House of Commons Journal Volume 10: 2 February 1692

Martis, 2 die Februarii; 3° Gulielmi et Mariæ.

Prayers.

Bishop of London's Estate.

AN ingrossed Bill from the Lords, intituled, An Act to enable the Bishop of London, and Trustees, to sell the Manor of Bushly in the County of Worcester, Part of the Bishoprick of London, and to purchase other Lands to be annexed to the said Bishoprick for the Improvement thereof, was read the Second time.

Resolved, That the Bill be committed to Sir Wm. Forster, Sir John Wynn, Mr. Price, Sir Wm. Lemon, Mr. Nicholas, Mr. Phillipps, Sir Tho. Haslerigg, Mr. Cooke, Mr. Freeman, Mr. Lutterell, Mr. Bromley, Sir Wm. Strickland, Mr. England, Sir Jervas Elwes, Mr. Fuller, Mr. Biddolph, Mr. Blackwell, Captain Dyott, Sir Francis Massham, Mr. Colt, Mr. Smith, Mr. Clerke, Mr. Christy, Mr. Beare, Mr. Waller, Mr. Greenfeild, Mr. Lloyde, Mr. Hedger, Sir Ro. Henly, Mr. Drydon, Mr. Travers, Mr. Campion, Mr. Sherrard, Sir Rob. Cotten, Mr. Palmes, Mr. Fenwick, Sir Tho. Mackworth, Mr. Lloyd, Sir John Bowles, Sir John Moreton, Sir Tho. Pope Blunt, Mr. Smith, Mr. Herbert, and all the Members that serve for the County of Worcester: And they are to meet this Afternoon, at Four a Clock, in the Speaker's Chamber.

Duke of Grafton's Estate.

An ingrossed Bill from the Lords, intituled, An Act for vesting certain Pieces or Parcels of Ground in the Parishes of St. James's and St. Martin's in the Fields, late the Estate of Henry Duke of Grafton, deceased, in Trustees, to be sold, was read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time.

Ealdstreat Prebend.

An ingrossed Bill from the Lords, intituled, An Act to enable Henry Halsted to make a Lease, for Improvement of his Prebend of Ealdstreat in the Church of St. Paul in London, was read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time.

Vaughan's Estate.

An ingrossed Bill from the Lords, intituled, An Act for the Settling of certain Messuages, Mills, Lands, and Tenements, in the County of Merioneth, upon certain Trustees, to be sold or mortgaged, towards the Payment of the Debts of William Vaughan, and Jenkin Vaughan, Esquires, deceased, was read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time.

Privilege.

A Complaint being made to the House, That one Henry Roberts had caused Wm. Radcliffe, Gardener, and menial Servant to John Backwell, Esquire, a Member of this House, to be arrested by one John Johnston, a Bailiff, in Breach of the Privileges of this House;

Ordered, That the said Henry Roberts and John Johnston be sent for in Custody of the Serjeant at Arms attending this House, to answer the said Breach of Privilege.

Hudson's Bay Company.

Mr. Christy reported from the Committee to whom the Examination and Consideration of the Petition of the Master, Wardens, and Assistants of the Company of Feltmakers, London, was referred, That they had heard the Petitioners, as also the Deputy Governor and Committee of the Hudson's Bay Company; and found, That the Company had, in Elusion, and contrary to the Proviso in the late Act of Parliament by them obtained, for the strengthening their Charter of Incorporation, made divers private Contracts and Sales, to private Persons, of very large Quantities of Coat Beaver, at cheaper Rates than had been offered at publick Sales, purely to keep up the Price thereof at a publick Sale; and had privately contracted for and sold the same to such Contractors for Eight Shillings and Two-pence per Pound; and then had put up and sold the same for such Contractors, in their publick Sales, at Ten Shillings and Eight-pence, Eleven Shillings, Eleven Shillings and Eight-pence per Pound, to the great Prejudice and Damage of the Petitioners, and their Trading: And that, in such the raising the Price of Coat Beaver, the said Company gave Security to such their private Contractors, not to put up to their publick Sales any of the same Sort of Goods for the Space of Two Years ensuing their Contract: And that, at one sham Sale made by the Company for their private Contractors, there was as much Coat Beaver actually sold, as amounted to Two thousand Sixty-three Pounds Ten Shillings: And that the Committee was the rather induced to believe the Truth thereof, because the same was acknowledged and testified by divers of the private Contractors themselves: And that the Company took upon them to do these Practices, because there was no Penalty annexed to the Proviso in the said Act of Parliament, on the Violation thereof.

