House of Commons Journal Volume 11: 18 March 1696

Mercurii, 18 die Martii;

8° Gulielmi Tertii.

Prayers.

Duchess of Buccleuch's, & c. Estate.

AN ingrossed Bill, from the Lords, intituled, An Act for impowering the Most Noble Ann Duchess of Buccleuch, and the Right Honourable James Earl of Dalkeith, her Son, of the Kingdom of Scotland, to grant Leases for improving a Piece of Ground in the Parish of St. Martin's in the Fields, in the County of Middlesex, was read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time.

Ridout's Estate.

An ingrossed Bill, from the Lords, intituled, An Act for the Sale of Lands in Horsington, in the County of Somerset, Part of the Estate of Christopher Ridout, an Insant, for Payment of Incumbrances charged thereon; and for preserving the Residue of the said Estate for the Insant; was read a Second time.

Resolved, That the Bill be committed to Mr. Baldwyn, Mr. Pocklington, Mr. Serjeant Coward, Sir Wm. Ashurst, Mr. Vaughan, Mr. Granville, Lord Cornbury, Mr. Lassells, Mr. Hedger, Mr. Lambton, Mr. Grey, Serjeant Bond, Sir Edward Abney, Mr. Taylor, Sir John Bolles, Mr. Bertie, Sir Tho. Day, Sir Marm. Wivell, Sir Robert Gotton, Mr. Gardiner, Mr. Lowther, Mr. Brotherton, Mr. Hoare, Mr. Yates, Mr. Paget, Mr. Blaake, Mr. Ashby, Mr. White, Mr. Bagnold, Mr. Fuller, Mr. Henly, Mr. Arnold, Mr. Moore, Mr. Frewen, Sir Sa. Barnardiston, Sir John Bucknall, Mr. Blofeild, Mr. Bromley, Sir Fra. Massam, Mr. Clarke, Mr. Venables, Mr. Foley, Mr. Hunt, Mr. Philips:

And they are to meet this Afternoon at Five a Clock, in the Speaker's Chamber.

Wagstaffe's Estate.

Mr. Bromley reported from the Committee, to whom the ingrossed Bill, from the Lords, intituled, An Act to enable Sir Thomas Wagstaffe Knight to raise and secure a Portion for Frances, his only Daughter, and Heir-apparent, was committed, That they had examined and considered the same; and made some Amendments; 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 twice read; and, upon the Question severally put thereupon, agreed unto by the House; and are as follow; viz.

Pr. 3. L. 9, leave out "Southwark," and insert "Warwick."

Pr. 5. L. 13. after "Whereas," insert "the said Sir Thom. Wagstaffe has covenanted and agreed to make a good and sufficient Recompence and Satisfaction for the Premises she."

Dawson's Estate.

An ingrossed Bill, from the Lords, intituled, An Act for vesting Part of the Estate of Joseph Dawson Esquire in Trustees, for Payment of Debts, and for a Provision for the Maintenance and Marriage of his Daughters, was read the Third time.

Resolved, That the Bill do pass.

Ordered, That Mr. Pocklington do carry the Bill to the Lords, and acquaint them, That this House hath agreed to the same, without any Amendments.

Hawkers and Pedlars.

Ordered, That the ingrossed Bill for suppressing Hawkers and Pedlars be read the Third time upon Friday Morning next.

Servants Wages.

An ingrossed Bill for the more easy Recovery of Servants Wages was read the Third time.

An ingrossed Clause was offered, as a Rider, with Blanks, That no hired Servant shall gain any Settlement in the Parish wherein they are hired, unless they shall continue in such Service for One Year, or more:

And the same was twice read; and the Blanks filled up:

And then the Clause was read the Third time; and, upon the Question put thereupon, agreed to be made Part of the Bill.

Resolved, That the Bill do pass: And that the Title be, An Act for the more easy Recovery of Servants Wages; and for determining Differences between Masters and Servants.

Ordered, That Sir Henry Dutton Colt do carry the Bill to the Lords, and desire their Concurrence thereunto.

Irish Arrears.

A Petition of Nathaniel Hill, John Hakewell, and other poor Troopers, who served in the Wars in Ireland, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That, by Order of the House, the Lord Coningsby and Mr. Fox have brought in their Report, concerning the Petitioners Irish Arrears: And praying the House to take the said Report into Consideration; and that they may be paid the Arrears due to them.

