Veneris, 17 die Decembris;

Nono Gulielmi Tertii.

Prayers.

Arrears for Transport Service.

A PETITION of Edward Beer, and others, Masters of Vessels belonging to the Borough and Corporation of Lymington, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That, in 1693, the Petitioners entered into Charter-party with the Commissioners for TransportService, and were to receive a Month's Pay in Hand, and be cleared when discharged from the Service; but they did not receive the said Month's Pay; and there is due to them about 1,200 l. for Freight, besides Interest; which disables them from accounting with their Owners, and makes the Petitioners necessitous: And praying, That some Means may be sound out to pay them what is due.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table until the Account of the Transport-Debt be brought in.

Transport Debt.

Mr. Moor, from the Commissioners of Transportation, presented to the House an Account of the Debt owing for Transport-Service, exclusive of the Irish Debt.

And the same was received, and read; and is as followeth; viz.

The remaining 8,203½ Tons entered into Pay the Beginning of this Month, and have had a Month's Pay; to that there is nothing due to them; but all the Sixtyeight Ships may be continued in the Service the whole Winter; which will be a considerable Charge, besides the Provisions that must be provided for the Forces they bring from time to time.

Transport-Office, 17 December 1697.

Ordered, That the said Account be referred to the select Committee appointed to consider of several States, Estimates, and Accounts, presented to the House: And that they do examine the same, and report the Matter of Fact to the House.

Duties on Leather.

A Petition of the Aldermen, Stewards, and Company of Fellmongers, Leather-dressers, and Glovers, in the City of Chester, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners, and their Predecessors, time out of mind, used to import great Quantities of Sheep-skins and Lamb-skins from Ireland, the manufacturing whereof here employed many Thousand People, to the Benefit of the Publick; but, since a high Duty has been laid upon those Commodities in Ireland, and a Duty upon Alum Leather here by a late Act, the Petitioners Trades are almost lost; which are like to be improved in Foreign Parts, to the Ruin of the Petitioners: And praying Relief in the Premises.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to a Committee: And that they do examine the Matter thereof; and report the same, with their Opinion therein, to the House.

And it is referred to Sir Tho. Grosvenor, Sir John Manwaring, Sir Robert Cotton, Mr. Dolben, Sir Edward Seymour, Mr. Mountague, Mr. Boscawen, Mr. Bertie, Mr. Gery, Sir Robert Clayton, Sir Robert Davers, Sir Rowland Gwynn, Mr. Colt, Mr. Morgan, Mr. Arnold, Mr. Dowdswell, Sir Herbert Crofts, Mr. Blofeild, Mr. Ash, Sir Robert Burdet, Sir John Kay, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Baldwyn, Sir Wm. Lowther, Sir Phil. Butler, Mr. Lowther, Colonel Granville, Mr. Molyneux, Mr. Done, Mr. Sidley, Mr. Foley, Sir John Austin, Mr. Hammond, Sir Henry Colt, Sir Tho. Skipwith, Mr. White, Sir Wm. York, Sir Matth. Andrews, Mr. Evelyn, Mr. Newport, Mr. Blaake, Sir Fra. Winnington, Mr. Brotherton, Mr. Bowyer, Colonel Perrey, Mr. Mawdit, Sir Fra. Masham: And they are to meet this Afternoon at Four a Clock, in the Speaker's Chambers.

Ditto.

A Petition of the Company of Skinners, Leatherdressers, and Glovers, of the Town of Shrewsbury in the County of Salop, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners Trades, at best, are but a bare Subsistence for themselves and Families; and, since a Duty has been laid upon Leather by a late Act of Parliament, they are almost reduced to the utmost Extremity: And praying the House to find some other Way of raising Money than by a Tax on the Commodities used by the Petitioners.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the said Committee: And that they do examine the Matter; and report the same, with their Opinion therein, to the House.

Aldborough Writ.

