House of Commons Journal Volume 12: 14 March 1698

Lunæ, 14 die Martii;

10° Gulielmi Tertii.

Prayers.

Spittle-fields Silk Trade.

A PETITION of the Landlords, Owners, and Proprietors, of Houses situate in the several Hamlets of Spittle-fields, Bednall-green, and Parts adjacent, in the Parish of Stepny, in the County of Middlesex, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the greatest Part of the Inhabitants in those Places are Dealers in Silk, and Woollen manufactured with Silk, whereby they formerly got a Livelihood; but their Trades are now so decayed, that they cannot pay their Rents; nay, the Petitioners are forced to pay the King's Taxes; and must be ruined, if some way be not found out to set the Poor at Work: And praying Relief therein.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee appointed to consider of the Trade between England and Ireland; and how to make the Trade of this Kingdom more beneficial.

Lowstoft Herring Fishery.

A Petition of the Inhabitants of the Town of Lowstoft, Kirtly, and Pakefeild, in the County of Suffolk, in behalf of themselves, and others concerned in the Herringfishery on the Coast of Suffolk and Norfolk, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Herringfishery is a great Nursery for Seamen, and is carried on at great Charges by Ships and Men; but the Dutch have gotten the Pickled-Herring Trade quite away; so that nothing is now left but the making Red-Herrings; which also will be lost, if speedy Care be not taken; for that great Quantities of Herrings are taken in many Havens in Ireland, at a small Charge, without the Use of Ships, and with few Men and Nets; which has encouraged the making Red-Herrings in Ireland, where they are bought at Half the Price the Petitioners can afford to sell them at: And praying, That the Exportation of Herrings from Ireland may be prohibited; or that a Duty may be laid thereon, upon Exportation.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the said Committee.

Resumption of Grants.

A Petition of Major Walter Delamar was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That he was Major to Colonel Henry Lutterell's Regiment of Horse, in the late King James's Service: That, in Consideration of the Petitioner's Service, in Discharge of his Pay, being continued in his now Majesty's Service, and in Satisfaction of his Losses, his Majesty granted the Petitioner a Lease for 21 Years, at a certain Rent, of some Lands in Ireland, which stand so incumbered, that they come far short of answering the Petitioner's just Pretences: And praying, That he may be provided for in the Bill, depending in the House, 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.

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

Woollen Trade.

A Petition of the Clothiers of the County of Wilts was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Cloathing-Trade is fallen under so great Discouragements, that they cannot employ their numerous Dependents; and hereby the poor Labourers are rendered truly miserable: That they conceive this Calamity has been chiefly introduced by the Discouragements of English Merchants, and since Foreigners have so much prevailed therein, who have no Power to deal with the Clothier; a very long Credit is extorted from the Maker; whereby he is forced into the Hands of the Wool-brogger; which hath both enhanced the Price, and impaired the Goodness, of Cloth: And praying, That the Hamborough Company may be supported in their Trade; and both that and the Russia Company may be enlarged; and that a Restraint may be put to the growing Evil of Wool-broggers.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table until the Bill for supporting the Merchant-Adventurers of England in their Trade to Germany be read.

Bridgewater Bridge and Quay.

Mr. Palmer, according to Order, presented to the House a Bill for the enlarging, preserving, and repairing, the Bridge and Quay of the Borough of Bridgwater in the County of Somersett: 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.

Exon Work-houses.

Ordered, That Leave be given to bring in a Bill for Erecting of Hospitals and Work-houses within the City and County of Exon, for the better employing and maintaining the Poor there: And that Sir Edward and Sir Joseph Tily do prepare, and bring in, the Bill.

Houghton's Estate.

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; was read a Second time.

Resolved, That the Bill be committed to Sir Henry Hobart, Mr. England, Sir Jacob Ashley, Mr. Blofeild, Mr. Brotherton, Mr. Gardner, Mr. Gery, Mr. Rowney, Mr. Mountstevens, Sir Fra. Masham, Sir Wm. Lowther, Sir Geo. Hungerford, Mr. Lambton, Sir Edward Aiscough, Mr. Sandford, Mr. Palmer, Mr. Hedger, Sir Cha. Windham, Sir John Wolstenholm, Mr. Evelyn, Sir Tho. Roberts, Sir Robert Burdet, Mr. How, Sir Wm. Coriton, Sir John Kay, Mr. Philips, Colonel Lee, Sir Edward Seaward, Sir Wm. Honywood, Mr. Gwyn, Mr. Fuller, Mr. Ettrick, Mr. Fleming, Mr. Lowther, Mr. Mawdit, Mr. Thornhagh; and all that serve for the County of Norfolk: And they are to meet this Afternoon at Five a Clock, in the Speaker's Chamber.

