Commissioners or anie three of them impowered to examine upon oath all such person persons as they shall have information that can and will discover the several practises and frauds that all or anie the above said persons have acted concerning your Highness and the publick monie of this Nation Prize ships and Prize Merchandize And that the Commissioners may bee impowred to send for witnesses and all accompts books papers which may any wayes conduce to prove the said frauds and misdemeanors according to a pattern of an Act of Parlament in the 10th year of Richard the second and 6. Henry 4. Chap. 3. And that your Highness would bee pleased to keep a carefull eye on this business and to command of your Commissioners for this great business an exact and true accompt without all favor or affection of all the several frauds and misdemeanors against your Highness and the Common wealth which they shall finde proved unto them and all the severall names of the offenders and their particular frauds and offences which shall or may bee proved to your Highness Commissioners concerning all the premisses May it pleas your Highness for the Commissioners of the Customes I humbly say if they knew of Colonel Harvies deceitfull and fraudulent practises and did not discover them then they are parties in the same Condemnation with him And if the Commissioners say they did not know it nor could apprehend the same then I must humbly say they are ignorant and not fit for their trust and places For they ought all of them to have an equal inspection every week what summs of money came in for your Highness accompt and what is issued out And I must humbly say they receiv their pention for that end and not to stand as Cyphers in their Office If your Highness give a Command for a strict and Exact prosecution of this business It will bring you in a feâ—â— moneths manie hundred thousand pounds May it pleas your Highness I have formerly presented these humble proposals to the Parlamenâ— but there was nothing don for the discovery of these offences The reason why they did not proceed will on examination bee clearly discovered I shall inlarge these humble proposals for your Highness service if I receiv your further direction and commands to proceed therein humbly submitting them and my self at your Highness feet Your HIGHNESS's most humble Loyal and obedient Subject THO. VIOLET Amongst the names of many Worthy Persons I most humbly presented unto your Highness that to my particular knowledg if they were impowered could make great Discoveries unto your Highness of the Frauds of the Accomptants of the Nation concerning the publick Treasure Your Highness took especial and particular notice of one namely Gabriel Beck Esquire and your Highness commanded mee to finde him out and that you would signifie your pleasure to him what you would have done in this Business which I did accordingly March 23. 1655. MAy it pleas your Highness I am credibly informed that one Maj. Will. Jervis for the good of the Common-wealth and for your Highness service hath presented several frauds and misdemeanors practised by several Commissioners at Drury-hous and other places upon the sale of Delinquents estates Deans and Chapters Lands the Kings Queenes and Princes Revenues forging of Debenters and several other practises to the great loss and prejudice of your Highness and this nation And that by your Highness appointment there are several persons of qualitie and integritie appointed for the hearing and finall determination of all matters concernning the aforesaid frauds presented by Major William Jervis I most humbly desire for your Highness service that the Commmissioners appointed by your Highness may have under their care and charge the humble Proposals I have formerly presented to your Highness on the 8th of November 1655. and that your Highness would bee graciouslie pleased to appoint mee Thomas Violet the Remembrancer to your Highness's Commissioners for the discovery and prosecution of the offenders with such allowance for my paines as your Highness shall think fit And that your Highness would bee pleased to read an Act of Parlament made in the tenth year of King Richard the Second of which I most humbly present you with a true Copie for the discovering of all abuses and frauds of this Nature as I most humbly have petitioned to have redressed for your Highness's profit and honor and good of the Nation If your Highness bee pleased to read the Act it is made for the redress and punishment of all the deceipts and fraudes of these present times The wisdom of that Parlament found this a Cordiall to enrich the King and ease the people in generall of great outrages and oppressions and insupportable charges the very words of the Statute and the Parlament was so carefull to have all persons brought to punishment that had defrauded the King and Realm that they made it a premunire and loss of any mans Estate and imprisonment of what degree soever that perswaded or gave Counsell unto the King to have the said Law defeated and for the second offence to move the King to do contrary to this Act hee shall lose his life and member as appears by the said Act. c. Here followeth at large the Statute of Richard the Second This is the STATUTE Made at Westminster in the tenth year of K. Richard the Second Viz. KNOW yee that at the Reverence of GOD and for to nourish peace unity and good accord in all parties within the Realm of England and especially for the comon profit and eas of our people and good governance of the same of our Realm of England which wee soveraignly desire Of the assent of the Lords and Comons assembled in Parlament holden at Westmiâ—ster the first day of October last past wee hav don to bee made a Statute aswell to the amendment of the said Governance as for the comon profit of the said Realm in the form following WHEREAS our soveraign Lord the King perceiveth by the greivous complaints of the Lords and Comons of this Realm in the present Parlament assembled that the profits rents and revenues of this Realm by singular insufficient counsel evil governance aswel of some his late great officers as of divers other persons being about his person be so much withdrawn wasted eloyned given granted aliened destroied and evill dispended that hee is so much impoverished and void of Treasure and goods and the substance of the Crown somuch diminished and destroied that his estate and the estate of his hous may not honorably bee sustained as pertaineth nor the wars which daily aboundeth and inviron his Realm maintained nor governed without grate and outragious oppressions and insupportable charges of his said people And also that the good laws Statutes and Customes of his said Realm which he is bounden to hold and observ bee not nor have not been duly holden nor executed nor full justice nor right don to his said
misprisions found in the other courts places officers and ministers aforesaid and in all the other Articles and points above named and every one of them And also all other defaults misprisions excesses falcities deceipts extorsions oppressions damages greviances don in prejudice damage and distresse of him and of his crown and the Estate of his realm in generall or speciall above not specified nor expressed to amend correct repair redress reform and put in due and good estate and establishment And also to hear and receiv all manner of complaints and quarrels of all his leiges which will sue and complain them aswell for our soveraigne Lord the King as for themselvs before the said Counsellors officers of all maner of duresses oppressions injuries wrongs misprisions which may not be well amended nor determined by the cours of the common law of the land before used and thereof to make good and due remedy and recovery aswell for our said soveraign Lord the King as for his said Leige people and all the things aforesaid and every of them fully to discusse and finally to determine and thereof to make full execution according as to them best shall seem for the honor and profit of our said soveraigne Lord the King and of his estate and reintegration of the rights and profits of his said crown and better governance of the peace and laws of his Land and relief of his said people Willing also that if diversitie and variance of opinion rise or happen between the said counsellors and officers that the Indgement or opinion of the greater partie have force and hold place as in the said letters patents is fully contained Whereuppon our said soveraign Lord the King willing that the corrections and redresses of the defaults and misprisions aforesaid may bee for the profit of him and his said Realm in the form aforesaid put in due execution without being broken or