House of Commons Journal Volume 11: 3 April 1696

Veneris, 3 die Aprilis; 8 Gulielmi Tertii.

Prayers.

Irish Arrears.

A PETITION of Francis de Salles, Surgeon, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioner was Surgeon in the Regiment of Foot of Colonel du Cambon for several Years past; and there are very considerable Sums of Money remaining due to the Petitioner, for such his Service, and Medicines: That the Petitioner has often desired Mr. Isaac Bonniott, Agent to the said Regiment, to make up an Account of what Monies were so due to him, but to no Purpose: That the Petitioner came over from Ireland to get the said Accounts, and has attended here several Months, and petitioned the General's Court at the Horse Guards for that Purpose, who accordingly ordered the same; but the said Agent hath made such a confused Account, that the Petitioner is no-ways relieved thereby: And praying, That the said Agent may be compelled to make up a just and fair Account with the Petitioner.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee, to whom the Petition of Nathaniel Hill, and others, was referred.

Papists Protestant Heirs.

Ordered, That Mr. Poulteny, Mr. Tho. Foley, Sir Marm. Wivell, Mr. Cary, Sir Godf. Copley, Mr. Lascells, Mr. Molesworth, Mr. Mason, Mr. Liddall, Mr. Lambton, Mr. Bethell, Colonel Crawford, Mr. Pudsey, Sir Wm. Scawen, Mr. Ashby, Sir Ra. Dutton, Mr. Stockdale, Mr. Carr, Mr. Sandys, Mr. Gwyn, Sir Tho. Dyke, Mr. Boyle, be added to the Committee, to whom the Bill for preventing Papists from disinheriting their Protestant Heirs is committed.

Encouraging Privateers.

Mr. Gwyn reported from the Committee, to whom it was referred to draw up Reasons, to be offered at a Conference with the Lords, for disagreeing with their Lordships in several Amendments, by them made, to the Bill, intituled, An Act for prohibiting all Trade and Commerce with France; and for the Encouragement of Privateers; That they had drawn up Reasons accordingly; 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 twice read; and agreed unto by the House; and are as follow; viz.

Press 2. L. 2. The Commons have disagreed with your Lordships in your First Amendment; because, by the whole Scheme of this Bill, the Advantage which comes to his Majesty, by any Merchant-Ship taken by any Privateer, is only from Customs arising upon the Goods of the said Ship; and therefore the Commissioners and Officers of the Customs are the only proper Persons to take care thereof; and for any Share accruing to his Majesty, or any other interested therein, from such Prize as shall be taken by a Man of War, the Commissioners of his Majesty's Customs, who are appointed by this Act to take care of that Revenue, will thereby be better qualified to make the several Dividends and Distributions appointed by this Act, without putting his Majesty to the Charge of any other Officers; and the rather, because the Officers of the Out-ports have been, and are now, employed in taking care of all Prizes brought into the said Ports.

L. 16. The Commons disagree with your Lordships in that Amendment, for the Reasons aforesaid.

L. 24. The Commons disagree with your Lordships in that Amendment, for the same Reasons.

Pr. 3. L. 28. The Commons disagree with your Lordships in that Amendment; because the Officers of the Customs may have the Liberty of applying to the Court of Exchequer, as in other Cases of Frauds in the Customs; and that likewise a Liberty may be given in Cases of Appeals.

Pr. 4. L. 36. The Commons disagree with your Lordships in that Amendment, for the Reasons given for disagreeing to the First Amendment.

L. 39. and 40. The Commons disagree with your Lordships in that Amendment, for the same Reason.

Pr. 6. L. 4. The Commons disagree with your Lordships in that Amendment; because, this Bill being for the Encouragement of such who shall take Ships from the Enemy, they who venture their Lives therein, ought to have all reasonable Advantages that can be afforded them.

L. 39. and 40. The Commons disagree with your Lordships in that Amendment, for the Reasons aforesaid; and for that, it being almost impossible, upon the taking any Vessel to secure what lies in the Cabin, or above Deck, the Captor will be too much discouraged, by being made liable to so severe Penalties.

Pr. 7. L. 38. The Commons disagree with your Lordships in that Amendment; because the Clause in the said Bill is more effectual to prevent all Collusions and Commerce with France, than is prescribed in your Lordships Amendment.

Pr. 8. L. 36. The Commons disagree with your Lordships in that Amendment, for the Reason by them given for their Disagreement with your Lordships in your First Amendment.

Pr. 9. L. 1. The Commons disagree with your Lordships in that Amendment, for the Reasons by them given for their Disagreement with your Lordships in the Amendment, Press 3. Line 28.

Pr. 9. L. 7. The Commons disagree with your Lordships in that Amendment; because the Perquisites of the Admiralty are not accounted for in the Exchequer; and, this being a temporary Act, the Rights of the Admiralty will not be prejudiced thereby.

