House of Commons Journal Volume 11: 8 January 1696

Mercurii, 8 die Januarii ;

Septimo Gulielmi Tertii.

Prayers.

Madely Manor.

AN ingrossed Bill, from the Lords, intituled, An Act for vesting the Manor of Madely, in the County of Salop, in Trustees, for certain Purposes therein mentioned, was read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time.

Supply Bill; House Duty.

Mr. Attorney-General, according to Order, presented to the House a Bill for granting several Rates and Duties upon Houses, for making good the Deficiency of the clipped Money: And the same was received.

Encouraging Seamen.

A Bill for the Increase and Encouragement of Seamen was read a Second time.

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

Resolved, That this House will, upon Saturday Morning next, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of the said Bill.

East Grinsted Election.

Resolved, That this House will, To-morrow Morning, after the Report touching the Election for the Borough of East-Grinsted, in the County of Sussex, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of the Bill for the Encouragement of Privateers.

Regulating Elections.

Sir William Williams reported from the Committee, to whom the Bill for preventing Charge and Expence in Elections of Members to serve in Parliament was committed, That they had made an Amendment to the Bill; 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 was twice read; and agreed unto by the House.

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

Gloucester Election.

A Petition of Sir John Guise Baronet was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, . . . . at the Election of a Knight of the Shire to serve in this present Parliament for the County of Gloucester, the Petitioner, and Thomas Stevens Esquire, stood Candidates: That the High Sheriff shewed himself partial in favour of Mr. Stevens; and continued the Poll, very irregularly, by Adjournments; and refused several Freeholders that offered to poll for the Petitioner; and, finding that the Petitioner had the Majority, after four Days Polling, and that several Hundreds more offered to poll for the Petitioner, and none appearing to poll for Mr. Stevens, the said Sheriff adjourned the Poll near 20 Miles distant from the Place where he began to poll, and afterwards Ten Miles distant from thence; and declared the said Mr. Stevens duly elected; though the Sheriff did not appear at the last Place of Adjournment: And praying, That the House will take the Premises into Consideration, and do what shall be just therein.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee of Privileges and Elections: And that they do examine the Matter thereof; and report the same, with their Opinion therein, to the House.

A Motion being made, and the Question being put, That the said Committee do appoint the Matter of the said Petition to be heard and examined the Eight-andtwentieth Day of February next;

The House divided.

The Yeas go forth.

So it passed in the Negative.

Coinage.

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 Coin of this Kingdom.

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 come to several Resolutions; which they had directed him to report, when the House will please to receive the same.

Ordered, That the said Report be made To-morrow Morning.

Colonel Granvill also acquainted the House, That he was directed by the Committee to move, That they may have Leave to sit again.

Resolved, That this House will, To-morrow Morning, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider further of the State of the Coin of this Kingdom.

Committees.

Ordered, That all Committees be adjourned.

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