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A51193
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The Distressed oppressed condition of the inhabitants of South-Wales for many years last past, briefly and impartially stated 1. in reference to their spiritual concernments, 2. in relation to their civil rights and freedomes : with several proposals tending to the discovery of above 150000Ł unaccompted for the Common-wealth ...
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G. M.
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1655
(1655)
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Wing M25; ESTC R26165
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4,908
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10
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himself and his associates to accompt 2. Though the Welsh Judges who were also placed with his consent if not appointment and some other Gentlemen of quality were named in this Ordinance to give it the greater Countenance yet not any of them were called in to the taking of this grand accompt nor was it probable in their Circuits they should have leisure to attend the same 3. This accompt was taken at one time at Swanzey by four or five persons that were either subject to an accompt as Farmers of and Agents concerning Sequestred Estates or of near relation and subordination to the said Colonel and very unlike to procure his displeasure by a true examination of those accompts 4. This accompt was also taken on the bare Credit of the accomptants without any surcharge or examination of witnesses and in one day which being effectually done would require some moneths Obj. If it be objected this ordinance was confirmed by Parliament and their discharges barr a reexamination Ans. Nullum tempus occurrit regi And this Parliament may review the frauds falsities and deceipts in the passing of those accompts if it shall so appear unto them And the rather for that in the last Parliament none sat as Members for such parts but such as were accomptants or Elected by the recommendation approbation or interest of the accomptants The 29th of August 1654. those Commissioners named for South-Wales in the Ordinance then passed by his Highness and Councel for Ejecting of Scandalous Ministers and School-masters were also named by Philip Lord Jones whereof seventeen are those formerly instrusted with the disposing of the Tithes and Church-revenue By colour whereof they and their former Agents continued the letting and disposing of the said revenue to this day being full nine years since they were first instrusted therewith which for that time is conceived to amount to above 150000 l. And to this time the respective Parishes mustlye unsupplied with Ministers and School-masters many of the Shire Towns and many Market Towns having no Ministers settled to preach the Gospel amongst them As to the Estates of Papists and Delinq in South-Wales That for the time the same was managed by the Committees there hath been no true accompt yet given the Commonwealth for the same amounting to a great value those very estates of Delinquents in armes sold by Act of Parliament being surveyed and retorned on oath to be anually worth 3654 l. 11 s. 3 d. ob q. And the improvement thereof to 895 l. 13 s. 1 d. which during the war and until the same was sold lay under Sequestration That Complaint to the Commissioners at Haberdashers-Hall being made against Colonel Jones and the Sub-Commissioners for Sequestration in South-Wales of his recommendation that no due accompt was given the Common-wealth of this revenue The Commissioners amoved those they formerly Commissionated there yet nevertheless afterwards gave way for Colonel Jones to name new Commissoners and put out three sub-Commissioners for Breconshire that in a short time whilest they acted had doubly advanced the revenue there And to this day there is no true accompt given the Commonwealth of this revenue which as is conceived wil amount to a vast Summe of money if duly inquired into Forasmuch as these matters were transacted in seven Counties consisting of seven hundred Parishes very remote and it is impossible that a true and exact accompt can be had of all these revenues without the Ministers and three or four of the most knowing Freeholders in every Parish be examined on oath touching the same which a Committee of Parliament cannot have leisure to attend nor the people brought hither without Excessive charge and trouble In order to the taking of all these Accompts it is therefore humbly proposed 1. That none of the Commissioners of Propagation or their near friends and relations that are now members of Parliament may fit in any Committee to vote or judge of their own accompts or concernments or to obstruct the effectual carrying on of this work 2. That a convenient number of discreet able Persons of no relation or dependance on the said accomptants may be appointed Commissioners for South-Wales and County of Monmouth by Act of Parliament or by Commission under the great Seal of England or his Highness Court of Exchequer with sufficient power To send for Persons papers and witnesses and to examine