Jovis, 10 die Decembris;

8° Gulielmi Tertii.

Prayers.

Minors' Estate.

AN ingrossed Bill, from the Lords, intituled, An Act for the Settlement of the Manor of Treyagoe, in the County of Hereford, and other the Lands late of Cromp ton Mynors Esquire, deceased: and for raising and increasing of the Portion of Theodosia Mynors, the Daughter of the said Crompton, she being an Infant of the Age of Seventeen Years; was read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time.

Importation of Irish Worsted.

A Petition of the Worsted-combers, Spinners, and other poor People employed in the Woollen Manufacture, in and about the City of Bristoll, was presented to the House, and read: setting forth, That several Merchants, and French Protestants, who make Worsted Cloths, called Cantaloons, living in and about Bristoll, do import from Ireland such vast Quantities of Irish Worsteds, under Pretence of Bay Yarn, that very little English Worsted hath been there used since such Importation, for Seven Years past; to the Ruin of the Petitioners for want of Work; the Cheating of his Majesty in his Customs; and Prejudice of the Woollen Manufacture of England: And praying, That the Importation of the said Irish Worsted may be prohibited; or the Petitioners otherwise relieved; as the House shall think fit.

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 Mr. Colt, Sir Francis Massam, Mr. How, Sir Hen. Colt, Lord Cornbury, Sir Henry Hobart, Lord Digby, Mr. White, Mr. Carey, Mr. Ashby, Mr. Heveningham, Sir John Fleet, Mr. Hoare, Mr. Burrard, Mr. Blaake, Sir Richard Onslow, Mr. Foley, Sir Math. Andrews, Mr. Burdet, Mr. Evelyn, Sir Tho. Day, Mr. Onslow, Mr. Nicholas, Mr. Knight, Mr. Gardner, Mr. Norris, Sir Cha. Raleigh, Mr. Chadwick, Sir Wm. Ashurst, Colonel Perry, Lord Fairfax, Mr. Waller, Sir John Kay, Mr. England, Mr. Blofeild, Mr. Morgan, Sir Wm. Lowther, Mr. Harrison, Mr. Clarke, Sir Tho. Roberts, Mr. Fuller, Mr. Burrington, Mr. Speke, Mr. Lauton; and all that serve for the Counties of Wilts and Gloucester, and the Western Counties: And they are to meet this Afternoon at Five a Clock, in the Speaker's Chambers.

Ditto.

A Petition of the Merchants and Traders dwelling within the Borough-Town of Biddiford, in the County of Devon, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Importation of combed Wool, and Worsted Yarn, by the Name of Bay Yarn, from Ireland, is a very great Discouragement to Merchants, an utter Ruin to the Combers, Spinners, &c. and a Prejudice in general to the Woollen Manufacture of England: And praying, That a Duty may be laid upon all combed Wool and Yarn brought from beyond the Seas.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred also to the said Committee.

Prohibiting India Silks, Callicoes, &c.

A Petition of the Linen-drapers trading in East-India Silks, Bengals, and Callicoes, in behalf of themselves, and many others, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Bill now depending in the House, for restraining the Wearing of all wrought Silks and Bengals, imported into this Kingdom from Persia and East India, and all Callicoes printed, will deprive the Petitioners of the greatest Part of their Trades, and many Thousands of other Persons that depend upon them: And praying to be heard, by their Counsel, at the Bar of the House, against the said Bill.

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

Ditto.

A Petition of the Bailiffs, Wardens, Assistants, and Commonalty, of the Occupation, Art, and Mystery, of Weavers, of London, on behalf of themselves, and Trade, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners have attained to such Perfection in the making all manner of curious striped and figured Silks, and Stuffs mixed with Wool and Silk, that they do equalize, if not excel, the Universe, in making thereof; the said Silk being chiefly the Product of our Woollen Manufactures: That above 200,000 Persons were lately maintained by their said Trade; which will be utterly ruined, in case the Bill, now depending in the House, to restrain the Wearing of all wrought Silks and Bengals, imported into this Kingdom from Persia and East-India, and all Callicoes printed or stained there, should not pass into an Act: And praying, That they may be heard, by their Counsel, what they have further to offer, in behalf of the said Bill.

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

Duty on Glass.

