House of Commons Journal Volume 11: 20 December 1694

Jovis, 20 die Decembris;

Sexto Gulielmi et Mariæ.

Prayers.

Leave of Absence.

ORDERED, That Sir Edward Seymour have Leave to go into the Country for a Fortnight, upon extraordinary Occasions.

African Company.

A Petition of Edmund Harrison, William Dockwra, John Thrale, Thomas Jones and Partners, Owners and Freighters of several English Ships, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners Ships were freighted with English Commodities, on a Trading Voyage to the Coast of Africa; and, arriving there, some of them were seized in a hostile Manner by the African Company's Agents; who carried them to the Company's Factory at Cape-Corse Castle, and there imprisoned the Masters and Seamen: That the Company's Agent did there erect an illegal Court of Admiralty, and condemned the said Ships and Cargoes, as forfeited: That the Petitioners, for endeavouring to recover Satisfaction, were, in the late Reigns, illegally imprisoned, as Persons obnoxious to the Government: That the said Company, who had the Benefit of those Seizures, have already pleaded, and do still threaten to plead, the Statute of Limitation to the Petitioners, though they detain their Estates to this Day: And praying Leave to bring in a Bill for their Relief.

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

Leverpoole delayed Return.

A Complaint being made to the House, That although the Election for the Borough of Leverpoole was the 4th Instant, no Return is yet made, or brought in;

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee of Privileges and Elections, to examine the Matter; and report the same to the House.

Earthenware.

Mr. Boscawen, according to Order, presented to the House a Bill for the more effectual prohibiting the Importation of Earthen Wares: And the same was received.

Punishing Mutiny and Desertion.

Colonel Earle, according to Order, presented to the House a Bill for continuing Two former Acts, for punishing Officers and Soldiers who shall mutiny, or desert their Majesties Service; and for punishing false Musters; and for Payment of Quarters: And the same was received.

Hackney Coach Commissioners.

A Petition of Thomas Kemp, Edward Smith, Edward Phipps, John Nicholson, Matthew Gray, and Robert Keen, on behalf of themselves, and several others of the ancient 400 Hackney Coachmen, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That by a late Act of Parliament, intituled, An Act for licensing and regulating Hackney Coaches and Stage Coaches, Commissioners, appointed under the Great Seal, had Power, under their Hands and Seals, to license 700 Hackney Coaches, to drive for Hire, within the Weekly Bills of Mortality, receiving for each Licence Fifty Pounds, and Four Pounds yearly, and no more; and were, in the first Place, to grant Licences to the ancient Four hundred Hackney Coachmen, in Consideration of great Sums of Money they had before paid to the Crown for former Licences, and since for Taxes: But the Commissioners, namely, Henry Villiers, Richard Gee, Henry Killigrew, Henry Ashurst, and Walter Overbury, Esquires, instead of following the Directions of the said Act, have refused to grant Licences to the Petitioners, and about 30 more of the old licensed Hackney Coachmen; and have granted Licences to several Tradesmen, Women, and Porters, and a greater Number than Seven hundred; and great Sums of Money, above what the said Act allowed, have been extorted from the Petitioners, and most of the Hackney-Coachmen, before they could obtain Licences; which tends to the utter Ruin and Impoverishment of the Petitioners, and their Families, having taken long Leases of Houses, Coachhouses, and Stables, at great Rents; and have several Coaches and Horses on their Hands; and must be forced to sell them to great Loss, being refused Licences to use the same; and the Charge of keeping them being more than the Petitioners are able to bear; which Employment being the only Subsistence for the Petitioners and their Families, they are utterly destitute of any other Employment for their Support: And praying, That the House would take their Grievances into Consideration, and grant such Relief in the Premises as shall be thought fit.

