Mercurii, 10 die Novembris, 1675.

Prayers.

Delay of a Writ.

INFORMATION being given to the House, that a Writ being sent and delivered to the High Sheriff for the County of Suffolke, for electing a Burgess for the Borough of Eye; and the Election being past a Week since, he hath hitherto neglected to make Return of the Writ, to the Injury of the Member elected;

Ordered, That the High Sheriff of the County of Suffolke be summoned to attend, and give an Account at the Bar of this House, of his Neglect, in not returning the Writ for electing a Burgess to serve for the Borough of Eye in the County of Suffolke.

Lindsey Level.

Ordered, That the Bill for draining Lindsey Level be brought in, and read, on Friday Morning next.

Subjects in French Service.

A Bill for recalling such his Majesty's Subjects as are in the Service of the French King, was read the Second time.

Resolved, &c. That this Bill be committed to Sir Thomas Littleton, Mr. Sacheverell, Mr. Williams, Sir John Knight, Mr. Crouch, Sir Eliab Harvey, Lord Digby, Sir Tho. Meres, Sir Edm. Jennings, Sir John Lowther, Sir John Elwes, Mr. Price, Sir Hen. Goodrick, Mr. Lewis, Colonel Gilby, Sir Wm. Coventry, Sir Wm. Hickman, Sir John Hotham, Sir John Otway, Sir Tho. Lee, Mr. Powle, Sir Nich. Carew, Sir Trevor Williams, Sir Tho. Clargis, Sir Cha. Wheeler, Colonel Kirkby, Sir Cha. Harbord, Sir Wm. Lowther, Sir John Birkenhead, Sir Hen. Capell, Mr. Morris, Mr. Spry, Mr. Palmes, Sir Anth. Irby, Mr. Serjeant Rigby, Sir Row. Berkley, Mr. Stockdale, Sir John Dawney: And they are to meet this Afternoon, at Three of the Clock, in the Speaker's Chamber: And to send for Persons, Papers, and Records.

Preservation of Fishing.

Ordered, That the Report of the Bill for preserving the Fishing in several Rivers of this Kingdom, be heard To-morrow Morning.

Hawkers, Pedlars, &c.

Ordered, That the Bill to prevent and suppress Hawkers, Pedlars, and Petty Chapmen, be read To-morrow.

Illegal Exactions.

Ordered, That the Report of the Bill to prevent illegal Exaction of Money from the Subject be heard on Friday next, after Ten of the Clock.

Conference; British in French Service.

A Message from the Lords by Sir Wm. Beversham and Sir Edward Lowe;

Mr. Speaker, We are to acquaint you, from the Lords, that they desire a present Conference with this House, in the Painted Chamber, upon the Matter of the Vote and Message of this House, concerning his Majesty's Subjects in the Service of the French King.

The Messengers being withdrawn; and a present Conference being, upon the Question, agreed to;

The Messengers being called in, Mr. Speaker acquaints them, That the House had agreed to a present Conference.

Ordered, That Sir Thomas Littleton, Sir Thomas Lee, Mr. Sawyer, Sir Wm. Coventry, Mr. Powle, Mr. Sacheverell, Sir Tho. Meres, Mr. Williams, Sir John Hotham, Sir Edward Deering, Mr. Vaughan, Sir Charles Wheeler, Sir Lionell Jenkins, Mr. Swinfen, and Sir Edward Baynton, do attend and manage the Conference.

Sir Thomas Meres reports from the Conference, That the Lords did acquaint them, that they had considered of the Vote and Message of this House, concerning his Majesty's Subjects in the Service of the French King; and that they had changed the Vote, and put it into another Form: Which, being reduced into Writing, was delivered in at the Conference; and, being delivered in at the Clerk's Table, and read, is as followeth; viz.

