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england_n	act_n	great_a	parliament_n	3,586	5	6.2777	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A65091	A true narrative of the proceedings in the Court of Admiraltie against the ships Sampson, Salvador, and George, their silver and lading and an accompt presented what silver was taken out of the said ships, and coined in the tower (being above two hundred seventy eight thousand pounds), all which silver the common-wealth got by the chargeable prosecution and discovery of Tho. Violet, who saved the common-wealth this silver, Dec. 16, 1652 ... : together with several humble proposals, for the profit and honour of this common-wealth, in saving them many score of thousand pounds ... / by Tho. Violet ...	Violet, Thomas, fl. 1634-1662.	1659 (1659)	Wing V594; ESTC R18686	84,216	166

any thing but what was Just and for the Parliaments service according to his Trust If hee had thought it otherwise if 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 beeing 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 the Parliament acquainted therwith before ever I went to Oxford and to have their approbation which Sir David Watkins after he 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 or to this day can hear 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 to take heed how hee Transgress 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 or condition soever hee bee shall bee put out of Land or Tenement nor taken nor imprisoned nor disinherited 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 Honours Had there been a Proclamation or Act of Parliament at that time to have prohibited mee I should have then been afraid besides Mr. Ryley should never have made mee act against a declared Law nor the King neither Now forasmuch as your humble Supplicant having ever since his Inlargement out of the Tower made it his daily practice to study to serve the Common-wealth and doing such remarkable Services as aforesaid for the Common-welath I do most humbly implore your Honours most gratious Order for the restoring mee to my aforesaid estate with damages or the paying your Supplicant the summe of eleven thousand pounds according to the promise of the Council of State 1652. May it please your Honours If I would have betraied my Trust to the Common-wealth about this Silver that was in the Ships Sampson Salvador and George I could have had every penny of eleven thousand pounds paid mee by the Claimers of the Silver in those Ships either in money here or Bills of Exchange beyond Seas that money would have made mee live plentifully in any part of Christendom I do most humbly implore your Honours that I may have such Justice by your Honours goodness and benignity as I may have cause never to repent of my being faithfull to your Honours and the Common-wealths Interest in this particular concerning the Silver Ships their Silver and Lading I most humbly here present an Accompt of what hath been taken from me Tho. Violet for which I most humbly desire satisfaction with my damages or the summe of eleven thousand pounds as was faithfully promised unto me by the most Honourable Councel of State in December and January 1652. for staying the silver in the ships Sampson Salvador and George and disproving the Spanish Ambassadors Claim to this silver which was above three hundred thousand pounds my damages at this day by the taking my Estate 1643. is above twenty thousand pounds 25. May 1659. viz. VVHen I was first sent unto the Tower the 6th of January 1643. my mother had of mine good Bonds and Bills in her hands taken away from her at several times to the value of one thousand three hundred and odd pounds Besides many of my Papers and accompts of great concernment to the Common-welath and as yet I cannot come to the knowledg who hath them But this I am sure of If there had been any thing in them that could have made against mee there had then use been made of them 2. My mother had at another time a Privy Seal taken from her wherein the late King acknowledged hee owed me for my expences in discovering the Transporters of Gold and Silver nineteen hundred threescore and eight pounds which money I laid every penny out of my own purse to do the late King and Common-wealth that service in prosecuting the Transporters of Gold and Silver in the Star chamber I caused them to be fined twenty fowre thousand one hundred pounds besides several Merchants and others who had their pardons from the late King for transporting Gold and Silver and melting down the heaviest Silver Coynes of England viz. Alderman Wollaston and Alderman Gibbs Mr. Peter Fountain and several other Merchants the terror of which sentence and punishment for some yeers did give a stop to transporting of Gold and Silver to the great service and advantage of the Common-wealth and if the Parliament please to passe the Act against Transporting Gold and Silver which has twise this Parliament been read in the House and several times Committed and impower your Petitioner to see to the due execution thereof your Petitioner will give a stop to the Transportation of Gold and Silver and discover the Offendors if a Commission be granted to make enquiry of the same according to former Presidents in Richard the Seconds time by Act of Parliament This Parliament was so careful to have these Offences prosecuted that they excepted them out of the general Pardon being the desire of the Committee of the Mint as appears by this following Order White-hall Janu. 24. 