That the Committee also found, That the Exportation of Coney Wool, and Hares Wool unmanufactured, is a great Damage to this Kingdom: For that before the present War with France, and Foreign Markets, served by France with Hats, the same was bought for Seven Shillings per Pound, and is now risen to Ten Shillings per Pound since Foreign Markets have been served with Hats by the Petitioners: That great Quantities have been exported to France; it being so valuable to the French, that they cannot possibly work any of their own Coney Wool, or Wools from Turkey, or other Places, without a Mixture of our English Coney Wool: And that the French put so great a Value thereon, that they give one Half more for our Coney Wool, than they do for their own Growth: And that the restraining the Exportation thereof will be an Advantage to the Furnishing Foreign Markets with Hats manufactured by the Petitioners; and be a great Encouragement to that Manufacture in England, and the Traders therein, as also a manifest Advantage to the Kingdom in general.

And that, upon the whole Matter, the Committee came to several Resolutions; which they had directed him to report: And which he read in his Place; and afterwards delivered the same in at the Clerk's Table: Where the same were read; and are as followeth; viz.

Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee, that the House be moved, That Leave may be given to bring in a Bill for the enforcing the due Execution of the Proviso in an Act made in the Second Year of their Majesties Reign, intituled, An Act for confirming to the Governor and Company trading to the Hudson's Bay, their Privileges and Trade, by annexing a Penalty to prevent the Eluding thereof by private Sales.

Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That it is for the Benefit and Service of the Manufacture of this Kingdom, that there be a total Prohibition of the Exportation of all Coney Wool, and Hares Wool, unless at those times when the same shall be under the Price of Seven Shillings per Pound.

Ordered, That Leave be given to bring in a Bill according to the said Resolutions.

Building Ships.

Mr. Boscowen reported from the Committee to whom the Bill for encouraging the Building of good and defensible Ships, was committed, That they had made several Amendments to the Bill; which they had directed him to report to the House: And which he read in his Place, with the Coherence; and afterwards delivered in at the Clerk's Table: Where the same were once read through; and then a Second time, one by one; and, upon the Question severally put thereupon, agreed unto by the House.

And another Amendment . . . . . made to the Bill;

Ordered, That the Bill, with the Amendments, be ingrossed.

Army Debt.

A Petition of the Officers, Innkeepers, and Clothiers, that served in, quartered, and cloathed, the Army raised by Act of Parliament in 1677, and disbanded by another Act in 1679, was read; setting forth, That the Petitioners did, in the former and this Parliament, present their humble Petition to this House: Upon which, the House were pleased to refer the Consideration thereof to a Committee, who were to examine the same, and to state the Petitioners Debts, and to consider of Ways for Payment thereof: The which the Committee having done, and received divers Proposals from the Petitioners for the raising a Fund for that Purpose, Reports were made from the said Committee of the State of their Debts, as by the Journals of the House will appear: And, upon the last of the said Reports, the Twenty-fifth of November last, a Motion being made for a Supply to be granted to their Majesties for Satisfaction of the Petitioners Debts, the House resolved, That they would resolve into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of that Motion: But the Petitioners beg Leave to represent, That no Provision hath yet been made for the Satisfaction of the Petitioners said Debts; for want whereof, many of them are continued in Gaols, and others reduced to very great Extremities; And, for that several of the Ways proposed by the Petitioners towards their Satisfaction, have been made use of towards the raising the Supplies already granted to their Majesties, they humbly pray, That this House would now take their deplorable Case into Consideration; and give them Leave to offer further Proposals to this House, for the Purpose aforesaid; and that the same may be applied for the Petitioners Satisfaction, by a Bill to be brought in for that Purpose; or that this House would be pleased to give the Petitioners such other Relief as to them shall seem meet.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to a Committee; and they are to report their Opinions therein to the House.

