manded him to fignify his Confent to the Petitioners Relief in fuch Manner as the Houfe fhould think fit: It was refolv'd, That an Addrefs be prefented to his Majefty, That he would be pleased to direct, that a Lift of the Of ficers of Lieutenant-General George Hamilton's late Regiment of Foot be laid before this Houfe. After this, upon another Petition of the Proteftant Officers of the Baron de Borle's (Son to the Baron de Walef) late Regiment of Dragoons, praying, That (in Regard of their long and faithful Services) a Provifion be made for Half-Pay for them: Mr. Pulteney acquainted the Houfe, That his Majefty had been likewife apply'd to on Behalf of those Officers; and had commanded him to acquaint this Houfe, that his Majefty confented that the faid Officers might be added to the Lift of Officers in Half-Pay, if the Houfe thought fit: Whereupon it was refolv'd, that an humble Addrefs be prefented to his Majefty, that he would be pleafed to direct, that a Lift of the Proteftant Officers of the Baron de Borle's late Regiment of Dragoons be laid before this Houfe. Then it was order'd, that leave be given to bring in a Bill for continuing the Imprisonment of Robert Blackburne, and others, for their horrid Confpiracy to affaffinate the Perfon of his late Sacred Majefty K. Wil liam the Third; and that Mr. Attorney-General, and Mr. Sollicitor-General do prepare and bring in the fame. House taking into Confideration, that Brafs Money was of late grown very scarce, which was a great Hindrance to the fmall Retail Trade, it was refolv'd to addrefs his Majefty, That he would be pleased to direct the Lords of the Treafury to lay before this House, an Account of 'what Propofals had been made to them, in Relation to the Coinage of Farthings and Half-Pence, and what had been done thereupon." Then the House proceeded to the Hearing of the Merits of the Election for the Borough of Bridport in the County of Dorset, and adjourn'd it to the 5th; when, after a further Hearing, the fame was adjourn'd to the roth of this Month.

The

May 6, The engroffed Bill for granting an Aid to his Majefty, to he raised by a Land-Tax in Great Britain for the Service of the Year 1715, was read the third Time, pafs'd, and fent up to the Lords. The Houfe having, upon the hearing the Merits of the Election for the Borough of Shafton, alias Shaftesbury in the County of Dorfet, adjudg'd only one Burgefs to be duly elected, Mr. Speaker was order'd to iffue his Warrant to the Clerk of the Crown, to make out a new Writ for electing another Burgess for the faid Borough.

May

May 7, The Commons refolv'd to prefent feven several Addreffes to his Majefty, That he would be pleased to direct the proper Officers to lay before them, 1ft, An` Account of the clear Produce of the Branches of the Revenue which were fettled for the Service of the Houfhold and Family, and other Expences of his late Majefty King Wil liam, and of her late Majefty Queen Anne, and of his prefent Majefty, refpectively, from Christmas 1699, to LadyDay laft, and how any of the faid Branches have been abridg'd, alter'd, taken away, or encumber'd, by any Act or Acts of Parliament fince that Time. 2dly, An Account of all the Civil Lift Expences for one Year, before her late Majefty's Death. 3dly, The feveral Eftablishments of the Houfhold and Family, made during the Reigns of King Charles the Second, King James the Second, King William, and Queen Anne. 4thly, An Account of what Penfions have been granted, and alfo what Warrants for beneficial Grants have been directed to the Lords of the Treasury, fince his Majefty's Acceflion to the Throne. 5thly, An Account of what Penfions were granted either in Great Britain or Ireland, during the Reign of her late Majefty. 6thly, A State of her late Majefty's Revenue at the Time of her Death, diftinguishing the Money that was at that Time in the Exchequer, applicable to the Ufes of the Civil Government, what paid into the Exchequer ince, on that Account, and how it has been apply'd; what remains in Money or other Effects, to discharge the Debts of her Majefty's Civil Government, and what thofe Debts are. And 7thly, An Account of the Diftribution of the Five Hundred Thoufand Pounds granted by Parlia nent for the Payment of her late Majefty's Debts.

