House of Commons Journal Volume 12: 4 February 1699

Sabbati, 4 die Februarii;

10° Gulielmi Tertii.

Prayers.

CHARLES de Sibourg took the Oaths appointed, in order to his Naturalization.

Darwent Navigation.

A Petition of the Mayor, and Burgesses, of the Town of Nottingham, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That there is a Bill depending in the House for making the River Darwent, in the County of Derby, navigable, which hath been attempted in former Parliaments; but the same, being prejudicial to the Petitioners, and others, who opposed the same, was always rejected, or dropped: And praying, That they may be heard against the now Bill, they having many important Reasons to offer against it.

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

Darwent Navigation.

A Petition of the Justices of the Peace, and the Grand Jury assembled at the General Quarter Sessions of the Peace, for the County of Derby, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners have seriously considered the Pretences heretofore used in opposing the Bill, formerly in this House, for making the River Darwent, in the said County, navigable; and humbly represent, That such a Navigation will be highly advantageous to the Generality of Derbyshire, and divers other Neighbouring Places, trading to the same, in helpping off more easily; by Water-carriage, their heavy Commodities by quickening Trade, and by encouraging the Petitioners to set the Poor to work: And praying the Assistance of the House, That so advantageous a Navigation may not be denied the Petitioners, wherein the whole Nation has some Share with them.

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

Duty on Leather.

A Petition of the Skinners and Glovers of the Ancient Corporation of Denbigh, in the County of Denbigh, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That, Time out of Mind, before the Duty on Salt, Alum, and Leather, the Petitioners comfortably maintained their Families, and employed Abundance of poor People; but, since the said Duties, they are so impoverished, that all of them are likely thereby to become chargeable to the Parish: And praying Relief therein.

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

Ditto.

A Petition of the Leather-dressers, Skinners, Glovers, and Dependents on them, belonging to the said Trades, inhabiting the Town of Monmouth in the County of Monmouth, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That their said Trades are so much decayed, by reason of the great Duty upon Leather, and the want of Opportunity in disposing of their Goods, as formerly, that the Petitioners are not able to subsist, and their poor Work-folks are in great Want for lack of Work: And praying Relief in the Premises.

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

Ditto.

A Petition of the Wardens and Society of Glovers, of the City of Hereford, was presented to the House, and read: setting forth, That the Glovers Trade employs as many poor People as any other Trade; but, by reason of the Duty upon Alum and Salt, and also Leather, that the Rates of Leather is so high, that it takes away most or all of the Profit; and has so lessened the Sale of Gloves, that with the Duty on imported Leather, and the Death of Sheep, the Petitioners are not able to supply themselves with Leather, and much less employ the Poor; and, besides, they cannot, by their wholesale Trade to London, sell so dear as before the Duty laid on Leather; so that many have been quite ruined thereby, and others forced to give over their Trades; and the greatest Dealers put off most of their Work-folks: And praying the Relief of the House, so as that the Petitioners may be encouraged in their Trades; and thereby the poor Manufactures will, in a great Measure, find Employment.

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

Irish Arrears.

A Petition of Richard Tincker, and others, in behalf of themselves, and other Serjeants, who served his Majesty in the Regiment formerly commanded by the Right Honourable the Lord Viscount Lisbon, and afterwards by the Honourable Colonel Richard Coote; and was disbanded in the Month of February 1697; was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That their Colonel refuses to make up their Accounts, for their Service in Ireland, from the 25 March 1689, to the 1st of January 169½, though he has received their Money, as informed; and notwithstanding they petitioned the Court-Martial, at the Horse-Guards, therein, yet they had no Relief; but the said Court, after a great Expence of Time and Money, obliged their Colonel to make up the Petitioners Accounts, from the said 1st of January 169½, to the 1st of May 1694; but he has not paid the Petitioners One Peny thereof; nor have they been cloathed according to the Establishment: And praying the Relief of this House, That Colonel Coote may do them Justice, and pay them what is stated by him to be due to them.

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. Hancock, Mr. Yates, Mr. Cook, Mr. Brereton, Mr. Foley, Mr. Morgan, Mr. Bertie, Mr. Phillips, Mr. Hammond, Mr. Parkhurst, Mr. Mounsteven, Lord Cornbury, Mr. Blake, Sir Fra. Drake, Sir Wm. Drake, Mr. Freke, Mr. Probert, Mr. Hoblyn, Mr. Dyott, Sir John Phillips, Mr. Chetwynd, Sir Ed. Hungerford, Mr. Churchill, Mr. Lowther, Mr. Hayes: And they are to meet this Afternoon at Five a Clock, in the Speaker's Chambers.

Sibourg's Nat.

A Bill for naturalizing Charles de Sibourg was read a Second time.

Resolved, That the Bill be committed to Mr. Cook, Lord Cornbury, Mr. Bagott, Sir Sam. Barnardiston, Mr. Poultney, Sir John Phillips, Mr. Yates, Mr. Carter, Sir Wm. Ashurst, Mr. Smith, Major Holmes, Sir Wm. Drake, Sir Fra. Molyneux, Mr. Chetwynd, Mr. Bertie, Mr. Foley, Mr. Knight, Mr. Mounsteven, Colonel Granville, Mr. Hoblyn, Mr. Molyneux, Colonel Kirkby, Mr. Morgan, Sir Edward Hungerford, Mr. Clayton, Mr. Hughes: And they are to meet on Monday next, at Five a Clock, in the Speaker's Chambers.

