House of Commons Journal Volume 12: 11 January 1699

Mercurii, 11 die Januarii;

10° Gulielmi Tertii.

Prayers.

Button making.

SIR Richard Cocks reported from the Committee, to whom the Bill to prevent the making or selling Buttons made of Cloth, Serge, Drugget, and other Stuffs, was committed, That they had made several Amendments to the Bill; which they had directed him to report to the House; 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.

Preservation of Game.

Mr. Hancock, according to Order, presented to the House a Bill for the more effectual Preservation of the Game: And the same was received; and read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time.

Abuses in King's Bench and Fleet Prisons.

A Petition of Sir William Duncomb Baronet was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That Henry Killigrew Esquire was a Prisoner, in Execution, in the Fleet, for 400 l. at the Petitioner's Suit; but the Warden of the Fleet hath suffered Mr. Killigrew to escape; and the Petitioner hath recovered Judgment against the Warden, for the said Escape; yet can have no Remedy against the Office, for the same: And praying such Relief in the Premises, as the House shall think fit.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee, to whom the Petition of John Goodall is referred, and who are to inquire into the ill Practices and Abuses of the Prisons of the Fleet, and King's-Bench: And that they do examine the Matter thereof; and report the same, with their Opinion therein, to the House.

Committees.

Ordered, That all Committees be revived.

Ogilvy's Nat.

Ordered, That Leave be given to bring in a Bill to naturalize Bartholomew Ogilvy: And that Sir Henry Ashhurst do prepare, and bring in, the Bill.

Ease of Sheriffs.

A Bill for the greater Ease of Sheriffs in Execution of their Offices, and passing their Accounts, was read a Second time.

Resolved, That the Bill be committed to Sir Richard Onslow, Mr. Pagitt, Mr. Dyott, Mr. Blofeild, Sir Cha. Hedges, Sir Richard Cox, Sir Barth. Shower, Mr. Harley, Mr. Bridges, Sir Richard Farrington, Mr. Brotherton, Sir Robert Eden, Mr. Walsh, Mr. Vernon, Mr. Heysham, Sir Sa. Barnardiston, Mr. Harvey, Sir Richard Temple, Sir John Bolless, Mr. Osborne, Mr. Mountstevens, Sir Tho. Willoughby, Mr. Heveningham, Sir Joseph Jekyll, Mr. Vaughan, Mr. Foley, Mr. Hare; and all that serve for Wales, and the Counties of Chester and Northumberland: And all that come are to have Voices: And they are to meet this Afternoon at Five a Clock, in the Speaker's Chambers.

Army Arrears.

The Lord Coningsby, according to Order, presented to the House an Account of what is due to the Forces that served in the War of Ireland, for the Time they are to be provided for by England: And the same was read; and is as followeth; viz.

Regiments standing in England, not yet fully cleared, to the First of April 1692, to which Time they were upon the English Establishment, for the Service of Ireland, during the War there; viz.

AN ABSTRACT of the foregoing Arrears.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Account be referred to the Committee of the whole House, who are to consider further of the Supply to be granted to his Majesty.

Privilege— Arrest of a Member.

A Petition of John Smith Gentleman, Under-Sheriff of Middlesex, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That one Mr. Powlet, an Attorney, sued out a Writ against William Powlet Esquire; upon which a Warrant was granted, by the Petitioner's Clerk, with a Caution, to beware that the Defendant was not privileged; yet, within a Week after the Dissolution of the last Parliament, the Lord William Powlet was arrested upon the said Warrant; who sending for the Petitioner, and complaining that it was a Breach of Privilege, the Petitioner discharged him; but the Plaintiffs in the said Action have proceeded against the Sheriff, for the Escape of the Lord Powlet: And praying the Consideration of the House therein.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee of Privileges and Elections, to examine the Matter of the said Petition; and report the same, with their Opinion therein, to the House.

Distillation from Corn.

