and with an Amendment pafs'd, and fent up to the A. C. Lords, for their Concurrence; But this laft Addi- 1706. tional Claufe being fo unluckily contrived, as to be like to give Difguft to the Scots, (which would have been an Ominous Beginning of the Union) the Earl of Rochefter, very wifely propofed this Expedient, that the Queen fhould be defired to prorogue the Parliament, and fo putting an end to this Seffion, and to all the Affairs depending therein, another Bill, to the fame Effect, but without fuch a ftumbling Clause, might be fet on Foot and pafs'd in another Seffion. Accordingly, on the 8th of April,the Queen came to the Houfe of Peers, with the ufualSolemnity,and gave Her Royal Affent to the following publick Bills, viz.

An act for Eafe of Her Majesty's Subjects in relation Acts pass'd to the Duties upon Salt, and for making the like Allowan- April 8. ces upon the Exportation of White Herrings, Flesh, Ontmeal, and Grain called Bear alias Bigg, as are to be made upon Exportation of the like from Scotland.

An Act for Encouraging the Discovery and Apprehending of Houfe Breakers.

An A&t for raising the Militia for the Year 1707 notwithstanding the Month's Pay formerly advanced be not repaid, and for an Account to be made of Trophy-Money.

An A&t to explain and amend an Act of the laft Seffion of Parliament for preventing Frauds frequently committed by Bankrupts.

An Act for Difcharging small Livings from their First Fruits and Tenths, and all Arrears thereof.

An Act for making the Acts more effectual for appropri ating the Forfeited Impropriations in Ireland, and for the Building of Churches and augmenting Poor Vicaridges there.

An Act to fubject the Estate of Thomas Brerewood to the Creditors of Thomas Pitkin, notwithstanding any Compofition or Agreement made with the Creditors of the faid Thomas Pitkin.

An Act for repairing the Highways between SheppardShord, and the Devizes, and between the Top of Afhlington Hill and Rowdford in the County of Wilts.

An Act for the better Securing Her Majesty's Purchase of Cotton-Houfe in Westminster.

An Act for obliging John Rice to account for Debentures granted to him in the laft Seffion of Parliament. An Act for the Continuance of the Laws for Punishment of Vagrants,and for making such Laws more effectual.

A. G.

An Alt for continuing the Laws therein mention'd re1706. lating to the Poor, and to the Buying and Selling of Cattle in Smithfield, and for fuppreffing of Piracy; And to 23 The Parli-Private Bills. Then the Lord Keeper of the Great ament pro- Seal, by Her Majefty's Command, prorogu'd the rogued. Parliament until Monday the Fourteenth Day of the And meets fame Month, when Her Majefty being come to the again A- Houfe of Peers, and the Commons fent for up, Her pril 14. Majefty made the following Speech to Both Houses. My Lords and Gentlemen,

The Queens Speech to both

Houfes.

chants a

land.

Was willing to give you an Opportunity of coming toge ther again to confider if any Thing can properly be done to prevent the Inconveniences that may happen to our Trade, by too great an Interval between the Rifing of the Parliament and the Firft of May; and I need not add, That whatever is to be done of that Kind, will require to be dispatch'd in a little time.

The Commons being return'd to their Houfe, rePetition of ceiv'd, and read a Petition of the fubfcrib'd Merthe Mer- chants, on behalf of themselves and many others concerned in the Importation of Wines and Brandy from gainst the imparting Spain, Portugal and Italy, and of other Goods from of Goods Holland, &c. complaining That (as the Petitioners into Scot- were credibly inform'd) great Quantities of French 'Wines, Brandies, Silks, Pruons, Rofin, &c. of the 'Growth and Product of France, Whalebone, Linnen, Drugs, Coffee, Spices &c. from Holland and from France, directly were brought, and more intended to be Imported into the Kingdom of Scotland, in order to be brought thence and Imported into this Kingdom of England, after the first Day of May, to avoid the English Duties, to the great Detriment and Lofs of fome,and the utter Ruin of other the Petitioners, who had Imported, and were Importing into England the like Commodities from Spain, Portugal, Italy and Holland, paying the high Duties upon them, which Commodities had been chiefly purchased a'broad with the Woollen-Manufactures, Corn, and other Products of England; and praying that the Houfe would prevent the Importation of the faid Goods and Merchandizes,the Importation whereof, without being made fubject to the English Duties, would be a great Damage not only to the Petitioners but to Her Majefty's Revenues of Her Cuftoms, or

⚫ other

otherwife to provide for the Petitioners Relief in the A. C. Premises as the Houfe fhould think fit.

1706.

The next Day, the Commons in a Committee of the Whole Houfe came to thefe Refolutions, viz. Aprli15. 1. That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That the Importation of Goods and Merchandizes of the "Growth and Produce of France, and other Foreign Parts into Scotland, in order to be brought from thence into England after the First of May, and with Intention to avoid the Payment of the English Duties, will be to the Damage and Ruin of the Fair Traders, to the Prejudice of the Manufactures of England, a great Lofs to Her Majefty's Revenues of the 'Cuftoms, and a very great Detriment to the Publick.

2. That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That the Exporting of Goods and Merchandizes from England into Scotland, that are intitled to a Drawback, with Intention to bring the fame back again into England after the first of May, is a moft "Notorious Fraud, to the Damage and Ruin of the "Fair Traders, to the great Lofs of Her Majefty's Revenues of the Cuftoms, and a very great Detriment to the Publick.