Midhurst Election.

Ordered, That Sir Henry Peachy have Leave to withdraw his Petition, touching the Election for the Borough of Midhurst, in the County of Sussex.

Claims for Prizes.

Ordered, That Sir Edward Hussey, Mr. Shackerly, Mr. Johnson, Sir Robert Masham, Sir Abstr. Danby, Sir Jacob Banks, Mr. Harley, Colonel Perry, Mr. Davey, Sir Cha. Windham, Sir John Bolls, Mr. Knight, Sir Rich. Farrington, be added to the Committee, to whom the Petition of Captain Crow is referred.

St. Peire's Nat.

Mr. Carter, according to Order, presented to the House, a Bill for naturalizing James St. Peire: And the same was received; and read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time.

Ayre and Calder Navigation.

A Petition of the Clothiers, and others, trading in the Woollen Manufacture, within the Town of Hallifax, in the West Riding of the County of York, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That there is a Bill depending in the House, for making navigable the Rivers Ayre and Calder, in the County of York, the effecting whereof will be a great Improvement of Trade to all the trading Towns in the North, and a Means to preserve their Roads; the Petitioners having no Watercarriage within less than 30 Miles; which not only occasions a great Expence, but frequent Damage happens through the Badness of the Roads, by overturning of Carriages: And praying, That the said Bill may pass.

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

Jones Estate.

Ordered, That Leave be given to bring in a Bill for vesting the Estate late of Charles Jones Esquire, deceased, in Trustees, to be conveyed to Roynon Jones, Son of the said Charles, and William Essington, and Anne his Wife, Grand-daughter of the said Charles Jones, pursuant to Agreements, made between them, for that Purpose: And that Mr. Cox and Mr. Carter do prepare, and bring in, the Bill.

Billingsgate Fish Marke.

The House being acquainted, That one of the Sheriffs of the City of London attended, to present a Petition relating to a Bill depending before the House;

He was called in; and, at the Bar, presented to the House a Petition against the Bill for making Billingsgate a free Market for Sale of Fish.

And then withdrew.

The Petition was read; setting forth, That the Petitioners have, by Prescription, and by many Charters and Grants, a good Estate of Inheritance in all the Markets in the City of London, and Liberties thereof; and the Regulation and Tolls of such Markets; but, by the said Bill, as it is penned, their Estate, and Power to regulate Billingsgate, will be taken away: And praying to be heard, by Counsel, against the said Bill, before the same do pass this House.

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

Ordered, That the Bill be read a Second time upon Wednesday next, at Twelve a Clock.

Process of Capias for Debts under 40s.

Sir Joseph Jekill, according to Order, presented to the House a Bill to take away all Process of Capias for Debt, or Damages, under 40s.: And the same was received, and read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time upon Thursday Morning next.

Claims for Prizes.

A Petition of John Carlton, late Captain of his Majesty's Brigantine the Postboy, on the behalf of himself, and Ship's Company, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That, on the 27 June 1697, the Petitioner took, as Prize, a Ship called The Wheel of Fortune; which was condemned, and sold, by the Commissioners of Prizes, at an Under-value; and, by the Account the Petitioner received from the Prize-Office, of the said Ship and Goods, it appears, that the Goods were sold much cheaper than they cost in France; and that many of them were not brought to Account: And praying, That the said Commissioners may give a more particular Account of the said Ship and Cargo, in order to the Petitioner's Relief.

Ordered, That it be referred to such Members of this House as are Commissioners for Prizes, to give an Acswer, in Writing, to the Matter of the said Petition.

King appoints to be attended.

The Earl of Ranelagh reported to the House, That he having, according to their Order, waited upon his Majesty, to know when he would please to be attended by this House, his Majesty had been pleased to appoint this Afternoon, at Kensington, at Three a Clock.

Defective Titles.

Sir Richard Cocks reported from the Committee, to whom the Bill for the general Quiet of the Subject, against all Concealments whatsoever, was committed, That they had made several Amendments to the Bill; which they had directed him to report to the House; which he read in his Place; 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.

A Clause was offered, to be added to the Bill, That the Act shall not extend to affect any Manors, Lands, Tenements, Rents, or Tythes, granted to the City of London, by King James the First, or King Charles the First, or any claiming under them:

And the same was read the First time:

And the Question being put, That the Clause be read a Second time;

It passed in the Negative.

Another Clause was offered, to be added to the Bill, with a Blank, That where any Person has been in Possession of any Lands, Tenements, or Hereditaments, belonging to the Church, and granted by the Crown, and has enjoyed them for Years, or the time certain for which they were granted, that they may quietly enjoy the same, notwithstanding any Letters-Patents to the contrary:

And the same was twice read; and the Blank filled up:

And the Question being put, That the Clause be made Part of the Bill;

It passed in the Negative.

Then several other Amendments were made, by the House, to the Bill.

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

The King's Speech to be considered.

Resolved That this House will, upon Monday Morning next, take into Consideration his Majesty's most gracious Speech to both Houses the First Instant.

And then the House adjourned till Monday Morning, Eight a Clock.