House of Commons Journal Volume 11: 13 January 1696

Lunæ, 13 die Januarii ;

7° Gulielmi Tertii.

Prayers.

Stoner's Estate.

AN ingrossed Bill from the Lords, intituled, An Act for the enabling Thomas Stoner Esquire, Son and Heir of John Stoner Esquire, deceased, to make a Jointure and Settlement of his Estate in Marriage, notwithstanding his Minority, was read a Second time.

Resolved, That the Bill be committed to Mr. Bickerstaffe, Sir John Bolles, Mr. Heveningham, Mr. Grey, Mr. Vincent, Mr. Parker, Sir Cha. Carteret, Mr. Bridges, Mr. Ash, Mr. Serjeant Bond, Mr. Burdet, Sir John Bucknall, Sir Robert Davers, Mr. Gardner, Mr. Bowyer, Mr. Halsey, Sir John Barker, Mr. Tho. Foley, Mr. Baldwyn, Mr. Hamond, Mr. Mountague, Mr. How, Sir Gerv. Elwes, Mr. Whitacre, Sir S. Barnardiston, Mr. Sandford, Mr. Arnold, Mr. Ph. Foley, Mr. Brewer, Mr. Tho. Foley junior, Mr. Vernon, Mr. Cary, Mr. Poultney, Mr. Felton, Mr. Wharton, Mr. Waller: And they are to meet this Afternoon at Five a Clock, in the Speaker's Chambers.

Duties on Coals, &c.

A Petition of Charles Halford Esquire was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioner's Father-in-law, Daniel Wigmore, being encouraged by an Act of Parliament, did, about 20 Years ago, at the Expence of above 5,000 l. make the River Welland, from Deeping to Stamford, in the County of Lincoln, navigable; which has been a great Improvement of Trade, and Advantage to the Town of Stamford, and Country adjacent: That the Banks and Navigation of the said River is maintained at a great yearly Charge to the Petitioner, for which he is paid a Duty, by way of Tonage, for all Vessels, passing up and down the said River laden; the Profit whereof chiefly consists by Importation of Sea-Coal to Stamford; and, before the War, was worth betwixt 4 and 500 l. yearly, by reason of the Cheapness of Sea-Coals, which then were never above 20 s. per Chaldron; but now they are risen to Three-and-thirty Shillings per Chaldron, by reason of an Act, made the last Parliament, for granting to his Majesty certain Duties upon Glass Wares, Stone and Earthen Bottles, Coals, and Culm, for carrying on the War against France, whereby a Duty of 5 s. per Chaldron is laid upon all Coals water-borne; so that Stamford, and the Towns adjacent, can be supplied with other Coals, by Land-carriage, at a much cheaper Rate; whereby the said Duty will be avoided; the Petitioner will lose his said Estate; the said River become unnavigable; and many Families, whose Livelihoods depend upon the said River, will be ruined: And praying the Consideration of the House in the Premises, and Relief therein.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee appointed to consider of the Doubts and Complaints relating to the said Act.

Halfpene & Farthings.

A Complaint being made to the House of the Scarcity of Halfpence and Farthings, for some time past, and at this time; and that the Patentees do make the same of base Copper, and refuse to deliver out any but for milled and broad unclipped Money; and at Ten or Fifteen Pounds per Cent.; and refuse to exchange Tin Farthings;

Resolved, That a Committee be appointed to consider the Matters of the said Complaint, and of the said Patent; and to examine, and report the same, with their Opinion thereupon, to the House:

And it is referred to Mr. Arnold, Sir Thomas Delavall, Sir John Bolles, Mr. Bridges, Mr. Mountague, Mr. Lowther, Mr. Whitacre, Sir Sam. Barnardiston, Mr. Farrer, Mr. Foley, Mr. Gardner, Sir Matth. Andrews, Mr. Heveningham, Mr. Stonehouse, Sir Gerv. Elwes, Mr. Frewen, Sir John Fagg, Mr. Sloane, Mr. Gwynn, Sir Rob. Davers, Mr. York, Mr. Bickerstaffe, Sir Tho. Barnardiston, Mr. White, Sir William Lowther: And they are to meet this Afternoon at Five a Clock, in the Speaker's Chambers: And are impowered to send for Persons, Papers, and Records.

Hertford Election.

Ordered, That the Report from the Committee of Privileges and Elections, touching the Election for the County of Hertford, be made upon Thursday Morning next.

Lady Fane's Estate.

An ingrossed Bill, from the Lords, intituled, An Act for enabling the Lady Katherine Fane to sell her Reversion of certain Fee-farm Rents, given to her by her Grandfather John Bence Esquire, was read a Second time.

Resolved, That the Bill be committed to Mr. Brewer, Mr. Gardner, Sir Henry Fane, Mr. Farrer, Mr. White, Mr. Hedger, Mr. Monson, Sir S. Barnardiston, Mr. Parker, Mr. Blofeild, Mr. Whitacre, Mr. England, Mr. Bowyer, Mr. Waller, Mr. Fuller, Mr. Jones, Sir John Bolles, Mr. Harvey, Sir Gerv. Elwes, Mr. Stonehouse, Mr. Baldwyn, Sir Tho. Barnardiston, Mr. Hoar, Sir Matth. Andrews; and all the Members that serve for the Counties of Kent and York: And they are to meet this Afternoon at Five a Clock, in the Speaker's Chambers.

Recovery of Small Tythes.

