House of Commons Journal Volume 10: 14 November 1691

Sabbati, 14 die Novembris; 3° Gulielmi et Mariæ.

Prayers.

PETER Meyer, Christian Bratts, and Siman Thunesman, took the Oaths at the Table, in order to their Naturalization.

Leave of Absence.

Ordered, That Sir Thomas Bernardiston have Leave to be absent for a Fortnight, to attend the Funeral of the Lady Wimbleton his Mother-in-law.

Macclesfeild's Estate.

A Petition of Ralph Macclesfeild, and his Wife, was read; setting forth, That, upon his Marriage, he settled the Manor of Mare in Com' Stafford upon himself, Wife, and Issue Male: That he has no Issue Male, but one Daughter; and hath, by Suits and otherwise, contracted great Debts, so that the said Estate is not able to satisfy the same: But that there being a fair House upon the Premises, they can, if enabled by Act of Parliament, sell the same for much more than sufficient to pay the Debts, the Petitioner being willing to reserve the Overplus for his Wife and Daughter: And for that the Petitioner is Tenant for Life, if he should pull down the said House, or if his Creditors should do so, it would be to the Ruin of his Estate and Family; whereas, by the means aforesaid, the Petitioners Debts may be paid: And praying Leave to bring in a Bill to sell Lands for Payment of his Debts, and making Provision for his Wife and Daughter.

And the Question being put, That the Examination and Consideration of the said Petition, be referred to a Committee;

The House divided.

The Yeas go forth.

So it passed in the Negative.

Hertford Roads.

Mr. Freeman presented to the House, according to Order, a Bill for reviving a former Law for Repair of the Highways in the County of Hertford: And the same was received.

The Bill was read the First time.

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

Trials for Treason.

Ordered, That the ingrossed Bill for Regulating of Trials in Cases of High Treason, be read the Third time on Wednesday next, at Eleven a Clock.

Reducing Interest.

Mr. Freke, according to Order, presented to the House a Bill for Lessening of Interest of Money. And the same was received.

The Bill was read the First time.

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

Papers relating to the Fleet.

The Lord Falkland, from the Commissioners of the Admiralty, delivered in, according to Order, Copies of the several Orders that have been issued by the Commissioners of the Admiralty to Admiral Russell, during this last Summer's Expedition; and also, a List of the Ships that have been lost or damaged since the Year 1688, and of the Captains Names of the same.

Ordered, That the said Copies and List be read upon Monday Morning next, at Ten a Clock.

Dunwich Election.

Ordered, That the Committee of Elections and Privileges do sit upon Thursday the Second of December, in the Afternoon, to hear the Matter touching the Election and Return for the Borough of Dunwich in the County of Suffolk.

Ordered, That the Chairman of the Committee of Elections and Privileges do issue his Order for the Town Clerk of Dunwich to bring the Council Books and Books of Constitution of the Town, and the Records of the Town, to be used at the said Committee.

Navy Estimates.

Mr. Harley reports from the Committee appointed to inspect the Estimate delivered into this House of the Charge of their Majesties Navy for the Year 1692, and to report their Opinions therein, That the Committee had considered the same; and come to several Resolutions thereupon; which they had directed him to report to the House: And which he read in his Place; and afterwards delivered in at the Clerk's Table: Where the same were read; and are as followeth; viz.

Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That Thirty thousand Men for Thirteen Months is a Medium necessary for the Service of the Navy for the Year 1692.

Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That Five Shillings per Head a Month for Thirty thousand Men, the Thirteen Months round, is sufficient for the Ordnance for the Service of the Navy for the next Year.

Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That Nineteen Shillings per Head per Month, for the Thirteen Months round, is sufficient for the Victualing of the Fleet for the Year ensuing.

Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That One Pound Seven Shillings and Six-pence per Head per Month, for Thirteen Months round, at Thirty thousand Men, is sufficient for the Wear and Tear of the Fleet for the Year ensuing.

Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That One Pound Eight Shillings and Six-pence per Head per Month, is sufficient for the Wages of the Fleet for the Year ensuing.

Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That the Charge of Tenders to the Fleet is included in the One Pound Seven Shillings and Six-pence agreed to be sufficient for Wear and Tear for the Navy for the Year ensuing.

Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That the Charge of the Hospital Ships to attend the Fleet is included in the One Pound Seven Shillings and Sixpence, agreed to be sufficient for Wear and Tear for the Navy for the Year ensuing.

