House of Commons Journal Volume 11: 31 December 1696

Jovis, 31 die Decembris;

8° Gulielmi Tertii.

Prayers.

Griffith's Estate.

ORDERED, That Leave be given to bring in a Bill for Sale of the Estate of Francis Griffith, late of London, Scrivener, deceased, for Payment and Satisfaction of his Debts: And that Mr. Brewer and Mr. Campion do prepare, and bring in, the Bill.

Committees.

Ordered, That all Committees be revived.

Carmarthen Writ.

Ordered, That Mr. Speaker do issue his Warrant to the Clerk of the Crown, to make out a new Writ, for the electing a Knight to serve in this present Parliament for the County of Carmarthen, in the room of Sir Wm. Williams, of Vaynoll, Baronet, deceased.

Duty on Glass.

A Petition of several Glass-makers, in and near the City of Bristoll, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That by reason of a Duty laid on all Glass-wares, the Manufacture thereof is much lessened; so that the Fires in most Glass-houses thereabouts have been put out for want of Employ; whereby many of the Petitioners are reduced to great Poverty: And praying the Consideration of the House, and Relief in the Premises.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee, to whom the Petition of the Glass-makers of Stourbridge, in the County of Worcester, is referred.

Ease of Sheriffs.

Ordered, That the Committee, to whom the Bill for the Ease of Sheriffs in passing their Accounts, and Execution of their Offices, is committed, have Leave to sit de die in diem: And that Mr. Ryder be added to the Committee.

Prisions and pretended privileged Places.

Ordered, That Mr. Farrer, Mr. Hoblyn, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Baldwyn, Mr. Harcourt, Mr. White, Mr. Sloane, be added to the Committee, to whom it is referred to consider how the Abuses of Prisons, and other pretended privileged Places, may be regulated.

Preventing Exportation of Wool.

Ordered, That Mr. Colt, Mr. Blofeild, be added to the Committee, to whom it is referred to inspect the Laws for preventing the Exportation of Wool; and to consider of the most effectual Means for preventing the Exportation of Wool.

Vexatious Suits.

A Bill to prevent vexatious Suits in Law was read a Second time.

Resolved, That the Bill be committed to Mr. Harcourt, Mr. Pinnell, Sir Cha. Raleigh, Mr. Arnold, Mr. White, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Stonehouse, Sir Wm. Ashurst, Mr. Hoblyn, Sir Marm. Wivell, Sir Tho. Mompesson, Mr. Phillipps, Sir Math. Andrews, Mr. Farrer, Mr. Daniell, Mr. Carey, Mr. Maudit, Sir Sam. Barnardiston, Mr. Manley, Mr. Gray, Mr. Brewer, Mr. Ogle, Mr. Monstevens, Mr. Jennings, Mr. Henley, Mr. Whitaker, Mr. Lowther, Mr. Blofeild, Mr. Lawton, Mr. Owen, Sir Robert Davers, Mr. Hammond; and all that are of the Long Robe: And they are to meet this Afternoon at Five a Clock, in the Speaker's Chamber.

Court of GreatSessions in Wales.

Ordered, That Leave be given to bring in a Bill to regulate the Courts of the Great Sessions within the Dominion and Principality of Wales, and the Proceedings therein: And that Mr. Price, and Sir Wm. Williams do prepare, and bring in, the Bill.

Prohibiting India Silks, Callicoes, &c.

A Petition of the French Weavers, Refugees, in London, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners are 3 or 4,000 in Number; who, by the Decay of the Silk Manufactures, are brought to great Misery for want of Work; whereby their Families will be chargeable to the Nation: And praying the Encouragement of the Silk Manufactures, by such means as the House shall think fit.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee of the whole House, to whom the Bill to restrain the Wearing of all wrought Silks and Bengals, imported into this Kingdom from Persia and East-India, and all Callicoes printed or stained there, is committed.

Irish Arrears.

Ordered, That Sir Wm. Lowther, Sir John Kay, Mr. Lawton, Mr. Bridges, Mr. Hammond, Mr. Jennings, Mr. Ogle, Mr. Pinnell, be added to the Committee, to whom the Petition of John Hakewell and Alexander Gamble, and other Troopers, who served in the Wars in Ireland, in Colonel Villers' Regiment, is referred.

Supply; Deficiency of Funds.

The House, according to the Order of the Day, resolved itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider further of the Supply to be granted to his Majesty, for making good the Deficiency of Parliamentary Funds.

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 sat; and had directed him to move, That they may have Leave to sit again.

Resolved, That this House will, after One a Clock, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider further of the Supply to be granted to his Majesty, for making good the Deficiency of Parliamentary Funds.

Imprisonment of Counter,

Resolved, Nemine contradicente, That Leave be given to bring in a Bill for the confining, and securing, * Counter, * Barnaby, * Meldrum, * Cassells, * Chambers, and any others, against whom there is Information, upon Oath, of their being concerned in the horrid Design to assassinate the Person of his Sacred Majesty.

Attainder of the Conspirators.

Resolved, That Leave be given to bring in a Bill, That such Persons, against whom there is Information, upon Oath, of their being concerned in the said horrid Assassination, who are fled from Justice, do surrender themselves by a certain time, in order to their Tryal; or else that they be attainted.

Ordered, That Mr. Attorney-General, and Mr. Solicitor-General, and the rest of the Members of this House who are of the King's Counsel, do prepare, and bring in, the Bill.

Ordered, That it be an Instruction, That they bring in a Clause, That the Estates that shall be forfeited by the said Attainders shall be applied to the Use of the War.

Supply; Deficiency of Funds.

The House, according to Order, again resolved itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider further of the Supply to be granted to his Majesty, for making good the Deficiency of Parliamentary Funds.

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 sat; and had directed him to move, That they may have Leave to sit again.

Resolved, That this House will, upon Saturday Morning next, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider further of the Supply to be granted to his Majesty, for making good the Deficiency of Parliamentary Funds.

Bringing in Plate to be coined.

A Motion being made, and the Question being put, That this House will, To-morrow Morning, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of the Bill to encourage the bringing Plate into the Mints to be coined;

The House divided.

The Yeas go forth.

So it was resolved in the Affirmative.

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