Jovis, 23 die Decembris;

Nono Gulielmi Tertii.

Prayers.

Leave of Absence.

ORDERED, That Sir George Chout have Leave to go into the Country for a Fortnight, upon extraordinary Occasions.

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

Duties on Leather.

A Petition of the Journeymen and Labourers belonging to the Gloving and Skinning Trade, in and near the City of Worcester, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That, by reason of the heavy Duty laid upon Alum and Oiled-Leather, the chief Masters have turned off their Journeymen, whom they had employed many Years before; who, being decrepit, are unfit for any other Employment; and thereby their Families are reduced to great Want: And praying, That the Duty upon Alum and Oiled-Leather may be taken off.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee, to whom the Petition of the Aldermen, Stewards, and Company of Fellmongers, Leather-dressers, and Glovers, in the City of Chester, is referred: And that they do examine the Matter thereof; and report the same, with their Opinions therein, to the House.

Ditto.

A Petition of the Glovers, Skinners, and Leatherdressers, in and near the City of Worcester, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Excise Officers for collecting and managing the Duty upon Leather have denied Leave for the Petitioners to sell their Leather, though the Duty paid; by which means OneThird of their Trade is sunk: And by the additional Duty on foreign Skins in the Hair, and on Alum and Salt, the Value of Leather dressed therewith doth so increase the Price, that other Countries can undersell us; whereby our Trade therein is stopt: And praying, That the Duty upon Alum and Oiled-Leather may be taken off; or else they must lay down their Trades.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee, to whom the Petition of the Aldermen, Stewards, and Company of Fellmongers, Leather-dressers, and Glovers, in the City of Chester, is referred: And that they do examine the Matter thereof; and report the same, with their Opinion therein, to the House.

Ditto.

A Petition of the Tanners, Glovers, Skinners, and other Artificers of the Leather Trade, within the City and County of the City of Coventry, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Duty upon Leather is insupportable to them, and tends to the Ruin of their Trades; for that they are forced to sell cheaper than before the Duty, because they must sell no-where but at the Market; where Two or Three Curriers buy up the Leather, and fell it, at their own Rates, to Shoemakers, &c. who used to buy it of the Petitioners, in small Parcels as they could get Money: And praying, That the Act for laying a Duty upon Leather may be repealed; or that they may be some other Ways relieved.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee, to whom the Petition of the Aldermen, Stewards, and Company of Fellmongers, Leather-dressers, and Glovers, in the City of Chester, is referred: And that they do examine the Matter thereof; and report the same, with their Opinion therein, to the House.

Leave of Absence.

Ordered, That Mr. Freke the elder have Leave to go into the Country, upon extraordinary Occasions.

Ordered, That Mr. Cooper have Leave to go into the Country for Nine Days, upon extraordinary Occasions.

Ordered, That Sir William Cooper have Leave to go into the Country for Nine Days, upon extraordinary Occasions.

Guibou's Estate.

A Bill to enable Sir Francis Guibon, and Dame Isabella his Wife, and their Trustees, to sell the Manor of Avenalls, and other Lands in or near Gunthorp, in the County of Norfolk; and for settling other Lands in lieu thereof; was read a Second time.

Resolved, That the Bill be committed to Sir Henry Hobart, Sir Robert Cotton, Sir Jacob Ashley, Mr. Waller, Mr. Foley, Mr. Sloane, Mr. Blofeild, Mr. Drake, Mr. Lowther, Mr. Thornhagh, Sir Fra. Masham, Mr. Price, Sir Walter Yonge, Mr. Whitaker, Sir Robert Cotton, Sir John Bolles, Mr. Dolben, Mr. Holt, Mr. Morgan, Mr. Lowndes, Sir Wm. Lowther, Mr. Lambton, Mr. England, Sir Henry Colt, Mr. Bertie, Mr. Blake, Mr. Baldwyn, Mr. White, Mr. Colt; and all the Members that serve for the Counties of Norfolk and Suffolk: And they are to meet this Afternoon at Four a Clock, in the Speaker's Chamber.

Leave of Absence.

Ordered, That Sir John Kay have Leave to go into the Country for a Month, upon extraordinary Occasions.

Ordered, That Mr. Freke junior have Leave to go into the Country for a Month, upon extraordinary Occasions.

Ordered, That Mr. Brotherton have Leave to go into the Country for Ten Days, to bury a near Relation.

Importing Bone-lace, &c.

Ordered, That Leave be given to bring in a Bill for rendering the Laws more effectual for preventing the Importation of foreign Bone-lace, Needle-work, Point and Cut-work: And that Sir William Drake, Sir Henry Hobart, and Sir Walter Younge, do prepare, and bring in, the Bill.

Cambridge Election.