disturbed by any of the assent of the Lords and Comons of his said Realm in this present parlament hath ordayned and established that every one of his said Leiges greater or less of whatsoever estate or Condition that he be shall bee atendant and obedient in how much that toucheth the Articles aforesaid and every dependancie thereon to the said counsellors and officers in the form aforesaid And that every person that shall bee judged before them and convicte of any the defaults or misprissions aforesaid shall take and receiv without debate making such correction as shall bee judged to them by the said counsellors and officers in the form aforesaid And that no person of what estate or condition that hee bee grater or less shall give to the King privily or apertly counsell exhortation or motion whereby the King should repeal their power withing the time aforesaid in any point nor doe any thing contrary of his said grant or of any the said articles And if any person of what estate or condition that hee be doe against the Ordinance and Establishment aforesaid or procure or doe any thing in any manner whereby the said Counsellors bee disturbed in any point upon the exercise of the said power Or which exciteth or procureth our said soveraign Lord the King to do or comand anie maner of thing whereby the power of the said Counsellors and Officers or the execution of their said Iudgments awards to bee made in the same bee in any point aforesaid defeated and that duly proved by good and true witnesses which be notoriously holden of good fame and condition not suspected convenably examined before the King and the counsellors and officers aforesaid any of the Iustices of the one Bench or other taken to them or other discreet and Learned in the Law such as pleas the said Councellors and officers shall have such pennance that is to say at the first tyme hee shall bee so convicted hee shall forfeit all his goods and chattles to the king and nevertheless hee shall bee imprisoned at the king's will and if any person bee duly attainted in the form aforesaid of councel excitation or motion given to the King or of doing the contrary of his said grant as aforesaid albeit the king do nothing by such councell excitation or motion yet he shall have such pennance as afore And if it happen which god defend that hee so bear him afterward that he bee another time attainted as afore of any the said defaults or misprisions then the same person so convicted or attainted shall have at the sâ—cond time the penance of life and of member saveing alwaies the dignity pontiffical and priviledges of holy Church Clerical in all the things aforesaid And that this Satute hold force effect during the said Comission only and therefore wee Command thee that thou do the said Statute openly to bee cryed and published in Citties Burroughs Towns and fairs markets other notable places within the Baily-wick within franchises and with out according to the tenor and form of the same Dated c. The Statute of 6 Hen. 4. Chap. 3. Made against the frauds of escheators alnagers customers and other acountants that defraude the King ordains comissions to bee directed to the most lawfull and discreet persons in every County to enquire into all frauds of accountants who have deceitfully concealed the Kings dues in case they shall bee attainted they shall forfeit treble damages and their bodies to prison c. May it please your Highness PEradventure some upon the sight of this Act may alledg this Statute was made in the Reign of a weak and unfortunate Prince to restrain the disorders of his Hous and to bring to Justice evil Counsellers and will say God bee thanked wee have a wise and victorious Protector and a provident and frugal Counsel and provident Officers and Ministers under them I grant this a truth and I thank God for it But this I humbly say Amongst the exactest model that ever was upon earth which was Christ and his Disciples there was a Judas amongst the twelv May it pleas your Highness upon examination of some of the Transactions of the long Parlament concerning money matters some particular members with some of their Committees and many of their Agents and many great persons imploied in the Common-wealth at this very day there will appear to your Highness above one Judas in twelv taking in all that were members of Parlament with their Committees and Agents some of them being in great places of Trust at this day Many of them being provident Theevs getting from the bottom of baseness and beggerie by fraud dissimulation and cozenage in every Countie Citie and Corner of the Nation vast and great possessions both in money lands and goods Many of these men being near of kin and condition to the Unjust Steward in the Gospel who when his Lord called him to accompt becaus hee could not dig nor delve joins with his Lords Debtors to cozen his Lord and Master and this is the true stare
onely eaten the leavs but barked the trees of this Common-wealth using all opressions and fraud to grow rich bee made to restore it No doubt the work is pleasing and acceptable to God and all good men and then manie men who have made their religion a cloak to cozen the Commonwealth may bee made to restore their unjust deteined Treasure and Lands Many men under the shaddow of sanctitie having made gain to bee great godliness instead of godliness to bee great gain May it pleas your Highness your most humble and loyall Subject at your Highness's feet imploreth to bee relieved having been imprisoned almost four years in the Tower of London viz 1643. to 1647. and two years and nine moneths of that time kept close prisoner his estate in lands houses offices goods and moneys being taken from him to his dammage of eleven thousand pounds there being then at his bringing up the late Kings letter from Oxford in December 1643. no known law or publique Ordinance to prohibit him to bring up the said letter to the Lord Maior and Citie of London and hee had a Pass from the hous of Commons to go to Oxford as appears by the Journals in the Parlament-hous and hee had at the same time a Warrant from the Lord General Essex to go to Oxford procured by Mr Theophilus Ryley then Scoutmaster of of the Citie of London May it pleas your Highness by Gods Law Rom. 4. 15. Where there is no Law there is no Transgression and by the known Laws of this nation such and such Actions are declared Crimes and lawes and rules set for the degree of punishing And hee most humbly conceaveth it is not in any just Judges power to exceed the punishment for any offence more then is prescribed and set down by the Law And it is expresly provided for in Magna Charta that no Free-man shall bee taken imprisoned or distressed of his free-hold or liberties or any other waies destroied but by lawful judgment of his Peers or by the Law of the Land That no man should bee deferred or denied Justice or Right Whereas your Supplicant after he was out of the Tower petitioned for six years constantly at the Parlament doors the members and at the Counsel of State to have a legal Trial by the Parlament or els by the common Law And to that end delivered several Petitions to several members of Parlament yet your Supplicant could never have Justice Som of the members of the then Parlament after his many years constant attendance and great expence to com to a trial told him Had hee been guilty hee should never needed to have petitioned the Parlament for a Trial the Parlament would have granted him a Trial without petitioning for it May it pleas your Highness This is your most humble Subjects sad condition groaning under and having so heavy a sentence as the loss of almost all his estate to his dammage above eleven thousand pounds almost four years Imprisonment in the Tower when there was no law made at his acting this Business nor at the time of his Commitment for either punishing of him or any other for acting the same thing which was bringing up the late Kings letter to the City in December 1643 but Ordinances and Orders made after hee had brought up the King's Letter for the Confiscation of his Estate and Imprisonment of his Person and a great part of his Estate given to private and particular men Now with Tears and Sighs hee appeal's to Your Highness for restoring him to his Estate and just Reparation being oppressed and undon for a Pretended Crime when there was no Law no not so much as the Breach of the Good Behaviour made against it in December 1643 either to Prohibit him or any other to do the same Hee hath printed this Business with the several Houses Offices Bonds and Mony taken from him To which hee doth most humbly refer himself And Your Suplicant was daily faithfully promised by som worthy Members of the Long Parlament and Counsel