the Nation I beeing required to attend the Committee of the Council of State about the Act now presented to the Parlament I did see and vvas privie upon vvhat grave consideration everie branch of the Act now depending before the Honorable Committee vvas framed and put down by the Committee of the Council of State before ever it vvas recommended to the Parlament And I do humbly desire for the service of the Common-wealth if any alteration bee made in the Act those that drew the draft of the Act may bee required to attend the Committee to give their reasons for the whole Act or any part of it for upon the effectual passing of this Act much doth depend for the safetie of this Nation and it is of an higher concernment to the Nation then I can express and I humbly conceiv there ought to bee no respect of private interest where the safetie of the Nation is so highly concerned I humbly desire the Honorable Committee that the Certificate of the Officers of the Mint may bee taken into your serious considerations there beeing verie few men in the Nation can speak so much upon their own experience of these abuses concerning the Treasure of the Nation as these Gentlemen the Officers of the Mint have certified which ever since their Certificate hath been found in everie part to bee true The Mint standing still and neglected the Treasure that hath been Imported was never brought into the Mint but Exported out again by which means for the private gain of a few men the Nation is ruined and impoverished and a Trade Inwards and Outwards driven without paying of Custom and the Stock of Treasure of the Nation almost all Exported in these times now there is so much occasion for monie to the admiration and astonishment of many lovers of the Common-wealth that truly understand the secrets and mysteries of Trade And what mischiefs these doings will in the end bring upon this Common-wealth is deeply apprehended by many wise men and can have no stop but by a vigorous Act to bring the Offendors to Exemplarie Justice vvhose Fines and Compositions throughout the Nation will amount to many scores of thousands of pounds to the States for the paiment of publick debts if Commissions of enquiries according to former presidents bee granted by Act of Parlament throughout the Nation to enquire for the last ten years of these abuses If in declaring what hath passed at the Committee and of other Transactions bee not usual I shall and do humbly desire to have my pardon for if my silence might not have endangered the Common-wealth this that I have said should never have com to publick view for I know how to keep secrets as well as som other men I have read of one that was born dumb and so continued for many years seeing one coming to kill his Father cried out God save my Father and so gave timely warning for his Father to prevent the danger A happie speaking of the Childe for the Father Truly I count the Obligation to my Countrie above the Obligation to my Father I have seen this danger many years coming upon the Nation Though I am but young and ignorant in other business I am sure there are but few if any in the Nation that have had those waies and means to finde out and discover these mischiefs which I have I know and apprehend more then I vvill or can express The great mischiefs Transporting Gold and Silver bring 's on this Nation I apprehend The condition of your Armie which must bee burthensom if they have not monie to paie for Quartering I apprehend the danger and damage The necessitie of Trades-men and Handie-Crafts men will bee put to for want of emploiment upon the scarcitie of monie making all Trade to decaie I apprehend The sad condition of poor people vvho will bee enforced for vvant to part with their clothes their bedding their dishes they eat their meat in I apprehend The danger the want and povertie of the poor will bring upon this State if there bee not waies found out to bring Monie into the Nation I do verie sadly and seriously apprehend the inconveniences And therefore I crie God save the Common-wealth God put it into the hearts of the Parlament to see to keep that little monie wee have yet left and to finde out and punish those that have cheated and robbed the Common-wealth of their Treasure and to studie vvaies how to bring in monie into the Nation for if this bee not don speedily in all probabilitie greater inconveniences then I dare write will com on the Common-wealth Much more I could saie but if these Reasons before recited nor the Certificates of the Officers of the Customs and the Certificate of the Officers of the Mint several reasons of som Aldermen of the Citie of London for the stopping of the Transporting of Gold Silver and the Citie of London's Petition to the Parlament presenting the great inconveniences Transporting Treasure hath brought upon this Citie of London and the Nation I humbly saie if all these will not prevail I have don For if I should write a Volume as big as Speed's Chronicle I cannot give more clear satisfaction of the necessitie of passing this Act. If God hath decreed this Nation shall bee cousened of all it's Treasure and the Offendors not questioned nor diligent enquirie made after it and such means as our Ancestors and other Nations having far less occasion for monie then wee have do daily practise to prevent these mischiefs and discover the Offendors I shall with all humilitie submit to God's Providence and rest satisfied I have clearly discharged my dutie to my Countrie in declaring this business to the Common-wealth that so they may know the true reasons of the scarcitie of Gold and Silver in the Nation and the damage they sustein by the want thereof and how the Mint com's to bee obstructed that almost no Monie hath been Coined for these three last years For som men that have clamored at mee for first engaging to discover