Ettrick's Estate.

Ordered, That Leave be given to bring in a Bill to enable Ant. Ettrick Gentleman to sell Part of his late Wife's Lands, pursuant to Articles of Agreement made in her Life-time, for the Sale thereof.

Burlipp Roads.

Mr. How, according to Order, presented to the House, a Bill for Repair of the Highways from the Town of Burlipp, and the Top of Crickley-hill, in the County of Gloucester, to the City of Gloucester: And the same was received.

Ordered, That the Bill be read upon Wednesday Morning.

Leave of Absence.

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

Army Debts.

The House proceeded to take into Consideration the Report made the 8th Instant from the Committee, to whom the Petition of Mr. John Dorrell was referred:

And the same was read:

And the Resolutions being severally read a Second time, the same were, upon the Question severally put thereupon, agreed unto by the House.

Colchester Chanel.

Ordered, That Sir Geo. Hungerford, Mr. Bickerstaffe, Sir Tho. Davall Lord Spencer, Sir John Wolstenholme, Sir Tho. Day, Mr. Neale, be added to the Committee, to whom the Bill to cleanse, and make navigable, the Chanel from the Hythe at Colchester to Wivenhoe, is committed.

Estates given to superstitious Uses.

Ordered, That Sir William Strickland, Mr. Norton, Sir Henry Colt, Mr. Morgan, Sir William Ashurst, Mr. Bertie, Sir Wm. Cooper, Mr. Woodroffe, Sir Scroop How, Sir Stephan Evans, be added to the Committee, to whom the Bill for the better Discovery of Estates given to superstitious Uses is committed.

Leave of Absence.

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

Trade to Germany.

A Bill for supporting the Merchant-Adventurers of England in their Trade to Germany was, according to Order, read the First time.

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

Woollen Manufacture.

A Petition of the Bay-makers, Kersey-makers, and others concerned in the Woollen Manufacture, within the Town of Barnstable, in the County of Devon, was presented to the House, relating to the said Bill.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table till the Bill be read a Second time.

Punishing Knight for false indorssing Exchequer-Bills.

The Lord Marquis of Hartington, according to Order, reported, from the Committee of the whole House, to whom the Bill for punishing John Knight Esquire for false Indorsing of several Bills, made forth at the Receipt of Exchequer, commonly called Exchequer-Bills, was committed, the Amendments made by the Committee to the said Bill; 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, with some Amendments to some of them, agreed unto by the House.

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

Punishing Burton for false indorsing Exchequer-Bills.

The Lord Marquis of Hartington also reported, from the said Committee of the whole House, to whom the Bill for punishing Bartholomew Burton Gentleman for false Indorsing of several Bills, made forth at the Receipt of Exchequer, commonly called Exchequer-Bills, was committed, the Amendments made by the Committee to the said Bill; 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, with some Amendments to some of them, agreed unto by the House.

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

Earl of Macclesfield's Divorce.

The Order, for the House to resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of the ingrossed Bill, from the Lords, intituled, An Act for dissolving the Marriage between Charles Earl of Macclesfield, and Anne his Wife; and to illegitimate the Children of the said Anne; being read;

Ordered, That the Countess of Macclesfield's Counsel, and Witnesses, be heard, at the said Committee, against the said Bill.

Then the House, according to Order, resolved itself into the said Committee of the whole . . . . ., to consider of the said Bill.

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 Counsel for the Earl and Countess, and the Witnesses for the Earl; and had gone through the Bill; and directed him to report the same to the House, when the House will please to receive the same.

Ordered, That the Report be made To-morrow Morning.

Russia Trade.

Resolved, That this House will, upon Saturday Morning next, after the Committee of the whole House upon the Bill to settle the Trade to Africa, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of the Bill for encouraging and improving the Trade to Russia.

Committee of Privileges.

Ordered, That the Committee of Privileges and Elections be adjourned.

Timber in New-Forest.

Ordered, That the ingrossed Bill for the Increase and Preservation of the Timber in New-Forest be read a Third time upon this Day Sevennight.

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