of State who pittied Your Supplicant's sad Condition seeing his willingness to serve the Commonwealth to have Justice and Reparation and that held up his Spirits and kept him alwaies to bee willing to the uttermost of his power and strength-beyond the abilities of his Estate to engage both his time and estate for many years to do the then Parlament many and great services as appears by Your Loyal Subject sprinted Narrative 1653. The several Particulars were to his Charges and Expence of many Hundred Pounds as by many Witnesses hee can and hath proved Besides One most Remarkable Service to the Nation in General Your Supplicant did by the Command of the then Counsel of State which shall and ought to stop the mouths of every one and all his Adversaries that have or shall maliciously traduce him as a Malignant for a man disaffected to the State or to the true happiness of the Nation in General Your humble Subject did this service when Van Trump was in the Downes It was no small hazard his venturing to deliver in a Paper to the Counsel of Srate in December 1653. which Writing was by the Counsel of State referred to the Committee for Forrain Affairs Wherein Your Supplicant discovered the fraudulent Practises of the Spanish Embassadour and Duke Leopoldus and his Agents to defraud the Parlament of a Vast Summ of Treasure above three hundred Thousand Pounds which was broughâ— up into the River as a Prize in three Ships viz. The Sampson Salvador and George And this hee did at the same time when the Lord Embassador of Spain with many other Agents of Duke Leopoldus and Licensiados of the King of Spain 's living at Antwerp did all of them affirm both to the Judges in the Admiralty the Counsel of State and to the Parlament in November and December 1652 that all the Lading both Silver and Marchandize in the said Ships did appertain to the King of Spain and his Subjects and none other May it pleas Your Highness I was far more troubled to finde out the frauds of the Spaniaâ—ds Claims to the Silver in these Ships and to bring it forth to bee proved by good and Lawfull Witnesses as I have here out of the Admiraltie to Intitle the State to the Silver in these Ships Then I shall bee troubled to finde out the Frauds and Deceipts of all the Accomptants in General of this Nation if once I bee but impowered by your Highness to have an Inspection on the Accompts and such Rules followed and executed as by the Laws and Statutes of this Nation hath been formerly put in practice and the whole Charge of this Discovery will not stand the State in 12d the pound to bring the Monies into the Exchequer And it may bee so managed not Six pence Charge upon the Pound The Spaniards in the Court of Admiralty by their Counsel pleaded that they ought not to have the Onus probandum cast on them being their
Gentlemen in this Nation Accomptants Treasurers and others have in their hanâ—s and possessions or have converted the same to their own private Uses And all the aforesaid persons ought to bee accomptable for the Lands Tenements Debts Collections Assessments Merchandize Goods and Chattels to the full value they have received And at this day the aforesaid persons have in their hands the particular Summs aforesaid which they still with hold from his Highness most of them contrary to their Trust being the Parlaments and his Highness's servants and receiving their Sallaries and Wages of the Parlament and his Highness for their Attendance in the Excise Office Custome-hous Drury-hous Goldsmiths-hall Treasurers for the monethly Taxes and Treasurers for several other Assessments monies collected for several charitable uses for Redemption of Slaves from Argier Tunis Tripolis c. Commissioners for sale of all Prize goods c. who all have had great Fees and Sallaries and therefore ought by the Law to make a true and just Accompt upon Oath And every of them have got the Publique monies and by that means have unduely enriched themselves with great and vast Possessions in Lands and Treasure And they withhold to this day the just Rights and Dues which appertain to his Highness and the Commonwealth And in regard there is a Fifth part to the first Discoverer that shall make it appear by sufficient proof that any have Monies Lands Houses Goods and Merchandize or any other thing of Value in their hands appertaining to the State Thereupon I put in my Claim and Charge all the aforesaid persons to have in Severall Commissioners at Drury-hous have by undue Practises contrary to their Trust damnified and defrauded his Highness of above Sixty thousand Pounds The several Commissioners names the particular Summs and the particular Charges I humbly crave leav to have liberty hereafter to insert referring my self to my 9th Query I herewith presented to the Commissioners at Worcester-hous their Custodies the aforesaid monies Lands houses goods and Merchandize to the values aforesaid and desire of your Honors that I may bee admitted to make my Proofs against such of the said persons as I do and shall desire to charge and that I may have a view and inspection into all such Books and papers which are conducing to the making of every particular Charge and to examine witnesses upon Oath thereupon And that all persons which stand in Contempt may by your warrant bee Attached My humble desire is That these Discoveries bee Registred and the day when I delivered the same and this Charge with my several Queries annexed I desire also they may bee kept at Worcester-hous as a Record to manifest the true grounds and reasons why I deliver in this Charge 26. May. 1656. Your humble Servant THO. VIOLET May it pleas your Highness THe High Court of Parlament being shortly after summoned by Your Highnes I did thereupon forbear for a time to proceed further in this Business with the Commissioners at Worcester-hous being resolved by the assistance of God humbly to present these humble Propositions with some additions unto your Highness and that Supreme Court the Parlament desiring of God so to direct mee in this Business that what I most humbly propound may bee for the glory of God and good of the Nation and that my Labors in this Business may bee accepted of by your Highness and the Parlament as proceeding from an humble loyall and true English Heart May it pleas your Highness I Do most humbly offer to your Highness and the Parlament these further most humble Proposals for your Highness and the Common-wealth's service which I most humbly present on my knees at your Highness's and the Parlaments feet and do likewise humbly pray that these my most humble Proposals may bee confirmed by an Act of this Parlament with such alterations and additions as shall bee conceived by your Highness and the Parlament most for the honor of God and the benefit of the good people of this Nation by easing them in their Taxes and calling to accompt the Common-wealths Debtors 1. According to the Statute of Rutland made May 24. in the tenth year of the Reign of King Edw. 1. Anno Dom. 1282. touching the Recovery of the Kings Debts And the Statute of 6. Hen. 4. cap. 3. made against the frauds and deceipts of divers Sheriffs Escheators Aulnagers Customers Comptrollers and others in these words following viz. Item Whereas divers Sheriffs Escheators Aulnagers Customers Comptrollers and other the Kings Officers accomptable in many parts of the Realm do fraud and deceive our said Lord the King yearly in their unlawfull and untrue accompts concealing and reteining to their own use the greater part of that which rightfully ought to appertain to the King to his great dammage and loss Out said Lord the King by the Advice and Assent aforesaid hath ordained That presently after every finall accompt given and made by the Officers and Customers aforesaid before the Barons of the Exchequer of our Lord the King The tenor of the Accompt of every the said Officers from time to time shall bee sent into the Counties where the same Accomptants bee Officers together with CoÌ„missions directed to the most lawfull and discreet persons to enquire and certifie the profits which the said Accomptants have received within the said Counties in the name and to the use of our said Lord the King by them in the manner aforesaid upon their said Accompts or deceitfully concealed and received to their proper use and profit And in case that the said Accomptants bee attained of their said fiauds and deceipts they shall incurr to our Lord the King the penaltie of the Treble of the same whereof they shall bee so convict and their Bodies to Prison untill they have made fine and ransom to our said Lord the King according to the discretion of his Judges These excellent Laws to bee put in execution for the strict and just taking up all the Accompts of Sequestrators Treasurers Collectors Committee-men Excize men and Collectors of Customs Surveyers who have returned fals surveys and then bought the Lands according to the value of their fraudulent surveys or received Bribes for making these fraudulent surveys for some particular persons profit these I humbly say being strictly examined will bring your Highness in many hundred thousand pounds Here followeth many Laws of excellent use for the furthering of this business of calling the Accomptants of the Nation to a just accompt THe Statute of 33. Hen. 8. cap. 39. Provides that all Bonds and Specialties made to the King shall bee in the nature of a Statute of the staple and also all Process Judgments Executions c. That the King his Heirs and Successors shall not bee debarred or delaied his just debts and duties against any as heir or heiâ—s to any person endebted to him albeit the word heir bee not comprised in the Cognizance Obligation or Specialty That the King in all his
