House of Lords Journal Volume 20: 8 February 1718

Die Sabbati, 8 Februarii.

Domini tam Spirituales quam Temporales præsentes fuerunt:

PRAYERS.

State of the Coin, &c. Report about.

The Earl of Clarendon acquainted the House, from the Select Committee appointed to consider of proper Heads for a Bill, to be brought into this House, for the more effectual preventing the melting down of the Coins of this Kingdom; and also to prepare a Bill for making the Silver Plate of the same Fineness with the current Silver Coins of this Kingdom, or a Clause for that Purpose, to be added to the former Bill, as their Lordships shall think convenient: "That the said Committee had come to some Resolutions; which they had directed him to report to the House, when their Lordships will please to receive the same."

Lyon's Report put off.

Then the Order of the Day, for receving the Report from the Committee to whom the Petition of Catherine Lyon was referred, peremptorily, the First Business, being read:

Ordered, That the said Report be received on Tuesday Morning next.

State of the Coin:

Then the other Order of the Day, for the House to be put into a Committee of the whole House, to take into further Consideration the State of the Coin of this Kingdom, being read:

Ordered, That the Report of the Resolutions of the Select Committee abovementioned be now received.

Heads for a Bill concerning it:

Then the Earl of Clarendon accordingly reported from the said Committee the said Resolutions; (videlicet,)

That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That One proper Head for a Bill is, "That the melting of the Coins of this Kingdom be made the like Offence as clipping it; and the Offenders to be liable to the same Penalties and Forfeitures."

That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That another proper Head for such Bill is, "That no Person shall, during a certain Time to be limited by the Bill, lend, sell, borrow, buy, receive, or pay, any of the Gold or Silver Coins of this Kingdom, or exchange the Silver Coins of this Kingdom for the Gold Coins thereof, for more or less, in Tale, Benefit, Profit, or Advantage, than the same are now current at, under Penalties to be ascertained by the Bill."

Which Resolutions were read by the Clerk, and severally agreed to by the House.

The House (pursuant to the aforementioned Order of the Day) was adjourned during Pleasure, and put into a Committee, to take into further Consideration the State of the Coin of this Kingdom.

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

And the Earl of Clarendon reported from the said Committee, "That they had come to a Resolution; which they had directed him to report to the House, when their Lordships will please to receive the same."

Ordered, That the said Report be now received.

Then his Lordship accordingly reported the following Resolution; (videlicet,)

"That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That any Persons whatsoever, who shall bring any Foreign Bullion into the Mint, to be coined, shall have Liberty given them, by Certificates to be granted for that Purpose, to export the like Quantity of Money as shall be coined out of such Bullion."

Then the same was read Twice by the Clerk, and agreed to by the House.

Judges to prepare a Bill.

Ordered, That the Judges do prepare a Bill, to be brought into this House, to be 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," upon the said Resolutions this Day agreed to; as also on the Resolution agreed to by this House the Twenty-eighth of January last, for reducing the Standard of the Silver Plate.

Sir G. Downing's Bill.

The Earl of Clarendon reported from the Lords Committees, to whom the Bill, intituled, "An Act for making more effectual certain Articles of Agreement, between Sir George Downing Baronet, and Dame Mary Eldest Daughter of Sir William Forester Knight, and her Trustees," was committed: "That they had considered the said Bill; and that the Parties concerned had given their Consents; and that the Committee had gone through the Bill, and directed him to report the same to the House, without any Amendment."

Ordered, That the Bill be engrossed.

E. Kildare's Bill. Committee shortened.

Whereas, by Order of this House on Wednesday last, the Bill, intituled, "An Act for Sale of Part of the Estate of John late Earl of Kildare deceased, towards Payment of his Debts, and for other the Purposes therein mentioned," was, on the Second Reading thereof, committed to certain Lords then named; whose Lordships were to meet on Thursday the Twentieth Instant:

The House being this Day moved, "To shorten the Time for the meeting of the said Committee;" and the Standing Order of this House, in relation to the meeting of Committees on Private Bills, being read:

It is Ordered, That the same be so far dispensed with, as that the said Committee have Leave to sit on Monday Morning next.

L. Harborough's Bill:

Hodie 3^a vice lecta est Billa, intituled, "An Act for vesting the Great Tithes and Glebe Lands belonging to the Rectory of Saxby, in the County of Leicester, in the Right Honourable Bennet Lord Harborough and his Heirs, in Lieu of other Lands, and an Annuity to be settled on the Rector of the said Church and his Successors for ever; and for other Purposes therein mentioned."

The Question was put, "Whether this Bill shall pass?"

It was Resolved in the Affirmative.

Message to H.C. with it.

A Message was sent to the House of Commons, by Sir Thomas Gery and Mr. Rogers:

To carry down the said Bill, and desire their Concurrence thereunto.

Bone Lace Bill.

Hodie 2^a vice lecta est Billa, intituled, "An Act for Relief of the whole Traders and Dealers in English Bone Lace, by obviating several Doubts in the several Acts for licensing Hawkers and Pedlars."

Ordered, That the said Bill be committed to a Committee of the whole House, on Tuesday next.

Persons to attend the Committee about the Coin.

Ordered, That the Clerk of the Sword-blade Company, and also a Woollen-draper who lives at the Sign of The Cat in Cornhill, do, on Monday Morning next, attend the Lords Committees appointed in relation to the Coin.

Morison versus Smith et al.

Upon reading the Petition and Appeal of William Morison of Preston Grange Esquire; complaining of a Decree of the Sheriffs of Edinburgh, made the Second of February 1700; and also of an Interlocutor of the Lords of Session in Scotland, dated the 12th of July 1717; and likewise of another Interlocutor of the said Lords, affirming the Decree of the Sheriffs; and other Interlocutors in the Cause, on the Behalf of Mr. James Smith of Whitehill, and David Burton Glazier; and praying, "That the same may be reversed:"

It is Ordered, That the said James Smith and David Burton may have a Copy of the said Appeal; and shall and are hereby required to put in their Answer thereunto, in Writing, on or before Saturday the Eighth Day of March next.

Adjourn.

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