House of Commons Journal Volume 11: 15 December 1693

Veneris, 15 die Decembris;

5° Gulielmi et Mariæ.

Prayers.

A Member discharged from Custody.

ORDERED, That Sir Francis War, in Custody of the Serjeant at Arms attending this House, for absenting himself from his Service in Parliament, be discharged out of Custody, paying his Fees.

Axe Bridge.

A Bill for making a Bridge over the River Axe, in the County of Somerset, was read the Second time.

Resolved, That the Bill be committed to Mr. Sandford, Mr. Hedger, Mr. Blowfeild, Colonel Deane, Mr. Gwyn, Mr. Pollen, Mr. Harcourt, Sir John Knight, Mr. Price, Mr. Arnold, Mr. Lloyd, Sir Ri. Hart, Mr. Goldwell, Sir Robert Edon, Mr. Etterick, Mr. Christie, Mr. Lutterell, Mr. Bowyer, Mr. Colt, Sir Edward Chistleton, Mr. Bromley, Mr. Waller; and all the Members that serve for the Counties of Somerset, Devon, Cornwall, Dorset, and Wilts: And they are to meet on Tuesday next, at Four of the Clock in the Afternoon, in the Speaker's Chamber.

Clitheroe Election.

A Petition of the Bailiffs and Burgesses of the Corporation of Clitheroe in the County of Lancaster, was presented to the House, and read: setting forth, That on the 24th Nov. the High-Sheriff of Lancashire came to Clitheroe, and sent for the Petitioner John Lister, the In-Bailiff, and told him, He had a Precept for the Bailiffs to elect a Burgess for Parliament, in the room of Anth. Parker Esquire, deceased; and said, He was informed, that Mr. Manwaring (then with him) and Mr. Lister were the Bailiffs; but Mr. Lister told him, that he was one of the Bailiffs, and Mr. Manwaring was not: Yet the Sheriff delivered the Precept to Mr. Manwaring, who is a Minor; was not duly elected, and never sworn Bailiff: That Lister demanded the Writ; but was denied to have it, or to hear it read: That afterwards a Paper was fixed to the Cross, importing, That there should be an Election on the 30th of Nov.; and the Petitioners, the Bailiffs, caused Notice thereof to be given to the Foreign Burgesses to attend: That accordingly the Electors did attend; but, before the Hour appointed for Election, the Lord Willoughby, Fitton Gerrard Esquire, and others, who are no Members of the Corporation, came with Mr. Manwaring to the Town-Hall; and, without reading the Precept, or calling the Court of Election, they, by a Stranger, adjourned all Electors to the Shambles, just as the Bailiffs, and many others, were coming into Court; who then demanded the Precept might be read, which was not done: That the said Mr. Lister attended at the Shambles; and forthwith, after reading the Writ, adjourned all the Electors to the TownHall; whither most of them repaired; and there they did duly elect John Weddall Esquire: That, within an Hour after, the said Bailiffs and Burgesses did execute an Indenture, and tendered a Counterpart to be executed by the High-Sheriff, which he refused to seal: That the Petitioners have herewith sent the Return; which they tendered to the Sheriff; which is all they can do for returning their Representative: And praying the Judgment of the House in the Premises.

Ditto.

And also a Petition of John Weddall Esquire, which was formerly ordered to lie upon the Table, was read; setting forth, That, on Thursday the 30th Nov. last, the Petitioner was duly chosen, by the rightful Electors, a Member of Parliament to serve for the Borough of Clitheroe, in the room of Anth. Parker Esquire, deceased; and was returned so by Indenture, under Seal of the said Corporation; the High-Sheriff of Lancashire refusing to make the Return; but has unduly returned Fitton Gerrard Esquire: And praying the Consideration of the House in the Matter.

Ordered, That the Examination and Consideration of the said several Petitions be referred to the Committee of Privileges and Elections: And that they do report the Matter, with their Opinion therein, to the House.

Importing Thrown-Silk.

A Petition of the Master, Wardens, and Assistants, of the Incorporated Company of Clothiers in Worcester, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners Trade doth greatly consist in the Sale of Cloth to the Turky Company, who bring back, in Exchange, great Quantities of Unthrown Silk, which is afterwards twisted here; whereby many Thousand poor People are kept at Work: That there being a Bill depending in the House, for importing of Italian, Sicilian, and Naples Thrown-Silks over Land into these Kingdoms; the said Bill, if it should pass, will not only be a great Damage to the Turky Trade, but also to the Petitioners Trade, and the Ruin of many Thousand poor Families: And praying the Consideration of the House in the Premises.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table, till the Report be made from the Committee, to whom the Bill for Importation of fine Sicilian, Italian, and Naples Thrown-Silk, is committed.

