House of Commons Journal Volume 11: 6 January 1694

Sabbati, 6 die Januarii;

5° Gulielmi et Mariæ.

Prayers.

Privilege.

A COMPLAINT being made to this House, That Jonathan Brimble, a menial Servant to Colonel Strangwayes, a Member of this House, hath been arrested by Thomas Croft Attorney, Philip Short and George Edwards Bailiffs, at the Suit of John Bush junior, and carried to, and detained in Prison, in Breach of the Privilege of this House;

Ordered, That the said John Bush, Thomas Croft, Philip Short, and George Edwards, be sent for in Custody of the Serjeant at Arms attending this House, for the said Breach of Privilege.

Ordered, That the said Jonathan Brimble be discharged out of Prison: And that Mr. Speaker do issue his Warrant for that Purpose.

Leave of Absence.

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

Mildmay's Estate.

Mr. Harley, according to Order, presented to the House a Bill to vest the Estate of Mary, Eliz. Jane, Arabella, Lucy, and Anne Mildmay, in Trustees, to be sold for Satisfaction of Mortgages and Debts thereupon; and preserving the Overplus for their Benefit: And the same was received.

The Bill was read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time.

Building Ships.

A Bill for building good and defensible Ships, was read the Second time.

Resolved, That the Bill be committed to Mr. Boscawen, Mr. Fenwick, Mr. Waller, Mr. Pollen, Mr. Harley, Mr. Arnold, Colonel Strangwayes, Mr. Hill, Mr. Nicholas, Colonel Perry, Lord Cornbury, Sir John Fleet, Mr. Gilbert, Sir John Banks, Mr. Freke, Mr. Fuller, Sir William Cooper, Sir Fr. Guibon, Mr. Cooke, Sir Matth. Andrews, Mr. Thornhaugh, Mr. Blofeild, Sir Richard Hart, Sir John Moreton, Mr. Goldwell, Mr. Willmott, Mr. Lutterell, Mr. Kenyon, Mr. Bowyer, Mr. Clark, Mr. Smith, Mr. Price; and all the Members of the House that are Merchants, and that serve for the Sea-port Towns: And they are to meet on Monday next in the Afternoon, at Four of the Clock, in the Speaker's Chamber.

Execution of Justice in Wales.

Mr. Price, according to Order, presented to the House a Bill for the better Execution of Justice within the Principality and Dominion of Wales: And the same was received.

Stevens's Estate.

A Petition of Sarah Stevens, Widow, on the behalf of Henry and William Stevens, Infants, Sons of William Stevens, deceased, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That William the Father, being seised in Fee of an Estate in Greenwich, of about 160 l. per Annum, consisting chiefly in Houses, and only 44 l. per Ann. thereof in Land, did mortgage the same for 2,450 l.: That, since the Death of the said William the Father, the said Estate, and Equity of Redemption, is descended to the said Infants; and if the Estate be not speedily sold, and the Mortgages discharged, the Estate will be eaten up thereby, and by Reparation of the Houses; and will be of no Benefit to the said Infants: And praying Leave to bring in a Bill for Sale of the said Estate, for Payment of the Mortgages thereupon; and applying the Overplus for the Benefit of the said Infants.

Ordered, That the Examination and Consideration of the said Petition be referred to a Committee: And that they do report their Opinion therein to the House.

And it is referred to Mr. Goldwell, Sir Sam. Barnardiston, Colonel Perry, Mr. Bowyer, Mr. Lutterell, Mr. Proby, Mr. Freke, Sir Edward Abney, Sir Wilf. Lawson, Mr. Hutchinson, Sir John Fleet, Mr. Arnold, Sir Richard Hart, Mr. Price, Sir William Wogan, Sir Cha. Keymish, Sir Math. Andrews, Sir Tho. Roberts; and all the Members that serve for the County of Kent: And they are to meet on Monday next, at Four of the Clock in the Afternoon, in the Speaker's Chamber.

Ways and Means.

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 Supplies to be granted to their Majesties, for the Maintenance of the Fleet, and the LandForces, for the Service of the Year 1694.

Leave of Absence.

Ordered, That Mr. Burrard have Leave to go into the Country for Ten Days, upon extraordinary Occasions.