Most Gracious Sovereign,

WE Your Majesty's most dutiful Subjects, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and in Parliament assembled, taking Notice, to our great Satisfaction, of Your Majesty's Royal Proclamation, bearing Date the Nineteenth of May One thousand Six hundred Seventy-five, intituled, A Proclamation, commanding the immediate Return of all Your Majesty's Subjects who have gone into the Service of the French King, as Soldiers, since the late Treaty of Peace with the States General of the United Provinces, and prohibiting all Your Majesty's Subjects to enter into the said Service for the Time to come; and finding there hath not been that Observance paid to it, which Your Majesty might have expected, and all Your Loyal Subjects could have wished, do, out of our earnest Desires, that Your Royal Intentions, so agreeable to the Interest and Welfare of Your People, should no longer be disappointed, humbly make this our Petition and Address unto Your Majesty, that You would be graciously pleased to renew Your former Proclamation, strengthening it with such additional Severities, upon those who shall not obey it, as shall be agreeable to Law.

Resolved, &c. That the further Consideration of the Matter of the Conference had with the Lords, be adjourned till Tuesday Morning next.

State of the Nation.

The House then resolved into a Committee of the whole House, to consider the State and Condition of the Kingdom.

Mr. Speaker left the Chair.

Sir John Trevor took the Chair of the Committee.

Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair.

Sir John Trevor reports from the Committee of the whole House, several Votes, agreed by the said Committee, to be reported to the House: Which he read in his Place; and afterwards delivered the same in at the Clerk's Table: And humbly moved, from the said Committee, That the House will resolve again into a Committee of the whole House, on Friday Morning next, at Eleven of the Clock, to proceed in the further Consideration of the State and Condition of the Kingdom.

And the said Votes being again twice read at the Clerk's Table, were, upon the Question, severally agreed to; and are as followeth;

Resolved, &c. That the Atheism, and excessive Debauchery and Impiety, now practised in this Kingdom, shall be one Part of the Matter to be redressed in the State of the Kingdom.

Resolved, &c. That the Summoning of Justices of the Peace to the Council Board, for their Proceedings in Matters judicially before them relating to the Excise, is a Grievance; and shall be one Part of the Matter to be redressed in the State of the Kingdom.

Excise and Hearth Money.

Resolved, &c. That a Committee be appointed to examine certain Instructions that have been sent into the Country, relating to the Excise and Hearth Money; and to report the same, with their Opinions, to the House: And it is referred to Sir Tho. Meres, Sir Phill. Musgrave, Sir Trevor Williams, Sir Thomas Doleman, Sir John Vowell, Sir Tho. Littleton, Sir Chr. Musgrave, Mr. Williams, Mr. Spry, Colonel Whitley, Sir Anthony Irby, Sir Nic. Carew, Mr. Sacheverell, Mr. Cholmley, Sir John Barnaby, Sir John Hotham, Mr. Vaughan, Sir Wm. Hickman, Sir Tho. Lee, Sir Lanc. Lake, Sir Eliab Harvey, Sir Wm. Coventry, Mr. Garroway, Sir John Trevor, Mr. Streete, Sir Edward Deering, Sir Cha. Wheeler, Sir John Werden, Mr. Thynne, Mr. Prideaux, Sir Gilb. Gerrard, Sir John Otway, Mr. Marvell, Sir Edm. Jennings, Mr. Whittaker, Mr. Powle, Mr. Stockdale, Mr. Palmes, Sir John Holland, Sir Wm. Bucknall, Sir John Birkenhead, Sir Edward Baynton, Sir Cha. Harbord, Mr. Sawyer, Mr. Swinfen, Sir Lionell Jenkins, Colonel Byrch, Mr. Tufton; or any Five of them: And they are to meet To-morrow in the Afternoon, in the Speaker's Chamber: And to send for Persons, Papers, and Records.

State of the Nation.

Resolved, &c. That this House will on Friday Morning next, at Eleven of the Clock, resolve into a Committee of the whole House, to proceed in the further Consideration of the State and Condition of the Kingdom.

Committees.

Ordered, That all Committees, which are discontinued, be revived; and do sit this Afternoon, in the Places formerly appointed.

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