House of Commons Journal Volume 12: 19 February 1698

Sabbati, 19 die Februarii ;

10 Gulielmi Tertii.

Prayers.

Duties on Leather.

APETITION of several Tanners, inhabiting in the Borough of Bury St. Edmonds, in the County of Suffolk, and in other Country Towns, trading to that Market, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That, since the heavy Duty upon Leather, they have been greatly obstructed in their Trade; and must lay down the same, unless relieved from the many Difficulties they lie under, by reason of the Act that imposeth the said Duty: And praying Relief therein.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee, to whom the Petition of the Aldermen, Stewards, and Company, of Fellmongers, Leather-dressers, and Glovers, in the City of Chester, is referred: And that they do examine the Matter thereof; and report the same, with their Opinion therein, to the House.

Resumption of Grants.

A Petition of Ann Bagnold, Wife of Dudley Bagnold, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That, by a general Prosecution in Ireland, her said Husband was outlawed, for adhering to the late King James; and upon several Grants of his Estate by his Majesty, it appears, by several Reports, that her Husband is but Tenant for Life; and that his Children are intitled to inherit after his Death: That his Majesty, in Compassion to the Petitioner, and her Children, in September 1691, granted her a yearly Allowance of 400 l. out of the Profits of her said Husband's Estate; but by a Bill now depending in the House, for vacating all Grants of Estates, and other Interests, forfeited in Ireland, and for appropriating the same to the Use of the Publick, if some special Provision be not therein made for the Petitioner, and her Children, they will be utterly deprived of his Majesty's designed Relief: And praying, That their distressed Condition may be taken into Consideration.

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

Ditto.

A Petition of Robert Fielding was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That he was outlawed for High Treason in Ireland, on Account of the late Rebellion there; but the Lords Justices of England, being satisfied of the Petitioner's Inclination to live dutifully to his Majesty's Government, did order a Proviso for him, in a late Act, passed in Ireland, for confirming Attainders: That by a Bill in the House for vacating all Grants of Estates, and other Interests, forfeited in Ireland; and for appropriating the same to the Use of the Publick; the Benefit of the said Proviso will be taken away, to the Ruin of the Petitioner, and his Family: And praying, That the Benefit of the said Proviso may be saved to him.

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

Leave of Absence.

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

Ayre and Calder Navigation.

A Petition of the Inhabitants of the Town of Heworth, in the County of York, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the said Town is conveniently situated on the River Ouze, whereby the Petitioners have a beneficial Conveyance of Corn, Butter, &c. to Hull, and other Places; and if a Bill in the House, for making the Rivers Ayre and Calder navigable, should pass, the Rivers of Ouze and Darwent will be drained thereby; and the Trade in York ruined: And praying, That the said Bill may not pass.

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

Sheriff's Accounts.

A Petition of the Officers in the Exchequer, concerned in passing Sheriffs Accounts, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That there is a Bill depending in the House, for the more easy passing of Sheriffs Accounts, wherein divers Clauses are contained, prejudicial to the Petitioners Rights: And praying, That they may be heard by themselves, or Counsel, before the said Bill do pass.

And a Motion being made, and the Question being put, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee, to whom the said Bill is committed;

It passed in the Negative.

Resolved, That the Petition be rejected.

Ankholm Drainage.

A Petition of Sir Stephen Anderson, Baronet; Robert Elwes, Francis Anderson, Richard Nelthrop, Esquires; William Legg, and Thomas Place Gentlemen; Lords of several Manors, and Freeholders, within the Level of Ankholme, in the County of Lincolne, on the behalf of themselves, and of several other Freeholders there; was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That about 11 Car. 1st, Sir John Munson undertook to drain the said Level, and keep it so, and keep the River of Ankholm navigable; for doing which, the Commissioners of Sewers decreed him, and his Heirs, Five thousand Eight hundred Twentyseven Acres, being about One third Part of the Level; which Decree was confirmed by Act of Parliament, made in the 13th Car. 2^di; but there is no Provision in the said Act, to enforce Sir John, and his Heirs, to keep the said Level drained, nor, upon their Default, to enable others, concerned in the other Two-Thirds, to drain the same, and keep the said River navigable; which are now in a worse Condition than when Sir John Monson first undertook the said Matters; the said Level now, and for many Years last past, the most Part of the Year, lying under Water; so that the Petitioners have utterly lost the Benefit of their respective Estates in the said Level: And praying Leave to bring in a Bill for the more effectual Draining the said Level, and the better preservation of the Navigation of the River Ankholme.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to a Committee: And that they do examine the Matter thereof; and report the same, with their Opinion therein, to the House.

