most excellent Waies and Rules were setled in the Court of Exchequer in all Kings Reigns by the great care of many Ages And the Sages of the Law know there was not a more exact method in the world then the Court of Exchequer was for the just accompting and paying the Kings Dues I have heard my Lord Cottington say in the Exchequer Chamber That no Prince in Christendom had the like exact way as the King of England had by the course of the Exchequer if the Rules set down by the Court bee by the under-Officers duely executed so that whatsoever summ comes in there bee it a million of money must bee duely paid and accompted for or else hee could finde it upon the foot of the accompt if ever it came in charge into the Pipe And if the course of the Exchequer had not been disturbed and the payments of the publick money thrust out of the old Channel it had been impossible to have had so many Treasurers cozen the Common-wealth so grosly and shamefully as they have done And in order and pursuance of calling all Accomptants to a just true and strickt Accompt your Supplicant most humbly presents these ensuing Proposals to your Highness and the Parlaments view and consideration and humbly prayeth that the same may bee put in strickt execution with such alterations and additions as your Highness and the Parlament shall conceive fittest for the good of the Nation in general to ease the people of their Taxes For God defend that the generalitie of the people should contribute their monies and pay it to Treasurers that shall make themselves great and their private posterities after them out of what they have cozened and defrauded the Common-wealth of Therefore I humbly petition your Highness and the Parlament 1. THat an Act of Parlament may bee made and a Proclamation thereupon go forth commanding and requiring all Committee-men Sequestrators Trustees for sale of Delinquents Estates Commissioners of Excize Commissioners of the Customs Treasurers of the publick Plate and all other Treasurers Receivers Collectors and all other Accomptants and persons whatsoever that have been imploied to collect and receiv and have collected and received any the publick monies goods chattels plate c or other things of value throughout England and Wales ever since the beginning of the year 1642. shall within three moneths next after the date of the said Act and Proclamation make up and deliver according to the Laws and Statutes of this Nation made for Accomptants and Accompts into the Exchequer or other place your Highness shall appoint their several just and true Accompts of what Monies Goods Chattels Plate c. or other thing of value they or any for them have received And how and by what warrant they have paid and delivered out the same The same Accompt to bee delivered in upon the particular oath of every such person Accomptant that the same is a just and true Accompt And upon every particular accompt so made to pay in the money remaining in his hands upon his said Accompt if any there bee into the Exchequer or other person and place your Highness shall appoint to receiv the same And upon failer of bringing in their several and particular Accompts according to the said Act and Proclamation that then all such monies goods chattels and other things of value which shall bee found and proved upon Inquisition they have received for the Common-wealth whereof they have not accompted for shall bee levyed and taken upon their estates and their persons imprisoned untill they have justly and truly accompted And if any person or Accomptant aforesaid shall bee dead then the Heir and Executor or Administrator of such person so dying or being dead shall duely accompt for the partie so dying or being dead according to the Laws and Statutes of this Nation 2. That an Act of Parlament may bee made and sent throughout England and Wales to require and impower four of the next Justices of the Peace or such other Commissioners your Highness shall appoint to call a Jury in every Parish of substantial Free-holders or other discreet honest men either of the same Parish or Parishes next adjacent and to call to their assistance all other discreet persons that can and will give them true information concerning any of the premisses in charge And the said Jury so impannelled to make true Inquisition of all such neighbours and persons aforesaid of these particular things following viz. 3 That the Jurie bee impowered to enquire and present all persons men and women and their degree and qualitie that have been sequestred in each respective parish within every County of this Nation and the dayes of the moneth and year when this was done Also they are to enquire and present what stock of Cattel Money Plate houshold stuff c. or other things of value they had taken from them and to set down the particular values thereof Also to set down the values of the Houses Lands and Tenements Woods c. sequestred and into whose hands the same came And to set down the parcels and values distinctly and the several time and times when this was done