onely eaten the leavs but barked the trees of this Common-wealth using all opressions and fraud to grow rich bee made to restore it No doubt the work is pleasing and acceptable to God and all good men and then manie men who have made their religion a cloak to cozen the Commonwealth may bee made to restore their unjust deteined Treasure and Lands Many men under the shaddow of sanctitie having made gain to bee great godliness instead of godliness to bee great gain May it pleas your Highness your most humble and loyall Subject at your Highness's feet imploreth to bee relieved having been imprisoned almost four years in the Tower of London viz 1643. to 1647. and two years and nine moneths of that time kept close prisoner his estate in lands houses offices goods and moneys being taken from him to his dammage of eleven thousand pounds there being then at his bringing up the late Kings letter from Oxford in December 1643. no known law or publique Ordinance to prohibit him to bring up the said letter to the Lord Maior and Citie of London and hee had a Pass from the hous of Commons to go to Oxford as appears by the Journals in the Parlament-hous and hee had at the same time a Warrant from the Lord General Essex to go to Oxford procured by Mr Theophilus Ryley then Scoutmaster of of the Citie of London May it pleas your Highness by Gods Law Rom. 4. 15. Where there is no Law there is no Transgression and by the known Laws of this nation such and such Actions are declared Crimes and lawes and rules set for the degree of punishing And hee most humbly conceaveth it is not in any just Judges power to exceed the punishment for any offence more then is prescribed and set down by the Law And it is expresly provided for in Magna Charta that no Free-man shall bee taken imprisoned or distressed of his free-hold or liberties or any other waies destroied but by lawful judgment of his Peers or by the Law of the Land That no man should bee deferred or denied Justice or Right Whereas your Supplicant after he was out of the Tower petitioned for six years constantly at the Parlament doors the members and at the Counsel of State to have a legal Trial by the Parlament or els by the common Law And to that end delivered several Petitions to several members of Parlament yet your Supplicant could never have Justice Som of the members of the then Parlament after his many years constant attendance and great expence to com to a trial told him Had hee been guilty hee should never needed to have petitioned the Parlament for a Trial the Parlament would have granted him a Trial without petitioning for it May it pleas your Highness This is your most humble Subjects sad condition groaning under and having so heavy a sentence as the loss of almost all his estate to his dammage above eleven thousand pounds almost four years Imprisonment in the Tower when there was no law made at his acting this Business nor at the time of his Commitment for either punishing of him or any other for acting the same thing which was bringing up the late Kings letter to the City in December 1643 but Ordinances and Orders made after hee had brought up the King's Letter for the Confiscation of his Estate and Imprisonment of his Person and a great part of his Estate given to private and particular men Now with Tears and Sighs hee appeal's to Your Highness for restoring him to his Estate and just Reparation being oppressed and undon for a Pretended Crime when there was no Law no not so much as the Breach of the Good Behaviour made against it in December 1643 either to Prohibit him or any other to do the same Hee hath printed this Business with the several Houses Offices Bonds and Mony taken from him To which hee doth most humbly refer himself And Your Suplicant was daily faithfully promised by som worthy Members of the Long Parlament and Counsel of State who pittied Your Supplicant's sad Condition seeing his willingness to serve the Commonwealth to have Justice and Reparation and that held up his Spirits and kept him alwaies to bee willing to the uttermost of his power and strength-beyond the abilities of his Estate to engage both his time and estate for many years to do the then Parlament many and great services as appears by Your Loyal Subject sprinted Narrative 1653. The several Particulars were to his Charges and Expence of many Hundred Pounds as by many Witnesses hee can and hath proved Besides One most Remarkable Service to the Nation in General Your Supplicant did by the Command of the then Counsel of State which shall and ought to stop the mouths of every one and all his Adversaries that have or shall maliciously traduce him as a Malignant for a man disaffected to the State or to the true happiness of the Nation in General Your humble Subject did this service when Van Trump was in the Downes It was no small hazard his venturing to deliver in a Paper to the Counsel of Srate in December 1653. which Writing was by the Counsel of State referred to the Committee for Forrain Affairs Wherein Your Supplicant discovered the fraudulent Practises of the Spanish Embassadour and Duke Leopoldus and his Agents to defraud the Parlament of a Vast Summ of Treasure above three hundred Thousand Pounds which was broughâ— up into the River as a Prize in three Ships viz. The Sampson Salvador and George And this hee did at the same time when the Lord Embassador of Spain with many other Agents of Duke Leopoldus and Licensiados of the King of Spain 's living at Antwerp did all of them affirm both to the Judges in the Admiralty the Counsel of State and to the Parlament in November and December 1652 that all the Lading both Silver and Marchandize in the said Ships did appertain to the King of Spain and his Subjects and none other May it pleas Your Highness I was far more troubled to finde out the frauds of the Spaniaâ—ds Claims to the Silver in these Ships and to bring it forth to bee proved by good and Lawfull Witnesses as I have here out of the Admiraltie to Intitle the State to the Silver in these Ships Then I shall bee troubled to finde out the Frauds and Deceipts of all the Accomptants in General of this Nation if once I bee but impowered by your Highness to have an Inspection on the Accompts and such Rules followed and executed as by the Laws and Statutes of this Nation hath been formerly put in practice and the whole Charge of this Discovery will not stand the State in 12d the pound to bring the Monies into the Exchequer And it may bee so managed not Six pence Charge upon the Pound The Spaniards in the Court of Admiralty by their Counsel pleaded that they ought not to have the Onus probandum cast on them being their