1651. Master Attorney Generall AT a Committee of the Councel 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 it fit for the benefit of the Common-wealth to have this exception inserted in that Pardon and doe recommend it to you accordingly viz. EXcept all offences done or committed by any person or persons whatsoever in transporting out of England any Gold or Silver in coyne or in bullion without License and all other offences in the unlawfull buying selling exchanging or melting down of any the current gold or silver coynes of England or of any gold or silver bullion against whom or for which any Information is now depending in the Court of Exchequer at Westminster Ordered that Master Thomas Violet attend M. Attorney Generall with this Order of the Committee and also the Committee of

this Petition together with the reasons thereunto annexed and with this our Warrant VVho are desired to Ordaine and appoint such Rules Prohibitions and Penalties for the effectuall and better management of this service the preventing of all former abuses and restrayning of the Counterfeiting and importation of any the said farthings from the parts beyond the Seas as they shall thinke fit and necessary for the carrying on of this Service for the good of the Common-wealth Given at Whitehall the 19th day of Aprill 1659. To our Trusty VVel beloved Sir William Ellis Barronett our Sollicitor Generall To my much honoured and worthy Friends Sr Thomas Viner Kt. Mr Alexander Holt Mr John Sanders Mr James Hore Mr Will. Baldwine Mr Will. Du-Gard Mr Sarjeant Dendy Mr Gabriel Beck Mr Bovey Mr Ed. Watkins Mr John Heatly Mr Lucas Lucie Mr Thom. Packington Mr Francis Bishop Mr John Burredge Mr Delabar Mr Nowel Mr Emery Mr Hord. Worthy Gentlemen and my good Friends TO you of all others I am most obliged to give a particular account of this business touching my staying this silver mentioned in this Book because I could not have done this great service of staying the Shipps Sampson Salvador and George and prosecuting that business in the Admiraltie but that I had the money to do it from you and I owe it you at this day about 1500 l. I have formerly shewed unto most of you the Orders of Parliament touching this business and what endeavours were acted by Mr James Steneer and severall other Merchants to cozen the State of all this great treasure All the printed Transactions most of you have seen formerly But the orders that mentions seaven severall Letters of Mr. James Steneres and severall other Merchants Letters which were read in Parliament Mr. James Steneer writes to his Correspondents beyond Seas concerning the geting them this Silver out of the Admiraltie wee meaning himselfe and the rest of his confederates have made a great many friends among the great ones to speake for us in the business when it comes before them a wise man may guess who those great ones were and what great ones made a trade by cozining the Common-wealth in their Prizes the Claimers of the silver at that time having stollen several scores of thousand poundes out of these Ships so that they weree full of money and they could bribe any Person in power that would be corrupted in another of Mr Steneres Letter that was read in the Parliament House Mr. Stenere writes to his Correspondents beyond Seas that he must have a care what hee did write to them touching this Silver business left his Letters should be opened when he was brought to the Parliament Barr the first of December 1652. he rather chose to act the part of a foole and a lyer rather then to serve the Common-wealth to discover this design for which tampering of his the Parliament committed him from the Barr to the Serjeant at Armes the first of December 1652. as appeares by the journals of the Parliament at that time Van Trumpe the Dutch Admirall was in the Downes and no doubt but his mouth watered after this Silver there is a Commission under the great Seal of Holland and the originall orders of the States Generall Upon the petition of the Merchants of Amsterdam to guard these ships and silver from the Parliaments forces which will remain to posteritie to show the justice of this Nation in staying this silver for Dutch silver the truth of this being also confest in the Admiraltie by many of the marriners and passengers which came that Voyage from Spain and that the Pursers books and many of the Bills of Lading were forged and altered at sea after that they had heard certainly by some ships that the Dutch were at warrs with England The Parliaments Agent at Cades gave advice here to Mr Wilson his kinsman the day that these ships set saile from Cades and though they gave out there that they were to go for Dunkirk yet their designed Port was Amsterdam they being loaden for the greatest part upon the account of the Dutch and the same was confest in the Admiraltie by many of the Passengers and others Decemb. 14. 