House of Commons Journal Volume 12: 18 February 1699

Sabbati, 18 die Februarii;

11° Gulielmi Tertii.

Prayers.

Darcy's Estate.

A BILL for Sale of some Part of the Estate late of Sir Thomas Darcy, deceased, for Payment of Debts, was read the First time.

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

Hamborough ompany.

A Petition of the Serge-makers, Fullers, and others, concerned in the Woollen Manufactures of the Town of Ashburton, in the County of Devon, was presented to the House, and read; . . . . . . . by an Act of Parliament, made in the 1st Year of his Majesty's Reign, for encouraging the Woollen Manufacture of this Kingdom, a free Trade was granted, for Exportation thereof, to Holland, Flanders, Germany, and the Parts adjacent thereto; whereby the Petitioners, and many Thousands of their Neighbours, have experienced the Benefits arising thereby: And praying, That the said Freedom of Trade to all Persons may be continued; and that the same may not be consined to any particular Company.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table, until the Report touching the Hamborough Company be taken into Consideration.

Ditto.

A Petition of the Clothiers and other Traders in the Woollen Manufacture, within the Town and Parish of Totnesse, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That, by virtue of an Act, made in the First Year of his now Majesty's Reign, for encouraging the Woollen Manufacture of this Kingdom, a free Trade was granted therein, to the Low Countries, Germany, and Parts adjacent, which greatly advanced the said Trade; the contrary of which must have been the Ruin of many hundred Families: And praying, That a free Trade to those Parts may be continued and not confined to a particular Company.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table until the Report touching the Hamborough Company be taken into Consideration.

Sedgmore Drainage.

Mr. Hunt, according to Order, presented to the House a Bill for opening the ancient Roynes and Watercourses in Sedgmore, in the County of Somerset, for rendering the said Moor more healthful and profitable to the Inhabitants: And the same was received.

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

Aliens Children to inherit.

A Bill to enable his Majesty's natural-born Subjects to inherit the Estate of their Ancestors, either lineal or collateral, notwithstanding their Father or Mother were Aliens, was read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time.

Elections— preventing Irregularity in Returns.

Mr. Clark, according to Order, presented to the House a Bill for preventing irregular Proceedings of Sheriffs, and other Officers, in making the Returns of Members chosen to serve in Parliament: And the same was received; and read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time.

Exporting Wool.

A Petition of the Traders and Dealers in the Woollen Manufacture, residing within the Borough of Reading, in the County of Berks, in behalf of themselves, and the Poor employed by them, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners are very much impoverished by the Decay of Trade, by reason of the Exportation of our Wool; and a Method being to be proposed to the House to prevent the same, by way of an Inspection and Register of Sheep and Wool, upon all the Sea-coasts of England and Scotland, the Petitioners conceive, such a Method will effectually prevent the Exportation of Wool, and recover our foreign Trade, at present supplanted by Ireland, Scotland, France and Holland: And praying, That the said Proposal may pass into an Act, with such Amendments and Regulations as the House shall think fit.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee appointed to consider which way to prevent the Exporting of Wool from England and Ireland to foreign Parts; and to consider the properest Ways to encourage the Woollen Manufactures of this Kingdom: And that they do examine the Matter thereof; and report the same, with their Opinion therein, to the House.

Ditto.

A Petition of the Serge-makers and Wool-combers of the Town and County of Southampton was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That, formerly, a Liberty was granted of exporting 2,000 Tods of Wool to Jersey, 1,000 Tods for Guernsey, 200 for Alderney, and 100 Tods to Sark, One Moiety of which was combed in England, in King Charles the IId's Reign; but, in the Reign of the late King James, the said Quantities were doubled, by a Grant to Sir Edward Cartwright, and to be exported without combing; the sad Effects whereof the Petitioners feel, for want of Employment: And praying, That some Care may be taken to prevent the carrying away of our Wool unwrought.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee appointed to consider which way to prevent the exporting of Wool from England and Ireland to foreign Parts; and to consider the properest Ways to encourage the Woollen Manufactures of this Kingdom: And that they do examine the Matter thereof; and report the same, with their Opinion therein, to the House.