of the Tower by order of the Counsel of State 1652. and since I laid out in the Prosecution of the silver Ships Sampson Salvador and George above the summ of five hundred pounds as appears by the Oaths of severall persons which I emploied in this Discovery as you may see in this book Fol. 50 51 52 53 54 55. I borrowed every penny of this money paying Interest for it at this day And by my Protest against the Discharge of these silver Ships Sampson Salvador and George and my Discoveries thereupon by many good and legal Witnesses Passengers and others in these Ships I caused all the Silver to become the States All which services I did upon the faitfull promise of the Counsel of State in December 1652 to restore mee to all my Estate or the full value of Eleven thousand pounds being Required to do this Service by severall Warrants from the Counsel of State and at the Entreaty of Doctor Walker as appears in this Book And no other man in England besides my self did ever at one time save the State three Hundred thousand Pounds which if it had not been for mee the State had been cozeâ—ed of every penny of it as appears by this and my former Narrative Here followeth the Copie of the late Kings Letter to the City of LONDON To Our Trusty and Wel-beloved Our Lord May or and Aldermen of Our City of London and all other Our wel-affected Subjects of that City Charles Rex TRustie and Well beloved wee greet you well When wee remember the many Acts of Grace and Favor Wee and Our Royal Predecessors have conferred upon that our Citie of London and the many examples of eminent Duty and Loyaltie for which that City hath been likewise famous Wee are willing to beleev notwithstanding the great defection wee have found in that place That all men are not so farr degenerate from their affection to Us and to the peace of the Kingdom as to desire a continuance of the miseries they now feel And therefore being informed That there is a desire in some principal persons of that City to present a Petition to Us which may tend to the procuring a good understanding between Us and that Our City whereby the peace of the whole Kingdom may bee procured Wee have thought fit to let you know That wee are ready to receiv any such Petition and the Persons who shall bee appointed to present the same to Us shall have a safe conduct And you shall assure all our good Subjects of that Our City whose hearts are touched with any sense of Duty to Us or of Love to the Religion and Laws established in the quiet and peaceable fruition whereof They and their Ancestors have enjoyed so great Happiness That wee have neither passed any Act nor made any profession or Protestation for the maintenance and defence of the true Protestant Religion and the Liberties of the Subject which wee will not most strictly and religiously observ And for the which 〈◊〉 will not bee alwaies ready to give them any security that can bee desired And of these Our gracious Letters Wee expect a speedy Answer from you And so Wee bid you farewell Given at Our Court at Oxford in the nineteenth year of Our Reign December 26. 1643. By his Majesties Command GEORGE DIGBY I do most humbly desire the Common Council of the Citie of London to certifie your Highness if ever amongst all their Records since the foundation of their City they finde such a sad President as mine is And whether that any Messenger from any former King of England suffered the loss of his Estate to his damage above eleven thousand pounds for bringing them or any their Ancestors the like Letter as I did from the late KING And at that time viz. in December 1643. there was sent and came from Oxford the Writs weekly under the Great Seal of England without any Countermand My hard usage After-ages will hardly beleev had I not Printed it to Posterity I Sufferd Imprisonment in the Tower almost four years for bringing up the aforesaid Letter from Oxford to the Lord Mayor and Common Council of the City of London in December 1643 although I had an Order from the Hous of Commons as appears by their Journal Book and a Pass from the Lord General Essex to go to Oxford which were both procured for mee by Mr Theophilus Ryley Scout-master General of the City of London who was authorized to execute that place by the then Parlament and Common Council of London and I was authorized by the said Mr Ryley to do the same Mr Ryley being impowered by the then Parlament and Common Council of London to hold Intelligence in any the Kings Quarters as by his Orders hee shewed me Mr Ryley was a man of a known approved Integritie and in great esteem with the then Parlament and Citie of London at that time and would not have acted any thing but what was just and for the Parlaments service according to his Trust If hee had thought it otherwise and hee might have gotten a hundred thousand pounds upon my Conscience and that made mee to act this Business to bring up the Kings Letter upon his Intreaty as hee confessed upon his Examination and I justified my doing thereof by his Order hee being a publick minister and impowered to do it as hee told mee And also the Committee of both Nations was made acquainted with my going to Oxford for the bringing up the said Letter which I brought from the late King by Sir David Watkins Knight I desired him to make them acquainted therewith before ever I went to Oxford and to have their approbation which Sir David Watkins after hee had spoken with them told mee I had their approbation to go to Oxford And all this was done before any Law or Ordinance was made or declared to forbid mee or any other to do the same that ever I heard of And I humbly say That before a law made there is no transgression neither by Gods law nor Mans law And I was not to question Mr Ryleys power abilities and trust considering hee acted as a publick minister but to act according to his direction so long as hee was in the said Office of Scout-master I having his Warrant and approbation for doing what I did I have never read nor heard of so heavy a punishment as your Supplicant doth suffer under before a Law made to give a man warning And by the Statutes of 9. Hen. 3. cap. 29. 5. Edw. 3. cap. 9. and 28. Edw. 3. cap. 3. No person of what estate oâ— condition soever hee bee shall bee put out of Land or Tenement nor taken nor imprisoned nor dis-inherited without being brought to answer by due process of the Law which I have petitioned for by a legal trial many years but could never obtain the same May it pleas your Highness Had there been a Proclamation or Act of Parlament at that time to have
