House of Commons Journal Volume 10: 27 October 1690

Lunæ, 27 die Octobris; 2° Gulielmi et Mariæ.

Prayers.

Mildmay's Estate.

A PETITION of Henry Mildmay, Esquire, was read; setting forth, That Dame Margaret Hungerford devised her Copyhold Estate at Newington, of about Two hundred and Fifty Pounds per Annum, to the Petitioner her Nephew, and his Sons in Tail Male; and, in Default of such Issue, to Sir Giles Hungerford and his Heirs: That the Petitioner, Thirteenth February 1674, did contract and pay to the said Sir Giles Five hundred and Fifty Pounds, for which he agreed to make a good Estate in Fee of the Premises to the Petitioner: Which accordingly was done, by the Petitioner's surrendering the same to Sir Giles, and he afterwards re-surrendering to the Petitioner, before the Petitioner had any Son born; since which, the Petitioner having one Son, several Persons refuse to take Leases, or buy the said Copyhold Estate, doubting the Petitioner's Title, whether the Estate Tail by such Means is barred: And the Petitioner being much indebted, which he is not capable of discharging, without a Sa e of the Newington Estate, and praying, to remove all Doubts, and to encourage Buyers, That Leave may be given to bring in a Bill for Sale of the Copyhold Estate, for Payment of Debts.

Ordered, That Leave be given to bring in a Bill accordingly.

French Bay-salt.

A Bill for Preservation of French Bay-salt, for the Use of their Majesties Navy, was presented to the House; and read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time.

Insolvent Debtors.

A Bill for Relief of poor Prisoners, was presented to the House; and received.

Phelips' Estate.

An ingrossed Bill from the Lords, intituled, An Act for enabling the Sale of the Manor of Kempton and Kempton Park, and other Lands late of Francis Phelips, Esquire, deceased, was read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time.

Coal Trade.

An ingrossed Bill from the Lords, intituled, An Act for regulating the Measures and Prices of Coals, was read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time.

Commissioners of Accompts.

Sir Wm. Whitlock reported from the Committee, to whom it was referred to prepare a Bill for the taking the publick Accompts: That they had prepared a Bill accordingly: Which he presented to the House.

And the same was received.

Pin-making.

An ingrossed Bill from the Lords, intituled, An Act for the better encouraging the Art of Pinmaking, and keeping and setting the Poor Pinmakers at Work, was read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time, after Ten a Clock.

Surgeons to administer Medicines.

A Petition of the President, College, and Commonalty of the Faculty of Physick, was read; setting forth, That the Petitioners being informed, That a Bill hath been read, for granting and confirming certain new Powers and Privileges to the Surgeons of London, in Prejudice to the Universities and Subjects of this Realm, in the Hazarding of Lives, by the unskilful Practice of Persons not fitly qualified to administer internal Physick, and praying to be heard against the said Bill.

Ordered, That the said Petition be read again, when the said Bill is reported from the Committee to whom that is committed.

Excise on Vinegar.

A Petition of Daniel Dewtheais, and others, the Vinegar-makers in and near the Cities of London and Westminster, was read; setting forth, That the Petitioners, using the Art of making Vinegar, do brew their Vinegar Beer at the common Brewers, where the Excise is always paid: That the additional Duty of One Shilling and Sixpence Excise thereon, by the late Act, was to take place but from the Twenty-fifth Day of July 1689: That their Majesties Commissioners of Excise, misconstruing the Act, have caused their Officers to enter the Petitioners Houses; and there gauge their Stocks of Beer, which hath paid the Duty at the Brewhouse before; and do gauge the Petitioners Beer again, at their House, although it has been before gauged; to the Petitioners Damage, by disturbing their Goods, and discovering the Mystery of the Trade; and pretend that, by virtue of the said Act, they will compel the Petitioners to pay Excise for their Beer Vinegar, after the same Rate as Wine Vinegar; because they strain it through a dry Rape to fine it: That the Petitioners readily submit to the Excise laid on Wine Vinegar, made or mixt with foreign Materials (though they doubt not but to make it appear, that his Majesty loses much by having any Excise on that Commodity); and the Commissioners overcharge the Petitioners not less than Sixty-three Gallons on every Ton of Vinegar, made or mixt with Foreign Materials: And praying the Consideration and Relief of the House in the Premises; and that they may be heard by their Counsel touching the same.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to a Committee, to examine the Matter thereof; and report their Opinions therein to the House.

And it is referred unto Sir Tho. Hussey, Sir Wm. Ellis, Colonel Mildmay, Sir Fra. Guibon, Lord Bellamont, Mr. Perry, Mr. Thornhaugh, Sir Rob. Nappier, Mr. Solicitor General, Mr. Papillion, Sir Rob. Cotton, Sir Rob. Rich. Mr. Bickerstaffe, Mr. Gray, Sir Wm. Lemon, Mr. Burdet, Sir Sam. Dashwood, Mr. Wilmot, Mr. John Chetwin, Sir Tho. Littleton, Mr. Price, Mr. Hedger, Mr. Glemham, Sir Fra. Vincent, Mr. Freeman, Mr. Trenchard, Sir Sam. Bernadiston, Sir Cha. Gerrard, and all the Members of the House who are Commissioners of the Excise: And they are to meet this Afternoon, at Four of the Clock, in the Speaker's Chamber.

Distillation of Brandy.

Ordered, That Leave be given to bring in a Bill for the Encouragement of distilling Brandy from Corn: And it is recommended to Sir Rob. Howard, Mr. Holt, Sir Tho. Clarges, Sir Tho. Littleton, and the Commissioners and Auditor of the Excise who are Members of the House, or any Three of them, to prepare and bring in the same.

Supply Bills; Land Tax.

Then the House resolved itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of the Bill for raising One hundred Thirty-seven thousand Six hundred Forty-one Pounds Eighteen Shillings and Two-pence per mensem, for Twelve Months.

Mr. Speaker left the Chair.

Mr. Solicitor General took the Chair of the Committee.

Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair.

Mr. Solicitor General reports from the said Committee, That they had made a considerable Progress in the said Bill; And that the Committee had directed him to move the House, That they may have Leave to sit again Tomorrow Morning.

Resolved, That this House will, To-morrow Morning at Ten a Clock, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to proceed in the further Consideration of the said Bill.

Ordered, That the said Committee of the whole House do bring in a Clause to the said Bill, for the appropriating Part of the said Assessment for the Use of the Navy: And it is recommended to Mr. Attorney General, and Mr. Solicitor General, to prepare the same.

Ordered, That the said Committee of the whole House do bring in a Borrowing Clause to the said Bill: And it is recommended to Mr. Attorney General, and Mr. Solicitor General, to prepare the same.

Committees.

Ordered, That all Committees be adjourned.

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