Mercurii, 5 Maii

Johnes' Patent.

Mr. Bateman: - A Petition from the Soap Boilers of London, against a Patent of Roger Johnes.

Ordered, It shall be brought in to the Committee of Grievances on Friday next.

Orig. Writs.

Original Writs : - Friday next: And all to have Voice.

Clarke's Estate.

L. 3. An Act to enable Sir Fran. Clarke to make Sale of certain Lands, for the Payment of his Debts, and providing Portions for his younger Children:- - Upon Question, passed.

Trade.

Committee of Trade: - on Saturday next, Exchequer Chamber.

Heron's Judgment.

Mr. Noy reporteth the Bill for Confirmation of a Judgment, given in the Chancery, against Henry Heron.

Recusant's Children.

L. 1. An Act for the Education of the Children of Popish Recusants, in the true Religion.

Popish School-masters.

Sir Walter Earle: - A Petition against a Popish School Master in Sufolke. - To have a Warrant from the House, to send for Witnesses. - Ordered.

Heron's Judgment.

L. 3. An Act for Confirmation of a Judgment, given in the Chancery, against Henry Heron. - Upon Question, passed.

Bishop of Coventry.

L. 3. An Act of Explanation of a former Act, made in the three and twentieth Year of the Reign of the late Queen, of famous Memory, Elizabeth, intituled, An Act for Assurance of the yearly Rent of Fourscore Two Pounds, and Ten Shillings, to the Bishop of Coventry and Litchfeild, and his Successors for ever, out of certain Manors, Lands, Tenements, and Hereditaments, thereby assured to Edward Fisher, Esquire, and his Heirs: - Upon Question, passed.

Engeham's Estate.

L. 3. An Act for the Settling and Assuring of the Manor of Goodneston, and other Lands of Sir Edw. Engeham, Knight: - Upon Question, passed.

Petit. read.

A Petition of the Merchant Adventurers read.

Pretermitted Custom.

Sir Edw. Cooke: - To have some Members of this House set down the Reasons and Arguments, which led the House to deliver their Opinion against the preter-mitted Custom.

Sir Edw. Cooke, Mr. Noye, Mr. Rolles, Mr. Bartlet, Mr. Banks, Mr. Glanvill, and any other Lawyers, that did speak, or were prepared to speak, in that Business, are required by the House to do this; and to take their own Time.

Merchant Adventurers.

Mr. Barkley: - This Matter, that concerns the Merchant Adventurers, a weighty and perplexed Business. A bad Quality in a Servant, to be sullen and refractory, when he knows he cannot be spared. Four Propositions made: 1. To dissolve this Company, and have a free Trade: That dangerous. 2. To let them alone, as they have been : That petitio principii. The Company may abuse such a Conclusion as this. - Make them the more presumptuous. - 3. To bring others into their Company. 4. To take off their Impositions, and to enlarge some of their Trade, and to leave the white Cloths to them. - Likes none of these Ways. Compares this great Company to a Fruit-tree, that hath borne good Fruit, but now over-grown with Moss; so that it brings forth less Fruit. The Husbandman he prunes off this Moss, and grafts new Plants into it. - Would not have this Com-

pany of the Merchant Adventurers rooted out, but thus pressed. - For their Impositions, difficult to take them off. - Will be a Dissolution of their Company. - To have Part of this lie upon the Persons of some of the richest of the Company.

Mr. Bateman :- - The Privileges and Freedoms of the Merchant Adventurers very great in England, and foreign Parts. 3,000l. per Annum saved by their Privileges and Immunities.

A Petition of the Staplers read.

Mr. Comptroller : - The Question now, whether other Merchants should not have the Exporting of dyed and dressed Cloths. - Thinks it very reasonable, they should.

Sir Edwyn Sandys: - To preserve the Merchant Adventurers in their ancient Right, not in their modern. - ( In Genoa a Company of St. George, that taking Advantage of the Necessity of the City, got many strange Privileges.)

- Hath no such Fear of the Merchant Adventurers. For the dyed and dressed Cloths; the Desire of the Committee was, that they might be left, as they were before the 28th of the Queen, or else Three Shires undone; Kent, Suffolke, and Barkshire.

Sir Edw. Cooke: - Nullum simile quatuor pedibus currit.

- But fallible Arguments. - To put to the Question, whether other Merchants should not export dyed and dressed Cloths.

Mr. Recorder: - If other Merchants should trade in dyed and dressed Cloths, to the Places of the Merchant Adventurers, would do a great deal of Hurt, 1. A great Innovation ; and will lessen the Reputation of the Company, and be a Means to lose their Privileges. (There will be more Money given, than they owe, that their Company were dissolved.)

Sir Dud. Diggs: - Good to go upon safe Principles, - If we shall give Liberty to other Merchants, to export these dressed Cloths, we shall take them away, in a Manner, from the Merchant Adventurers.

Sir Fran. Nethersoll: - If this desired, could be effected, no Benefit by it; for the Merchant Adventurers will undersell them, by Reason of their Privileges, 2ly, This cannot be effected: If the Merchant Adventurers may not trade as they have done, will not trade at all.

Resolved, To let this Business rest until Saturday, Eight Clock. The House then to sit as a Committee.

Adjournment.

This House adjourns itself until Friday Morning, Eight Clock; saving all Committees in the mean time.