Which will increas your Highness Revenue some thousands of pounds yearly And that your Petitioner may bee Ordered by your Highness to attend the Committee for Trade with his draught for the regulation of this Manufacture And as in duty bound your Petitioner shall pray c. THO. VIOLET Whitehall May 8. 1655. HIs Highness referreth this to the Consideration of the Committee and Counsel for Trade to enquire into the particulars and certifie their opinion Nath. Bacon May it pleas your Highness THe late King Charles and his Privy Counsel would never suffer that the silver courrant Coins or Plate of the Nation should bee wastâ—d in this Manufacture for the making of gold or silver Thread What the Refiners and Wyerdrawers did spend of the Plate and Coin in these Manufactures it was and is against the Laws of the Land And by the very Monopolie that the King granted to Alderman Wollaston and Aldermam Gibbs An. 1636. for to be his onely Agents for refining one Hundred thousand pounds a year of Forrain Silver for making this Manufacture yet in that Project of Gibbs and Wollaston they Covenant with the King not to Refine or caus to bee melted down any the Courrant Coin or Plate of the Nation and that they should melt none but Forrain Bullion which shall be Imported for the making this aforesaid Manufacture And many of the Privy Counsel then were for the total putting down of the making and wearing this Manufacture here in England as causing an excessive Expence to all Sorts and Conditions of people as being a Vanitie that the Nation might well bee without But then it was considered by the King and his Counsell the multitude of Women spinsters and other people that had their subsistance out of it and in that regard the Manufacture was continued but under strict Rules for the due Regulation and that all the Workers should conform to the same and they did promise an humble conformity and I Thomas Violet was appointed under the Great Seal of England to take the care and Charge of Sealing and Surveying all these Manufactures to prevent the former cheating and Cosennage both of Wyerdrawers Silkmen and Refiners The several frauds I clearly proved under the hand of Mr Jackson the sworn Assay-master of Goldsmiths hall and I cut and defaced all sleight cours and deceitfull gold or silver Thread Spangles wyer c. which Office I did justly and faithfully execute for almost Five years and prevented all former Abuses and caused the workmen to work their silver for these Manufactures as exactly and justly as the Plate or Money of the Nation is made during the time I regulated the Manufacture by my sealing of it This I have proved under the hand of many hundred Spinsters who petitioned for the Restoring mee to my Office again Your Petitioners most humble prayer to your Highness is that the Honorable Committee for Trade now having this Business under their examination and having the particulars in this Petitition in consideration may bee by your Highness ordered to make their Report and to take care for the preservation of the Bullion and Coins of the Nation And that all Silver made for this Manufacture bee melted at a Publique place and Viewed and Registred that so none of the Coins or Plate of the Nation bee melted down for any of these Manufactures And to appoint such Officers as they shall conceiv may bee fit for the regulating of all Abuses in the Manufacture and for the best advantage of your Highness The honorable Committee for Trade have given the wyerdrawers and Refiners several dayes for the propounding of wayes for regulating of the said Trade and to prevent the abuses by-past and to preserve the Coin and treasure of the Nation But instead of that the Wyerdrawers have presented the Draught of a Corporation to the Committee of Trade which if it should bee granted unto them in that way they have presented the same They would melt and caus the Goldsmiths to melt for their use in a few years all the heavie Gold and Silver Coin and Plate of this Nation And indeed they are come to that confidence that they think to cozen all people that wear Gold and Silver And to get a Charter for the doing thereof that so they may work Iniquitie by a Law May it pleas your Highness THere was a Complaint made to the late King Charles and the Lords of his Privy Counsel January 25. 1634. And an Information given by some of the Wardens of the Company of Goldsmiths touching the detriment and dammage which ariseth by the undue Practices of some Refiners and Gold-wyer-drawers of London by melting the currant Coynes and Bullion of the Nation And several Depositions against the Refiners of London were presented to the King and his Counsel at White-hall of very high and heynous Crimes by some of the Wardens and Company of Goldsmiths and no doubt but the Company of the Goldsmiths have the Copies of these Papers in their Hall There-upon Mr Attorney General Bankes received a Command from the said King and Lords to prosecute the Statute of 4. Hen. 7th against such Refiners and Gold-wyer-drawers as hee should finde to bee Offenders and to see the Penalties might bee recovered And upon further examination of these most heynous Offences an Information was put into the Starr-Chamber by the Kings Attorney General Bankes against Alderman Wollaston and Alderman Gibbs for melting and procuring several Goldsmiths to cull and melt the currant Silver Coynes of the Nation And for the unlawfull buying and refining of the said heavy currant English Monies and for unlawfull buying and refining Gold and Silver and for several other Abuses practised by them contrary to the Laws and Statutes of the Nation as appeareth at large by the Kings Attornies Information in the Starr-Chamber against them Some of the Wyer-drawers of London seeing the Winde blow at that Corner to prevent the danger approaching on them petition the said late King in the behalf of themselvs and divers other Wyer-drawers of the City of London the second of April 1635. In which Petition they set forth that there are many Abuses daily practised and done in the said Trade of Gold and Silver-wyer-drawing and the manufuctures thereof and that their Trade was under no Government That they desired his Majesties most gracious care in suppressing the promiscuous use by ordering them into a Government Therefore they pray That such as have served for the Trade or such as they should deem fit to use the same and one or two Refiners that may refine Gold and Silver to bee used in the Trade may bee made a Corporation with a non obstante of the Statute of 4. Hen. 7. or any other Statute or Proclamation And that they may bee Incorporated and have two Wardens and twelve Assistants and to have a fitting Officer for their Company and raising money for necessary Charges And that no Gold or Silver thread may bee put to sale
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
