people wherby many disherisons and divers great mischeifes and damages bee hapned aswell to the King as to his said people and to all his Realm wherof hee to the honor of God and for the weale of him and his Realm And for the quietness and Releif of him and of his people who have ben in divers manners greatly charged before this time willing with the grace of God against such mischeifes to provide a good and due remedy HATH of his free will and at the request of the Lords and Comons aforesaid ordayned made and assigned his great Officers that is to say The Chancellor Treasurer and keeper of his Privie Seale such as hee holdeth good sufficient and lawfull for the honor and profit of him and his Realm And moreover of his authoritie royall certain knowledg and good agree and freewill And by the advice and assent of the Prelats Lords and Comons aforesaid in the full Parlament in ayd of good governance of his Realm And good and due execution of his said Lawes And in releif of the Estate of him and his people in time to com uppon the full trust that he hath of good advisement witt and discretion of the Honorable Fathers in GOD William Arch Bishop of Canterbury and Alexander Arch Bishop of York his dear Uncles â—dmond duke of York and Thomas duke of Glocester the honorble Fathers in GOD William Bishop of Winchester Thomas Bushop of Exeter and Nicolas Abbott of waltham and his wellbeloved and Faithfull Richard Earl of Arundell John Lord of Cobham Sir Richard le Scrope John Devoreux hath ordained and assigned and deputed them by his Letters Patents under his great Seal to be of his greate and continuall Counsel from S. Edmonds Eve the Martyr by a whole year next following after the date of the said Letters Patens to survey and examine with the said great officers That is to say the Chancellor Treasurer and keeper of his privie Seal aswell the Estate and governance of his house and of all his Courts and places as of all his Realm as of all his officers and Ministers of whatsoever Estate Degree or condition hee bee aswell within the said Hous as without and to enquire and take Information by all the wayes which to them best shal seeme of al the rents revennues and profits that to him appertaneth and be due aswell within the Realm as without in any manner way or condition And of all manner of Gifts and Grants alienations and confirmations made by him of Lands Tenements Rents and ymmunities profits Revenues wards marriges Escheats forfeitures franchises liberties voydances of Archbushops Bushiprickes Abbies Priores Fermes of Howses and Possessions of Aliens And of all other possessions soms of money goods and Chattels and of all other things and to what persons and for what caus and how and in what manner And namely of those persons which have taken without desert And also all manner of Revenues and profits aswell of his said Realm as of Lands Seigniories Cities Towns Castles Fortresses and also of all manner his other posesons aswell on this side the Sea as beyond and of the profits and emoluments of his money bullions and of the taking of Prisoners Towns and Places Ships Carackes good and Ransoms of warre by land and by sea And of benifices and other possessions of Cardinals Rebels and all other aliens and also of carrying of money out of the Realm by the Collectors of the Pope Procurators of the Cardinals Lumberds other persons aswell aliens as Denizens And of the Emoluments and profits coming and rising out of the Customs Subsides of Wools Leather And woolfels and of smal Custstomes and other Subssedies of Cloethes Wynes and all other Marchandize And of disines quinzins And all other subsides and charges granted by the Clergie and the Comons and also of the receipt profits and payments of the hamper of his Chancery And of all other his receipts from the time of his Coronatiion tell And of fees Wages and rewards of officers and Ministers more and less Also of immunities and other Rewards And also guifts and grants made to any person by him and by his Father and his grand father in fee or for terme of life or in any other manner And if gre or payment bee to them thereof made and by whom and how And in what manner And also how much they have released or given to officers or others to have their payments to what persons how and in what maner And of Lands Tenements Rents Revenues and forfeitures barganed and sold to the prejudice and damage of him and of his Crown and by whom and to whom how and in what manner And of the Sale or bargain of Tallies and Patens of singular profits aswell in the tyme of his said grand-Father as in his own time and how and by what persons And also of all his jewells and goods which were his said Grandfathers at the time of his death and what and of what price or value and where they bee becom and how and in what manner And of all Cheviences any wise made to his use by any maner of persons And of all loss and damage hee hath had fustained by the same And by what persons how and in what manner and of charters of pardons generall and espcciall and also of the somes and payments and maner of expence aswell of his said hous as for the salvation and defence of his Realms Lands and seignioryes Towns Castles and fortresses and other Places on this