Jovis, 17 die Decembris;

8° Gulielmi Tertii.

Prayers.

Weaving Trade.

A PETITION of the Churchwarden, Overseers of the Poor, and ancient Inhabitants, of the Hamlet of Bednall-Green, in the Parish of Stepney, in the County of Middlesex, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Subsistence of . . . Inhabitants of the said Hamlet depends chiefly on the Weaving Trade; which used to be their comfortable Support, and an Employment of their Poor; who now are become so numerous, through the Decay of the said Trade, that abundance of Housekeepers, who used to contribute to the Poor, are become great Objects of Charity; and many Families are driven to such Necessities as to eat Horse-Flesh and Grains, for Nature's Support: That the Poors Rate is now triple what it used to be: And praying the House to find out some speedy Way to encourage the Weaving Trade; whereby the Poor may be employed and maintained.

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

Privilege—a Person petitions for Discharge.

A Petition of James Dover, Printer, in Custody of the Serjeant at Arms attending this House, was presented to the House, and read; whereby he acknowledged his Offence, and begged Pardon for the same; and prayed to be discharged out of Custody.

Ordered, That the said James Dover be brought to the Bar To-morrow Morning, in order to his Discharge.

Russia Company.

A Petition of several Merchants of London, on the behalf of themselves and others, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Territories, to which the Russia Company do trade, are of vast Extent; and the Trade thither must be much improved to England, if other English Merchants had Liberty to trade; but, the said Company being established by Charter, which was confirmed 8° Eliz. all Persons are prohibited thereby to trade within their Limits, but such as are free of them, to have their Leave: And praying, That the Petitioners may be admitted into the Freedom of the Russia Company, for the same Fine which the Members of that Company, and all English Merchants, may be admitted into the Hamburgh and Eastland Companies; or that the said Trade may be enlarged, and regulated, in such manner 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 Sir Henry Hobart, Sir Sam. Barnardiston, Sir William Coriton, Mr. Mountague, Sir John Bolles, Mr. Colt, Mr. Mountstevens, Mr. Gwyn, Mr. Moor, Mr. Gardner, Sir Math. Andrews, Mr. York, Mr. Bagnold, Sir Wm. York, Sir Wm. Lowther, Mr. Molesworth, Sir Wm. Bowes, Mr. Moyle, Sir John Bucknall, Sir Wm. St. Quintin, Sir Wm. Scawen, Mr. Bromley, Mr. Morgan, Mr. Foley, Lord Coningsby, Mr. Thomson, Mr. Morgan, Mr. Blofeild, Mr. Speke, Sir Wm. Ashurst, Mr. Phillipps, Colonel Wharton, Mr. Brewer, Lord Cavendish, Sir Jacob Ashley, Mr. Norris, Mr. Staines, Mr. Brotherton, Lord Spencer, Sir Henry Colt, Mr. Perry, Mr. White, Mr. Lowther, Mr. Bertie, Mr. Lambton, Mr. Whitaker, Mr. Mawdit, Mr. Farrer, Mr. Nicholas, Mr. Osborne: And they are to meet this Afternoon, at Five a Clock, in the Speaker's Chambers: And have Power to send for Persons, Papers, and Records.

Leave of Absence.

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

Ordered, That Mr. Richard How have Leave to go into the Country, his Family being ill.

Committees.

Ordered, That all Committees be revived.

Leave of Absence.

Ordered, That Sir Edward Acton have Leave to go into the Country, upon extraordinary Occasions.

Supply; Deficiency of Coinage.

Colonel Wharton, according to Order, reported, from the Committee of the whole House, to whom it was referred to consider of a Motion made for a Supply to be granted to his Majesty, for making good the Deficiency in re-coining hammered Money; and the Recompence to be given for bringing Plate into the Mints, to be coined; the Resolution of the said Committee; 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 a Supply be granted to his Majesty, for making good the Deficiency in re-coining hammered Money; and the Recompence to be given for bringing Plate into the Mints, to be coined.

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

Resolved, That this House will, upon Monday Morning next, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider further of the Supply to be granted to his Majesty, for making good the Deficiency in re-coining hammered Money; and the Recompence to be given for bringing Plate into the Mints, to be coined.

Deficiency of Funds.

The House according to the Order of the Day, proceeded to take into Consideration that Part of his Majesty's Speech, which relates to the Deficiency of Parliamentary Funds:

And his Majesty's Speech was read.

And a Motion being made, for a Supply to be granted to his Majesty, for making good the Deficiency of the Provision for Payment of the Transport-Debt, for the Reducing of Ireland;

Resolved, That this House will, upon Wednesday Morning next, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of that Motion.

Leave of Absence.

Ordered, That Sir Gilbert Clark have Leave to go into the Country for Three Weeks, upon extraordinary Occasions.

Relief of Creditors.

An ingrossed Bill for Relief of Creditors was read the Third time.

An ingrossed Proviso was offered, as a Rider, That notwithstanding the Act, all Agreements already made between Debtor and Creditor shall be in force:

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 ingrossed Clause was offered, as a Rider, That no Person shall have the Benefit of the Act, but such as list themselves into his Majesty's Service, or find an able Man to serve for them:

And the Question being put, That the same be read;

It passed in the Negative.

An Amendment was proposed to be made in the Bill, Press 1. L. ^*, to insert "Number and:"

And the same was, upon the Question put thereupon, agreed unto by the House to be made Part of the Bill; and the Bill amended at the Table accordingly.

Then a Motion being made, and 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 Relief of Creditors, by making Compositions with their Debtors, in case Two-thirds, in Number and Value, do agree.

Ordered, That Mr. Brotherton do carry the Bill to the Lords, and desire their Concurrence thereunto.

Leave of Absence.

Ordered, That Mr. Parker have Leave to go into the Country, his Daughter, the Lady Packington, being dead.

Ordered, That Mr. Tilney have Leave to go into the Country for Three Weeks, upon extraordinary Occasions.

Ways and Means.

The House, according to the Order of the Day, resolved 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.

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 a further Progress in the Matter to them referred; and had directed him to move, That they may have Leave to sit again.

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