of the Tower by order of the Counsel of State 1652. and since I laid out in the Prosecution of the silver Ships Sampson Salvador and George above the summ of five hundred pounds as appears by the Oaths of severall persons which I emploied in this Discovery as you may see in this book Fol. 50 51 52 53 54 55. 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 States All which services I did upon the faitfull promise of the Counsel of State in December 1652 to restore mee to all my Estate or the full value of Eleven thousand pounds being Required to do this Service by severall Warrants from the Counsel of State and at the Entreaty of Doctor Walker as appears in this Book And no other man in England besides my self did ever at one time save the State three Hundred thousand Pounds which if it had not been for mee the State had been cozeâ—ed of every penny of it as appears by this and my former Narrative Here followeth the Copie of the late Kings Letter to the City of LONDON To Our Trusty and Wel-beloved Our Lord May or and Aldermen of Our City of London and all other Our wel-affected Subjects of that City Charles Rex TRustie and Well beloved wee greet you well When wee remember the many Acts of Grace and Favor Wee and Our Royal Predecessors have conferred upon that our Citie of London and the many examples of eminent Duty and Loyaltie for which that City hath been likewise famous Wee are willing to beleev notwithstanding the great defection wee have found in that place That all men are not so farr degenerate from their affection to Us and to the peace of the Kingdom as to desire a continuance of the miseries they now feel And therefore being informed That there is a desire in some principal persons of that City to present a Petition to Us which may tend to the procuring a good understanding between Us and that Our City whereby the peace of the whole Kingdom may bee procured Wee have thought fit to let you know That wee are ready to receiv any such Petition and the Persons who shall bee appointed to present the same to Us shall have a safe conduct And you shall assure all our good Subjects of that Our City whose hearts are touched with any sense of Duty to Us or of Love to the Religion and Laws established in the quiet and peaceable fruition whereof They and their Ancestors have enjoyed so great Happiness That wee have neither passed any Act nor made any profession or Protestation for the maintenance and defence of the true Protestant Religion and the Liberties of the Subject which wee will not most strictly and religiously observ And for the which 〈◊〉 will not bee alwaies ready to give them any security that can bee desired And of these Our gracious Letters Wee expect a speedy Answer from you And so Wee bid you farewell Given at Our Court at Oxford in the nineteenth year of Our Reign December 26. 1643. By his Majesties Command GEORGE DIGBY I do most humbly desire the Common Council of the Citie of London to certifie your Highness if ever amongst all their Records since the foundation of their City they finde such a sad President as mine is And whether that any Messenger from any former King of England suffered the loss of his Estate to his damage above eleven thousand pounds for bringing them or any their Ancestors the like Letter as I did from the late KING And at that time viz. in December 1643. there was sent and came from Oxford the Writs weekly under the Great Seal of England without any Countermand My hard usage After-ages will hardly beleev had I not Printed it to Posterity I Sufferd Imprisonment in the Tower almost four years for bringing up the aforesaid Letter from Oxford to the Lord Mayor and Common Council of the City of London in December 1643 although I had an Order from the Hous of Commons as appears by their Journal Book and a Pass from the Lord General Essex to go to Oxford which were both procured for mee by Mr Theophilus Ryley Scout-master General of the City of London who was authorized to execute that place by the then Parlament and Common Council of London and I was authorized by the said Mr Ryley to do the same Mr Ryley being impowered by the then Parlament and Common Council of London to hold Intelligence in any the Kings Quarters as by his Orders hee shewed me Mr Ryley was a man of a known approved Integritie and in great esteem with the then Parlament and Citie of London at that time and would not have acted any thing but what was just and for the Parlaments service according to his Trust If hee had thought it otherwise and 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 being 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 them acquainted therewith before ever I went to Oxford and to have their approbation which Sir David Watkins after hee 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 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 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 oâ— condition soever hee bee shall bee put out of Land or Tenement nor taken nor imprisoned nor dis-inherited 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 Highness Had there been a Proclamation or Act of Parlament at that time to have
of this Business Upon the peril of my life this your Highness will finde to bee the true condition upon examination of many members in the long Parlament many Committee-men many Farmors of the Customs many Commissioners for Delinquents Lands many Purchasers of Lands many Excize-men many Commissioners for Prize-Goods and many other persons of all callings and conditions that have had imploiment for the publick and have fingred the publick Treasure ever since the year 1640. of every condition great numbers who amongst them have stoln and cozened the Common-wealth of above twenty millions of money May it pleas your Highness I have ever esteemed that man a bad Bailiff or Steward that desires to keep a confederacie and correspondencie with his Lords Tennants and Debtors that so they may keep their Landlord and Master in ignorance never to know the value of his estate nor when nor how to make his improvement but when casualties fall to pocket up the profits themselvs and defraud their Lord and keep him alwaies poor that so they may bee alwaies held usefull and necessary by their Lords and Masters when indeed they are but jugling Knaves and are the bain and dishonor of their Lord and Master both in his Estate and Reputation I most humbly say that if there bee any against the discovery of these Abuses your Highness will upon examination finde them parties or near of affinity to them that have cozened your Highness and the Common-wealth I humbly upon my knees beg your Highness's pardon for these my plain and loial expressions which proceed from the heart of one that daily praies to God for your Highness's peace safetie and prosperitie Your Highness 's most dutifull and loyal Subject THO. VIOLET May it pleas your Highness I Requested Mr Kelleway to deliver into your Highess's own hand this Business in a written parchment and a written sheet of paper annexed thereunto it conteining a Business in this conjuncture of time very necessarie for your Highness's perusal and observation as your Supplicant humbly conceiveth praying your Highness to signifie your pleasure to your Supplicant thereupon by your Servant Mr Kelleway And your obedient Supplicant and Subject as in dutie bound shall daily praie c. April 1. 1656. Your Highness 's most dutifull and obedient Subject THO. VIOLET May it pleas your Highness AN Act of Parlament now so effectually made and so effectually prosecuted as this Act in Richard the Seconds time was would bring your Highness in many hundred thousands of pounds if the care of the mannagement of this great Business bee left to men of unbyassed Interests that will see to the strict examination and punish of the offenders great and small it will eas the people in general of many of their taxes A few Laws well executed is better then a multitude of Laws and the execution neglected And this Act in King Richard the Seconds time appoints the Pillars of the Land to see to the due execution and punishing the offenders And the wisedom of that Parlament would not appoint Commissioners of a meaner degree least through fear or for reward Justice might bee blinded and over-awed as many times it is when ordinary persons have the execution thereof Great Trust in mean mens hands is subject to miscarriage May it pleas your Highness I Have delivered in to your Highness Commissioners for discoveries at Worcester hous in writing the 30th of May 1656 these Discoveries annexed amounting to about the summ of four hundred thousand pounds which your Highness and the Commonwealth have been defrauded of I have humbly desired their direction to mee thereupon and that I might have a Copie of their Commission that so I might bee informed whether these my Discoveries on the Termes and Conditions I have presented them bee comprised therein and whether any incouragement is to the Discoverer for so doing My most humble Sute to your Highness is that I may bee impowered to inspect all and every such papers books warrants accompts and orders as may conduce to make my discoveries And further to examine upon Oath all such persons who can and will prove the aforesaid Frauds The whole premises as I have humbly stated it to the Committee I present to your Highness and most humbly beg your Highness to vouchsafe your Highness gracious perusal it beeing as your humble Subject conceiveth verie much for yovr service and to bee pleased to signifie your gracious pleasure therein And as in dutie bound your Supplicant shall dailie pray