Sabbati, 15 die Januarii;

Nono Gulielmi Tertii.

Prayers.

Duties on Leather.

A PETITION of the Glovers, Skinners, and Leather-dressers, in and near the ancient Borough of Tewksbury in the County of Gloucester, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Collectors of the Duty upon Leather have denied the Liberty of selling any Leather, though the Duty be paid; most of the Petioners dressing their own Leather; by which means a Third Part of their Trade is lost: And praying, That the Duty upon Alum-Leather, more especially, may be taken off; otherwise 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; and report the same, with their Opinion therein, to the House.

Ditto.

A Petition of the Tanners, Glovers, Curriers, Sadlers, Collar-makers, Leather-dressers, and others, who tan, taw, and dress Leather, in the Borough and Town of Andover in the County of Southampton, and other adjacent Places, with their Journeymen and Servants, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That, by reason of the late Duty upon Leather, the Petitioners are not able to keep in Work One Third Part of the Journeymen and Servants they used to employ; whereby many are deprived of a Support for themselves and Families, and lie wholly on the Charge of the Parish: And praying the Duty 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; and report the same, with their Opinion therein, to the House.

Ditto.

A Petition of the Skinners and Glovers of the Town of Namptwich in the County of Chester was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners find, by said Experience, that the Duty upon Leather occasions a great Loss of their Trades in general, to the Ruin of many poor Families whose whole Livelihood depended on the Leather-Trade, who now live upon the Charity of others, for want of Work: And praying, That the said Duty 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; and report the same, with their Opinion therein, to the House.

Duties on Leather.

A Petition of the Tanners, Curriers, Cordwainers, Sadlers, Girdlers, Tawers, Glovers, and other Artificers occupying the Making, Dressing, and Cutting of Leather, in the Town of Chippenham, and other adjacent Places, in the County of Wilts, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That, by reason of the great Duty upon Leather, the Petitioners are so impoverished; that, for the future, they are not able to carry on their Trades, nor provide for their Families; so that they are like to be utterly ruined, if not speedily relieved: And praying, That the said Duty 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; and report the same, with their Opinion therein, to the House.

Flint Election.

Ordered, That Sir John Hanmer be at Liberty to withdraw his Petition touching the Election for the Town of Flint.

Private Bills.

Ordered, That, upon the First Reading of every private Bill, a Time be appointed for a Second Reading thereof.

Bishop of Ely's Estate.

Ordered, That the ingrossed Bill; from the Lords, intituled, An Act for enabling Simon Lord Bishop of Ely, and his Successors, to lease the Manor-house and Demesne-lands of Downham, in the Isle of Ely; and for confirming a Lease lately thereof made by the said Bishop; and for the Clearing of the said Bishop, and others, from Dilapidations there; be read a Second time upon Monday Morning next.

Importing Bone-lace, &c.

A Petition of Thomas Marshall, William Rutland senior, Thomas Jones, and Joseph Alder, and other Retailers of Bone-lace, Needle-work, Point-work, and Cutwork, in and about the Cities of London and Westminster, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That there is a Bill depending in the House for rendering the Laws more effectual for preventing the Importing of Foreign Bone-lace, Needle-work, Point, and Cut-work; wherein such Difficulties and Discouragements are put upon the Petitioners, as will effectually restrain them from selling the best English Bone-lace and Needle-work, and thereby destroy the best Sorts of all those Manufactures now made in England: And praying, That they may be heard by Counsel before the said Bill do pass.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee, to whom the said Bill is committed: And that the Petitioners be heard thereupon, before the said Committee, upon Tuesday next, when the Committee is to sit.

Army Arrears.

Ordered, That Mr. Howard and Mr. Whitaker be added to the Committee, to whom the Petition of Francis Molyneux is referred.

Militia.

The House being informed, That Mr. Bridgman attended, by his Majesty's Command, with the Papers relating to the Account of the Militia of this Kingdom;

He was called in; and presented to the House the said Papers by a Lift.

And then withdrew.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Papers be referred to the Committee, who are appointed to prepare, and bring in, a Bill to regulate the Militia, and to make them more useful.

Woollen Manufactures.

Ordered, That the Bill to encourage the Woollen Manufactures in England; and to restrain the Exportation of Wool, and Woollen Manufactures from Ireland, into Foreign Parts; and for the better preventing the Exportation of Wool; be read a Second time upon Wednesday Morning next.

Grants from the Crown.

Ordered, That the Account of the Grants made since the Third Day of December 1696, be laid before this House upon Monday Morning next.

Preventing throwing Squibs, &c.

An ingrossed Bill to prevent the Throwing and Firing of Squibs, Serpents, and other Fireworks, was read the Third time.