Mr. Bickerstaffe reported from the Committee, to whom the Bill for the more easy Recovery of small Tythes 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; 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: And another Amendment was made to the Bill at the Table.

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

Reversing Judgment against Sir W. Williams.

Resolved, That this House will, upon Friday Morning next, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of the Bill for reversing the Judgment against Sir William Williams; and for asserting the Rights and Freedom of Parliament.

Recovery of Debts from Heirs.

A Motion being made, and the Question being put, That Leave be given to bring in a Bill for the more speedy and easy Recovery, against Heirs within Age, of Debts contracted by their Ancestors;

It passed in the Negative.

Preventing Escapes.

A Bill for the preventing Escapes; and better Security and Relief of Creditors; was read a Second time

Resolved, That the Bill be committed to Mr. Brewer, Sir Wm. Williams, Mr. Finch, Mr. Bickerstaffe, Mr. Fuller, Mr. Molesworth, Sir Godfry Copley, Mr. Whitacre, Mr. Moyle, Mr. Waller, Mr. Phillips, Mr. England, Mr. Machell, Mr. Newport, Mr. Foley, Sir Tho. Roberts, Mr. Harcourt, Mr. Grey, Mr. Mountague, Sir Marm. Wyvell, Mr. Attorney-General, Sir John Boles, Mr. Stonehouse, Mr. Bromley, Mr. Baldwyn, Serjeant Bond, Mr. Colt, Mr. How, Sir Richard Temple, Mr. Moore, Mr. Solicitor-General, Serjeant Coward, Mr. Frewen, Mr. Hoar, Mr. Blofeild, Mr. Palmes, Mr. Lowther, Sir Gerv. Elwes, Sir Wm. Lowther; and all the Gentlemen of the Long Robe: And they are to meet this Afternoon at Four a Clock, in the Speaker's Chambers.

Powell's Estate.

An ingrossed Bill, from the Lords, intituled, An Act for vesting several Messuages and Lands, belonging to Samuel Powell Esquire, in Trustees, for Payment of his Debts, was read a Second time.

Resolved, That the Bill be committed to Mr. Harley, Mr. Bickerstaffe, Sir Tho. Littleton, Mr. Heveningham, Mr. Baldwyn, Mr. Poultney, Lord Pawlet, Mr. Gardner, Mr. Swift, Colonel Perry, Mr. White, Mr. Gwynn, Mr. Norris, Mr. Blofeild, Mr. Newport, Sir John Bolles, Mr. Dolben, Mr. Mason, Sir Wm. Lowther, Mr. England, Mr. Burdet, Mr. Lowther, Mr. Fuller, Sir Fra. Winington, Mr. Harcourt, Serjeant Bond, Mr. Brereton, Mr. Price, Sir Edward Acton; and all the Members that serve for the Counties of Worcester, Salop, and Hereford: And they are to meet this Afternoon at Five a Clock, in the Speaker's Chambers.

Wye and Lugg Navigation.

A Petition of many Inhabitants of the Town of Monmouth was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Mayor of the City of Hereford hath clandestinely prevailed upon William Williams, a poor Boatman, and several other poor Men of the Town of Monmouth, to subscribe a Paper, purporting their Approbation of making the Rivers Wye and Lugg navigable: That the Mayor, Burgesses, and all other the substantial Inhabitants of Monmouth, who pay parochial Taxes, do remonstrate against the said Subscription; for that the making the said Rivers portable, will utterly ruin the said Town, by destroying their Corn-Market, on which it wholly depends; and thereby render the Petitioners unable to relieve their Poor, who are very numerous: And recommending their Dislike of the said Subscription to the Consideration of the House.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee, to whom the Bill to make the Rivers of Wye and Lugg, in the County of Hereford, navigable, is committed.

Remedying ill State of the Coin.

Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, according to Order, presented to the House a Bill for remedying the ill State of the Coin of this Kingdom: And the same was received.

Supply Bill; Land Tax.

Resolved, That this House will, upon Wednesday Morning next, after the Amendments made by the Lords, to the Bill, intituled, An Act for Regulating of Tryals in Cases of Treason, and Misprision of Treason, are taken into Consideration, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider further of the Bill for granting to his Majesty an Aid of Four Shillings in the Pound, for One Year, for carrying on the War against France.

Ordered, That the several Members of the House do, upon Wednesday Morning next, bring in to the said Committee the Names of the Commissioners for the several Counties, Cities, and Places, as is usual, to be inserted in the said Bill.

Supply Bill; House Duty.

The House, according to the Order of the Day, resolved itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of the Bill for granting certain Rates or Duties upon Houses, for making good the Deficiency of the clipped Money.

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 said Committee, That they had made a considerable Progress in the Matter to them referred; and had directed him to move, That they may have Leave to sit again.

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

Lords desire Leave for Members to attend them.

A Message from the Lords, by Sir John Hoskins and Sir Robert Legard:

Mr. Speaker,

We are commanded by the Lords to acquaint this House, That they having appointed a Committee, to take into their Consideration several Matters relating to the Trade of this Kingdom, who have informed the Lords, That they have Occasion to speak with the Commissioners of the Admiralty, upon the Matters to them referred; the Lords do desire, That this House will give Leave to such Members of this House as are Commissioners of the Admiralty, to come to the said Committee, when they shall be desired.

And then the Messengers withdrew.

Resolved, That this House doth give Leave to such Members of this House as are Commissioners of the Admiralty, to go to the said Committee, when they shall be desired, as the Lords do desire.

And the Messengers were called in again; and Mr. Speaker acquainted them therewith.

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