Jovis, 21 die Decembris;

5° Gulielmi et Mariæ.

Prayers.

Kentish Towne Roads.

A PETITION of the Inhabitants and Landholders of the Parish of St. Pancras, alias Kentish-Towne, in the County of Middlesex, on behalf of themselves, and the rest of the Inhabitants of the said Parish, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the common Highways of the said Parish extend Nine Miles in Length; and are become so much out of Repair, by the great Drifts of all Sorts of Cattle passing through the said Parish, that the Parishioners are not able to repair the same; and that they have done what the Law requires; yet they have been fined, and greater Fines are threatened to be laid upon them; whereby several able Inhabitants have left the said Parish, and the Poor, who are very numerous, thereby less able to be maintained; so that, unless some speedy Relief be had, the said Parish will be more and more impoverished, and the Highways become unpassable: And praying, That Leave may be given to bring in a Bill for Repair of the Highways within the said Parish.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table, until the Bill for Repair of the Highways within the Parish of Islington be brought into the House.

Merchant Insurers Creditors.

A Petition of sundry Merchants, residing in London, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners are informed, a Bill is presented to the House, to enable divers Merchant-Insurers the better to satisfy their several Creditors: That the Petitioners are Creditors of the said Insurers for very great Sums: And praying to be heard before the Passing of the said Bill.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table, until the said Bill be read a Second time.

Leave of Absence.

Ordered, That Sir William Drake have Leave to go into the Country for a Fortnight, upon extraordinary Occasions.

Ordered, That Mr. Jennens have Leave to go into the Country for a Fortnight, upon extraordinary Occasions.

Ordered, That Sir Edward Norreys have Leave to go into the Country for a Fortnight, upon extraordinary Occasions.

Ordered, That Mr. Gott have Leave to go into the Country for Three Weeks, upon the Service of the Publick.

Ordered, That Mr. Campion have Leave to go into the Country for a Fortnight, upon extraordinary Occasions.

Call of the House.

Ordered, That the House be called over upon Monday Fortnight next: And that such Members, who have not Leave to be absent, as shall not then attend the Service of the House, be sent for in Custody of the Serjeant at Arms attending this House.

Encouraging Privateers.

Ordered, That the Committee, to whom the Examination and Consideration of the Petition of the Merchants in Mount's-Bay, in Cornwall, is referred, have Power to send for Persons, Papers, and Records.

Merchants Insurers Creditors.

The Bill to enable divers Merchants-Insurers, that have sustained many Losses by the present War with France, the better to satisfy their several Creditors, was read the Second time.

Resolved, That the Bill be committed to Sir Sam. Barnardiston, Mr. Boscawen, Mr. Waller, Sir Richard Hart, Mr. Cook, Mr. Bromley, Colonel Lee, Mr. Slater, Mr. Jeffryes, Mr. Holt, Mr. Hawtry, Mr. Fenwick, Mr. Blofeild, Mr. Hutchinson, Sir Tho.Vernon, Mr. Pigott, Mr. Harcourt, Sir Wm. Cook, Mr. Brewer, Mr. Pollen, Mr. Goldwell, Mr. England, Mr. Swift, Sir Fr. Guibon, Colonel Titus, Sir John Darell, Sir John Knight, Mr. Bowyer, Sir Jervas Elwes, Sir Edward Chisethurst, Sir Fra. Drake, Colonel Perry, Sir Ralph Dutton, Mr. Lloyd, Mr. Kenyon, Mr. Arnold, Mr. Chetwynd, Mr. Fawkes; and all the Members of the House who are Merchants; and all that serve for the Sea-Ports: And they are to meet this Afternoon, at Four of the Clock, in the Speaker's Chamber.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the Petition of sundry Merchants, residing in London, which was ordered to lie upon the Table, be referred to the Committee, to whom the said Bill is committed.

Free Proceedings in Parliament.

The House proceeded to take into Consideration the Amendments made by the Lords to the Bill touching free and impartial Proceedings in Parliament.

And the same were once read throughout; and are as followeth; viz.

