House of Commons Journal Volume 10: 5 April 1689

Veneris, 5 die Aprilis, 1° Willielmi et Mariæ.

Prayers.

LEWIS James de Vasseur Cognes took the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy, in the First Year of their Majesties Reign, at the Table, in order to his Naturalization.

Cricklade Return amended.

The House being informed, that the Bailiffs of the Borough of Cricklade in the County of Wilts, and the Clerk of the Crown, attended at the Door, to amend the Return for the said Borough;

They were called in: And the Bailiff amended the same accordingly, razing out the Name of Edm. Webb, Esquire, and inserting the Name of Thomas-Freke, Esquire, in the Stead thereof.

And then they withdrew.

And Mr. Freke was introduced into the House, according to the Order of the House in that Behalf.

Count Schombergh's, &c. Nat.

A Bill for Naturalizing Frederick Count Schombergh, and others was read the Second time.

Resolved, That the said Bill be committed to Mr. Attorney General, Sir Rob. Howard, Sir Fran. Russell, Mr. Ettericke, Mr. Dalben, Mr. Poole, Sir Christopher Musgrave, Mr. Blake, Sir Henry Goodrick, Mr. Paul Foley, Sir Charles Rawleigh, Mr. Buscawen, Sir Hen. Johnson, Mr. Arnold, Sir Rob. Daverse, Mr. Stockdale, Lord Coote, Sir Rob. Cotton, Sir Trevor Williams, Mr. Sacheverell, Sir Wm. Honeywood, Sir John Knight, Sir Edw. Aiscough, Sir Wm. Blackett, Mr. Eyres, Sir Jos. Tredenham, Sir Rob. Dashwood, Sir Rob. Nappier, Sir Tho. Lee, Sir John Wyn, Sir Walter Carew, Mr. Norreis, Mr. Harbord, Mr. Hen. Herbert, Sir Hen. Capell, Sir Robert Cotton, Sir Wm. Thomson, Mr. R. Russell: And they are to meet this Afternoon, at Four of the Clock, in the Speaker's Chamber.

Navy and Army.

Mr. Papillion reports from the Committee, to whom it was referred to consider what Sum may be necessary to allow, by the Year, for the Charge of a Summer and Winter Guard at Sea, and Guards and Garisons at Land, and the Office of Ordnance, in Time of Peace, out of 1,200,000l.. per Annum to be settled upon their Majesties, for the constant necessary Charge of supporting the Crown, in Time of Peace; that the Committee, having taken the same into their Consideration, had agreed upon several Resolves: Which he read in his Place; and afterwards delivered the said Resolves in at the Clerk's Table: Where the same being read, are as followeth:

Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That Forty-eight Men of War, Fire Ships, Yatchs, and Ketches, with 7,040 Men, are necessary for a Summer and Winter Guard at Sea, in a Time of Peace.

Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That, for the Charge of the said Ships, including the Charge of the Ordnance, there be allowed 4l.. per Man per Month; which, for 7,040 Men, amounts to 28,160l.. per Month; and for One Year, of Thirteen Months, at Twenty-eight Days per Month, comes to 366,080l..

Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That the Sum of 200,000l.. is necessary to be allowed, for the annual Charge of Guards and Garisons at Land, in Time of Peace.

Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That the Sum of 22,600l.. is necessary to be allowed, for the annual Charge of the Office of the Ordnance, in furnishing and supplying the Arms, Ammunition, Stores, and other Necessaries; and for maintaining the Platforms and Carriages for the Guards and Garisons, in Time of Peace.

He also delivered in an Account of the Number of Ships of War, and other Vessels, necessary for a Summer and Winter Guard at Sea, in Time of Peace; with their several Stations, Quality of Ships, and Number of Men: Which were also read at the Table; and is as followeth:

And further acquainted the House, That the Committee had not, in their Report, inserted the Charge of the Navy, commonly called the Ordinary, which they find generally to be about 130,000l.. per Ann.; they conceiving the same not to be included in their Order; but is a constant and necessary Charge; and to be allowed out of the general Settlement of 1,200,000l.. per Annum for the Revenue: And that the Officers of the Ordnance had also informed the Committee, that there is an ordinary Charge in the Office, for Salaries, travelling Charges, and other Contingencies, which they affirm amounts unto 18,250l.. per Annum: Which is also allowed to be out of the said general Settlement of 1,200,000l.. per Annum.

The first of the said Resolves being read a Second Time;

Resolved, That the House do agree with the Committee, That Forty-eight Men of War, Fire Ships, Yatchs, and Ketches, with 7,040 Men, are necessary, for a Summer and Winter Guard at Sea, in Time of Peace.

