House of Commons Journal Volume 12: 11 January 1698

Martis, 11 die Januarii;

Nono Gulielmi Tertii.

Prayers.

Duties on Leather.

A PETITION of the Stewards, Fellmongers, Leather-dressers, and Glovers, in the ancient Corporation of Denbigh, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners Trades being mean, and a Duty of 3 s. per Pound Value being lately laid upon Leather, it utterly ruins their Trades and Families: 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; and report the same, with their Opinion therein, to the House.

Ditto.

A Petition of the Inhabitants of the Borough and Parish of Horsham, in the County of Sussex, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Duty upon Oil and Alum-Leather hath caused a great Decay of Trade; so that many poor People, who before got a competent Living, are now ready to perish for want of Work; and will fall to the Parish, if not speedily relieved: And praying, That the said Duty may be moderated, or 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.

Ditto.

A Petition of the Tanners and Skinners of the Corporation of Rippon, in the West Riding of the County of York, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That by a Clause in the late Act for laying a Duty upon Leather, all Leather shall be first brought to, and sold in, some open Fair or Market; and, when sold, the real Price thereof shall be registred; with the Number of Hides, Skins, and Pieces of Leather, under certain Penalties; so that, by reason of the Greatness of the Duty, and the Restraint of the said Act, the Manufacture of Leather is much impaired, and the Petitioners hindered from Sales in their Shops; whereby the Retail Trade is so much leffened; and the Petitioners are in great Danger of being ruined thereby: And praying the Consideration of the House, and Relief in the Premises.

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.

Ditto.

A Petition of the Tanners inhabiting in the Town and Borough of Chesterfield, and Parts adjacent, in the County of Derby, was presented to the House, and read, setting forth, That the Petitioners conceive it was intended by laying a Duty upon Leather, that all Persons should pay proportionably; but they find the contrary; for that they now sell their Leather at very little or no higher Prices, than before the Duty; so that the Burden entirely falls on the Petitioners: And praying. That some speedy Relief may be given to their sinking Conditions.

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; and report the same, with their Opinion therein, to the House.

Maesacker's &c. Nat.

An ingrossed Bill, from the Lords, intituled, An Act for the Naturalization of Gerrard Maesacker, and others, was read a Second time.

Resolved, That the Bill be committed to Mr. Gwynn, Sir Henry Colt, Sir Sam. Barnardiston, Mr. Harvey, Mr. White, Mr. Fleming, Sir Wm. Ashurst, Sir Robert Burdet, Mr. Machell, Mr. Moore, Mr. Ash, Sir John Bolles, Mr. Bridges, Sir Thomas Davall, Mr. Hungerford, Mr. Bowyer, Mr. Turgis, Mr. Moyle, Mr. Foley, Lord Pawlet, Mr. Phillips, Sir Math. Andrews, Sir John Elwell, Mr. Hammond, Sir Jos. Tily, Mr. Hooper, Mr. Tayler, Mr. Mountstevens, Mr. Thornhagh, Mr. Fuller, Mr. Gray, Mr. Colt, Mr. Lampton, Mr. Mawdit, Sir Fra. Masham, Mr. Vincent, Mr. Perry, Mr. Blofeild: And they are to meet this Afternoon at Four a Clock, in the Speaker's Chamber.

Bampfyld's Estate.

A 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 Bampsyld; was read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time.

Leave of Absence.

Ordered, That Sir St. Andrew St. John have Leave to go into the Country for Three Weeks, his Lady being very ill.

The Wife of a person in Custody, has leave to go to her Husband.

A Petition of Susanna Burton was presented to the House, and read; praying, That this House would please to grant Leave for her to resort to, and that a Servant might reside with, her Husband, Mr. Barth. Burton, in his Confinement in Newgate.

Ordered, That the said Mrs. Burton have Leave to resort to her Husband, and a Servant to reside with him, in Newgate.

Medical attendance allowed to a person in Custody.

Mr. Speaker acquainted the House, That the Chief Governor of the Tower had been with him this Morning, and informed him, That Mr. John Knight was very ill; and desired, That his Doctor and Apothecary might have Leave to resort to him.

Ordered, That the said Mr. Knight's Doctor and Apothecary have Leave to resort to him in the Tower.

Leave of Absence.

Ordered, That Sir Thomas Day have Leave to go into the Country for Three Weeks, his Lady being very ill.

Trade with Ireland.

A Petition of the Mayor, Aldermen, Capital Burgesses, and other Inhabitants, of the Borough of Barnstable in the County of Devon, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That since the Reduction of Ireland, many Persons well skilled in the Woollen Manufactures are gone and settled there; and have much improved that Trade, so that, by the abundant Plenty of that Kingdom, they can afford to sell those Commodities much cheaper than the English; which much lessens and may be ruin the Trade of England, and hinders the employing many Thousand poor People here: And praying, That the House will take into Consideration the present Circumstances of this Kingdom, and the Kingdom of Ireland, in respect of the Woollen Manufactures, by providing so far towards the effectual Support of the Trade of this Kingdom, that the Irish Woollen Manufactures may not come cheaper to Foreigners than English, nor England fall into Decay by the flourishing Estate of Ireland,

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

A Message from the Lords, by Sir Miles Cook and Sir John Hoskins:

Mr. Speaker,

Preventing Correspondence with late King James.

The Lords do not insist upon their Amendment, to which this House hath disagreed, to the Bill, intituled, An Act against corresponding with the late King James, and his Adherents.

And then the Messengers withdrew.

Preventing throwing Squibs, &c.

Sir Henry Dutton Colt reported from the Committee, to whom the Bill to prevent the Throwing and Firing of Squibs, Serpents, and other Fireworks, was committed, That they had made several Amendments to the Bill; which they had directed him to report to the House; and 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.

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

Answer to Address.

The Lord Ranelagh acquainted the House, That their Address having been presented to his Majesty, That he will please to cause an Account of the Number of the Militia of this Kingdom to be laid before this House, his Majesty had been pleased to give Order, That the Papers relating thereunto should be looked up and laid before this House.

Grants from the Crown.

Ordered, That the Secretary of the Treasury do lay before this House, an Account of all Grants, made since the 3d Day of December 1696.

A Person in Custody to be brought up.

Ordered, That the Keeper of Newgate do bring Mr. Barth. Burton to this House To-morrow Morning.

Supply.

The House, according to the Order of the Day, resolved itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider further of the Supply to be granted to his Majesty.

Mr. Speaker left the Chair.
Sir Thomas Littleton took the Chair of the Committee.
Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair.

Sir Thomas Littleton 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 Thursday Morning next, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider further of the Supply to be granted to his Majesty.

Timber in New Forest.

Resolved, That this House will, upon Friday Morning next, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of the Bill for Increase and Preservation of Timber in the New Forest, in the County of Southampton: And that all Persons who were ordered to attend this Day, in relation thereunto, do then attend again.

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