Resolved, That the Bill do pass: And that the Title be, An Act to prevent the Throwing or Firing of Squibs, Serpents, and other Fireworks.

Ordered, That Sir Henry Dutton Colt do carry the Bill to the Lords; and desire their Concurrence thereunto.

Vesting Interest in Judgments.

Mr. Pocklington reported from the Committee, to whom the Bill to vest the Interest of Judgments, and other Securities assigned, in the Assignees, was committed, That they had made several Amendments to the Bill; 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 were once read throughout; and then a Second time, one by one; and, upon the Question severally put thereupon, agreed unto by the House.

Ordered, That the Bill, with the Amendments, be ingrossed.

Supply Bill; Discount on Exchequer Bills.

Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, according to Order, presented to the House a Bill for reducing the Discount on Exchequer-Bills, and giving them a better Currency: And the same was received.

The Bill was read the First time.

Resolved, That the Bill be read a Second time.

Leave of Absence.

Ordered, That Mr. Archer have Leave to go into the Country for a Fortnight, his Lady being very ill.

Privilege of a Member in a Suit.

Sir Francis Windham attending in his Place, according to Order, the Petition of William James Esquire, presented to the House on Thursday last, was read; setting forth, That the Petitioner has lately married Ann the Niece of the said Sir Francis; and that a Pension of 600 l. is vested in Trustees, for securing 4,000 l. as the Marriage-Portion of the said Ann: That Sir Francis Windham has possessed himself of the said Pension; and insists on his Privilege: And praying, That the Petitioner may be at Liberty to proceed at Law, for Recovery of his said Wife's Portion, notwithstanding the said Sir Francis Windham's Privilege.

Whereupon, the said Sir Francis Windham declared, That he doth wave his Privilege, so that the Petitioner may proceed in Westminster-hall against him, as he shall be advised.

Seamen's Arrears.

A Petition of several Persons, in behalf of themselves, and the rest of the Officers, and Ships Companies of Seamen, belonging to the Newport, Hind Pink, Wren Pink, Ætna and Blaze Fireships, and Portsmouth Prize, which were taken by the Enemy, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners were tried, and acquitted, as appears by Copies of their Courts Martial annexed to the Petition; and ought to have been paid off, according to Custom; but they can have no Relief for their Pay, though they have often applied to the Commissioners of the Admiralty; and though others, who were taken by the Enemy at the same time with the Petitioners, and after, have received their Pay: And the said Commissioners have ordered that no Man quartered upon the Gun-decks shall be paid; so, accordingly, they have since paid all Persons quartered in the Hold, and Officers Servants; and have lest the Petitioners unpaid: And praying the Consideration of the House, so as that they may be paid what is due to them.

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 to the House.

And it is referred to Sir Thomas Littleton, Sir Phillip Butler, Sir Chr. Musgrove, Mr. Arnold, Mr. Montague, Sir Wm. Honywood, Sir Henry Colt, Mr. Pocklington, Sir Tho. Dyke, Mr. Thornhagh, Mr. Bromley, Sir Cloudsly Shovell, Mr. Duke, Mr. Gery, Sir Rich. Onslow, Mr. Aylmer, Mr. Blofeild, Mr. Vincent, Mr. Harcourt, Sir John Elwell, Colonel Granville, Sir Fra. Masham, Mr. Smith, Mr. Ryder, Sir Fra. Molyneux, Sir Herbert Crofts, Lord Ranelagh, Mr. Trelawney, Sir Tho. Travell, Mr. Boscawen, Mr. Rodney, Mr. Dore, Mr. Bridges, Sir Edward Abney, Mr. Whitaker, Sir Wm. Scawen, Mr. Daniell, Mr. Gwynn, Mr. How, Mr. Cornwallis, Mr. Tredenham, Mr. Onslow, Mr. Hammond, Sir Robert Clayton, Sir Gero. Elwes, Mr. Brereton, Mr. Hoar, Sir Robert Rich, Sir Godf. Copley, Mr. Fox, Lord Powlett, Sir Tho. Roberts, Sir John Thorold, Mr. Harrison, Mr. Clark, Mr. Lee, Mr. Bromley, Mr. Foley, Sir William Drake, Sir Marm. Wivell, Sir Fra. Drake, Mr. Colt, Sir John Bolles, Sir Walter Yonge: And they are to meet this Afternoon at Four a Clock in the Speaker's Chamber: And have Power to send for Persons, Papers, and Records.

Supply.

Resolved, That this House will, upon Monday next, at Twelve a Clock, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider further of the Supply to be granted to his Majesty.

And then the House adjourned till Monday Morning Nine a Clock.