1652. The Spanish Ambassador Don Alonso de Cardenas Embassador extraordinary for the King of Spain came in person to the Parliament and made an Oration in the House claiming all this silver in these three ships to belong to his Master and for his Masters subjects account which Speech hee also at the same time presented to the Parliament in writing both in Spanish and English together with two bundles of papers touching this silver which hee referred to the consideration of the House And for several daies hee made his appearance at the Council of State and put in the like claimes for this silver hee ingaging his Honour that no part of it did belong to the Dutch as will appear by the proceedings and the records of the Council of State and Mr Stenier was bayled and his businesse never called on to this day While these businesses were transacted at the Parliament Councel of State and Admiraltie I made the Lord Bradshaw and many of the Council of State acquainted with the whole practice and fraud that was intended to be put on them by the aforesaid parties and that if they had not a special care the Judges in the Admiraltie would discharge this silver and the Dutch had rather it should be in the bottom of the sea than wee should have it Upon this Information the Council of State commanded mee to attend carefully the motions of the Court of Admiraltie and the Merchants touching this Silver and from time to time to give the Council an account what was done in the businesse Whereupon December 15. 1652. I made the Council acquainted That the Judges of the Admiraltie had appointed to bring these ships Sampson Salvador and George their silver and lading to a judgment the next day being Decemb. 16. in the Admiraltie And that I did believe the Judges would cleare the ships the Lord Bradshaw and some others of the Council askt mee what reason I had to say so or to suspect so Whereupon I told them the Commissioners of Dutch prize Goods had given me a warrant to go aboard these Dutch prize ships when I pleas'd and to imploie whom I thought good to get acquaintance with the sea-men aboard these ships And I had certain intelligence that Otho George Captain of the Sampson had commanded all his men to be in readinesse and had taken in fresh victualling and biskets and that in a few daies they should be at Dunkirk declaring that Van Tromp would do them no hurt though hee were on the Downes Upon this discovery many of the Council of State did apprehend the great dammage and danger the Nation was in if this great treasure should fall into the hands of the Dutch and after much debate I was commanded by the Council to attend in

and the remainder of the aforesaid sum to be paid him as soone as the great occasions of the Common-wealth will permit And the Referrees do bold Thomas Violet to be a person very fit and usefull for imployment either in your Highnesse Mint or in the Office for the due Regulation of gold and silver wyer and Lace c. and in several other emploiments as appears by several Certificates And Violet himself hath made several Proposals unto us in writing for his satisfaction which we have hereunto annexed for your Highnesse gracious perusal In some of these Proposals we do humblie apprehend Thomas Violet may be useful for your Highnesse and the publick service All which we humblie submit to your Highnesse consideration 18. Jan. 1658. Francis Bacon Gabriel Beck Examined by us Jo. Symes Jo Rimmer ABout the middle of April 1659. the late Lord Protector Richard receiving these Certificates and this following Petition blamed some persons whom he had interessed to give him a true Account of my sufferings and of my abilities and willingnesse to serve the Common-wealth that they had not done it before but to shew that his late Highnesse put a great value of my services and sufferings and of my abilities to serve the Nation as some Honourable Gentlemen told me he did he was pleased upon the Reading this following Petition to give me and some other Gentlemen which I had nominated in trust for my use this ensuing Warrant for the making of a publick farthing for the use of England Scotland and Ireland referring the Approbation and Confirmation thereof to the Parliament to provide such Orders and Rules as they thought best for the good of the People I used the name of Edward Johnson Esq and some other Names for my use and here followeth my Petition and Reference from his late Highness And if the Parliament please to employ me in this service and to grant me for thirty one years the entire and whole management of this Office for making a common farthing I will thankfully accept of the emploiment and humbly and thankfully allow it as five thousand pounds paid unto your Petitioner from the Common-wealth in part of his due debt of eleven thousand pounds for staying the aforesaid silver And your Petitioner will be tied to pay the maimed souldiers during the time of this Grant twelve-pence upon every twenty two shillings in farthings which shall be uttered by me or my Assignes in England Scotland and Ireland which will be a constant revenue and I will pay it in monethly to the Treasurers for the maimed souldiers And if the State please to have farthings made of a smaller proportion I will allow the souldiers five shillings for every twenty two shillings and yet these Copper farthings shall be above as heavy again do the ordinarie farthings that now passe among us To his Highnesse RICHARD LORD PROTECTOR of England Scotland and Ireland And the Dominions and Territories thereunto belonging The Humble Petition of Edward Johnson Junior Esq c. SHEWETH THat there are many fraudes and deceits daily practiced by diverse petty Retayling Tradesmen Chapmen and others in makeing and uttering farthing tokens of their own stamping almost every petty Retayling Tradesman putting forth a severall farthing token not valueable without any Licence some of Pewter Tinn Lead Brass and some of Copper according to every mans fancy that makes their own farthing tokens Great numbers of these Retayling Tradesmen breake others remove