c. 30. May 1656. Your Highness most humble and faithfull Subject THO. VIOLET Here followeth the Copy of the Writing I delivered in to your Highness's Commissioners To the honorable the Committee for Discoveries sitting at Worcester Hous May it pleas your Honors I Am certainlie informed by those that are learned in the Lawes That all Sequestrators Treasurers Receivers and all such who have the States Tenths upon Reprisals in their hands Committee men and all other persons whatsoever in whose hands any Monies Jewels Plate Goods or Merchandize or other things of value whatsoever belonging to the late King the Parlament his Highnes the Lord Protector or the Publique The said persons their heirs executors and administrators and their and every one of their lands goods tenements c. into whose hands soever they bee converted and do come and all other lands tenements goods and chattels which any other then had in Trust or for their Use or which at any time or ever after they had power to dispose of Are all liable for the paiment and answering of the said publique Debts and Accompts of the said Treasurers Receivers Sequestrators and such as have the States Tents in their hands concerning all Reprisals of Ships And their heirs executors administrators Tertennants and all others into whose hands the said goods lands monies Jewels Merchandise c. do by whatsoever means come Are all accountable for and must pay and satisfie the same to his Higness May it pleas your honors This being granted a Truth the old Maxime of my Lord Cook 's will now at this day prove true That whosoever eats the Kings goos the feathers at one time or other will stick in his throat And that all persons whomsoever whether Committee-men Sequestrators Treasurers or any other persons whomsoever his and their Estates their Heirs Executors and Administrators are alwaies chargeable with Debts due to his Highness and the Commonwealth without his Highness's gracious pardon And that this is Law there are many Judgments and Presidents in the Exchequer which if there bee occasion to satisfie your Honors I will caus some learned Gentleman in the Law to produce to you Presidents and Statutes And I also desire your patience to read my Ensuing Queries thereupon Viz. May it pleas your Honors I Humbly present these Queries to you and desire to receiv your Judgements thereupon that so I may know whether my Discoveries are within Cognizance of your Commission when they are Discoveries
most excellent Waies and Rules were setled in the Court of Exchequer in all Kings Reigns by the great care of many Ages And the Sages of the Law know there was not a more exact method in the world then the Court of Exchequer was for the just accompting and paying the Kings Dues I have heard my Lord Cottington say in the Exchequer Chamber That no Prince in Christendom had the like exact way as the King of England had by the course of the Exchequer if the Rules set down by the Court bee by the under-Officers duely executed so that whatsoever summ comes in there bee it a million of money must bee duely paid and accompted for or else hee could finde it upon the foot of the accompt if ever it came in charge into the Pipe And if the course of the Exchequer had not been disturbed and the payments of the publick money thrust out of the old Channel it had been impossible to have had so many Treasurers cozen the Common-wealth so grosly and shamefully as they have done And in order and pursuance of calling all Accomptants to a just true and strickt Accompt your Supplicant most humbly presents these ensuing Proposals to your Highness and the Parlaments view and consideration and humbly prayeth that the same may bee put in strickt execution with such alterations and additions as your Highness and the Parlament shall conceive fittest for the good of the Nation in general to ease the people of their Taxes For God defend that the generalitie of the people should contribute their monies and pay it to Treasurers that shall make themselves great and their private posterities after them out of what they have cozened and defrauded the Common-wealth of Therefore I humbly petition your Highness and the Parlament 1. THat an Act of Parlament may bee made and a Proclamation thereupon go forth commanding and requiring all Committee-men Sequestrators Trustees for sale of Delinquents Estates Commissioners of Excize Commissioners of the Customs Treasurers of the publick Plate and all other Treasurers Receivers Collectors and all other Accomptants and persons whatsoever that have been imploied to collect and receiv and have collected and received any the publick monies goods chattels plate c or other things of value throughout England and Wales ever since the beginning of the year 1642. shall within three moneths next after the date of the said Act and Proclamation make up and deliver according to the Laws and Statutes of this Nation made for Accomptants and Accompts into the Exchequer or other place your Highness shall appoint their several just and true Accompts of what Monies Goods Chattels Plate c. or other thing of value they or any for them have received And how and by what warrant they have paid and delivered out the same The same Accompt to bee delivered in upon the particular oath of every such person Accomptant that the same is a just and true Accompt And upon every particular accompt so made to pay in the money remaining in his hands upon his said Accompt if any there bee into the Exchequer or other person and place your Highness shall appoint to receiv the same And upon failer of bringing in their several and particular Accompts according to the said Act and Proclamation that then all such monies goods chattels and other things of value which shall bee found and proved upon Inquisition they have received for the Common-wealth whereof they have not accompted for shall bee levyed and taken upon their estates and their persons imprisoned untill they have justly and truly accompted And if any person or Accomptant aforesaid shall bee dead then the Heir and Executor or Administrator of such person so dying or being dead shall duely accompt for the partie so dying or being dead according to the Laws and Statutes of this Nation 2. That an Act of Parlament may bee made and sent throughout England and Wales to require and impower four of the next Justices of the Peace or such other Commissioners your Highness shall appoint to call a Jury in every Parish of substantial Free-holders or other discreet honest men either of the same Parish or Parishes next adjacent and to call to their assistance all other discreet persons that can and will give them true information concerning any of the premisses in charge And the said Jury so impannelled to make true Inquisition of all such neighbours and persons aforesaid of these particular things following viz. 3 That the Jurie bee impowered to enquire and present all persons men and women and their degree and qualitie that have been sequestred in each respective parish within every County of this Nation and the dayes of the moneth and year when this was done Also they are to enquire and present what stock of Cattel Money Plate houshold stuff c. or other things of value they had taken from them and to set down the particular values thereof Also to set down the values of the Houses Lands and Tenements Woods c. sequestred and into whose hands the same came And to set down the parcels and values distinctly and the several time and times when this was done and by whose order warrants and directions and who received the monies 4. They are to enquire and present in every Parish what Committee-men and Sequestrators and Treasurers are in every Parish their distinct names and qualities who of them are dead and who bee their Heirs and Executors or Administrators And if any Sequestrator Treasurer or Committee-man bee removed out of their ancient abiding places since 1642. to set down to the best of their knowledg or information they can get where every such Sequestrator Committeeman and Treasurer doth live in what Countie and place within this Nation or elswhere 5. They are to enquire in what Places of the Countie the Committee for Sequestrations did usually sit and to certifie the same And that diligent search bee made for all Books of Orders of everie particular Committee That in every Parish twelv able and discreet persons upon oath shall make strict inquisition who received all Rents and Profits of all Lands and Houses of Delinquents in the said Parish and how long every Delinquents lands were under Sequestration before they were compounded for or sold and to present all persons that shall bee proved to have the publick money in their hands and what quantity And this all Juries in every Parish shall swear to do without favor or affection and that some considerable penaltie may bee inflicted on such Juries or the Parties offending amongst them that shall wilfully perjure themselvs in wilfull making false Returns and in wilfull concealing any frauds to the prejudice of the Common-wealth through their connivance or willfulness when the Evidence for the State hath by good and legal witnesses sworn the fact positively and clearly and yet the Jury will not make their Returns according to their Evidence to set a penalty upon all Offenders of this
