House of Commons Journal Volume 12: 22 February 1698

Martis, 22 die Februarii;

10° Gulielmi Tertii.

Prayers.

Sheriffs Accounts.

Ordered, That Mr. Boscawen, Sir Francis Masham, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Milbank, Sir Robert Clayton, Sir Robert Burdet, Sir Wm. Ashurst, Mr. Bromley, be added to the Committee, to whom the Bill for the more easy passing Sheriffs Accounts is committed.

May's Nat.

Ordered, That Mr. Mountague, Mr. Morgan, Mr. Bertie, Sir Adam Felton, Mr. Foley, Mr. Osborne, be added to the Committee, to whom the Bill to naturalize Charles May Esquire is committed.

Army Arrears.

Ordered, That the Committee, to whom the Petitions of the Soldiers of Colonel Rosse's Regiment are referred, have Leave to sit To-morrow Morning, but not beyond Ten a Clock.

Duty on Tobaccopipes.

A Petition of the Master, Wardens, Assistants, and others, of the Company of Tobacco-pipe-makers of the City of London, was presented to the House, and read: setting forth, That, the last Session of Parliament, they did, by Petition, and several printed Cases, lay before the House the deplorable Condition of their poor Manufacture, occasioned by the Duty laid on Tobacco-pipes, it being above 200 l. per Cent. on their Hand-labour: And praying the Consideration of the House, so as that the said Duty may be taken off.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee, to whom the Petition of the Glass-makers of the Town of Stourbridge is referred: And that they do examine the Matter thereof; and report the same, with their Opinion therein, to the House.

Duty on Glass.

Ordered, That Mr. Manley, Mr. Hammond, Mr. Frewen, be added to the Committee, to whom the Petition of the Glass-makers of the Town of Stourbridge is referred.

Ayer and Calder Navigation.

Ordered, That all Petitions against or for the Bill to make navigable the Rivers Ayer and Calder, in the County of York, be presented so that they may be heard before the Committee, to whom the said Bill is committed, upon Monday Sevennight, when the Committee are to meet: And that no Petition be admitted, against or for the Bill, after that time.

Kynnersly's Estate.

An ingrossed Bill, from the Lords, intituled, An Act to enable Thomas Kynnersly Esquire, an Infant, to make a Jointure and Settlement of his Estate, was read the Third time.

Resolved, That the Bill do pass.

Ordered, That Mr. Gery do carry the Bill to the Lords, and acquaint them, That this House hath agreed to the same, without any Amendment.

Vesey's Nat.

The House proceeded to take into Consideration the Amendment, made by the Lords, to the Bill, intituled, An Act for naturalizing Dudley Vesey, an Infant:

And the same was twice read; and agreed unto by the House; and is as followeth; viz.

1 Skin, 7 L. for "Roan," read "Rouen."

Ordered, That Sir Henry Colt do carry the Bill to the Lords, and acquaint them, That this House hath agreed to the said Amendment.

Duties on Leather.

A Petition of Tanners, Fellmongers, and Glovers, within the ancient Borough of New-Malton, in the County of York, and Towns adjacent to the said Borough, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Duty upon Leather is become intollerable; and their Stocks daily decline; and many of them, with their Families, are ready to starve; the Duty eating up the Profit of their Goods: And praying the Duty may be taken off.

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.

Tiverton Workhouse.

A Motion being made, and the Question being put, That it be an Instruction to the Committee, to whom the Bill for erecting of an Hospital and Work-house in Tiverton, in the County of Devon, is committed, That the Governors of the said Work-house and Hospital shall consist of the Mayor, Capital Burgesses, and Assistants, and of the Portreve, of the Town and Parish of Twerton, for the Time being; and Five-and-twenty more Inhabitants thereof, who are rated, and pay most, to the Relief of the Poor of the said Parish; and, in case any Person is equally rated, the Majority of the Governors present shall determine who shall be the Governor;

The House divided.

The Yeas go forth.

So it was resolved in the Affirmative.

Estates given to superstitious Uses.

Mr. Pendarvis, according to Order, presented to the House a Bill for the better Discovery of Estates given to superstitious Uses: And the same was received.

The Bill was read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time upon this Day Sevennight.

Relief of Creditors.

Ordered, That the Bill to explain and rectify an Act for Relief of Creditors, by making Composition with their Debtors, in case Two-thirds in Number and Value do agree, be read a Second time upon Thursday Morning next.

Houghton's Estate.