Which will increas your Highness Revenue some thousands of pounds yearly And that your Petitioner may bee Ordered by your Highness to attend the Committee for Trade with his draught for the regulation of this Manufacture And as in duty bound your Petitioner shall pray c. THO. VIOLET Whitehall May 8. 1655. HIs Highness referreth this to the Consideration of the Committee and Counsel for Trade to enquire into the particulars and certifie their opinion Nath. Bacon May it pleas your Highness THe late King Charles and his Privy Counsel would never suffer that the silver courrant Coins or Plate of the Nation should bee wastâ—d in this Manufacture for the making of gold or silver Thread What the Refiners and Wyerdrawers did spend of the Plate and Coin in these Manufactures it was and is against the Laws of the Land And by the very Monopolie that the King granted to Alderman Wollaston and Aldermam Gibbs An. 1636. for to be his onely Agents for refining one Hundred thousand pounds a year of Forrain Silver for making this Manufacture yet in that Project of Gibbs and Wollaston they Covenant with the King not to Refine or caus to bee melted down any the Courrant Coin or Plate of the Nation and that they should melt none but Forrain Bullion which shall be Imported for the making this aforesaid Manufacture And many of the Privy Counsel then were for the total putting down of the making and wearing this Manufacture here in England as causing an excessive Expence to all Sorts and Conditions of people as being a Vanitie that the Nation might well bee without But then it was considered by the King and his Counsell the multitude of Women spinsters and other people that had their subsistance out of it and in that regard the Manufacture was continued but under strict Rules for the due Regulation and that all the Workers should conform to the same and they did promise an humble conformity and I Thomas Violet was appointed under the Great Seal of England to take the care and Charge of Sealing and Surveying all these Manufactures to prevent the former cheating and Cosennage both of Wyerdrawers Silkmen and Refiners The several frauds I clearly proved under the hand of Mr Jackson the sworn Assay-master of Goldsmiths hall and I cut and defaced all sleight cours and deceitfull gold or silver Thread Spangles wyer c. which Office I did justly and faithfully execute for almost Five years and prevented all former Abuses and caused the workmen to work their silver for these Manufactures as exactly and justly as the Plate or Money of the Nation is made during the time I regulated the Manufacture by my sealing of it This I have proved under the hand of many hundred Spinsters who petitioned for the Restoring mee to my Office again Your Petitioners most humble prayer to your Highness is that the Honorable Committee for Trade now having this Business under their examination and having the particulars in this Petitition in consideration may bee by your Highness ordered to make their Report and to take care for the preservation of the Bullion and Coins of the Nation And that all Silver made for this Manufacture bee melted at a Publique place and Viewed and Registred that so none of the Coins or Plate of the Nation bee melted down for any of these Manufactures And to appoint such Officers as they shall conceiv may bee fit for the regulating of all Abuses in the Manufacture and for the best advantage of your Highness The honorable Committee for Trade have given the wyerdrawers and Refiners several dayes for the propounding of wayes for regulating of the said Trade and to prevent the abuses by-past and to preserve the Coin and treasure of the Nation But instead of that the Wyerdrawers have presented the Draught of a Corporation to the Committee of Trade which if it should bee granted unto them in that way they have presented the same They would melt and caus the Goldsmiths to melt for their use in a few years all the heavie Gold and Silver Coin and Plate of this Nation And indeed they are come to that confidence that they think to cozen all people that wear Gold and Silver And to get a Charter for the doing thereof that so they may work Iniquitie by a Law May it pleas your Highness THere was a Complaint made to the late King Charles and the Lords of his Privy Counsel January 25. 1634. And an Information given by some of the Wardens of the Company of Goldsmiths touching the detriment and dammage which ariseth by the undue Practices of some Refiners and Gold-wyer-drawers of London by melting the currant Coynes and Bullion of the Nation And several Depositions against the Refiners of London were presented to the King and his Counsel at White-hall of very high and heynous Crimes by some of the Wardens and Company of Goldsmiths and no doubt but the Company of the Goldsmiths have the Copies of these Papers in their Hall There-upon Mr Attorney General Bankes received a Command from the said King and Lords to prosecute the Statute of 4. Hen. 7th against such Refiners and Gold-wyer-drawers as hee should finde to bee Offenders and to see the Penalties might bee recovered And upon further examination of these most heynous Offences an Information was put into the Starr-Chamber by the Kings Attorney General Bankes against Alderman Wollaston and Alderman Gibbs for melting and procuring several Goldsmiths to cull and melt the currant Silver Coynes of the Nation And for the unlawfull buying and refining of the said heavy currant English Monies and for unlawfull buying and refining Gold and Silver and for several other Abuses practised by them contrary to the Laws and Statutes of the Nation as appeareth at large by the Kings Attornies Information in the Starr-Chamber against them Some of the Wyer-drawers of London seeing the Winde blow at that Corner to prevent the danger approaching on them petition the said late King in the behalf of themselvs and divers other Wyer-drawers of the City of London the second of April 1635. In which Petition they set forth that there are many Abuses daily practised and done in the said Trade of Gold and Silver-wyer-drawing and the manufuctures thereof and that their Trade was under no Government That they desired his Majesties most gracious care in suppressing the promiscuous use by ordering them into a Government Therefore they pray That such as have served for the Trade or such as they should deem fit to use the same and one or two Refiners that may refine Gold and Silver to bee used in the Trade may bee made a Corporation with a non obstante of the Statute of 4. Hen. 7. or any other Statute or Proclamation And that they may bee Incorporated and have two Wardens and twelve Assistants and to have a fitting Officer for their Company and raising money for necessary Charges And that no Gold or Silver thread may bee put to sale