themselves from one place to another and many of them die insolvant and their farthing tokens thus unduly uttered beiug not valueable one of them not being worth in value the sixth part of a farthing and some of their farthing tokens not worth the twentieth part of a farthing the people of this Nation especially the poorer sort are daily cheated and cozened by these indirect practices To prevent these abuses for the future your Petitioners humbly pray your Highnesse that a common valueable farthing may be made of fine Rose Copper of a valueable weight that is to say of the weight of about halfe a quarter of an ounce Haver du poys to a farthing and twenty two Shillings by tail to weigh eight pounds Haver du poys with the remedy of six pence under or over to pass currant within your Highnesse Dominions of England Scotland and Ireland for all such persons as will make use of them for their necessity of change and to prohibit all other farthing tokens now made or to be made or uttered within your Highnesse Dominions aforesaid That to have a valueable common farthing to be made to pass currant within your Highnesse said Dominions is so needfull a thing in the Common-wealth and of such necessity for change that the making of the same will relieve and accommodate many thousands of petty Tradesmen and poore people as will plainly appeare unto your Highnesse in our most humble Reasons and motives hereunto annexed to which wee do most humbly Referr Your Petitioners most humbly pray your Highnesse in respect of the great charge and trouble they shall undergo in performing this service for the good of the Common wealth to grant unto them and their Assignes and Deputies the sole making and uttering of the aforesaid Common farthing for one and thirty yeares and to prohibite all other farthings and the making and counterfeiting of this farthing by any other upon paine and losse of Estate and imprisonment during your Highnesse pleasure and in consideration thereof your Petitioners will serve your Highnesse Dominions with valueable farthings of the goodnesse and weight aforesaid and also pay unto your Highnesse Exchequer to your Highnesse use twelve pence for every two and twenty shillings in farthings which shall be vented and uttered by your Petitioners their Deputie or Deputies in England Scotland and Ireland which will bee certaine revenew to your Highnesse of many hundred pounds a yeare and a great accommodation and benefit to the poore of all your Highnesse Dominions And your Petitioners shall dayly pray c RICHARD P. WEE have perused the Petition of Edward Johnson Junior Esquire c. together with the reasons hereunto annexed and our will and pleasure is that our Sollicitor Generall prepare a booke fit for our signature for the erecting of an Office for the sole making venting and uttering of a Common farthing to go currant in England Scotland Ireland and Wales according to the weight proportions and propositions in their Petition conteined with such Rules to be observed by the Petitioners or their Assignes for the stamps figures and Arms of the said farthings as wee and our Successors shall appoint and for the granting the same to the said Edw. Johnson Junior Esq c. and their Assignes and Deputies for one and thirty yeares Reserving to us and our Successors twelve pence for every two and twenty Shillings of the said farthings so vented and uttered And our Solicitor Generall is to attend and acquaint the Parliament with

the Councel of State that some of you have commenced Suits and I look every daie for your Executions to be served on me for the very money I laid out to save the lives of thousands of this Nation I shall humblie leave it to the consideration of the Parliament Councel of State and all true Englishmen that are Lovers of their Countrey and respect the credit of the Nation when they shall reade what I have done in this service so clearly proved First what the State and Common-wealth hath got and the conjuncture of time when Van Tiumpe the Dutch Generall with the Dutch Fleets was in the Downes and at that very time I was offered by the Claimers of this Silver great Merchants of Flanders who was then in London to get this Silver out of the States hands I have proved that these very Claimers severall times offered me the summe of ten thousand pounds to have suffered the State to be cozened of this Silver in the Admiraltie and had I not esteem'd and valued the peace and prosperity of this Nation above my life I would have taken this money without any further trouble and gone and lived in another Country where I could have bin imployed in some Common wealths and States and have bin honourablie and thankfully rewarded I shall humbly desire the Parliament and Council of State to consider how many such malignants there is in the three Nations England Scotland and Ireland if the Parliament could but finde a covee of ten such malignants in England Scotland Ireland and the Dominions of Wales to bring them in two hundred seventy eight thousand pounds every one of them as I have done such a summe of money would pay the debts of the Publique if they can finde none of the breed but my self I humbly desire then to preserve me for a Phenix and to pay me eleven thousand pounds which I have so cleerly proved they owe me and give me a Commission to go a Kite-catching for the Common-wealth I shall humbly present them with a great number of pretended godly Buzzards who since the year 1640. have cozened the Common-wealth of many