oblige mee to pray for Honors and then the Council keep 's their promiss which I faithfully had from many of them when I first undertook to make a stop of the silver claimed by the Spaniard I humbly submit all to your Honors THO. VIOLET Martii 4. 1652. For the Lord Bradshaw An Account of what hath been taken from mee Thomas Violet for which I humbly desire Reparations and satisfaction from the Parlament out of the Silver in the prize-Ships which I have staied March 4. 1652. 1. WHen I was sent to the Tower the 6 of Jan. 1643. my Mother had of my Goods Bonds and Bills in her hands taken from her at several times viz. to the value of one thousand three hundred and odd pounds besides manie of my papers and Accounts of great value and consideration to mee seized and manie of my papers were of great concernment to the Common-wealth and yet I cannot com 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 been then use made of them 2. My Mother had at another time a Privie-Seal taken from her wherein the late King acknowledged hee owed mee for my expences in the discoverie of the Transporters of Gold and Silver ninteen hundred threescore and eight pounds which money I laid out every penie out of my own purs and am ready to make this discoverie to the State upon passing of the Act against Transporters of Gold which Act hath been twice read in the last Parlament and is in the custodie of Mr Augustin Garland 3. The Committee of Essex put mee out of my possession of the Mannors of Battles and Paton-hall in Essex as appear's by their Warrants which I have to produce of which Land I had an extent to the just value of one thousand pound due to mee in 1643. and Phlip Cage Esq was in possession of the Premises for my use 4. The Committee of Shropshire seized in my Sister's hands in London three bonds due to mee in two thousand pounds for the payment of mee Thomas Violet one thousand pounds by the Ladie Waade Edmond Lenthal Esq Phillip Cage Esq Charls Mordent Esq as appear's under the hand of the said Phillip Cage Esquire 5. I had the Leases of ten several houses at the Postern in little More-fields and the Tenants owed mee when I was committed to the Tower in Arrears for Rent about one hundred pounds and for above these nine years I never received rent of them but Mr Elconhead hath received the Rent ever since 6. Som of the Silver Wier-Drawers by their unjust clamor caused my Office to bee sequestred from mee which was for the Surveying and Sealing of all Gold and Silver thred to prevent the deceit of this Nation by cours and adulterated Silver-thred wyer and spangels which at this daie is very much adulterared for want of the said Office which Office for the surveying and sealing of all Gold and Silver-thred and wyer I had from the late King for three lives and it hath cost mee neer fifteen hundred pounds to my Lord Treasurer Lord Cottington Sr John Cook and Sr John Banks before I could get the grant to pass under the great Seal of England and that Office made mee above three hundred pounds a year besides an hous rent-free 7. I had one quarter part of the Ladie Villers Farm for importation of all Forrein Gold and Silver thred hatbands or lace and Copper thred throughout England and Wales for fourteen years which cost mee a little before I was sequestred seven hundred pounds and it was worth one hundred and fiftie pounds per. an to mee 8. I had a grant from the late King under his signet to bee Master Worker of the Mint in the Tower of London which grant was taken away from mee when I had my hous seized in Jan. 1643. 9. Besides the aforesaid summ's I spent in my imprisonment in the Tower for almost four years seven hundred pounds and could never get my caus to bee heard though by my friends I presented manie petitions and I have attended the late Parlament with my petition this six years ever since I had my libertie out of the Tower to have Justice and relief in the foresaid premises and have spent on my attendance onely in following this business to get my caus heard above one thousand pounds besides I have spent all my time for above these last six years in doing several services for the State as is well known to a great manie of the Parlament and Council of State and Committee for trade upon the faithful promiss of manie members that my petition should bee granted and I have my estate restored or the value which by these particulars amount's to above a eleven thousand pounds My good services I have don is well known to your honors Sr James Harrington Sr Henrie Mildmay Mr Tho. Chalenor Col. Herbert Morley Mr Alderman Allen Mr Austin Garland and the Committee of the Mint and many other members of the Council of trade about setting the par of Exchanges and coyns Free-ports and several other great services I did the Common-wealth before ever your Honors and the Council of State engaged mee about the Silver Prizes and Goods in the Admiraltie and this hath cost mee more charge trouble and hazard for the time then ever anie business I have don The first thing that moved mee to do this service about the Prizes was the good and saftie of this Nation but had I not had your Honor's command to do it and many of the Council of State 's promise that I should have both my estate restored and a good reward for my great expence pains and hazard I should not have ventured on so knottie a business for which I go in hazard of my life daily I humbly submit the premises to your Honors Tho. Violet March 4. 1652. These papers with som little additions I delivered to my Lord Bradshaw Sr James Harrington and Mr Allen. Here follow 's a Copie of my Petition put into the late Parlament which petition hath been depending these six years and I have delivered som hundreds at several times to the Members and could never bee heard nor I have relief or justice though I attended it daily beeing promised by several members to take the first opportunitie for my relief also a Copie of the late King's Letter which I brought to London and my answer to the honorable Committee at Gold-smith's-Hall when they examined mee about the same with the Order of my commitment to the Tower for bringing up the said Letter for peace which was before anie Law was made to the contrarie to prohibit any person to bring up a Letter of peace from the late King To the Supreme Autoritie the PARLAMENT of the COMMON-WEALTH of England The humble Petition of THO. VIOLET Sheweth THat your Petitioner with Theophilus Rilye then Scout-Master of the Citie of