A Petition of Sir Christopher Hatton, Sir Richard Bennet, Baronets; Altham Smith, Thomas Buck, Malbon Caroll, John Milicent, Tyrrell Dalton, William March, Thomas Richars, Edward Nightingalle, Robert Drake, John Brownell, and Theophilus Tyrrell, Esquires; James Saywell, Thomas Dod, Roger Pyke, Thomas Ewin, and Thomas Fowle, Gentlemen; Freeholders of the County of Cambridge; on the behalf of themselves, and many others of the Freeholders of the said County, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That, at an Election for a Knight of the Shire for Cambridgeshire, on the 6th Instant, Granado Pigot Esquire stood as a Candidate; and about Eleven a Clock the Poll began; and several Freeholders there desired to poll for Mr. Pigot, but were denied: And the Under-Sheriff discharged the Freeholders, about Four in the Afternoon, from their Attendance at the County-Court; and called the Nisi Prius Court, without Mr. Pigott's Consent: That before Five a Clock the Sheriff began to poll again in the Crown-Court; and, without making Proclamation, about Five a Clock did adjourn the Poll till Eight the next Morning, without Mr. Pigott's Consent, several Freeholders then desiring to poll for him: That the Petitioners attended at Eight a Clock; but the Sheriff did not proceed to poll till after Ten a Clock, and gave the Petitioners such unnecessary Delays, that many Freeholders were forced to go home without polling: That the Petitioners have also been debarred from their just Rights and Liberties in this Election, by Threats and Treats, by Persons in Commission both of the Peace, and for Taxes: And praying, That the House will take the Premises into Consideration.

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

A Member discharged from Custody.

Ordered, That Sir Thomas Estcourt, in Custody of the Serjeant at Arms attending this House, for absenting himself from his Service in Parliament, be discharged out of Custody, paying his Fees.

Ditto.

Ordered, That Mr. Yard, in Custody of the Serjeant at Arms attending this House, for absenting himself from his Service in Parliament, be discharged out of Custody, paying his Fees.

A Message from the Lords, by Sir Miles Cook and Sir Robert Legard:

Mr. Speaker,

Baker's Estate.

The Lords have passed a Bill, intituled, An Act for vesting in Sydenham Baker Gentleman an absolute Estate of Inheritance in Fee-simple, in a certain Rent, Messuages, Lands, and Hereditaments, in the County of Devon; and securing to John Baker Gentleman, and Henry Baker an Infant, his Son, Monies, in lieu of their Claims thereunto: To which they desire the Concurrence of this House.

And then the Messengers withdrew.

Leave of Absence.

Ordered, That Colonel Kirkby have leave to go into the Country for Ten Days, upon extraordinary Occasions.

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

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

Oaths relating to Tallies, and Exchequer Business.

An ingrossed Bill to give further Time for the Administring of Oaths relating to Tallies and Orders; and for the easier Dispatch of the publick Business in the Exchequer; was read the third time.

Resolved, That the Bill do pass: And that the Title be, an Act to give further Time for the administring Oaths relating to Tallies and Orders; and for the easier Dispatch of the publick Business in the Exchequer, and in the Bank of England.

Ordered, That Mr. Clark do carry the Bill to the Lords; and desire their Concurrence thereunto.

Call of the House.

Ordered, That the House be called over upon Wednesday Sevennight: And that such Members as shall not then attend, be sent for in Custody of the Serjeant at Arms attending this House.

Counter's, &c. Imprisonment

Mr. Clark, according to Order, presented to the House a Bill for continuing the Imprisonment of * * Counter, John Bernardi, Robert Cassells, Robert Meldrum, James Chambers, and Robert Blackborne, committed to Newgate for the late horrid Conspiracy to assassinate his Majesty: And the same was received.

The Bill was read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time.

Supply.

Sir Thomas Littleton, according to Order, reported, from the Committee of the whole House, to whom it was referred to consider further of the Supply to be granted to his Majesty; and to whom it was also referred to consider further of the Summer and Winter Guard at Sea, for the Year 1698; the Resolution of the said Committee; which they had directed him to report to the House; and which he read in his Place; and afterwards delivered in at the Clerk's Table: Where the same was read: and is as followeth; viz.

Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That, for the Charge of maintaining 10,000 Men for the Summer and Winter Guard at Sea, for the Year 1698, there be allowed, including the Charge of the Ordnance for Sea-Service, 4 l. per Man per Month, for Thirteen Months.

The said Resolution, being read a Second time, was, upon the Question put thereupon, agreed unto by the House.

Hammered Coin.

The House, according to the Order of the Day, resolved itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of the Bill to prevent the Currency of any hammered Silver Coin of this Kingdom.

Mr. Speaker left the Chair.

Mr. Harcourt took the Chair of the Committee.

Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair.

Mr. Harcourt reported from the said Committee, That they had gone through the Bill; and made several Amendments; which they had directed him to report, when the House will please to receive the same.

Ordered, That the Report be made upon Thursday Morning next.

And then the House adjourned till Thursday Morning next, Nine a Clock.