House of Commons Journal Volume 11: 22 December 1693

Veneris, 22 die Decembris;

5° Gulielmi et Mariæ.

Prayers.

Vivian's Estate.

A PETITION of John Vivian the elder, Esquire, and Thomas Vivian his eldest Son, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That, in 1680, the Petitioner John made a Settlement of great Part of his Estate upon himself for Life, and the Remainder in Tail Male: That John, a Second Son of the Petitioner, upon whom the said Estate was entailed. is dead, leaving Issue Two Sons, and One Daughter, Infants; to whom the said Estate may possibly descend after the Decease of the Petitioners, without Issue: That the Petitioner John having contracted great Debts, partly by making Provision for his younger Children, and partly by purchasing Part of the Estate so settled, which cannot be sold without an Act of Parliament, to which the nearest Relations are consenting for the said Infants, the Petitioners offering to make Provision for the said Infants: And praying Leave to bring in a Bill to enable them to sell some Part of their Estate, for Payment of Debts, and making Provision for the younger Children.

Ordered, That Leave be given to bring in a Bill, according to the Prayer of the said Petition: And that Mr. Boscawen do prepare, and bring in, the same.

Clippers of Coin.

Ordered, That Leave be given to bring in a Bill for the better Discovery of Clippers of the Coin of this Kingdom: And that Mr. Waller do prepare, and bring in, the same.

Preventing Export of Bullion.

Ordered, That Leave be given to bring in a Bill for preventing the Sale and Exportation of all English Bullion, that has not the Mark by which it was imported: And that Mr. Culliford do prepare, and bring in, the same.

Supply Bill; Million Act Deficiency.

Mr. Solicitor-General, according to Order, presented to the House a Bill to supply the Deficiency of the Money raised by a former Act, intituled, An Act for granting to their Majesties certain Rates and Duties of Excise upon Beer, Ale, and other Liquors, for securing certain Recompences and Advantages to such Persons, as shall voluntarily advance the Sum of Ten hundred thousand Pounds, towards carrying on the War against France; and to impower any Persons to name a Second or Third Life for their Annuities, upon the Terms and Recompences therein mentioned: And the same was received; and read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time.

Supply.

Sir Thomas Littleton, according to the Order of the Day, reported from the Committee of the whole House, to whom a former Resolution of the said Committee, relating to the Supply to be granted to their Majesties, for the Maintenance of the Land-Forces, for the Service of the Year 1694, was re-committed, the Resolution of the said Committee thereupon: Which he read in his Place; and afterwards delivered in at the Clerk's Table: Where the same was read; and is as followeth; viz.

Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That a Sum, not exceeding the Sum of One hundred Forty-seven thousand Pounds, be allowed for Hospitals, and Contingencies, and other extraordinary Charges of the War, for the Service of the Year 1694.

The said Resolution being read a Second time;

Resolved, That the House doth agree with the Committee in the said Resolution, That a Sum, not exceeding the Sum of One hundred Forty-seven thousand Pounds, be allowed for Hospitals, and Contingencies, and other extraordinary Charges of the War, for the Service of the Year 1694.

Answer to Commissioners of Account.

Mr. Mountague presented to the House an Answer of the Commissioners of their Majesties Treasury, to the Reply of the Commissioners for stating the publick Accounts.

Ordered, That the same do lie upon the Table.

Frequent Parliaments.

An ingrossed Bill, from the Lords, intituled, An Act for the frequent Calling and Meeting of Parliaments, was, according to the Order of the Day, read the Third time.

An ingrossed Clause was offered, as a Rider, That * * * *.

And the same was read the First time.

And the Question being put, That the said Clause be read a Second time;

It passed in the Negative.

A Motion being made, and the Question being put, That the last Clause in the Bill; viz. That a Parliament shall be understood to . . holden, although no Act or Judgment shall pass within the time of their Assembly; be left out of the Bill;

The House divided.

The Yeas go forth.

So it passed in the Negative.

Then the Question being put, That the Bill do pass;

The House divided.

The Yeas go forth.

So it passed in the Negative.

Resolved, That the Bill be rejected.

Impeachment of Lord Coningsby and Sir C. Porter.

The House proceeded, according to the Order of the Day, to hear Witnesses to the Articles against Thomas Lord Coningsby, and Sir Charles Porter.

The First, Second, and Fifth Articles were severally read; and several Witnesses severally called in, and examined at the Bar to each of those Articles severally.

And several Letters, and Copies of Letters, and other Papers, delivered in by the Earl of Bellamont, and the Witnesses, were also read, touching the Matter of those Articles.

Ordered, That Sir Michael Cole do attend this House upon Thursday Morning next; and bring with him Copies of all Orders and Letters from the Lords Justices of Ireland, relating to the Releasing or Delivery of Prizes; and also the Books wherein the same are entered.

Ordered, That Captain Peddar do forthwith transmit to this House all the Spanish and French Letters, and other Papers, in his Custody, which he took in the Mary, or any other Prize, relating to any Trade, Commerce, or Correspondence, with France.

Resolved, That the further Examination of Witnesses at the Bar of this House, upon the Articles against the Lord Coningsby, and Sir Charles Porter, be adjourned until Friday Morning next, Ten a Clock.

Ways and Means.

Resolved, That this House will, To-morrow Morning at Ten a Clock, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider further of Ways and Means for raising the Supplies to be granted to their Majesties, for the Maintenance of the Fleet, and for the Maintenance of the Land-Forces, for the Service of the Year 1694.

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