The House, according to the Order of the Day, resumed the Consideration of the Motion made the 3d of December instant, That Mr. Speaker do issue his Warrant to the Clerk of the Crown, to make out a new Writ, for the electing a Burgess to serve in this present Parliament for the Borough of Aldborough in the County of York, in the room of Sir Michaell Wentworth, deceased.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Motion be further adjourned till this Day Fortnight.

A Message from the Lords, by Sir Miles Cooke and Sir Richard Holford:

Mr. Speaker,

Undue Marriages of Infants

The Lords have passed a Bill, intituled, An Act to prevent undue Marriages of Insants, and for the better securing the Guardianship of them: To which they desire the Concurrence of this House.

And then the Messengers withdrew.

Militia Regulation.

Ordered, That Leave be given to bring in a Bill to regulate the Militia, and make them more useful.

And it is referred to Sir Richard Onslow, Lord Castleton, Sir Chr. Musgrove, Mr. Pelham, Sir Wm. Williams, Mr. Harley, Mr. Foley, Mr. Henley, Major-General Earle, Lord Newport, Major-General Trelawney, Mr. Boyle, Brigadier Trelawney, Mr. Bromley, Mr. Smith, Sir Marm. Wivell, Mr. Gwyn, Colonel Warton, Sir Herbert Crofts, Sir Wm. St. Quintin, Mr. How, Sir Godf. Copley, Mr. Clark, Mr. Lowndes, Sir John Bolles, Colonel Granville, Mr. Moore, Colonel Godfrey, Mr. Manley, Mr. Bridges, Mr. Harvey, Mr. Gery, or any Three of them, to prepare, and bring in, the Bill.

State of the Revenue.

The Account presented to the House Yesterday, how his Majesty's Revenue stand charged, was read; and is as followeth; viz.

The hereditary Revenue of Excise, and that Part thereof which is granted during his Majesty's Life, amounting together to 2s. 6d. per Barrel on strong Beer, &c. is charged as followeth; that is to say,

With Loans unsatisfied (over and above the Interest thereupon due, and to grow due, at 6, 7, and 8 per Cent.) 581,877 l. 2s. 6¼d.

These Loans, and the Interest thereof, are appointed by Act of Parliament to be paid off and satisfied by 6,000 l. a Week out of the said Revenue; which, by Computation, will discharge the same in Two Years, or thereabouts.

Besides these Loans, there is a further yearly Charge by Act of Parliament, and several Letters Patents, on the same Revenue;

The Revenue arising by the General Letter-Office is, at this time, charged with Tallies of Loan, and other Tallies, unsatisfied (over and above the Interest due, and to grow due thereupon, at 6, 7, and 8, per Cent.) amounting to 127,851 l. 2s. 9½d.

Six hundred Pounds a Week of this Revenue is appropriated by Act of Parliament, for satisfying the said Tallies and Interest; which, by Computation, may discharge the same in about Five Years time.

The Revenue arising by Wine-Licences is managed by Contractors, who advanced 30,000 l. thereupon in the Year 1690; and were to detain the same out of the Proceed of the said Revenue, by half-yearly Payments of 1,500 l. for Principal, besides Interest at 6 per Cent. per Ann. and 2 per Cent. per Ann. more for Gratuity: And at this time there remains unsatisfied of the said Principal Money the Sum of 13,500 l.

Wm. Lowndes.

Ordered, That the said Account be referred to the select Committee appointed to consider of several States, Estimates, and Accounts, presented to the House: And that they do examine the same; and report the Matter of Fact to the House.

Ships for Summer and Winter Guard.

Then the House, according to the Order of the Day, resolved itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider what Number of Ships are necessary for a Summer and Winter Guard, for the Year 1698.

Mr. Speaker left the Chair.

Sir Richard Onslow took the Chair of the Committee.

Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair.

Sir Richard Onslow reported from the said Committee, That they had come to a Resolution; which they had directed him to report, when the House will please to receive the same.

Ordered, That the Report be made To-morrow Morning.

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