House of Commons Journal Volume 12: 12 February 1698

Sabbati, 12 die Februarii ;

Nono Gulielmi Tertii.

Prayers.

Slaughter's importing Silk.

A PETITION of Paris Slaughter and Wm. Druce, Merchants of the City of London, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That by an Act of the 5th and 6th of the King, any Person residing in any of his Majesty's Dominions, during the War with France, and Three Months after, might import into England fine Thrown Silks of the Growth of Italy, Sicily, and Naples; and the Petitioners had Eleven Bales of fine Italian Silk consigned to them from Italy to Amsterdam; Seven of which arrived there the Latter-end of November last, within sufficient time to have been imported here, by the time limited by the said Act, had not the Accident of the Frosts in Holland prevented the same: And praying Leave to bring in a Bill to enable the Petitioners to import their said Bales of Silk, notwithstanding the said Act they paying the accustomed Duties.

Ordered, That Leave be given to bring in a Bill according to the Prayer of the said Petition: And that Sir Wm. Ashurst do prepare, and bring in, the same.

Address against Profaneness.

Ordered, That the Committee appointed to prepare an humble Address, to be presented to his Majesty, to suppress Profaneness and Immorality, and all Books which endeavour to undermine the Fundamentals of the Christian Religion, and punish the Authors, do sit again upon Monday Morning next.

Ayre and Calder Navigation.

A Petition of the ancient Borough of Aldborough, in the County of York, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That Abundance of Corn, and other Goods, are brought to the said Borough, by Water, for supplying not only the said Town, and adjacent Places, but several Towns Northwards: And the Petitioners are well assured, That making the Rivers Ayre and Calder navigable, for which there is a Bill in the House, will not only take away that little Water they have, but also ruin their Trade; And praying, That the said Rivers may not be made navigable.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee, to whom the said Bill is committed.

Ditto.

A Petition of the Masters of Ships, and Seamen, belonging to the ancient City of York, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That making the Rivers Ayre and Calder navigable, will be very prejudicial to, if not totally ruin, the Trade of York Citizens, and particularly the Petitioners, whose Maintenance depends on the Trade in the River Ouze: And praying to be heard against the Bill in the House for making the Rivers Aire and Calder navigable.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee, to whom the said Bill is committed.

Ditto.

A Petition of the Ship Carpenters of the Town of Cawood, in the County of York, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That making the Rivers Ayre and Calder navigable, for the doing of which there is a Bill depending in the House, will not only ruin the River and Trade of Ouze, but so drain the small Rivers thereabouts, that the Petitioners cannot get Timber down by Water, to carry on their said Trades: And praying, That the said Rivers may not be made navigable.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee, to whom the said Bill is committed.

Ayre and Calder Navigation.

A Petition of the ancient Borough of Boroughbriggs, in the County of York, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That Abundance of Goods and Corn are brought thither, by Water, for supplying the adjacent Towns, and several Places Northward: And that making the Rivers Ayre and Calder navigable, for which there is a Bill in the House, will not only take away the little Water they have, but also ruin their Trade: And praying, That the said Rivers may not be made navigable.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee, to whom the said Bill is committed.

Ditto.

A Petition of the Inhabitants of the Town of Clifton, in the County of York, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the said Town is situated on the River Ouze; by which they have an easy Conveyance of several Commodities to several Places: And that if the Rivers Ayre and Calder should be made navigable, as is intended by a Bill in this House, the River Ouze will be quite ruined; and the Petitioners thereby deprived of such Conveniencies as aforesaid: And praying, That the said Bill may not pass into a Law.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee, to whom the said Bill is committed.

Importing Bone-lace. &c.

Ordered, That the ingrossed Bill for rendering the Laws more effectual for the preventing the importing of foreign Bone-lace, Needle-work, Point, and Cut-work, be read the Third time on this Day Sevennight.

Farrington's Estate.

A Petition of William Farrington, of Worden in the County of Lancaster, Esquire, and Agnes Farrington, Widow, and Relict of Henry Farrington Esquire, deceased, elder Brother of the said William, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That * * * *.

. . . . . That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee, to whom the said Bill is committed.

Duty on Glass.

A Petition of several Glass-makers, in and near the Town of Newcastle upon Tyne, and of the Workmen and Labourers employed in and about the Glass Manufacture there, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the great Duty upon Glass Wares hath reduced many poor Workmen to great Misery, and the Glass-Masters to Incapacity of following their Trades: And praying Relief therein.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee, to whom the Petition of the Glass-makers of the Town of Stourbridge, in the County of Worcester, is referred: And that they do examine the Matter thereof; and report the same, with their Opinion therein, to the House.

Poor Relief.

Mr. Pagit reported from the Committee, to whom the Bill for explaining an Act, made in the last Session of Parliament, intituled, An Act for supplying some Defects in the Laws for the Relief of the Poor of this Kingdom, was committed, That they had made an Amendment 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 was twice read; and, upon the Question put thereupon, agreed unto by the House.

A Clause was offered to be added to the Bill, That all Officers of Parishes, to whom any Pass shall be delivered for removing any poor Person, shall convey them the nearest Way of their Settlement, and direct, on the Back-side of the Pass, to the next Parish, where such poor Persons shall be delivered, to be carried further:

And the same was twice read; and amended.

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

It passed in the Negative.