A Petition of the Master and Wardens, and others, of the Company of Brewers, of the Cities of London and Westminster, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Price of all manner of Grain is very great, and like to be much greater, by reason of the distilling great Quantities of Spirits from malted Corn; which Method of Distilling, our Neighbour Nations have thought fit to prohibit; so that the Demand from England will be much greater, and consequently advance the Price of Corn, and probably occasion a Scarcity, to the great Detriment of the Kingdom in general, and the BrewingTrade in particular: And praying Relief in the Premises.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table until the Bill to prohibit the Distilling of Spirits, and low Wines, from Corn; and to prevent the Frauds in Distillers; be read a Second time.

Distillation from Corn.

A Petition of the Maltsters, Landlords, and Farmers, in and about the Town of Woodbridge, in the County of Suffolk, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That there are great Quantities of Barley in the said County, which will not make Malt fit for Brewing, and is most proper for Distilling; so that, if Distillers should be prohibited from Distilling from malted Corn, the Petitioners cannot sell their Barley, nor pay their Rents, and their Malt-houses stand useless; and also, the King's Duty on Malt will be much lessened thereby: And praying, That Distillers may be permitted to distil from Malt, when it shall be under a Price to be ascertained by the House.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table until the Bill to prohibit the Distilling of Spirits, and low Wines, from Corn; and to prevent the Frauds in Distillers; be read a Second time.

Ayre and Calder Navigation.

A Petition of the Mayor, Aldermen, and Inhabitants, of the Town and Borough of Leeds, in the West-Riding of the County of York, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the said Town, and the Town of Wakefeild, are the principal Trading Towns in the North for Cloth, and are situate upon the Rivers of Ayre and Calder; which have been viewed, and are found capable to be made navigable; which, if effected, will very much redound to the Preservation of the Highways, and a great Improvement of Trade, the Petitioners having no Conveniency of Water-carriage within 16 Miles of them; which not only occasions a great Expence, but, many times, great Damage to their Goods; and sometimes the Roads are unpassable: And praying Leave to bring in a Bill to make the said Rivers navigable, at the Charge of such Persons as will undertake the same.

Ordered, That Leave be given to bring in a Bill, according to the Prayer of the said Petition: And that the Lord Fairfax, and Mr. Brotherton do prepare, and bring in, the Bill.

Spirits exported.

Ordered, That the Commissioners of the Customs do lay before this House an Account of what Spirits have been exported from the Port of London, since the Act made for distilling low Wines, and Spirits, from Corn; and particularly since Michaelmas last: And that the Commissioners of Excise do lay before this House an Account of the Drawbacks by them paid, or allowed, upon the said Exportation.

Privilege.

Ordered, That the Report from the Committee of Privileges and Elections, relating to the Complaint of a Breach of Privilege against Mr. Woollaston, be made upon Friday Morning next, after Eleven a Clock.

Weobly Election.

Ordered, That the Report from the Committee of Privileges and Elections, touching the Election for the Borough of Weobly, be made upon Friday Morning next.

Supply.

The House, according to the Order of the Day, resolved itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider further of the Supply to be granted to his Majesty.

Mr. Speaker left the Chair.

Mr. Cowper, took the Chair of the Committee.

Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair.

Mr. Cowper reported from the said Committee, That they had come to a Resolution; which they had directed him to report, when the House will please to receive the same.

Ordered, That the Report be made To-morrow Morning.

Disbanding the Army.

Resolved, That this House will, To-morrow Morning, after the said Report, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider further of the Bill for the speedy and effectual Disbanding the Forces in England and Ireland.

Papers respecting the Navy.

Sir Robert Rich, from the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, presented to the House, according to Order, a Copy of the Order of Council, of the 10th of December 1763, relating to Pursers: And also,

A Copy of what Letters past between the Admiralty and Navy-Board, in the Month of July 1698, relating to Poundage.

And the Titles of them were read.