engagement bad me read that and told me since hee had taken the engagement hee would bee as true to them as ever hee was to the King and whatsoever his opinion was formerly hee had not received such obligements from the other party to suffer upon his skore as hee had to bee a sufferer for his father and if the Committee for Forraigne affaires pleased to heare what hee could say unto the Judges of the Admiralty in this point hee made no question but it should bee to your satisfaction and a great service unto the State and that he would attend the honorable Committee in this businesse at a dayes warning and bid mee return this answer with his humble service THO. VIOLET The. 1. Jan. 1652. THis Affidavit I delivered to Alderman Allen who communicated it to the honourable Committee of inspection and they carried it downe to the Committee of Forraigne affaires who presently ordered a Letter to bee sent to Sir Sackvile Crowe and also Ordered the Judges of the Admiralty to be there with Pompey Calendren whereupon the Committee for Forraigne affaires examined Pompey Calendren before the Judges about the same who at first denied the thing but being pressed by the Lord Bradshaw Sir William Massam and others of the Committee to consider before whom he was and to recollect himselfe well and seeing Sir Sackvile Crowe affirmed it and much more to bee true the said Calendren confessed he received letters from Amsterdam that did acquaint him with what he had spoken to Sir Sackvile Crowe and that he had the Letters by him and that he acquainted master Attorney-generall formerly with the contents of these Letters whereupon the Committee required master Pompey Calendren to attend Doctor Walker with the Letters the same day which he did accordingly THO. VIOLET To the right Honorable the Committee for Forraigne-affaires delivered to the Lord VVhitlock and Sir VVilliam Massam May it please your Honors THE seventeenth of December 1652. I Tho. Violet came into the Court of Admiralty at the request of the Commissioners for Duch prizes to assist in behalf of the Common-wealth against all prize-ships depending there and had their Warant to authorize me therein besides your Honours Warant to assist concerning the silver-ships Sampson Salvadore and George in the Court of Admiralty I produced my Warant and delivered it in to the Judges in that behalfe That day there was appointed by the Court seventeene ships to be discharged conteining three thousand foure hundred tonns being all richly laden with silver and merchandize worth many hundred thousand pounds the Judges would discharge them and though I shewed them many reasons as appeares in my booke formerly put forth fol. 75. 76. 77. 78. yet some of the ships were discharged and though I told them that in my eye in the face of the Court there were about ten Merchants who by combination with the people of the united Provinces did colour the Duch prize-ships silver and all sorts of merchandize yet some of the ships goods and merchandize were about the 17 of December discharged The twentith of December 1652. I waited on the Committee of Forraigne affaires and made them acquainted with what had passed in the Admiraltie thereupon I was commanded by the honorable Committee that what I had to present I should deliver to Doctor Walker the like Order master Thurloe delivered mee from the Councel of State and that thereupon the Judges of the Admiraltie and Doctor Walker should consider of my Papers and report their opinions to the Committee of Forraigne affaires this Order I received from the Lord Whitlock and the Lord Bradshaw Thereupon because I would take witnesse what these Judges did I desired master Edward Watkins and master Charnock to goe along with mee to Doctors Commons for that Doctor Walker and the Judges had appointed mee to consider of all my Propositions and would take speciall care as Doctor Stephens said in the businesse when we came at the day appointed which was about the twenty fourth of December Mr. Bacon was out of towne Doctor Exton not well or would not be spoken with for I perceived he did not like my coming to him about the businesse of the prize ships and Silver in them nor my staying them Thereupon Doctor Stevens moved to put the reading of my Papers off till another day I told Doctor Walker that for my part I saw there was such proceedings in the Admiraltie and the Common-wealths businesse in the prize-ships stood upon such a point that the State might be cozened of every penny in the prize-ships upon a day or twos delay both all the silver merchandize and ships which were worth many hundred thousand pounds I told them though the Court had given them a discharge yet God be thanked they weee not gone and that I would make it appeare that a great part of those prizes they had discharged were Duch goods and the number in all then in England were about forty ships according to my intelligence and that the ships that were of the Hans-Townes were laden with severall parcels of goods that belonged to Holland and that the Commissioners for Duch prize-goods had done well and great service for the State in not obeying the decree of the court till the truth was found out notwithstanding their Decree the ships at present were all of them in their severall Ports of this Nation and could not get away by reason of the States-Generall Imbargo and before the Imbarg should bee taken off I would make the State acquainted how the businesse was mannaged about their prizes in the Admiraltie I told doctor Stevens that the court of Admiralty had never so great a businesse before them as the Silver and these prize-ships thereupon doctor Stevens went into doctor Walkers chamber and I tooke master Edward Watkins and master Charnock to bee my witnesses and master Charnock read over to them all my papers which tooke up more then two houres time I was so weake with sitting up severall nights that I was not able to reade them When they were read I asked doctor Stevens and doctor Walker what they thought and whether they were not satisfied by my papers there read and witnesses of the danger dammage and mischief this Common-wealth would suffer if that these very ships which the court of Admiralty had discharged had gone into Holland and both doctor Stevens and doctor Walker looking earnestly one upon another doctor Stevens said to doctor Walker what shall wee doe in this businesse I told them that I humbly conceived it did concern the court to consider well what they did in that businesse eyther of the silver or other prizes and that whoever had a hand in the discharge of the ships I would call them to an account in Parliament if they let one of the prize ships or the silver in them goe till my witnesses were examined and thereupon I delivered a list of my witnesses to doctor Walker and told him I would
