Mercurii, 19 die Januarii ;

Nono Gulielmi Tertii.

Prayers.

Duties on Leather.

A PETITION of the Leather-dressers and Parchment-makers, inhabiting in the Borough of Evesham in the County of Worcester, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That by reason of the Tax upon Leather, and the Duty upon all Parchment, the Petitioners are very great Sufferers, through Decay of Trade; and are very poor Men, having Wife and Children; and the Burden of the said Tax lying hard on them: And praying, That the said Duties 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 Fellmongers, Whit-Tawers, Glovers, and Tanners, within the Borough of Banbury in the County of Oxon, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners do find, by daily Experience, that the Duty laid upon Leather is, and will be, a Decay and Ruin of their several Trades: And praying, That some way may be found out for their speedy Relief.

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 Cordwainers, Curriers, Sadlers, and Tewers and Workers of Leather, within the Town of Kingston upon Hull, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the present Imposition upon Leather renders it scarce and dear; and the Petitioners are much prejudiced thereby, and reduced to great Exigencies, by being deprived of a great Part of their Employment, which supported themselves and Families: And praying Relief therein.

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 Fellmongers, Glovers, and others as well inhabiting within the Borough of Reading in the County of Berks, as also the adjacent Parishes and Places, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Duty upon Alum and Oiled-Leather, is a heavy Burden, which daily lies on the Petitioners Trades, and also on the Poor, who were employed therein, and who are now, for want of Work, become a Charge to the Parish; and the Petitioners themselves are very much impoverished by the said Duty: And praying, That the same 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 Company of Skinners, Leatherdressers, and Glovers, now inhabiting and residing within the County of Montgomery, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners Trades are mean, and but a bare Subsistence, being dispersed into many Hands; and the Petitioners having only a Trade amongst their Neighbours, the Imposition laid upon Leather has so decayed their Trades, that it is almost their Ruin; and many poor Families, depending on the Petitioners, will perish, if not relieved: And praying, That some Means may be found out to redress their Grievances.

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.

Transport Debt.

A Petition of divers Masters and Owners of Ships, belonging to the Town of Kingston upon Hull, which were employed as Transport-Ships, in the Year 1693, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That their Ships being so employed, being at London, and taken up by the Commissioners for Transportation, the Petitioners said Ships were continued in that Service till they were dismissed, when there was, and still is, a great Arrear of Pay due to them; which has put the Petitioners to great Streights for Money: And praying, That Consideration may be had of the Petitioners Debt.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the select Committee, to whom the several States, Estimates, and Accounts, presented to the House, are referred.

Russia Trade.

Ordered, That Leave be given to bring in a Bill for encouraging and improving the Trade to Russia: And that Sir William St. Quintin, Sir Henry Hobart, and Mr. Perry, do prepare, and bring in, the Bill.

Woollen Manufacture.

The Bill to encourage the Woollen Manufacture in England, and to restrain the Exportation of Woollen Manufactures from Ireland into foreign Parts; and for the better preventing the Exportation of Wool; being presented to the House, with Penalties inserted therein, contrary to the Methods of the House; the same was, upon the Question, withdrawn; and another presented to the House, with Blanks for the Penalties.

Ordered, That the said Bill be read To-morrow Morning.

Wearing Silks and printed Callicoes.

Sir Henry Hobart, according to Order, presented to the House a Bill to restrain the Wearing of all WroughtSilks, Bengalls, Herba, and Stuffs mixed with Silk or Herba of the Manufacture of Persia, China, and EastIndia; and all Callicoes printed or stained out of this Kingdom: And the same was received.

Ordered, That the Bill be read upon Monday Morning next.

Supply Bill; Discount on Exchequer Bills.

The House, according to the Order of the Day, resolved itself into a Committee of the whole House, upon the Bill for reducing the Discount on Exchequer-Bills, and giving them a better Currency.

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 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 said Report be made To-morrow Morning.

Registering Deeds.

Ordered, That Leave be given to bring in a Bill for registring Memorials of future Deeds and Conveyances: And that Mr. Methwyn and Mr. Pelham do prepare, and bring in, the Bill.

Timber in New Forest.

The House, according to the Order of the Day, resolved itself into a Committee of the whole House, upon the Bill for the Increase and Preservation of Timber in the New Forest, in the County of Southampton.

Mr. Speaker left the Chair.

Mr. Smith took the Chair of the Committee.

Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair.

Mr. Smith reported from the said Committee, That they had made a further Progress in the Matter to them referred; and had directed him to move, That they may have Leave to sit again.

Resolved, That this House will, upon Tuesday Morning next, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider further of the said Bill.

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