the Transporters of Gold and Silver in the year 1635. in the late King's time I shall desire them to consider that I was first complained of by the Gold-smiths themselvs beeing at the Council-Table 1634. for buying up of Light Gold and Transporting of it into France as Mr Perin the Gold-smith in Cheapside told mee the same daie that som Gold-smiths complained of mee at the Council-Table I going then up to White-Hall to see what the Gold-smiths did and upon their complaint I was committed close prisoner for twentie weeks and yet for all that death would have been more welcom to mee then to have discovered the Merchants at that time and this Doctor Amies Master Turner and Master White all of London and now living know But when I found the Merchants joined against mee that were Transporters of Gold themselvs I was willing to make my peace though it cost mee dear and not
and interests of the parties grieved as well of the said Judges as against the Laws and Atturnies injoining all Sergeants everie one of them in their turns to assist to bee present at the daies and hours in which the Court of the said Prior and Consuls useth to bee kept there to command silence and to put in use and execution their Orders and Commands and to give them such honor and reverence as they owe unto Magistrates injoining all our good Subjects to do the same And if there shall arise a Dispute or Controversie whereby the Merchants shall conceiv they have not justice of the Prior and Consuls for the time beeing then all such Merchants that have been Priors and Consuls and are remaining in the Citie of Roan without they bee hindred by sickness or other just excuse shall make a Court of Merchants and there after they have taken an Oath to do equal justice they shall give the sentence which shall bee binding to all parties irrevocable for the time to com This Court is at this daie in use in many great Cities in France by which means Law-suits are speedily dispatched to the great eas of all Merchants both Natives and Strangers and they finde the good and speedie justice which all men have there I humbly desire that the principal Merchants in London might bee consulted withal and their humble desires concerning a Court of Merchants which may bee settled amongst them which will bee a great eas and benefit to the Merchants and to all honest-minded men that are Traders to have their Suits for Merchandize and Traffick determined amongst themselvs to have their differences speedily dispatched and not delaied as it hath been to the ruine of many Families in this Citie and Nation To the Honorable the Council for Trade The humble Petition of Thomas Violet Sheweth 24. THat your Petitioner seeing in the Journal Books of the Parlament an Order referring the East India Companie 's Petition which they made unto the Parlament for obteining of a Licence to transport twentie thousand pounds of Forrain Bullion beyond Seas to this Council for Trade to give their opinions concerning the said Petition And your Petitioner having perused the late Act for the advancing of Trade whereby you are made Commissioners and a standing Council for regulating of the Trade of this Common-wealth whereby you are autorized not onely to receiv all such Propositions and Overtures for the well regulating and benefit of Trade which shall bee offered unto you by any person whatsoēver but you have likewise full power and autoritie to view all Books Records and Writings of Publick use which you shall finde needful for your better information your Petitioner having for these sixteen years been emploied about stopping the transporting of Gold and Silver out of this Nation and so having many opportunities offered unto him to know many things that may bee secrets to this Council his humble praier to You is that before you make your Report to the Parlament you would bee pleased to take these his humble Propositions into your serious considerations beeing highly for the benefit of the Common-wealth 1. That this Council require the East India and Persia Companie to bring in their Charter whereby you will inform your selvs with what privilege they have granted them and upon what conditions and restrictions 2. That you would bee pleased to require an accompt of the East India and Persia-Companie of all the summes of monie Gold or Silver either Forrain or English which they have sent into India and Persia ever since Julie 1620. this is no new thing for they did in 1620 give an accompt as will plainly by their Books appear that from the Original and first foundation of their Trade in Anno 1601 to Julie 1620. they had shipped away for India onely 548090l sterling in Spanish monies and som Flemish and Germane Dollars which accompt was presented in Parlament at that time 3. Your Petitioner desire's you to take notice that if the State in Parlament were then so careful in times of peace and the Trade of the Nation flourishing to call the East India Companie to an accompt for twentie years and to caus them to make their accompts plainly to appear by their Books for twentie years surely I humbly conceiv this Honorable Council will exspect for the service of the Common-wealth to have an exact accompt of all the Treasure the East India and Persia Companie have exported and to have them to produce a just accompt what quantities of Gold or Silver they have bought in Holland and in other Forrain places immediately upon their proper accompt and what quantities of English melted Silver in Bars they have bought of Goldsmiths in London what quantities of Gold in Bars they have bought of the Guinie and Barbarie Companies what quantities of English coined Gold they have sent into the East Indies and to Persia what quantities of Cardquess Rex-Dollars Rials of Spain or any other Forrain Silver they have bought up in Londou of Merchants Goldsmiths