House of Lords Journal Volume 14: 25 November 1690

DIE Martis, 25 die Novembris.

Domini tam Spirituales quam Temporales præsentes fuerunt:

PRAYERS.

Mynne versus Thomas.

Upon reading the Petition of Rowland Mynne, on the Behalf of himself and of Bernard Mynn his Brother, and Dionis Davenant Widow, his Sister; shewing, That he hath an Appeal depending in this House, wherein Robert Cecill and Elizabeth his Wife, as Administratrix of Richard Hale, who was Son and Executor of William Hale, is mentioned; and that the Defendant, in his Answer, seems to insist that Mr. Cecill and his Wife have not the legal Title to the said Debt; therefore praying, to prevent all Scruples, that the Names of the said Mr. Cecill and his Wife may be struck out of the said Appeal; and that the Name of the Petitioner's Brother and Sister may be added to the Petitioner's; and that the Defendant, Anthony Thomas, may have Liberty to amend his Answer also:"

It is ORDERED, by the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parliament assembled, That the said Petition of Rowland Mynne, and the Answer of Anthony Thomas put in thereunto, may be altered and amended, as is desired.

Bp. St. Asaph versus Price & al. Privilege.

Upon reading the Petition of William Lord Bishop of St. Asaph; complaining of a Breach of his Lordship's Privilege, by Thomas Price, Henry Mostyn, Richard Greene, William Wynne, Peter Price, and Edward Price:

It is ORDERED, by the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parliament assembled, That the said Petition be, and is hereby, referred to the Lords Committees for Privileges; whose Lordships, having considered thereof, and heard such Persons concerning the same as they shall think fit, are afterwards to report to the House; whose Lordships are to meet To-morrow, at Four of the Clock in the Afternoon, in the House of Peers.

Indemnity for Persons who acted in Their Majesties Service, Bill.

Hodie 2^a vice lecta est Billa, "An Act for preventing vexatious Suits against such as acted for Their Majesties Service, in Defence of the Kingdom."

ORDERED, That the said Bill be committed to a Committee of the whole House, on Thursday next, at Ten of the Clock in the Forenoon.

Sir T. Putt's Bill.

Hodie 2^a vice lecta est Billa, "An Act to enable the Executors and Trustees of Sir Thomas Putt Baronet, deceased, to lease several Messuages, Lands, Tenements, and Hereditaments, during the Minority of Sir Tho. Putt Baronet, Son and Heir of the said Sir Thomas Putt, towards the Payment of Five Hundred Pounds apiece Legacies to his Three Sisters, Margarett, Ursula, and Susannah Putt, as also the Debts of the said Sir Thomas Putt the Father."

Bray's Bill.

Hodie 2^a vice lecta est Billa, "An Act for the better enabling Jane Bray Widow, Relict and sole Executrix of the last Will and Testament of Reginall Bray Esquire, deceased, for the speedier raising of the Portions already appointed for her Daughters."

ORDERED, That the Consideration of the abovesaid Bills be, and are hereby, referred to these Lords following:

Their Lordships, or any Three of them; to meet To-morrow, at Nine of the Clock in the Forenoon, in the Prince's Lodgings near the House of Peers; and to adjourn as they please.

Horsfield versus Johnston, protected by the E. of Holderness.

Upon reading the Petition of Robert Horsfeild, Thomas Thompson Gentleman, and George Whitchcott; praying, "That they may be at Liberty to proceed at Law against Doctor Nath. Johnston, and Doctor Cudworth Johnston, who is protected by the Right Honourable the Earl of Holdernesse, a Peer of this Realm, as his Lordship's Secretary and Agent in Yorkeshire:"

E. of Holderness to be wrote to.

It is ORDERED, by the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parliament assembled, That Sir Rob't Atkins, Speaker of the House of Peers, do write to the said Earl of Holdernesse, to know whether he owns the said Cudworth Johnston to be his Secretary and Agent or not.

E. of Suffolk versus Priles: Witnesses to attend.

It is ORDERED, by the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parliament assembled, That Sir John Brattle, Mr. Bolles, and Mr. Robinson Assay-master, do attend this House on Thursday next, at Ten of the Clock in the Forenoon, to be sworn, as Witnesses in a Case between the Right Honourable George Earl of Suffolke, Their Majesties Farmers of the Royal Mines, and Edward Prise and Symon Prise, now in the Custody of the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod.

Clarke versus Baden.

It is ORDERED, by the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parliament assembled, That this House will hear the Cause wherein Edmond Clarke is Plaintiff, and Robert Baden Defendant, on Tuesday the Ninth Day of December next, at Ten of the Clock in the Forenoon.