unless it bee sealed with This Restraint ought now to bee carefully looked after and to make the melting down of Shillings Sixpences half Crowns and five Shilling pieces Felony And strictly to forbid upon severe Penalties all Goldsmiths not to presume to bee Cashiers and Receivers of Merchants monies by which means they have formerly and do at this day cull and melt down the heavy English money The Goldâ—miths have by buying and selling English Gold above the currant price bought and sold all the Gold out of the Nation to the unspeakable dammage thereof And now there is no other Remedy to get Gold back in the Nation but by raising of it as some would have it shortly wee shall have no Silver Coyn left in the Nation and then wee must raise that to get back our Silver again And by this means all setled Revenues and Landlords will lose so much in their estates as you raise Gold and Silver the Seal of the Company And upon these Conditions they offered to pay his Majestie his Heirs and Successors for ever One thousand pounds yearly and over and above two pence the ounce for all Forain Bullion that shall bee used in their Trade And humbly petition That his Majestie would bee pleased to publish his Proclamation to forbid any to practise any the said Trades or Manufactures or Drawing or Spinning of Gold or Silver Thread or Wyer other than such as should bee Incorporated Upon this Petition his Majestie granted this following Reference viz. 2 Aprill 1635. HIs Majestie referreth this Petition to Mr Attourny General To take the same into consideration together with the Earl of Holland's Petition and certifie his opinion R. Freeman This Petition I have readie to bee produced Sr John Bankes Attournie general certifies back to the late King to this effect viz. That hee did not discern any inconvenience that the Gold Wyerdrawers who offer his Majestie upon their voluntary Petition One thousand pounds a year and two pence for everie ounce of Bullion which should bee used by them should bee incorporated for their better government according to their Petition so that they bee tied to some certain Conditions amongst which they were not to work any of the currant heavie Monie of this Nation nor any of the Plate of the Nation for any Manufacture of Gold or Silver Thread or Wyer they were not to use any Silver in their trade but Forrain Bullion and no more than yearlie should bee imported by their means and the Manufacture made according to the Standard or better Hereupon the Refiners Alderman Wolaston and Alderman Gibbs c. seeing themsellves exposed to the Law by the information of some of the Wardens and Company of the Goldsmiths informing against them and Mr Attournie General Banks by Order of the King and Lords prosecuting them in the Starr Chamber for high Crimes and Misdemeanors the Refiners viz. Alderman Wolaston and Alderman Gibbs c. Petition the late King in An. 1635. for his grace and mercy and making their humble Application to the then Attournie general Bankes and Sr J. Cook Secretary of State and to Sr William Beecher and several others whom they paid and gratified with great sums of money to get their pardons I being privy thereunto and desired and requested by them to use all my endeavors to keep Sr John Wolaston off from being indighted upon high Crimes and Offenses which Alderman Wolaston was charged with by Sr Henry Mildemay and some of the Wardens of the Company of Goldsmiths which I did by Secretary Cookes power and I did assist them to get their Pardons and spent my money and used all my endeavors and interest freely And at the earnest entreatie of Alderman Gibbs who with many tears besought mee to do it for Gods sake I having a little before made my peace and paid to the King two thousand Pounds for my pardon for Transporting Gold and Silver and by that means being intimately acquainted with Sr John Cook then Principal Secretary of State and Mr Attourney General Bankes and Sr William Beecher Clark of the Counsel I could and did get for Alderman Wolaston and Alderman Gibbs great favour of them I managed their business so amongst them that the edg of Justice was blunted and Sr Henry Mildemay's Commission revoked and all his endeavors to undoe Alderman Wolaston and Alderman Gibbs I disappointed by the power of the aforesaid persons And I am confident they paid them well for it for in those times there was nothing done by Courtâ—ers for Cittizens without money and I am sure I in my particular found it so But I never would accept or take of Alderman Wolaston or Alderman Gibbs for my expenses and pains one farthing though they often times then offered mee their pretended great acknowledgments And this I do say is true as I shall answer before God I did it freely upon the account of Frendship I bare unto Alderman Gibbs And how well and justly Alderman Gibbs and Alderman Wolaston requited mee for getting them their Pardons of the King in 1636. the Common Counsel of London and many honorable members of Parlament know and heard at a common Hall in January 1643. when Alderman Wolaston beeing Lord Major and Alderman Gibbs were the chief Informers against mee in Guild Hall and incensed many honorable members of Parlament and the body of the Citie of London against mee as a malignant and vicious person And this Alderman Gibbs did by along winded Speech openly at Guild Hall And som few daies before they abused and villified mee before a Committee of Parlament at Goldsmiths Hall and procured mee to bee sent to the Tower through their unjust Information But God in his good time will finde their iniquity out for since it hath been proved what Alderman Wolaston hath been to the Government and that makes him uncapable to bear Office in the Commonwealth How God will dispose of Alderman Gibbs this Parlament that time will present And what Service I have don to this Nation I most humbly leav it to the considerations of all true English men I saved the Nation at one time three hundreed Thousand Pounds in the year 1652. A summ of money more then all the Goldsmiths and Refiners are worth put them all together And in doing that service I most humbly say I clearly shewed my Dutie and Affection to this Nation and shewed I was no Malignant When Alderman Wolaston and Alderman Gibbs do so much for this Nation I shall take them to bee better men then now I do After many dayes Attendance of Alderman Wolaston and Alderman Gibbs at the Counsel-table and at the Attourny General Sr John Banke's Chamber Upon condition that Alderman Wolaston and Alderman Gibbs Their Pardon 's under the Great Seal of Enland will shew the offences they were guilty of for men need not take a Pardon if they be not guilty and faulty I refer my self to the paticulars in their Pardons what offenses