or others which without the East India Companie so buying would have been brought into the Mint and coined to the great augmentation of the stock of this Nation And that they bee required to give you an Accompt of what qnantities of Spanish Pistollers Dutch Riders Hungarian Duckets Gold Gilders Gold Albertus of Flanders Italian Pistolets Turkie Sultels and all other Forrain Gold and Silver they have bought up in London of Goldsmiths Merchants Natives and strangers which have not been members of their Companie and transported to India and Persia within thirtie years all which I am sure they have perfect Accompts of And that the aforesaid Companie bee required to send you in all the Warrants and Licences for their doing of the same and for a true discoverie of the premises 4. That you would require the Books of Invoies of the Lading of everie ship of all the Gold and Silver in Bars or Coin that hath been sent to the East Indies and Persia since 1620. for by them you shall see what Gold and Silver each ship carried and the Ships Factors and Master's names and to what Factorie in Persia or India and the several years and so you will quickly see the just quantitie to a pennie what they have transported and in what sort of Coin either English Gold or Silver or Forrain Gold or Silver for these thirtie years the giving you a true accompt thereof will bee of great concernment to the Common-wealth in many respects 5. That you would appoint a Committee to view over the Journal Books for out of them there will bee gathered businesses of great concernment to the Nation and if som able Book-Keepers bee appointed with mee to take out what I shall observ in them it will tend highly to the service of the Nation and give a stop to great mischiefs that is daily practised on the Common-wealth 6. If you pleas to inform your selvs by this
should well and faithfully execute their places in guarding all things prohibited exportation and importation and that no officer of the Customs should trade as a Merchant Those Laws were made upon great consideration and highly for the service of the State Pr. 22. p. 24. Several heads of a Model for a Court of Merchants in London to determine their differences upon Accompts and Merchandizing as it is in France and other Countries where all Merchants that are honest men finde the great benefit com's to them by giving a speedie dispatch of their business My humble request is That the principal Merchants in London may bee spoke withal and their humble desires granted to them concerning this business Pr. 22. p. 25 26 27 28. A Petition to have the East-India and Persia Companie bring in the Books of Invoices of all the Gold and Silver sent by them into India and Persia for thirtie years this is no new thing for in Parlament in 1620. they were ordered to bring in their accompts for 1601 to July 1620. They had shipped for India five hundred fortie eight thousand and ninetie pounds sterling in Spanish monie and som Flemish and Germane Dolars which Accompt was presented ub Parlament at that time The Reasons wherefore I move to have this business examined is becaus wee have now no Courtiers to bribe nor I hope no other will dare to take any Bribes if I knew them I would not fear to name them When this business is throughly examined the East India Companie will bee found verie faultie and as the affairs of the Common-wealth doe stand ought to have a quick and strict Examination in Parlament p. 29 30 31 32 33. An humble request to the Council of State to have the Act pass against transporting Gold and Silver and six several Reasons for the doing thereof for the honor and safetie of the Nation p. 35. The Treasure of England like a quantitie of water in a Cistern wee have no spring of Treasure in the thousand proportion as Spain hath p. 35. In Holland when they first made it a free State the Edicts which I have translated shew what severe penalties were put on Transporters of Gold or Silver p. 36. In England any man may transport Corn freely when it is at four shillings a bushel but not when it is twelv shillings Let us get as much in stock of monie as the Dutch and have as little Lands as they then wee might make monie a Merchandize p. 36 37. Against the Goldsmiths buying clipped English monie and putting it awaie again to Grasiers or others p 38. The great summes of monie the Navie and Armie take up and the dangerous consequence to the whole Common-wealth not to call the Transporters of Treasure to a strict accompt to terrifie others for the future and by their Fines to make som reparation to the State p. 38 39. The names of such Goldsmiths and Merchants that were sentenced in Star-chamber for melting down the heavie currant Coin of this Nation and for transporting Gold and Silver beeing fined in the Court of Star-chamber the 25 Jan. 12 Caro. and the 17 Febr. 12 Caro. at twentie four thousand and one hundred pounds p. 46. Against several great abuses practised by several Goldsmiths in gathering up several sorts of forreign Gold and Silver and English Gold for several people who buie it up of them to transport and culling and melting down the currant Silver Coin of the Nation for to transport or to sell it to such as make Gold and Silver Wier and Threed p. 47 48 49. The great mischiefs that will com to all setled Revenues if Gold and Silver bee raised p. 49. The deadness of Trade in Spain when the West-India Fleet doth not bring in Silver that year the Fleet com's not to Spain no trading in Spain p. 50. The design of our dear Brethren of Scotland to circumvent this Nation both of all their Gold Monie and Moveables in buying up most of the plundred Goods in London and other parts of the Nation not paying half the value and in monopolizing the Coals that served London and other parts of this Nation into their own hands and then raising the