Borough, pursuant to the Order of the Houfe the 23d • of March last; the Counsel for the fitting Members (if they have any Objections to the faid William Benfon's Qualification) be directed to make their Objections to the faid Particular, deliver'd in pursuance to the said Order of the Houfe, fo far only as the fame relates to the Lands, Tenements, and Hereditaments in the Parish of Bromley in the County of Middlefex; being the only Qualification the faid William Benfon gave in upon Oath at the said Election, as appears by the Certificate of the Mayor of the faid Borough." Then the Counsel were call'd in again, and Mr. Speaker acquainted them with the faid Refolution. After which, the Counsel were directed to withdraw; and it was order'd, That the further Hearing the Merits of the Election for the Borough of Shaftesbury be adjourn'd to Tuesday the 3d of May.

On the 11th of April, the House of Lords being met, according to their laft Adjournment, the Earl of Oxford, went to the Parliament, qualify'd himself, and took his Seat in the House; as did also the Lord Delawar, and the Lord Willoughby of Parham; and then the Houfe was further adjourn'd (by reafon of the Eafter Holidays) 'till the 26th of April. Being then met again, there came before their Lordships a very remarkable Cafe, between Sir Geo. Downing, Bart. and Mrs. Mary Forester, Maid of Honour to the late Queen, and to her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales, who, it feems, were marry'd in their Nonage, about 13 Years fince, when that Gentleman was about 15, and the Lady about 12: Upon his Return from Travel, Sir George thew'd no Inclination to his Bride, who was at last prevail'd upon by her Relations to put up a Petition to the Lords, fetting forth a Perfonal Diflike between her and Sir Geo. Downing, (which had prevented Cohabitation) and their Defire of being feparated, and at Liberty to marry again. Several of the Peers, particularly the Bishops, gave their Judgment against a Divorce; but nothing more was done in that Matter, than appointing it another Hearing on the 3d of May.

On the 2d of May, Mr. Secretary Stanhope prefented to the House of Commons feveral Papers; as did alfo Mr. Aifabie, feveral Accounts that had been call'd for by Addreffes to his Majesty.

May 3. Upon a Morion made by Mr. Hampden, the Statute of the 7th and 8th Years of the Reign of K. William and Q. Mary, entitled, An Act that the folemn Affirmation

3

and

dingly; after which, a Bill was

and Declaration of the People call'd Quakers, shall be accepted inftead of an Oath in the ufual Form, and alfo the Statute of the 13th and 14th of King William and Queen Mary, for continuing the fame; thofe two Statutes were read accororder'd to be brought in, sp continue the faid Act of the 7th and 8th Years of King William and Queen Mary. Then upon another Motion made by Sir David Dalrymple, for reading the Act of the 10th Year of her late Majefty's Reign, entitled, An Act for repealing Part of an Act pass'd in the Parliament of Scotland, entitled, An Act for discharging the Yule Vacance, the fame was read accordingly; and order'd, that a Bill be brought in for fhortening the Time of the Yule Vacance, in that Part of Great Britain call'd Scotland. After this, it was order'd, Nemine Contradicente, That leave be given to bring in a Bill for the more effectual preventing the Abuses of Sheriff's and other returning Officers, in not returning the Writs of Summons in due Time, and for preventing Bribery and Corruptions in the Elections of Members to ferve in Par liament. Then the Houfe proceeded to the further Hearing the Merits of the Election for the Borough of Shaftesbury; and having heard Counfel, and examin'd Witnesses, upon the feveral Questions that were put, it was refolv'd, That Edward Nicholas, Efq; and Samuel Rush, Efq; fitting Members, and Henry Andrewes, Efq; one of the two Petitioners, were not duly elected, and that William Benfon, Efq; the other Petitioner, was duly elected a Burgess to serve in this prefent Parliament for the faid Borough of Shaftesbury in the County of Dorfet.

May 4, Upon the Report made by Mr. Heysham, from the Committee to whom the Petition of the Buyers and Dealers in mixed or medley Broadcloths, was referr'd, Bill was order'd to be brought in for making the Act of the 10th Year of her late Majefty's Reign, entitled, An Act for regulating, improving, and encouraging of the Woollen Manufacture of mixed or medley Broad-Cloth, &c. more effectual for the Benefit of Trade in general.

May 5, Upon the Reading of a Petition of the Officers of Lieutenant-General George Hamilton's late Regiment of Foot (Subjects of Great Britain) broke in the Service of the States-General of the United Provinces; praying, That (in Regard of the Petitioners long and faithful Ser-. vices) their Cafe may be confider'd, and that Provision may be made for their Relief: Mr. Pulteney (Secretary at War) acquainted the Houfe, That Application had been made to his Majesty, and that his Majefty had commanded

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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 Majesty, 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 House, 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 Imprifonment of Robert Blackburne, and others, for their horrid Confpiracy to affaffinate the Perfon of his late Sacred Majesty K. William the Third; and that Mr. Attorney-General, and Mr. Sollicitor-General do prepare and bring in the fame. Houfe 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 address his Majefty,That he would be pleased to direct the Lords of the Treafury to lay before this House, an Account of what Proposals had been made to them, in Relation to the Coinage of Farthings and Half-Pence, and what had been done thereupon." Then the Houfe proceeded to the Hearing of the Merits of the Election for the Borough of Bridport in the County of Dorfet, and adjourn'd it to the 5th; when, after a further Hearing, the fame was adjourn'd to the 10th of this Month.

The

May 6, The engroffed Bill for granting an Aid to his Majefty, to be 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 Burgess 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 Burgefs for the faid Borough.

May

May 7, The Commons refolv'd to present seven several Addreffes to his Majefty, That he would be pleased to direct the proper Officers to lay before them, ift, An Ac count 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 Majesty 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 Majesty'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 aç the Time of her Death, distinguishing the Money that was at that Time in the Exchequer, applicable to the Ufes of the Civil Government, what paid into the Exchequer fince, on that Account, and how it has been apply'd ; what remains in Money or other Effects, to discharge the Debts of her Majesty's Civil Government, and what those Debts are. And 7chly, An Account of the Diftribution of the Five Hundred Thoufand Pounds granted by Parlia ment for the Payment of her late Majefty's Debts.

After this, upon a Motion that the firft Section of the Act of the Tenth and Eleventh Years of the Reign of the late King William, entitled, An Act for preventing irregular Proceedings of Sheriffs and other Officers, in making Returns of Members chofen to ferve in Parliament, might be read; the fame was read accordingly; and order'd, That it be an Instruction to the Gentlemen who were to prepare and bring in a Bill for the more effectual preventing the Abuses of Sheriff's and other returning Officers, in not returning the Writs of Summons in due Time; and for preventing Bribery and Corruption in the Elections of Members to ferve in Parliament, That they do bring in a Claufe or Claufes to repeal fo much 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 several Sums, viz.

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

Secondly, 197,8961. 17s. 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. 11 s. 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 House.

The fanie 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 Houfhould 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 Burgefs to ferve 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 ufual 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 fame Perfons therein mention'd. The Commons being return'd to their Houfe, confider'd further, in a Grand Committee, of Ways and Means to raise the Supply, and refolv'd, That the Duties on Malt, Mum Cider,

. be further contina'd, from the 23th of June 1715,

' to