misprisions found in the other courts places officers and ministers aforesaid and in all the other Articles and points above named and every one of them And also all other defaults misprisions excesses falcities deceipts extorsions oppressions damages greviances don in prejudice damage and distresse of him and of his crown and the Estate of his realm in generall or speciall above not specified nor expressed to amend correct repair redress reform and put in due and good estate and establishment And also to hear and receiv all manner of complaints and quarrels of all his leiges which will sue and complain them aswell for our soveraigne Lord the King as for themselvs before the said Counsellors officers of all maner of duresses oppressions injuries wrongs misprisions which may not be well amended nor determined by the cours of the common law of the land before used and thereof to make good and due remedy and recovery aswell for our said soveraign Lord the King as for his said Leige people and all the things aforesaid and every of them fully to discusse and finally to determine and thereof to make full execution according as to them best shall seem for the honor and profit of our said soveraigne Lord the King and of his estate and reintegration of the rights and profits of his said crown and better governance of the peace and laws of his Land and relief of his said people Willing also that if diversitie and variance of opinion rise or happen between the said counsellors and officers that the Indgement or opinion of the greater partie have force and hold place as in the said letters patents is fully contained Whereuppon our said soveraign Lord the King willing that the corrections and redresses of the defaults and misprisions aforesaid may bee for the profit of him and his said Realm in the form aforesaid put in due execution without being broken or disturbed by any of the assent of the Lords and Comons of his said Realm in this present parlament hath ordayned and established that every one of his said Leiges greater or less of whatsoever estate or Condition that he be shall bee atendant and obedient in how much that toucheth the Articles aforesaid and every dependancie thereon to the said counsellors and officers in the form aforesaid And that every person that shall bee judged before them and convicte of any the defaults or misprissions aforesaid shall take and receiv without debate making such correction as shall bee judged to them by the said counsellors and officers in the form aforesaid And that no person of what estate or condition that hee bee grater or less shall give to the King privily or apertly counsell exhortation or motion whereby the King should repeal their power withing the time aforesaid in any point nor doe any thing contrary of his said grant or of any the said articles And if any person of what estate or condition that hee be doe against the Ordinance and Establishment aforesaid or procure or doe any thing in any manner whereby the said Counsellors bee disturbed in any point upon the exercise of the said power Or which exciteth or procureth our said soveraign Lord the King to do or comand anie maner of thing whereby the power of the said Counsellors and Officers or the execution of their said Iudgments awards to bee made in the same bee in any point aforesaid defeated and that duly proved by good and true witnesses which be notoriously holden of good fame and condition not suspected convenably examined before the King and the counsellors and officers aforesaid any of the Iustices of the one Bench or other taken to them or other discreet and Learned in the Law such as pleas the said Councellors and officers shall have such pennance that is to say at the first tyme hee shall bee so convicted hee shall forfeit all his goods and chattles to the king and nevertheless hee shall bee imprisoned at the king's will and if any person bee duly attainted in the form aforesaid of councel excitation or motion given to the King or of doing the contrary of his said grant as aforesaid albeit the king do nothing by such councell excitation or motion yet he shall have such pennance as afore And if it happen which god defend that hee so bear him afterward that he bee another time attainted as afore of any the said defaults or misprisions then the same person so convicted or attainted shall have at the sâ—cond time the penance of life and of member saveing alwaies the dignity pontiffical and priviledges of holy Church Clerical in all the things aforesaid And that this Satute hold force effect during the said Comission only and therefore wee Command thee that thou do the said Statute openly to bee cryed and published in Citties Burroughs Towns and fairs markets other notable places within the Baily-wick within franchises and with out according to the tenor and form of the same Dated c. The Statute of 6 Hen. 4. Chap. 3. Made against the frauds of escheators alnagers customers and other acountants that defraude the King ordains comissions to bee directed to the most lawfull and discreet persons in every County to enquire into all frauds of accountants who have deceitfully concealed the Kings dues in case they shall bee attainted they shall forfeit treble damages and their bodies to prison c. May it please your Highness PEradventure some upon the sight of this Act may alledg this Statute was made in the Reign of a weak and unfortunate Prince to restrain the disorders of his Hous and to bring to Justice evil Counsellers and will say God bee thanked wee have a wise and victorious Protector and a provident and frugal Counsel and provident Officers and Ministers under them I grant this a truth and I thank God for it But this I humbly say Amongst the exactest model that ever was upon earth which was Christ and his Disciples there was a Judas amongst the twelv May it pleas your Highness upon examination of some of the Transactions of the long Parlament concerning money matters some particular members with some of their Committees and many of their Agents and many great persons imploied in the Common-wealth at this very day there will appear to your Highness above one Judas in twelv taking in all that were members of Parlament with their Committees and Agents some of them being in great places of Trust at this day Many of them being provident Theevs getting from the bottom of baseness and beggerie by fraud dissimulation and cozenage in every Countie Citie and Corner of the Nation vast and great possessions both in money lands and goods Many of these men being near of kin and condition to the Unjust Steward in the Gospel who when his Lord called him to accompt becaus hee could not dig nor delve joins with his Lords Debtors to cozen his Lord and Master and this is the true stare