price at four times as much as they were sold for before all the time of the restraint of bringing coals from Newcastle till Newcastle was reduced to the Parlament p. 51 52. The Scots when they were in the North of England as far as their Armie came dated their Letter from Durham Cumberland Ferribrig Newcastle in Scotland I hope the Officers of our Armie in requital may date all their Letters from Edinburg in England p. 52. Several Laws and Ordinances for regulating the Mints and Monies and concerning the exchanges and Exchangers of Monie Refiners Goldsmiths and others in the united Provinces Anno 1586. p. 53 54 55 56 57. The policie of this Nation hath alwaies aimed at and intended the increas and augmentation of Monie especially that of Silver and this by divers Statutes and Laws p 57 58. For the new Act against transporting of Gold and Silver and recommended by the Council of State and twice read in the Hous it is drawn from the example and president of the 18 Eliz. cap. 9. against transporting Leather and Tallow and raw Hides and the late Ordinance 1647. against transporting Fuller's-Earth and the claus that incourageth the Instruments to discover the offences are drawn by the president 18 Eliz cap. 9. and other Ordinances and Edicts of other States that give like exemptions and incouragement to such as though guiltie themselvs in the second degree and the claus touching Commissions and Examination of Witnesses for discoverie and to commit them in case of refusal to bee examined is don 13 Elizab. cap. 7. p. 58 59 60. An Ordinance for the general regulating of the Mint at Brussels the 18 March 1633. p. 60 61 62 63 64. An Ordinance for the regulating the Mint at Brussels the last daie of Maie 1644. p. 65 66. A Declaration of the King of France for regulating the new price set upon light and clipt Species of Monie likewise for the observation of the prizes of Gold and Silver imploied for the Goldsmith's work It is also expresly forbidden to melt the Monie and to transport it or any other materials of Gold and Silver out of the said Kingdom Printed at Paris 30 Octob. 1640. p. 66 67. What general Laws and Statutes in England from time to time have provided against transporting Gold or melting down the currant Coin and buying Gold and Silver at above the price of the Mint and Commissions made throughout England to inquire of such as transported Monie 14 Ric. 2. cap. 12. p. 67 68 69 70. The easie escape of the Transporters of Gold and Silver hath incouraged the Merchants and others to transport the Treasure Little penaltie cannot hinder the Merchant from his profit p. 70. The several abuses and cheats of som Goldsmiths and others taking advantage of
THE ADVANCEMENT OF MERCHANDIZE OR CERTAIN PROPOSITIONS For the Improvment of the Trade of this Common-wealth humbly presented to the Right Honorable the Council of State AND ALSO Against the Transporting of GOLD and SILVER By THO. VIOLET of London Goldsmith SPQA LONDON Printed by William Du-Gard Printer to the Council of State Anno Dom. 1651. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE JOHN BRADSHAW LORD PRESIDENT of the COUNCIL of STATE My Lord WHEN first I attended your Lordship about preparing of an Act against the Transporting of Gold your Lordship was pleased to take notice of mee and that you had heard of my Imprisonment in the Tower you commanded mee to use my uttermost endeavors to serv the Common-wealth that so I might give a clear testimonie both to your Lordship and the State of my good affection to the present Government and by that means the State might bee induced to consider my condition and that my business might bee examined in Parlament and I have Justice by restoring mee to my Estate again In humble pursuance of your Honor's commands I did print several Placarts and Ordinances of France Holland and Flanders concerning the regulating of their Monie Bullion and Mints and breviated the Laws and Proclamations heretofore made in England against Transporting of Treasure And made several arguments upon the whole matter how highly it did concern this Common-wealth speedily to give a stop to the Transporters of Gold and Silver and several other abuses practised upon the Coin and Bullion of this Common-wealth And I did humbly present one of the Books to your Honor and had your Honor's approbation for the speedie passing of the Act which your Honor and the Right Honorable the Council of State had recommended to the Parlament but as yet through the industrie of som guiltie men this Law which so highly concern's the safetie and welfare of the Nation is not passed the Parlament And if it were dispatched it would restore your Mint to it 's flourishing condition by removing all obstructions in the Mint And then the settling the valuation of all Coins in Christendom and the Parr of the Exchange between us and them in any part of Christendom I would see should bee finished and the mysteries of Exchange opened to the high advantage of the Merchants of this Nation who are now generally ignorant of this mysterie and are as far to seek of these Sciences as two hundred year ago the passage to the West Indies was to Christendom The reason is in England wee have none but our own Monie run's in currant paiment our Merchants are generally ignorant of the true value and fineness of Forrain Coins and what proportion all Forrain Coins hold between us and them and the just weights and fineness all Forrain Coins ought to hold and beeing all weightie according to their just standerd what they will make the Merchant to coin them into our Monie within the Tower of London and this is the Parr I humbly intend and petition your Honor for the speedie dispatch These things are no secrets to the Dutch Merchants and other Merchant-Strangers here and that make's them so out-wit the Merchants of our Nation upon