unless it bee sealed with This Restraint ought now to bee carefully looked after and to make the melting down of Shillings Sixpences half Crowns and five Shilling pieces Felony And strictly to forbid upon severe Penalties all Goldsmiths not to presume to bee Cashiers and Receivers of Merchants monies by which means they have formerly and do at this day cull and melt down the heavy English money The Goldâ—miths have by buying and selling English Gold above the currant price bought and sold all the Gold out of the Nation to the unspeakable dammage thereof And now there is no other Remedy to get Gold back in the Nation but by raising of it as some would have it shortly wee shall have no Silver Coyn left in the Nation and then wee must raise that to get back our Silver again And by this means all setled Revenues and Landlords will lose so much in their estates as you raise Gold and Silver the Seal of the Company And upon these Conditions they offered to pay his Majestie his Heirs and Successors for ever One thousand pounds yearly and over and above two pence the ounce for all Forain Bullion that shall bee used in their Trade And humbly petition That his Majestie would bee pleased to publish his Proclamation to forbid any to practise any the said Trades or Manufactures or Drawing or Spinning of Gold or Silver Thread or Wyer other than such as should bee Incorporated Upon this Petition his Majestie granted this following Reference viz. 2 Aprill 1635. HIs Majestie referreth this Petition to Mr Attourny General To take the same into consideration together with the Earl of Holland's Petition and certifie his opinion R. Freeman This Petition I have readie to bee produced Sr John Bankes Attournie general certifies back to the late King to this effect viz. That hee did not discern any inconvenience that the Gold Wyerdrawers who offer his Majestie upon their voluntary Petition One thousand pounds a year and two pence for everie ounce of Bullion which should bee used by them should bee incorporated for their better government according to their Petition so that they bee tied to some certain Conditions amongst which they were not to work any of the currant heavie Monie of this Nation nor any of the Plate of the Nation for any Manufacture of Gold or Silver Thread or Wyer they were not to use any Silver in their trade but Forrain Bullion and no more than yearlie should bee imported by their means and the Manufacture made according to the Standard or better Hereupon the Refiners Alderman Wolaston and Alderman Gibbs c. seeing themsellves exposed to the Law by the information of some of the Wardens and Company of the Goldsmiths informing against them and Mr Attournie General Banks by Order of the King and Lords prosecuting them in the Starr Chamber for high Crimes and Misdemeanors the Refiners viz. Alderman Wolaston and Alderman Gibbs c. Petition the late King in An. 1635. for his grace and mercy and making their humble Application to the then Attournie general Bankes and Sr J. Cook Secretary of State and to Sr William Beecher and several others whom they paid and gratified with great sums of money to get their pardons I being privy thereunto and desired and requested by them to use all my endeavors to keep Sr John Wolaston off from being indighted upon high Crimes and Offenses which Alderman Wolaston was charged with by Sr Henry Mildemay and some of the Wardens of the Company of Goldsmiths which I did by Secretary Cookes power and I did assist them to get their Pardons and spent my money and used all my endeavors and interest freely And at the earnest entreatie of Alderman Gibbs who with many tears besought mee to do it for Gods sake I having a little before made my peace and paid to the King two thousand Pounds for my pardon for Transporting Gold and Silver and by that means being intimately acquainted with Sr John Cook then Principal Secretary of State and Mr Attourney General Bankes and Sr William Beecher Clark of the Counsel I could and did get for Alderman Wolaston and Alderman Gibbs great favour of them I managed their business so amongst them that the edg of Justice was blunted and Sr Henry Mildemay's Commission revoked and all his endeavors to undoe Alderman Wolaston and Alderman Gibbs I disappointed by the power of the aforesaid persons And I am confident they paid them well for it for in those times there was nothing done by Courtâ—ers for Cittizens without money and I am sure I in my particular found it so But I never would accept or take of Alderman Wolaston or Alderman Gibbs for my expenses and pains one farthing though they often times then offered mee their pretended great acknowledgments And this I do say is true as I shall answer before God I did it freely upon the account of Frendship I bare unto Alderman Gibbs And how well and justly Alderman Gibbs and Alderman Wolaston requited mee for getting them their Pardons of the King in 1636. the Common Counsel of London and many honorable members of Parlament know and heard at a common Hall in January 1643. when Alderman Wolaston beeing Lord Major and Alderman Gibbs were the chief Informers against mee in Guild Hall and incensed many honorable members of Parlament and the body of the Citie of London against mee as a malignant and vicious person And this Alderman Gibbs did by along winded Speech openly at Guild Hall And som few daies before they abused and villified mee before a Committee of Parlament at Goldsmiths Hall and procured mee to bee sent to the Tower through their unjust Information But God in his good time will finde their iniquity out for since it hath been proved what Alderman Wolaston hath been to the Government and that makes him uncapable to bear Office in the Commonwealth How God will dispose of Alderman Gibbs this Parlament that time will present And what Service I have don to this Nation I most humbly leav it to the considerations of all true English men I saved the Nation at one time three hundreed Thousand Pounds in the year 1652. A summ of money more then all the Goldsmiths and Refiners are worth put them all together And in doing that service I most humbly say I clearly shewed my Dutie and Affection to this Nation and shewed I was no Malignant When Alderman Wolaston and Alderman Gibbs do so much for this Nation I shall take them to bee better men then now I do After many dayes Attendance of Alderman Wolaston and Alderman Gibbs at the Counsel-table and at the Attourny General Sr John Banke's Chamber Upon condition that Alderman Wolaston and Alderman Gibbs Their Pardon 's under the Great Seal of Enland will shew the offences they were guilty of for men need not take a Pardon if they be not guilty and faulty I refer my self to the paticulars in their Pardons what offenses
well known to many hundred persons in London Hereupon the Wyer-drawers petitioned against this Monopoly of Alderman Gibbs and Alderman Wollaston to the Parlament in 1640. and therein set forth that this Monopoly was contrary to the Common Law and against the Statute of 21. Jac. concerning Monopolies and contrary to the Liberties of the City of London And that this monopoly was for the excessive profit of the Refiners for that they could buy their silver at a moneths time 3 pence an ounce cheaper then they were forced to pay the Refiners ready money And this was affirmed in Parlament by Thomas Joles Robert Patrickson Laurence Whalley NathanaeÌ„l Seabourn and several other Gold-wyer-drawers Upon Examination of this Business by the Parlament the Patentees Alderman Wollaston Alderman Gibbs c were commanded to bring into the Hous their Monopoly and then the Wyer-drawers got quite free from it by Parlament The Refiners Alderman Wollaston and Alderman Gibbs to avoid the punishment which might justly have been imposed on them by the Parlament according to the Statute of 21. Jac. cap. 3. concerning Monopolies When they saw they could hold their Monopoly no longer and that the Parlament was called they petition to have their Pattent of Agencie dissolved as if it had been put on them by force and against their wills alledging That they were sued in the Starr-Chamber and that to avoid a sentence