Duty on Leather.

A Petition of the Tanners using Leadenhall Market, on behalf of themselves, and others, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That, by reason of the late Act for laying a Duty upon Leather, there is a great Stop to the Currency of Trade, and almost Ruin of many of the Petitioners; and great Quantities of Leather are exported from Ireland, at 16 and 18 l. per Cent. Advantage to the Exporter, upon the Exchange of Money, and paying no Duty; whereby they under-sell our Merchants at foreign Markets; so that the Petitioners are forced to sell their Leather at as low or lower Rates than before the said Duty; and cannot therefore keep a Currency of Trade with Ireland; to the great Prejudice of England, in the staple Trade of Leather: And praying Relief in the Premises.

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

Duty on Leather.

A Petition of Journeymen Shoemakers of London Westminster, Southwark, and their Brethren in the Country, with many poor Tradesmen, and others, that have a Dependence on the Leather Manufacture, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That, by the Act for giving a Liberty to transport Leather, a Duty was laid of 10 l. per Cent. upon unmanufactured Leather; and but 5 l. per Cent. on wrought Goods; so that the Merchants, ever since the said Act, transport our best Leather into the Plantations, and make it up there; when, before, the Master-Shoemakers used to supply them; and the poor Petitioners never wanted Work; who now are ready to starve; and others in Prison for Debt; and many transport themselves to the Plantations for Employment: And praying the House to prohibit the Exportation of unwrought Leather, or to allow the whole Drawback on the Exportation of manufactured Goods.

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

Ditto.

A Petition of the Tanners, Skinners, Curriers, Whittawers, and Glovers, of Uttoxeter, Crakemarsh, AbbotsBromly, and Bramshall, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners lie under very great Hardship, by reason of the Duty upon Leather; for that Money is scarce; and the Petitioners, being Persons of small or no fortunes, cannot carry on their Trades without giving Credit for One-half of the Commodities they deal in; and commonly, before Pay-day, the Debtor runs away; to the Impoverishment of the Petitioners: And praying the House to consider the Matter, and relieve them therein.

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

Woollen Manufacture.

Ordered, That the Members that serve for the County of Wills be added to the Committee, to whom the Petition of the Gentlemen, Clothiers, Clothworkers, and Traders in the Woollen Manufactures, and other the Inhabitants of the Town of Ratchdale, is referred.

Billingsgate Fish market.

A Petition of several Fishermen, inhabiting in the Borough of Southwark, in behalf of themselves, and a great many others, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners labour under great Oppressions, by Impositions laid on them for bringing and selling their Fish at Billingsgate Market; by the Damage their small Vessels receive by great Ships crushing them in that Dock; by the Combination of the Company of London Fishmongers, that Two of them shall buy for the whole Company, and consequently the whole City; and they also molest poor Men and Women in their buying Fish at the said Market; to the great Prejudice of all Fishermen: And praying, That the Bill, depending in the House, for making Billingsgate a free Market, for the Sale of Fish, may pass into an Act.

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

Augmenting Vicarages.

Ordered, That Leave be given to bring in a Bill for settling Augmentations upon certain small Vicarages: And that Mr. Pelham and Mr. Onslow do prepare, and bring in, the Bill.

Enforcing Laws against Papists.

Sir Rowland Gwyn reported from the Committee, to whom it was referred to draw up an humble Address, to be presented to his Majesty, That he will please to issue his Royal Proclamation for removing all Papists from the City of London, and Parts adjacent, according to the Laws; and that the Laws may be put in Execution against Papists, and all Persons whatsoever, who disown his Majesty's Government; That they had drawn up an Address accordingly; 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 was twice read; and then Paragraph by Paragraph; and agreed unto by the House; and is as followeth; viz.

