House of Commons Journal Volume 12: 22 December 1697

Mercurii, 22 die Decembris;

Nono Gulielmi Tertii.

Prayers.

Duties on Leather.

A PETITION of divers Fellmongers, Glovers, Tawers, Dressers, Cutters, and Workers of Leather, within the Town and County of the Town of Nottingham, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners are not able any longer to pay the Duty upon Leather; and though they have registred all their Leather according to the late Act, yet they cannot sell the same, without giving notice to the Officers to attend the Sale; which is a great Grievance to the Petitioners, and Hindrance in the Way of their Trade: And praying that the Duty on Leather may be mitigated, and the Act relating thereto explained.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee, to whom the Petition of the Aldermen, Stewards, and Company of Fellmongers, Leather-dressers, and Glovers, in the City of Chester, is referred: And that they do examine the Matter thereof, and report the same, with their Opinion therein, to the House.

Committees.

Ordered, That all Committees be revived.

Oaths relating to Tallies, and Exchequer Business.

Mr. Clark reported from the Committee, to whom the Bill to give further Time for the Administring of Oaths relating to Tallies and Orders, and for the easier Dispatch of the publick Business in the Exchequer, was committed, That they had made several Amendments to the Bill; which they had directed him to report to the House; and which he read in his Place, with the Coherence; and afterwards delivered in at the Clerk's Table: Where the same were once read throughout; and then a Second time, one by one; and, upon the Question severally put thereupon, agreed unto by the House.

Ordered, That the Bill, with the Amendments, be ingrossed.

Leave of Absence.

Ordered, That Mr. Halsey have Leave to go into the Country for a Fortnight, upon extraordinary Occasions.

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

Irish Arrears.

The Lord Coningsby presented to the House an Account of what is due to several Regiments of Horse and Foot, to be cleared of their Irish Arrears, till the last of March, 1692.

And the same was read; and is as followeth; viz.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Account be referred to the Committee appointed to examine the several States, Estimates, and Accounts, which have been presented to the House: And that they do examine the same, and report the Matter of Fact to the House.

Hammered Coin.

A Bill to prevent the Currency of any hammered Silver-Coin of this Kingdom was read a Second time.

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

Resolved, That this House will, To-morrow Morning, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of the said Bill.

Ordered, That it be an Instruction to the said Committee, That they do receive a Clause for the Currency of the said hammered Money, in Payment of Taxes, for some time.

Ordered, That it be an Instruction also to the said Committee, That they do provide, That such of the said hammered Money as has been, or shall be, received in the Country for his Majesty's Revenue, or Taxes, may be carried to his Majesty's Mints in the Country, to be new coined.

Revenue Receipts and Issues.

Mr. Lowndes, from the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury, according to Order, presented to the House an Account of the Receipts and Issues of the Revenue, for the Year ending at Michaelmas last: And the same was received

And the Title thereof was read.

Ordered, That the said Account do lie upon the Table, to be perused by the Members of the House.

Preventing throwing Squibs, &c.

A Bill to prevent the Throwing and Firing of Squibs, Serpents, and other Fireworks, was read a Second time.

And a Motion being made, and the Question being put, That the Bill be committed;

The House divided.

The Yeas go forth.

So it was resolved in the Affirmative.

And it is committed to Sir Henry Dutton Colt, Sir Francis Masham, Mr. Brotherton, Sir Robert Davers, Sir Sam. Barnardiston, Mr. Taylor, Sir Fra. Drake, Mr. Thornhagh, Mr. Gery, Mr. Bertie, Mr. Boyle, Mr. Mountague, Mr. Mountstevens, Mr. Lambton, Mr. Foley, Sir Tho. Roberts, Sir Wm. Williams, Sir Jos. Jekyll, Sir Edw. Seymour, Mr. Clark, Sir Robert Clayton, Mr. Harrison, Mr. Price, Sir Robert Burdet, Sir Wm. Ashurst, Mr. Pelham, Sir John Bolles, Colonel Perry, Mr. Farrer, Mr. Gwyn, Mr. England, Sir Wm. York, Mr. Blofeild, Mr. How, Mr. Boyle, Mr. Colt, Mr. Arnold, Mr. Morgan, Lord Coningsby, Sir Cloudsly Shovel, Colonel Granville, Mr. Aylemer, Mr. Sayer, Sir Herbert Croft; and all that serve for London, Westminster, and Southwark: And they are to meet this Afternoon at Four a Clock, in the Speaker's Chambers.

Timber in New Forest.

A Bill for Increase and Preservation of Timber in the New-Forest, in the County of Southampton, was, according to Order, read a Second time.

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

Resolved, That this House will, To-morrow Fortnight, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of the said Bill.

Ordered, That the Commissioners of the Navy, and Mr. Ryly, the Surveyor of the Woods in the Forests South, do then attend the said Committee: And that they do then give an Account of all the Timber and Wood in the said Forest, and what the same is fit for.

Ordered, That it be an Instruction to the said Committee, That they do consider how to restrain all Grants of the said Forest; and how to appropriate the Overplus of the Money to be raised by Sale of Wood, over and above the necessary Expence of making the Inclosure intended by the said Bill.

Ordered, That it be also an Instruction to the said Committee, That they do consider of some other Way of raising Money for making the said Inclosure, than by Sale of Timber in the said Forest.

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; and to whom it was also referred to consider further of the Summer and Winter Guard at Sea, for the Year 1698.

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 come to a Resolution; which they had directed him to report, when the House will please to receive the same.

Ordered, That the said Report be made To-morrow Morning.

Sir Thomas Littleton also acquainted the House, That he was directed by the said Committee 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 of the Supply to be granted to his Majesty.

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