House of Commons Journal Volume 11: 23 March 1696

Lunæ, 23 die Martii;

8° Gulielmi Tertii.

Prayers.

Duchess of Buccleuch's, &c. Estate.

MR. Dolben reported from the Committee, to whom the 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 committed, That they had examined and considered the same; and had directed him to report the same to the House, without any Amendments: And he delivered the same in at the Clerk's Table.

The Bill was read the Third time.

Resolved, That the Bill do pass.

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

Highway Laws.

A Bill for the better Explanation of an Act, of the 22th Year of King Charles the Second, for better Repairing of Highways, was read a Second time.

Resolved, That the Bill be committed, upon the Debate of the House, to Sir Robert Cotton, Mr. Lassells, Sir Mar. Wivell, Mr. Moore, Mr. Montague, Sir Robert Davers, Mr. Blofeild, Mr. England, Mr. Shakerly, Mr. White, Sir Tho. Mompesson, Sir Fra. Massam, Mr. Foley, Mr. Serjeant Bond, Mr. Fuller, Mr. Hedger, Sir Hen. Hobart, . . . Bagnold, Sir John Bolles, Mr. Burdet, Mr. Stokes, Mr. Slater, Colonel Perry, Sir John Key, Mr. Aislaby, Mr. Brotherton, Mr. Paget, Mr. Holnes, Sir Edward Abney, Mr. Daniell, Mr. Frewen, Mr. Swift, Mr. Bromley, Mr. Sandford, Sir Wm. Lowther, Mr. Brownlow, Mr. Dolben, Mr. Serjeant Coward, Sir Mich. Biddulph: And they are to meet this Afternoon at Five a Clock, in the Speaker's Chamber.

Ordered, That it be an Instruction to the said Committee, That they have Power to receive Clauses, for the better Explanation of the Act, made in the 3d and 4th Years of His Majesty's Reign, for the better repairing and amending the Highways; and for settling the Rates of Carriage of Goods; and making the same more effectual, either in respect of the Highways, or Carriage of Goods.

African Company's Stock and Debts.

The House being informed, That the Royal African Company attended, according to Order;

They were called in: And Mr. Yard, their Accountant, presented to the House an Account of the real Value of their Stock, and of their Debts.

And then they withdrew.

Ordered, That the said Account do lie upon the Table, to be perused by the Members of the House.

Woollen Manufactures.

An ingrossed Bill for the Encouragement of the Woollen Manufactures of this Kingdom was read the Third time.

And the Question being put, That the Bill do pass;

It passed in the Negative.

Carts applying for Hire.

Ordered, That the Report from the Committee, to whom the Consideration of the Petition of the Carmen of the City of London was referred, be made upon Thursday Morning next.

Encouragement of Privateers.

Resolved, That this House will, upon Friday Morning next, take into Consideration the Amendments made by the Lords, to the Bill, intituled, An Act for continuing the Acts for prohibiting all Trade and Commerce with France; and for the Encouragement of Privateers.

Preventing Escapes.

The House, according to the Order of the Day, proceeded to take into Consideration the Report from the Committee, to whom the Bill for the preventing Escapes; and better Security and Relief of Creditors; was committed:

And the Amendments, made by the Committee, to the said Bill, were severally read 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, with Blanks, That no Person shall be held to Bail, by Process out of any inferior Court, unless the Debt, or Damages, amounts to 5 l.; but the Defendant's Appearance, by indorsing such Process, shall be accepted:

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

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

It passed in the Negative.

Then the Question being put, that the Bill, with the Amendments, be ingrossed;

The House divided.

The Yeas go forth.

So it was resolved in the Affirmative.

A Message from the Lords, by Sir Miles Cooke and Mr. Meredeth:

Mr. Speaker,

Theft, &c. on Northern Borders.

The Lords have agreed to the Bill, intituled, An Act to continue Four former Acts for preventing of Theft and Rapine upon the Northern Borders of England, without any Amendments:

Wimondham Roads.

And also, to the Bill, intituled, An Act for repairing the Highways between Wimondham and Attleborough, in the County of Norfolk, without any Amendments:

Stretton, &c. Parishes.

And also, to the Bill, intituled, An Act for making the Towns of Stretton and Prince-Thorpe, a separate Parish from Woolston, in the County of Warwick, with some Amendments: To which Amendments they desire the Concurrence of this House.

And then the Messengers withdrew.

Supply Bill; House Duty.

An ingrossed Bill for granting several Rates, or Duties, upon Houses, for supplying the Deficiency of the clipped Money, was read the Third time.

And an Amendment was proposed to be made Pr. 6. L *, by inserting "or within 40 Days after:"

And the same was, upon the Question put thereupon, agreed unto by the House; and the Bill amended at the Table accordingly.

Resolved, That the Bill do pass: And that the Title be, An Act for granting to his Majesty several Rates, or Duties, upon Houses, for making good the Deficiency of the clipped Money.

Ordered, That Sir Tho. Littleton do carry the Bill to the Lords, and desire their Concurrence thereunto.

Leave of Absence.

Ordered, That Sir Tho. Mompesson have Leave to go into the Country, upon extraordinary Occasions.

Salt Duties.

A Petition of Evan Jones, on behalf of himself and others, Proprietors in Salt-works, in the County of Flint, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners are disabled from making Salt, to the Advantage of his Majesty's Revenue, by reason of a Clause, in an Act made in the Fifth and Sixth Years of the Reign of his now Majesty and the late Queen, for granting certain Duties upon Salt, whereby the County of Chester are allowed to sell Salt by Weight; but the Petitioners are, by the said Act, obliged to sell by Measure; which breaks the Grain, and hinders the Sale thereof: And praying, That the Petitioners may have the same Liberty of paying the Duty by Weight, as well as the said County of Chester.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee of the whole House, to whom the 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 . . . . .

Supply Bill; Salt Duties and Land-Bank.

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

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 heard the Counsel for the Bank of England, upon their Petition, the Consideration whereof was referred to the said Committee; and had made some Progress in the said Bill; and had directed him to move, That they may have Leave to sit again.

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

Committees.

Ordered, That all Committees be adjourned.

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