House of Commons Journal Volume 10: 10 December 1689

Martis, 10 die Decembris; 1° Gulielmi et Mariæ.

Prayers.

Leave for Member to attend Lords.

ORDERED, That Sir Robert Sawyer have Leave to attend at the Bar of the House of Lords, as Counsel in a Cause between Goodrick and *.

Batson's Estate.

A Bill to enable Mr. Batson to sell an Estate in Oxfordshire, and settle an Estate of the like Value in Suffolk to the same Uses, was read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time.

Privilege- opening Members Letters.

A Complaint being made, by Colonel Beamont, of an Abuse by some of the Officers of the Post-house, in breaking open several Letters sent by him to the Town of Hastings, for which he is chosen a Member, and cutting out Part of one of his Letters, before it was delivered; in Breach of the Privileges of this House;

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee of Privileges, to examine the Matter of the said Complaint; and to report the same, with their Opinions therein, to the House.

Leave of Absence.

Ordered, That Sir Edward Acton have Leave to go into the Country for a Fortnight.

Expences of the War.

Sir John Guise reports from the Committee appointed to inspect the Expences of the War for the last Year, That the Muster Rolls for the English Forces that served in Flanders the last Summer, were not produced before them; by reason they were not as yet transmitted from thence: Nor the Muster Rolls of the Dutch Forces here; in regard they are seldom mustered.

Prize Salt.

Ordered, That Leave be given to bring in a Bill to prevent French Salt, taken as Prize, from being destroyed; and that it may be employed for the Use of their Majesties Navy.

Attainder of Irish Rebels.

Mr. Serjeant Trenchard reports from the Committee appointed to prepare a Bill of Attainder of such as are in Rebellion in Ireland against their Majesties, That they had prepared a Bill accordingly: Which he presented to the House.

And the Bill was read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time;

Committees.

Ordered, That all Committees be revived; to sit this Afternoon.

Irish forfeited Estates.

Ordered, That Leave be given to bring in a Bill for Sale of the Estates forfeited by reason of the Rebellion in Ireland.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee who prepared the said Bill of Attainder to such as are in Rebellion in Ireland against their Majesties, to prepare and bring in the said Bill.

Victualling the Navy.

Ordered, That the Mayor of Plymouth, and the Captain and Lieutenant of the Ship called the Exeter; as also the Captains and Lieutenants of the rest of their Majesties Ships now at Plymouth; do certify this House the Condition of the Provisions wherewith the said Ships are now victualled; and what Beer or other Provisions had been staved or destroyed there as unwholsome, and unfit to be used.

Privilege.

A Complaint being made, That one Mr. Perne had entered upon some Part of the Estate of Colonel Berkley, a Member of the House; and had printed a scandalous Paper touching him, and his Title to the said Estate;

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee of Privileges, to examine the Matter; and report the same, with their Opinions therein, to the House.

Ordnance Debt.

A Petition of the Artificers belonging to the Office of their Majesties Ordnance was read; setting forth, That the Artificers being a Society of seyeral Sorts of People, who for many Years have furnished the said Office with all manner of Stores, Provisions and Utensils of War; and have been at all times ready to serve the Crown with their Estates and Fortunes; but are therein now totally disabled; 1. By a Debt left upon them by King Charles, the Second, for Stores served in, and Services preformed by Direction from the Officers of the Ordnance, amounting to about One hundred thousand Pounds, yet unpaid; great Part of which have been transferred to the Service of the present Crown; and all applied to the Service of the Nation: 2. By Debts owing them from the said Office, contracted since their present Majesties Accession to the Crown amounting to above One hundred and Fifty thousand Pounds: Which Debts have incapacitated the Petitioners of proceeding in their said Services without a speedy Supply: And praying the Consideration of the House in the Premises; and that some speedy Provision may be made to satisfy the said Debts, the better to enable them to prosecute their wonted Vigour of serving their Majesties in the said Office.

But nothing done thereupon.

Supply Bill; Land-Tax.

Then the House resumed the Debate, Yesterday adjourned, touching the Clause for appropriating some of the Money given by the Bill for granting an Aid to their Majesties of Two Shillings in the Pound, for One Year, to the Army in Ireland.

Resolved, That the Clause be read the Second time.

The Clause was read the Second time.

Resolved, That the Clause be laid aside.

Ordered, That the said Bill, as amended, and with the Clauses agreed to, be ingrossed.

Resolved, That the House do, upon Thursday Morning next, at Ten of the Clock, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to proceed in the further Consideration of the State of the Nation.

Rights of the Subject, and Succession of the Crown.

Then the House took into Consideration the Amendments proposed by the Lords to be made to the Bill for declaring the Rights and Liberties of the Subject, and settling the Succession of the Crown.

And the same were severally read the Second time, and, upon the Question severally put thereupon, agreed unto by the House.

And an Amendment, by reason of the said Amendments proposed by the Lords, being proposed to be made, by adding, in Skin *, Line *, after "Parliament," these Words, "and shall at the same time produce a Certificate proved by Six Peers of the Realm, whereof Three Spiritual and Three Temporal, of his or her having, within Three Months before the Meeting of the said Parliament, or Day of Coronation, which shall first happen, received the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, according to the Usage of the Church of England;

The said Amendment proposed was twice read:

And the Question being put, That the same be added to the Amendments proposed by the Lords;

It passed in the Negative.

Ordered, That Mr. Foley do carry up the Bill to the Lords; and acquaint them with the Concurrence of this House to the said Amendments.