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

And it is referred to Sir John Key, Sir Sam. Barnardiston, Mr. Brewer, Mr. Arnold, Mr. England, Sir Wm. Lemon, Mr. Lutterell, Sir Fra. Molyneux, Mr. Hungerford, Sir Matth. Andrewes, Mr. White, Mr. Vincent, Mr. Slater, Mr. Pigot, Mr. Stonehouse, Mr. Colt, Mr. Harley, Mr. Thornhaugh, Mr. Boscawen, Mr. Bowyer, Mr. Waller, Mr. Fuller, Mr. Hedger, Mr. Kenyon, Sir John Moreton, Mr. Mansell, Sir Wm. Honywood, Mr. Hobby, Colonel Titus. Mr. Preston, Sir Jacob Ashley, Mr. Papillion, Mr. Ward, Mr. Brockman, Sir Jervas Elwes, Colonel Perry, Colonel Lee, Mr. Lowther, Sir Edward Hussey: And they are to meet To-morrow at Four a Clock in the Afternoon, in the Speaker's Chambers: And are to have Power to send for Persons, Papers, and Records.

Debtors Petition.

A Petition of William Luckin, a Prisoner for Debt in the King's-Bench, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That he hath been there a Prisoner for above Five Years; and hoped to have been discharged by virtue of the late Act for Relief . . poor Prisoners, having no Creditor that will oppose his Discharge; but Mr. Farrington, Gaoler of the said Prison, hath forced the Petitioner, when a close Prisoner, to sign Bills for Payment of 30£. which he pretends to be due for Chamber-rent, though the same, if any, is discharged by the said Act: That the Petitioner is no way able to pay the said 30£. having a great Family; and nothing but his own Labour to maintain them: And praying the House to take his Case into Consideration.

Ordered, That the Examination and Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee, to whom the Bill for Relief against Sheriffs and Gaolers, for Escapes of Prisoners for Debt; and for preventing the Abuses by Writs of Habeas Corpus, and Day-rules, for such Prisoners; and for the better regulating the Prisons of the King'sBench and Fleet; is committed: And that they do report the Matter, with their Opinion therein, to the House.

Leave of Absence.

Ordered, That no Motion be made for Leave for any Member of this House to go out of Town, but between the Hours of Eleven and One a Clock.

Supply Bill; Tonage and Poundage.

Sir Thomas Littleton, according to Order, reported from the Committee of the whole House, to whom the Bill for granting to their Majesties the Subsidy of Tonage and Poundage was committed, the Amendments made by the Committee to the said Bill; which he read in his Place; 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 Clause was offered to be added to the Bill * * * *:

And the Question being put, that the Clause be brought up to the Table;

The House divided.

The Yeas go forth.

So it was resolved in the Affirmative.

The Clause was brought up to the Table, and read; and, by Leave of the House, withdrawn.

Another Clause was offered to be added to the Bill, for Oaths to be administered to the Officers of the Customs; with Blanks:

And the same was twice read; and the Blanks filled up; and other Amendments made to the Clause.

And the Clause, so amended, was, upon the Question put thereupon, agreed unto by the House to be made Part of the Bill.

Another Clause was offered to be added to the Bill, for satisfying Debentures for such Goods exported, as shall remain unpaid on the 24th Day of December 1694:

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

And the Question being put, That the Clause, so amended, be made Part of the Bill;

It past in the Negative.

Another Clause was offered to be added to the Bill, * * * *:

And the same was twice read; and, upon the Question put thereupon, agreed unto by the House to be made Part of the Bill.

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

Supply Bill; Land Tax.

Mr. Solicitor-General, according to Order, presented to the House a Bill for granting to their Majesties an Aid of 4s. in the Pound, for One Year, for carrying on the War against France with Vigour: And the same was received.

Tryals in Lancashire, &c.

Ordered, That all such Persons as were ordered to attend this House this Day, relating to the Proceedings, and late Tryals, in Lancashire and Cheshire, do attend this House upon Saturday Morning next, at Ten a Clock.

Committees.

Ordered, That all Committees be adjourned.

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