House of Commons Journal Volume 11: 30 December 1693

Sabbati, 30 die Decembris;

5° Gulielmi et Mariæ.

Prayers.

Encouraging Seamen.

ORDERED, That Leave be given to bring in a Bill for increasing of Seamen, and for encouraging of them to come voluntarily into their Majesties Service: And that Major Vincent do prepare, and bring in, the same.

Leave of Absence.

Ordered, That Mr. Anchitell Gray have Leave to go into the Country, for Recovery of his Health.

East-India Trade.

A Petition of several Merchants, and others, concerned in the Ship Redbridge, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners obtained an Order from her Majesty, in Council, for the Protection of 50 Seamen to go on the said Ship for Alicant; but, before the could depart on her Voyage, the said Ship was stopt by the Admiralty, upon an Order obtained from the Privy-Council, upon the Petition of the East-India Company, merely upon the Company's Allegation, That the said Ship was bound to Places within the Limits of their Charter: That such Proceedings are greatly prejudicial to all foreign Trade, and Navigation in general, and more particularly to the Petitioners, who, by the present Laws of the Kingdom, can have no Reparation: And praying, That the like Inconveniences may be prevented for the future.

Ordered, That the Examination and Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee of the whole House, who are to consider of the Petition of several Merchants, and others, in and about the City of London, relating to the East-India Trade: And that they do report the Matter thereof specially, with their Opinion thereupon, to the House: And that they have Power to send for Persons, Papers, and Records.

Letter and Papers from Captain Peddar.

Mr. Speaker acquainted the House, That he had received a Letter, with a Packet sealed up, from Captain Peddar.

And the same were opened; and the Letters and Titles of the Papers in the Packet were read.

East-India Company Charters.

The House being informed, That Sir Thomas Cook, Governor of the East-India Company, attended, according to Order;

He was called in; and presented to the House Two of their Charters; the one, dated the Third of April, in the 13th Year of the Reign of King Charles the Second; and the other, dated the Eleventh of November last.

And being withdrawn;

The said Two Charters were read.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Two Charters be referred to the Committee of the whole House, to whom it is referred to consider of the Petition of several Merchants, and others, in and about the City of London, relating to the East-India Trade.

Ordered, That the Governor, or Deputy-Governor, of the East-India Company, do lay before this House all the Charters of the said Company.

East-India Company Subscriptions, &c.

Ordered, That the Governor, or Deputy-Governor, of the East-India Company, do lay before this House a true Copy of the Book of the new Subscriptions for the EastIndia Company, to be attested by the Governor, or Deputy-Governor, and Secretary, of the Company; and also a true Copy, from time to time, of the subsequent Subscribers, as they come in, to be attested in like manner.

Ordered, That the East-India Company do lay before this House a true State of their present Stock, and a true List of the Persons interested therein: and also a true State of the Debts of the Company, and what Debts have been paid off by the Money paid in upon the new Subscriptions, and to whom, and to be attested by the Governor, or Deputy-Governor, and Secretary, of the said Company.

East-India Trade.

A Petition of the Clothiers, and Woollen Manufacturers, in the County of Gloucester, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners, and many hundred Families depending on them, have, during the present War, been much discouraged in carrying on their Trade; for that great Quantities of the Woollen Manufactures, which used to be bought up for foreign Markets, lie dead in the Petitioners hands, to almost their utter Ruin: That the East-India Company, intending to revive their ancient Commerce to China, and other Places, have, within Three Months last, bought most of the Petitioners said Manufactures, and encouraged them to make more, which they intend yearly to buy, not only of the Petitioners, but of other cloathing Countries; Therefore the Petitioners pray, That the East-India Company's Trade, which is so advantageous to this Nation, may be encouraged.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee of the whole House, who are to consider of the Petition of several Merchants, and others, in and about the City of London, relating to the East-India Trade; and for erecting of a new EastIndia Company.

Ditto.

A Petition of the Clothiers, and Woollen Manufacturers, in the County of Wilts, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners have, for several Years, been much discouraged in their Trade, by reason great Part of their Cloths, which were used to be exported, have lain in their Hands; and thereby they have been disabled from employing the Spinners, Weavers, and other numerous Families depending on the Petitioners Trade, to their sad Extremities: That, for some Months since, the East-India Company have bought up large Quantities of the Petitioners, and, as informed, other Countries Cloths, and have bespoke more, and promise to buy every Year; whereby the Petitioners are enabled to proceed chearfully in their Trade, and to preserve their poor Workmen from starving: The Petitioners therefore pray, That such Countenance may be given to the East-India Trade, in Exportation of the Woollen Manufactures, as the House shall think convenient.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee of the whole House, who are to consider of the Petition of several Merchants, and others, in and about the City of London, relating to the East-India Trade; and for erecting of a new East-India Company.

East-India Trade.

A Petition of several Linendrapers, and other Traders in East-India Goods, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners for a long time have been concerned in a profitable Trade in most Sort of East. . . . . Goods, wherewith they were formerly supplied by the East-India Company at reasonable Rates, until now of late several Persons, for their own private Interests, have broke into the Trade of the said Company, contrary to their Charters, and also contrary to the Interests of the Petitioners: And praying, That the House would settle and encourage the present East-India Company, that the Petitioners may the better carry on their respective Trades.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee of the whole House, who are to consider of the several Petitions of the several Merchants, and others, in and about the City of London, relating to the East-India Trade; and for erecting of a new East-India Company.

Ditto.

A Petition of several Packers, Dyers, Hot-Pressers, Clothworkers, Drawers, Calenders, and others concerned in the Exportation of the Woollen Manufacture, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That several Merchants having complained to the House of the present East-India Company, as the Petitioners conceive, upon Mistakes, not knowing the numerous Families who have their sole Support by the Woollen Manufactures exported into foreign Parts by the said Company; and the Petitioners, notwithstanding the present War, having been greatly employed by the said Company, in preparing Woollens to be exported, whereby they, and their Families, have subsisted, and doubt not, in case of a good Settlement of the said Company, of better Employment; they therefore pray, all Encouragement of the said Company, in their said Trade, may be given by the House.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee of the whole House, who are to consider of the Petition of several Merchants, and others, in and about the City of London, relating to the East-India Trade; and for erecting of a new East-India Company.

Resolved, That this House will, upon Thursday Morning next, at Ten a Clock, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of the said Petition.

Protestants Nat.

Ordered, That the Bill for the Naturalization of all such Protestants, as shall take the Oaths to their Majesties, and the Test against Popery, be read the Second time, upon Wednesday Morning next, after Eleven a Clock.

Ways and Means.

Resolved, That this House will, upon Monday Morning next, 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 Maintenance of the Fleet, and for Maintenance of the Land-Forces, for the Service of the Year One thousand Six hundred Ninety-four.

Committees.

Ordered, That all Committees be adjourned.

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