hundred thousand pounds I shall humblie shew them the wayes how they have done this and finde out the men who from the bottome of basenesse and beggerie have by unjust waies accumulated to themselves vast estates in these distracted and trouble some times to the ruine of many thousands of families whose cries for their oppressions have ascended up unto Heaven and no doubt but is the principal cause of these sad distractions and divisions that are now amongst us If one Achan could trouble all Israel for stealing a golden wedge and a Babylonish Garment what disturbance will a thousand Achans do who have cozened the Common-wealth of England Scotland and Ireland for my part I humblie say clearly that I never stayed this Silver in 1652. for any of the then Councel of States particular profit I never minded either Oliver or Rowland I did it for the service of the Common-wealth and Honour of the Nation as I was a true Englishman without respecting private persons and let who will have the Government or Supreme Power I shall humbly demand it as it is my right and due my dearlie earned reward of eleven thousand pounds for this service S. Paul saith hee sought with beasts at Ephesus I am sure of it in this business in staying this Silver I was fain to encounter with beasts in the Admiraltie at the Exchange a ship-board to make my self all things to all men to spend my spirits my money make use of my Credit engage severall of you Gentlemen to borrow great summs of money for mee to get the State this great Treasure and when I exspect my reward to bee delayed with Referrees and Reports and Certificates and to trouble all these honourable Gentlemen to spend their time for several daies in taking the Proofs and Collections and as yet not to receive one dramm of justice or one peny of Reward to bee used as children are that look into a Fortune-book to be directed from one spirit to another how honourable this usage will bee for the Common-wealth to have this recorded to posteritie I leave it to you and all just men to judg So contrary to all humane exspectation hath Gods dealings been with mee in this business that where my greatest fear was I had no need to fear and where my greatest confidence was there I am miserably disappointed For I feared the Spaniards and the Claimers would kill me for staying this Silver but that was a needlesse fear for God hath kept me I put my trust in man and thought assuredly that it could never enter into the hearts of Gentlemen and an English Council of State but thankfully and honourablie to pay me what they had promised faithfully and I so dearly earned which was for getting them two hundred seventy eight thousand pounds The State to pay me in liew of my Estate taken from me to my damage twenty thousand pounds for which the Council of State agreed to pay me as aforesaid the sum of eleven thousand pounds besides an honourable reward Had I served my God with that integrity and broke so many nights sleep to study to please him as I did to please the Council of State and man God would not have left nor disappointed me as man doth Had the Council of State an intention never to have paied me when I undertook their work they had done both you and me a Courtesie to have chopped of my head and eased me out of a troublesom world Then I had not cozened you of your money which I must be forced to do if the Council do not pay me most of you know I could not pay you till the State payed me and this some of you will attest when required to be true besides it grieves me to the Soule more for some of you who out of good will to the Nation borrowed great summes of money for me and at this day are sued for the same and must pay it that I should be made an instrument to Trappan you or any honest man for your good will to your Countrey to cozen you of your money It is true my body is at your service to imprison in a Goal but it is money that you expect and not my flesh or bones How shamefull a thing would it bee that it should be left to posterity that Thomas Violet that saved this Nation two hundred seventy eight thousand pounds all imploied in the defence of the Nation at such a time the Common-wealth was in Jeopardie and in great streights for money discovering this Plot the same day the Judges in the Admiraltie would have discharged the Silver and then it had bin presently conveyed to our enemies the Dutch For which service and undertaking the Council of State faithfully promised him the summe of eleven thousand pounds and an honourable reward Thomas Violet having gott the

Parliament for drawing the generall Pardon to have these offences excepted James Harrington Herbert Morley Your Petitioner did deliver this Order to Mr. Attorney Generall and this exception is put into the generall Pardon of this Parliament as may bee seen upon perusal 3. The Committee of Essex put mee out of Possession of the Mannors of Battells and Patan-Hall in Essex as appears by their Warrants Of which Lands I had an Extent of One thousand pounds for the payment of five hundred and one Mr. Elconhead received my rents ever since 1643 and never paid the Committee of Essex any thing for your Petitioners Extent of five hundred pounds and the same Elconhead injoyes your Petitioners Lands in Essex to this very day by colour of the Sequestration of the Committee of Essex to your Petitioners great damage 4. The Committee of Shropshire seized in my sisters hands in London three Bonds due to mee in two thousand pounds for the payment to mee