House of Lords Journal Volume 17: 4 May 1702

DIE Lunæ, 4 Maii.

Domini tam Spirituales quam Temporales præsentes fuerunt:

PRAYERS.

Bury's Bill.

The Lord Jeffreys reported from the Lords Committees, the Bill, intituled, "An Act to enable Trustees to make Sale of Part of the Estate of Humphry Bury, for paying off a Mortgage and Portion charged thereupon," as fit to pass, with some Amendments.

Which were read Twice, and agreed to.

Hodie 3^a vice lecta est Billa, intituled, "An Act to enable Trustees to make Sale of Part of the Estate of Humphry Bury, for paying off a Mortgage and Portion charged thereupon."

The Question was put, "Whether this Bill, with the Amendments, shall pass?"

It was Resolved in the Affirmative.

Message to H. C. with Amendments to it.

A Message was sent to the House of Commons, by Sir Richard Holford and Mr. Pitt:

To return the said Bill, and desire their Concurrence to their Lordships Amendments made thereto.

Greenland Trade, Bill.

Hodie 2^a vice lecta est Billa, intituled, "An Act for the enlarging and encouraging the Greenland Trade."

ORDERED, That the said Bill be committed to a Committee of the whole House, presently.

Then the House was adjourned during Pleasure, and put into a Committee upon the said Bill.

After some Time, the House was resumed.

And the Earl of Stamford reported, "That the Committee had gone through the said Bill; and think it fit to pass, without any Amendment."

Hodie 3^a vice lecta est Billa, intituled, "An Act for the enlarging and encouraging the Greenland Trade."

The Question was put, "Whether this Bill shall pass?"

It was Resolved in the Affirmative.

ORDERED, That the Commons have Notice, that the Lords have agreed to the said Bill, without any Amendment.

Subsidy and Land Tax Bill.

Hodie 3^a vice lecta est Billa, intituled, "An Act for granting an Aid to Her Majesty, by divers Subsidies, and a Land Tax."

The Question was put, "Whether this Bill shall pass?"

It was Resolved in the Affirmative.

ORDERED, That the Commons have Notice, that the Lords have agreed to the said Bill, without any Amendment.

Queen's Message concerning War.

The Lord President, by Her Majesty's Command, acquainted the House, "That Her Majesty, according to the Grand Convention with the Emperor and The States General, was obliged, after Two Months, to declare a War as the Fourth Instant; and that the Emperor and States General are to do the same; and that Her Majesty had accordingly given Order for proclaiming a War this Day;" and delivered a Translation of the Convention, signed by the Plenipotentiaries.

Which was read, as follows; (videlicet,)

Convention with the Emperor and The States General.

"Whereas, in the Third Article of the Alliance between His Imperial Majesty, His Britannic Majesty, and the Lords The States General of the United Provinces of the Low Countries, concluded the Seventh of September in the Year One Thousand Seven Hundred and One, it was stipulated, That they should employ Two Months, to endeavour to obtain, in an amicable Way, a reasonable Satisfaction for His Imperial Majesty, in relation to the Spanish Succession; and for His Britannic Majesty and the said Lords The States General, a particular and sufficient Security for their Kingdoms, Dominions, and Provinces: That these Two Months are long since elapsed, without seeing the least Appearance of an Accommodation; that, on the contrary, the Most Christian King continues resolved to keep the whole Monarchy of Spain entirely for His Grandson, and to unite it closely with the Monarchy of France; that, to this End, these Two Powers join their Arms in Italy and in the Netherlands; that the Troops of France have since invaded and seized all the Country of Cologne and Liege, and they fortify themselves there in like Manner as they do in all The Spanish Low Countries; that, by these Means, they keep The United Provinces blocked up; and, moreover, the French King threatens to attack them with His numerous Armies, unless the said Lords The States General do what He desires: Now the said Allies, not judging it convenient to suffer themselves to be deluded any longer, have agreed, pursuant to the Fourth Article of the said Alliance, to join their Forces, and to declare War by Sea and by Land against the Most Christian King and His Grandson; and this Declaration shall be made at the same Time, the Fourth/Fifteenth; Day of May of the present Year One Thousand Seven Hundred and Two, on the Part of His Imperial Majesty, in all His Hereditary Countries; on the Part of Her Britannic Majesty, in all Her Kingdoms, Dominions, and Countries; and on the Part of the said Lords The States General, through the whole Extent of their Territories.

"In Witness whereof, Six Copies have been made of this Convention; Two of which are signed by the Plenipotentiaries of His Imperial Majesty, One at London, and the other at The Hague; Two others by the Plenipotentiary of Her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain at London; and the remaining Two by the underwritten Deputies of The States General, at The Hague: And the said Plenipotentiaries and Deputies have set their Seals thereunto.

"Done at The Hague, the Eighteenth of April 1702.

Address of Thanks, for the Declaration of War:

Then the Lords following were appointed a Committee, to draw an Address of Thanks, to be presented to Her Majesty, for Her Majesty's Declaration of War, &c. (videlicet,)

Their Lordships, or any Three of them; to withdraw presently, into the Prince's Lodgings.

Address reported.

Then the House was adjourned during Pleasure; and the Lords went to the Committee.

After some Time, the House was resumed.

