House of Commons Journal Volume 12: 5 February 1698

Sabbati, 5 die Februarii ;

Nono Gulielmi Tertii.

Prayers.

Petition from Manchester.

A PETITION of the Borough-Reve, Constables, Merchants, Tradesmen, and other chief Inhabitants, of Manchester in the County of Lancaster, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That * * * *

Transport Service.

A Petition of divers Merchants, Owners, and Masters of Ships, in the Town of Dartmouth, and Parts adjacent, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners, in 1693, contracted with his Majesty's Commissioners for Transport-Service, for several Ships, which the Petitioners equipped and dispatched, as they were directed, into his Majesty's Service; but are not paid for the same; and, for want of their Money, are reduced to great Streights: And praying, That Consideration may be had of their said Debt.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee, to whom the States, Estimates, and Accounts, presented to the House, are referred: And that they do examine the Matter; and report the same to the House.

Woollen Manufactures.

A Petition of Nicholas Garrett and Alexander Garrett, Manufacturers of Silk and Hair Stuffs called Prunellos, in behalf of themselves, and others, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the House having given Instruction to the Committee of the whole House, to whom the Bill to encourage the Woolen Manufactures is committed, That they receive a Clause to oblige all Judges, Magistrates, Students and others, of the Law, to wear Gowns made of the Woolen Manufacture, the Petitioners conceive, if a Clause for that Purpose should pass into a Law, it will be the Ruin of the Petitioners, and many poor People employed by them; and of no Advantage to the Woolen Manufacture, in Regard the Hair and Silk are the Returns of our Woolen Cloth: And praying, That the said Clause may not pass into a Law.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee of the whole House, to whom the Bill to encourage the Woolen Manufacture in England; and to restrain the Exportation of the Woolen Manufactures from Ireland into foreign Parts; and for the preventing the Exportation of Wool from England and Ireland; is committed.

Ditto.

A Petition of the Dyers, Setters, Callenders, and Pressers, living in and about the City of Coventry, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That Perpetuanas, Serges, and Stuffs, did formerly receive their full Manufacture in England, before they were exported; but, of late Years, Foreigners, and others, export them white, to the great Impoverishment of many Thousands, who were employed in the said Trades, and to the great Diminution of the King's Customs: And praying, That the Exportation of the Woollen Manufactures white may be discouraged.

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.

Duties on Leather.

A Petition of the Tanners, Curriers, Cordwainers, Sadlers, Glovers, and other Artificers trading in the Making, Cutting, and dressing of Leather, in the Town and Borough of Pontefract, and other adjacent Places, in the County of York, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the high Duties upon Leather, and the Severity of the Collectors in gathering it, hath almost rendered the Petitioners incapable of carrying on their Trades; and if the said Duty be continued, it will be their utter Ruin: And praying 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; and report the same, with their Opinion therein, to the House.

Ayre and Calder Navigation.

A Petition of the Towns of Ratchdale and Colne, in the County of Lancaster, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the making the Rivers Ayre and Calder, in the West-Riding of the County of York, navigable, will very much redound to the Improvement of Trade, not only of the Towns of Leeds and Wakefield, but also all other Towns concerned in the Northern Cloth Trade: And praying, That a Bill may be brought in for that Purpose.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table, until the Bill for making the said Rivers navigable be read a Second time.

Ditto.

A Petition of the Inhabitants of the Town of Huddersfield, in the West-Riding of the County of York, was presented to the House, and read: setting forth, That making the Rivers Ayre and Calder, in the West-Riding of the County of York, navigable, will be a very great Advantage to Trade, and save the great Expence, and sometimes Damage, of Land-Carriage by reason of the Badness of the Ways: And praying, That a Bill may pass for making the said Rivers navigable.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table until the Bill for making the said Rivers navigable be read a Second time.

Ditto.

A Petition of the Town of Hallifax, in the WestRiding of the County of York, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners are at present forced to carry their Goods many Miles by Land-Carriage for Sale; which is very chargeable, besides the Damage which often happens to their Cloth, by reason of the Badness of the Roads; all which might be prevented, if the Rivers Ayre and Calder, in the WestRiding of the County of York, were made navigable: And praying, That a Bill may be brought in for that Purpose.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table until the Bill for making the said Rivers navigable be read a Second time.