The Second of the said Resolves being read the Second time;

Resolved, That the House doth agree with the Committee, That, for the Charge of the said Ships, including the Charge of the Ordnance, there be allowed 4l.. per Man per Month; which, for 7,040 Men, amounts to 28,160l.. per Month; and, for One Year of Thirteen Months, at Twenty-eight Days per Month, comes to 366,080l..

The Third of the said Resolves being read a Second time;

Resolved, That this House do agree with the Committee, That the Sum of 200,000l.. . . . necessary to be allowed for the annual Charge of Guards and Garisons, at Land, in Time of Peace.

The Fourth of the said Resolves being read a Second time;

Resolved, That this House doth agree with the Committee, That the Sum of 22,600l.. is necessary to be allowed, for the annual Charge of the Office of the Ordnance, in furnishing and supplying the Arms, Ammunition, Stores, and other Necessaries, and for maintaining the Platforms and Carriages for the Guards and Garisons, in Time of Peace.

Resolved, That this House do, upon Monday Morning next, at Ten of the Clock, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of the King's Revenue.

Ordered, That it be referred to the same Committee, to take the Matter of the said Report into Consideration.

Treaty with Holland.

Mr. Papillion also reports from the said Committee, to whom the Consideration of the Summer and Winter Guards was referred; to whom it was also referred, to consider of the Extract of the Treaty with the States of Holland; and an Estimate of what Fleet will be necessary for this Summer's Service; That, they having taken the Matter aforesaid into their Consideration, had agreed upon a Resolve: Which he read in his Place; and afterwards delivered the same in at the Clerk's Table: Where the same being read, is as followeth:

Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That 4l.. 5s. for each Man per Month, of Twenty-eight Days, in a Time of War, is an indifferent Estimate for the Charge of the Wear and Tear of the Ships of War, of the Wages and Victuals for the Men, and of the Charge of the Ordnance and Ammunition, and all other incident Charges.

He also acquainted the House, from the Committee, That the Committee could not examine what Number of Men were required for the Sixty-five Ships of War, and Eight Fire Ships; there being no List of the Quality of the said Ships, as mentioned in the Estimate; and so cannot assert what the total Charge of the said Ships amounts to: Neither could the Committee examine, what Number of Men were necessary for the other Twenty-two Ships of War, and Two Fire Ships; not having any Particular of the Names of the Ships, nor the Project mentioned in the Estimate delivered to the House: But if the Sixty-five Ships, and Eight Fire Ships, have 17,155 Men employed on them, the same, at 4l.. 5s. per Man, will amount to 72,908l.. 15s. per Month; and, for a Year of 13 Months, to 947,813l.. 15s.

And the Wages is not payable till the End of the Year.

And, it appearing to the Committee, by the Treaty and separate Articles, made between the King of England, and the States General of the United Netherlands, the Third of March 1677-8, That the King of England is obliged to assist the States General with 10,000 Foot, and Twenty Ships of War, at his own Charge, in case the said States were attacked, and required the same; and that the States, per contra, are obliged to assist the King of England with 6,000 Foot, and Twenty Ships of War, in like case, if He was attacked, and required the same; and that, after Two Months, it should be in the Choice of the Party attacked to require the Continuance of the said Assistance or an open Rupture; and there being no Signification to this Committee, of the Quality of the Ships, and Number of Men to be employed in them, nor whether the said Assistance be insisted upon, or an open Rupture, the Committee conceived themselves in no Capacity to give any Opinion thereupon.

That, it requiring a considerable Time to have a true Information of the State of the Fleet, and to examine the same, the Committee are of Opinion, and ordered, that Report be made to the House of their Opinion, touching the Estimate; and to acquaint the House of the Reasons, why they cannot, at present, give any Opinion of the other Matters abovesaid.

Resolved, That the said Report do lie upon the Table.

Customhouse Officers.

A Petition of several Merchants and Traders in and about the City of London, and other Ports, complaining of several Exactions and undue Proceedings of the Commissioners and other Officers of the Customs, was read.