Thefe Refolutions being immediately, reported and agreed to, a Bill was order'd to be brought in upon the fame; which was accordingly done, and after the fecond Reading, the faid Bill † order'd to April be engrofs'd. The next day, April 19th, the Bill 18th. was paffed, and fent up to the Lords for their Con- The B'll to currence; but it being apprehended, that this Law prevent the would give offence to the Scots, and the molt emi-Frauds in nent Lawyers, who were confulted about it, not a-Importing greeing in their Opinions, the Court thought fit to Scotland let it fall: confidering, that the 1ft day of May was near at hand; and that the Practifes of the fraudu-dropt. lent Traders, had, in great Meafure, been prevented, by the Terror of this intended Law; and of the Vote of the 7th of that Month,before mention'd. Hereupon the Queen came to the Houfe of Peers,the 24th of April, and the Commons attending,Her Majelty made the following Specch to Both Houfes.

Goods into

The Queen's

My Lords and Gentlemen,
Return you my hearty Thanks for the great Zeal and Speech to
Affection which you have shewn for my Service, and both Houses
the Publick Good, in the feveral Affairs which have been April 24

Hh 4

be

A. C. before you, especially in that of the Union with Scotland, 1705. which I doubt not will prove a Lafting Blessing to this Island. Gentlemen of the Houfe of Commons,

ment Pro

I am

I am to thank you in particular for the great Dispatch you have made in providing the largest and most effectual Supplies, that have ever been given to the Crown for the current Service in any one Seffion of Parliament. very much concern'd that the Publick Occafions require the raising of fuch great Sums from my People. I will take Care they fhall be apply'd to the Ufes for which they are given; and I hope, by God's Bleffing, we may obtain Advantages from them anferable to fo great an Expence.

My Lords and Gentlemen,

It is proper for me, before we part, to communicate to you, that I think it expedient that the Lords of Parliament of England, and Commons of the prefent Parliament of England, fhould be the Members of the refpective Houfes of the First Parliament of Great-Britain, for and on the Part of England; and therefore I intend, within the Time limited, to publifh a Proclamation for that Purpofe, pursuant to the Powers given me by the Acts of Parliament of both Kingdoms, ratifying the Treaty of Union: And after we have fo fully compleated this Great Work, I affure my felf, that when you return to your several Countries, you will omit no Opportunity of making my Subjects fenfible of the Security, and the other great end lafting Benefits, they may reafonably expect from this happy Union.

This will Conduce very much to make it prove fo, and be a good Preparation to the Succefs of Our next Meeting, when, I hope, We fhall All join Our fincere and Hearty Endeavours to Promote the Welfare and Profperity of Great Britain.

After which the Lord-Keeper of the Great-Seal, The Parlia by Her Majelty's Command, Prorogu'd the Parliarogued. ment until Wednesday the Thirtieth Day of April. A Reprefentation having been made to the House Refolution of Commons of great Numbers of Pirates, that had of the Com-fettled in the Ifland of Madagascar, from whence mons about they very much annoy'd the East-India Trade; and the Pirate the Marquis of Camarthen offering, with a small fettled in Squadron, to go and fupprefs them, the Houfe apMadagaf pointed a Committee to take that Matter into Concar, April fideration. Hereupon the Committee came to these Two Refolutions:

8.

1. "That

6

1. That a great Number of Pirates have fettled A. C. themfelves in the Ifland of Madagafeer, from whence 1706. they have committed many great Piracies, Robbe

ries and Depredations, very ruinous to Trade, and whereby the Lives of many of Her Majefty's good Subjects have been deftroy'd.

2. That an humble Addrefs be prefented to Her Majefty, That She would be gracioufly pleas'd to 'take into Her Royal Confideration how the faid Pirates may be fuppreffed, and their further Piracies, Robberies and Depredations may be effectually prevented: Which Refolutions were on the 8th of April agreed to by the Houfe. The fame day it was Refolo'd, That an humble Addrefs be prefented to Her Majefty, that She will be graciously pleafed to ufe Her Royal Endeavours to Recover and Preferve the Ancient Poffeffions, Trade and Fishery in Newfoundland.

*

The Day before, Mr. Secretary Harley report-* April 7. ed to the Houfe, That their humble Addrefs having been prefented to Her Majefty, That She would be gracioufly pleased to give Satisfaction to the Owners and Freighters of, and others concerned in the Ship Worcester, Captain Thomas Green late Com-The Queen's mander, feiz'd and Condemn'd in Scotland, for the Answer to Damages by them fuftained, out of Her Majefty's the Addrefs Share of the Prizes not appropriated, or in fuch about the other Manner as to her Majefty fhould feem meet; the Sufferers 'Her Majefty was pleas'd to give this Gracious An-ship Worfwer, viz.

Her Majefty will give Directions, That the Monies arifing from Prizes shall be apply'd to that Use, as is defir'd by the Addrefs.

cefter.

Having brought the laft Seffion, of the laft Parliament of England to a Period, I fhall take this Occafion to acquaint my Readers, that whereas in the Account * of the last year's Proceedings of the* See the Lower-Houfe of Convocation, it is related, That as the IVth. Vol. Bishop of Norwich was about Reading the Queen's Let-of these Anter, Dr. Atterbury, taking the Prolocutor by the Sleeve nals, pag. defired to be gone, adding, they had no Bufinefs there, 267. &c: A Member of the faid Lower-Houfe has, indirectly, expoftulared about that Account, pretending, That the Queen's Letter was attended to with all Refpect imaginable; but when the Schedule of Prorogation was call'd for, and about to be read