And it is referred to Mr. Mountstevens, Mr. Thornhagh, Lord Castleton, Mr. Boscawen, Mr. Colt, Mr. Hedger, Mr. Manley, Mr. Blofield, Mr. Ryder, Mr. Harrison, Mr. Freeman, Mr. Fleming, Sir John Bolles, Sir Edw. Abney, Mr. Cooper, Sir Walt. Yonge, Sir Jacob Ashley, Sir Tho. Hussey, Sir Wm. St. Quintin, Mr. Yates, Mr. Holsey, Mr. Arnold, Sir Wm. Honywood, Sir Geo. Hungerford, Mr. Palmes, Mr. Campion, Mr. Tredenham, Mr. Gery, Mr. How, Sir John Thorold, Mr. Osborne, Mr. Moore, Sir Rob. Burdet, Mr. Jenkyns; and all the Members that serve for the Counties of York and Lincolne: And they are to meet this Afternoon at Five a Clock, in the Speaker's Chambers.

Slaughters, &c. importing Silk.

A Bill to enable Paris Slaughter and Wm. Druce, Merchants, to import several Bales of fine Italian ThrownSilk, from Amsterdam, into this Kingdom, was, according to Order, read a Second time.

Resolved, That the Bill be committed to Sir Robert Burdett, Sir Henry Colt, Sir William Ashurst, Mr. Sandford, Mr. Manley, Mr. Hoare, Mr. Yates, Mr. Foley, Mr. England, Sir John Phillips, Mr. Monson, Mr. Lambton, Mr. Btofeild, Mr. Arnola, Lord Cavendish, Sir John Bucknall, Mr. Taylor, Sir John Kay, Mr. Bohun, Mr. Colt, Mr. Morris, Mr. Morgan, Mr. Fleming, Sir Geo. Hungerford, Mr. Holt, Mr. Bickerstaffe, Mr. Fuller, Mr. Bertie, Sir Wm York, Sir Henry Hobart, Mr. Mountstevens, Sir Walter Younge, Mr. Harley: And they are to meet at Five a Clock this Afternoon, in the Speaker's Chamber.

African Trade.

A Petition of the Merchants and Planters of his Majesty's Province of Maryland, in America, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That, they are informed, the Trade to Africa is designed to be established in a Joint-Stock, exclusive to all others, as the best Method to preserve and increase that Trade, and encourage the Plantations: That the Petitioners Interests are very much concerned in the well Management of a Trade to Africa; and therefore offer the Reasons annexed to the Petition, against the evil Consequences that will attend such an Establishment: And praying, That the Trade to Africa may be open and free for all the Subjects of England.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table until the Bill for settling the Trade to Africa be read a Second time.

Ditto.

A Petition of the Merchants and Planters trading to and interested in, the Plantations of Virginia and Maryland, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the said Plantations are of very large Extent, and capable of great Improvements; but, for many Years past, have lain under great Discouragement and Poverty, for want of Negroes to carry on their Work; which is partly occasioned by the unlawful Measures practised by the Royal African Company there, by causing all Ships, that brought any Negroes, to be seized for their own Use: And praying, That they may be heard to give their Reasons, to demonstrate, how great an Advantage it will be to this Kingdom, and the Plantations, by making the Trade to Africa free and open.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table until the Bill for settling the Trade to Africa be read a Second time.

Ledgingham's Ship Pumps.

