House of Commons Journal Volume 11: 4 December 1696

Veneris, 4 die Decemuris;

8° Gulielmi Tertii.

Prayers.

Regulating Elections.

A PETITION of the Mayor, Aldermen, Bailiffs, Capital Burgesses, and other principal Inhabitants, of the Borough and Town of Weymouth and Melcomb Regis, in the County of Dorset, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners find, by the Votes of the House, that a Bill is now depending therein, for the further regulating Elections of Members to serve in Parliament; which, the Petitioners presume, is of the same Nature as that which passed both Houses last Session; and will greatly infringe their ancient Rights and Liberties, if it should pass into a Law: And praying, That their Elections, in choosing their Representatives in Parliament, may not be restrained.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table.

Woollen Manufactures.

Ordered, That Leave be given to bring in a Bill for Encouragement of the Woollen Manufactures: And that Mr. Bertie and Mr. Sandford do prepare, and bring in, the Bill.

Prohibiting India Silks Callicoes, &c.

Sir Henry Hobart, according to Order, presented to the House a Bill to restrain the Wearing of all wrought Silks and Bengals, imported into this Kingdom from Persia and East-India; and all Callicoes, printed or stained there; and the same was received.

The Bill was read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time, upon Thursday Morning next, in a full House.

Preventing Escapes.

A Bill for the better preventing and prosecuting Escapes was read a Second time.

Resolved, That the Bill be committed to Mr. Sloan, Mr. Cornwallis, Mr. Ash, Mr. Wharton, Lord Spencer, Sir Francis Winington, Mr. Poultney, Sir Richard Onslow, Mr. Mountague, Mr. Fleming, Mr. Vaughan, Sir John Turner, Mr. Baldwyn, Mr. Molesworth, Mr. Gwyn, Mr. Daniell, Mr. Harcourt, Mr. Blofeild, Mr. Bowyer, Sir Wm. Ashurst, Sir Hen. Colt, Sir Robert Cotton, Mr. Gardner, Sir Hen. Hobart, Mr. Brewer, Sir Cha. Turner, Sir Rowla. Gwyn, Sir Marm. Wyvell, Sir John Kay, Mr. Clark, Sir Wm. Wogan, Sir John Fleet, Mr. Serjeant Bond, Mr. Moore, Mr. Colt, Sir Cha. Carteret, Sir Robert Davers, Sir Wm. Coriton, Mr. Morgan, Mr. Evelyn, Mr. England; and all that are of the Long Robe: And they are to meet this Afternoon at Five a Clock, in the Speaker's Chambers: And it is to be an Instruction to the said Committee, that they do take care to prevent the Grievances by Spunging-Houses.

Privilege— Prosecution for Evidence given before a Committee.

Colonel Wharton reported, from the Committee of Privileges and Elections, the Matter, touching a Complaint of a Breach of Privilege committed by Sir George Meggott and the Resolution of the said Committee thereupon; 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.

Upon the Complaint, against Sir Geo. Meggot, for prosecuting at Law several Persons, for what they testified, at the Committee of Privileges and Elections, the last Session, upon the hearing the Matter touching the Election for the Borough of Southwark:

That, to prove the Complaint, was produced,

Mr. John Huggins, an Attorney: Who said, He was employed to appear for Mr. Malyn and Mr. Ladd, at the Suit of Sir Geo. Meggot; Mr. Lake, the Attorney, having taken a Writ out against them: And, accordingly, he did appear, and received a Declaration, severally, against either of them:

Copies of which were produced to the Committee: And in those Declarations it is taken Notice, That Anthony Bowyer Esquire, and Cha. Cox, Gentleman, were returned to serve in Parliament, for the said Borough: That he, the said Sir Geo. Meggot, thought himself aggrieved by the said Return; and petitioned the House of Commons for Relief in the said Matter: That the said Petition was referred to the Committee of Elections; at which Committee the said Malyn and Ladd did, falsly and malieiously say and affirm, That Sir Geo. Meggot did say, If it cost him 500 l. he would carry the Election; and, if he could not have Justice done him abroad, he had Friends enough in the House to bring him in, right or wrong: And that the said Malyn and Ladd afterwards, at the said Committee, did falsly and maliciously say and affirm these Words; viz. "Sir Geo. Meggot did say, That, if it cost him 500 or 1,000 l. he would have Right; and that he had Friends enough in the House to bring him in, notwithstanding, whether he were elected or not:" By which means he was taken into the Custody of the Serjeant at Arms; and detained to the End of that Sessions; and put to great Expences, to his Damage of 3,000 l.