they were pardoned of might have their Pardons under the Great Seal of England for what offenses and abuses in their Trades they had done contrary to the Laws of this Nation and Mr Attournie Generall by order of the King and Counsel to stop his Proceedings against them and the rest of the Refiners both in the Exchequer and Starr-Chamber The Refiners Alderman Wolastone and Alder. Gibbs thereupon offer to pay his Majestie six pence the ounce for all Wyer that should bee disgrossed and spent in that Munufacture And they drew in six other Refiners to bee their fellow Partners and Monopolists and to pay the Rent of a fair hous above one hundred and twenty Pounds a year to pay Clarks wages and other incident charges And this Office they did execute several moneths in the year 1635. before the King would give Alderman Wolaston and Alderman Gibbs their pardons for their offenses And much adoe then they had to get their Pardons for when their pardons were at the Signet Office Sr Henry Mildemay got the King to stop their pardons And this Sr John Cook the Secretary of State told me That Sr Henry Mildemay had presented to the late king how grosly both Alderman Gibbs and Alderman Wolaston had abused the Commonwealth contrary to the Law and how they had surprised the King in getting their Pardons and that they deserved to bee made exemplar I am sure according to the usuall way of the Court Alderman Wolaston and Alderman Gibbs could not remove such obstructions but with great summs though the particular summs I never knew And I was desired by Mr Secretry Cook at Oatlands on Sunday after Diner to go presently to London to Alderman Gibbs and Alderman Wolaston which accordingly I did to let them know from him their Pardons were stopped by the King and that they should attend him about it which accordingly Alderman Gibbs and Alderman Wolaston the next morning did I was well acquainted for I had paid for it what the meaning of such a message was to bee sent by me to Alderman Gibbs and Alderman Wolaston And I did believ that they had not come up to a full price nor paid so much as was expected and I knew that was the main stop of their Pardons Upon this Offer of the Refiners to pay the King six pence the ounce beeing asmuch again as the Gold-wyer-drawers had offered by their Petition the Gold-wyer-drawers were laid aside with their Petition and Propositions by the late King and his Counsel as inconsiderable persons And the Refiners Alderman Gibbs and Alderman Wollaston by their craft getting to bee great with the Attorney General Bankes Secretary Cook Sir William Beecher and other Courtiers got to bee the onely men to carry on this Project for being the Kings Agents to furnish One hundred thousand pounds a year for this manufacture And the late King to gratifie the Refiners who had bid him so roundly granted Alderman Wollaston and Alderman Gibbs their pardons under the great Seal of England the rest of the Refiners being then but young men were esteemed as rascal Deer they had not wool on their Backs nor had committed sins enough for to have their pardons under the great Seal of England and so got dismissed by Order of the Lords of the Counsel in the Court of Starr-Chamber And the King appoints the Refiners viz. Alderman Wollaston Alderman Gibbs Henry Patrickson Daniel Stalworthy William Haward Richard Gibbs Thomas Nowel and Walter Hill under the great Seal of England to bee called by the name of his Majesties Agents for the refining of One hundred thousand pounds Gold and Silver a year for this Business And they had not a bare title onely of that name for the late King allowed them to share with him and to tax the People in their prizes to sell their gilt silver Wyer two pence upon every ounce and the silver Wyer one penny upon every ounce more then divers Goldsmiths of London offered to sell the Wyer-drawers And this was offered several times by Captain Williams the late Kings Goldsmith a man of a great and vast Estate Mr Footer Mr Symonds and divers other able rich men And good securitie offered to the late Kings Commissioners and at the Counsel Table at Whitehall for the performing of Covenants But this would not bee granted by the late King or his Counsel And this gave the great Offence in Parlament 16â—0 it being found by the Parlament upon Examination that so great and numerous a company as the Company of Goldsmiths and Gold-wyer-drawers are should bee debarred so great a branch in their Trade as this is For it will be justified and credibly demonstrated to your Highness and the Parlament that these aforesaid eight Refiners whereof Alderman Gibbs and Alderman Wollaston had one half of the Trade and stock as appears by the Monopolie got more for their own particular profit by monopolizing to themselves the sale of all Gold and Silver Wyer for this Manufacture being one hundred thousand pounds a year then all the Goldsmiths in London which are many hundred families did get at that time by selling all the new Plate in London And I am confident all knowing Goldsmiths will calculate it so which was and is the principal part of the Goldsmiths Trade The Duty reserved to the King in lieu of his Customs was nothing so odious to the Wyer-drawers in comparison as the Refiners Monopoly was The Wyer-drawers constantly affirmed to the King and his Counsel and to the Kings Commissioners that the Refiners Monopoly was contrary to Law and upon a dispute at the Counsell Table the King called the Refiners Alderman Gibbs and Alderman Wollaston his Sheep and the Wyerdrawers he called his Goats but in the conclusion both these Refining Aldermen proved the Kings Majesties Sheep biters And the late King pressed the Wyer-drawers at his Counsell Table to conform themselvs to the Regulation but some of the Wyer-drawers told the said King They would submit to the Law but not to the Refiners Monopoly and that it was against the Law that Freemen of the City of London should bee restrained a Free Market to enrich private men and to make them Aldermen Besides the Gold-wyer-drawers were compelled upon great penalties as appears by their Bonds to buy no Silver wyer for their manufacture but of the said Alderman Wallaston Alderman Gibbs and the other six Patâ—ntees joined with them and oftentimes the Refiners Gibbs and Wollaston pressed the Commissioners to cause searches and complaining they were at great charges paying Clerks wages and Hous-rent and therefore desired searches and seisures of such Wyer-drawers silver which did not buy of them And they forced all persons to pay them two pence the ounce for all gilt wyer and a penny the ounce for all silver wyer more then they ought or needed to have done had the Wyer-drawers been permitted to have had a free market And the Goldwyerdrawers paid this for divers years together as is