bring this business about to make this discoverie of the prize-ships to intitle the State unto the Silver in the ships Samson Salvador George hoping now to have convinced all my greatest Enemies both of my sufferings and also my zeal to serv the Common-Wealth in this business and in any other they shall employ mee in I have delivered to the Council of State and to my Lord Bradshaw and Doctor Walker several papers with all my witnesses beeing the greatest merchants in this Nation and several persons aboard the ships and by their clear testimonie by God's assistance I will do the work which I am as sure the State will carry by my papers as I am sure I now write to you if that â—hey pleas but to proceed effectually in the business even by the strict rules of the Civil Law and not give away their right as there are som great ones would have them to do and without my papers and witness they could never have don it I finde that Bud the Proctor had not in the Court of Admiraltie Mr Calandrin's letter translated and so beeing in high Dutch Doctor Walker could not make any use of it at that present and about a week ago I found Bud and Roe the proctor and solicitor of the Common-wealth a feasting together with som forrein Agents I have made my Lord Bradshaw acquainted with it if Bud had don so much in the State of Venice I know hee would have lost his head now at this time hee having all the States writings in his hands and knowing all the secrets of this great business But by God's assistance I will prevent him in his designs or any other that goeth about to discharge the silver There are many great heads and hands a working to cosen the State upon craftie slie pretences I finde the learned Doctor Walker hath served the Common-Wealth in this great business with much integrity and care and learning and a great deal of pains as much as a man could possible do And would I could say so of som others imployed in this busines the truth is som men in power juggle and they have a great temptation for it by the Parlaments not taking order to land the silver in secure hands the which is now aboard the prize ships the Merchants by their instruments have stollen ashore many a score of thousand pounds a great part is brought into the mint since Christmas and all that will bee found out if the Goldsmiths were strictly examined who they bought this silver of Truly there hath lately little or no silver bin brought into the mint but what hath been stollen out of these prize-ships and the pretenders to this silver and prizes having got such a vast sum of mony to scatter without the State keep a strict eye it will blinde a great many I see it too apparently and if this business have not a powerful hand over it to prevent such abuses as have been formerly practised I know in what condition the States prizes will bee in Sir I delivered my Lord Bradshaw in December last my papers concerning this great business upon his faithful promiss that I should bee justly dealt withal about my estate and that besides I should receiv a good Reward for this Service I have copies of all my papers delivered unto him and the Council I protest before God no man in England should have had my first papers touching the prize-silver but his Honor and I do chiefly rely on him It griev's mee much to see som Merchants so desperately mad against mee for discovering this business and at White Hall som of the Council think 's not of the greatness of the service and my vast charge and hazzard I run For doing this business I have made many of my intimate friends my deadly foes for every man I speak with at the Exchange tell 's mee I was the only caus of staying this silver or els it had all been discharged Truly what they say in this particular is true for nothing yet was ever produced in the Court of Admiraltie about this silver but what my witnesses I gave in to Doct. Walker have or could have spoke unto for from several at Dover I had notice of the State 's Letter to Dewittee his Commission to convoy all Hambergers and Lubeckers and to guard them from the English becaus these Hambergers were loaden with silver for the accompts of the Merchants of Amsterdam as you will see by my letter I formerly writ to Mr Delabar I protest seriously it make's mee stand amaz'd to see what is likely to fall on this Nation God help poor England it is divided and fals among their great counsellors and many of them carrie Dutch and Spanish hearts in English bodies I finde som great ones of the Hous could eat mee without salt for discovering and staying this silver and use all their endeavors to sting a slighting and contempt on mee with som of their fellow counsellors of State and in the Parlament I will tell you who they are by word of mouth when I see you They shall finde at long running I shall see their heels trip't up I am afraid som great ones love Spanish Gold and silver though it bee conveighed unto them by a Dutch hand Sir my Lord Bradshaw told mee before M Tho. Westrope that there was som great ones would hang me if they could for staying of this silver but it was not in their power for hee would to his uttermost do mee right for which great favor I did give him humble thanks I pray present my humble service to my Lord Bradshaw and tell him next unto God I rely on him for to do mee justice that I may have my Estate pay'd mee which hath been taken from mee or the value of it out of this monie I shall caus to bee brought in to the State out of the prize-ships and silver which I have caused to bee staied in December last Your true friend THO. VIOLET Feb. 8. 1652. To my good friend Edward Watkins Esquire at the Post-hous in Ab-Church-Lane London May it pleas your Honors I Have presumed to present you with this petition and papers and my humble desire unto you is that you would do mee right and justice I was required by som of the Council to present my desires to your Honors about my Estate for they conceiv it is all the reason in the world I should have my Estate or the ful value of it You will see by my particulars I have had eleven thousand pounds taken from mee undulie and contrarie to the law and though I have ever since my coming out of the tower had a petition in Parlament to have relief I could never as yet have right I have by all waies and means studied night and daie to present my self to the world that I was ever in all my actions loial to the interest of Parlament in pursuance of that I have don the Parlament many eminent