And the Lord Steward reported, "That the Committee had drawn an Address, to be presented to Her Majesty."

Which was read, and agreed to, as follows; (videlicet,)

"We, Your Majesty's most dutiful and loyal Subjects, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parliament assembled, do return Your Majesty our most humble Thanks, for laying before us the Convention made by Your Majesty with the Emperor and The States General, in order to a concurrent Declaration of War against France and Spain, and of Your Royal Intention to declare the War accordingly; and beg Leave to assure Your Majesty, that we shall never be wanting, to give Your Majesty our utmost Assistance in the prosecuting so just and necessary a War; on the good Success whereof, under God, the Welfare of these Your Kingdoms, and the Liberties of Europe, do entirely depend."

Lords with White Staves to attend the Queen.

It is ORDERED, by the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parliament assembled, That the Lords with White Staves do attend Her Majesty, humbly to know what Time Her Majesty will be pleased to appoint for this House to attend Her, with the Address.

Report of Papers being found amongst the late King's, to the Prejudice of Her Majesty's Succession, voted false and scandalous:

The House being informed, "That there hath been a Report spread abroad, That, amongst the late King's Papers, some Paper or Papers had been found, tending to the Prejudice of Her present Majesty, or Her Succession to the Crown;" and the Lord President, the Lord Steward, the Lord Chamberlain, the Earl of Marlborough, and the Earl of Albemarle, who were the Persons appointed by Her Majesty to inspect the said Papers, having, at the Desire of the House, severally declared, "That, amongst the late King's Papers, they did not see or find any Paper or Papers in the least tending to the Prejudice of Her Majesty, or Her Succession to the Crown, or to Her Prejudice in any respect whatsoever, or which might give any Ground or Colour for such Report:"

It is thereupon Resolved, by the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parliament assembled, That the said Report is groundless, false, villainous, and scandalous, to the Dishonour of the late King's Memory, and highly tending to the Disservice of Her present Majesty.

Publishers of the Report, Address for Prosecution of.

It is ORDERED, by the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parliament assembled, That the Matter of Fact aforesaid, and the Resolution of this House thereupon, be laid before Her Majesty, by his Grace the Duke of Bolton, the Earl Marshal, the Earl of Radnor, the Earl of Stamford, the Earl of Scarbrough, and the Lord Ferrers; and that they do humbly desire Her Majesty, from this House, "That Her Majesty will give Order to Mr. Attorney General, to prosecute, with the utmost Severity of Law, the Authors or Publishers of the abovementioned or such like scandalous Reports."

History of last Parliament, Printers to attend about.

The House taking Notice of some Expressions in a Book published, intituled, "The History of the last Parliament, begun at Westminster, the Tenth Day of February, in the Twelfth Year of the Reign of King William, Anno Domini 1700, and printed by Francis Coggan, in the Inner Temple Lane, Robert Gibson, in Middle Row, and Thomas Hodgson, over against Grays Inn Gate, in Holbourne:"

It is ORDERED, by the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parliament assembled, That the said Francis Coggan, Robert Gibson, and Thomas Hodgson, shall and they are hereby required to attend this House on Saturday next, at Eleven a Clock.

Tom Double, Author and Printer of to be discovered.

ORDERED, by the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parliament assembled, That the Master and Wardens of the Stationers Company do take special Care to find out the Author and Printer of the Pamphlet, intituled, "Tom Double returned out of the Country, or the true Picture of a modern Whig, set forth in a Second Dialogue between Mr. Whiglove and Mr. Double, at The Rummer Taverne, in Queen Street;" and that they attend this House on Saturday next, at Eleven a Clock to give an Account of what they have done in this Matter.

Message from H. C. with a Bill.

A Message from the House of Commons, by Mr. Bridges and others:

Who brought up a Bill, intituled, "An Act for making Provision for the Protestant Children of the Earl of Clanriccard and the Lord Bophin;" to which they desire the Concurrence of this House.

E. of Clanriccard and L. Bophin's Protestant Children, Bill.

Hodie 1^a vice lecta est Billa, intituled, "An Act for the making Provision for the Protestant Children of the Earl of Clanriccard and the Lord Bophin."

ORDERED, That the said Bill shall lie on the Table; and that the House be summoned before the Second Reading thereof.

Message from H. C. with a Bill.

A Message from the House of Commons, by Mr. Cooke and others:

Who brought up a Bill, intituled, "An Act for the Relief of Francis Earl of Carling ford and others, against several Outlawries in the County of Tiperary, in Ireland;" to which they desire the Concurrence of this House.

E. of Carlingford's Bill.

Hodie 1^a vice lecta est Billa, intituled, "An Act for the Relief of Francis Earl of Carling ford and others, against several Outlawries in the County of Tiperary, in Ireland."

ORDERED, That the said Bill shall lie on the Table; and that the House be summoned before the Second Reading thereof.

Sir W. Ashurst's Bill.

ORDERED, That the House be put into a Committee on Sir W'm Ashurst's Bill, on Wednesday next, at Eleven a Clock.

Adjourn.

Dominus Custos Magni Sigilli declaravit præsens Parliamentum continuandum esse usque in diem Martis, quintum diem instantis Maii, hora undecima Auroræ, Dominis sic decernentibus.