side the Sea and beyond don and received by any persons aswell Soldiers as others and by any manner of way and how and in what manner and how much they have given to have their payments and of the concealments of rights and profits and by whom how and in what maner and of maintainers and takers of quarels embracers of enquests and of officers and ministers made by brockage and of their broggers and of them that have taken the said brocage and how and in what maner and also of all the defaults and offences that bee don aswell in his said hous as other places and courts aforesaid as in all other places within his realm of England by any manner of persons whereby the profit of him and of his crown hath been impaired and diminished or the common law disturbed delayed or other damage to him hapned giveing comitting by the same of his royall authoritie and by the advice and assent aforsaid to the said counsellors or any six of them and to the great officers full power authority generall especiall to enter his said hous all the offices of the same and all his other Courts places as often as them pleas to caus to com before them where when them pleaseth The Rols records and other minuments evidences such as them liketh and all the defaults waste and excesses found in his said hous and also all the defaults and
of Life and Estate in Spain to Transport Silver if you confess it or bee taken doing it And whether wee had Peace or Warr with Spain the Silver had been all the States For what silver belonged to Holland the Dutch they could not Claim by the last Articles of Peace And what the Spaniard Claimed heer by Merchants would have all been denyed in Spain for no man there would confess the Transporting Treasure And if the Bills of Lading and the Laders were denyed to bee true in Spain the State had done their work I have stated this business at large to shew the great Expence trouble hazard and pains the hard and difficult wayes I found out I made use of Sea-men that were Passengers Merchants English Strangers all sors of people and all interests to effect this service I took pains night and day And I most humbly say if I bee impowered by your Highness to have a full Inspection into the Frauds of the Accomptants and Treasurers of this Nation with power to act as Remembrancer And to have the same power as Doctor Walker gave mee in the Admlraltie to inspect into all manner of proceedings of Committee men and Accomptants and Frauds of the Nation as aforesaid I will most humbly undertake upon the peril of my life to bring your Highness in many hundred Thousand Pounds Provided I may have just reward and encouragement for what I have done already Vpon my humble Petition to your Highness and the Counsel for my satisfaction for the staying the Silver Ships The Counsel of State made this order Wednesday 16 January 1652. ORdered the humble petition of Thomas Violet with the These Papers annexed to my Petition are the Originall Affidavits of my Expenses and Charges in this Business and Warrants from Doctor Walker and the Counsel to require mee to do this Service and they remain now in Mr Jessop's custody Papers annexed bee referred to Generall Montague and Colonel Sidenham to bee by them considered of And the fact with their opinion reported to the Counsel Henry Scobell Clerk of the Councel Tuesday 22 January 1655. ORdered that Mr Srickland bee added to the Committee to whom the Petition of Thomas Violet is referred Henry Scobell Clerk of the Counsell Vpon these Orders of the most Honorable Counsell I writ this Letter ensuing A Copie of my Letter to the Lord Bradshawe May it please your Honor SInce the Order for the taking up the Accompts of this Nation I have found in Mr John Corbet's Custody hee being one of the Committee for Salop three of my Bonds of 2000 pounds for the Payment of one Thousand Pounds to mee Thomas Violet and the State never received Penny for them Whereupon I have Petitioned his Highness and the Counsel of State for these three Bonds as part of my satisfaction and Mr Corbet hath been sent to by Mr Scobell and was with the Committee Yesterday and confessed that hee had the Bonds and that the State never received Penny of them This Mr Corbet told my Lord Strickland and Colonel Jones and that hee would deliver them unto mee if hee had the Counsels Order I have likewise Petitioned the Counsel that for the present I might have five hundred pounds in part of my satisfaction which money I laid out in the Prosecution of the silver Ships Sampson Salvador and George And this I have proved upon the Oaths of Five men And Dr Walker and the Commissioners for Prize goods have sent these Affidavits up to the Counsel for my satisfaction And these Certificates and Affidavits remain sealed together in Mr Jessop's custody And I had the Counsel of States faithfull promise but chiefly and above all I relyed upon Your Honor for the Restoration of my Estate or the Value the Parlament having taken from mee to the value of above Eleven Thousand Pounds in Houses Lands Bonds Moneys and Offices when by Gods law nor the law of this Nation at the time when they took away my Estate I had not forfeited one penny If it had not been for my protesting against the Discharge of the Silver and my