Thomas Violet One thousand pounds by the Lady Anne Waad Edmond Lenthal Phillip Cage and Charles Mordent Esq's 1643. which Bonds were carried to Shrewsbury 5. I had the Leas and Extent of ten severall Houses at the Posterne in Little Moor-fields and the Tennants owed mee when I was committed to the Tower in arrears for rent above one hundred pounds And for these sixteen years I received no Rent of them But one Mr. Elconhead hath received the Rents of them ever since by colour of a Sequestration of the Committee of Middlesex 6. I had the Office of sealing and surveying of all gold and silver Thread and Wyer which prevented the making of all sleight and adulterate gold and silver Thread and Wyer granted to mee under the Great Seal for three Lives from the Late King which Office cost mee Fifteen hundred pounds to the Lord Treasurer Juxon L. Cottingon Sir John Cook Secretary of State and Sir John Bankes the late Kings Attourney The necessitie of keeping up that Office to prevent the daily Cozenages and frauds of divers Silkmen Wyerdrawers and Refiners in their making Cours sleight and deceitfull Gold and Silver Wyer and Thread Your Petitioner formerly presented unto your Honours and can prove it that forty thousand pounds a year in silver is wasted besides the Wearers daily Cozened for want of a due Regulation of gold and silver Thread and Lace And upon the Discovery of these notorious Cheats 1635. the late King and his Council appointed mee Surveyor and Sealer of the said Manufacture I caused all the abuses to bee laid aside I indicted some offenders imprisoned some caused others to stand in the Pillory and made many of them that wrought adulterate cours silver run away out of London By which means I angred many Cheating Wyerdrawers Silkmen and Refiners and the late Kings Council and Commissioners setled such Rules and Orders during the Regulation of the Manufacture as it was all made of good silver and the Coin and Bullion of this Nation preserved and your Supplicant was bound to the late King to warrant all the Manufactures either of gold or Silver Wyer or Thread which hee sealed or surveyed in the Office to bee good silver and to make it good to any party grieved in the Nation as appears by my Patent under the Great Seal of England For which Assurance Surveying and Sealing I was allowed to demand and take an half penny for every ounce Troy in Wyer Spangles Oes c. I surveyed and 4 pence for every pound weight Venice for all the Gold and Silver Thread I sealed with the Seal of my Office being the Rose and Crown And all that time the gold and silver Lace was as good Silver and as duly assaied as the Plate or Money of the Nation and now it is made under no Rule nor Government but the Wearers many of them cheated by course and deceitfull Lace Wyer silver Thread as I can demonstrate 7. I had a Grant from the late King under his Signet to bee Master-worker of the Mint in the Tower of London for my life with the Fee of five hundred pounds a year for executing that place which Grant was taken from my Mother out of her Custody when I was sent to the Tower 8. I had one quarter part of the Lady Villers Farm at the Custom-house for the Importation of all gold and Silver Thread Hatbands Lace and Copper throughout England and Wales which cost mee a little before I was sequestred above seven hundred pounds And if the making gold and silver thread was put down in England the Custom of gold and silver thread imported would make a farr greater Revenew then now it doth by the Excise and the Manufacture if it bee made here ought to bee kept to a strict Regulation Mr. Edwards and Mr. Tbornbury I imploied to Collect this duty at the Custom-hous 9. I spent in my Imprisonment in the Tower for almost four years about eight hundred pounds reckoning my Fees and Expences and could never get Justice though I petitioned to the Parliament as aforesaid for many years to come to a legall Triall knowing my self to bee innocent both by God's Law and the Laws of the Land and by the testimony of a good conscience which hath ever supported mee in and thorow all these great troubles All this Estate was and is Sequestred to this day but my three aforesaid bonds which I now have in my Custody besides my damage for my four years Imprisonment 10. Since I came out of the Tower by order of the Councel of State 1652. your Petitioner laid out in the Prosecution of the Silver Ships Sampson Salvador and George above the summe of seven hundred sixty five pounds 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 Common-wealths All which services I did upon the faithfull promise of the Councel of State in Decemb. 1652 to restore mee to all my Estate or the full value of eleven thousand pounds John Corbet Esquire one of the Members of this present Parliament at this day and one of the Committee of Shropshire meeting with your Petitioner in March 1655. was noblie pleased to take notice of your Petitioners good endeavours to serve the Common-wealth and seeing that your Petitioner had put out in Print a List of his particular damages and the particular Bonds Houses Lands Offices set down which had been taken from your Petitioner his Mother and Sister who had then a great part of his estate in their Custody at the time of his imprisonment in the Tower and were plundred of it during that time of my Imprisonment there by the title and name of Sequestration This Noble Gentleman Mr. Corbet being very sensible of my sufferings and how your Petitioners estate had bin