the Exchanges of Monie to any part of Christendom My Lord I humbly again address my self to your Lordship with som prime Observations for Trade which may highly concern the Common-wealth and it hath been no small comfort to mee that both your Honor and many other Honorable Gentlemen of the Council of State upon the reading of them in Manuscript do approv of what I have don in this particular and that you will speedily put it in practice for the good of this Nation My Lord I have obeyed your commands for the putting in an Index to what I have said that so you may contract what is by mee humbly desired The whole drift of what is desired is the equal inriching of the Nation in general the repairing and inhabiting all our Sea-Port-Towns and Harbors the bringing in a Nurserie of rich Merchants into our Land the increas of Manufacturie the increas of Shipping the setting of all our poor awork the making England the Mistress and Empross of the Sea in beeing a Bulwark and Protection to her Friends by spreading out her arms to give shelter in all weathers both for Merchant-men and Men of War in all her Havens and Harbors both to shelter them from storms and to furnish them with all manner of Ammunition Victuals and Merchandize for all parts of the world and to bee the Magazin for the world for all wealth and Trade For as the World is Ring so England is the Diamond of that Ring and the wealth strength and valor of this Nation was never so well known to all our neighbors as under the government of a Common-wealth as it is now settled and a few years will shew to the world This I say to bee true so visibly that the poorest Commoner in this Nation will finde there is as much difference between the situation of England and Holland to bring and contract the Trade of the world as there is in proportion difference between an ounce Troie and a pound weight Troie for they in Holland have not six points of the Compass to have winde to go in and out and all dangerous Seas and in som of them as at the Texel fortie sail of ships are cast away in a year But behold England hang's in the Sea like an Oriental Pearl at a fair Ladie 's ear no winde can blow at any point of the Compass but ships may both go in and com out of her Harbors And I believ a Free Trade will treble the Importation and Exportation of goods into all the Sea-Ports of this Nation besides the emploiment of the shipping of the Nation And as wee are a shield and protection to our friends by putting in execution these Observations you will reduce the rebellious Sea-men of our own Nation have an accompt of their wives and children in what service they are and where against the State and by this means if not out of obedience and love to the present Government yet out of an affection to their wives and children and to save their estates you shall have them return to their obedience for when their wives are sequestred in England it will bee a greater Load-stone then your Men of War you send out to reduce them and this business require's a diligent and able man to give the State an Accompt from time to time and if it bee effectually followed will bring home most of our Sea-men to their obedience a business of the highest consequence both to reduce them with the least change of bloud and monie Then the examination of the carriage of several Companies for the private enriching of a few is humbly presented to the Council of State and the Council for Trade that so the abuses for the times past may bee found out and punished and such Rules and Regulations for
the future may bee made as shall bee most conducing to the benefit of the Common-wealth in general without any private regard to private persons My Lord this argument which I have undertaken concern's the corrupt interest of many men who will storm to see these things laid open to the world and I shall bee sure to bee stung with the venom of som of their tongues Therefore I am an humble suitor to your Honor and the Council of State for your Honor's protection and countenance of these my weak endevors for the service of this Nation which noble favor shall for ever oblige mee to praie for your Honor's happiness and prosperitie God continue your Honor in all prosperitie in this world and in the world to com and this shall bee the praier of Your Honor 's humble and obliged Servant THO. VIOLET TO THE HONORABLE THE COUNCIL OF TRADE This Book with my most humble service Honorable Gentlemen THese Papers are most of them recommended to your care by order of the Council of State to take them into your consideration Indeed many of them were drawn by mee about five years ago in the Tower afore I ever thought of a Council of Trade But seeing it is the hap of these unpolished Papers to bee recommended to your care I am verie glad of it and most humbly give the Council of State thanks for recommending them to your judicious examination making no question of their sowing in a fertile ground seeing som of these Propositions are already com to the perfections of Acts of Parlament May it pleas your Honors I am no other then the day-laboring man I have brought you Marble from the Mine felled you Trees and brought them to you and at your feet laie them all to bee hewn and squared by your judicious and profound Wisdoms You are the Master-workmen who are now to take your Instruments to hew square them for the building of the trade of this Common-wealth And I shall presume to wait on you those daies you sit to see how your Building goe's forward and when that you give a dispatch of the Materials in these Propositions it shall not repent mee of what I have don And I shall with all humilitie and chearfulness furnish you with som other Propositions for the service of this Common-wealth To so great and grave Judgments I know multiplicitie of words need not the great God of Heaven and