and furious carreer of Alderman Gibbs and Alderman Wollaston while they were the Kings Agents in the Kings time but to save their skins when the times altered they could presently change their notes put on sheep-skins and would appear as Lambs they would be full of godlie expressions in Guild-hall Goldsmiths-hall and many other places in the City and bee highly for the Covenant and amongst their Brethren storm at the oppression of the Times and at Projectors and Monopolizers when there was none greater then themselvs as appears by this Monopoly They have said at a common Hall in Guild-hall when I was sent to the Tower that I was the Monopolist and Pattentee for this Manufacture when truly I neither had heart or hand in it nor any manner of waâ—â—s concerned in the buying or selling the silver Wyer for this Manufacture If I would I could not for the aforesaid Indâ—â—ture between the King Gibbs and Wollaston sets forth that onely eight Refiners were the Pattentees and none others enjoy notwithstanding the Statute made in the fourth year of Hen. 7th cap. 2. and notwithstanding the Statute made in the 5th and 6th years of Edw. 6th cap. 19. intituled The Penaltie for Exchange of Gold and Silver And notwithstanding the Statute of 18 Eliz. cap. 15. or any other Act Statute Law Ordinance Proclamation Provision or restriction whatsoever to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding And his Majestie for Him and his Heirs and Successors did will ordain and declare that during the continuance of this his Grant his Majestie his Heirs and Successors will not give or grant any libertie licence or power or authoritie to any person whatsoëver other then unto such as have already served or shall hereafter serve as Apprentices wholly and only to the Art of Refining and parting Gold and Silver by the space of seven years as the said John Wollaston William Gibbs and other the parties before named have done to bee made expended and imploied in or about the making gold or silver thread or any the several Manufactures herein before mentioned And the afore-said persons every one for himself did covenant and promise to and with his Majestie his Heirs and Successors that from time to time during the terme granted to perform their best endeavors in and by all lawfull waies and means for the promoting and advancing of his Majesties benefit and service in the premisses And his Majestie for him his Heirs and Successors during the term thereby granted did Covenant to vouchsafe his and their assistance to the said Agents and the Survivors of them for the better performance and discharging of the said Agencie and all other the premisses so by them undertaken according to the tenor and true meaning of the said Grant In witness whereof to the one part of this Indenture remaining with the said Agents Our Sovereign Lord the King hath caused the Great Seal of England to be put And the other part remaining with his said Majestie the said John Wollaston William Gibbs Henry Patrickson Daniel Stallworthy William Haward Richard Gibbs Thomas Nowell and Walter Hâ—ll have set their hands and Seals the day and year first above written Anno Dom. 1636. Witness Our Self at Westminster the 7th daie of May in the twelfth year of our Reign I have the Copie of this Monopoly of the Refiners verbatim at large sworn and attested ready to bee produced if required May it pleas your Highness THese are the chief Heads of the Monopolie granted by the late King Charles 1636. to Sir John Wollaston Alderman and Alderman William Gibbs and others Refiners of the City of London This monopolie was complained of to the late King and his Counsel by some of the Wardens and Companie of the Goldsmiths in Anno 1636. and since oftentimes to the late King and his Commissioners both by several Goldsmiths and Wyerdrawers as being a great loss and abuse to the whole Company of Goldsmiths in Annis 1637 1638 and 1639 and is against the Statute of 21. Jac. cap. 3. and several other Acts of Parlament and against the Common Law of the Land and the Charter of the City of London By this monopoly they ingrossing into a few particular mens hands for their private lucre and gain under the specious pretence of the Kings service which was the ordinary mask used by Pattentees and Monopolists of that time the lively-hood and subsistance of many hundred Goldsmiths and Wyerdrawers which by the Charter of the Company of Goldsmiths ought not to have been debarred and by the custom of the City of London were legally impowered to refine Silver and Gold aswell as the said Refiners were And though this was oftentimes offered it was alwaies denied and opposed by the Refiners who had got this monopoly in their Iron clutches and would not let go their hold till their monopolie was put down by the Parlament upon the Petition of the Gold-wyer-drawers as aforesaid I have left with the honorable Committee for Trade in Aug. 1656. several humble Proposals for the just and due regulation of this Trade of Refining and Gold and Silver-wyer-drawing If they bee put in execution the Manufacture will bee again justly and truly made the Coyn and Bullion of the Nation preserved and your Highness Revenue augmented But as the Manufacture of Gold and Silver Thread c. is now made the wearers thereof are many of them cozened and the Coyns and Plate of the Nation melted to the great dammage of the Nation and every day new Cheats are invented to deceive the Wearers by Wheels or Engines Therefore I most humbly pray for either a due Regulation of Gold and Silver Thread and Wyer c. or the making to bee put down in England especially at this time now wee have a Warr with Spain strictly to look that none of the Coyns of the Nation or Plate bee melted down for any of these Manufactures 8. That within these three months in June last Mr Alexander Jackson the Assaie-master of Goldsmiths-hall beeing desired to go to the Excize-Office to make an assay of some Silver that was made into Wyer for this manufacture seized on an Ingott of course Silver about 30l. which was thirteen penny weight worse then the Standard And weekly upon strict examination it will bee found that great quantities of course silver hath been made into these Manufactures This Silver as I am informed belongs to a Refiner and it is both contrary to the Law and a breach of his Oath to prepare any such Silver for any Manufacture I have many Assayes under Mr Jacksons hand the Assay-master of Goldsmiths-hall where four ounces of Copper hath been mixed and put into eight ounces of Silver and sold for good Silver by some Silkmen and Wyer-drawers to the intolerable deceipt of the Wearers of gold and silver Lace And whereas all persons should make gold and silver Thread to hold six ounces Silver to three ounces of Silk it hath been ordinary and at this day