witnesses on oath touching the particulars following viz. 1. The real valuations of the Tithes and Church-livings and other Ecclesiastical Benefices and promotions in every individual Parish there 2. When every Minister and School-master was Ejected 3. Who received and disposed of the Tithes c. And how long and what is become of the moneys thereby raised 4. What willful miscarriages and indirect proceedings were used in the letting and disposing of that revenue at undervalues to friends and relations and what rewards were given for such Bargaines 5. When every Minister and School-master was put in the roomes of those Ejected 6. What such Ministers and School-masters and all others the Commissioners agents were allowed and payed And at the foot of this accompt it will appear what Surplusage is justly due to the Commonwealth 3. And that the same Commissioners may receive the accompts of the Committees and Commissioners of Sequestration with the like power given them for that purpose 4. And for the better and more effectual carrying on of this good work that Councel and Solicitors may be assigned and a fitting incouragment and protection given them therein Which being granted and effectually put in execution there will undoubtedly appear to be due to the Commonwealth over and above all just and necessary payments and allowance above 100000 l. As to the Peoples civil Rights and Freedomes in those Parts It would be almost incredible to relate and too voluminous herein to insert the many false imprisonments forcible Entries partâ—king in Causes and Suites protecting and countenancing of hainous Offenders and taking away of mens Rights and Estates in those Parts and many other injuries misdemeanors and oppressions done being very grievous and intolerable the particulars whereof are ready to be exhibited to Parliament when they have leisure to examine matters of that nature which for the present are herein omitted And in truth how can it be otherwise expected when all these Powers for many years have centred in one Person viz. The recommendation and nomination of all members of Parliament Judges Justices Sheriffs Commissioners of the monethly Assessement Commissioners of Decimation Sequestration Treasurers Collectors Excisemen and all other Officers Miliary Civil and Ecclesiastick who on the least displeasure given are subject to be as easily removed as they were first impowered which hath been frequently practised in those Parts Especially those Malignants and Cavaliers in authority who being conscious of their own guilt and incapacity are the more slavish and apt to act any thing arbitrarily at the will and pleasure of their Patron It is therefore humbly left to consideration 1. Whether any one man in the beginning of these Wars being not worth in all the World 500 l. could since by lawful honest means acquire an estate of above 5000 l. per Annum 2. Whether it be not fit to enquire how he came by this great Estate the Commonwealth being in great want of money 3. Whether it be safe for the people or consistent with the policy and prudence of a well governed State to continue such a person in such an absolute authority ouer six Counties which he hath exercised in manner aforesaid for above seven years last past Published by G. M. ready to prove and justifie the same
The Distressed Oppressed Condition of the Inhabitants of SOUTH-WALES for many years 〈…〉 briefly and impartially stated 1. In reference to their Spiritual Concernments 2. In relation to their Civil Rights and Freedomes With several Proposals tending to the Discovery of 〈◊〉 150000 l. unaccompted for the Common-wealth 1. Out of the Sequestred Estate of Papists and Delinquents 2. Out of the Sequestred Tithes Church-Livings 〈…〉 siastical Revenues in South-Wales and County of Monmouth Humbly tendered to the consideration of the Parliament IN the years 1647. 1648. a considerable number of the Ministers of those Parts were Ejected by the respective Committees who by themselves and Agents received the Profits of their Livings as yet unaccounted for The 22 of February 1649. by an Act of Parliament then made Colonel Thomas Harrison Col. Philip Jones Henry Herbert William Herbert William Pâ—oâ—er VVilliam Blethin Christopher Catchmay Rees VVilliams John Nicholas Edward Herbert Robert Jones 〈…〉 Edward Prichard John Price Rowland Dawkins William Boteler Edward Stradlinge John Herbert Richard Jones Jenkin Francklin John James VVroth Rogers John Herringe Stephen VVinthrop Sir Erasmus Phillips Sampson Lot Henry VVilliams Silvanus Taylor Richard Kinge John VVilliams John Dancy Thomas VVatkins James Phillips John Lewis VVilliam Barbar John Daniell and John Bowen Esquires were impowered and intrusted 1. To evict and amove all Delinquent and Scandalous Ministers and Schoolmasters in the 6 Counties of South-VVales and County of Monmouth 2. To put in able Ministers and School 〈…〉 qualified for that purpose 3. To dispose of the Revenue of the Ti 〈…〉 Livings and other Ecclesiastick Revenues there 〈…〉 their maintenance Those Commissioners acted so vigorously and severely that most of the Ministers in those Counties were suddenly Ejected and amongst them some that