prosecution of that business the Silver had all been let slip out of the Nation I most humbly beeseech your Honor to acquaint Mr Scobell of my severall services and defire him that hee bee carefull to draw up my order for my bonds that I may bee enabled to sue and prosecute them as freely as if they had never been under Sequestration And that I may have for the present my monies I have expended in this service against the Silver Ships It is a lamentable Case my Usage for mee to bring the State nere four Hundred Thousand Pounds And to bee put to Petition for the monies I laid out of my purs At the Counsel of States and at Doctor Walkers Entreaty I imployed people to do this service as I can make it appear under his hand My condition I humbly conceiv is not to bee matched I having done so good Service and been so ill requited It will make all men afraid to trust to English States mens promises If I would have betrayed my trust and my Country I take God to witness I was several times offered ten thousand Pounds of some of the Claimers of this Silver Which had I done it I need not either to have stayed in this Country or to have petitioned for my Bonds or Charges Your Honors most humble and Obbiged Servant THO. VIOLET The Lord Bradshaw's Report on the side of this Letter written with his own hand viz. I Must needs affirm That it appeared to the late Council of State that Mr Violet did very good service to the Parlament and Common-wealth touching the Ships mentioned in this Letter and deserved good acknowledgment and satisfaction for it as being very instrumental in discovering the Dues to the State and finding out frauds in this and other particulars for which in those times hee was thought worthy of Consideration February 7. 1655. John Bradshaw For this his Justice in certifying the Truth I give his Honor most humble thanks I Presented this Letter and Certificate to som of the Honorable Council who when they had read it replyed They wondred my Lord Bradshaw and the Council of State did not give mee satisfaction when I did this service saying They could have done it and if they would they might have kept their promise they then had power enough to do it TO which I humbly answer My agreement with the Lord Bradshaw and the Council of State was That I should bee paid eleven thousand pounds for this service out of the first moneies the State coyned of the silver in these ships after I should by good and legal witness disprove the Spanish Ambassadors Claim Or I should bee restored to my estate in Offices Lands Bonds Money and Houses the Parlament had taken from mee with all my dammage Now may it pleas your Highness neither the Lord Bradshaw nor the Council all the time
defend themselves from Many of the Counsel of State and some of the Commissioners for Prize goods and Officers of the Mint told mee I had undone my self if I did not prove there was great quantitie of silver in these Ships Sampson Salvador and George belonged to the Dutch in the United Provinces Many great Personages told mee The Spanish Ambassador would demand Justice on mee for presuming to contradict what so great a Princes Ambassador affirmed to the Counsell of State and to the Parlament if I failed of my proofs against him Also the Merchants many scores of them would have their actions against mee for their Damages for my detaining their ships and silver upon a fall pretence they having enterred a Protest for their Dammage in December 1652 for detaining this silver And above all some of the Councel of State told mee themselves if I could not prove what I had alledged to bee true I should bee taken for an Incendiary and so they would report mee to the Parlament So that in seeking to get mine Estate I ran a great hazzard totally to â—do my self May it please Your Highness In brief I might with the same security have as well flung my self off of Paul's Steeple as to have missed to maintain my charge and not have disproved the Spanish Ambassadors Claim Therefore when I had made my Protest in the Admiralty I was forced to bee at the Charge to make out my Evidence and Proofs and then fully to follow this business or bee undone The prosecution of this business hath been to my insupportable Charge to this day I pay Interest for five hundred Pounds I borrowed and laid out in this business to bring the State in above Three hundred thousand Pounds as appears formerly uppon the Oaths of severall credible Witnesses And although I was promised the summe of Eleven Thousand pounds Of all that summe I have received as yet though I attended dayly the State but three Bonds which were my own Bonds in two thousand Pounds for the payment of one thousand Pounds unto mee Thomas Violet These Bonds being seized and taken out of my sisters custâ—dy in Holbourn Anno 1644 by the Committee of Shropshire And these Bonds I could not haue out of the Committee of Salops Custody till I paid them forty Pounds as appears by the Order of the Counsel following So that there is nothing that comes into a Committees hands of my Estate that I could yet ever get of Scot-free But I must ever humbly acknowledg John Corbet Esq his great Justice and favour to mee in helping mee to my Bonds even on those terms I had them For which I give him humble thanks And if the said Committee of Salop will restore mee back the said forty Pounds I have deposited in Mr Corbets hands for their use now they see my faithfull Affection and Duty to my Countrey in these several particulars I shall like-wise-give them thanks for their Justice in doing mee right Their County will bee little the Richer for taking this Forty Pounds of mee The Order of the Counsel of State thereupon follow viz. Friday March 21. 