House of Commons Journal Volume 11: 7 January 1697

Jovis, 7 die Januarii ;

8° Gulielmi Tertii.

Prayers.

Irish Arrears.

ORDERED, That the Committee, to whom the Petition of John Hakewell and Alexander Gamble, on behalf of themselves, and other Troopers, who served in the Wars in Ireland, and served in Colonel Villiers' Regiment, is referred, have Power to send for Persons, Papers, and Records.

Stockly's Estate.

A Bill to enable Mary Stockly, an Infant, to sell Lands in the County of Chester, to pay the Debts of Jeffry Stockly, her Father, deceased, was read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time.

Preservation of Fish.

Ordered, That Leave be given to bring in a Bill for the better Relief of the Subject against unlawful Weirs and Dams, which take and destroy Fish, and the Fry of Fish, within the Rivers of this Kingdom: And that Sir William Bowes and Sir William Hustler do prepare, and bring in, the Bill.

Blackwell-hall Market.

Sir George Hungerford, according to Order, presented to the House a Bill to restore the Market for Woollen Cloths in Blackwell-hall, and Welch-hall, to the Clothiers:

And the same was read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time.

Leave of Absence.

Ordered, That Mr. Dummer have Leave to go to Portsmouth, upon his Majesty's Service.

Ordered, That Sir John Woolstenholm have Leave to go into the Country for Four Days, upon extraordinary Occasions.

Prohibiting India Silks, Callicoes, &c.

A Petition of the Master, Wardens, Assistants, and Company of Silk-throwers, London, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners Trade depends upon the Weavers Trade in throwing raw Silks brought from Turkey, which are the Product of our Woollen Manufactures, and employs and maintains Multitudes of poor People; but, lately, there has been great Importations made of East-India wrought Silks; whereby the Petitioner's Trade is fallen to Decay; and the Poor are reduced to great Necessities for want of Work: And praying, That the Bill, depending in the House, 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, may pass into an Act; which will much advance the Petitioners Trade.

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

Privilege—a person petitions for a Discharge.

A Petition of George Taylor, Marshal of the King's Bench, in Custody of the Serjeant at Arms attending this House, for a Contempt, in not producing to the Committee appointed to consider how the Abuses of Prisons, and other pretended privileged Places, may be regulated, the Books relating to the Prison of the King's-Bench, was presented to the House, and read: Wherein he alleged, That it was his Mistake of the Order: and begged Pardon for his said Offence:

And the House being acquainted, That he had produced the Books, to the Satisfaction of the said Committee;

Ordered, That the said George Taylor be discharged out of Custody, paying his Fees.

A Petition of Peter Williams, Gentleman, on behalf of himself, and others of the Troop commanded by Major John Petry, of the Right Honourable the Earl of Arran's Regiment of Horse, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That, for almost Two Years, the whole Troop have lived under great Severities by the said Major; who has imposed Oats and Grass upon them, at double what it cost him; which, with Agency, Clerkage, and Tallies, their whole Subsistence hath in a manner been eaten up; and, for modestly complaining, several of the Troop have been picketed, beaten, wounded, imprisoned, and threatened as Mutineers, to compel them to sign the Accounts and Discharges tendered to them; which ill Usage is a Dishonour to his Majesty, and an Abuse and Discouragement of the Soldiery: And praying the Relief and Assistance of the House, in summoning his Witnesses to prove the said Grievances.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee, to whom the Petition of John Hakewell, and others, Troopers of Colonel Villers' Regiment, is referred: And that they do examine the Matter thereof; and report the same to the House.

Bringing in Plate to be coined.

Ordered, That the Committee of the whole House, to whom the Bill for encouraging Persons to bring in their wrought Plate into the Mints, to be coined, . . . . . have Power to receive a Clause for the coining small Pieces of Money under Shillings.

Warner's Estate.

Ordered, That Sir Chr. Musgrave, Mr. Stockdale, Mr. Conyers, Mr. Carr, Sir Wm. York, Mr. Vernon, be added to the Committee, to whom the ingrossed Bill, from the Lords, intituled, An Act for explaining a former Act of Parliament, intituled, An Act for enabling Trustees to sell Part of the Estate of Edmund Warner, deceased, for Payment of his Debts; and preserving the rest for the Benefit of his Heir; is committed.

Ditto.