and faithful services as is well known to all the Commissioners of the Council of Trade the Committee of the Mint and many members of Parlament and Council of State and now in December last I staied the Silver-ships and many other prize-ships at my vast and great expence For my doing this business for the Common-wealth I have at once lost many friends amongst the Merchants and others spent great sums of monie and in hazard of my life If this bee not sufficient testimonie to restore mee to my Estate and to have a good Reward I shall humbly leav it to the consideration of your Lordship and all good men I have in print but given the world a little hint how your businesses in the Admiraltie have been and are mannaged and so for the Mint but if the State knew throughly how things stand in their Admiraltie-Court and how their treasure at Gold-smith's-Hall Worcester-Hous their Customs Excise and Mint-businesses have been managed and is to this daie they would say it were time to look about them The truth of it is had I been imployed and impowred ever since the beginning of August 1652 to have looked after all the prize-ships and had had a moderate allowance for my intelligence I would have saved a great many hundred thousand pounds that you have let gon out of your hands and is at this daie in Holland whereby this Nation hath been unexpressably abused which without God's mercie will prove fatal May it pleas your Honors Let the hazard envie and blame bee never so great nay though it cost mee my life and all I had in the world I would discover unto your Honors the design that was laid to cozen the the State of the silver in the prize-ships For doing this service in staying the silver I have found just what I expected to the ful for many of the Merchants in London Officers of the Admiraltie and som others spout reviling words at mee as a whale doth water and som of them have not scrupled to threaten my life and they are skilful at it both by poison or poniard they are people that have lived in Countries where for a little piece of monie such things are usually don I most humbly confess were I not satisfied in my conscience that there was a necessitie by God's providence which put mee on to make this discovery I should not have don it For I feel it I have raised against mee by doing it many hundred enemies May it please your Honors I have spoken with divers of the Councill of State and they wished mee to put in my humble propositions and therefore I most humbly present them to your Honors humbly desiring your Honors advice and assistance in this weightie business that I might bee justly and fairly dealt with about these Prize-Ships and the silver in them My most humble suit to the Council of State is that out of all these Ships that I made a Protest against their delivery in the Court of Admiraltie and out of the ships Samson Salvador and George I may in reward for my discoverie and charge of intelligence reciev all my Estate which hath been taken from mee to the value of the sum of eleven thousand pounds which is but just my own monies which I have had for ten years unduly kept from mee as appear's by the particulars hereafter following With this my humble Petition I have made several Members of Parlament and of the Council acquainted and they hold that I deserv a farr greater Reward for doing this service for here I do the State the greatest service that ever was don in England by any man of my condition I bring unto the State neer four hundred thousand pounds at this conjuncture of time in silver of our Enemies monie which if it had not been for mee the State had been cozened of it I also discovered a fraud and mysterie of som Merchants which if it had continued would have endangered a ruin of this Nation The Dutch at one time before I discovered the frauds to the State did get out of the Parlament's hands Eleven hundred thousand pounds in silver which wee had once in our custodie since last August and now it is all in Holland For this my service to the State I have brought on my self many Enemies so that now if I should not have just dealing from the State and my Estate restored or the value of it I have by this action for the Common-wealth made my life bitter and uncomfortable unto mee every way and it will for ever discourage any to serv you upon the like occasion My Lord I do the State this service and ask not one pennie but to have my own again which hath been unduly taken from mee as aforesaid upon fals pretences and I never get a trial as is well known unto your Honor. But som of the Members of Parlament when I petitioned for a Trial even by Marshal Law replied if I had been guiltie I should never need to have petitioned for a Trial I should have had one without petitioning A fearful and sad thing to jest mee out of my whole Estate they not remembring the rule do as you would bee don to May it pleas your Honor For God's sake consider what I say there is none in England of my condition ever did England in any age so great a service as I have don in this very particular about the Dutch prize-ships and shall not my faith and true love to my Countrie at such a conjuncture of time bee by such as you are whom God hath set at the Helm looked on and cherished I am confident God will never suffer the State to commit such a sin of ingratitude I dare say I have convinced the greatest Enemies I have in England by deceiving their expectations they little thinking THO. VIOLET could or would have don the Parlament this service I have heard so much my self from som of their own mouths and I do verily believ in their own consciences between God and themselves they are convinced that they have oppressed mee unjustly and if so let som Members of the Parlament have a care when they are in judgment Not to pronounce a sentence against the light of their own consciences for the Oppressors that willingly do injustice to pleas themselves or others that are in power when their conscience shall check them for Oppression may one day fall under the same affliction themselves For those Gentlemen how great soëver must know there is a righteous God who seeth all things and in his good time will render to every man according to his merits and those that judg without mercie shall have no mercie and they know not how soon God will call their delay of Justice and their forbearing to do men right to accompt truly the cries of the oppressed are many in this Nation May it pleas your Honors if I may have my Estate restored or the value of it it shall
