House of Commons Journal Volume 11: 16 February 1694

Veneris, 16 die Februarii;

6° Gulielmi et Mariæ.

Prayers.

Woollen Manufactures.

A PETITION of the Dyers, Setters, Callenders, Tillot-Painters, Pressers, and Packers, living in and about the City of London, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That formerly the white Woollen Manufactury of all Sorts received their full Manufacture here, by being dyed, set, &c. whereby their Majesties Customs for all Materials used in the Dying Trade, which are very considerable, were duly paid, and the Artificers, and many Thousand Families depending on them, got their Livelihoods; but of late Years Foreigners and others, for private Gain, have exported them white, so that they are made fit for Use beyond the Seas, to the utter Ruin of some Thousands of Families, besides the Loss of Custom; and some of our Traders are invited to settle themselves in foreign Parts: That the Persons concerned in making and planting the Materials in the Dying Trade are very numerous, and much discouraged by such Exportation white: And praying, That such Means may be used to prevent the Exportation of the Woollen Manufactures white, as shall be thought requisite.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee, to whom the Bill for reviving the Act, made in the First Year of their Majesties Reign, for the better preventing the Exportation of Wool, and encouraging the Woolen Manufactures of this Kingdom, is committed.

Barrington's Estate.

Sir John Bolles reported from the Committee to whom the ingrossed Bill from the Lords, intituled, An Act to enable Sir Charles Barrington Baronet to settle a Jointure on Dame Bridget his Wife; and to make Provision for their younger Children; was committed; That they had examined and considered the same; and directed him to report the same to the House, without any Amendments: And he delivered the same in at the Clerk's Table.

Preventing Export of Wool, &c.

A Petition of the Blackwell-hall Factors was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That there is a Bill in this House for the better preventing the Exportation of Wool, Fulling and Scouring Earth, by altering the Penalty; and for the better Regulating of Blackwellhall Factors: And praying, That the Petitioners may be heard against so much of the Bill as concerns them.

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

Registering Fishermen for the Navy.

A Petition of divers Fishermen, inhabiting within the Jurisdiction and Limits of the Vice-Admiralty of the County of Kent, in behalf of themselves, and many more, being free Fishermen of the said Vice-Admiralty, according to Custom, Time out of Mind used within the Limits and Jurisdiction thereof, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That there is a Bill now depending in this House, for compelling Fishermen to come into their Majesties Service; wherein it is suggested, That the Power and Jurisdiction of the Company of Fishermen, belonging to the River of Thames, extends from Staines Bridge, to the North Foreland; great Part of which Extent is within the Jurisdiction of the said Vice-Admiralty: Also, by the said Bill, The said Company may call at Pleasure the Petitioners, or their Servants, to any Place, and enter their Names and Abode in a Register, with Power to Punish Offenders by Imprisonment, or incapacitating them of their Employments: That the Petitioners have always been under the Government of the said ViceAdmiralty, which hath held Courts, and made Orders, for regulating the Fishery within their Limits; and always kept a Registry of the Names, and Places of Abode, of their free Fishermen, to the end that, when Occasion requires, they may compel them to serve their Majesties Fleets; and very great Numbers of the said free Fishermen are now at Sea, and others employed at Chatham Dock, in sitting out of their Majesties Shipping, at 9s. per Week per Man, though they can get 30s. per Week in their Employment of Fishing: That the Petitioners are advised, If the said Bill should pass, it will engage the Petitioners, who are poor, in many Suits, touching the Rights of the said Vice-Admiralty, by whose Laws they humbly conceive themselves as well governed, and made useful for the publick Service, as they can be by the said Company, who, the Petitioners believe, design a private Advantage to themselves, more than a publick Good: And praying, That they may be heard, they having several Reasons to offer against the said Bill.

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

Ditto.

A Petition of divers Fishermen of the Town of Feversham in the County of Kent; which Town is a Member of the Cinque-Ports; in behalf of themselves, and many more, living in the said Town; and also, of divers other Fishermen, inhabiting within the Manor of Feversham, and Liberties thereof, and free Fishermen of the In-grounds thereunto belonging; was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That, at the Instance of the Company of Fishermen belonging to the River of Thames, a Bill is now in this House for compelling Fishermen to come into their Majesties Service, alleging. That the said Company's Jurisdiction extends from Staines Bridge, to the North Foreland; whereas, Part of that Extent is within the Jurisdiction of the Cinque-Ports, and Part within the Manor of Feversham, to which the said Company never pretended to have any Right: That the said Bill aims to destroy several Privileges of the Petitioners, which they have enjoyed Time out of Mind; and which are confirmed to them by several Acts of Parliament: That the Petitioners conceive, They now are as well, or better, regulated and made useful to their Majesties Service, by the Laws and Customs of the Cinque-Ports, as they can be by the said Company; the greatest Part of Feversham Fishermen, who are able, being now actually in their Majesties Service; and there being a Court kept twice a Year for regulating the Fishery of the In-grounds: And praying, That they may be heard by their Counsel and Witnesses, they having many Objections to offer against the Passing of the said Bill.

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

Red Lyon Square (St. Andrews, Holborn) new Parish.

A Petition of several Inhabitants in and near Red Lyon Square, and Streets adjacent, in the Parish of St. Andrews, Holborn, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, that the said Parish is very large, and much increased of late by new Buildings, and thereby grown so populous, that the Care of so many Souls cannot be well discharged by One Minister; nor is the Church of St. Andrews large enough to receive all the Parishioners: And praying, That Leave may be given, to bring in a Bill for making the said Red Lyon Square, and Streets adjacent, a distinct Parish from the said Parish of St. Andrews; and for the building a new Church near the said Square.