Duty on Glass.

A Petition of several Owners of Glass-works, in or near the Cities of London and Westminster, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That by their said Trade they formerly maintained themselves and Families very comfortably; but the great Duty said upon Glasswares has so lessened the Consumption of that Manufacture, and the Petitioners Employments therein, that if the Duty be continued the same will utterly ruin the Petitioners: And praying Relief therein.

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.

A Person allowed to have a Paper before the House.

Ordered, That Mr. Francis Molyneux have, from the Clerk of this House, a Book, which he delivered to the Commissioners, for examining, taking, and stating, the publick Accounts; giving Security to return the same in Six Days next after his having the same.

Farrington's Estates.

An ingrossed Bill, from the Lords, intituled, An Act for vesting in Trustees, to be sold, certain Lands of George Farrington Esquire, lying in the Counties of Middlesex and Surrey, settled upon the Marriage of William Farrington his Nephew; and, with the Money arising thereby, for purchasing of other Lands in Lancashire, where the ancient Estate of the Family lies, to be settled to the same Uses; was read the First time.

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

Escapes of Debtors.

Ordered, That Sir Roger Bradshaw, Sir John Manwaring, Mr. Sandys, Mr. Palmer, Mr. Venables, Mr. Swift, Mr. Stanley, Mr. Stonehouse, Sir Fra. Masham, Mr. Machell, Mr. Woodroffe, Mr. Watlington, Mr. Freke, Mr. Cooper, Mr. Perry, Mr. Tilney, be added to the Committee, to whom the Petition of John Woodward is referred.

Kinnersly's Estate.

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

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

Salmon Preservation.

A Bill for the Increase and Preservation of Salmon, and the Fry of Salmon, in the Rivers of this Kingdom, according to Order, was read a Second time.

Resolved, That the Bill be committed to * * * *.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the several Petitions relating to the said Bill, which were said upon the Table until the Bill was read the Second time, be referred to the Committee, to whom the said Bill is committed.

Exporting Watches.

Ordered, That the Bill to explain the Act, made in the 7th and 8th Years of his Majesty's Reign, intituled, An Act to encourage the bringing Plate into the Mints to be coined, and for the further remedying the ill State of the Coin of the Kingdom; so as to give Leave for the exporting Watches, Sword-Hilts, and other Manufactures of Silver; be read a Second time, upon Tuesday Morning next.

Woollen Manufactures.

Then the House resolved itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider further of the Bill to encourage the Woolen Manufacture in England; and to restrain the Exportation of Woolen Manufactures from Ireland into foreign Parts; and for the better preventing the Exportation of Wool from England and Ireland.

Mr. Speaker left the Chair.

Sir John Ellwill took the Chair of the Committee.

Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair.

Sir John Ellwill reported from the said Committee, That they had gone through the Bill, and made several Amendments; which they had directed him to report, when the House will please to receive the same.

Ordered, That the Report be made upon Monday Morning next.

Preventing Corruption of Juries.

Resolved, That this House will, upon this Day Sevennight, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of the Bill to prevent the Corrupting of Juries.

False indorsing Exchequer Bills.

Then Mr. Doddington, Mr. Bateman, Mr. Abbot, Mr. Herne, and Mr. Darby, were severally called in; and examined, touching the Evidence given to this House, upon Thursday last, by Mr. John Powell Merchant, in relation to the false Indorsement of Exchequer Bills.

And then they severally withdrew.

Then Mr. Doddington, Mr. Bateman, Mr. Abbot, and Mr. Herne, were called in, with Mr. Powell; and they confronted him.

And then they withdrew.

Resolved, That the Evidence given by Mr. John Powell, at the Bar of this House, in relation to the false Indorsement of Exchequer-Bills, for which he vouched Mr. Doddington, Mr. Bateman, Mr. Abbott, and Mr. Hern, appears to this House on Examination, to be false.

Ordered, That Mr. Powell be brought in; and, at the Bar, receive a Reprimand, upon his Knees, from Mr. Speaker.

And he was brought in to the Bar; and, upon his Knees, received a Reprimand from Mr. Speaker accordingly.

Buying and selling- Offices.

Ordered, That the Bill to prevent the Buying and Selling of Offices, and Places of Trust, be read upon this Day Sevennight.

Committees.

Ordered, That all Committees be adjourned.

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