House of Commons Journal Volume 11: 2 January 1696

Jovis, 2 die Januarii ;

Septimo Gulielmi Tertii.

Prayers.

Stoughton's &c. Estate.

A PETITION of Watkinson Payler Esquire, and Dame Mary Stoughton his Wife, the Relict of Sir Laurence Stoughton Baronet, deceased, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners are informed, a Bill is now depending in this House, for vesting the Estate late of Sir Nicolas and Sir Laurence Stoughton Baronets, deceased in Trustees, to be sold, for Payment of their Debts, and raising Portions for the Daughters of the said Sir Nicolas Stoughton: That the Petitioner Dame Mary hath a Jointure of 500 l. per Annum, upon the said Estate; and she is also intitled to 5,000 l. chargeable on Sir Laurence Stoughton's Estate: And that they are advised, the said Bill, if it should pass, will prejudice the Petitioners Right: And praying, That they may be heard, by their Counsel, before the Passing of the said Bill.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee, to whom the said Bill is committed.

African Company.

A Petition of the Royal African Company of England was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Trade to Guinea cannot be maintained without Forts and Castles; which must be supported by a joint Stock, by reason of the great Charge they require; the Company having expended about 20,000 l. per Annum, for some Years past, for that Purpose: That they conceive the Trade to Africa is of greater Advantage to England than to any other Nation; because it chiefly exports our Woollen and other Manufactures, and returns Gold, Dyeing-wood, &c. and Negroes for his Majesty's Plantations; and therefore ought timely to be preserved; for that many potent Rivals now lie in wait to engross that Trade to themselves: That the Petitioners have sustained many great Losses since the War; and, as an Addition thereto, have received an Account, That the French had, with Six Men of War, on 31st July last, attacked and taken the Fort Gambia, wherein was Sixty-four Pieces of Cannon; and had carried off all the Effects found in the Fort, amounting to a very great Sum of Money: That, unless the Petitioners are supported and encouraged, being now reduced to the last Extremity, they cannot longer maintain their Forts and Factories; and, consequently, the whole Trade will be lost to this Nation: And praying Leave to bring in a Bill for preserving and establishing the said Trade, according to the Charter granted to the Petitioners, or with such Alterations as the House shall think necessary.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee of the whole House, who are to consider further of the State of the Nation.

Wye and Lugg Navigation.

A Bill for making the Rivers of Wye and Lugg, in the County of Hereford, navigable, was read a Second time.

Resolved, That the Bill be committed.

A Motion being made, and the Question being put, That the Bill be committed to a Committee of the whole House;

It passed in the Negative.

Resolved, That the Bill be committed to Mr. Harley, Mr. Price, Lord Coningsby, Mr. Colt, Mr. Lowther, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Tho. Foley, Sir Wm. Williams, Sir John Banks, Sir John Bolles, Mr. Bowyer, Mr. Elwill, Mr. Thornhagh, Sir Cha. Carteret, Mr. Gardner, Mr. Molesworth, Mr. Blofeild, Mr. Serjeant Bond, Sir Rowland Gwynn, Mr. Ashby, Mr. Kendall, Sir Wm. Lowther, Mr. Phil. Foley, Mr. Baldwyn, Mr. Cary, Mr. Henley, Mr. Watlington, Sir Hen. Goff, Mr. Blake, Mr. Yates, Mr. Bagnold, Mr. Winington, Mr. Fleming, Sir Marm. Wyvell, Mr. Morgan, Mr. Pocklington, Mr. Cooper, Mr. Norryes, Mr. England, Sir Gerv. Elwes, Mr. Pudsey, Mr White, Mr. Sandford, Lord Digby, Mr. Tredenham, Mr. Tho. Foley junior, Mr. Newport, Sir Chr. Musgrave, Mr. Kinaston, Sir John Key, Sir S. Barnardiston: And all that come are to have Voices: And they are to meet this Afternoon at Four a Clock, in the Speaker's Chamber.

Ditto.

A Petition of the Mayor, Bailiff, Common Council, and Inhabitants, of the Town of Monmouth, which was ordered to lie upon the Table until the said Bill was read a Second time, was read; setting forth, That * * * *

That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee, to whom the said Bill is committed.

Duty on Coals.

