of the whole House, to whom the Bill for settling and regulating the Trade to Africa is committed.

Duty on Earthen-ware.

A Petition of Richard Crew, and others, on behalf of themselves, and many poor Journeymen and Artificers in the Mystery of Pot-making, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That, by Act of Parliament, a perpetual Duty is laid upon all Stone and Earthen-wares made within this Kingdom; which Duties are found to be of inconsiderable Advantage to the Crown, and utterly destructive to the Petitioners, for want of Work; their Masters not vending sufficient of the said Wares to pay the Petitioners Wages; all which they can prove: And praying, That they may be admitted to prove the Premises; and that the House will relieve them therein, as they shall think fit.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee, to whom the Petition of the Glass-makers in and about Stourbridge, in the County of Worcester, is referred: And that they do examine the Matter thereof; and report the same, with their Opinion therein, to the House.

Letters of Marque.

A Petition of several Merchants of London was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That in all former, as well as this present War, till lately denied by the Commissioners of the Admiralty, Letters of Marque have been granted to such Merchant Ships of good Force, for whom desired; which has encouraged Merchants to build many good Frigates and Gallies, to annoy the Enemy, and secure their own Trade, greatly lost in several Places, but now partly recovered by those Gallies; who, besides, have taken, as Prize, from the Enemy, to the Value of 100,000£. within these Six Months: That France, Spain, and Holland, do freely grant Letters of Marque: and 'tis publickly known what Damage those French Ships have done to our Trade; and the good Service the English Letter of Marque Ships have done, who give Security to perform Instructions, and to carry One-half of their Complement Land-men; whereby great Numbers of Seamen have been raised fit for his Majesty's Service: That our Commanders are unwilling to go to Sea without a Commission; for without it they dare not seize on a French Ship, though she falls in their Way, for fear of being afterwards retaken by the French, and hanged for Pirates: And praying, That his Majesty's trading Subjects may have the same Encouragement to annoy the Enemy, and defend and enrich themselves in their Trade, as other Nations give to their Subjects, by having Letters of Marque freely granted to their Ships of Ten Guns and upwards.

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

And it is referred to Sir Robert Clayton, Sir Walter Yonge, Sir Rowland Gwyn, Sir Jos. Herne, Mr. Heveningham, Mr. Fox, Mr. Price, Mr. Moor, Mr. Norris, Sir Cha. Sidley, Mr. Ash, Sir Wm. Coriton, Mr. Lowther, Mr. Bromley, Sir Eliab Harvey, Mr. Cornwallis, Mr. Bridges, Sir Robert Davers, Sir Thomas Dyke, Mr. Blofeild, Sir Tho. Skipwith, Mr. Pagit, Mr. Mounson, Mr. Pitts, Sir Edw. Seymour, Mr. Foley, Sir Robert Cotton, Mr. Ryder, Sir Fra. Molyneux, Colonel Granvill, Sir Wm. Lowther, Mr. How, Mr. Phillips, Mr. Sloan, Sir John Fleet, Mr. Taylor, Mr. Machell, Mr. Hamond, Mr. Pocklington, Mr. Bohun, Sir Math. Andrews, Mr. Boscawen, Mr. Campion, Mr. Fuller, Mr. Papillon, Mr. Palmes, Sir Henry Hobart, Sir Wm. Ashurst, Mr. Champnyes, Mr. Foot Onslow, Mr. Mountague, Mr. England, Mr. Colt, Sir Wm. Scawen, Sir Fra. Winington, Sir Wm. Strickland, Sir Chr. Musgrove, Lord Pawlet, Mr. Harvey, Mr. Hayne: And they are to meet this Afternoon at Five a Clock, in the Speaker's Chambers.

Records returned.

Ordered, That the Records, delivered into the House by Mr. Harcourt and Mr. Tanner, and Mr. Goodman's Information, by Mr. Baker, be delivered back to them.

Commissioners of Accounts.

Ordered, That the Bill for examining, taking, and stating, the publick Accounts of the Kingdom, to commence from the Expiration of the present Commission, be read a Second time, To-morrow Morning.

State of the Nation.

The House, according to the Order of the Day, reresolved itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of the State of the Nation.

Mr. Speaker left the Chair.

Sir Richard Onslow took the Chair of the Committee.

Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair.

Committees.

Ordered, That all Committees be adjourned.

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