made their report to the Hous of Commons and thereupon the honorable Hous made this Order viz. Die Sabbathi 6 to Januar. 1643. SIr Henrie Vane Mr Solicitor and Sr Arthur Haslerig report the design of Mr Theophilus Riley Scout-master of the Citie Col. Reade Sr Basil Brook Mr Violet and others concerning Letters a Petition and Propositions touching Accommodation c. and the particular examinations of the said parties and a Letter from his Majestie to the Lord Major Court of Aldermen c. and two Letters from the Lord Digbie to Sir Basil Brook of the 29 of December and the 2 of Januarie were all read Resolved c. Theophilus Riley Sr Basil Brook and Thomas Violet shall bee committed close Prisoners to the Tower Hen. Elsing Cler Parl. D. Com. I shall humbly desire the Committee of Essex to observ this here was no conspiracie charged on any of us by the Order of the Hous of Commons but if they will read the original they will finde it as it is Printed here in the Journals of Parlament onely a Committment to the Tower of London every man that is committed to a prison must not therefore bee guiltie of a conspiracie before hee bee tried either by Marshal Law or the Common Law of the Land And truly I humbly take it my punishment beeing so long in prison was beyond my offence for bringing a letter of peace when I had not broken anie law at that time in beeing without having my Estate under Sequestration or giving Mr Elconhead my Estate for his charging mee unjustly with a conspiracie against the Parlament before the Committee of Essex when hee nor anie other either hath or can prove it it shall bee found upon examination I have don the Common-wealth better service then manie scores such as Mr Elconhead either hath or could ever do and I humbly hope when this present Parlament doth take this business into examination they will leav mee to my remedie at law against Edward Elconhead for his unjust and malitious charge to defraud mee of my Estate to enrich himself by such indirect practice and make him account with mee for all monies and rents hee hath received of mine with dammages for my forbearance since my Sequestration notwithstanding anie pretence or Order from the late Parlament or Committee of Essex THO. VIOLET These papers I left with the Lord Bradshaw Sr James Harrington Mr Tho. Chalenor Mr Alderman Allen with the Committee of Essex at Chemsford Mr Augustin Garland and several other Members of Parlament Upon the dissolving of the last Parlament I made my request to the faithful Lovers of their Countrie Col. Wetton and Lievt. Col. Joice to present my former services about the staying the Silver and other prizes to the Right Honorable the Council of Officers which accordingly they did and brought mee acquainted with several of those noble Gentlemen for which great civilities I give them humble thanks by whose means I sent this ensuing Letter to the Right Honorable General Monk and presented the ensuing Papers to the present Council of State For the Right honorable General Monk Admiral of the Common-wealth of England May it pleas your Honor I Have desired Lievtenant Colonel Joyce to bee pleased to send your Honor this Letter the occasion of my writing to your Honor now is humbly to give you notice of a Book I presented to the late Parlament concerning many abuses about several Prize-Ships brought into this Nation and discharged som out of the Court of Admiraltie and som other waies before they were duely examined as appear's in my Book I herewith send unto your Honor. By reason of your great employment as Admiral I humbly thought it my dutie to present you with my Book In folio 99 you shall finde a particular Invoice Sr the damage hath been to this Common-Wealth to the value of manie hundred thousand pounds which this Nation hath been couzened of for want of a strict Examination of Prize-Ships I was formerly employ'd the 13th of Decemb. 1652. by the then Council of State to assist in the Court of Admiraltie against the Ships Sampson Salvador and George having laden in them manie hundred thousand pounds which silver had been all let gon had it not been for my Protest and Solicitation in the Court of Admiraltie as appear's in my Book fol. 75. 76. 77. 78. 79. 80. 81. 82. 83. 84. I have presumed to send you the Book with a Copie of my Petition to his Excellencie the Lord General My humble suit to your Honor is that if you conceiv my Petition is for the service of the Common-wealth to have these great abuses I have humbly presented unto the Parlament found out and prevented for the future that your honor would do mee that just favor to send in writing to Lievtenant Colonel Joyce what you conceiv is to bee don concerning my humble Petition to his Excellencie The Silver aboard all these aforesaid Ships is Ordered to bee landed by his Excellencie and to bee brought into the Tower I humbly desire to bee appointed Remembrancer for all prize-Ships which if I had been in August last employ'd the State had had a Million of monie now which hath by the undue and careless practice of som men been let slip out of England for want of a vigilant prosecution and is how in Holland I humbly leav the consideration of the premises to your honor and remain London Apr 27. 1653. Your most humble Servant THO. VIOLET Lievtenant Col. Joice lieth at the leg neer the Fountain Tavern in the Strand I humbly desire your honor to signifie your pleasure to him This letter I sent by Mr Quatmore The humble desire and Petition of Thomas Violet presented to the Right honorable Major-General Desborrow Col. Benet Col Jones all of the Council of State May 4. 1653. Sheweth 1 THat for want of order and a due regulation and porsecution of the matters of the State 's Prizes and Prizes of private men of War depending in the Court of Admiraltie divers great losses and inconveniencies have ensued which if not prevented for the future will bring unexpressable mischief on this Nation and will not onely discourage all private Men of War for continuing those Ships they have abroad or sending forth of others but deprive the Common-wealth of much if not most of that benefit it might and ought to make by Prizes which are and have been brought in by the Parlament's Ships which Prizes ought to bee employ'd towards the support of this War by which means this State hath been much disenabled and our enemies enabled as by sad experience since these Wars began the State hath found and by your Petitioner it hath been humbly presented to your Honors to take such order that there may bee a timely redress before it bee too late 2. That for want of stricter instructions to all Commanders at Sea for this Common-wealth manie Ships have passed unquestion'd or not fully examined and manie more