L. 22. The Commons disagree with your Lordships in that Amendment, for the Reasons given to the immediate preceding, and First Amendment.

L. 28. The Commons disagree to that Amendment; for that they do not apprehend the Lord Warden of the Cinque-Ports ought to have any further Advantages within the Jurisdiction of the Admiralty of the CinquePorts, than his Majesty hath within the Jurisdiction of the Admiralty elsewhere.

Conference desired with Lords.

Ordered, That Sir John Bolles do go to the Lords, and desire a Conference with the Lords upon the Subjectmatter of the Amendments made to the said Bill.

Halfpence and Farthings.

Mr. Manley, according to Order, reported, from the Committee, to whom the Matter of the Complaint, touching Halfpence and Farthings, was referred, the * * as it appeared to the said Committee, and the Resolutions of the Committee thereupon; which he read in his Place; and afterwards delivered in at the Clerk's Table.

Ordered, That the said Report do lie upon the Table, to be read upon Monday Morning next.

A person in custody to be brought before a Committee, &c.

Sir Henry Dutton Colt reported from the Committee, to whom the Consideration of the Petition of Nathaniel Hill, and others, and of several other Petitions, was referred, That he was directed by the said Committee to move the House, That the Serjeant at Arms may attend them with Agent Roberts in his Custody: And that they may have the Accounts relating to the Duke of Schomberg's Regiment, which lie before the Commissioners for taking and stating the publick Accounts.

Ordered, That the Serjeant do bring the said Agent Roberts to the said Committee, when they shall appoint.

Ordered, That the Secretary to the Commissioners for taking and stating the publick Accounts do attend the said Committee with Copies of such Accounts as the Committee shall desire.

Garbling Spices.

Ordered, That the Report from the Committee, to whom the Bill for regulating Abuses relating to garbling Spices, Drugs, and other Merchan dizes, was committed, be made upon Tuesday Morning next, at Twelve a Clock.

Supply Bill; Duties on Low Wines.

A Bill for laying several Duties upon low Wines, or Spirits of the first Extraction; and for preventing the Frauds and Abuses of Brewers, Distillers, and other Persons chargeable with the Duties of Excise; was, according to Order, read a Second time.

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

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

Ditto.

A Petition of the Master, and Keepers, or Wardens, and Commonalty, of the Mystery or Art of Brewers, of the City of London, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners have ever since the Revolution, chearfully paid great Sums of Money for the Duties of Excise, and shall continue so to do to the utmost of their Power; but by a Bill, now depending in the House, there are several new Penalties and Alterations of such Parts of the former Acts of Excise, which were made for the Petitioners Advantage: That the same will, as they conceive, turn to their Ruin, without any Advantage to his Majesty: And praying, That they may be heard, by their Counsel, against such Parts of the said Bill as tends to alter the said former Acts.

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

Perry's Claim on Post-Office.

A Motion being made, and the Question being put That Mr. Perry, a Member of this House, be heard before the Committee, as to an Interest he claimeth in the Profits arising by the Post-Office;

It passed in the Negative.

Supply Bill; Post-Office.

Ordered, That Leave be given to bring in a Bill for supplying several Defects in the Laws relating to the PostOffice: And that Sir Robert Cotton and Mr. Frankland, do prepare, and bring in, the Bill.

Lords agree to Conference.

Sir John Bolles reported, That he having, according to Order, been with the Lords, to desire a Conference, they do agree to a Conference upon Monday next, at One a Clock, in the Painted Chamber.

Leave of Absence.

Ordered, That the Lord Lisburne have Leave to go into the Country, his Lady being very ill.

Ordered, That Mr. Cartwright have Leave to go into the Country upon extraordinary Occasions.

Association for defending the King, &c.

Ordered, That the Speaker, upon presenting the Association to his Majesty, do make it the Request of this House, That his Majesty will please to order, That the said Association of this House, and all other Associations of the Commons of England, be lodged among the Records in the Tower, to remain as a perpetual Memorial of their Loyalty and Affection to his Majesty.

Supply Bill; Salt Duties and Land Bank.

The House, according to the Order of the Day, resolved itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider further of the Bill for continuing to his Majesty certain Rates and Duties upon Salt, for carrying on the War against France; and for taking off the Duties of Tonage upon Ships, and upon Coals; and for establishing a National Land-Bank.

Mr. Speaker left the Chair.

Sir Thomas Littleton took the Chair of the Committee.

Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair.

Sir Thomas Littleton 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 said Bill, and the other Matters to them referred.

Oaths of Supremacy in Ireland.

Ordered, That the ingrossed Bill, from the Lords, intituled, An Act for altering Part of an Act, made in the Third Year of his Majesty and the late Queen, intituled, An Act for the abrogating the Oath of Supremacy in Ireland, and appointing other Oaths, be read the Third time upon Thursday Morning next.

Committees.

Ordered, That all Committees be adjourned.

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