Earth bee in the midst of your Counsels and bee Counsellor to you all and put that into your hearts that you may bee enabled for so great a work as the State hath laid on you and to bee careful of the maintenance of the Trade that concern's the poor of this Nation in general that they may have a livelihood as well as the rich And thus much in all humilitie let mee tell you if ever any men in this Nation had need to make use of Christ's rule of beeing as innocent as Doves and as wise as Serpents it is your Honors in this emploiment you have for regulating of Trade The infinite subtilties frauds and abuses in several Trades are so many that the hundredth part of the cheats used to get monie cannot bee imagined by any other persons but your selvs that daily hear the abuses practised on many Manufactures made in this Nation And som men by these cheats have gotten wealth and dignitie for in London formerly many times they chose Aldermen most an end for their wealth not for their wit or honestie and that hath made such a hole in the Chamber of London's Treasure the poor Orphans portions when such Kites as got their Estates indirectly came to bee Magistrates Other Trades there are whose povertie beeing pestered with more multitudes in the Trade then it will bear make 's many people in several Trades fall a making the Manufacture indirectly falsly and slightly to the great abuse of the Nation and all the wearers and this more particularly I know is don in the making of Gold and Silver-Thread as was justified to your Honors by hundreds of the women-spinners in London upon their Petition against the Wheel-spinners and their humble desires to your Honors for a Regulation for the future So that what between the covetousness of the rich and the necessitie of the poor all the abuses in Trade is committed and these weeds will everie daie increas in the Garden of this Common-wealth if the Parlament make not strict and sharp Laws against these offences and offendors that make the Manufactures of the Nation slight and base And not onely to make Laws but appoint such persons as shall see those Laws put in execution that Justice bee don and these men would bee the pruning knives to rectifie the Garden of Trade and till it bee don the abuses in Trade and Manufacture will not bee prevented I have humbly and plainly told you what I think is to bee don for the best improvement of the Trade of this Nation and leav what I have said to your Honor 's grave consideration and shall ever praie for the prosperitie of your Honors Signed By your Honor 's humble Servant THO. VIOLET TO MY HONORED FRIENDS the Merchants Natives of this Nation of England and the Merchant-Strangers living and inhabiting in any part of the Dominions of the Common-wealth of England GENTLEMEN MAny of these Papers were drawn by mee in my solitude in the Tower and I never intended them for publick view but for my private use afterwards Providence ordering it so I was commanded by som of the Council of State to give them my attendance and humble advice about removing the obstruction of the Mint and to attend som honorable Gentlemen who were to draw a table of the just value of all the Coins in Christendom and to settle their true values according to the Standard of the Mint in the Tower of London and what those Coins will make in our Mint beeing full weight a great part of that work is already don and a model drawn for the taking away the obstructions of the Mint in the Tower of London and when the Parlament and Council of State pleas to command it will bee perfectly finished having this opportunitie with somof the Council of State I was commanded by som of them to draw them such Observations concerning Trade as I did conceiv might bee for the benefit of the Common-wealth the increas of Trade and the increas of Shipping And though I knew my own insufficiencie for so weightie a business and that there were many hundred in London more able to do this then my self yet considering that now God had put into my hands an opportunitie that I might present my self to the Council of State and to the Nation in general that I was not such a man as som maliciously had charged mee to bee which was that I was a Malignant and one dis-affected to the present Government as it is now settled without King and Lords I saie
without it were looked after and a strict Law made against it to discover the offendors there would not bee any Gold or Silver left in the Nation And this hath proved too true for many millions of Gold and Silver have since been transported to the unspeakable damage of the Common-wealth And upon seizure of several great quantities of Gold and Silver by M. Watkins chief Searcher of the Port of London which was shipped to bee transported the Order of the Parlament the 1 of Septemb. 1647. was made to the Committee of the Navie to see to prevent it After all these Certificates made by the Officers of the Mint and Customs and the Committee of the Navie for the speedie putting so good a work in execution all which I have hereafter set down The Council of State was pleased to make a Committee of themselvs and after many great and serious consultations drew up the draught of an Act of Parlament with their desire to the Parlament to have it pass with all expedition for the service of the Common-wealth There are others more unhappie which saie Now the Steed is stoln shut the stable door Now there is no more Gold left to transport to what purpose doth the Parlament make an Act against transporting Gold this should have been don before for how can wee maintain Commerce paie Taxes when our English Gold is fortie times more plentiful beyond the Seas then it is in England and almost all the Silver Coin of the Nation transported and scarce any left but clipped and light monie And som people are so impudent to believ that there are som Members of Parlament guiltie of transporting monie or els this Act should not have stuck so long upon their hands Others there are that have transported monie and committed manie abuses upon the Coins of the Nation that hope they shall have their pardon for what is past though they have transported almost all the Gold and Silver of the Nation that now if they would they can offend no more and they have don the Common-wealth that damage that a Million of monie cannot give them satisfaction These I humbly conceiv ought to bee made to restore their unjust gain which will deter any others hereafter from doing the like And there are that saie Look how almost all men have sped that have certified against transporting monie or lookt to stop the same Hath not Sir Robert Harlow and M. Cogan been put out of their places in the Mint Hath not M. Watkins M. Tomes Sir Thomas Daws and M. Hollowaie been put out of their places in the Custom-Hous Were not you Thomas Violet imprisoned in the Tower four years becaus you should not tell the truth and let the Common-wealth know for all that time most of their monie and treasure was sending out of the Nation I shall add somthing more to this I have observed what the State hath gotten by putting out these men and I found First That upon the putting forth of the old Officers of the Mint in M. Swallow's place who was the Clerk of the Irons and Surveier of the Melting-Hous for the Mint a place of great skill and trust there is a now a Clerk put in to execute that place that can neither write nor read and other Officers put into the places of the old ones in the Mint that were utterly ignorant of managing the mysteries of that Office And one of the greatest obstructions of the Mint comâ—s through the ignorance of the Officers and their want of correspondence and acquaintance with such as usually have brought Monie from beyond the Seas The old Officers of the Mint were Masters in this Mysterie which is not so soon learned as men think And for son of those that have been turned out of their places out of the Custom-Hous now the Act is passed for the Council of Trade there will quickly bee presented the practices of som of the Officers of the Customs and Petitions for a redress of many abuses practised by som of them and a Review Petitioned for to know upon what grounds many of the old Officers were turned out of their places beeing never charged with any offence but onely forced out to make waie for others to com into their places som of the old Officers of the Customs beeing turned out of their places onely becaus of their activitie in stopping the Gold and Silver of the Nation from beeing transported and this is M. Edward Watkins his case and others put into his Office that seize's Gold and Silver before it is forfeited and when the Merchant recover's it again by Law the Searcher that made the seizure take's the King's Bench and so the Merchant may go seek his monie to the great damage of the Merchant But according to the former presidents all Officers of the Customs were to put in securitie for the just performance of their trust to the State and no Officer was to receiv the Customs and Monies of the Common-wealth in any Port of this Nation nor to make any seizure before hee had put in securitie to the Lord Treasurer to make a true accompt of what monies and goods came to their hands which I having more then probable reasons do believ the Collectors and other Officers of the Ports have not don to the great damage of the Common-wealth and prejudice of the Merchants if seizures bee unjustly made and the Merchants recover their Goods or Monies by a Verdict at Law and after all their charge and hazard not to have all their Goods and Monies again This discoverie I have put in for the service of the Common-wealth it beeing a caus judged in the Checquer this last Term that for the future such abuses of the new Officers of the Customs might bee prevented I have to som men replied this Act it hath been delaied by the Parlament onely by the multitude of other business though I must confess there are verie few businesses of the Common-wealth can take place before this but that all people should see when the Parlament's business was a little over how zealous in deeds not in words they would bee for to punish these great offendors and to make them paic back the unjust gain which monies should bee emploied for the Publick and so save the Nation Taxes That I was confident there was not any Member in the Parlament was guiltie of transporting monie or if there were they durst not bee seen to justifie so wicked an Act but would bee glad to sleep quiet in a whole skin and truly if I did know any of them I would not meddle with them unless the Act did positively enjoin mee to do it It hath been objected to mee by som Gold-smiths and others That I my self have been a transporter of monie and melter down of heavie Coin of the Nation and a furnisher of Gold and Silver to transport out of this Nation and a buier of Gold and Silver above the price of the