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

Recovering Small Tythes.

A Bill for the more easy Recovery of small Tythes was read the Second time.

Resolved, That the Bill be committed, upon the Debate of the House, . . Mr. Boscawen, Sir Robert Edon, Sir John Key, Mr. Mordaunt, Mr. Waller, Mr. Fenwick, Mr. Christy, Sir Hen. Gough, Sir Fra. Molyneux, Mr. Biddulph, Sir Robert Davers, Mr. Dolben, Mr. Lutterell, Mr. Hutchinson, Mr. How, Mr. Hedger, Mr. Shackerly, Mr. Ryder, Sir Edward Abney, Mr. Trelawny, Mr. Bickerstaffe, Mr. Gilbert, Mr. Pigott, Mr. Frewen, Mr. Lampton, Mr. Burdet, Mr. England, Sir Gilbert Clark, Sir Tho. Barnardiston, Mr. Cook, Mr. Lassels, Mr. Kenyon, Mr. Stockdale, Sir Fra. Guibon, Mr. Carter, Sir Tho. Haslerigg, Mr. Hawtry, Mr. Bulkly, Sir Fra. Massam: And they are to meet this Afternoon at Four a Clock, in the Speaker's Chamber.

A Member discharged from Custody.

Ordered, That Sir John Cotton, in Custody of the Serjeant at Arms attending this House for absenting himself from his Service in Parliament, be discharged out of Custody, paying his Fees.

Duties on Salt.

A Petition of the Proprietors and Owners of the Salt-Pits, and Salt-Water, in Droitwich in Worcestershire, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners Estates in the said Salt-Pits are different from all other Salt-Works of England; the Petitioners holding from the Crown at a Fee-Farm Rent of 100l. per Ann.: That the whole Salt-Water there is divided into certain Shares, which are always taxed equal in the Pound-Rate with Lands and Tenements in the said County; and last Year paid full 4s. in the Pound: That those Shares are leased for long Terms, at the full improved Value, with different Covenants for Payment, and Non-payment, of Taxes; so that, if any other Tax should be laid upon Salt made there, it would breed a Confusion between Landlord and Tenant, and tend to the utter Destruction of the Manufacture in that Place: And praying the Consideration of the House in the Premises, and such Relief as shall be thought fit.

And the same, relating to the Bill for granting certain Rates and Duties upon Salt, and upon Beer, Ale, and other Liquors, for securing certain Recompences and Advantages, in the said Bill mentioned, to such Persons as shall voluntarily advance the Sum of Ten hundred thousand Pounds, towards carrying on the War against France;

And a Motion being made, and the Question being put, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table until the said Bill be read a Second time;

The House divided.

The Yeas go forth.

So it passed in the Negative.

London Orphans Fund.

A Petition of Ann Wright was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioner being fatherless and motherless, in 1682, a Relation, intrusted with her Affairs, lent 600l. of the Petitioner's, being all she had, to the Chamber of London, at 5l. per Cent.; and there is now due to her above 200l. for Interest, besides the Principal: That had it not been some Friends did supply her Necessities, being sickly, she must have perished for Want: And praying, That she may be put in the same Condition as the Orphans of the City of London.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table until the Report from the Committee of the whole House, relating to the Orphans, be made to the House.

Protestants Nat.

Resolved, That this House will, upon Tuesday Morning next, at Eleven a Clock, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of the Bill for the Naturalization of all such Protestants as shall take the Oaths to their Majesties, and the Test against Popery.

Punishing Mutiny and Desertion.

Resolved, That this House will, upon Wednesday Morning next, at Ten a Clock, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of the Bill for Continuance of the Act for punishing Officers and Soldiers who shall mutiny, or desert their Majesties Service; and for punishing false Musters; and for the Payment of Quarters; for One Year.

Ways and Means.

Resolved, That this House will, every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, proceed in the Consideration of Ways and Means for raising the Supplies to be granted to their Majesties, for the Maintenance of the Fleet, and LandForces, for the Service of the Year 1694.

Lord Falklands Examination by Commissioners of Accounts, &c.

The House, according to the Order of the Day, proceeded to take into Consideration the Information given, upon Oath, by the Lord Falkland, to the Commissioners for stating the publick Accounts: And also the Account of the Pensions, Salaries, and Sums of Money, paid or payable to Members of Parliament out of the publick Revenue, or otherwise: And the Account of what Monies have been issued, and paid, for secret Service, and to Members of Parliament; presented to the House by the said Commissioners.

And the Examination of Mr. Francis Rainsford; and also the Information given, upon Oath, by the Lord Viscount Falkland, before the said Commissioners; formerly presented to the House from the said Commissioners; were read.

And the Lord Falkland was heard in his Place.

And then withdrew.

Resolution against Lord Falkland.

And a Motion being made, and the Question being put, That the Lord Falkland, being a Member of this House, by begging and receiving Two thousand Pounds from his Majesty, contrary to the ordinary Method of issuing and bestowing the King's Money, is guilty of a high Misdemeanor, and Breach of Trust;

The House divided.

The Yeas go forth.

So it was resolved in the Affirmative.

He is committed to the Tower.

Resolved, That the Lord Falkland be committed to the Tower of London, during the Pleasure of this House: And that Mr. Speaker do issue his Warrant accordingly.

Secret Service Money, &c.

The Account of the Monies issued, and paid, for secret Service, and to Members of Parliament; and also the Account of the Pensions, Salaries, and Sums of Money, paid or payable to Members of Parliament out of the publick Revenue, or otherwise; were read.

And a Debate arising thereupon;

Resolved, That the Debate be adjourned till To-morrow Morning, Eleven a Clock.

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