And the Question being put, That the Charge of building Four new Ships of the Fourth Rate, of Forty-eight Guns each, and furnishing them with Rigging, and Eight Months Boatswain and Carpenters Sea Stores, is necessary to be added to the Estimate of the Fleet for the Year ensuing;

It passed in the Negative.

Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That the Charge of building one new dry Dock, and Two wet Docks, at Portsmouth, of Stone and Terras, be Part of the Estimate for the Year ensuing.

Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That the Two Marine Regiments are included in the Thirty thousand Men, agreed, by a Medium, to be necessary to the Service of the Navy for the Year 1692.

The Question being put, That the Charge of the Half Pay of Fifty Captains, Fifty Lieutenants, and Fifty Masters of the great Ships, when the main Fleet is in Harbour, is a necessary Part of the Establishment of the Navy;

It passed in the Negative.

The Question being put, That the ordinary Estimate of the Navy is to be Part of the Supply to be granted to their Majesties for the next Year;

It passed in the Negative.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Report be referred to the Committee of the whole House, who are to consider of the Supplies to be granted to their Majesties for the carrying on a vigorous War against France.

Supply.

Then the House resolved itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of the Supplies to be granted to their Majesties.
Mr. Speaker left the Chair.
Mr. Solicitor General took the Chair of the Committee.
Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair.
Mr. Solicitor General reported from the said Committee, That they had considered the said Report to them referred; and had come to several Resolutions thereupon; which they had directed him to report to the House: And which he read in his Place; and afterwards delivered in at the Clerk's Table: Where the same were read; and are as followeth; viz.

Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That Thirty thousand Men, for Thirteen Months, is a Medium necessary for the Service of the Navy for the Year 1692.

Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That Five Shillings per Head per Month, for Thirty thousand Men, the Thirteen Months round, is sufficient for the Ordnance for the Service of the Navy for the next Year.

Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That Nineteen Shillings per Head per Month, for the Thirteen Months round, is sufficient for Victualing of the Fleet for the Year ensuing.

Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That One Pound Seven Shillings and Six-pence per Head a Month, for Thirteen Months round, for Thirty thousand Men, is sufficient for the whole Wear and Tear of the Fleet for the Year ensuing.

Resolved That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That One Pound Eight Shillings and Six-pence per Head per Month, is sufficient for Wages for the Fleet for the Year ensuing.

Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That the Charge of Tenders to the Fleet is included in the One Pound Seven Shillings and Six-pence, agreed to be sufficient for Wear and Tear for the Navy for the Year ensuing.

Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That the Charge of the Hospital Ships to attend the Fleet is included in the One Pound Seven Shillings and Sixpence, agreed to be sufficient for Wear and Tear for the Navy, for the Year ensuing.

Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That the Charge of building Four new Ships of the Fourth Rate, of Forty-eight Guns each, and furnishing them with Rigging and Eight Months Boatswains and Carpenters Sea Stores, is not necessary to be added to the Estimate of the Fleet for the Year ensuing.

Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That the Charge of Building one new dry Dock, and Two wet Docks, at Portsmouth, of Stone and Tarras, be Part of the Estimate for the Year ensuing.

Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That the Two Marine Regiments are included in the Thirty thousand Men, agreed, by a Medium, to be necessary to the Service of the Navy for the Year 1692.

Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That the Charge of the Half-pay of Fifty Captains, and Fifty Lieutenants, and Fifty Masters of great Ships, when the main Fleet is in Harbour, is not a necessary Part of the Establishment of the Navy.

Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That the ordinary Estimate of the Navy is not to be Part of the Supply to be granted to their Majesties for the next Year.

And the said several Resolutions, being severally read a Second time, one by one, were, upon the Question severally put thereupon, agreed unto by the House.

Mr. Solicitor General also acquainted the House, That he was directed by the Committee to move the House, That the Committee may have Leave to sit again.

Resolved, That this House will, upon Wednesday Morning next, at Ten a Clock, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider further of the Supplies to be granted to their Majesties for the carrying on a vigorous War against France.

Election Returns.

Mr. Clerk reports from the Committee to whom it was referred to prepare and bring in a Bill or Bills for regulating Abuses in Elections and Returns of Parliament, That they had prepared a Bill to prevent false and double Returns of Members to serve in Parliament; which they had directed him to present to the House.

And the same was received.

The Bill was read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time.

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