Sitting of 17 December 1803

MINUTES.—
The Duke of Norfolk, agreeably to his former intimation, presented a bill for exempting Rectors, Vicars, and perpetual Curates from Arrest for Debt or Damages in any Civil Process, within the Limits of their respective Parishes, which was read a first time.—His grace then said, he was conscious that some difficulty must attend the adoption of the present measure.
The preamble of the bill recited several acts which he should have deemed presumption in him to refer to, being altogether unacquainted with ecclesiastical law, had he not received the assistance and advice of a gentleman eminently skilled in that subject (sir W. Scot). He was happy to think, that that Warned person entertained so favourable an opinion of the present measure, that; he himself would have introduced it before this time, h3d not the difficulties alluded to presented themselves. Such, his grace entertained sanguine hopes, might be dons I away. With this view he had introduced the bill at the present moment. He therefore moved, that it should be printed, that their lordships might have an opportunity of giving it deliberate consideration during the recess.—The bill was accordingly ordered to be printed.—The Volunteer Explanatory Bill went through a Committee. On the report being brought up; the Lord Chancellor proposed some verbal amendments, chiefly with a view to remove the objections stated by Lord Grenville on a former night, and to declare that volunteers should not, in every case, be free from ballot for the militia or army of reserve, for twelve months after the return of the commanding officer, certifying, that they had served the stipulated number of days: but that they should become liable to such ballots, the moment they actually ceased to serve in any volunteer corps.—The amendments were agreed to, and the bill ordered to be read a third time on Tuesday.—Adjourned.