Navy, and how that Stock had been difpos'd of, might be laid before the Houfe. Then Mr. Pulteney, Secretary at War, prefented to the Houfe a Lift of the Regimental Officers in Half-Pay, for the Year 1715; and also a Lift of the Half-Pay Officers, dead, or provided for within the Year 1714. After which it was order'd, That the Grand Committee on the Land-Tax Bill, have Power to receive two Clauses, viz. One of Credit, the other for transferring to the faid Bill the Deficiency of the Loans and Intereft upon the Act of the laft Parliament for granting an Aid to her Majefty to be raised by a Land-Tax in Great Britain for the Service of the Year 1714. And then, in a Committee of the whole House, a farther Pro grefs was made in that Bill.

April 26, Mr. Lowndes prefented to the Houfe Accounts of the Deficiencies of the refpective Funds of the Claffes Lotteries in the Years 1711, and 1712, at Michaelmas 1714. And then the Order of the Day being read, for hearing the Merits of the Election for the Borough of Shaftesbury in the County of Dorset, the Counsel were call'd in, and the Petition complaining of the faid Election, was read. The Petitioners Council having infifted upon Partialities, and indirect Practices, of the Mayor, examin'd several Witneffes relating thereunto, and afterwards examin'd several Witneffes, in order to difqualify feveral of the Voters for the fitting Members; and then the Council being directed to withdraw, the farther Hearing of the Merits of the faid Election was put off till the 28th.

April 27, Upon a Petition of Thomas Crosby, UnderSheriff of the County of Cumberland, in Cuftody of the Serjeant at Arms, for neglecting to return the Writ for electing the Members of the faid County, expreffing his Sorrow for the Cenfure fo juftly incurr'd; begging Pardon for his Fault, and praying to be releas'd from his Con finement: It was order'd that the faid Thomas Crosby be brought to the Bar of the Houfe, on the 29th, in order to his being difcharg'd out of Cuftody: Which was done accordingly, after he had receiv'd a Reprimand from Mr. Speaker, and paid his Fees,

.1.

April 28, The Commons proceeded to the further hearing the Merits of the Election for the Borough of Shaftesbury and then adjourn'd the fame to the laft Day of this Month, when it was further adjourn'd. On the 28th alfo the Call of the Houfe was put off to that Day fortnight and the next Days in a grand Committed, the Commons went through the Land-Tax Bill, and made feveral Amendments thereunto,

thereunto, the Report of which, was put off to the ad May.

On the last Day of April, the Commons refolv'd to p fent three Addreffes to his Majefty, that he would. pleafed to direct, ift, The Commiffioners of the Navy lay before the Houfe, An Account of the Number • Men borne for the Years 1711, 1712, 1713, and 174 and what the Wages of thofe Men, after the Rate of O Pound Ten Shillings per Man per Menfem, for those Yea amount to; alfo, the Charge of Wear and Tear for d aforefaid Number of Men, according to the Proporti of One Pound Seven Shillings per Man per Mensem ; an likewife an Account of the Charge of the Ordinary the Navy upon the feveral Heads thereof for the fai four Years, and how much has been fupply'd to th Navy in Money or Credit upon the aforefaid Heads & Wear and Tear, and Ordinary.

2dly, To direct the proper Officers to lay before th Houfe an Account of the Charge of the Victualling fo the faid Number of Men, and the Charge of Ordnanc for Sea-Service, for the Years 1711, 1712, 1713, an 1714.

And 3dly, An Account of the annual Charge of th four Men of War appointed for the Service of the South Sea Company."

The fame Day, the Serjeant at Arms being call'd upon to give an Account what Perfons were ordered to be taken into his Cuftody the laft Parliament, and had abfconded, fo as they could not be taken, or having furrender'd themselves, or been in Cuftody, had not paid their just Fees; he acquainted the Houfe, That Mr. William Waller, who was, the firft Seffion of the last Parliament, order❜a to be taken into Cuftody for a Breach of Privilege by him committed against Edward Vaughan, Efq; a Member of this Houfe, did then abfcond, and could not be taken; and that the faid William Waller was, the laft Seffion of Parliament, again order'd to be taken into Cuftody, but then alfo abfconded, and could not be taken. The ftanding Order of the Houfe of the forth of April, in the fixth Year of her late Majefty's Reign, was thereupon read, and ordered, that the faid Mr. William Waller be taken into the Cuftody of the Serjeant at Arms attending this House.