and by whose order warrants and directions and who received the monies 4. They are to enquire and present in every Parish what Committee-men and Sequestrators and Treasurers are in every Parish their distinct names and qualities who of them are dead and who bee their Heirs and Executors or Administrators And if any Sequestrator Treasurer or Committee-man bee removed out of their ancient abiding places since 1642. to set down to the best of their knowledg or information they can get where every such Sequestrator Committeeman and Treasurer doth live in what Countie and place within this Nation or elswhere 5. They are to enquire in what Places of the Countie the Committee for Sequestrations did usually sit and to certifie the same And that diligent search bee made for all Books of Orders of everie particular Committee That in every Parish twelv able and discreet persons upon oath shall make strict inquisition who received all Rents and Profits of all Lands and Houses of Delinquents in the said Parish and how long every Delinquents lands were under Sequestration before they were compounded for or sold and to present all persons that shall bee proved to have the publick money in their hands and what quantity And this all Juries in every Parish shall swear to do without favor or affection and that some considerable penaltie may bee inflicted on such Juries or the Parties offending amongst them that shall wilfully perjure themselvs in wilfull making false Returns and in wilfull concealing any frauds to the prejudice of the Common-wealth through their connivance or willfulness when the Evidence for the State hath by good and legal witnesses sworn the fact positively and clearly and yet the Jury will not make their Returns according to their Evidence to set a penalty upon all Offenders of this
Your loial Subject did present unto Your Highness's said Commissioners at Worcester-hous about the last day of May the names of several persons who had been entrusted and employed as Accomptants and Treasurers to receiv and finger the publick Monies Lands and Marchandise Very many of these persons have made the Commonwealth's Money Lands Goods and Merchandise which they were entrusted with so like their own that to this day it stick 's in these men's hands and is in their private possession to the great dammage of the Nation And many of them upon examination will bee found to have at this time vast summs of money in their hands and possessions amongst them all to the value of many hundred thousand pounds Likewise your loial Subject hath most humbly presented your Highness how strict Queen Elizabeth was to have all her Receivers called to a just accompt never sparing her great Officers and Favorites by which means shee lived and died rich never finding want in her Exchequer nor her Chests without Treasure Your faithfull Subject finde's now upon his Inquiry many of these Gentlemen that were Treasurers and Accomptants to wonder and make it strange that ever they should live to see the day that any persons should call them in question upon their accompts and that a just and true accompt should bee ever expected by the State from all persons that have received and possessed themselvs of the publick Moneys Lands and Merchandise c. May it pleas your Highness your humble Suppliant saie's That that opinion of these Gentlemen for to have a perpetual Indempnity and to escape scot-free as hee most humbly conceiv's is not grounded upon any just or true reason for there bee hundreds of Orders Ordinances and Acts to enable them and thousands of people now living to bee Collectors of Subsidies Committee-men Treasurers Excise-men Commissioners of the Customs Trustees for the sale of the King Queen and Prince's Lands Bishop's Deans and Chapters and other Delinquents Lands Receivers Sequestrators and Collectors of the monthly Taxes Collectors for Charitable Uses and all and every one of these persons by the fundamental Laws of this Nation their bodies lands and estates from the time and hour they became Debters to the Common-wealth their Persons Heirs Executors and Administratorâ— their and every one of their Goods Tenements into whose hands they are sold converted or do com And all other Lands Tenements Goods and Chattels which any other person then had or now have in trust for their use or which at any time ever hereafter shall have power to dispose of are all lyable to the due and true accompting paying and answering your Highness and your Successors the monies lands and goods c. they have received and this is by many Statutes known to be the law of England And many of them before they were admitted to act as Trustees Sequestrators Committee men or Treasurers took an Oath not to act contrary to the several Rules Limitations and Instructions given them by several Acts and Orders of Parlament and Council of Sate as appeareth by the Journal books and printed Acts and Ordinances of Parlament and Council of State likewise many of the abovesaid persons upon strict examination will bee found wilfully