Sir Henry Hobart, according to Order, presented to the House a Bill for vesting the Manors of Bastwick, and Laviles, in the County of Norfolk, Part of the Estate of John Houghton Esquire, in Trustees, to be sold for discharging Debts charged thereon; and for settling another Estate, in lieu thereof: And the same was received.

The Bill was read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time upon this Day Sevennight.

Army Arrears:

Ordered, That Mr. Lowndes, Colonel Wharton, Mr. Taylor, Mr. Manley, Mr. Mawdit, Colonel King, Mr. Dummer, Sir Wm. Lowther, be added to the Committee, to whom the Petition of Mr. Fran. Molyneux is reserred.

Bampsyld's Estate.

Mr. Hoblyn reported from the Committee, to whom the Bill for enabling certain Trustees therein named, to make, renew, and fill up, Leases of the Estate of Sir Coppleston Warwick Bampfyld, during his Minority; and, in case of his Death without Issue Male, during the Minority of his Brother John Bampfyld; was committed; That they had examined and considered the same, and the Petition to them referred; and had made several Amendments to the Bill; which they had directed him to report to the House; which he read in his Place; and afterwards delivered in at the Clerk's Table: Where the same were once read throughout; and then a Second time, one by one; and, upon the Question severally put thereupon, agreed unto by the House: And the Bill, in the Preamble, was amended by the House.

Ordered, That the Bill, with the Amendments, be ingrossed.

A Member ordered to attend.

Ordered, That Sir Edward Hungerford do attend, in his Place, upon Thursday Morning next: And that the Petition relating to him be then read.

Petition from a Prisoner.

Mr. Speaker acquainted the House, That he had this Morning, by the Governor of the Tower, received a Letter from Mr. John Knight, with a Petition inclosed; which he desires may be communicated to the House.

And the Petition was read; setting forth, That the Shortness of Time allotted him to answer Mr. Marriett's Paper against him, did not permit him to digest what he had to say; and therefore subjoins to his former Paper, That he solemnly declares, he never was privy to any Negotiation of Mr. Burton's with Mr. Marriott, in relation to the Indorsing of any Exchequer-Bills: And that he is ready to make Oath, That what Bills Mr. Marriott had of the Petitioner, were only lodged with him to be sunk on the several Branches of the Capitation-Act, and one Shilling Aid; which are appointed to cancel the same: And praying, That, in Consideration of his Losses by Fire, and that he hath not made such Advantages in his Employments as has been presumed; and having lost his Places; and but a small Fortune is remaining to support his Wife and Family; he may fall easily under the Censure of this House.

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

Ordered, That the Consideration of Mr. Marriott's Information, and of Mr. Knight's Answer thereunto, and of the Examinations relating to Mr. Knight, be referred to the said Committee of the whole House.

Punishing Burton for false indorsing Exchequer Bills.

A Petition of Bartholomew Burton was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That there being a Bill depending in this House for punishing the Petitioner, for false indorsing several Exchequer-Bills; he prays, That he may be heard by Counsel against the said Bill, when the House shall think fit.

Ordered, That Mr. Burton be heard, by his Counsel, at the Bar of this House, before the House resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, upon the said Bill.

Ordered, That Mr. Burton be heard, by his Counsel, at the Bar of this House, upon Monday Morning next: And that the House do afterwards resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of the said Bill.

Excise Bills of Exchange.

The House being informed, That Mr. Sheldrake, Mr. Noell and Mr. Story, Officers in the Revenues of Excise, attended;

Mr. Sheldrake was called in; and, at the Bar, he delivered into the House an Account of Bills of Exchange, Bonds, and Notes under Hand, paid upon the Revenue under the Management of the Commissioners of Excise, sent up from the several Collectors, from the 17th Day of May 1697, to the 22d Day of October 1697.

And then he withdrew.

And the Title of the said Account was read.

Then Mr. Sheldrake, Mr. Noell, and Mr. Story, were called in together; and examined, touching the Matters of the said Account.

And then they withdrew.

Then Mr. Francis, Mr. Peppett, and Mr. Painter, Billmen, belonging to the Revenue of Excise, were called in; and examined, touching the Matters of the said Account.

And then they withdrew.

And a Motion being made, and the Question being put, That the receiving Exchequer-Bills, in the Revenue of Excise, upon Bills of Exchange drawn payable in milled Money, and Gold, was contrary to Law, and a Loss to the Publick;

The House divided.

The Yeas go forth.

So it passed in the Negative.

Punishing Knight for falseindorsing Exchequer Bills.

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

Committees.

Ordered, That all Committees be adjourned.

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