Mercurii, 28 die Octobris; 3° Gulielmi et Mariæ.
Address to their Majesties.
MR. Chancellor of the Exchequer reports from the
Committee to whom it was referred to prepare
the Addresses to their Majesties, That they had prepared
the same accordingly; and that they had directed him to
report the same to the House: The which he read in his
Place; and afterwards, delivered in at the Clerk's Table:
Where the same were read; and are as followeth; viz.
May it please Your most Excellent Majesty,
WE Your Majesty's most loyal Subjects, the Commons
of England, in Parliament assembled, do, with all Duty
and Chearfulness, congratulate Your Majesty's safe Return into this Your Kingdom, after the many Hazards
to which You have exposed Your Sacred Person; as also
the Success of Your Arms in Ireland. Our Prayers and
Wishes are, that Almighty God will so prosper Your
Majesties future Enterprizes, that they may at length
effect an honourable and lasting Peace to Your own Dominions, and the Security of Your Neighbours, from the
Injuries and Invasions of the common Oppressor: And..
crave Leave to join our Hopes to those of Your Majesty,
that the Victories of the last Summer are happy Presages
that so it will be: And, as the best Means we can contribute to these good Ends, we are resolved to stand by,
and assist Your Majesty to the utmost of our Power, in
carrying on a vigorous War against France.
May it please Your most Excellent Majesty,
WE your Majesty's most dutiful Subjects, the Commons in Parliament assembled, humbly beseech Your
Majesty to accept our most hearty and unfeigned Acknowlegements of Your prudent Care in the Administration of
the Government, whilst His Majesty exposed his Sacred
Person abroad for the Safety of his People, and the common Interest of Christendom; during whose Absence,
nothing could afford us so much Comfort as Your Majesty's Royal Protection, and Your constant Endeavours
for the Benefit and Security of Your People; of which
our Hearts abound with a most grateful Sense: And we
beg Leave to express it, by assuring Your Majesty, That
nothing shall ever be wanting on our Part which may demonstrate our Zeal for Your Majesty's Service, or which
may any ways contribute to the Honour and Happiness
of Your Reign.
The said Address to his Majesty, was read the Second time.
Resolved, Nemine contradicente, That the House doth
agree with the Committee in the said Address.
The said Address to her Majesty, was read the Second
time.
Resolved, Nemine contradicente, That the House doth
agree with the Committee in the said Address.
Resolved, That the said Addresses be presented to
their Majesties by the whole House.
Ordered, That such Members of this House, as are of
their Majesties most honourable Privy Council, do attend his Majesty, to know his Pleasure, When he will be
attended by this House.
Ordered, That such Members of this House, as are of
their Majesties most honourable Privy Council, do attend her Majesty, to know her Pleasure, When she will
be attended by this House.
Oaths of Allegiance in Ireland.
Mr. Roberts, according to Order, presented to the
House a Bill for abrogating the Oath formerly taken in
Ireland, and for establishing other Oaths. And the same
was received; and read the First time.
Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time.
Amending Highways.
Resolved, That a Committee be appointed to consider
of the former Laws for Enlarging and Amending of the
Highways; and to consider of their Defects; and to prepare and bring in a Bill for the better Enlarging and Amending of Highways, as well in Towns as Counties:
And it is referred unto Mr. Boscowen, Major Perry,
Sir Rich. Onslow, Sir Tho. Darcy, Sir John Barker, Mr.
Bowyer, Serjeant Wogan, Sir Math. Andrewes, Mr. Bickerstaffe, Sir Rich. Temple, Mr. Palmes, Mr. Papillion, Mr.
Dolben, Sir Walt. Young, Mr. Harcourt, Sir John Guise,
Sir Rich. Hart, Mr. Freeman, Mr. Hawtry, Mr. Foot
Onslow, Mr. Clerke, Sir Wm. Strickland, Sir Cha. Bloys,
Sir Rog. Puleston, Sir Rob. Clayton, Mr. Price, Sir Tho.
Clarges, Sir Wm. Leman, Sir Hen. Johnson, Mr. Greenfeild, Colonel Titus, Lord Falkland, Mr. Butler, Mr.
Biddle, Mr. Norreys, Sir Sam. Bernardiston, Sir Edw.
Chisnall, Mr. Stockdale, Sir Cha. Windham, and all
the Gentlemen of the Long Robe: And they are to
meet at Three of the Clock this Afternoon, in the
Speaker's Chamber.
East India Company.
A Petition of divers Merchants and Traders in and
about the City of London, and other their Majesties
Subjects, was presented to the House: And several of
the Petitioners were called in to the Bar: Who owned
the same.
And being withdrawn;
The said Petition was read; setting forth, That the
Trade to the East Indies is of very great Importance to
this Nation; and yet, by the manifold Abuses of the
present East India Company both at home and abroad
(who have managed the same for their private Gain without any Regard to the publick Good), the Trade is like
to be utterly lost to this Kingdom, and to fall into the
Hands of Foreigners, unless timely prevented by some
better Regulation thereof on a new joint Stock and Constitution: And praying, That this House, for preventing so national a Mischief, would take into Consideration
the Establishing of a new East India Company, in such
Manner, and with such Powers and Limitations, as to
them shall be thought most conducing to the Preservation
of so beneficial a Trade to the Kingdom. And also
Ditto.
A Petition of the East India Company was read; setting forth, That the Petitioners, and their Predecessors,
upon the Encouragement of Queen Elizabeth, and succeeding Princes, by their several Royal Grants and Charters
granted unto them, exclusive to all others, have adventured their Estates for the Discovery and carrying on a
Traffick to those remote Parts, greatly to the Advantage
of the Navigation of this Kingdom, and Enriching of
the same; and have been always under a Belief, that,
according to the Usage of their Predecessors, might
legally manage their Trade within the Limits of their
Charters, by virtue of their several Grants from the
Crown: And that several Parliaments have had many
Occasions to take Notice of their Charters without any
Disallowance thereunto; but, on the contrary, rather implicitly approved thereof: But that the Petitioners have
received great Damages and Discouragements in their
Trade by several private Traders or Interlopers, who
originally were the Cause of all those Troubles and Losses
brought of late on the said Company: And that the Petitioners therefore humbly represent, That the said East
India Trade cannot possibly be supported but in a joint
Stock, exclusive to all others, nor without such Powers
granted unto them equal to that of their Neighbours:
And that, while Matters stand thus, the said Trade will
not only suffer much, but other European Nations will
make great Advantage thereof, to the Hazard, if not
the Ruin, of the English Commerce to those Parts: And
praying the Consideration of the House in the Premises:
and to apply such seasonable Remedies for the Preservation of the said Trade, on which so many other foreign
Trades, on a great measure, depend, as to settle the same
by Act of Parliament, under such Methods or Regulations as the House shall think fit; and that, in the mean
time, the Petitioners may be supported and encouraged
in preserving the said Trade to the Nation.
Resolved, That the Consideration of the said several
Petitions be referred to a Committee of the whole House.
Resolved, That this House will, To-morrow Morning
at Ten a Clock, resolve itself into a Committee of the
whole House, to consider of the said Petitions.
And then the House adjourned till To-morrow
Morning, Nine a Clock.