perjured which makes the Offenders lyable to fine and ransom for the breach of their Oaths The Lawes now in force to bee duely and truely executed for to have an exact accompt will bring your Highness and the Common-wealth in milions of money there is not any one of the aforesaid persons can shew any Order Ordinance Act of the Council of State or Act of Parlament that when they were made Committee-men or Treasurers to give them or any one of them a privilege or indempnity to cozen and defraud the State or to licence any one of them to pocket up the Wealth and publick Treasure of the Nation which they have fraudulently converted to their own use And when they can shew no such privilege nor so much as a pardon they need not make it strange as many of them do at this day That they should bee forced to give the Common-wealth a just strict and true Accompt or els their Bodies and Estates as also their Heirs Executors Administrators and Assigns to bee lyable till they shall have justly and truly accompted Your Highness's humble subject delivered in Wâ—iting to your Commissioners at Worcester-Hous certain Queries for his better direction to proceed in this service and most humbly desired their judgments thereupon that so hee might know whether his discoveries were within the cognizance of their Commission All which hee humbly presented unto them as being verie materiall both for your Highness and the Commonwealths service and hee told the Commissioners that hee intended to make their judgment thereupon to him to bee his Rule either to proceed or desist in these discoveries to avoid unnecessary expence and trouble to himself and others May it pleas your Highness in June last your Supplicant left with your Highness servant Mr Kelleway the true copie of the Writing hee did deliver to the Commissioners at Worcester-Hous and most humbly besought him to present the same unto your Highness And his most humble petition to your Highness was That you would bee graciously pleased upon your Highness's perusal to signifie your pleasure thereupon to your humble and loyal subject concerning the premisses that so hee might know how to proceed but Mr Kelleway having no covenient opportunitie to get your Highness to peruse the same by reason of your Highness other great and weighty affairs thereupon your Supplicant received back the said writing again from Mr Kelleway and hath now printed the same The true reason wherefore your humble Subject hath forborn to attend the Commissioners at Worcester-hous to receiv their order and direction concerning the premisses is becaus your most humble and loyall subject intends to put in the same Writing into the Parlament and there will humbly wait for your Highness's and the Parlaments gracious Commands and directions therein And the results of that most high and honorable Court upon the premisses what your Highness and your high Court of Parliament in your great and profound wisdomes shall judg fit to bee don for the glory of God and good and eas of the nation concerning all the premisses May it pleas your Highness your loyal Subject hath in som things enlarged himself more then in his writing hee left with your Highness hee hopes it is for the honor of God the benefit of your Highness and the eas of the good people of this nation in generall His daily praiers to God is That the publique Treasure that is in private mens hands may by a gracious Act of this ensuing Parliament bee ordered converted and turned into the right Channel to save the publique Taxes which will bee as a sweet smelling Perfume in the nostrels of the good people of this nation when they shall see those Caterpillers that have not
nature 6. That the Prime Justices of the Peace of every County in England or such other Commissioners your Highness shall appoint may bee authorized by your Highness and the Parlament to meet at the head City or Town of every County and there they or any six of them shall take all the particular presentments of the several parishes and send forth their Warrants to all Committee-men their Clerks Sequestrators Surveyers and others to bring in all the Acts Orders Ordinances Writings c. which impowered them to act as a Committee for the County and impowered them to raise money and sequester Delinquents Estates personal and real and all the Orders Warrants and Proceedings they made as Committee men And to command all Clerks and other persons whatsoever to bring in the said Papers Books and Records which hath been made at any meeting of the Committee without any imbezelment or alteration And the said Commissioners or any six of them to bee impowered to give any Committee-man or their Clerks an Oath to answer to all such Questions concerning any Monies Lands Goods Chattels or other things of value c. as hath come into their custody and to examine them by what Order they paid the same and how much money c. remains in every Committee-mans hands and to return every mans Answer And if any person refuse to deliver the Books and Writings of the Committee or hath