The Houfe proceeded in the further hearing the Merits of the Election for the Borough of Shaftesbury in the County of Dorfet, and the Counsel were called in: And the Counsel for the fitting Members examin'd feveral

Witneffes,

itneffes, in order to justify several of the Voters for the tting Members, which the Petitioners Counsel had proced Evidence against; and also to justify the Refufal y the Mayor) of fuch Perfons as the fitting Members unfel had infifted upon were refufed, altho' qualify'd vote. And the fitting Members Counsel alfo examin'd veral Witnesses, in relation to Bribery by the Petitiors or their Agents. Then the Counsel for the fitting embers infifted, that the Petitioners were not qualify'à be elected according to the Act entitled, An Aft for feing the Freedom of Parliaments, by the further qualifying e Members to fit in the House of Commons. And they firlt fifted, that Mr. Andrewes, one of the Petitioners, was qualify'd according to the faid Act. And the Counsel the Petitioners admitted, that, according to the Partilars in the Qualification, deliver'd in to the Clerk of e Houfe by the faid Mr. Andrewes, (confidering an Inmbrance thereupon) he is not fo qualify'd, altho' he has much greater Eftate elsewhere. After which, the fitting Members Counfel infifted alfo, That Mr. Benfon, the other etitioner, was not qualify'd according to the faid Act; nd they produced a Copy of the Certificate of the Oath e had made at the Time of the Election, as it was rern'd by the Mayor into the Court of Chancery. After which, the Particular of the faid Mr. Benfon's Qualificalon, deliver'd in to the Clerk of the Houfe, pursuant to he Order of the Houfe of the 23d of March laft, was ead. And then the faid Certificate of the Mayor, as led in the Court of Chancery was read and the Act of he Ninth Year of her late Majefty's Reign, entitled, An ift for securing the Freedom of Parliaments, by the further malifying the Members to fit in the House of Commons, was ead: Alfo, the fitting Members Demand, left with the Merk of the Houfe, for the Petitioners to give in their Qualifications (pursuant to the Refolution of the Houfe pon the faid Act) was read. And afterwards the Counel on both Sides were heard, whether the fitting Members Younfel fhould proceed on the faid Particular deliver'd in o the Clerk, or on the faid Certificate of the Mayor: And then the Counfel being withdrawn, it was refolv'd, 'That William Benfon, Efq; one of the Petitioners, complaining of an undue Election for the Borough of Shaftesbury in the County of Derfet, having, at the Demand of the fitting Members, deliver'd in a Particular of Lands, Tenements, and Hereditaments, in order to make our bis Qualification to be elected for the faid • Borough,

Borough, pursuant to the Order of the Houfe the 23d of March laft; 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 faid Order of the Houfe, fo far only as the fame relates to the Lands, Tenements, and Hereditaments in the Parish 4 of Bromley in the County of Middlefex ; being the only Qualification the faid William Benfon gave in upon Oath at the faid 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 Houfe; as did alfo the Lord Delawar, and the Lord Willoughby of Parham; and then the Houfe was fur ther 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 Cafes between Sir Ge Downing, Bart. and Mrs. Mary Forefter, Maid of Honour to the late Queen, and to her Royal Highnefs the Princess of -Wales, who, it seems, 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 Georg hew'd no Inclination to his Bride, who was at laft prevail'd upon by her Relations to put up a Petition to the Lords ,fecting forth a Perfonal Diflike between her and Sir Geo

Downing, (which had prevented Cohabitation) and thei • Defire of being feparated, and at Liberty to marry again. Several of the Peers, particularly the Bishops, gave thei Judgment against a Divorce; but nothing more was don in that Matter, than appointing it another Hearing the gd of May,

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

May 3. Upon a Motion made by Mr. Hampden, the Sta ute of the 7th and 8th Years of the Reign of K. Willian and Q. Mary, entitled, An Act that the folema Affirmatio

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 accor dingly; after which, a Bill was order'd to be brought in, to 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 Aết 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 Sheriffs 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 Parliament. 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 Witneffes, 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 Benson, Efq; the other Petitioner, was duly elected a Burgess to ferve 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, a Bill was order'd to be brought in for making the Act of the 10th Year of her late Majesty's Reign, entitled, An All 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 Services) 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 Majefty, and that his Majefty had com

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