were worthy persons that by their Lifes and Doctrines were useful in that high Calling and in Christian prudence and moderation might have been reserved until at least others better qualified could have been found to supply their Places But at that time their Calling and Orders were accounted crimes and for small faults done many years before were freshly arraigned in order to their conviction The Commissioners by themselves and their Agents had the managing and disposing of the Tithes and Ecclesiastick Revenue there for three years by that Act which were privately let to many of their relations at under-values for they posted none of their Bargains nor used any means to improve the same for publick benefit And for one other year viz. 1653. they continned the receiving disposing thereof by vertue of his late Highness Letter And it was observed that many imployed in this Work did suddenly and highly improve their Estates And one man before the Wars not worth 500 l. hath since acquired above 5000 l. per Ann. The 10th Mar. 1651. Complaint of the premisses was made to the then Parliament by Petition attested by many hands of those 7 Counties who prayed 1. A supply of their Churches with such godly able Ministers as the Parliament should approve of 2. That an exact accompt might be made of that Revenue which was moderately estimated by the Petitioners at 20000 l. per Ann. and so much offered the Parliament for the same and good security for the payment thereof The Parliament referred the Examination thereof to a Committee with power to grant Commissions to the Countrey for the better discovery of the truth of the premisses The Petitioners could never obtain any Commissions or real Examination thereof at that time eminent persons intrusted with the receiving and disposing of that Revenue being members of Parliament But in stead thereof all means were used to suppress the same and in order thereto 1. Col. Freeman the Petitioners Counsel being then Attorney General of South-VVales by Order of Parliament and Patent under the Great Seal of England Habend donec Parliament Angliae aliter ordinaverit who had done eminent Service for the Common-wealth and continued to this day faithful to the publick Cause of the Nation was for prosecuting that Petition imprisoned and after the dissolution of the long Parliament by an Order of a few of the then Councel amoved out of his place And to add to his affâ—iction one Edmund Jones a Compounded Delinquent of Record who had violently acted during all the late Wars against the Parliament and a grand Instrument of the Popish Party at Ragland was by the means of the said Col. Philip Jones appointed Attorney General of South-VVales in the place of Col. Freeman This Jones did procure good Bargains from his young Mr. the Lord Herbert for Col. Philip Jones who bought several Lordships from him and was the main Agent and Instrument of the said Colonel in all his affairs and concernments in VVales Whereas the said Jones did give no other signal testimony of his good affection to the Parliament then the most inveterate Cavaliers in all Eng. and VVales would do viz. To bear Offices of honor power and profit and to be in a better capacity to serve the Malignant Party And it is observed that since the said Jones came to Authority there the most notorious Delinquents and Cavaliers in South-VVales have also been vested with power as Sheriffs Justices of the Peace Commissioners of the monethly Assessements c. Insomuch that all were fitted to observe the Arbitrary will and pleasure of him that recommended them to those places 2. John Gunter the Petitioners Sollicitor a person well affected was for that cause several times imprisoned turned out of many several offices and imployments and his very life as well as his estate and good name by horrid perjury endevoured to be taken from him 3. Divers of the Petitioners being Justices of the Peace and Commissioners c. were displaced and the self-ended complying Delinquents put in their steads 4. And last the Parliament it self was dissolved whereby there was no inquiry or accompt given of this great Revenue And many are of opinion that their dissolution was hastened by the means of persons lyable to accompt That the cry of this business ringing loud in the Ears of most persons though the poor people still were left remediless it was so ordered that a very formal Commission by an Ordinance from his late Highness and Councel dated 30 Augusti 1654. was procured to Commissioners to take the Accompts of the said Commissioners for propagation and to give them discharges And afterwards the same Ordinance was confirmed in the last Parliament What accompt was taken or discharges given have not been thought fit to be made publickly known however the accomptants conceive themselves secure with their discharges Against which it is objected 1. That Philip Lord Jones being chiefly intrusted with the disposing of the said Revenue and being at the passing of the said Ordinance one of his Highness Councel and thereby in a capacity as well to nominate as â—pprove the said Commissioners It is conceived unreasonable he should have the nomination of persons to call