imbezled or defaced the same every such person to bee committed to prison without bail or mainprise till his Highness and his Counsels further pleasure bee known 7. The said Justices of peace and Commissioners aforesaid or any six or more of them are to retourn their Certificates of all the frauds abuses failers of Trust c. And what persons they finde upon the particular Presentmens of every Parish that have the Commonwealths monie lands goods chattels c. in their hands where the Justices finde it positively to bee proved to certifie it so where they finde it by circumstances to certifie the same to the best of their skill and knowledg as they will answer their neglect to his Highness and his Counsel 8. The said Justices and Commissioners in every Countie to put up all these Papers Records Writings c. which shall bee Retorned unto them from every Parish severally and safely without any imbezelment in Trunks or Boxes sealed with their seals with their Certificate how they in their Judgments finde the whole Business upon the Presentment of each Parish And a Duplicate of that Presentment to be sent along with the Papers Records and Accounts in general The same to bee sent up to some publique Place that shall bee set down and nominated by your Highness and there to bee safely kept without imbezelment by faithful and trusty sworn persons to bee nominated and appointed for that Service And also several persons of skill and abilitie upon oath to view and audite and inspect into all the said Books and Papers Accompts and Writings concerning the premisses And to give your Highness and your Counsel an accompt upon their oaths concerning the premisses and how they finde each several mans Accompt without fear favor or affection as they will answer it upon peril of their Estates and pain of Imprisonment 9. Where Counties are large the Justices and Commissioners aforesaid to divide themselves into several divisions and to take the several Presentments of Parishes Provided that at the least six Commissioners and Justices bee at the taking up of the Returns of the Certificates of the Parishes and every Parish to keep in their Vestry of their Parish Church safely a perfect Record of the Duplicate attested under the hands often of the ablest Free-holders or others with the Minister and Church-Wardens hands also the day and year they made their Return and the Justices names and place where and to whom they delivered it And this to bee done upon a strict penaltie 10. That whereas there hath been several monethly taxes and voluntary contributions for many years viz. ever since the year 1642. taxed and gathered upon the Counties Cities and Borroughs within England and Wales That diligent Enquiry bee made by the Justices of the peace and Comissioners of each Countie of those that have Assessed the said Monethly Taxes within the Cities Borroughs and Parishes of each respective County And that all the summs of mony received by Order of Parlament or his Highness and the Transactions thereupon for each respective Parish and Countie bee particularly set down the just Summs what was Rated at every one of the Quarter-Sessions or other meetings when they made their Bills and Books of Rates and Assessments and the several Summs they laid upon every Hundred or Parish within every respective County That they present in writing the gross Accompts of every Book of Rates and Assessments since the year 1642 and what Commissioners signed those Books of Rates and who were made Pettie Collectors for each Parish and Hundred for everie respective year and the several Summs rated This to bee don for everie particular Tax which was Rated and who was made the Chief Collectors and Treasurers of each Countie And to set down to what Treasurers at London the Country Treasurers of each Countie paid their Taxes which they levied of each respective Countie or if they paid the monie in the Countrie by Order of the Committee to produce their Original Orders and Warrants and those Warrants and Orders to bee transmitted up to such persons as your Highness shall appoint to bee examined of the legalitie of these Orders And all these Original Assessments made ever since 1642 to bee transmitted up to London to such place or places person or persons as your Highness shall appoint 11. To make strict enquiry what Voluntarie Contributions Summ or Summs of monie Jewels Plate c. have been in each respective Countie City Town Corporate Sea-Ports and elswhere contributed and given towards the maintenance of the late war in defence of the Parlament here in England or for the relief of the Protestants in Ireland and for the Redemption of Slaves at Argier Tunis Tripolis and other places and the Custom Books to bee examined at every Port And who have been by Act of Parlament or Order of any Committee impowered to receive any the abovesaid Premises 12. A convenient reward to bee allowed out of the aforesaid Discoveries made for loss of time charges and pains taken and undergon by any of the persons that shall bee so imployed by the aforesaid Justices of peace in each Countie 13. To appoint sworn Officers and Auditors to Calculate and cast up what hath been levyed since 1642. according to the Returns out of each County in the Nation And what hath been duely and really paid upon true and lawfull Warrants And a select Committee appointed to view and approve of these warrants And upon approbation the Officers to allow it upon every Receivers accompt And if that the Warrants bee not
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
or melted down any of the currant coyns of England or of any Gold or Silver bulloin to have it passed by with a generall Pardon The Committee for the mint taking Especiall notice of the greate mischeifs that have hapned to the Nation by the said abuses when the general pardon was drawing up they made this order to prevent the Offendors escaping their due punishment viz. At Whitehall Jan 24. 1651. Mr Attorney Generall At a Committee of the Counsell of State for the Mint this inclosed exception was presented to the Committee to have it inserted in the Generall pardon The Committee do hold fit for the benefit of the Commonwealth to have this exception inserted in the Pardon and do recommend it to you accordingly viz. Except all offences don and committed by any person whatsoever in transporting out of England any gold or silver in Coyn or Bullion without licence and all other offences in the unlawfull buying selling exchanging and melting down of any the currant silver moneys or Bullion against whom or for which any information is now depending in the Court of Exchequer at Westminster Ordered that Mr Thomas Violet attend Master Attourney General with this order of the Committee and also the Committee of Parlament for drawing the General pardon to have these offences excepted James Harrington Herbert Morley I did attend the Committee of Parlament and Master Attourney General with this abovesaid order and they did insert the exception in the General pardon and so none of these offenders are pardoned the offenders are liable to the Law at this day At the Committee at Whitehall August 16. 1649. Ordered that a Committee bee appointed to take into consideration the business of the Coyn and the Par between us and other Nations and how the coyn of this nation may bee kept from being carried out and likewise to consider of som means Whereby the Mint may bee set on work and they are to speak with any persons they think good about it December 20. 1649. THe Committees names Lord President Bradshaw Sir James Harrington Sir Gilbert Pickering Sir William Constable Mr Scot Mr Bond Collonel Purefoy Collonel Joanes Mr Thomas Challoner Sir Henry Mildemay Collonel Morley Mr Allen Mr Darley Mr Cornelius Holland Mr Nevil or any two of them Sir James Harrington had the Chaire for this Committee hee writes to mee this Letter viz. SIR BEeing informed of your abillity and readiness to make tender of such proposals as may bee for the service of the Common-wealth I thought fit to desire you that I may speak with you to morrow in the afternoon being Tuesday about two a Clock at which time you shall finde mee at my lodgings in the Stone Gallery in Whitehall 12 Jan. 1649. Your loving friend James Harrington For Mr Thomas Violet these And at the desire of Sir James Harrington and Mr Thomas Challoner and others of the Honorable Committee for the Mint I did write to Holland for all the principal Coynes in Christendom and did deliver many of them to the officers of the Mint to make an assay of them which several pieces of forrain gold and silver were assayed in the Presence of the Committee of the Mint they being there at the Tower several dayes to make these Trials where I attended them and I sent into Holland France and Flanders for all their several Placares and did procure the Lawes and Ordinances for regulating their respective mints with the several standards and weighits for their Coyns gold or silver to be translated and thereupon the Commitee of the Mint caused the principall of these forrain Coynes to bee ingraven with their weight and finenes of every piece according to the standard of each mint both gold and silver what it ought to weigh with a just Calculation of the vallue what all the several Species would make in the Tower of London and the penny weight and graines that everie such forrain Specie or Coyn would make in the Tower of London and what proportion our gold and silver held with the mints of Flanders France and Holland and this was exactly calculated by the officers of the Mint and my self in the years 1651 and 1652 and all the proceedings thereupon After many moneths time and the several Coynes graven in Copper Plates were delivered into the custody of Sir James Harrington the chairman of that committee to report them unto the Hous but the Parlament being dissolved 20 April 1653. the Act against the Transporters of Gold and all the Proceedings concerning the regulation of the mint was stopped for that time There had been severall Agitations concerning this Act in the hous