House of Commons Journal Volume 10: 16 October 1690

Jovis, 16 die Octobris; 2° Gulielmi et Mariæ.

Prayers.

Preston Election.

A PETITION of Thomas Patten, Esquire, was read; setting forth, That the Petitioner is duly chosen for the Borough of Preston; yet, that nevertheless the Right honourable Robert Lord Willoughby being a Candidate for the said Place, the Mayor, Bailiffs, and several of the Burgesses, to whom the Precept was directed, have, by undue Practices, procured many Votes for his Lordship; and have polled several for him unqualified for that Purpose; and have refused many qualified Votes for the Petitioner; and have returned the said Lord Willoughby, in Prejudice to the Petitioner: And praying the Consideration of the House in the Premises.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee of Privileges and Elections; Who are to examine the Matter thereof; and report the same, with their Opinions therein, to the House.

Banbury Election.

A Petition of the Freemen and Burgesses of the Borough and Parish of Banbury in the County of Oxon, was read; setting forth, That, at the Election on the Twenty-fourth February, the Petitioners, and other the Freemen and Burgesses of the Borough; to the Number of One hundred and Ten, who, as well as the Mayor, Aldermen, and capital Burgesses of the said Borough, had a Right to vote in the Election, and did vote for John Hawles, Esquire; yet the Mayor refused to admit the Petitioners, and other Burgesses: Whereupon they demanded a Poll: Which being denied, they to the Number of Forty, executed an Indenture, testifying the said Election of John Hawles; and demanded of the Mayor to return the same, with the Precept: Which he refused; and, in the stead thereof, hath returned Sir Robert Dashwood, by an Indenture, under the Common Seal; who had but Ten of the Aldermen and Burgesses that voted for him, the rest voting for the said John Hawles: And praying the House would be pleased to redress the Matters aforesaid; and order the Indenture, now affixed to the Precept, to be taken . .; and the other Indenture, executed by the Petitioners, and other the Burgesses, to be affixed to the same.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee of Privileges and Elections: Who are to examine the Matter thereof; and report the same, with their Opinions therein, to the House.

Ludgershall Election.

A Petition of Edmund Harrison, Merchant, was read; setting forth, That the Petitioner was duly elected a Burgess for the Borough of Ludgershall in the County of Wilts: But that the Bailiff of the Borough hath returned another Person, to the Prejudice of the ancient Rights of the Borough, and in Injury to the Petitioner: And praying the Consideration of the House in the Premises, and Relief therein.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee of Privileges and Elections: Who are to examine the Matter thereof; and report the same, with their Opinions therein, to the House.

Crickland Election.

A Petition of Samuell Barker, Esquire, was read; setting forth, That the Burgesses elected to serve in Parliament for the Borough of Crickland in Wiltshire, have, Time out of Mind, been chosen by the Freeholders, Copyholders, and Leaseholders, by Lease, in Writing, for any Term not less than Three Years; by the Majority of whom, on the Twenty-fourth February last, the Petitioner, with Charles Fox, Esquire, were duly elected; But the Bailiff hath made a Return of the said Cha. Fox, and Edmund Webb, Esquire, in Prejudice to the Petitioner: And praying the Consideration of the House in the Premises.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee of Privileges and Elections: Who are to examine the Matter thereof; and report the same, with their Opinions therein, to the House.

Chichester Election.

A Petition of Richard Farington, Esquire, was read; setting forth, That, in pursuance of a Writ, under the Great Seal, a Precept issued from the Sheriff of the County of Sussex, for the Election of Two Citizens for the City of Chichester: And that, after the Teste of the Writ, and before the Election, divers Briberies, and other ill Practices, were made use of, to procure Votes for Sir Tho. Miller and Thom. May, Esquire: Notwithstanding which, John Braman, Gentleman, and the Petitioner, were duly elected for the said City: And praying the Consideration of the House in the Premises.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee of Privileges and Elections: Who are to examine the Matter thereof; and report the same, with their Opinions therein, to the House.

Ditto.

A Petition of John Braman, Gentleman, was read; setting forth, That the Petitioner was duly elected one of the Citizens for Chichester, at the last Election: Notwithstanding which, John Clowsly, Esquire, then Mayor, hath very illegally and wrongfully returned Sir Thomas Miller, and Thomas May, Esquire; upon whom, or their Agents, the Petitioner is able to prove divers undue and unwarrantable Practices in procuring the Votes they had: And praying the Consideration and Relief of the House in the Premises.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee of Privileges and Elections: Who are to examine the Matter thereof; and report the same, with their Opinions therein, to the House.

London Markets.