1655. At the Counsel at White-Hall UPon reading a Report from the Committee to whom the Petition of Thomas Violet was referred praying that certain Bonds seized upon by the Committee of Salop may bee delivered unto him Upon consideration of the said Report and for that the said Bonds are ingaged for forty pounds which the said Committee imploied for publique use Ordered by his Highness the Lord Protector and his Counsel That upon the said Thomas Violets paying unto the said Committee the said summ of forty pounds for which the said Bonds are ingaged That the said Committee bee required to deliver up the said Bonds unto the said Thomas Violet and that hee bee at liberty to sue the same and to take the benefit thereof as formerly hee might have done and that it bee referred to John Corbet Esquire to see the said Bonds delivered up accordingly upon payment of the said forty pounds Henry Scobell Clerk of the Counsell Mr John Corbet I attended with this order March 28. 1655. Hee was pleased to tell mee hee was to go down into Shropshire and would speak with the Committee who were to receive the forty pounds and then I should know where to pay my money for hee told mee hee had never received Publique monies and hee was verie unwilling to receiv any now But upon his return uppon my earnest intreaty and to save mee from further trouble hee told mee hee would receiv and keep this fortie pounds in deposito for the use of the Committee till hee had order from them for the disposing of it That transaction follows viz. MEmorandum That the 24th of May 1656. In obedience to the Order of his Highness the Lord Protector and his Counsel of the 21. of March 1655. I John Corbet Esquire have delivered unto Thomas Violet of London Gold-Smith three Bonds the first bearing date the 6th of June 1638. of eight hundred pounds for the payment of four hundred pounds within one year after the death of the Lady Anne Waad in whcâ—h Bond the said Lady Anne Waad Charles Mordent Philip Cage and Edmund Lenthal Esquires stand bound to the said Thomas Violet and one other Bond of the 6th of June 1638. in six hundred pounds for the payment of three hundred pounds within two years after the death of the said Lady Anne Waad in which the Persons aforesaid stand bound to the said Thomas Violet and one other Bond of the same date of six hundred pounds for the payment of three hundred pounds within three years after the death of the said Lady Anne Waad in which Bond the Persons aforesaid also stand bound to the said Thomas Violet The summ of forty pounds being paid by the said Thomas Violet according to the said Order JOHN CORBET Witnesses then present Edward Watkins William Davis Edmund Cogan John English Scr. The Lady Ann Waad of Battels Hall in Essex died about May 1643. And the Bonds are due to mee Th. Violet as abovesaid May it please your Highness OUt of your princely regard to Justice to reliev your humble Supplicant and to give that order and direction that either your Supplicant may bee restored to his Estate again with his Damages or the summ of Eleven Thousand pounds paid him according to the faithfull promise of the Counsel of State Or any other way Your Highness in your great Clemency and love to Justice shall think most convenient for the just Reward of your Loyall Subject to give him Satisfaction Your Supplicant having formerly at large Printed the Grounds and Reasons for his Stay of this Silver and the severall humble proposalls hee from time to time presented to your Highnes s Counsel and Doctor Walker for your service And your Highness having disposed of all this great treasure by the hands of Sr J. Baxter your Highnes 's Lieutennant of the Tower who hath
the value of one thousand three hundred and odd pounds Besides many of my Papers and Accompts of great concernment to the Commonwealth 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 ninteen hundred threescore and eight pounds which money I laid every penny out of my own purse to do the late King and Commonwealth that service and I caused the transporters of gold and silver to be fined in the Star Chamber at Twenty four Thousand pounds besides several Merchants and gold and silver Refiners viz. Alderman Wollaston and Alderman Gibbs Mr Peter Fountain and others Upon their Petition to the late King and paying well for it had their Pardon under the Great Seal of England for several abuses practised by them in their Trades and complained of at Whitehall to the late King by Sr Henry Mildemay Master of the Jewel-hous and by som of the Wardens and Company of Goldsmiths as will appear by the Order of the Counsel-table 25 Jan. 1634. 