and not that which is brushed and the winde blows away and that is best cheap that yields most to the melting-pot when it comes to bee burned and that is our Hand-work for the Wheel-work the Silver is almost all blown away 7. The wheel-Spinners cannot make any Needle work which is the chiefest and richest work and all Imbroiderie is made by the hand-Spinners work and Fringe-makers must work with hand-Spinners work if they will work good and what work is made by the wheels generally is sleight cheating stuff 8. The late King put down the wheels and caused them to bee broken in pieces that wee poor Women might have a livelyhood beeing in and about this City many thousands that live on the Manufacture of gold and silver Thread the greatest of the number of these wheels have been set up since there was no regulation in the Trade and that every one might work what hee list since the Office Mr Violet had for seeing this Manufacture made good was put down By which means the Manufacture is grown out of Esteem and without your Honors take some strict course the Deceipts will daily encrease 9. And if there bee not a sworn Officer to do Justice some of the Wyer-drawers will force some poor hand-Spinners to make sleight silver Thread which their necessity will compell them to do to keep them from famishing and the work so made is fitter to burn then for any other use 10. Whereas the wheel men say They were bound Apprentices to the Trade of Spinning gold and silver Thread wee deny that any was bound to the Trade 11. If the Wyerdrawers would deal truly with your Honors they could tell you it is their great gain they make by the cheating wheel-work more then by our labor which work good work that makes them so stickle for their wheels Wee do humbly desire that some of the prime Taylors and Silkmen and Goldsmiths may bee warned to attend your Honours the Goldsmith will satisfie you what a sleight return the Silver wheel-work makes to the melting pot being almost all wasted and blown away with the winde The Taylor will tell you they are almost ashamed to sow it on And the honest Silkman could wish all sleight wheel-work were put down but that they must bee forced to sell such as their Neighbours do or else lose their Custom The Silver Thread is worse made now and sleighter then ever it was many sorts of Silver Thread having not half the proportion of Silver it ought to have and as it had when Tho. Violet had the Regulation THere was several persons desired the Counsel of Trade that Thomas Violet who was formerly imploied in the Regulation of this Manufacture and knoweth the way of discovering all the Frauds in this manufacture may have the Place of surveying and searching for all course and adulterate Silver in thread and wyer and to seal all good Gold and Silver-thread The said Thomas Violet from time to time to search with the Wardens and Assistants of the Companie of Goldwyerdrawers or by himself and his Officers for all course Silver that is wrought in this Manufacture to the deceipt of the Nation And that the said Thomas Violet may have such allowance for the executing of the said Office as may enable him to defray the necessary charges for the strict search and due regulation of this manufacture for it cannot bee well done without a great deal of charges If your Honors trust the management of this Manufacture only to the Wyerdrawers without naming and appointing a sworn Surveyer Sealer of this Manufacture one who is no Trader in these Commodities the Business to bee carried on singly by the Wyer-drawers will never do your work to have a just Reformation For everie Master-wyer-drawer will winck one at another and they will by that means under colour of Reformation cozen the Nation by a Law as was done in the dying of Silk when the Silkmen had the Regulation all such persons the Company envied were found out and punished in the mean time the Governers Masters and Assistants they cheated and cozened the Nation more then ever it was before and no man durst say Black was their Eye The like Abuses and greater will bee practised if the management of the manufacture of Gold and Silver wyer bee wholly left to the Refiners and Wyerdrawers without a third person which is no Trader either Refiner or Wyerdrawer and therefore not interessed by benefit to bee corrupted by making the manufacture sleight or deceiptfull And this wee can say If there bee any Refiner or Wyerdrawer angrie with Mr Violet it is because he would not suffer them to cozen the Common-wealth but cut and defaced all sleight Gold and Silver thread And hee tied all the workmen to make good and just Gold and Silver thread such as was justly covered with a due proportion of Silver to a due proportion of Silk that would last twice as long to the wearer as the sleight wheel-work For whereas Thomas Violet by himself and his Officers caused the Gold-wyer-drawers to work all their Silver thread from 1635 to 1640. six ounces Silver at the least to three ounces of Silk to all Needle work and five ounces Silver to three ounces of Silk for the sleightest silver Thread and any silver Thread that was under this size and proportion of Silver and Silk the said Thomas Violet was authorized to burn it or deface it which many times when hee found it hee did deface it And this made some of the Wyer-drawers angrie with him whereas it was their own faults to work sleight silver and to come within his danger Thomas Violet did but his duty to deface their course and sleight silver Thread But this wee can affirm during the time Tho. Violet had the Office hee caused all the Silver Thread to bee made of good Silver and there was never for the generalitie so good Silver Thread made for the use of the Nation before Mr Violet's Regulation or since as was during all the time hee had the Regulation by his Office If Tho. Violet were impowered to make his Searches at this day as hee did formerly hee would no doubt finde manie Thousand Pounds of cours Silver Thread in London and Silver Thread which is as bad as cours Silver wee pray your Honors to mark what wee say whereas by a just Regulation six ounces of silver and three ounces of true died silk is the tâ—ue proportion for the just making of silver thread There is now since all this Manufacture is run into disorder and made without a Rule Gold and Silver spun upon heavie died silk and ordinarily Gold and Silver thread made three ounces Silver to six ounces Silk and Four Ounces Silver to Five Ounces Silk And this Silver so unjustly wrought and spun to the deceipt of the Wearers is made and mixed in their Silver Laces and other manufactures and sold to the Wearers by the ounce for good Silver