East-India Company.

The House being informed, That Sir Thomas Cook, Governor of the East-India Company, attended according to Order;

He was called in; and presented to the House several Charters, formerly granted to the East-India Company; with a List of them: And also,

A Copy of the Book of new Subscriptions for Seven hundred Forty-four thousand Pounds; appointed by their Majesties Royal Charter of the Eleventh of November last, to be added to the present East-India Stock: And also,

A true State of the East-India Company's present Stock, the 5th Day of January instant: And also,

A State of the Money paid of what was owing by the Company, at Interest, since the Seventeenth Day of November last, to the First Day of January instant: And also,

The Names of all the Adventurers in the East-India Company, with their respective Adventures: And also,

An Account of several Adventurers, who did not pay in the Fifty Pounds per Cent. additional Stock, in May and June last: And also,

An Account of Money owing by the East-India Company to several Persons, at Interest, the First Day of January instant.

And he also presented to the House a Petition of the East-India Company.

And being withdrawn;

The said Petition was read; setting forth, That the Petitioners, and their Predecessors, have for a long time exercised the Trade to the East-Indies, by virtue of several Charters granted unto them; which hath been carried on with great Expence and Hazard, to the Honour and Profit of this Kingdom, without Interruption, until of late Years several Interlopers have broke in upon them, to the great Damage and Discouragement of the Petitioners, and contrary to the Practice of other Nations trading to those Parts: That their Majesties did, in November last, by the Advice of their Privy-Council, upon serious Consideration, grant to the Petitioners a Charter under several Regulations, agreeable to what this House formerly proposed concerning the said Trade: And, in pursuance thereof, a Book for new Subscriptions having been laid open, for the adding of Seven hundred Forty-four thousand Pounds to the present joint Stock of the Company, the same hath had such a general Acceptation, that the whole Sum is subscribed, and paid in: And praying, That the House will countenance and support their said Trade, according to their Majesties said Charters, by such Methods as the House shall think most convenient.

The Heads or Titles of the said other Papers were read.

A Petition of several Merchants, and others, new Subscribers to the additional Stock of the East-India Company, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That their Majesties have been pleased to grant their Charter to the said Company, under certain Regulations, to the Petitioners great Satisfaction; and thereby have appointed that 744,000 l. be added to the general joint Stock of the said Company, for the better carrying on the said Trade, and for making it more national: That the Petitioners taking notice, that this House did formerly declare, That the East-India Trade was a beneficial Trade to this Kingdom; That a Company to trade thither be established by Act of Parliament; and That the Regulations in the said Charter are consonant to the Sense of this House; have been thereby encouraged to subscribe the whole 744,000 l.: And praying, That, in order to the better Management of the said Trade for the future without Interruption, Leave may be given for bringing in a Bill for securing and establishing their Trade, according to their Charter, as shall be thought meet.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said several Petitions be referred to the Committee of the whole House, to whom the Petition of several Merchants, and others, in and about the City of London, relating to the East-India Trade, and for erecting a new East-India Company is referred.

New East-India Company.

The Order of the Day, for the House to resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of the said Petition, was read.

Resolved, That Mr. Speaker do leave the Chair.

Mr. Speaker left the Chair.

Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair.

And a Motion being made, and the Question being put, That Mr. Papillion do take the Chair of the said Committee of the whole House;

The House divided.

The Noes go forth.

So it was resolved in the Affirmative.

Then the House, according to the said Order, resolved itself into a Committee of the whole House.

Mr. Speaker left the Chair.

Mr. Papillion took the Chair of the Committee.

Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair.

Mr. Papillion reported from the said Committee, That they had made some Progress in the Matters to them referred; and had come to a Resolution; which they had directed him to report, when the House would please to receive the same.

Ordered, That the said Report be made upon Monday Morning next, after the Call of the House.

Mr. Papillion 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 Wednesday Morning next, at Eleven a Clock, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider further of the Petition of several Merchants, and others, in and about the City of London, relating to the East-India Trade; and for erecting a new East-India Company.

Committees.

Ordered, That all Committees be adjourned.

And then the House adjourned till Monday Morning, Nine a Clock.