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 to the just value of One thousand pounds and one Mr Elconhead received my rents ever since 1643 Mr Philip Cage being in possession for my Use 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 Esqrs as appears by the Bonds restored unto mee back from John Corbet Esq r 24th of May 1656 by vertue of your Highness and your Counsels Order of 21 of March 1655. And I have put these Bonds in suit according to the power given unto me by your Highness and your most honorable Counsel For which Justice I most humbly am bound to give to Colonel Syddenham my Lord Strickland and Col. Jones most humble thanks humbly trusting in God that they will bee honorably pleased to move your Highness and the Councel to take that order the rest of my Estate under Sequestration shall bee justly restored Or that I shall have the summ to bee made up Eleven thousand pounds paid mee according to the faithfull promise of the Councel of State 1652 for staying and intituling the State to the aforesaid Three hundred thousand pounds in silver which the Commonwealth onely by my means had every penny of it 5. I had the Leas 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 Thirteen years I received no Rent of them But one Mr Elconhead hath received the Rents of them ever since 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. Cottington Sr John Cook Secretary of State and Sr. John Bankes the late Kings Attourney The necessity of keeping up that Office to prevent the dayly Cosennages and frauds of divers Silkmen Wyerdrawers and Refiners in their making Cours sleight and deceitfull Gold and Silver Wyer and Toread I shall at the later end of this book shew at large having about three hundred Assayes of adulterate and cours gold and silver Wyer Thread Spangles Oes c all made and sold contrary to the Lawes and Statutes These Assayes are in my custody under the Hand and Attestation of Mr Alexander Jackson Assay-master of Goldsmiths Hall and the several Silkmens names and shops and dayes of the Moneth in which they sold this cours adulterate gold and silver Thread and Lace Spangles Wyer c. to the great deceipt of the Nation in generall And upon the Discovery of these notorious Cheats the late King and his Counsel appointed mee Surveyor and Sealer of the said Manufacture I caused all the abuses to bee laid aside I Indicted som offenders imprisoned som 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 Wyer-drawers Silkmen and Refiners and the late Kings Councel and Commissioners setled such Rules and Orders during that Regulation the Manufacture 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 once Troy in Wyer Spangles Oes ctc. I suveyed and 4 pence for every pound weight Vennice for all the Gold and Silver I sealed with the Seal of my Office being the Rose and Crown 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 pound 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 Willers Farm at the Custom-hous for the Importation of all gold and silver Thread Hatbands Lace and Copper thread throughout England and Wales which costmee 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 far greater Revenew then now it doth by the Excise and the manifacture if it bee made here ought to bee kept to a strict Regulation 9. I spent in my Imprisonment in the Tower for almost four years above seven hundred pounds and could never get to be heard though I petitioned to the Parlament as aforesaid many years to come to a Triall knowing my self to bee innocent both by God's Law and the Laws of the Land and above all by the testimony of a good Conscience which hath ever supported mee in and thorow all these troubles All this Estate was and is Sequestred but my three aforesaid bonds to this day besides my Dammage for my four years Imprisonment 10. Since I came out
and furious carreer of Alderman Gibbs and Alderman Wollaston while they were the Kings Agents in the Kings time but to save their skins when the times altered they could presently change their notes put on sheep-skins and would appear as Lambs they would be full of godlie expressions in Guild-hall Goldsmiths-hall and many other places in the City and bee highly for the Covenant and amongst their Brethren storm at the oppression of the Times and at Projectors and Monopolizers when there was none greater then themselvs as appears by this Monopoly They have said at a common Hall in Guild-hall when I was sent to the Tower that I was the Monopolist and Pattentee for this Manufacture when truly I neither had heart or hand in it nor any manner of waâ—â—s concerned in the buying or selling the silver Wyer for this Manufacture If I would I could not for the aforesaid Indâ—â—ture between the King Gibbs and Wollaston sets forth that onely eight Refiners were the Pattentees and none others enjoy notwithstanding the Statute made in the fourth year of Hen. 7th cap. 2. and notwithstanding the Statute made in the 5th and 6th years of Edw. 6th cap. 19. intituled The Penaltie for Exchange of Gold and Silver And notwithstanding the Statute of 18 Eliz. cap. 15. or any other Act Statute Law Ordinance Proclamation Provision or restriction whatsoever to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding And his Majestie for Him and his Heirs and Successors did will ordain and declare that during the continuance of this his Grant his Majestie his Heirs and