House of Commons Journal Volume 10: 14 December 1692

Mercurii, 14 die Decembris; 4° Gulielmi et Mariæ.

Popham's Estate.

A BILL to enable Alexander Popham, Esquire, to settle a Jointure upon his Wife, and to make Provision for younger Children, upon Receipt of Twelve thousand Pounds Portion, to be applied for Payment of his Debts, was read the Second time.

Resolved, That the Bill be committed to Mr. Gwyn, Sir Richard Hart, Mr. Chetwyn, Lord Cornbury, Mr. Lutterell, Mr. Hill, Sir John Moreton, Mr. Lampton, Mr. Done, Mr. Goldwell, Mr. Sandford, Sir Robert Davers, Mr. Hide, Mr. Bockenham, Colonel Deane, Mr. Blowfeild, Mr. Christie, Mr. Fenwick, Mr. Cornwall, Sir Robert Cotton, Mr. Price, Mr. Hawtrey, Mr. Bickerstaffe, Sir Ra. Carr, Mr. How, Mr. Gilbert, Mr. Cook, Mr. Burdett, Mr. Bulkley, Mr. Stokes, Sir Jer. Elwes, Mr. Foley, Mr. Sherrard, Mr. Waller, Mr. Hedger, Mr. Lassell: And they are to meet this Afternoon, at Four a Clock, in the Speaker's Chamber.

Making Sea-water fresh.

A Petition of William Walcot, Esquire, was read; setting forth, That the Petitioner was the first Inventor of the Art of making Sea-water fresh and wholsome; Demonstrations whereof he gave to King Charles the Second, who did, in 1675, grant his Letters Patents to the Petitioner, for the sole Exercise of the said Invention, for Fourteen Years: That Robert Fitz Gerard, Esquire, and others, about 1683, procured other Letters Patents, for their sole Exercise of the said Art for Fourteen Years, on Pretence it was their Invention: And, in 1685, they brought a Bill into the House, for enlarging the said Term; which, if gained, would have endangered the Loss of so useful an Invention: That, in 1690, the Petitioner brought into the House a Bill for the Purpose aforesaid; which, by reason of the Prorogation of that Session, could not be ripened to pass the House: And praying Leave to bring in his Bill to enlarge the Term in his said Patent.

Ordered, That Leave be given to bring in a Bill, according to the Prayer of the said Petition.

Royal Mines.

Ordered, That Leave be given to bring in a Bill for removing Doubts, and preventing Controversies, concerning Royal Mines: And that the King may have the Pre-emption.

Book of Rates, &c.

Sir John Guise reports from the Committee to whom it was referred to inspect and consider the Book of Rates; and the Balance of Trade, for the Advantage of this Kingdom; and to report their Opinions therein to the House; That they had considered only the Matter relating to the Trade with France (in regard other Matters would take up longer Time); and had come to several Resolutions concerning the same; 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 Eight Pounds per Ton, as a new Impost, be laid upon all French Wines, over and above the Duties already charged, in the Book of Rates, or otherwise.

Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That Twenty Pounds per Cent. as a new Impost be laid upon all other French Commodities, except Salt, over and above the Duties already charged in the Book of Rates.

Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That a new Impost of Six-pence per Bushel be laid upon all Salt, over and above the Duties already charged in the Book of Rates.

Resolved, That the House be acquainted, by the Chairman, with the Loss of the Trade of Sea-coal from Newcastle, and the Ports thereunto belonging, to Foreign Parts, by reason of the great Impositions thereupon; and that the Trade is thereby carried to Scotland; by means of which their Majesties lose considerably in their Customs: And that the Chairman do thereupon move the House, as the Opinion of this Committee, That Half the Duties now paid may be abated.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Report be referred to the Committee of the whole House, to whom it is referred to consider of Ways and Means for raising the Supply to be granted to their Majesties, for the carrying on a vigorous War against France.

Wine Duties.

A Petition of several Merchants of London, in Behalf of themselves, and others, trading to Portugall, was read; setting forth, That the Petitioners do bring hither great Quantities of Wine from Portugall, in Returns of our Woolen Manufactures of Bays and Stuffs, and Fish and Lead, to the Value of above Two hundred thousand Pounds per Annum; which Wines are brought at great Freight and Loss, by Leakage; and pay if brought in English Ships, above Sixteen Pounds per Ton Custom; and, if in Portuguez Vessels, almost Eighteen Pounds per Ton Custom: And, if French Wines be admitted to be imported, it will hinder the Exportation of our Woolen Goods, by lessening the Importation of Portugall Wines; unless some considerable Duty be put upon French Wines, and the Duty on Portugall Wines abated: And praying the Consideration of the House in the Premises; and the rather, for that the King of Portugall, as his Envoy assures us, will take off the Prohibition of our Woolen Cloths, which has been forbid these Ten Years last past.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee of the whole House, to whom it is referred to consider of Ways and Means for raising the Supply to be granted to their Majesties, for the carrying on a vigorous War against France.

Malicious Informations.

Mr. Waller reported from the Committee to whom the Bill to prevent malicious Informations in the Court of King's Bench, and for the more easy Reversal of Outlawries, was committed, That they had agreed upon several Amendments to be made to the Bill; which they had directed him to report to the House: And which he read in his Place, with the Coherence; and afterwards delivered in at the Clerk's Table: Where the same were once read throughout; and afterwards a Second time one by one; and, upon the Question severally put thereupon, agreed unto by the House.

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

East India Trade.

Mr. Smith, according to Order, presented to the House a Bill for preserving, regulating and establishing the East India Trade.

The Bill was read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time.

A Message from the Lords, by Sir Miles Cooke and Sir Adam Ottley;

Wake's Estate.

Mr. Speaker, The Lords have passed a Bill, intituled, An Act to enable William Wake, Gentleman, and William Wake, Doctor in Divinity, to make Leases for Lives, or Years, within the Manor of Shapwick in the County of Dorsett: To which they desire the Concurrence of this House:

Molyneux's Estate.

And also a Bill, intituled, An Act for the rectifying a Mistake in a certain Act of this present Parliament, passed in the Year 1691, intituled, An Act to vest certain Lands of William Molyneux, Gentleman, in Trustees, for raising the Sum of Two thousand Pounds for paying the Portions of his younger Brother and Sisters, pursuant to a Decree in the Court of Chancery: To which they desire the Concurrence of this House:

Eyre's Estate.

And also a Bill, intituled, An Act for the Sale of the Estate of Anth. Eyre, Esquire, deceased, for Payment of his Debts, and Portions for his Children: To which they desire the Concurrence of this House.

And then the Messengers withdrew.

Preservation of their Majesties.

Then, according to the Order of the Day, the Bill for the better Preservation of their Majesties Sacred Persons and Government, was read the Second time.

Ordered, That Candles be brought in.

And they were so.

And the Question being put, That the Bill be Committed;

The House divided.

The Yeas go forth.

So it passed in the Negative.

Resolved, That the Bill be rejected.

Committees.

Ordered, That all Committees be adjourned.

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