House of Commons Journal Volume 12: 28 February 1698

Lunæ, 28 die Februarii;

10° Gulielmi Tertii.

Prayers.

Army Arrears.

A PETITION of Major Henry Fowbert was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That he hath faithfully served the King during the War in Ireland, and in Flanders, in Colonel Byerly's Regiment, for which there is a great Arrear due to him: Of which, he prays, an Account may be stated; and that he may be paid what is due to him, being now out of the King's Service.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee, to whom the Petition of the Soldiers of Colonel Langston's Regiment is referred: And that they do examine the Matter thereof; and report the same, with their Opinion therein, to the House.

Ditto.

A Petition of Thomas Hiller, Richard Clement, and Richard Fuller, in behalf of themselves, and several others, lately belonging to the Troop commanded by Major John Petry, in Colonel Harvy's late Regiment of Horse, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the said Major has greatly oppressed them, by obliging them to take Oats and Grass at double the Price he paid; and by charging each Man with Four Pounds Two Shillings and Six pence for a Waistcoat, Hat, Gloves, Collar, and small Accoutrements, tho' Six-pence a Day of their Pay was left with the Treasurer to discharge all just Allowances, of which they have had no Account; and the said Major has also kept Three Half-pence a Day per Man for a long time; by which, and other Impositions, their whole Subsistence has in a manner been eaten up: And praying, That their said Grievances may be redressed.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee, to whom the Petition of the Soldiers of Colonel Langston's Regiment 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 Eliz. Wandesford, formerly Widow and Relict of Garrett Foulks Esquire, who was, with several of her Brothers, killed in Colonel Foulks' Regiment at the Battle of Aghrim Castle, of Bellenegargy and Bellyhooly in Ireland, in behalf of herself and Children, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That her said Husband, and several of his Family, lay Sixteen Months under Sentence of Death in Gallway Prison; and the Enemy seized all that they had; for whose Sufferings and Losses the King granted the Petitioner a Pension of 200 l. per Annum, for her and her Childrens Support, till some better Provision was made for them: And; the last Spring, his Majesty, in lieu of the said Pension, gave the Petitioner forfeited Lands in Ireland of 200 l. per Annum: And the Expence of Eight Voyages, in obtaining and fixing those Grants, has not only eaten up the Benefit intended by the King; but also has run the Petitioner in Debt, to her utter Ruin, unless some Provision be made for her by the Bill in the House for vacating all Grants of Estates, and other Interests, in Ireland, since the 13th Day of February 1688: And praying a Saving therein in her Behalf.

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

African Trade.

A Petition of the Clothiers, Serge-makers, Ironmongers, Cutlers, Pewterers, Comb-makers, and divers other Artificers and Tradesmen, of the City of Bristoll, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners have by Experience found, That a free Trade to Africa doth export Abundance more of our Manufactures, than when confined to a select Number of Men; and the Produce of that Country gives great Encouragement to Trade; which if monopolized, the Scarceness and Dearness of Commodities, will prove ruinous to it: And praying, That the Trade to Africa may be left free and open.

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

Ditto.

A Petition of the Planters interested in, and Merchants trading to, the Island of Barbadoes, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Commodities of that Island are produced by the Strength of Negroes brought thither from Africa; and the said Commodities are imported into Europe cheaper or dearer, according to the Plenty or Scarcity, and Price, of Negroes; and, it is the Interest of England in general, as well as of the said Island, that the Trade to Africa be free; whereby Negroes may be brought to the Plantations cheap; and, the Petitioners conceive, the Bill in the House for settling the Trade to Africa will very much restrain and prejudice the Trade of the said Island: And praying, That they may be heard, at the Bar of the House, before the said Bill do pass.

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 several Dyers in and about the City of London in behalf of themselves, and many others, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That there is a Bill depending in the House for settling the Trade to Africa, which is to restrain the Trade thither to a joint Company; which will enable them to set what Price they please upon Red-wood, very much used by Dyers, which comes only from the North of Guiny; and will very much prejudice the Dyeing-Trade in England: And praying the Consideration of the House in the Premises.

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

Ayre and Calder Navigation.

A Petition of the Mayor, Aldermen, and capital Burgesses, of the Borough of Kirkby-Kendall, in the County of Westmorland, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That they have, for a considerable time, managed a Trade of making coarse Woollen Cloths, and Tanning of Leather, in great Quantities; and, being Two hundred Miles from London, the Charge of Landcarriage is very great; but if the Rivers Ayre and Calder, in the County of York, were made navigable, the Carriage and Price of Goods would be much lessened, and the Profit greater, to the Inhabitants of the said Borough: And praying, That the Bill depending in the House for making the said Rivers navigable may pass.