manie times in Parlament viz. 18. March 1640. The business of the examination of the transporting Goldand Silver referred to the Committee that was appointed to consider of the state of the Kings Army and Thomas Violet appointed by that order of Parlament to prosecute this business An order of Parlament 1 September 1647. That the Committee of the navie consider of som effectual cours to prevent the Transportatim of Bullion and to report what they have don to the hous The Committee of the Navy 2. September 1647. direct their order to the Commissioners and officers of the Customs and particularly to Mr Edward Watkins then head Searcher and they were all desired to consider of som cours to prevent the Transportation of Bullion out of the nation In October 1647. All the Commissioners with the chief officers of the Custom-house set down several waies for the prevention of the Transporting of Gold and Silver which the Marchants by all secret means do daily Transport The Committee of the Navy by their order of the third of Dec. 1647. directed their order to the officers of the Mint to certifie their opinions what waies courses were to bee taken for preventing the Transporting of Gold Silver out of the nation The officers of the Mint after great consultation and consideration having taken good advice som of them having had long experience viz. Mr. Palmer and Mr Cogan were the fitter to give advice first the officers of the Mint upon their certificate desire that all the Transporters of Gold and Silver and such as have melted down the currant Coyn of the nation may bee brought to justice to Deterr others from acting the like abuses for the future Secondly that according to the president of the statute of 14 Richard 2. Cap. 12. A Commission bee granted to make enquirie through the nation after all such as had conveyed the moneys of England out of the nation and of all such as culd out and melted the heavy currant money 4 Hen. 4. Cap. 10. the sixth of Edward 6. Cap. 19. Touching the exchange of Gold and silver to bee put in execution that whosoever gives more for Gold or Silver then it is or shall bee declared shall make fine at pleasure of the State To conclude they say in their Certificate that the Mint cannot bee imployed
nor the Transporting treasure stopped if som cours were not speedily taken to discover these great abuses and already all the Gold is Transported out of the nation and the Silver followeth apace and this is the Certificate of all the chief officers of the Mint 3. December 1647. About November 1647. The Citizens of London petitioned the Parlament against the Transporters of Gold and Silver shewing the great mischiefs that came to the City thereby The 18 of August 1649. The Counsell of State ordered that a Committee should bee appointed to take into their considerations the business of the Coyn and the Par between this and other Nations and that there bee care taken that the Coyn of this Nation may bee kept from carrying away out of the Nation And to consider of som means how the Mint may bee set on work In pursuance of this last Order the then Counsell of State did give order for the draught of an Act which was drawn by order of the Committee for the Mint And I Thomas Violet was required by the Counsell of State to attend this business And upon severall meetings and debates of severall Honorable members of the then Counsell of State The draught of an act of Parlament against transporters of Gold and Silver was finished and left by order of Parlament in Mr. Augustin Garlands custody and the said Act was twice read in the Hous about the 12 of Aprill 1653. following called for again and apointed to bee finished as apears by the Journals of the Hous But other mighty business did intervene May it pleas Your Highness It was easily to bee discerned that som guilty Marchants who had been guilty of Transporting of Gold had hindered this Act from passing and I know all the Members in that Parlament were not free from transporting gold and silver and that made some of them say as long as they sat within the Parlament wall that Act against transporting gold culling the English coyns or buying of gold and silver contrary to the law should never pass the hous Former Ages have made transporting gold and silver Fellony as appears by severall Statutes And all such as Cull and melt the currant Coyns of the Nation to forfeit treble the value of the monies they have melted or caused to bee melted And by the Statute of 6 Ed. 6. cap. 19. who soever gives more for Gold or Silver then it is or shall bee declared by the Kings Procamation to be currant for within this his Highness Realm that all the said coyned monies gold or silver so exchanged every part and parcel thereof shall be forfit and the parties so offending shall suffer Imprisonment by the space of one year and make fine at the Kings Pleasure I have for these many years pressed for an act of Parlament to bee made according to the Statute of 14. Rich. 2. cap 12. for Comissions to go through the Nation to enquire of such as have conveyed the gold and silver out of England to the prejudice and damage of the Nation 9. Ed. 3. cap. 3. 