Whereupon, Mr. Fox presented to the House an Account, in Writing, signed by the Lord Coningsby and himself, pursuant to the Direction of the House, upon a former Petition presented to the House by the said Troopers:

THAT they had perused the said Petition; and do humbly inform this House, That, soon after the Reducing of Ireland, his Majesty did cause several Regiments to be brought from thence; and gave Directions for the Stating of all their Accounts, to the 1st of April 1692: Which being accordingly done, there did appear to be due to this Regiment, then commanded by Brigadier Villiers, and now under the command of Brigadier

And although the Petitioners may probably have a just Right to the Sums against each of their Names expressed in the annexed Schedule; yet it is impossible for any but the Officer that received the Money, or those he employed in the paying of it out, to make a just Distribution of it: And it is only from such an Account that the Petitioners Pretensions can be ascertained or comptrolled.

Coningsby. Cha. Fox.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petitions be referred to a Committee: And that they do examine the Matter thereof; and report the same, with their Opinion therein, to the House:

And it is referred to Sir Wm. Hustler, Mr. Shackerley, Sir Gerv. Elwes, Mr. Molesworth, Sir John Bolles, Mr. Fox, Sir Chr. Musgrove, Mr. Frewen, Lord Cornbury, Sir Robert Cotton, Mr. White, Mr. Bagnold, Mr. Arnold, Mr. Stonehouse, Mr. Colt, Mr. Whitaker, Mr. Manley, Sir John Austin, Sir Mar. Wivell, Mr. Chadwick, Sir Godfry Copley, Sir John Kay, Sir Hen. Hobart, Mr. Moyle, Mr. Palmes, Sir Rowl. Gwyn, Sir William Lowther, Mr. Yates, Sir Hen. Colt, Sir Hen. Goff, Mr. Brotherton, Colonel Godfrey, Mr. Monson, Mr. Blathwaite: And they are to meet this Afternoon at Five a Clock, in the Speaker's Chamber: And are impowered to send for Persons, Papers, and Records.

Courts of Equity.

Ordered, That the Bill for regulating Proceedings in Courts of Equity be read a Second time upon Friday Morning next.

Supply Bill; Salt Duties and Land Bank.

A Bill for continuing to his Majesty certain Rates and Duties upon Salt, for carrying on the War against France; and for taking off the Duties of Tonage upon Ships, and upon Coals; and for establishing a National Land-Bank; was, according to Order, read a Second time.

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

Resolved, That it be an Instruction to the said Committee, That they do restrain the Bank not to lend Money but upon Land-Security, or to the Government into the Exchequer.

Resolved, That it be an Instruction to the said Committee, That they do receive a Clause, That, if the Money do not come in by a certain time, his Majesty be enabled to borrow the same.

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

Supply Bill; House Duty.

Sir Thomas Littleton, according to the Order of the Day, reported, from the Committee of the whole House, to whom the Bill for granting several Rates, or Duties, upon Houses, for supplying the Deficiency of the clipped Money, 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, with some Amendments made at the Table, agreed unto by the House.

A Clause was offered, to be added to the Bill, That such Dwelling-houses as are inhabited by Persons that are not rated to Church and Poor, shall be taken as Cottages:

And the same was twice read; and, 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, against the Currency of clipped Money:

And the same was twice read; and, by Leave of the House, withdrawn.

Another Clause, of Credit, was offered, to be added to the Bill, with Blanks:

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

A Clause of Appropriation was offered, to be added to the Bill, with Blanks:

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

A Clause was offered, to be added to the Bill, That the Act shall not extend to charge any poor Cottage; with a Blank for the yearly Value:

And the Question being put, That the Clause be read; It passed in the Negative.

Another Clause was offered, to be added to the Bill, That the Receivers shall account, upon Oath, to the Auditors of the Imprest, for the Monies by them received, and paid, by virtue of the Act:

And the Question being put, That the Clause be read; It passed in the Negative.

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

Ways and Means.

Resolved, That this House will, upon Saturday Morning next, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of Ways and Means for raising the Supply to be granted to his Majesty, for defraying the Expences of the Civil List, for the Year 1696; and for the Relief of the poor French Protestants.

Supply Bill; Duty on French Goods.

Ordered, That the Bill for granting to his Majesty an additional Duty upon all French Goods and Merchandizes, be committed to the same Committee.

Practisers of Law to take Oaths.

Ordered, That the Bill for requiring the Practisers of the Law to take the Oaths to his Majesty be read a Second time To-morrow Morning.

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