Successors will not give or grant any libertie licence or power or authoritie to any person whatsoëver other then unto such as have already served or shall hereafter serve as Apprentices wholly and only to the Art of Refining and parting Gold and Silver by the space of seven years as the said John Wollaston William Gibbs and other the parties before named have done to bee made expended and imploied in or about the making gold or silver thread or any the several Manufactures herein before mentioned And the afore-said persons every one for himself did covenant and promise to and with his Majestie his Heirs and Successors that from time to time during the terme granted to perform their best endeavors in and by all lawfull waies and means for the promoting and advancing of his Majesties benefit and service in the premisses And his Majestie for him his Heirs and Successors during the term thereby granted did Covenant to vouchsafe his and their assistance to the said Agents and the Survivors of them for the better performance and discharging of the said Agencie and all other the premisses so by them undertaken according to the tenor and true meaning of the said Grant In witness whereof to the one part of this Indenture remaining with the said Agents Our Sovereign Lord the King hath caused the Great Seal of England to be put And the other part remaining with his said Majestie the said John Wollaston William Gibbs Henry Patrickson Daniel Stallworthy William Haward Richard Gibbs Thomas Nowell and Walter Hâ—ll have set their hands and Seals the day and year first above written Anno Dom. 1636. Witness Our Self at Westminster the 7th daie of May in the twelfth year of our Reign I have the Copie of this Monopoly of the Refiners verbatim at large sworn and attested ready to bee produced if required May it pleas your Highness THese are the chief Heads of the Monopolie granted by the late King Charles 1636. to Sir John Wollaston Alderman and Alderman William Gibbs and others Refiners of the City of London This monopolie was complained of to the late King and his Counsel by some of the Wardens and Companie of the Goldsmiths in Anno 1636. and since oftentimes to the late King and his Commissioners both by several Goldsmiths and Wyerdrawers as being a great loss and abuse to the whole Company of Goldsmiths in Annis 1637 1638 and 1639 and is against the Statute of 21. Jac. cap. 3. and several other Acts of Parlament and against the Common Law of the Land and the Charter of the City of London By this monopoly they ingrossing into a few particular mens hands for their private lucre and gain under the specious pretence of the Kings service which was the ordinary mask used by Pattentees and Monopolists of that time the lively-hood and subsistance of many hundred Goldsmiths and Wyerdrawers which by the Charter of the Company of Goldsmiths ought not to have been debarred and by the custom of the City of London were legally impowered to refine Silver and Gold aswell as the said Refiners were And though this was oftentimes offered it was alwaies denied and opposed by the Refiners who had got this monopoly in their Iron clutches and would not let go their hold till their monopolie was put down by the Parlament upon the Petition of the Gold-wyer-drawers as aforesaid I have left with the honorable Committee for Trade in Aug. 1656. several humble Proposals for the just and due regulation of this Trade of Refining and Gold and Silver-wyer-drawing If they bee put in execution the Manufacture will bee again justly and truly made the Coyn and Bullion of the Nation preserved and your Highness Revenue augmented But as the Manufacture of Gold and Silver Thread c. is now made the wearers thereof are many of them cozened and the Coyns and Plate of the Nation melted to the great dammage of the Nation and every day new Cheats are invented to deceive the Wearers by Wheels or Engines Therefore I most humbly pray for either a due Regulation of Gold and Silver Thread and Wyer c. or the making to bee put down in England especially at this time now wee have a Warr with Spain strictly to look that none of the Coyns of the Nation or Plate bee melted down for any of these Manufactures 8. That within these three months in June last Mr Alexander Jackson the Assaie-master of Goldsmiths-hall beeing desired to go to the Excize-Office to make an assay of some Silver that was made into Wyer for this manufacture seized on an Ingott of course Silver about 30l. which was thirteen penny weight worse then the Standard And weekly upon strict examination it will bee found that great quantities of course silver hath been made into these Manufactures This Silver as I am informed belongs to a Refiner and it is both contrary to the Law and a breach of his Oath to prepare any such Silver for any Manufacture I have many Assayes under Mr Jacksons hand the Assay-master of Goldsmiths-hall where four ounces of Copper hath been mixed and put into eight ounces of Silver and sold for good Silver by some Silkmen and Wyer-drawers to the intolerable deceipt of the Wearers of gold and silver Lace And whereas all persons should make gold and silver Thread to hold six ounces Silver to three ounces of Silk it hath been ordinary and at this day