that is my estate again restored unto mee or so much as can bee by the power of the Parlament and to make up the rest of my estate that cannot bee restored either in money or Offices the som of eleven thousand pounds according to my particular in this Book fol. 63. and this was the agreement and promiss I had from the Committee of Forrein affairs and others of the Council of State besides manie of the Members of Parlament told mee I deserved a greater Reward for this business more then to bee restored to my estate for that they were of opinion if once my caus of Sequestration should bee heard in the Hous I would bee cleered of my Sequestration Truly I humbly saie were I in any Common-Wealth in Christendom and had don them the like service as I have don here and had nothing to pretend too but this service I have heard som Travellers saie I should for my discoverie of so great a business have manie thousand pounds beyond what I Petition for as my due I should bee injurious to the Justice of the Parlament if I should make anie declaration as a question of receiving my due 3. I humbly conceiv that the former Council were as Factors and Agents for this Common-wealth and intrusted by the former Supreme Power and what I did with them I do the same thing with humilitie I saie it to this present Supreme Power and to the present Council of State I did them this service for the Common-wealth and not for any particular person or for anie particular man's profit in the Council of State and therefore though the particular persons bee changed in the Government the Common-wealth is not changed the Common-wealth hath the Silver the Common-wealth in honor is ingaged to do mee right these present Governors are as Stewards for the Common-wealth and if my reward should not bee punctually performed by the present Power it would for ever hereafter bee of dangerous consequence to the State and would discourage any to serv the State I have don the State in this particular the greatest service that ever was don in England by anie man of my condition to save them neer four hundred thousand pounds in Silver of our enemies in this conjuncture of time It will save Taxes and replenish the Nation with monie and it is easie to apprehend what advantages the State hath by it 4. If I had not given everie Member of Parlament in Print a Narrative of my whole Transactions in this business of the Silver and Prizes in the Court of Admiraltie how could I put in my Petition into the Parlament to have a Reward for my services and never to shew all the ground-work or original occasions or Transactions upon which in justice and equitie my Petition ought to bee granted by this present Parlament they having the benefit the former Parlament had having by my means sowed the seed and this Parlament reaping the harvest I humbly hope they will allow mee a little gleanings it is said Thou shalt-not muzzle the mouth of the Ox that treadeth out the Corn the State never had had this Silver in the Barn had I not trod and trod again for it 5. I have found manie of the late Parlament men and som of the late Council of State with several others their followers and friends having relation to them getting my Papers into their hands have acted their parts in several Scenes of the State at several Committees several Treaties in Forrein Affairs in several Offices as in the Mint and at the Council of Trade and at and in several emploiments in this Nation which papers of mine I have presented them with by means thereof som have assumed more to themselvs then was ever in them upon a strict examination for I have sate up manie nights and daies at vast expence and studie to bring the State 's business about and som others by my papers have gotten great employments whereas if they had been truly examined of the worth of themselvs they would som of them been found Emptie-beaded and long-bill'd Wood-cocks these men having served mee as the hogs doth the man that shake's them down the Alcorns they eat them up as fast as they fall but never look to give thanks to the man that shook them down beeing so far from acknowledging my civil respects unto them that for my curtesies in this kind to som I have met withal after I have been instrumental to bring them to good Offices and Preferment they have don mee ill offices and disrespect I shall forbear naming of them hoping for the future they will have more of Christianitie than to render mee evil for good many of my friends that have been privie to their ingratitude have told mee both of their confidence and impudence in Relation to mee as aforesaid and this is one reason wherefore I Print these Papers that these Rooks for the future may bee discovered 6. For my presenting this Narrative unto the Supreme Power I am autorized to do it by Order of this present Council of State 10th of June 1653. to present all abuses that are or have been in the managing of the Silver-Prizes and by Order of Parlament the 12. of July 1653. an Order to examin how the Treasure coming into the State may bee managed with the least charge and expens and how all persons that have receiv'd the monie for the Common-wealth may bee called to account another Order of Parlament of the 20. of July 1653. where a Committee is appointed to receiv such Petitions to the Parlament as are proper to the legislative power or not els were to bee relievable with power to send for Papers Records and Witnesses by an Order of the aforesaid Date I am inpowr'd to present these propositions for the advantage of the Common-wealth that so for the future som good Rules and Laws may bee made for the Court of Admiraltie and this Narrative is one of the principallest for the saftie and profit of this Nation that hath or shall I humbly conceiv bee presented to the Parlament 1. As in relation of the Silver now a Coyning in the Tower 2. Several other Prize-Ships and discovering several frauds and breachs of trust in som persons to the great dammage of the Common-wealth 3. There is a Committee appointed for the publick Treasurie and for the best improovment these propositions is for them wherein by careful mannaging of the sale of the Prize-goods they may improve the same manie thousand pounds yearly the carriage of that business of the sale of your Prize-goods I humbly desire maie bee called to a strict and exemplar count 4. I humbly think that there is not one Member in the Hous will conceiv his time lost to bee made acquainted with the several passages of this Narrative if I knew anie would not bestow the reading of it I would spare my pains in presenting them with it 7. If I would have been taken off of