Leave of Absence.

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

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

London Orphans Fund.

Resolved, That this House will, upon Thursday Morning next, at Ten a Clock, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of the Petition of the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Common-Council of the City of London, touching the Orphans of the said City.

Fees in Law Courts.

Ordered, That the Clerk of Dover-Castle, and Register of the Courts of Chancery, and Admiralty of the CinquePorts, do forthwith lay before this House Tables of their respective Fees.

Chichester Cathedral Land Tax.

A Petition of several Commissioners, for putting in Execution, in the County of Sussex, an Act for granting to their Majesties an Aid of Four Shillings per Pound; and of the Assessors and Collectors of the said Aid, in the City of Chichester; was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That in the Cathedral Church of Chichester, are a Dean, and about Thirty Dignitaries and Prebendaries; and the Dean, and Dignitaries, and Prebendaries, have every one a peculiar Revenue; and they, together, make the Body Politick of the Dean and Chapter of the said Church: Besides the said several Revenues, are divers Lands, formerly appointed for Repair of the Church, maintaining the Choir, and other Necessaries: That, for many Years past, the whole Revenue of the said Church have been managed by Officers, chosen among themselves, called Residentiaries, who are now Five; the Profits of whose Offices are worth at least One hundred Pounds per Annum apiece; and they were assessed at Twenty Pounds each, pursuant to the said Act: From which Assessment the said Residentiaries did appeal; suggesting, That they were the Dean and Chapter, seised of divers Lands, the Rents and Fines whereof they employ about maintaining their Church, dividing the Overplus; and that their Lands are rated in their Tenants Hands: Whereto the Commissioners answered, That the said Residentiaries were notoriously not the Dean and Chapter; and that they received those Rents and Fines, not in their own Right, but as Officers of the Dean and Chapter; for that they demand 4d. for every Receipt, and Fees for Confirmations of Leases, for Installation, for every Burial in the Church and Cloisters, &c.; which the Residentiaries receive to their own Use, as the Salary of their Offices; that the Revenues of all Bodies Politick are publick Revenues, and their Officers publick Officers, and usually have been taxed as such, though the Profits of their Offices have been of the Overplus of Lands already taxed; and that the Parliament intended these Residentiaries should be taxable, appears in excepting Masters and Fellows of Colleges, who are in the Nature of Residentiaries: And therefore the Commissioners caused the said Tax to be levied upon the said Residentiaries: That afterwards, by false Suggestion, the Residentiaries obtained an Order and Subpæna from the Exchequer; whereby several of the Commissioners, &c. were compelled to appear, and give an Account of their said Proceedings to the said Court; and the Barons, on hearing the said Residentiaries, declared, That they had done ill in making such false Suggestions against the Petitioners; and that they were taxable for the casual Profits of their said Places: That the Petitioners, having faithfully done their Duties, without any other Reward than the Satisfaction of having done well, think themselves hardly dealt withal to be fetched out of their own Country: Yet they readily appeared at the Exchequer, hoping their Proceedings might tend to the Interest of their Majesties, by encouraging other Commissioners to tax such Residentiaries as these, whose evil Influence and Threats have occasioned the Commissioners to omit such Taxation: That the Petitioners, by the Vexation of the said Residentiaries, in Journeying, Loss of Time, Solicitations, and other Expences, have been at 50£. Charge at the least: And praying their said Expences may be reimbursed them, to the Encouragement of others employed in the publick Service.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table.

Importing Thrown-Silk.

Colonel Goldwell reported from the Committee, to whom the Bill for Importation of fine Sicilian, Italian, and Naples Thrown-Silk, was committed, That they had considered the several Petitions to them referred; and 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.

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

Irish Forfeitures.

The House being informed, That Mr. Broderick, who could give an Account of the Value of the forfeited Estates in Ireland, was at the Door;

He was called in, and asked several Questions: To which he gave Answer.

And then withdrew.

Ways and Means.

The House, according to the Order of the Day, resolved itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider further of Ways and Means for raising the Supply to be granted to their Majesties, for Maintenance of the Fleet.

Mr. Speaker left the Chair.
Sir Thomas Littleton took the Chair of the Committee.
Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair.

Sir Thomas Littleton reported from the Committee, That they had come to several Resolutions, which they had directed him to report to the House, when the House would please to receive the same.

Ordered, That the said Report be made To-morrow Morning.

Sir Thomas Littleton also acquainted the House, That he was directed by the said Committee to move, That they may have Leave to sit again.

Resolved, That this House will, upon Tuesday Morning next, at Ten a Clock, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider further of Ways and Means for raising the Supply to be granted to their Majesties, for the Maintenance of the Fleet.

Committees.

Ordered, That all Committees be revived.

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