House of Lords Journal Volume 20: 15 February 1718

DIE Sabbati, 15 Februarii.

Domini tam Spirituales quam Temporales præsentes fuerunt:

PRAYERS.

Basket & al. versus Watson:

After hearing Counsel, as well Yesterday as this Day, upon the Petition and Appeal of John Basket His Majesty's Printer in London, William, Agnes and Elizabeth Hamilton Grandchildren to the deceased Andrew Anderson His Majesty's Printer, and Archbald Campbell Husband to the said Agnes, and Patrick Alexander Husband to the said Elizabeth, for their Interests, and Mr. John Campbell Printer in Edinburgh, His Majesty's Printers in Scotland; complaining of an Interlocutor, or Decree, of the Lord Grange in Scotland, made the 8th of February 1715, and the Affirmance thereof by the Lords of Session the 17th of June 1715; and also of another Interlocutor, or Decree, of the said Lords of Session, of the 17th of July 1716; and likewise of another Interlocutor, or Decree, of the said Lord Grange, the 19th of the same July, whereby his Lordship decerned and declared (amongst other Things), "That James Watson, as One of His Majesty's Printers, might print Bibles and Acts of Parliament, and other Public Papers, and sell and dispose them in any Part of His Majesty's United Kingdom, or elsewhere;" and also of Two other Interlocutors of the said Lords of Session, made the 14th and 18th of December 1716, all on the Behalf of the said James Watson; and praying such Relief as to this House shall seem meet: As also upon the Answer of the said James Watson put in to the said Appeal; and due Consideration had of what was offered on either side in this Cause:

Judgement affirmed, with an Omission.

It is Ordered and Adjudged, by the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parliament assembled, That the said Interlocutor of the 19th of July 1716 be, and is hereby, so far varied, as that the Words aforementioned, videlicet, ["in any Part of His Majesty's United Kingdom, or elsewhere,"] be omitted; and that the said Interlocutor, or Decree, as to all other Parts thereof, as also the several other Interlocutors complained of in the said Appeal, be, and are hereby, affirmed.

Everard versus Aston.

The House being moved, on the Behalf of Elizabeth Aston Spinster, Respondent to the Appeal of Sir Redmond Everard Baronet, "That a short Day may be appointed for hearing the Cause:"

And the Clerk thereupon giving an Account, "That, pursuant to the late Method settled by Order of this House, for hearing Causes on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays only, there was no Day vacant till Friday the Fourteenth of March next:"

It is thereupon Ordered, That in regard the said Appeal was received by this House since the Time limited by the Standing Order, for receiving Appeals was expired, that the said Cause shall be heard, by Counsel, at the Bar, on Tuesday the Twenty-fifth Day of this Instant February, at Eleven a Clock.

State of the Coin, Report of Committee, about:

The Earl of Clarendon (according to Order) reported from the Committee, appointed to consider and report further Methods to prevent the melting down the Coins of this Kingdom, the Resolutions agreed to by the said Committee, as follow:

"That a Public Office should be erected, within The Tower of London or any other Place, which shall be thought more convenient for the melting of Foreign Silver.

Amended (fn. 1).

"That all Working Goldsmiths do melt in their open Shops, and in the Day-time only.

"That no Banker, or Receiver of the Public Taxes or Revenues, be permitted to have Melting Pots or Furnaces, for the melting of Gold or Silver, under Penalties to be ascertained by the Bill.

"That the Working Goldsmiths, and all other Persons who have Melting Pots or Furnaces, for melting Gold or Silver, be obliged to register the same at Goldsmiths Hall, in a Book to be kept there for that Purpose, under Penalties to be likewise ascertained by the Bill, the said Registers to be made gratis; and, whenever assigned, a new Register to be made, in the Person's Name to whom it is so assigned."

The said Resolutions were read by the Clerk.

And the First Resolution, being read a Second Time, was agreed to by the House.

Then, the Second Resolution being likewise read a Second Time, the same was agreed to; with the Addition of the Word ["only"] at the End thereof.

Then the other Resolutions were severally read a Second Time, and also agreed to.

Robbery, &c. to prevent, Bill.

The House (according to Order) was adjourned during Pleasure, and put into a Committee upon the Bill, intituled, "An Act for the further preventing Robbery, Burglary, and other Felonies; and the more effectual Transportation of Felons and unlawful Exporters of Wool."

And, after some Time spent therein, the House was resumed.

And the Earl of Clarendon reported from the said Committee, "That they had made some Progress in the Bill; and that he was directed by the Committee to move, that they may have Leave to sit again."

Ordered, That this House be, on Thursday next, put into a Committee again, to consider further of the said Bill.

Bone Lace Bill.

Whereas this Day was appointed, for the House to be in a Committee, on the Bill for Relief of the (fn. 2) Wholesale Traders in Bone Lace:

It is Ordered, That this House shall be put into a Committee thereupon, on Thursday next.

Coin Bill.

Ordered, That the Bill prepared, and which was delivered in by the Judges on Tuesday last, intituled, "An Act for encouraging the bringing of Foreign Bullion into the Mint, to be coined, and to prevent the melting the current Coin of this Kingdom," be read the First Time on Monday next.

Newcastle Hospital Bill.

The Lord Archbishop of York reported from the Lords Committees, to whom the Bill, intituled, "An Act for vesting several Lands, belonging to the Master, Brethren, and Sisters, of the Hospital of The Holy Jesus, in Newcastle upon Tyne, in Trustees, to be sold; and for settling on the said Master, Brethren, and Sisters, a perpetual Yearly Rent of One Hundred and Eighty-five Pounds, in clear Money, in Lieu of the said Lands," was committed: "That they had considered the said Bill, and found the Allegations thereof to be true; that the necessary Consents were produced; and that the Committee had gone through the Bill, and made some Amendments thereunto."

Which were read Twice, and agreed to.

Ordered, That the said Bill, with the Amendments, be engrossed.

Messages from H. C. with Bills.

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

With a Bill, intituled, "An Act for repairing the Highways, from Crown Corner in the Town of Reading, (leading by) and through the several Parishes of Shinfield and Heckfield, in the several Counties of Berks, Wilts, and Southampton, to Basingstoke, in the said County of Southampton;" to which they desire the Concurrence of this House.

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

With a Bill, intituled, "An Act for finishing the Tower of the Parish Church of St. Michael Cornhill, London, out of the Duties arising pursuant to the Act of the Ninth Year of the late Queen, for building Fifty new Churches, in and about the Cities of London and Westminster, and the Suburbs thereof;" to which they desire the Concurrence of this House.

The said Bill last mentioned was read the First Time.

Bristol Workhouses Bill.

Hodie 1^a vice lecta est Billa, intituled, "An Act for the better explaining several Acts therein mentioned, for erecting of Hospitals and Workhouses within the City of Bristol, for the employing and maintaining the Poor thereof; and for making the said Acts more effectual."

Ordered, That the said Bill be read a Second Time on Thursday next.

Adjourn.

Dominus Cancellarius declaravit præsens Parliamentum continuandum esse usque ad et in diem Lunæ, decimum septimum diem instantis Februarii, hora undecima Aurora, Dominis sic decernentibus.