After this, upon a Motion that the firft Section of the At of the Tenth and Eleventh Years of the Reign of the ace King William, entitled, An Act for preventing irregular Proceedings of Sheriff's and other Officers, in making Returns of lembers chofen to ferve in Parliament, might be read; the ime was read accordingly; and order'd, That it be an aftruction to the Gentlemen who were to prepare and ring in a Bill for the more effectual preventing the Abuses of herif's and other returning Officers, in not returning the Writs f Summons in due Time; and for preventing Bribery and rruption in the Elections of Members to ferve in Parliament, hat they do bring in a Claufe or Claufes to repeal fo uch of the faid Act as relates to the Sheriffs and other Returning Officers, not making Returns of the Writs of Summons to Parliament in due Time

On the 9th of May, the Commons, in a Committee of the whole House, upon the Supply, having confider'd feveral Accounts that were order'd to be laid before them, refolved to grant the feveral Sums, viz.

First, 35.5741. 3s. 6d. for Half-Pay to the Sea-Officers, for the Year 1715.

Secondly, 197,8961. 171. 5 d. for the Ordinary of the Navy, for the Year 1715.

Thirdly, 237,2771. for the extraordinary Repairs of the Navy, rebuilding of Ships, and other extraordinaay Works; as alfo compleating the Furniture and Stores of the Ships in Repair, and to be repair'd in the Year 1715.

And Fourthly, 90,7971. 11s. 3 d. for the Charge of the Office of Ordnance for Land-Service, for the Year 1715. Which Refolutions were the next Day reported, and agreed to by the Houfe.

The fame Day, Mr. Lowndes laid before the Commons an Account of the clear Produce of the Branches of the Revenue fettled for the Service of the Houshould and Family, and other Expences of the late King William, Queen Anne, and his prefent Majefty, from Christmas 1699, to to Lady-Day 1715; a Paper fhewing how the Civil Lift Branches have been abridg'd; Lift of Salaries, Annuities, and Penfions in England, Scotland, and Ireland, and other Papers; which were order'd to lie upon the Table. Then the Houfe proceeded to the further Hearing the Merits of the Election for the Borough of Bridport in the County of Dorfet; and refolv'd, That John Strangways, Efq; fitting Member was not, and on the contrary, That Peter Walter, Elq; was duly elected a Burgess to serve in this Parliament for the faid Borough.

On the 11th of May, feveral Papers from the Treasurer of the Chamber, were laid before the Commons: And the King being come to the Houfe of Peers, with the usual State and Solemnity, and the Commons fent for up, and attending, his Majefty gave the Royal Affent to an Act for granting an Aid to his Majefty, to be raised by a Land-Tax in Great Britain, for the Service of the Year 1715, and to two Private Acts, to empower the Barons of the Court of Exchequer in Ireland, to grant a Commiffion to fome of the Barrons of the Court of Exchequer in England, to adminifter the ufual Oaths to fome Persons therein mention'd. The Commons being return'd to their Houfe, confider'd further, in Grand Committee, of Ways and Means to raise the Sup ply, and refolv❜d, That the Duties on Malt, Mum Cider,

. be further continu'd, from the 23th of June 17159.

to the 24th of June 1716." After which, they alfo confider'd further of the Supply, in a Grand Commit

tee,

May 12, The Refolution for the Malt-Tax, was reported, and agreed, and a Bill was order'd to be brought in thereupon.

The fame Day, the Commons, in a Committee of the whole House, went through the Bill for continuing the Imprifonment of Robert Blackburne, and others, for the horrid Confpiracy to affaffinate the Perfon of his late Sacred Majefty King William the Third; and fome Members having spoke in their Favour, a Petition was afterwards offer'd to the Houfe, with a Paper entitled,

The most fad and deplorable CASE of Robert Blackburne, John Bernardi, Robert Caflills, Robert Meldrum, and James Chambers.