17. Rich. 2. cap. 1. 2. H. 4. cap. 4. 4. H. 4. cap. 10. 9. H. 5. cap. 1. 2. H. 6. cap. 6. 4. H. 7. cap. 13. 1. H. 8. cap. 13. By all these aforesaid Laws and Statutes your Highness's predecessors endeavored stricktly to looke to the preservation of the Coyns of the Nation May it please your Highness THere was about twenty milions of gold and silver coyned in the Tower from the year 1622. to 1645 as will â—ppear by the Mynt books upon a calculation which The Clerkes can quickly finde out to a penny and all this gold is already transported the currant silver coyns all culled and the heaviest transported or melted to make gold and silver lace and that monies which remains is clipped and light And these mischiefs have been acted by perticuler persons and will every day increas without some speedy and timely remedy bee had to find out the Offendors The currant Silver coyns of the Nation have been greatly spent in making the manufacture of gold and silver wyer thread c. formerly in the years from 1624 to 1630. There beeing then a war with Spain Starling silver was sold by the Goldsmiths for five shilling and three pence and five shilling and four pence the ounce Now the money in the Tower is coyned at five and a pence So that all but the clipped and verie light mony was melted down to make plate and gold and Silver wyer and thread And this was known to bee the generall practice of almost all the Goldsmiths and Refiners in London I most humbly say There is never an honest Goldsmith in London that will have the face to deny this to bee a trueth Silver was then so scarce that in payment of a thousand pounds you should receiv nine hundred pounds in gold and then in 1629. men were troubled to get silver monie for gold Silver was so scarce The East India company bought up in those years Spanish monie and dollers and gave four shilling 10 pence a peice for them which is five pence in a peice of Eight more then they will make in the Mint Now your Highnes hath a warr with Spain the fountain of Silver is diverted for the present so that silver riseth and so consequently the Goldsmith weighs and culls all the Silver that passeth through his hands And as the market riseth so doth the Goldsmith lighten his plummet or weight hee culls the Mony of the Nation with till at last they will cull and melt it all up Som Goldsmiths in Lumbert street contrary to the law have bought and sold Milions of Gold till now at last they have bought sould all the Gold out of the Nation and the currant Silver coyn of this Nation is following after a great pace and will stil follow except a strict Law bee made to discover the offendors and bring them to severe justice to deterr others there will be no mony left in the Nation neither gold nor silver The sad effects of such a mischeif is not suddenly apprehended for no great action can be don without monie And the long Parlament though they could not then agree for the passing of an act against the Transporters of Gold and Silver yet they excepted all such as transported Gold or Silver or culled or melted the currant coyns or bought or sold gold and silver contrary to the Laws and statutes of the Nation from the generall Pardon A Commission to enquire and find out the offendors directed to skillfull discreet persons and authorized by act of Parlament according to former presidents will bring in good store of monies towards the payments of publique debts May it pleas your Highness for the Regulating of Gold and Silver thread If the Refiners and wyer drawers bee not tyed to refine all the silver for their manufactures in one place and not to melt any silver but what shall bee Imported from beyond the Seas or shall proceed from burnt silver Returns of their Manufacture and this to bee duely and strictly enjoyned them and that culling and melting of the currant Silver monie of the Nation for these manufactures Bee for the future made Fellonie and strickt Rules and ordinances to provent all the frauds formerly practised both by the Refiners and wyer-drawers which offences are by me most humbly presented to your highness the Parlament for a redress and reformation If there bee not such officers and Ministers appointed as aforesaid This manufacture will never bee regulated nor the frauds prevented I do also implore your Highness Grace and Justice for the Restoring mee to my place which I had and to have such sees as formerly I Received and I to warrant the Manufacture to bee justly made to the nation or pay the damage to any that are damnified by any gold or silver thread sealed in my Office And that your Highness and the Parlament will bee graciously pleased out of your Benignity favorabily to accept of these your loyall subjects Endeavours to do your Highness and the common wealth most humble and faithfull service which shall for ever oblige mee dayly to proceed and for ever to Remain your humblest Loyall Subject September 29 1656. Thomas Violet