A Petition of the Mayor, Aldermen, and Burgesses, of the Borough of Evesham, in the County of Worcester, and other Inhabitants there, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That within the said Borough are several Hundreds of poor Families, who have no other Fuel than the Coals brought out of Shropshire, upon the Rivers of Severne and Avon; and that, by reason of the late Imposition of 5s. per Ton upon such Coals, the Price is become so excessive, that those poor Families are ready to starve; and others of better Ability lie under so great a Pressure by it, that it is much heavier than the present Land-Tax; and that, if this Duty should be continued, it will be the utter Impoverishment of the said Borough: And praying such Relief in the Premises as the House shall think sit.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee, to whom it is referred to consider of the Act, made the last Parliament, for granting to his Majesty certain Duties upon Glass Wares, Stone and Earthen Bottles, Coals, and Culm, for carrying on the War against France; and of the Doubts and Complaints relating thereunto; and report the Matter to the House.

Ditto.

A Petition of several Freeholders and Landholders of the Vale of Evesham, in the County of Worcester, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the said Vale affords very little Wood; so that their Fuel is Coals brought out of Shropshire, by a chargeable Navigation, on Severne and Avon Rivers; insomuch that, since the late Act for imposing 5s. per Ton upon those Coals, the Price is become so high, that this Tax falls heavier upon some of the Petitioners, than all the rest of the publick Taxes; and the Poor, being very numerous, are so streightened, that they are forced to trespass upon the Petitioners Hedge-rows and Fences, for Fuel; which will unavoidably sink the Value of the Inclosures: And praying the Assistance of the House for some speedy Relief in the Premises.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee, to whom it is referred to consider of the Act, made the last Parliament, for granting to his Majesty certain Duties upon Glass Wares, Stone and Earthen Bottles, Coals and Culm, for carrying on the War against France; and of the Doubts and Complaints relating thereunto; and report the Matter to the House.

Duties on Coals.

A Petition of Ursula Countess of Plymouth was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Navigation of the River Avon, in the Counties of Worcester and Warwick, was settled on the Petitioner, as the greatest Part of her Jointure, by Thomas late Earl of Plymouth; which continued at the yearly Rent of 400 l. until the Commencement of an Act for laying a Duty of 5s. for every Ton of Coals water-borne: That the said 400 l. per Annum Rent arises only by Coals that come down the Severn, and pass up the River Avon; but since the said Act no Coals have passed; nor is it possible for any to pass up the said River during the Continuance of that Act; so that she is not only like to lose her 400 l. per Annum for the present; but the Locks, and other Necessaries for the Navigation, which cost 5 or 6,000 l. will go out of Repair; and, consequently, will lose it for the future: That the Continuance of the said Tax is no Benefit to his Majesty, but an irreparable Loss to the Petitioner: And praying, That the House will take the Premises into Consideration, and relieve her therein as they shall think just and reasonable.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee, to whom it is referred to consider of the Act, made the last Parliament, for granting to his Majesty certain Duties upon Glass Wares, Stone and Earthen Bottles, Coals, and Culm, for carrying on the War against France; and of the Doubts and Complaints relating thereunto; and report the Matter to the House.

Supply Bill; Land Tax.

Mr. Attorney-General presented to the House, according to Order, a Bill for granting to his Majesty an Aid of Four Shillings in the Pound, for One Year, for carrying on the War against France.

The Bill was read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time.

Clipped Silver to be received for Taxes.

A Petition of Joseph Hawtein, John Preston, John Hartley, John Carleton, Daniel Woodcock, Benjamin Bourchier, and Thomas Knowles, on behalf of themselves, and others, the Collectors within the City of London, and County of Middlesex, of the Aid of Four Shillings in the Pound, granted to his Majesty, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners had collected several great Sums of Money, upon the said Aid, in Half-crowns, of true Sterling Money; and had tendered them to Sir Leonard Robinson, Receiver-General for the said City and County; but that he refused to receive the same, contrary to the late Proclamation, to the great Loss of the Petitioners: And praying the Consideration of the House therein.

Address thereupon.

Resolved, That an humble Address be presented to his Majesty, by such Members of this House as are of his Majesty's most Honourable Privy-Council, That he will please to issue his Royal Proclamation, to require the Receivers and Collectors of his Aids and Revenues to receivers clipped Half-crowns and other clipped Money, being Sterling Silver, according to his late Proclamation.

State of the Nation.

The House, according to the Order of the Day, resolved itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider further of the State of the Nation.

Mr. Speaker left the Chair.

Colonel Granville took the Chair of the Committee.

Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair.

Colonel Granville reported from the said Committee, That they had made a further Progress in the Matter to them referred; and had directed him to move, That they may have leave to sit again.

Resolved, That this House will, upon Monday Morning next, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider further of the State of the Nation.

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