House of Commons Journal Volume 11: 24 February 1694

Sabbati, 24 die Februarii;

6° Gulielmi et Mariæ.

Prayers.

Arundell Return amended.

THE Clerk of the Crown attended, according to Order; and amended the Return for the Borough of Arundell, by rasing out the Name of Henry Lord Walden, and inserting the Name of John Cook Esquire, instead thereof.

A. Turner's Estate.

An ingrossed Bill, from the Lords, intituled, An Act to enable the Trustees of Alice Turner Widow, and her Children, to make Sale of certain Houses and Ground in or near Lincoln's-Inn-Fields, in the County of Middlesex, during the Minority of the younger Children, was read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time.

Importing Iron, Copper, &c.

Mr. Hungerford reported from the Committee, to whom the Bill for the Importation of Iron, Copper, and Bell-Metal, was committed, That they had made some 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.

London Orphans Fund.

A Bill for Relief of the Orphans of the City of London was read the Second time.

Resolved, That the Bill be committed, upon the Debate of the House, to a Committee of the whole House.

Resolved, That this House will, upon Saturday Morning next, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of the said Bill.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the several Petitions which have been presented to the House, and read, and laid upon the Table until the said Bill was read the Second time, be referred to the Committee of the whole House, to whom the said Bill is committed.

London Orphans Fund.

A Petition of divers Merchants in and about the City of London was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That there being a Bill for Relief of the Orphans of the said City now in this House, whereby a new Duty of 4s. per Ton is laid upon all Wines imported; although Wines already pay a greater Duty to their . . . . . . than any other Commodity; That this intended Duty upon Wines will be a particular Tax upon the Wine-Merchants only, who cannot possibly sell their Wines the dearer for it: And praying, That an equal Duty may be laid upon other Merchandize, as well as Wines, the Petitioners being willing to pay in proportion with other Merchants.

Resolved, That the said Petition be rejected.

Poor Relief:

Sir John Guise, according to Order, presented to the House a Bill for the better Relief of the Poor, and setting them on Work: And the same was received.

Importing Saltpetre.

Sir Henry Goodrick, according to the Order of the Day, reported from the Committee of the whole House, to whom the Bill for the Importation of Saltpetre was committed, That they had considered the same, and 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 the same 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.

Then the House took into. consideration the Petition of the Governor and Company of Merchants trading to the East-Indies; and also the Petition of divers Merchants, and Owners of Ships and Privateers; which had been presented to the House, and read, and laid upon the Table till the Report of the said Bill was made.

Ditto.

Also a Petition of William Dockwra, James Bateman, and others, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That there being a Bill now depending in this House for the Importation of Saltpetre from Holland, contrary to the present Laws; That the Petitioners, and divers other eminent Citizens of London, being well assured, that a sufficient Quantity of Saltpetre, of equal Goodness with that brought from the East Indies, may be made here to supply the Occasions of the Nation, they have already expended several Thousand Pounds in making Buildings, and other Necessaries, for the making thereof; and they have already made considerable Quantities: And praying, That the said Bill may not pass, until the Petitioners be heard what they have to offer touching the same.

Resolved, That the said Petition be rejected.

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

Tregony Writ.

Ordered, That Mr. Speaker do issue his Warrant to the Clerk of the Crown, to make out a new Writ, for electing a Burgess to serve in this present Parliament for the Borough of Tregony in the County of Cornwall, in the room of Sir John Tremaine Knight, deceased.

Protestants Nat.

Resolved, That this House will, upon Thursday Morning next, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of the Bill for the Naturalization of such Protestants as shall take the Oaths to their Majesties, and the Test against Popery.

Punishing Mutiny and Desertion.

The Lord Coningsby, according to the Order of the Day, reported from the Committee of the whole House, to whom the Bill for Continuance of the Act for punishing Officers and Soldiers who shall mutiny, or desert their Majesties Service; and for punishing false Musters; and for the Payment of Quarters; for One Year longer; 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; . . . 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.

Pressing Men for Land Service.

The Lord Coningsby also reported from the said Committee, That they had examined and considered the Matter of the Complaint, made to the House the Twelfth Instant; the Examination and Consideration whereof was referred to them; touching Persons having been pressed for LandService, and carried to a House near Turn-Stile in Holborne:

And that Mr. Ralph Bucknall testified, That several Complaints had been made to him, as a Justice of Peace, of Persons being trapanned in to be listed as Soldiers, and carried to the House of one Davis, a Deputy ProvostMarshal, and of one Toley in Holborn; and that he had released and discharged Forty, first and last: And particularly, That on the 20th of January last, upon an Information, That a Person was forced against his Will, and carried to Toolye's, Tooly brought him to the Petty Sessions; and there said, He was brought in by a wrong Name; that he had nothing to say to him: And so that Person was discharged.

That another Person complained, That his Kinsman, having been ill, and walking out to take the Air, was invited by one to drink in the Publick-House; and, after some time, was charged by that Person to have received the King's Press-money: but that he said, That could not be; for that he had but a Groat in Farthings in his Pocket: Upon which the other bid him look into his Coat-Pocket, and he would find the King's Money: Upon which putting his Hand in his Coat-Pocket, he found One Shilling; and that thereupon he was forced into Toolye's House: And that, upon Examination of that Matter, the Person was discharged.

Mr. Lander testified, That, upon the Fourth Instant, he, being an Apothecary, was sent for to come to Toolye's House, to see one Magnes, who was there sick of a Fever; and said, he could not get Liberty to go out for his Health: But, that upon the said Mr. Lander's acquainting Tooly, That there was a Necessity for his being at some other Place for his Health; and upon his giving Money; he did obtain Liberty to go to a House in Covent-Garden, where he died the 13th Instant.

And that the said Magnes informed him, That he was wheedled in, to drink with some Company; and then was taxed to have received Press-money, and carried by Force, by a Serjeant, to Toolye's House.

That Mr. Lander said, he observed there were about a Hundred in Toolye's House; and that one had cut his own Throat.

Simon Roberts testified, That one Henry Goodall wanting a Place, he told him, That an Officer treated with him, to hire him; and agreed to give him Wages; and bid him carry his Cloak after him to the Tower, and then gave him a Shilling, and put him in a Place there, where were several others: And that there came a Colonel, and viewed them, and those that were fit were sent away; but that Goodall was brought to Tooly's House, where he was kept till he paid Twenty-five Shillings: And that others were carried thither, upon pretence of being hired as Servants.

And that thereupon the Committee came to a Resolution, which they had directed him to report; and 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 the taking Men without their Consent, and keeping them till discharged for Money, is illegal, oppressive, and against the Liberty of the Subject.

The said Resolution being read a Second time;

Resolved, That the House doth agree with the Committee in the said Resolution, That the taking Men without their Consent, and keeping them till discharged for Money, is illegal, oppressive, and against the Liberty of the Subject.

Ordered, That Robert Davis, Deputy Provost-Marshal, and.* * Tooley, mentioned in the said Report, do attend this House on Tuesday Morning next, at Nine a Clock.

Privilege.

A Complaint being made to the House, That James Nurley, a menial Servant to Paul Foley Esquire, a Member of this House, was lately seized in Westminster-hall, by one Richard Armstrong, and others, Press Masters, in Breach of the Privilege of this House;

Ordered, That the said Richard Armstrong do attend this House upon Tuesday Morning next, at Nine a Clock.

Ordered, That John Smith, who knows the said Richard Armstrong, that seized the said James Nurley, do attend this House upon Tuesday Morning next, at Nine a Clock.

Committees.

Ordered, That all Committees be revived.

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