House of Commons Journal Volume 10: 18 July 1689

Jovis, 18 die Julii; 1° Gulielmi et Mariæ.

Prayers.

Privilege- a person reprimanded, and discharged.

THOMAS Owen, in Custody of the Serjeant at Arms attending the House, was brought to the Bar; and had the Reprimand of the House from Mr. Speaker: And thereupon was discharged, according to the Order of Yesterday; paying his Fees.

Cock's Pension.

A Petition of Mary Cock, was read; setting forth, That her Father Dr. Robert Levins, Doctor of Laws, was condemned and executed in the Government of Oliver Cromwell, for his Adherence to King Charles the Second; and that, in Consideration thereof, the said King did grant unto Robert Bertie, Esquire, in Trust for the Petitioner, a yearly Pension of Forty Pounds a Year for her Life, out of the Exchequer; it being her only Subsistence: And praying that Provision may be made for the Continuance of the said Pension.

Ordered, That the said Petition be referred to the Consideration of the Committee of the whole House, who are to consider of the Bill for settling the Revenue.

Supply Bill; Forfeitures.

A Bill for appropriating the Forfeitures of Five hundred Pounds to the Use of the Publick, was read a Second time.

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

The Question being put, That the House do This-dayfortnight, in the Morning, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House: to consider of the said Bill;

It passed in the Negative.

Resolved, That the House do, upon Monday Morning next, resolve inself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of the said Bill.

Leave of Absence.

Ordered, That Sir John Lowther have Leave to go into the Country, for Five Weeks.

Irish Affairs.

Ordered, That Mr. Paul Foley be added to the Persons appointed to inspect the Minute Books of the Committee for Irish Affairs.

Leave of Absence.

A Motion being made, That Mr. Carter have Leave to go into the Country, for Three Weeks;

And the Question being put, That he have Leave accordingly;

The House divided.

The Yeas go forth.

So it was resolved in the Affirmative.

Prohibiting Trade with France.

The House then, according to the Order of Tuesday last, proceeded in the Consideration of the Report from the Committee, to whom the Bill for preventing the Importation of French Goods, was referred.

And in the Reading, a Second time, other of the Amendments to the Bill;

And a Debate arising thereupon;

Resolved, That the Bill be re-committed, upon the Debate of the House, to the same Committee to whom the Bill was referred: And that Mr. Bickersaffe, Mr. St. Johns, Major Wildman, Sir Hen. Goodrick, Mr. Palmes, Sir Tho. Littleton, Mr. Stockdale, Mr. Pollexfen, Mr. Pollen, Sir Walt. Yong, Mr. Hawles, Sir John Cope, Mr. Packhurst, Major Beake, Mr. Herbert: . . . . And they are to meet this Afternoon at Four of the Clock, in the Speaker's Chamber.

Peny Post.

A Petition of William Dockwra was read; setting forth, That the Petitioner, in the Year 1680, at his sole Charge, set up a new Invention, vulgarly called The Peny Post: That the said Undertaking was, at first, managed by Rules and Methods quite different from those of the General Post Office, or directed by the Statutes 12° & 15° Car. II^di, for erecting the same; and is still continued upon the same Foundation laid by the Petitioner, having a distinct Governor and Servants apart from the Post House: That, to regulate and methodize this the Petitioner's Undertaking, it cost the Petitioner, with the Interest of his Money, above Four thousand Pounds, Part whereof he is still indebted, besides his Loss of many Years time: And though such his Undertaking proved itself to be a real and publick Good; yet the late King, when Duke of Yorke, caused Twenty several Actions at one Time, for pretended Penalties upon the Act of 12° Car. II^di, and Two more at another, laid to Ten thousand Pounds, to be prosecuted against the Petitioner: And Matters were then so managed, by the Duke's Agents, that, under colour of Law, the Petitioner was turned out of all, and Possession taken for the Duke, just when the Undertaking was brought to good Perfection, and began to bring in a small Profit towards his Reimbursement, and Hopes of future Recompence: That the Petitioner, having thus suffered by the Imparation of his Estate, has disabled him from providing for his numerous Family, having a Wife and Eight Children: And forasmuch as the Incomes of the Peny Post never were made any Part of the General Post Office, or added to the publick Revenue, by any Act of Parliament; but taken unjustly from the Petitioner, and added to the Duke's private Estate; for which, as the Petitioner is advised, he is no way relievable but in Parliament (the best Interpreters of their own Acts, and of the Petitioner's Service and Sufferings): And for that it hath been ever esteemed the Honour and Interest of this Kingdom, to encourage and reward those who first introduce any new and profitable Invention, for the publick Good of their Country: And praying the Consideration of the House; to the end that he may be timeously provided for, and relieved.

Resolved, That the said Petition be referred to the Consideration of the Committee of the whole House, who are to consider of the Bill for settling the Revenue.

Supply Bill; Excise.

A Message from the Lords, by Sir Miles Cook and Sir Robert Legard;

Mr. Speaker, We are commanded by the Lords to acquaint this House, That they have agreed to the Bill for an additional Duty of Excise upon Beer and Ale, and other Liquors, without any Alteration.

And the Messengers withdrew.

Restoring Corporations.

Ordered, That the Report from the Committee, to whom the Bill for restoring Corporations . . . . ., be made upon Tuesday Morning.

Reversing Judgment against Sir W. Williams.

Mr. Trenchard reports from the Committee, to whom it was referred to prepare a Bill for reversing the Judgment against Sir Wm. Williams, That they had prepared the same accordingly: And he presented the same to the House.

Irish Affairs.

Ordered, That the Committee appointed to inquire into the Miscarriages relating to Ireland and Londonderry, be revived; and do sit this Afternoon: And that Mr. Fenwick, Mr. Arnold, Mr. Hawtry, Mr. Rob. Montague, Sir Jo. Knatchbull, Sir Cha. Bloys, Sir Roland Gwyn, be added to that Committee.

Adjournment.

A Motion being made, That the House do now adjourn till To-morrow Morning;

And the Question being put, That the House do adjourn accordingly.

It passed in the Negative.

Reversing Judgment against Sir W. Williams.

Then the Bill for reversing the Judgment against Sir Wm. Williams, and asserting the Rights and Freedom of Parliament, was read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time.

Conference desired with Lords.

Ordered, That the Lord Colchester do go to the Lords, to desire a free Conference upon the Subject Matter of the Amendments proposed by them to be made to the Bill, for declaring the Rights and Liberties of the Subject, and settling the Succession of the Crown.

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