Mint in the Tower of London Sir There are som men when they behold a hous ready finished they do not at the first apprehend the several pins and beams and materials that make 's and frame 's the building there is many a nail driven which the Spectator never see 's the builder that paie's for it hee onely keep 's that particular account as I have don for this Book Humbly present you I must confess this is but a thatched Cottage but it hath cost mee many years pains and trouble and great expence to present it to you in that ruff and unpollished shape it is in I have for many years night and daie had several helps and hands both in England and beyond-Seas from choice intelligencers and out of several manuscripts in the custodie of Sr John Cook when hee was Secretarie to the late King and since the Parlament I have got what I could by industrie from Merchants and others both at home and abroad at my great expence to make mee serviceable to my Countrie in studying the individual prosperitie of every man that is a true lover of this Common-wealth Sir Hee that travail's far in a Winter's daie had need to bee up before Sun-rising And such honorable Members as your self shall and have no doubt found the affairs of the Common-wealth left strangely intangled the 20. of April 1653. The great God of Heaven direct you to set all strait in the Common-wealth and that you may amend what you found amiss to the comfort of this Nation and to you and your posterities everlasting honor whereby this Common-wealth may bless God for you and other worthie Members of Parlament and Armie SIR There is a Rule in the State of Venice when their Embssadors com home the Senate there requireth them to give an account of the negotiations in Forreign parts and to declare the conditions manners fashions and powerfull parties and factions in those Kingdoms or Common-wealths from whence they return An Embassador of Venice returning from England in the late King Charles's time was according to custom to give his usual account in the Senate hee after a long Oration of the power of the Spanish Italian French Dutch and Scotch-interest in the Court of England their several influences on all the actions of the late King and his Counsel was required to give an account of the power and interests the English Natives had themselvs in their own Counsels to which the Embassador replied That the Natives themselvs had little or no power in the Court of England for though the King 's Privie Council had all English bodies yet they had Spanish French Dutch and Scotch hearts and many of them Forreign Prince's Pensioners and the true lovers of their Countrie the Natives of England had little power in their own Counsels the late King having a resolution to cast off all Parlaments and to rule by his own Prerogative The sad effects of those Counsels and thir miscarriages brought the late great miseries and Wars on this Nation May it pleas you Sir I would to God som men could not justly say the like during som time of the late Parlament many of their Counsellors and Members in the begining of the late Parlament speaking all perfit Scotch and Presbyterie and afterwards som of their late Counsellors perfect Spanish Dutch and French SIR I say I have found this a sad truth ten thousand pounds deep and better to my particular estate SIR let mee most humbly entreat you to bee instrumental with all the worthie Members of this present Parlament to remember they are English and to act upon true English principles esteeming the good of the Nation above all private respects and their faith and word once past is ever to bee kept either with particular men or States There was many Noble Gentlemen of the last Parlament labored it and studied to bring it about but they were over-powred by several parties and divisions even amongst themselvs if there bee any that hinder this good work in your Counsels I pray God to discover him and to amend and convert him or bring him to Justice That which I most humbly desire is for every man perfectly and freely with due reverence I humbly say it to the Supreme Autoritie to speak his Countrie 's language perfect English in all their words and actions to bee publick spirited men that is to studie the just peace wealth prosperitie and happiness of every individual member of this Nation and that they studie the restoring of Trade the erecting of Manufactures the setting all the poor on work to the relieving the aged and impotent even such as have been struck by God's hand or for their Countrie 's defence My most earnest suit to you is above all earthly things diligently to prepare Ships men and materials for to defend your Dominion of the Seas of this Common-wealth for without this you nor any one member in this Nation can call any thing their own longer then it shall bee lent them by the courtesies of our neighbor-Nation And what favor upon their prevailing can bee exspected by us from them their former courtesies in the East-Indies and their late actions apparently declare to every true English heart Upon honorable and just conditions for the good of both Nations God in his good time I hope and pray for that hee will finde a way to save his servant Isaac that is both English and Dutch and catch the Ram in the Bush I mean the Jesuits that lately kindled this fire and to this daie blow the coles between both Nations Noble SIR I have in this Narrative shewed you a Watch in pieces and som of the Wheels and Springs that make's the motion or els a Carpenter's Rule the inches and Mathematical lines Yet noble Sir I humbly tell you the shewing a man a Rule and a Watch doth not enable him without long studie tools and materials to make a Watch or a Rule I humbly saie I had rather bee a Carpenter by daily practice to know how to build a hous then a Mathematitian by Theorick which can talk of an hundred things in framing an hous but give him a Mallet Saw and Square hee know's not how to handle one of them So it is not the Theorick but the Practick part that can do this service which I have don for the Common-wealth Sir I humbly saie there must bee Men read as well as books and many years studie to do this service SIR I deliver not this paper to erect Offices and Imployments upon the recommendations of friends for any in Power to make such use of these my humble Proposals as som of the late Parlament have don viz. To put into great places of trust and skill ignorant and unskilful men or Rooks as many of your Treasurers and other Officers have been that by indirect waies have cram'd their purses and bought incredible vast possessions Their monies and lands they now have belong's truly to the