Resolved, That it be referred to Sir Robert Clayton, Mr. Papillion, Sir Ch. Raleigh, Sir Wm. Blacket, Sir Edw. Harley, Mr. Bickerstaffe, Mr. Gwyn, Mr. Elwell, Sir Robert Davers, Sir H. Goodrick, Mr. Parker, Sir Jos. Tredenham, Sir Rich. Hart, Mr. Tho. Foley, Colonel Birch, Sir Geo. Willoughby, Mr. Thomson, Sir H. Johnson, Sir John Knight, Sir Wm. Williams, Sir Rich. Temple, Mr. Williams, Mr. Gurway, Mr. Grubb, Mr. Done, Mr. Dalben, Mr. Edw. Thomson, Lord Falkland, Mr. Palmes, Mr. Manwaring, Mr. Fuller, Sir Fran. Russell, Sir Walt. Young; and all the Members that serve for the Sea-port Towns; to examine the Matter of the said Petition, and report the same, with their Opinions therein, to the House. And they are to meet on Monday next, at Four of the Clock in the Afternoon, in the Duchy Chamber: And are impowered to send for Persons, Papers, and Records.

A Petition of the Linen Merchants of the City of Norwich, complaining also of divers Severities and Abuses of the Custom Officers, was read.

Resolved, That it be referred to the same Committee, to examine the Matter of the said Petition; and report the same to the House.

Cartwright's &c. Petition.

A Petition of John Cartwright, and others, was offered to be read:

Resolved, That the Petitioners be called in, to own the same.

Accordingly Walter Lawrence, * Callford, and David Waine came in to the Bar; and owned the same.

And then withdrew.

The Petition being read, it complains of Sir William Smith, and others, Justices of the Peace for the County of Middlesex, for tendering, to the Petitioners, an Oath, in Nature of an Oath ex Officio; and for Committing them to Prison, and causing them to be indicted and fined, for their refusing to take the said Oath.

Resolved, That it be referred to the Committee appointed the Fifth of March last to examine the Matter touching the City of London, which were reported from the Grand Committee of Grievances; to examine the Matters of the said Petition; and report the same, with their Opinion therein, to the House.

Old Sarum Election.

A Petition of Thomas Pitts, Esquire, complaining of an undue Election and Return of Members to serve in this present Parliament, for the Borough of Old Sarum in the County of Wilts; and praying, that the Matter thereof may be heard at the Bar of the House; was read.

Ordered, That the Matter touching the said Election be heard at the Bar of the House on Wednesday next come Sevennight.

Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy.

The House then, according to the Order of Yesterday, resolved itself into a Committee of the whole House, to take into Consideration the ingrossed Bill, sent from the Lords, intituled, An Act for abrogating the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy, and appointing other Oaths.

Mr. Speaker left the Chair.

Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair.

Resolved, That Mr. Dolben do take the Chair of the Committee.

Mr. Speaker left the Chair.

Mr. Dolben took the Chair of the Committee.

Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair.

A Message from the Lords, by Mr. Justice Dolben and Baron Nevill;

Prince of Denmarke's Nat.

Mr. Speaker, The Lords have sent you down a Bill, which has passed their House, intituled, An Act for the Naturalizing the most Noble Prince George of Denmarke, and settling his Precedence; to which they desire the Concurrence of this House.

And then the Messengers withdrew.

A Message from the Lords, by Sir Miles Cooke and Mr. Methwyn;

Commissioners of Great Seal to execute Lord Chancellorship.

Mr. Speaker, The Lords have sent you down a Bill, passed their House, intituled, An Act for enabling the Lords Commissioners for the Great Seal, to execute the Office of Lord Chancellor, or Lord Keeper: To which they desire the Concurrence of this House.

And then the Messengers withdrew.

Prince of Denmarke's Nat.

An ingrossed Bill, sent from the Lords, intituled, An Act for the Naturalizing the most Noble Prince George of Denmarke, was read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be now read a Second time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read the Third time Tomorrow Morning.

Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy.

Mr. Speaker left the Chair.

Mr. Dolben took the Chair of the Committee.

Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair.

Mr. Dolben reports from the Committee of the whole House, That they, having taken the ingrossed Bill, sent down from the Lords, intituled, An Act for the abrogating the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy, and appointing other Oaths, into Consideration, had already agreed upon several Amendments therein; but that they could not now go through the Bill; and that therefore they had directed him to move the House, that the Committee may sit again To-morrow Morning.

Resolved, That this House do, To-morrow Morning, at Ten of the Clock, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to proceed in the further Consideration of the said Bill.

Committees.

Ordered, That all Committees be adjourned, except the Committee, to whom the Bill for Naturalizing Frederick Count Schomberg, and others, is referred.

Coronation.

Mr. Speaker acquaints the House, That his Majesty had been pleased to direct him to give Notice to the House, That he had appointed a Gallery in the Abby, and another in Westminster Hall, and also a Dinner for them in the Court of Exchequer, at the Solemnity of their Majesties Coronation, on Thursday next: But that he thought it not so convenient for the House, to bear any Part in the Proceeding.

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