Mercurii, 4 die Januarii;

10° Gulielmi Tertii.

Leverpoole Parish.

SIR William Norris, according to Order, presented to the House a Bill to enable the Town of Leverpoole to build a Church, and endow the same by their own Contributions, and otherwise; and for making the said Town and Liberties thereof a Parish of itself, distinct from Walton: And the same was received; and read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time upon Monday Sevennight.

Saltash Writ.

Mr. Speaker acquainted the House, That he had received a Letter from Colonel Speccott, who is ill in the Country, That he being chosen a Knight for the County of Cornwall; and a Burgess for the Borough of Saltash in the same County; and that he elects to serve for the said County of Cornwall.

Ordered, That Mr. Speaker do issue his Warrant to the Clerk of the Crown, to make out a new Writ, for electing a Burgess to serve in this present Parliament for the said Borough of Saltash, in the room of the said Colonel Speccott.

Distillation from Corn.

A Petition of the Distillers in London, Middlesex, and Surrey, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners did formerly distil Brandy, and Spirits, from Brewers Wash and Malt: But by a late Act of Parliament they were obliged to distil from malted Corn only; and the Petitioners built, for that Purpose, Brewhouses, and many other chargeable Conveniencies, for such Distillations, which have been very advantageous to the Kingdom; and they doubt not to prove, that their using Barley malted hath net occasioned the present Dearness of Corn; and that to prohibit the Petitioners the Use of malted Corn will be prejudicial to England, and the Land-owners thereof: And praying, That they may be heard, by their Counsel, against the Bill for prohibiting the Distilling of Spirits, and low Wines, from Corn; and to prevent Frauds in Distillers; before the same do pass into an Act.

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

Call of the House.

Ordered, That such Members as did not appear Yesterday, upon the Call of the House, do attend the Service of the House upon this Day Fortnight.

Marshal of King's Bench,

The Lord Cornbury presented to the House a Bill to repeal a Clause, in Prejudice to the Right and Interest of Thomas Seviar to the Office of the Marshal of the Marshalsea of the King's-Bench, in an Act passed in the 8th and 9th Year of his Majesty's Reign, for the more . . . . . . . Relief of Creditors, in Case of Escapes; and for preventing Abuses in Prisons, and pretended privileged Places: And the same was received; and read the First time.

And also the Petition, upon which the Bill was ordered to be brought in, was again read.

And the Question being put, That the Bill be read a Second time.

It passed in the Negative.

Resolved, That the Bill be rejected.

Privilege— a Person reprimanded and discharged.

John Leicester was, according to the Order of Yesterday, brought to the Bar: Where he, upon his Knees, received a Reprimand from Mr. Speaker.

Ordered, That the said John Leicester be discharged out of Custody, paying his Fees.

Abuses in King's Bench and Fleet Prisons.

Ordered, That it be an Instruction to the Committee, to whom the Petition of John Goodall is referred; and who are to inquire into the ill Practices, and Abuses, of the Prisons of the King's Bench, and the Fleet; That they do inquire into the Incumbrances upon the Offices of the Marshal of the King's-Bench, and Warden of the Fleet; and what may be fit to be done for the remedying thereof, and better Execution of those Offices; and report their Opinion therein to the House:

And that Mr. Probert, Mr. Mountague, Mr. Lowndes, Mr. More, Mr. Gorges, Mr. Hayes, Mr. Osborn, be added to the Committee, to whom the Petition of John Goodall is referred; and who are to inquire into the Abuses, and ill Practices, of the Fleet and King's-Bench Prisons.

Members summoned.

Ordered, That the Serjeant do go with the Mace, into Westminster-hall, and Court of Request, and summon the Members there to attend the Service of the House immediately.

And he went accordingly.

And, being returned;

Disbanding the Army.

A Motion being made, and the Question being put That it be an Instruction to the Committee of the whole House, to whom the Bill for disbanding the Army is committed, That they do re-consider the Number of Seven thousand Men, Part of the Forces now in England, therein mentioned not to be disbanded;

It passed in the Negative.

Ditto.

Resolved, That this House will, To-morrow Morning at Eleven a Clock, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of the Bill for the speedy and effectual disbanding of the Forces in England and Ireland.

Committees.

Ordered, That all Committees be adjourned.

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