A Petition of John Bague, and John Jeston, on behalf of themselves, and other Glass-makers in and about Stourbridge, in the County of Worcester, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners employed many Hundred Families in the making Glassbottles, till a Duty was laid upon Glass; which hath put a Stop to the Petitioners Trade of making Bottles; so that they have not wrought One Day since the Duty commenced; whereby they must inevitably be ruined, if the said Duty be continued: And praying, That the said Duty upon Glass-wares may be taken off.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee, to whom a former Petition of the Glass-makers, in and about the said Town of Stourbridge, is referred.

Inrolling Deeds.

Mr. Pocklington, according to Order, presented to the House a Bill for the more easy Acknowledging of Deeds in the Country, in order to be inrolled: And the same was received, and read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time.

Bank of England.

Sir John Bolles reported from the Committee appointed to inspect the Books of the Bank of England, and examine into their Accounts given in to the House, That they had inspected the Books, and examined into their Accounts, accordingly; and had directed him to report the Matter thereof 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.

That as to the Item, of 893,800 l. the First Article on the Debet Side in the said Account; it appeared, by the Books of the said Bank, to be the Balance of a Debt due to sundry Persons, for sealed Bank-Bills standing out:

That as to the Item of 764,196 l. 10s. 6d.; it appeared to the Committee, That 68,669 l. 6s. 1d. Part of that Sum, hath been issued out in Notes, called Specie Notes; which carry Interest, if for 20 l. or upwards, at the Rate of 6 l. per Cent.; of which Specie Notes there were reckoned to be about One Third under 20 l. which pay no Interest; and that 695,527 l. 4s. 5d. Remainder of the 764,196 l. 10s. 6d. was issued out by Notes, for running Cash, without Interest:

That as to the Item of 300,000 l.; it appeared to be the Balance of a general Debt, contracted, and remaining due to the States of Holland; and that, for the Security of the Re-payment thereof, they say, the Dutch Ambassador hath in his Custody Tallies belonging to the Bank:

That as to the Item of 17,876 l.; it appeared to be a Sum computed to be due for Interest upon Bank-Bills standing out; but that there could be no exact Certainty therein, till the Bills themselves came in, for the better ascertaining the same.

That as to the Item of 1,784,576 l. 16s. 5d. the First Article on the Credit Side in the said Account of Tallies on several Parliamentary Funds;

But it did not appear by their Books, after what Sums the said Tallies were payable, upon each respective Fund:

That as to the Item of 50,000 l. for Half a Year's Deficiency on the Fund of 100,000 l. per Ann. the same appeared so by their Books:

That as to the Item of 266,610 l. 17s. upon Mortgages, Pawns, other Securities, and Cash; it appeared to consist of the several Articles following;

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Report be referred to the Committee of the whole House, who are to consider of that Part of his Majesty's Speech which relates to the Credit of the Nation.

Discount on Bank-Bills.

A Petition of the Clothiers of Shepton-Mallet, Froom, Brewton, and other Places thereunto adjacent, in the County of Somerset, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That, by reason of the high Discount of BankBills, and the Non-currency of Money, the Petitioners are constrained to lay down their Trades, to the Ruin of many Thousands of poor People who live under them: And praying the Consideration of the House in the Premises.

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

Redelivery of a Paper.

Ordered, That the Paper delivered in by Vice-Admiral Mitchell be re-delivered to him.

Ways and Means.

The House, according to the Order of the Day, resolved itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of Ways and Means for raising the Supply to be granted to his Majesty, for carrying on the War against France, for the Service of the Year 1697.

Mr. Speaker left the Chair.

Sir Thomas Littleton took the Chair of the Committee.

Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair.

Sir Thomas Littleton reported from the said Committee, That they had made some Progress in the Matter to them referred; and had directed him to move, That they may have Leave to sit again.

Candles.

Ordered, That Candles be brought in.

And, being brought in;

Resolved, That this House will, To-morrow Morning, 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 to sit, de die in diem, in Consideration of the said Ways and Means.

Adjournment.

A Motion being made, and the Question being put, That the House be adjourned till To-morrow Morning, Nine a Clock;

The House divided.

The Noes go forth.

So it passed in the Negative.

Regulating Elections.

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

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