House of Commons Journal Volume 12: 21 February 1699

Martis, 21 die Februarii;

11° Gulielmi Tertii.

Prayers.

Meoles' Nat.

A PETITION of Captain John Meoles, whose Grandfather and Father were natural born Subjects, and who was in Service in the Regiment recalled by Proclamation in the Beginning of the Reign of King Charles the Second, and ever since in the old Holland Regiment, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That, notwithstanding he was so born of his Father's Side, yet, his Mother, being a Dutch Woman, he cannot have the Benefit of the Statute of King Edward the IIId, whereby Children born out of this Realm, whose Fathers and Mothers were of the King's Leigeance, might be as natural-born Subjects of England: And praying Leave to bring in a Bill to naturalize the Petitioner.

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

Ship Nazareth.

A Petition of John Sykes Esquire, in behalf of himself and others, Owners of the Ship Nazareth, Burden about 150 Tons, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That, during the late War, the said Ship was built in Spain, for a Runner; and has been of great Use, and brought much Customs to the King: That the said Ship was rigged and fitted out in England; and, with other Charges, the Work done to her in England amounts to much more than she is worth: That she now wants Repairs; and the Owners and Mariners are all Englishmen: And praying, That Leave may be given to bring in a Bill, That the said Ship may traffick and trade as a free English-built Ship.

Ordered, That Leave be given to bring in a Bill, according to the Prayer of the said Petition: And that Sir Robert Eden and Sir Abstrupus Danby, do prepare, and bring in, the Bill.

Ships John and William, and Industry.

A Petition of William Holman, and Thomas Scott, of London, Merchants, on behalf of themselves, and the rest of the Owners of the Ships John and William, and Industry, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the said Ships have been free about Six or Seven Years; in which time, they have been almost rebuilt from the Ground to the Keel, at the Petitioners Charge, who are all English; but by a late Act of Parliament, the said Ships are prohibited to trade to the Plantations, as formerly: And praying, That Leave may be given to bring in a Bill, to make them free to trade, as the House has done to others, under the like Circumstances.

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 Bill.

Irish Arrears.

A Petition of John Hackwell, Alexander Gambell, and divers others, on behalf of themselves, and the rest of the Regiment of Horse, lately commanded by Brigadier Villers, now Major-General Levison's, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That there is an Arrear due to the Petitioners, of 50, 40, and 30 l. a Man, more or less, for their Service in Ireland, as appears by Accounts stated by the late Commissioners of Accounts; since which they have applied to the General Officers, at the Horse-Guards, and elsewhere, without any Relief; so that many of them have been cast into Prison; others ready to starve; and some that have sold their Arrears for a 4th Part of what is due to them, for Want; and the rest are like to fall into the like Misfortunes, unless they have some speedy Relief from the House: And praying, That 2,222 l. that is still due from his Majesty, may not be paid to their Officers; and that the House will consider their deplorable Condition, in order to their Relief.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee, to whom the Petition of the Soldiers of Colonel Coot's Regiment is referred: And that they do examine the Matter thereof; and report the same, with their Opinion therein, to the House.

Army Arrears.

Ordered, That the Earl of Ranelagh, or Mr. Abbott, do forthwith lay before this House an Account of the Arrears due to the four Companies of New-York, in America.

Woollen Manufacture.

Mr. Eyres, according to Order, presented to the House a Bill for the better Improvement of the Woollen Manufacture, by enforcing the Act, in the 8th and 9th Years of his Majesty's Reign, to restore the Market at Blackwell-hall to the Clothiers; and for regulating the Factors there: And the same was received; and read the First time.

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

Lower's, &c. Nat.

A Petition of Major William Lower, Major Wm. Darnell, and Captain Peter Godby, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners have served under the Crown of England, One of them 40 Years, another 26 Years, and the other Eighteen Years, and are of English Parents: And praying Leave to bring in a Bill for their Naturalization.

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

Aliens Children to inherit.

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

Resolved, That the Bill be committed to Sir Edw. Hussey, Lord Coningsby, Mr. Hoar, Mr. White, Mr. Dyot, Sir John Bolls, Sir Robert Nappier, Mr. Hayes, Mr. Aislaby, Mr. Eyres, Sir Wm. Ashurst, Mr. Offley, Mr. Crane, Sir Wm. Coriton, Mr. Brewer, Lord Fairfax, Mr. Thornhagh, Sir Abstrupus Danby, Mr. Phillipps, Mr. Hoblyn, Mr. Harcourt, Dr. Davenant, Mr. Parkhurst, Mr. Campion, Lord Cornbury, Mr. Eyre, Mr. Proby: And they are to meet To-morrow Morning at Eight a Clock, in the Speaker's Chambers.