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

Ayre and Calder Navigation.

A Petition of the Wardens and Assistants of the Freemen of the ancient Company of Sheermen, within the Borough of Kirkby-Kendall, in the County of Westmoreland, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the said Borough has, time out of mind, managed a considerable Trade in making coarse Woollen Cloths, to the Support of many poor People; but the great Charge of Land-carriage is a mighty Discouragement to the said Trade; which would be removed by making the Rivers Ayre and Calder, in the County of York, navigable: And praying, That the Bill depending in the House for making the said Rivers navigable may pass.

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

Fauquire's, &c. Nat.

Ordered, That Leave be given to bring in a Bill to naturalize John James Fauquire, and John Ducasse, and others.

May's Nat.

Sir Henry Colt reported from the Committee, to whom the Bill to naturalize Charles May Esquire was committed, That they had examined and considered the same; and had directed him to report the same to the House, without any Amendment: And he delivered the same in at the Clerk's Table.

Ordered, That the Bill be ingrossed.

Salmon Preservation.

Ordered, That the Report from the Committee to whom the Bill for the Increase and Preservation of Salmon, and the Fry of Salmon, in the Rivers of this Kingdom is committed, be made upon Wednesday next, at Twelve a Clock; and nothing to intervene.

Slaughter, &c. Importing Silk.

A Petition of several Merchants and Silk-Throwers, on behalf of themselves, and others dealing in fine Italian and Turky Thrown-Silk, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That there is a Bill depending in this House to enable Paris Slaughter and William Druce Merchants, to import several Bales of fine Italian ThrownSilk from Amsterdam into this Kingdom: And praying, That they may be heard to give their Reasons against the said Bill.

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

Barlow's Estate.

Mr. Vaughan, according to Order, presented to the House a Bill for the better Management of the Estate of Sir George Barlow Baronet, during his Minority; and for Payment of Debts and Legacies the same is chargeable with; and to enable the said Sir George, and Dame Winifred his Wife, to sell an Estate in the County of Lincolne; and in lieu thereof, to settle an Estate in the County of Pembroke: And the same was received.

The Bill was read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time upon Friday Morning next.

African Company's Charter.

Ordered, That the Royal African Company do lay before this House their Charter, and Book of By-laws; and an Account of the Names of the Members of the Company.

Bampfyld's Estate.

An ingrossed Bill to enable 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 read the Third time.

Resolved, That the Bill do pass: And that the Title be, An Act to enable certain Trustees, therein named, to make, renew, and fill up, Leases of the Estate of Sir Coppleston Warwick Bampfyld, during the Minority of the said Sir Coppleston Warwick Bampfyld, and John Bampfyld his Brother.

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

Leave of Absence.

Ordered, That Sir John Duke have Leave to go into the Country, for Recovery of his Health.

Bedford Writ.

Ordered, That Mr. Speaker do issue his Warrant to the Clerk of the Crown, to make out a new Writ, for electing a Burgess to serve in this present Parliament for the Borough of Bedford, in the County of Bedford, in the room of Thomas Hillersden Esquire, deceased.

Navy Estimate.

Colonel Wharton, according to Order, presented to the House an Estimate of the Charge of his Majesty's Navy in Harbour, by the Space of One Year, beginning the 1st of January 1697, and ending the last of December 1698: And the same was received.

And the Title thereof was read.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Estimate be referred to the Committee of the whole House, who are to consider of the Supply to be granted to his Majesty; and of Ways and Means for raising the same.

Suppressing Atheism, &c.

An ingrossed Bill, from the Lords, intituled An Act for the more effectual suppressing Atheism, Blasphemy, and Profaneness, was read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time upon Wednesday Morning next.

Call of the House.

Ordered, That the House be called over upon this Day Sevennight: And that such Members as shall not then attend, be sent for in Custody of the Serjeant at Arms attending this House.

African Trade.

The House, according to the Order of the Day, resolved itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of the Bill to settle the Trade to Africa.

Mr. Speaker left the Chair.

Mr. Norris took the Chair of the Committee.

Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair.

Mr. Norris reported from the said Committee, That they had heard the Petitioners against, and the Royal African Company for, the said Bill; and 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.

Freedom of Elections.

Ordered, That the Bill for the further securing the Freedom of Elections of Members to serve in Parliament be read a Second time upon Saturday Morning next.

Punishing Burton, &c.

Ordered, That Mr. Bartholomew Burton be heard, by his Counsel, at the Bar of this House, To-morrow Morning, against the Bill for punishing him.

Registring Deeds.

Ordered, That the Bill for registring Memorials of future Deeds and Conveyances be read a Second time upon Saturday Morning next.

Committees.

Ordered, That all Committees be revived.

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