A Petition of John Bennet, Merchant, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That Edmund Warner, deceased, was, at his Death, indebted 100 l. to the Petitioner, upon a Policy of Insurance on the Ship Joseph of London, which was lost: That there being a Bill now before the House, for explaining a former Act of Parliament, intituled, An Act for enabling Trustees to sell Part of the Estate of Edmund Warner, deceased, for Payment of his Debts; and preserving the rest, for the Benefit of his Heir; the Petitioner conceives that if the said Bill should pass, without some Provision for his Debt, he shall be deprived thereof: And praying, That such Provision may be made in the Bill, that the Petitioner's said Debt may be satisfied.

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

King's Lynn Port.

A Petition of the Mayor, Aldermen, Burgesses, and other Inhabitants, of the Borough of Huntingdon, in the County of Huntingdon, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Corporation of King's Lynn have lately demanded the Corporation of the Fens to take away the navigable Sass at the Hermitage, near Erith, and the Sluices at Denver Dam; which will deprive the Petitioners of the Benefit of New Bedford River, being Twenty Miles in Length, made at the great Charge of the Corporation of the Fens; whereby the said Town and Country have a certain and advantageous Navigation: And praying, That the said navigable Sass, Sluices, and River, may be continued for the Service of the Country.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table until the Bill for the better Preservation of the Navigation of the Port of Lynn, in the County of Norfolk, be read a Second time.

Ditto.

A Petition of the Land-owners, and Inhabitants, of the Hundred of Marshland, with the Towns of Wiggenhall, and Villages adjacent, in the County of Norfolk, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners are Owners of near 40,000 Acres of profitable Lands there; which are subject on the one Side to Inundations from the Sea, and, on the other Side, to the Floods of fresh Waters; which have been preserved by Banks and Drains, made at great Expence, to keep out the Sea, and carry the fresh Waters away, by the River Owze, to Sea, That, since the Corporation of the Fens, called Bedford Level, have erected a Dam and Sluice cross the River Owze, near Dender Dam, the said River is become silted up; so that thereby the Petitioners Drains and Outfalls are become useless; and many Thousand Acres of their Land, and the common Pastures, lie wholly drowned; the common Roads are unpassable; and, in case of any sudden Inundation, the greatest Part of the said Country is in Danger of being lost: That the said Coporation have also, by Sluices, and Tunnels placed in the Poedike Bank, the Petitioners only Defence against foreign Waters, caused the Waters of the said Level to annoy the Petitioners for divers Years past; That these Mischiefs are occasioned by the said Dam and Sluice, which stop the Flow and Re-flow of the Tide Twenty-four Miles, which used to scour the said River and Channels to Sea, and now choaked up; and cannot be remedied, but by removing the said Dam and Sluice: And praying, That the said Dam and Sluice may be removed, by such Means as may best preserve the Country, and the Petitioners Lands.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table until the Bill for the better Preservation of the Navigation of the Port of Lynn, in the County of Norfolk, be read a Second time.

Members summoned.

Ordered, That the Serjeant at Arms do go with the Mace into Westminster-hall, and Court of Requests, and summon the Members there to attend the Service of the House.

And he went accordingly.

And, being returned;

Attainder of the Conspirators.

A Bill to attaint such of the Persons concerned in the late horrid Conspiracy to assassinate his Majesty's Royal Person, who are fled from Justice, unless they render themselves to Justice; and for continuing several others of the said Conspirators in Custody; was read the Third time.

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

The House divided.

The Yeas go forth.

So it was resolved in the Affirmative.

Resolved, That the Title be, An Act to attaint, &c.

Ordered, That Mr. Conyers do carry the Bill to the Lords, and desire their Concurrence thereunto.

Prohibiting India Silks, Callicoes, &c.

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

Bringing in Plate to be coined.

Resolved, That this House will, To-morrow Morning, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of the Bill to encourage Persons bringing in wrought Plate into the Mints, to be coined.

Ways and Means.

The House, according to the Order of the Day, resolved itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of Ways and Means for raising the Sum of 840,000 l. charged upon the Duties laid upon Salt, and upon Coals and Culm, and Tonage of Ships, taken away the last Session of Parliament; for which the Provision then made had proved defective.

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, To-morrow Morning, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider further of Ways and Means for raising the said 840,000 l.

Supply; Deficiency of Funds.

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; and to consider further of that Part of his Majesty's Speech which relates to the Credit of the Nation.

Committees.

Ordered, That all Committees be adjourned.

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