IN

Humbly prefented to the Parliament of Great Britain. 'N March and April 1696, we were committed to Newgate. The Crime mention'd in the Warrants was for High-Treafon, in confpiring the Murder and Affaffination of his late Majefty King William ; but without any Proof, not fo much as the Oath of one fingle Witnefs against any of us: Nor is it otherwife fpecify'd in the Warrants.

Upon our Commitment, no Perfon but our Gaoler and his Servants were permitted to fpeak with us: We were deny'd the Ufe of Pen, Ink, and Paper, debarr'd of all Comforts and Convéniencies, and under great Hardships as to the very Neceffaries of Life; our Confinement being fo ftrict, that even our Food and Linnen were fearch'd, to prevent the leaft Communication.

This rigorous Treatment we fuffer'd for the Space of two Years, without the leaft Intermiffion or Relaxation, fave that in September 1696, Blackburne was bail'd at the Old Baily; and in Michaelmas Term following, Chambers was brought up by Habeas Corpus to the Court of King's Bench at Westminster, but remanded, because one of his Bail could not swear to the Value the Court requir'd. And Bernardi, Caffils, Meldrum, and Chambers, were once carry'd to the Seffions-Houfe in the Old-Baily, (their Prayers being enter'd there by fome Friends) but immediately sent back to their former clofe Confinement. And in January next following, Blackburne was by a Warrant from the Secretary of State recommitted to Newgate.

In the 7th and 8th of King William, and fince, feveral Acts of Parliament have been made for continuing our Imprisonment

L3

Imprisonment from Time to Time, but all of them expir'd at the Demise of her late Majefty Queen Anne; and in the last of these Acts, viz. Primo Anne Regine, it is expreffed, That we fhould be then fet at large, unless fome farther Provifion were made for the Continuance of our Imprisonment.

In laft Michaelmas Term, we (having enter'd our Prayer to be try'd pursuant to the Directions of the Habeas Corpus Act) were brought up the laft Day of the Term by Habeas Corpus, and had our Bail in Readiness, according to the Directions of the Court, but were remanded to Prison. When we were brought up, the Court declared to us, That they had a difcretionary Power to bail or difcharge us, but would not do it till after another Seffion of Parlia ment, although there then had been one Seffion fince the Demife of her late Majefty, in which no Provision was thought fit to be made for continuing us in Prison; but feveral other Laws were continu'd, there being Provifion then made for all Laws that were expiring or lately expi red.

When we entred our Prayers at the Old-Baily, it was objected to us, that we could have no Benefit of the Habeas Corpus Act, because we had not claim'd it the first Seffion after our Commitment: But how was it poffible for Perfons under fuch unhappy Circumftances, and fo ftrict Confinement? If the reftraining us from Pen, Ink, and Paper, and all our Friends, was illegal; furely no Advantage of that ought to have been taken against us. If legal, then it is a Juftification for our not entering our Prayer in Time: Fur, Lex non cogit ad impoffibilia. And if fuch Confinement be good in Law, there is an End of the Habeas Corpus Act: For in Gafe the Committing Power does but direct the Prifoner to be kept without Pen, Ink, and Paper, and Accefs of Friends; he must be under an utter Incapacity of entering his Prayer in Time; and confequently, the whole Force of that Law, which is the great Barrier of the Liberties of English Subjects, may be entirely eluded.

We had no Opportunity of being heard against the feveral Acts that have been made against us; being without Liberty, Friends, Money, or Counsel. We fcarcely knew that fuch a Bill was brought in, before it was pass'd; and now we are inform'd, that there is a new Bill against us in Parliament, entitled, An Act for continuing the Imprifonment of Robert Blackburne, and others, for the horrid Con

Spiracy