Another Clause was offered to be added to the Bill, to enable all Towns and Places, who hold General Sessions of the Peace, to hear Appeals against any Pass, for the Removal of any poor Person; the aforesaid recited Act obliging the same to be heard at the General QuarterSessions for the County:

And the Question being put, That the Clause be read;

It passed in the Negative.

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

Ayre and Calder Navigation.

Ordered, That Sir Tho. Grosvenor, Mr. Harley, Sir Edward Acton, Mr. Jennings, Mr. Kinaston, Mr. Brereton, Mr. Harrison, Mr. Pudsey, Mr. Gery, Mr. Tayler, Mr. Arnold, Mr. Fleming, Mr. White, Sir Ralph Ashton, Mr. Carr, Mr. Osborne, be added to the Committee, to whom the Bill to make the Rivers Ayre and Calder, in the County of York, navigable, is committed.

Poor Employment.

Ordered, That it be an Instruction to the Committee appointed to consider by what Means the Poor may be better provided for, and employed; and to receive Proposals, in relation thereunto, That they do consider of One Bill for the providing for, and settling, the Poor of this Kingdom, and repealing the many Laws now in being, relating thereunto.

African Trade.

Sir William Trumball, according to Order, presented to the House a Bill for settling the Trade to Africa: And the same was received.

Ordered, That the Bill be read upon Monday Morning next.

Inland Bills of Exchange.

Sir William Ashurst, according to Order, presented to the House a Bill for the better Payment of Inland Bills of Exchange: And the same was received.

The Bill was read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time.

Supply Bill; Malt Duties.

An ingrossed Bill for explaining an Act, of the last Session of Parliament, intituled, An Act for granting to his Majesty certain Duties upon Malt, Mum, Sweets, Cyder, and Perry, was read the Third time.

Resolved, That the Bill do pass: And that the Title be, An Act for explaining an Act, made the last Session of Parliament, for granting to his Majesty certain Duties upon Malt, Mum, Sweets, Cyder, and Perry.

Ordered, That Mr. Morgan do carry the Bill to the Lords, and desire their Concurrence thereunto.

Leave of Absence.

Ordered, That Mr. Sandys have Leave to go into the Country, for Recovery of his Health.

Ordered, That Mr. Popham have Leave to go into the Country for Three Weeks, upon extraordinary Occasions.

Supply Bill; Arrears of Annuities.

Sir Thomas Littleton, according to Order, reported' from the Committee of the whole House, to whom the Bill for satisfying and discharging the Arrears of several Annuities which incurred between the 17th Day of May 1696, and the 17th Day of May 1697, 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, some of them were disagreed, and the Residue of them agreed, unto by the House.

A Clause was offered to be added to the Bill, with Blanks, for the Annuities to be paid in Course:

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

And then the Clause was, 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.

Woollen Manufactures.

Sir John Ellwill, according to Order, reported, from the Committee of the whole House, to whom the Bill to encourage the Woollen Manufacture of England; and to restrain the Importation of Woollen Manufactures from Ireland into foreign Parts; and for the better preventing the Exportation of Wool from England and Ireland; 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.

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

Regulating Printing.

Mr. Pocklington, according to Order, presented to the House a Bill to regulate Printing, and Printing-Presses: And the same was received.

Ordered, That the Bill be read upon Tuesday Morning next.

Warrants for summoning Witnesses.

Ordered, That Mr. Speaker do issue his Warrant, for summoning such Witnesses for Mr. Duncomb, as he shall desire, to attend upon Monday Morning next.

Buying and selling Offices.

Ordered, That the Bill to prevent the Buying and Selling of Offices, and Places of Trust, be read upon Wednesday Morning next.

Punishing Knight, &c.

Ordered, That the Bills for punishing Mr. John Knight and Mr. Bartholomew Burton be read a Second time upon Monday Morning next.

Supply Bill for vacating Grants in Ireland.

A Bill for vacating all Grants of Estates, and other Interests, forfeited in Ireland, since the 13th Day of February 1688; and for appropriating the same to the Use of the Publick; 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 this Day Sevennight, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of the said Bill.

Supply Bills for vacating Grants in England and Ireland.

Mr. Harcourt, according to Order, presented to the House Three several Bills:

One of them, for vacating all Grants of Estates, and other Interests, in England and Ireland, from the Crown, since the 13th Day of February 1688; and for appropriating the same to the Use of the Publick:

Another, for vacating all Grants of Estates, and other Interests, in England and Ireland, from the Crown, during the Reign of the late King Charles the IId; and for appropriating the same to the Use of the Publick:

The other, for vacating all Grants of Estates, and other Interests, in England and Ireland, from the Crown, during the Reign of the late King James; and for appropriating the same to the Use of the Publick:

And the same were received; and severally read the First time.

Resolved, That they be read a Second time upon Tuesday Morning next.

Grants from the Crown.

Ordered, That the Accounts, directed by this House to be laid before them, for the Explanation of the Grants made since the 3d Day of December 1696, be laid before this House upon Monday Morning next.

Monies imprest to Knight and Burton.

Ordered, That the Account of the Monies imprest to Mr. Knight and Mr. Burton, for Premiums and Rewards, for advancing Money, and other Services, since the 1st Day of May 1695, be laid before this House upon Monday Morning next.

Preventing Corruption of Juries.

The House, according to the Order of the Day, resolved itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of the Bill to prevent the corrupting of Juries.

Mr. Speaker left the Chair.

Mr. Monckton took the Chair of the Committee.

Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair.

Mr. Monckton reported from the said Committee, That they had made some 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 Thursday 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 Monday Morning, Nine a Clock.