E. of Suffolk versus Prises.

ORDERED, by the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parliament assembled, That the Case of Privilege depending in this House, between the Earl of Suffolke, Their Majesties Farmers of Their Royal Mines, and Edward Prise and Symon Prise, which was appointed to be heard To-morrow, shall be heard, by Counsel at the Bar, on both Sides, on Thursday next, at Ten of the Clock in the Forenoon.

Chancery, &c. to reform Abuses in, Bill.

ORDERED, by the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parliament assembled, That the House shall be put into a Committee, to proceed further on the Bill, intituled, "An Act for regulating divers Abuses in the Court of Chancery, and other Courts of Equity," To-morrow, at Eleven of the Clock in the Forenoon, and nothing to intervene; and that all the Judges, and Sir William Rawlinson One of the Lords Commissioners of the Great Seal, and Sir Anthony Kecke, do then attend the House.

ORDERED, That the Earl of Bedford, Earl of North'ton, Earl of Kingston, Lord Viscount Hatton, Lord Ferrers, Lord Wharton, Lord Herbert, Lord Bishop of Worcester, and Lord Bishop of Chichester, be added to the Committee of Privileges.

Quakers, Scruples in swearing, Bill concerning.

The House was put into a Committee, to proceed on the Bill, intituled, "An Act to prevent Obstructions of Justice, and other Inconveniencies, occasioned by many Protestant Subjects scrupling to swear in the Form and Manner now used."

The House was resumed.

And the Lord North reported, "That the Committee had made some Progress in the Bill; and desired that Friday next might be appointed for the House to be put into a Committee again thereupon."

ORDERED, That the House shall be put into a Committee again on Friday next, at Ten of the Clock in the Forenoon, to proceed further on the said Bill.

The House was adjourned during Pleasure, to robe.

The House was resumed.

King present.

His Majesty, being arrayed in His Royal Robes and Regal Crown, ascended His Throne, all the Peers being in their Robes; the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod was commanded to signify His Majesty's Pleasure to the Commons, "That they presently attend His Majesty."

Who being come, the Speaker made the short Speech ensuing:

Speaker of H. C. Speech.

"We, Your Majesty's most loyal and dutiful Subjects the Commons in Parliament assembled, do now present to Your Majesty a further Supply, towards enabling Your Majesty effectually to reduce Ireland, and for the carrying on the War vigorously against France, by doubling the Rates and Duties of Excise for One Year, which we humbly beseech Your Majesties to accept."

Then the Clerk of the Parliaments received the Bill from the Hand of the Speaker, and brought it to the Table; where the Clerk of the Crown read the Title; (videlicet,)

Bills passed.

"An Act for doubling the Duty of Excise of Beer, Ale, and other Liquors, during the Space of One Year."

The Clerk of the Parliaments pronounced the Royal Assent in these Words,

"Le Roy & la Reyne, remerciant les loyall Subjects, et acceptant leur Benevolence, et ainsi le veulent."

In like Manner the Bill following was passed:

"An Act to enable Elizabeth Montagu Widow to make Leases for Years of Houses and Grounds in Stepney, in the County of Midd'x."

To which the Royal Assent was pronounced in these Words,

"Soit fait come il est desiré."

Then His Majesty made the Speech following:

King's Speech.

"My Lords and Gentlemen,

"I take this Occasion, with great Willingness, to assure you, that I am extremely sensible of the Zeal and Cheerfulness of all your Proceedings in this Sessions of Parliament; and of the Readiness which you, Gentlemen of the House of Commons, have shewn, in granting such large Supplies towards the pressing Occasions of the Navy and Army.

"And I do further assure you, that I shall not be wanting, on My Part, to see them carefully applied to those Uses for which you intend them.

"At the same Time I must observe to you, that the Posture of Affairs Abroad does necessarily require My Presence at The Hague before the End of this Year; and, by Consequence, I must desire you to lose no Time in the dispatching and perfecting of such further Supplies as are still necessary for the Navy and Army; and not for them only, but it is high Time also to put you in Mind of making some Provision for the Expence of the Civil Government, which has no Funds for its Support, since the Excise, which was designed for that Service, as also the other Branches of the Revenue, have been applied to other Public Uses; and therefore I earnestly recommend it to your speedy Consideration."

Adjourn.

Rob'tus Atkins, Miles de Balneo, Capitalis Baro de Scaccario, Orator Procerum, declaravit præsens Parliamentum continuandum esse usque in diem Mercurii, (videlicet,) 26^um diem instantis Novembris, hora decima Aurora, Dominis sic decernentibus.