the work-men and work-women thousands I shall with all humilitie tell you what Forrain Nations do to Regulate their Monie and Bullion these Manufactures and unless you have the like rule here I humbly conceiv it will be impossible to restore the Mint to keep the Gold-smiths within compass or the Wier-drawers in any rule for many of them have got to licentious height and pride having got great Estates by culling Monie selling Gold and Silver to transport buying of clipped Monie and paying it away again and twentie other tricks that they are so proud they know not whether they stand on their heels or their head but the Act against transporting these when it com's forth will regulate them all I saie if you will have these abuses rectified as in France Flanders Spain Germanie and other Countries I humbly conceiv you must erect a Council for Monies and Bullion for in France I have seen great Volumes of Arguments of the Government and Management of Monie and Bullion and the due Regulation is of mightie importance as your affairs now stand and in all Forrain Countries the States that are Kings or Common-wealths have a particular care and make the mysteries of managing their treasure matter of the greatest state and policie and Gold and Silver either in Coin or Bullion the late Kings Queens in England did ever appropriate the especial management of them to themselvs as beeing a business of State And though now by the blessing of God wee are a free State and the Nation a free Nation I humbly conceiv not so free that the Bullion and Coin of the Common-wealth should bee Manufactured and wasted without any accompt and without any regard for the bringing in Forrain Bullion for the proportion is spent here in the making Gold and Silver-Thread without offering the State an Excise fit for to bee imposed on so superfluous a commoditie when these Wier-drawers voluntarily offered the late King one thousand pound a year and two pence an Ounce and the Refiners did give the late King six pence the Ounce and this to bee don in a King's time in a time when the Common-wealth had no Armies to paie which six pence the Ounce almost all of it was given by the late King to a couple of Courtiers the Earl of Holland two thousand pounds a year the Countess of Roxborough twelv hundred pounds a year If the Wier-drawers would paie the Arrears they owe to the State and submit to a Regulation for the present and binde themselvs to work good Silver well covered with five Ounces Silver to a pound Venice seal all the Gold and Silver-Thread as formerly and paie the duties shall bee imposed on them by the State for Excise and keep an accompt of all the Silver Manufactured by a Comptroler there might bee som hopes that this Manufacture might bee regulated if they will not I humbly conceiv if the Parlament pass the Act against Transporting Gold and Silver and have a Council for Monies according as it is in other Countries it will regulate the abuses of this Trade and all others that trade in Gold and Silver If the State had had a Council for Monies eight years ago as they have in Forrain Countries I believe Cheapside-Cross would have yielded them more Monies then it made the State I do humbly desire that it may bee examined how many fodder of Lead was made of the Cross for all the figures were Lead and who bought it and what they paid a fodder and the total summe in monie was paid for it Then I do humbly desire to have the partie or parties that bought the Lead of the Cross examined upon Oath whether they did ever fine or refine the Lead and parted the Gold from the Lead by blowing it down in an Almondfurnace and then refining it on attest and what Gold they extracted out of it to give a just accompt of the pound weights and Ounces of Gold hee or they refined and extracted out of the Lead of Cheapside-Cross Then that all men would bee pleased to take notice of the long continuance of Cheapside-Cross since it was made and in how many King 's and Queen's Reigns it was guilt the Citie-Books I believ will shew this verie Cross with the Leaden figures And then that they take notice that the Rain and Weather decaie's not the Gold for it will sink into the Lead and though it change color and tarnish with the Weather yet the Bodie of Gold is in the Lead And all men know the superstition of former times did not care what Gold they laid on Popish Reliques and I believ the Citie-Books will shew many thousand pounds laid out in Gold for guilding Cheapside-Cross upon several occasions I do humbly conceiv that when the Cross was sold it was sold by the State onely for Lead and the State had no more for it but for Lead and if any did refine and part that Lead and converted the Gold to their own use that all that Gold which was sold for two pence the pound weight the State ought to have an accompt for it and my desire to them that bought it is that they would give the just value of all the Gold they extracted out of Cheapside-Cross to the poor maimed soldiers towards their relief and maintenance they having never paid the State for it The taking away of Crosses and Superstition and plucking of them down I thank God for but withal I would not that the State should sell Gold at two pence the pound weight to any person upon what pretence of service or well-deserving soëver for after that rate the Parlament may have servants too many for their profit and in managing business in this manner the whole Common-wealth suffer's and som private persons get mightie Estates to the great damage of the Common-wealth in general I humbly saie what is the Common-wealth's ought to bee sold at the best advantage and improvement for the publick and and not for private respects sold at an under value upon any pretence to any private person whatsoëver I know for speaking this truth I shall have envie but my comfort is it will bee by or from none but interested parties and all those that are not vvill thank mee for speaking truth The Parlament heretofore made many Provisional Acts som onely to continue to the next Sessions of Parlament which was somtimes three five seven ten fifteen years before a Parlament vvas called and no remedie could bee had out of Parlament if that these Acts were found prejudicial to the State till the next Sessions of Parlament Now by the blessing of God on this Nation these inconveniences are remedied for the Parlament sit's alwaies so that if the Parlament pass any Act vvhich they shall finde upon just grounds either to add to it or take from it they have it in their own power to alter it upon the trial if a Law should pass vvhich vvere not for the general good of