And it is referred to Mr. Bickerstaffe, Colonel Tytus, Mr. Fenwick, Mr. Bromley, Sir Thom. Haslerigg, Mr. Goldwell, Mr. Christy, Mr. Preston, Mr. Freeman, Colonel Kirby, Mr. Price, Sir Wm. Stephens, Sir Fr. Blake, Sir Jervas Elwes, Sir Wilfred Lawson, Mr. Burdett, Sir Wm. Lemon, Mr. Palmes, Mr. Hutchinson, Sir Edward Hussey, Sir Gilbert Clarke, Sir Christopher Musgrave, Mr. Pitt, Sir Tho. Vernon, Sir John Barker, Sir John Williamson, Mr. Dalben, Sir Jos. Tredenham, Mr. Hunt, Mr. Foster, Mr. Paul Foley, Mr. Whitley, Mr. England, Mr. Holt, Mr. Ogle: And they are to meet this Afternoon at Four a Clock, in the Speaker's Chamber.

Lord Stanhope's Estate.

Mr. Gwyn reports from the Committee to whom the ingrossed Bill from the Lords, intituled, An Act for enabling Philip Lord Stanhope, Son and Heir-apparent of the Right honourable Philip Earl of Chesterfield, together with the said Earl, to make a Jointure and Settlement upon the Marriage of the said Philip Lord Stanhope, was committed, That they had made several Amendments to the Bill; which they had directed him to report to the House: And which he read in his Place, with the Coherence; and afterwards delivered in at the Clerk's Table.

Seamen in West India Trade.

Sir John Knight reports from the Committee to whom the Consideration of the Petition of the Merchants and Planters trading to, and interested in, their Majesties Plantations in the West Indies, was referred; That they had considered the same accordingly; and had directed him to move the House, That Leave may be given for bringing in a Bill, for permitting English Ships to be navigated with Foreign Seamen to and from the West Indies, during the War.

Ordered, That Leave be given to bring in a Bill accordingly: And that Sir Peter Colliton, Sir Robert Davers, and Sir John Knight, do prepare the same.

Leave of Absence.

Ordered, That Mr. Hobby have Leave to go into the Country for a Fortnight, for Recovery of his Health.

Ordered, That Mr. Lloyd have Leave to go into the Country for Three Weeks, upon extraordinary Occasions.

Gunpowder near the Tower.

Mr. Goldwell reports from the Committee to whom the Bill for preventing Gunpowder from being kept in Storehouses near the Tower of London, was committed, That they had made several Amendments to the Bill; which they had directed him to report to the House: And which he read in his Place, with the Coherence; and afterwards delivered in at the Clerk's Table: Where the same were once read throughout; and then a Second time, one by one; and, upon the Question severally put thereupon, agreed unto by the House.

A Proviso was offered to be added to the Bill, That the Powder Houses, in the Islands in Redrith in the County of Surry, be excepted out of the Bill.

And the same was read twice; and some Amendments made by the House thereunto.

And the Question being put, That the said Proviso be made Part of the Bill;

The House divided.

The Yeas go forth.

So it was resolved in the Affirmative.

Then the Question being put, That the Bill, with the Amendments, be ingrossed;

It passed in the Negative.

Supply Bill; Irish Forfeitures.

Then the House, according to the Order of the Day resolved itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider further of the Bill for vesting the forfeited Estates in Ireland in their Majesties, to be applied to the Use of the War.

Mr. Speaker left the Chair.

Mr. Palmes took the Chair of the Committee.

Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair.

Mr. Palmes reports from the said Committee, That they had gone through the Bill; and made several Amendments to the same: Which they had directed him to report to the House.

Ordered, That the Report of several Bills for vesting the forfeited Estates in England and Ireland in their Majesties to be applied to the Use of the War, be made upon Thursday Morning next, at Ten a Clock; and nothing to intervene.

Supply Bill; Poll Tax.

Resolved, That this House will, To-morrow Morning at Ten a Clock, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of a Bill for a Quarterly Poll; and nothing to intervene.

East India Company.

Resolved, That this House will, upon Thursday Morning next, after the Report of the several Bills for vesting the forfeited Estates in England and Ireland in their Majesties, to be applied to the Use of the War, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of the Bill for establishing an East India Company.

London Orphans.

Resolved, That the House will, upon Friday Morning next, at Ten a Clock, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider further of Ways to satisfy the Debts due to the Orphans of the City of London.

Committees.

Ordered, That all Committees be adjourned.

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