The said Copies are as follow; viz.

The Copy of the Order of Council.

At Whitehall, the 10th December 1673.

PRESENT,

The King's most Excellent Majesty in Council.

WHEREAS the Lords Commissioners for executing the Office of Lord High Admiral of England did, this Day, offer to his Majesty, in Council, for his Approbation, the annexed Proposals, as well for injoining a strict Observation, for the time to come, of the Lord High Admiral's Instructions; remitting, for the time past, the Failures thereof; and for confirming certain Allowances to Persons, to be chosen by the Commanders to assist them in keeping an Account of their Receipts, Issues, and Remains, of Provisions and Stores; as for allowing the Pursers of his Majesty's Ships to supply the Ship's Company with Tobacco, not exceeding Two Pounds per Man a Month, at Rates to be annually set by the Officers of the Navy: Which being read, and considered, at the Board, his Majesty was pleased to approve thereof; and did order, That the said Lords Commissioners for executing the Office of Lord High Admiral of England do cause the said Proposals to be duly and punctually put in Execution, and observed by all those whom it doth respectively concern.

The Copy of a Letter to the Commissioners of the Navy, from Mr. Burchet, Secretary of the Admiralty. Dated the 17th of July 1698.

Gentlemen,

A Petition being referred to my Lords, by his Majesty's Command, in behalf of the Paymaster to the Treasurer of his Majesty's Navy, Mr. Doddington; setting forth, That it has been an ancient Usage, and is now practised in the Treasury-Office of his Majesty's Navy, for the Agents, or Instruments, of the Treasurer of his Majesty's Navy, for the Time being, to stop, and retain to their own Use, Twelve-pence in the Pound, of all Deductions; viz. Slop-Clothes, dead Mens Clothes, Tobacco, Chest, &c. abated on the Ships, or Yard-Books, &c. except Abatements for Embezzlements, or Loss of his Majesty's Stores, or to make good Victualling, and Money imprest on Account of Wages; and likewise, besides what belongs to the Chest at Chatham, which now allows but 4d. in the Pound; my Lords command me to signify their Directions to you, That you do let them know, by Four in the Afternoon To-morrow, or in the Morning, if possible, whether it has been an ancient Usage, in the Navy, to stop 12d. in the Pound, in the Particulars before mentioned; and whether the same is now practised. I am, Gentlemen,

Your most humble Servant,

J. Burchett.

Copy of a Letter from the principal Officers and Commissioners of the Navy, in Answer to the aforegoing Letter, Dated the 18th of July 1698.

Sir,

WE have received your Letter, of Yesterday's Date, acquainting us, That the Right Honourable the Lords of the Admiralty do desire to know, from us, whether, by ancient Usage, the Agents, and Instruments, to the Treasurer of the Navy, have stopt, and retained for their own Use, 12d. in the Pound, of all Deductions for Slop Cloaths, dead Mens Cloaths, Tobacco, Chest, &c. abated on the Ships, and Yard-Books, &c. and whether it is now practised: And, in Answer thereunto, we pray you to acquaint their Lordships, That this Board have no Knowlege either of the one, or the other, more than we have heard without Doors: And that as his Majesty's Order in Council, of the 10th of December 1673, for allowing the Pursers of his Majesty's Ships to issue Tobacco to the Seamen serving therein, does not mention any such Allowance to be made for the same; so the Instructions for vending Slop-Cloaths, do, by the 11th and 12th Articles, prohibit any other Fees, or Defalcations, either from the Slop, or dead Mens Cloaths, than 12 d. in the Pound to the Pursers. We are, Sir,

Your very humble Servants,

R. Haddock,
J. Sotherne,
John Hill,
E. Dumer,
P. Pitt,
B. Tymewell.
Cha. Sergeson,
D. Lyddell.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Copy of the Order of Council, and Copy of Letters, be referred to the Committee of the whole House, who are to consider further of the State of the Navy.

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