Press the 1st, Line the 33. after "Parliament," insert "unless he or they shall be afterwards again elected to serve in the same Parliament."

Pr. 2. L. 4. after "for," instead of "the," insert "a new;" and, after "of," leave out a new."

Line 5th, after "Commons," leave out "in the;" and insert, instead thereof, "for such;" and, after "Places," leave out the rest of the Bill; and, instead thereof, insert "for which such Member or Members was or were before elected."

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

The last Amendment being read a Second time; viz. after "Places," leave out the rest of the Bill; and, instead thereof, insert "for which such Member or Members was or were elected;"

And the Question being put, That the House do agree with the Lords in the said Amendment;

It passed in the Negative.

Resolved, That a Conference be desired with the Lords upon the said Amendment.

Resolved, That a Committee be appointed to prepare Reasons, to be offered at the said Conference with the Lords.

And it is referred to Mr. Palmes, Sir Christ. Musgrave, Mr. Smith, Mr. Goldwell, Sir Edward Seymour, Sir Richard Temple, Sir Joseph Tredenham, Colonel Granville, Sir Tho. Littleton, Mr. Mountague, Colonel Titus, Sir Walter Young, Lord Ranelaugh, Mr. Hopkins, Sir Hen. Goodrick, Sir Robert Howard, Mr. Clark, Lord William Pawlet, Mr. Godolphin, Sir Edward Hussey, Lord Coningsby, Mr. Wharton: And they are to meet this Afternoon at Four of the Clock, in the Speaker's Chamber.

Frequent Parliaments.

Ordered, That the ingrossed Bill, from the Lords, intituled, An Act for the frequent Calling and Meeting of Parliaments, be read the Third time To-morrow Morning, after Eleven a Clock.

Ways and Means.

Sir Thomas Littleton, according to the Order of the Day, reported from the Committee of the whole House, to whom it was referred to consider of Ways and Means for raising the Supply to be granted to their Majesties, for the Maintenance of the Fleet, the Resolutions of the said Committee: 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.

1. Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That, of the Sum of Two Millions Five hundred thousand Pounds, to be granted to their Majesties, for the Maintenance of the Fleet, the Sum of Ten hundred thousand Pounds be charged upon Land.

2. Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That, towards the raising the Supply to be granted to their Majesties, for the Maintenance of the Fleet, a Duty be laid upon all foreign Salt imported.

3. Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That, towards the raising the Supply to be granted to their Majesties, for the Maintenance of the Fleet, a Duty be laid upon all English Salt, to be paid at the Salt-works by the Maker thereof.

4. Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That the Duty to be laid upon foreign Salt imported be Three-pence per Gallon.

5. Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That the Duty to be laid upon English Salt be One Peny Halfpeny per Gallon.

. . . . . . . .

Ordered, That a Bill be brought in upon the said Resolutions: And that Mr. Solicitor-General do prepare, and bring in, the same.

Ordered, That a Clause be brought in to the said Bill, for settling the Price of Salt.

Ordered, That a Clause be brought in to the said Bill, That all English Salt exported be discharged from the said Duty.

Supply.

The House, according to the Order of the Day, resolved itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of the Resolution Yesterday re-committed to them.

Mr. Speaker left the Chair.

Sir Thomas Littleton took the Chair of the Committee.

Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair.

Sir Thomas Littleton reported from the said Committee, That they had considered the Matter to them referred; and had come to a Resolution; which they had directed him to report to the House, when the House would please to receive the same.

Ordered, That the said Report be made To-morrow Morning, before the ingrossed Bill, from the Lords, intituled, An Act for the frequent Calling and Meeting of Parliaments, be read the Third time.

Ways and Means.

Resolved, That this House will, To-morrow Morning, after the ingrossed Bill is read, and after hearing the Witnesses to the Articles against the Lord Coningsby, and Sir Charles Porter, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider further of Ways and Means for raising the Supplies to be granted to their Majesties, for Maintenance of the Fleet, and for the Maintenance of the Land-Forces, for the Service of the Year One thousand Six hundred Ninety-four.

Committees.

Ordered, That all Committees be adjourned.

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