INDEX For the Narrative of the Ships Sampson Salvador and George presented to the PARLAMENT Aug. 3. 1633. THomas Violet's Petition to the Parlament p. 1 2 3 4. Thomas Violet's first discoverie about the Prize-Silver 8. Decemb. 1652. Presented to my Lord Bradshaw and M. Allen p. 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12. An Order of the Council of State 13. of Decemb. 1652. p. 13. Papers delivered to Doctor Walker from p. 13. to 26. A Letter to Doctor Walker p. 26 27. A Letter to M. Vincent de Bar p. 28 29. A Letter to M. Arnold Brames p. 29 30. Thomas Violet's Affidavit p. 31 32 33. Papers of the Narrative of the proceeding about the Silver and Prizes delivered in to the Lord Whitlock and Sr William Massam beeing of the Committee of Forrein affairs p. 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45. My Letter to my Lord Bradshaw and Colonel Morley concerning Cap. Otho George's assaulting the Common-wealth's witnesses in the Streets and stabbing them p 46. My Petition to the Council of State p. 46. Referr'd to the Committee of Forrein affairs p. 37 38. My Letter to M. Jsaac Doreslaws p. 49 50. Papers I left with my Lord Bradshaw Sir James Harrington and M. Allen about the 6. of Feb. 1653. p. 53. 54. A Letter to M. Ed Watkins p. 54 55 56 57 58. A Paper to my Lord Bradshaw and others of the Council about the restoring mee to my Estate p. 59 60. The Dutch at one time before I discovered it to the Council of State did get out of the Parlament's hands since Aug. 1652. the summe of eleven hundred thousand pounds and they had cosened the State of every pennie of their monie now a Coyning in the Tower beeing near four hundred thousand pounds bad it not been for Tho. Violet p. 61. as appear's by this Narrative An account of my Estate taken away from mee by the late Parlament p. 63 64 65. Thomas Violet's Petition to the late Parlament p. 67 68. A Copie of the late King's Letter to the Lord Major and Citie of London p. 69 70. Several transactions that follow'd thereupon p. 70 71 72. Vpon the dissolving of the late Parlament I made my Addresses to Colonel Wetton and Lievtenant Colonel Joice to present my former services to the Honorable Council of Officers which accordingly they did 73. Thomas Violet's Letter to the Right Honorable General Monk Admiral of the Common-Wealth of England Apr. 27. 1653 p. 73 74 75. Tho. Violet's humble Desire and Petition to the Right Honorable Major General Desborrow Colonel Bennet and Colonel Joans May 4. 1633. p. 75 76 77 78 79 80. Tho. Violet's Letter to the Right Honorable Colonel Bennet humbly desiring him to acquaint the Council of State with the contents p. 80 81 82. Papers delivered to the Right Honorable Colonel Jones and Colonel Bennet concerning several Prize-Ships p. 83 84. seting forth it is now apparant what Spirit Rules in som Persons in the Admiraltie to the great dammage of the State p. 85. as appear's by Cap. Bishop's Letters p. 86. and that Covetousness and Self-seeking hath betray'd many of the State 's Priz-Ships Silver and goods in the Admiraltie p. 87 88. My Letter to the Right Honorable Colonel Jones and Colonel Bennet concerning the best waies for the State both for the least charge and keeping the particular account of every parcel of Silver taken out of the Sampson Salvador and George ships p 88 89 90 91 92 93. An Order of the Council of State June 10. 1653. to Tho. Violet to discover to the Council what abuses have been acted in the managing of their Prizes and their lading either Silver or Merchandize since the bringing up the State 's Prizes p. 94. Thereupon I drew the Draught of the Paper for the Parlament setting forth several abuses concerning the management of the State 's Prizes and to prevent the like for the future and to call som that have abused them to account p. 94 95 96 97 98. Several reasons which did induce mee to Print this Narrative p. 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106. AN INDEX OF Such Papers as I presented to the PARLAMENT the 15. Februarie 1652. AN Answer of the Corporation of Moniers to Peter Blondeau Tho. Violet's Letter to Mr John Benfield pag. 1 2. The Corporation of Monier's Letter to Tho. Violet p. 3. Peter Blondeau's Representation as a Warning touching several Disorders happening by monie ill-favoredly coined p. 4 5 6 7 8 9 10. Peter Blondeau's humble Memorandum for the prevention of many abuses concerning Coins and will cost no more then the ordinarie unequal Coin which is used now p. 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20. An Order of the Commitee of the Mint 14 June 1651 for a trial of making monie by the Moniers and the Frenchman p. 21. The humble Proposition of the Provest and Moniers of the Mint to Sr James Harrington Chair-man of the Committee of the Mint p. 22 23. The 8 of May 1651 the Committee ordered the Frenchman and Ramadge that worked for the English to make their triel p. 24. The Provest and Monier's answer to the objections of Peter Blondeau p. 26 27 28 29. The Provest and Moniers humbly desire a Law to bee made for the discovering and punishing all Transporters of Monie according to the Certificate of the chief Officers of the Mint 20 Decemb. 1647 p. 32 33 34. A Letter of the Provest and Moniers to Tho. Violet to desire him to Petirion in their behalf the Committee of the Mint for an allowance of eigbtic seven pounds 18s 5d for their trial with the Frenchman 37 38. The names of the Moniers and Laborers working in the Mint the 27 June 1652 p. 40 41. A Letter from Transmarine parts setting out the abuses acted on the Coins and Bullion of England p. 45. In France they have Courts of Record for the Regulating their Monies such a Court ought to bee set up in England and strict Laws made and men appointed to see them put in execution p. 49 47. A greater quantitie of English monie counterfeited and made forth of the Mint then is coined in the Tower for the last six years p. 48 till I caused the Prize-silver to bee staied in Decemb. 1652. The great mischiefs that is befallen them in Ireland by light and clipped monie som Goldsmiths and others in London and Bristow the chief autors of this mischief to have the bottom found out p. 49 Against culling and melting down of English monie p. 50. The great mischiefs several Exchanging Goldsmiths in Lombardstreet do the State p. 50. The mischiefs that com to England by the late King 's setting up several Mints at Bristow Shrewsburie York Oxford Carlile p. 52. Against the making Gold and Silver Thred in England beeing A great consumption of the Treasure p. 54. Several Orders of Parlament for passing the Act against Transporters of Gold and Silver p. 55 56 57 and proceedings of the