That Mr. Lake did afterwards call upon him for Pleas to the said Declarations; and he did thereupon plead to them, severally, the General Issue; Counsel having advised him so to plead, the Declarations having not set forth the Words aright: That Mr. Huggins, afterwards, called upon Mr. Lake, to know if he would try the said Causes but Mr. Lake told him, He would not further proceed, unless Sir George Meggot would give him Security to save him harmless: And thereupon he gave Rules, and obtained Nonsuits, upon both Declarations; and 3 l. 3s. was allowed him in each Cause, for Costs; which he acknowleged he had received: But it was not near the Expences they had been at.

That there was also produced,

Mr. Halsey: Who said, That, at the last Election of Burgesses for Southwark, he told Sir George, It would be very unnecessary for him to stand the Poll; and that Sir George Meggot did say, That he had laid by 1,000 l.; and had not spent above 100 l.; and had 900 l. left, to spend at the House of Commons:

And, being asked, Where it was said? he answered, At the time of Polling; but he knows not who heard it besides himself; but that he did discover this a Twelvemonth since to Mr. Northy, and several others.

That there were no Witnesses produced on the other Side:

But the Counsel observed, That, as to the Matter to fied by Mr. Halsey, it was not now complained of, nor referred to the Committee:

And as to the prosecuting at Law of Malyn and Ladd, by Sir George Meggott, it was begun out of Ignorance; and that there was no Arrest: But Sir George, having thought himself injured by their Evidence, did think he might lawfully have done himself Right, by an Action: But, as soon as he was better advised, he desisted; and suffered himself to be Nonsuited; and had paid them their Costs: And that he had Orders to say, from his Client, That he was very sorry if he hath hereby offended the House.

That the Counsel did also submit it to the Consideration of the Committee, That the Witnesses here not being upon Oath, and so not liable to be indicted for Perjury, it might be inconvenient, if there was no way to punish them for any false Testimony they might give.

And that, upon the whole Matter, the Committee came to this Resolution; viz.

Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That Sir George Meggott, having prosecuted at Law Tho. Malyn and John Ladd, for what they testified, at the Committee of Privileges and Elections, the last Session, upon the hearing the Matter touching the Election for the Borough of Southwark, is guilty of a Breach of the Privileges of this House.

The said Resolution, being read a Second time, was, upon the Question put thereupon, agreed unto by the House.

Ordered, That the said Sir George Meggott be taken into the Custody of the Serjeant at Arms attending this House, for the said Breach of Privilege.

Bank of England.

The House being acquainted, That the Governor and Directions of the Bank of England attended, according to Order;

They were called in; and, at the Bar, presented to the House Two Papers; One intituled, Stock for the Honourable the Governor and Company of the Bank of England; the other, A particular List of Tallies on Parliamentary Funds; . . . . . inserted in the said Account of Stock.

And then withdrew.

And the said Papers were read, and are as follow; viz.

Stock for the Honourable the Governor and Company of the Bank of England.

London, November 10, 1696.

Examined by Order of the Court of Directors,

Per Tho. Mercer, Accountant.

The said List of Tallies on Parliamentary Funds.

London, November 10,1696.

Examined, by Order of the Court of Directors,

Per Tho. Mercer, Accountant.

Ordered, That the said Papers be referred to the Consideration of the Committee of the whole House; who are to consider further of that Part of his Majesty's Speech which relates to the Credit of the Nation; and of the Supply to be granted to his Majesty, for making good the Deficiencies of Parliamentary Funds.

Ordered, That the Governor and Directors of the Bank of England do attend the said Committee.

Resolved, That this House will, To-morrow Morning, resolve itself into the said Committee of the whole House.

Bringing in Plate to be coined.

A Bill to encourage the bringing Plate into the Mints, to be coined, was, according to Order, read a Second time.

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

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

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