Moor's Estate.

Mr. Hoblyn, according to Order, presented to the House a Bill for Sale of the Manor of Halwill and Beckett, with their Appurtenances, in the County of Devon, being the Lands of John Moor Esquire, by Trustees, for Payment of the Debts of the said John Moor: And the same was received: and read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time.

Duty on Leather.

A Petition of the Aldermen, Stewards, Wardens, and Brethren, of the Company, or Fellowship, of Fell mongers, Skinners, and Glovers, trading in the Town of Hexham, in the County of Northumberland, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That, by reason of the Duties upon Leather, and Salt, and the Manner of collecting the same, their said Trades are very much lessened, and the Petitioners and their Families reduced to extreme Want thereby: And praying such Relief therein, as the House shall think meet.

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

St. Piere's Nat.

The House proceeded to take into Consideration the Amendments, made by the Lords, to the Bill for naturalizing James St. Piere:

And the same were read; and are as follow; viz.

In the Title, after "St. Piere," add "John Denty and Remond Hensberg:"

1 Skin, 1 L. instead of "beseecheth," read "beseech:"

6 L. after "France," insert "John Denty, Son of Paul Denty, by Margarite de Miralliet his Wife, born in Dauphine, in France; and Remond Hensbergh, Son of Adrian Hensberg, by Apolonia Caraffa his Wife, born at Bruxells, in Brabant:"

9 L. for "his," read "their:"

18 L. after "Jaquin," add "John Denty and Remond Hensberg;" and, for "is," read "are:"

20 L. leave out "a:"

21 L. for "Subject," read "Subjects:"

22 L. for "is," read "are:"

25 L. for "he," read "they;" and leave out "a;" and for "Subject," read "Subjects:"

29. L. after "Jaquin," add "John Denty and Remond Hensbergh;" and, for "is," read "are:"

39 L. after "his," read "or their:"

40 L. after "his," read "or their:"

2 Skin, 4 L. after "him," read "or them:"

7 L. after "he," read "or they:"

13 L. after "he," read "they:"

14 L. after "Jaquin," add "John Denty and Remond Hensbergh:"

19 L. leave out "a:"

20 L. for "Subject," read "Subjects."

The said Amendments, being severally read a Second time, were, upon the Question severally put thereupon, agreed unto by the House.

Ordered, That Mr. Carter do carry the Bill to the Lords, and acquaint them, That this House hath agreed to the said Amendments.

Sedgmore Drainage.

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, was, according to Order, read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time upon this Day Fortnight.

Leave of Absence.

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

Vesey's Estate.

Ordered, That Leave be given to bring in a Bill to enable Dudley Vesey to sell Lands, to pay Debts charged thereupon: And that Mr. Conyers do prepare, and bring in, the Bill.

Elections—preventing Irregularity in Returns.

A Bill for preventing irregular Proceedings of Sheriffs, and other Officers, in making the Returns of Members chosen to serve in Parliament, was, according to Order, read a Second time.

Resolved, That the Bill be committed to Mr. Clark, Mr. Battiscomb, Lord Cornbury, Mr. Scobell, Mr. Perry, Mr. Ash, Sir Rowland Gwyn, Sir Walter Young, Sir Wm. Drake, Sir Rich. Farrington, Sir Fra. Molineux, Mr. Gwynn, Mr. Moor, Mr. Campion, Mr. Dyot, Sir John Bolls, Sir Rich. Cox, Mr. Monsteven, Mr. Palmes, Sir Robert Cotton, Mr. Freke, Mr. Blofeild, Mr. Hoblyn, Mr. Mitchell, Mr. Hays, Mr. Ryder, Mr. Duke, Mr. Boyle, Mr. Morgan, Sir Rich. Onslow, Mr. Vaughan, Mr. Hamond, Sir Cha. Hedges, Mr. Mountague, Mr. Bulkly, Mr. England: And they are to meet To-morrow Morning, at Eight a Clock, in the Speaker's Chambers.

Tone Navigation.

A Message from the Lords by Sir Robert Legard and Mr. Meredith:

Mr. Speaker,

The Lords have agreed to the Bill for making the River Tone navigable, from Bridgwater to Taunton, in the County of Somerset, with some Amendments: To which they desire the Concurrence of this House.

And then the Messengers withdrew.

Supply.

The House, according to the Order of the Day, resolved itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider further of . . . 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.

Committees.

Ordered, That all Committees be adjourned, except the Committee, to whom the Bill to enable Edward Price Esquire to transfer a Charge of One thousand Pounds, for the Use of his younger Children, from an Estate in the County of Montgomery, to an Estate in the Counties of Hereford and Radnor, of better . . . . . is committed.

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