A Petition of divers Persons of divers Callings, who keep the Markets of the City of London, in behalf of themselves, and Hundreds more, who keep the same Markets, was read; setting forth, That, by a Petition, by the Petitioners presented to the House the last Sessions, they thereby set forth, That, by the additional Act for Rebuilding of the City, a Provision was made for Setting-out of Grounds for the Markets; and thereby an Imposition was laid on Coals; and Part of the Money thereby raised, was to purchase the Grounds: And that the Markets, for several Years past, having been farmed out, the Farmers have exacted very excessive Sums from the Petitioners for their Stalls and Sheds, vastly exceeding former Payments made for the same: On Non-payment whereof, the said Farmers turn the Petitioners out of their Stations, and destroy their Goods, to the Ruin of the Petitioners and their Families: And that the Petitioners have often applied themselves to the Lord Mayor, and Court of Aldermen, for Redress in the Premises, but could have none; and therefore applied themselves to this House for the same: Whereupon they were pleased, on the Twenty-sixth of April last, to receive and read the said Petition; and to appoint a Committee to examine the Matter thereof; and to report their Opinions therein, to the House: Whereupon the Petitioners, after many Attendances on the said Committee, justified their Complaints; and the Committee came to a Resolution, That the Rates and Prices now, and of late, exacted and taken by the Farmers of the said Markets, both in Rents and Fines, in Piccage and Stallage, are unreasonable, oppressive, and a Grievance: The which, the Chairman was ready to have reported to the House, but prevented by the Adjournment: Notwithstand . . . which, the Petitioners have been since oppressed by the said Farmers, and summoned before the Lord Mayor; who, upon the Petitioners refusing to sign Notes, to pay such their unreasonable Demands, have had their Shops and Stalls knocked down, with several Outrages, in Defiance of the Authority of this honourable House, and to the grievous Oppression of the poor Petitioners, by their arbitrary Proceedings against, and Practices upon, the Petitioners, as aforesaid: And praying the House to take the Premises into Consideration; and to make such Order therein, as to them shall seem meet,

Resolved, That a Committee be appointed to examine and consider the Matter of the said Petition; and to report the same, with their Opinions therein, to the House.

And it is referred unto Sir Rob. Nappier, Sir Fra. Vincent, Mr. Christy, Sir Tho. Fowles, Mr. Wilmot, Mr. Archer, Mr. Hawtry, Sir Rob. Rich, Sir Cha. Gerrard, Colonel Austen, Sir James Long, Sir John Dorrell, Sir Wm. Drake, Mr. Perry, Sir Rob. Davers. Mr. Jeffryes, Mr. Price, Sir Jo. Raymond, Sir Thom. Darcy, Sir Math. Andrews, Mr. Paul Foley, Mr. Dyott, Sir John Guise, Sir Sam. Bernadiston, Mr. Papillion, Mr. England, Mr. Blowfeild, Mr. Burdet, Mr. Hervy, Sir Rob. Carre, Mr. Bennet, Sir Phil. Skippon, Mr. John Chetwyn, Mr. Freemon, Mr. Wildman, Mr. Vincent, Mr. Bowyer, Mr. Waller, Mr. Palmes, and all the Members that serve for the Cities of London and Westminster, and Counties of Middlesex, and Borough of Southwarke: And they are to meet this Afternoon at Three of the Clock, in the Speaker's Chamber: And are impowered to send for Persons, Papers, and Records.

Southwarke Court of Conscience.

A Bill for erecting a Court of Conscience for the Borough of Southwarke, was read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time.

Reducing Interest.

Ordered, That the Bill for reducing of Interest of Modey from Six Pounds per Cent. to Four Pounds per Cent. per Annum, be read a Second time This-day-sevennight.

Ways and Means.

Then the House resolved itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of further Ways and Means for raising the Supplies to be granted to their Majesties.

Mr. Speaker left the Chair.

Mr. Solicitor General took the Chair of the Committee.

Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair.

Mr. Solicitor General reports from the said Committee, That they had agreed upon a Resolution: Which they had directed him to report to the House: The which he read in his Place; and afterwards delivered in at the Clerk's Table: Where the same was read; and is as followeth; viz.

Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That, towards the raising the Supplies to be granted to their Majesties, an Assessment of One hundred Thirtyseven Thousand Six hundred Forty-one Pounds Eighteen Shillings and Two-pence by the Month, for Twelve Months, to begin from the Twenty-fifth December next, be charged upon Land, according to the Proportions in the Act made in the First Year of their Majesties Reign, intituled, An Act for the granting a present Aid to their Majesties.

The said Resolution being read a Second time;

Resolved, That the House doth agree with the Committee in the said Resolution, That, towards the raising the Supplies to be granted to their Majesties, an Assessment of One hundred Thirty-seven thousand Six hundred Forty-one Pounds Eighteen Shillings and Two-pence by the Month, for Twelve Months, to begin from the Twentyfifth of December next, be charged upon Land, according to the Proportions in the Act made in the First Year of their Majesties Reign, intituled, An Act for the granting a present Aid to their Majesties.

Resolved, That this House will, To-morrow Morning at Ten of the Clock, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider further of Ways and Means for raising the Supplies to be granted to their Majesties.

Committees.

Ordered, That all Committees be adjourned.

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