Most Gracious Sovereign,

WE, Your Majesty's most dutiful and loyal Subjects, the Commons in Parliament assembled, having observed the great Concourse to this City of Papists, and other disaffected Persons who have not owned Your Majesty to be lawful and rightful King of these Realms; and the Boldness they assume, from your Majesty's unexampled Clemency, not only to keep Horses and Arms, contrary to Law, but also to frequent all public Places of Resort, near Your Two Houses of Parliament, and even to approach Your Royal Palaces; whereby they may have Opportunities to perpetrate any wicked Attempt against Your Royal Person; on the Safety and Preservation whereof our Religion and Liberties, and the Peace and Welfare, not only of these Kingdoms, but of all Europe, do, in very great measure, depend;

And having also considered the many Plots and Conspiracies against your Majesty's Person and Government, but especially the late horrid intended Assassination, contrived and carried on, not only by Papists, whose Religion and Interest might lead them to it, but even by such, who, at their Death, to the great Scandal of our Religion, prosessed and owned themselves to be Members of the Church of England; which, chiefly, under God, owes its Preservation and Defence to your Majesty; and whose Doctrines are directly opposite to all such inhuman and treasonable Practices;

And having also certain Information, that great Numbers of Popish Priests and Jesuits, within this City, and Parts adjacent, intrude themselves into the Presence of sick and dying Persons, with Design to prevail upon them, in their Weakness, to be reconciled to the Church of Rome; and daily endeavour to pervert, and seduce from their Allegiance, Your Majesty's good Subjects, impoisoning them with their wicked and damnable Doctrines and Principles; and that they have imported great Quantities of Popish Books, and keep Schools to breed up and instruct Children in the Romish Superstition and Idolatry:

We therefore hold ourselves obliged, for quieting the Minds of Your good Subjects, and in Duty to Your Majesty, humbly to beseech your Majesty; That You will be graciously pleased, in order to suppress such Practices of the restless and notorious Enemies of Your Government, to issue out Your Royal Proclamation for removing all Papists, and others who disown Your Majesty's Government, from the City of London, and Parts adjacent, according to the Laws: And that the Laws may be put in Execution against them, in such manner, that their wicked Designs may be effectually disappointed.

A Motion being made, and the Question being put, That the Concurrence of the Lords be desired in the said Address;

It passed in the Negative.

Resolved, That the said Address be presented by the whole House to his Majesty.

Ordered, That such Members of this House as are of his Majesty's most honourable Privy-Council do humbly know his Majesty's Pleasure, when he will be attended by this House.

Supply.

Mr. Cowper reported, from the Committee of the whole House, to whom it was referred to consider of the Supply to be granted to his Majesty, the several Resolutions, 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 read; and are as follow; viz.

Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That Fifteen Thousand Men be employed for a Summer and Winter Guard of the Sea, for the Year 1699.

Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That, for the Charge of maintaining 15,000 Men for a Summer and Winter Guard of the Sea, for the Year 1699, there be allowed, including the Charge of the Ordnance for Sea-Service, Four Pounds a Man, per Month, for Thirteen Months.

Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That there be allowed for the Ordinary of the Navy, for the Year 1699, the sum of Two hundred and twenty thousand Pounds.

The First Resolution being read a Second time;

An Amendment was proposed to be made thereunto, by leaving out "Fifteen," and inserting, instead thereof, Twelve:"

And the Question being put, That "Fifteen" do stand Part of the Resolution;

The House divided.

The Noes go forth.

So it was resolved in the Affirmative.

Another Amendment was proposed to be made, by adding "which 15,000 Men shall consist of Seamen only, according to the ancient Usage of the Navy:"

And the Question being put, That the House do agree to the said Amendment;

The House divided.

The Yeas go forth.

So it was resolved in the Affirmative.

Resolved, That the House doth agree with the Committee in the said Resolution, so amended, That Fifteen thousand Men be employed for a Summer and Winter Guard of the Sea, for the Year 1699; which 15,000 Men shall consist of Seamen only, according to the ancient Usage of the Navy.

The Second and Third Resolutions being severally read a Second time, were, upon the Question severally put thereupon, agreed unto by the House.

Committees.

Ordered, That all Committees be adjourned.

And then the House adjourned till Monday Morning, Eight a Clock.