A Petition of Robert Ledgingham, Merchant, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioner did formerly present a Petition to the House, for Leave to bring in a Bill to promote the Use of several Engines or Pumps for Ships, which tend to a general Good; but for want of a Certificate from the Society of Trinity-house, his said Petition was withdrawn: That he hath since attended the said Society for their Opinion of the said Engines, but they refused to inter meddle therewith, without the Order of this House: And praying the Order of this House, That the said So ciety may make an Inspection of the said Engines; and report to each Head of the Petitioner's Representation, annexed to his now Petition, their Opinions concerning the same, within a presixed time.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to a Committee: And that they do examine the Matter thereof; and report the same, with their Opinion therein, to the House:

And it is referred to Mr. Manley, Lord Cavendish, Sir Henry Colt, Mr. Bohun, Mr. Lowndes, Mr. Mawdit, Sir Jos. Herne, Mr. Lambton, Mr. Blofeild, Mr. Gardener, Mr. Perry, Mr. England, Mr. Palmes, Mr. Fuller, Mr. Tredenham, Sir Thomas Roberts, Sir Wm. Lowther, Mr. Harrison, Mr. Shackerley, Mr. Aylmer, Mr. Stokes, Colonel Lee, Mr. Herbert, Sir Fra. Windham, Mr. Arnold, Mr. Stonehouse, Mr. Haynes, Mr. Boscawen, Sir Tho. Hussey, Sir Cloudsly Shovell, Mr. Holt, Mr. Lowther, Mr. Bickerstaffe, Mr. Hedger, Mr. Baldwyn; and all for the Sea Ports, and Cinque-Ports: And they are to meet this Afternoon at Five a Clock, in the Speaker's Chamber: And have Power to send for Persons, Papers, and Records.

Russia Trade.

Ordered, That the Bill for encouraging and improving the Trade to Russia be read a Second time upon Wed nesday Morning next: And that all Persons be then heard at the Bar, for and against the Bill.

Committees.

Ordered, That all Committees be revived.

Importing Bone-lace, &c.

An ingrossed Bill for rendering the Laws more effectual for the preventing the Importation of foreign Bone-lace, Needle-Work, Point, and Cut-work was read the Third time.

An ingrossed Clause was offered, as a Rider, That no Person shall enter into any House, Shop, or other Place, or break open any thing that does not belong to a Dealer in Lace:

And the same was thrice read; and agreed unto by the House to be made Part of the Bill.

An Amendment was proposed to be made to the Bill, Press 1. L. 29. to insert "from and after the 25th Day "of March 1698:"

And the same was, upon the Question put thereupon, agreed unto by the House; and the Bill amended at the Table accordingly.

Resolved, That the Bill do pass: And that the Title be, An Act for rendering the Laws more effectual for preventing the Importation of foreign Bone-lace, Loom-lace, Needle-work, Point, and Cut-work.

Ordered, That Sir William Drake do carry the Bill to the Lords, and desire their Concurrence thereunto.

Punishing Knight for false indorsing Exchequer Bills.

A Bill for punishing John Knight Esquire, for false Indorsing of several Bills, made forth at the Receipt of Exchequer, commonly called Exchequer-Bills, 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 Tuesday Morning next, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of the said Bill.

Punishing Burton for false indorsing Exchequer Bills.

A Bill for punishing Bartholomew Burton Gentleman, for false indorsing several Bills, made forth at the Receipt of Exchequer, commonly called Exchequer-Bills, 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 Tuesday Morning next, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of the said Bill.

Supply Bill; vacating Grants in Ireland.

The House, according to the Order of the Day, resolved itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of the Bill for vacating all Grants of Estates, and other Interests, forfeited in Ireland, since the 13th Day of February 1688; and for appropriating the same to the Use of the Publick.

Mr. Speaker left the Chair.

Mr. Harcourt took the Chair of the Committee.

Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair.

Mr. Harcourt reported from the said Committee, That they had made some 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 this Day Sevennight, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider further of the said Bill.

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