The Humble Address of the Right Honourable 〈…〉 Temporal, and Commons in Parliament A●●●●  
Die Veneris 13 Decembris, 1695.  
We the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons in Parliament Assembled, having tak●● 〈…〉 Consideration the state of the Trade of this Kingdom, Do find, That besides many other Di●●●●●tages and Difficulties it now lies under, An Act of Parliament, that hath lately received yo● Majesties Royal Assent in Your Kingdom of Scotland, for Erecting a Company Trading 〈◊〉 Africa and the Indies, is likely to bring many great prejudices and mischiefs to all You● Majestis' Subjects, that are concerned in the Wealth of Trade of this Nation and therefore in all Duty to 〈◊〉 Majesty, and the care we ought to have of this Kingdom, we do humbly Represent to Your Majesty, that the said Act does provide, That all Ships, Vessels, Merchandise, Goods, and other Effects whatsomever belonging to that Company, shall be free from all manner of Restraints, or Prohibitions, and of all Customs, Taxes, S●sses, Supplies, or other duties Imposed, or to be Imposed by the Act of Parliament, or otherwise, for the space of One and Twenty Years: And farther, That the said Company, whole Members, Officers, Servant's, or others belonging thereto, shall be free both in their persons, Estates and goods employed in the said Stock and Trade, from all manner of Taxes, Sesses, Supplies Excises, Quartering of Soldiers Transient or Local, or Levying of Soldiers, or other Impositions whatsoever, during the space of One and Twenty years.  
By reason of which great Advantages Granted to the Scots East India Company, and the Duties and Difficulties that lie upon that Trade in England, and a great part of the Stock and Shipping of this Nation will be carried thither; And by this means Scotland be made a Free Port for all East India Commodities; And consequently thoss several places in Europe, which were supplied from England, will be furnished from thence, much Cheaper than can be dene by the English; And therefore this Nation will lose the Benefit of supplying Foreign Parts with those Commodities; which hath always been a Great Article in the Ballanee of our Foreign Trade: Moreoverr, the said Commodities will unavoidably be brought by the Scots into England, by Stealth, both by Sea and Land, to the Vast Prejudice of the English Trade and Navigation, and to the great Detriment of Your Majesty in Your Customs. And when once that Nation shall have settled themselves in Plantations in America, our Commerce in Tobacco, Sugar, Cotton-Wool, Skins, Masts, etc. will be utterly lost, because the Privileges of that Nation, granted to them by this Act, are such, That that Kingdom must be the Magazine for all those Commodities, and the English Plantation and the Traffic thereof loft to us, and the Exportation of our own Manufactures yearly Decreased.  
Besides these and many other Obstructions that this Act will unavoidably bring to the general Trade of this Nation, Another Clause in the said Act, whereby Your Majesty Promises to Interpose Your Authority to have Re●stitution, Reparation and Satisfaction, made for any Damage that may be done to any of the Ships, Goods, Merchandise, Persons, or other Effects whatsomever, belonging to the said Company, and that upon the Public Charge; Does seem to Engage Your Majesty to Employ the Shipping and Strength at Sea of this Nation, to Support this New Company, to the great Detriment even of this Kingdom.  
All which great Prejudices, Inconveniencies and Mischiefs arising by the said Act, we in all Duty and Faithfulness lay before Your Majesty.  

And that thereupon His Majesty had been Pleased to make a most Gracious Answer to the Effect Following, Viz.  
I Have been ill Served in Scotland, but I hope some Remedies may be found to Prevent the Inconveniences which may arise from this Act.   

The Order of the Day for the House to Resolve itself into a Committee of the whole house, to Consider of Ways and Means for Raising the Supply to be Granted to his Majesty for Carrying on the War against France; being Read,  
Ordered, 
 That the said Committee have Power to send for P●rs●s, and Receive Proposals in Relation thereunto.  
Then the House Resolved itself into the said Committee of the whole House: And after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker Resumed the Chair, and Sir Thomas Littleton Reported from the said Committee, That they had made some progress in the Matter to them Referred; And had come to some Resolutions, 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.  
Ordered, That the Committee of Privileges and Elections be Adjourned.  
And then the House Adjourned till the Morrow Morning Nine a Clock.    

LONDON Printed; And reprinted in EDINBURGH, by JOHN Reid. 1696.