there being terrified by the example of the Soap-boilers and the Vintners they accepted of beeing his Majesties Agents When the truth was they accepted of being the Kings Agents for the sole refining and vending of One hundred thousand pounds silver a year for this Manufacture out of a covetous desire to enrich themselvs and unjustly did exclude all Goldsmiths and Wyer-drawers that had served their time to the Trade and by their undertaking this Monopoly they got their Pardons under the great Seal of England for many great as may appear upon view of their Pardons That they were sued in the Starr-Chamber it is very true For such Crimes that had the Cause proceeded and witnesses then been examined and the Court given Judgement against them they had been both undone To my knowledg this was their chief Plea in Parlament and so they flung dirt in the Kings face for his mercie towards them by their Petition which they presented to the House Though before the Parlament they would neither let Goldsmiths nor the Wyer-drawers to have a free market but stiffly insisted on it ever when it came to a dispute That the Refining and preparing Gold and Silver wyer did absolutely belong to the Refiners and so excluded the Goldsmiths of London And by their Monopolie excluded all other persons from the Trade but onely eight persons the Kings Agents and Pattentees These Agents laid out of their own purses Two hundred eightie and two pounds three shillings for repairing the Office which they gave me a Bill of under their own hands and desired mee to move Secâ—etarie Cook to get the King to allow it them I did so but the King returned them answer That if it had cost them ten times as much hee would not allow one penny for hee had Ordered Alderman Wollaston and Alderman Gibbs to have their Pardon and that in that hee had given them Ten thousand pounds I have the Original Bill by mee Several times this Monopolie of the Refiners was opposed and argued oftentimes at the Counsell Table and before the King Commissioners in Little Brittain and at Mr Attornie General Bankes Chamber both before Alderman Wollaston and Ald. Gibbs got their Monopolie and after they had their Pattent some of the Wyer drawers and some of the Goldsmiths and Silkmen chiefly Sir George Binion a Silkman for the Silkmen and the Wardens of the Companie of Goldsmiths for the Goldsmiths and all the chief Wyer-drawers in behalf of themselvs and their Fellow Wyer-drawers opposing Sir John Wollaston and Alderman Gibbs Monopolie and desiring to have a free market to buy their Silver But the Refiners still made such potent friends no doubt their Gold flew plentifully amongst the Courtiers or else they could not have carried it that neither VVyer-drawers nor Goldsmiths could buy of them or sell either silver or wyer for any the manufactures aforesaid but all must bee bought of Alderman Wollaston and Alderman Gibbs and others the Kings Agents and Pattentees till 1640. that that the same was overthrown in Parlament May it pleas your Highness DUring the Prosecution and Contest of this business between the Goldsmiths Gold Wyerdrawers Refiners and Silkmen about the frauds and abuses committed in their Trades each man putting it of from one to another The King and Lords of the Counsel cast about How to bee truelie informed of all these abuses and to search into the bottom of all this Knavery and Cheating Several wayes were propounded At last the Lords of the Counsel Ordered a private Search and Inspection into all Silkmens and Gold Wyerdrawers shopps And afterwards the King and Lords impowered mee Thomas Violet under the Great Seal to make these Searches frequently to prevent srauds in Wyâ—rdrawers and silkmens shops and in any other places where I conceived slight and bad Silver and Gold Thread and Wyer was and to seaze the same and if I found it bad to deface it and to certifie their names to the Kings Counsel or the Attourney Generall And the Lords of the Counsel at that time Ordered Sr Henry Mldemay to send several persons to buy small parcels of Gold and Silver Wyer and Thread Spangles Purls Oas c. in almost all the Silkmens and Wyerdrawers shops in and about London That so they might bee truely informed upon an Assay by the sworn Assay-master at Golsmiths Hall Mr Alexander Jackson what manner of gold and silver Wyer and Thread Spangles Oes and Purl and the Standard of the Silver was made and vented for good silver I do verily believ There was never a fuller or clearer Discoverie of Frauds and Cheatings in the world then was discovered at that time For Mr Jackson the Assay-master of Goldsmiths Hall hath Reported everie particular Assay by it self and Master Humfrey Worthington Mr Thomas Johnson and Mr Leonard Welsted have set down the dayes of the moneth and the year the Silkmen and Wyerdrawers shopps and their names where they bought this cours adulterate Silver Thread and Spangles and that they bought it and paid for good silver I have both the original Certificates ready to be produced The Title of the several Assayes is TRialls made by me Alexander Jackson sworn Assay-master of the Right Worshipfull the Company of Goldsmiths for his Majesties service of certain Quills of gold and silver Thread Spangles Plait and Wyer for and by the apointment of the Right Worshipfull Sr Henry Mildemay Knight as followeth being first burnt and melted and assayed brought by Sr Henry Mildmay the 9th of July 1635. to Goldsmiths Hall The Kings Standard for Starling silver is Eleven
ounces Two penny weight Fine upon the pound The Assayes follow viz. The particular Originall Reports I have readie to produce to the Counsell of Trade wherin they will see the great Cheats put upon the Nation by some Refiners Wyerdrawers and Silkmen At the bottome of the original paper this followes viz. These are the severall Assayes of the silver Spangles plaited Wyer and silver Thread made and Reported by mee Alexander Jackson They being all under Starling and against the Laws of the Kingdom Some part of these Assayes I made by the appointment of Sr Henry Mildemay Knight in the year 1635 and some part of which falsified and defective silver Thread flatted Wyer and Spangles were brought to mee by Mr Tho Violet in the year 1638. By mee ALEXANDER JACKSON the sworn Assay-master to the worshipfull Company of Goldsmiths London By Order of the Lords of the Counsel I Tho. Violet paid Mr Jackson Five pounds for this Service And this silver Thread Wyer Spangles c. was one hundred and odd several parcels made contrarie to the oath of every Goldsmith Wyerdrawer and Refiner when they are made free at Goldsmiths Hall I humblie leav it to bee considered on whether this manufacture ought not strictly to bee looked after and duelie regulated when neither Oaths nor bonds will keep them to work good â—â—lver For executing of my Office justlie and strictlie to hold the Refiners and Wyerdrawers to a Rule to make all their wyer and thread of good silver and punishing the Offenders manie of them I brought to Justice And I shewed the King how hee was cozened in the Mint of Three thousand Pounds a year which caused Alderman Wollaston secretly to hate mee mortally And hee caused mee to bee clapt up by his incensing some members of Parlament against mee in the Tower in Januarie 1643. when hee was Lord Major of London And the Parlament kept mee close prisoner there Nine hundred twentie eight daies and Fourteen Moneths more in which I had libertie to go at large in the Tower upon the pretence I was a Malignant when the truth was Alderman Wollaston vented but his private malice against mee Upon this occasion viz. Alderman Wollaston having put up to the Parlament in the year 1640 a Petition slighting the Kings mercie and goodness towards him in giving him his Pardon when I saw Alderman Wollaston's carriage in that Petition hee presented to the Parlament I then told the King in the year 1640. that Alderman Wollaston joining with some of the Officers of his Mint had made a fraudulent agreement to melt all the silver in the Mint which was to make monies and hee to have from the King the allowance of 16 grains upon the pound Troy which is 2 pence the pound weight Troy for all the silver hee melted in the Mint This agreement was made without either the King 's or the Lords of the Counsells knowledg or approbation nor was there anie allowance or power under the Great Seal of England for him to receive these fees or the Officers of the Mint to grant them to him By which fraudulent bargain the King was defrauded of neer upon three thousand pounds a year from the year 1630. to the year 1640. And Alderman Wollaston put up all this monie in his own particular purse the King nor Lords never knowing any thing of this blinde bargain Alderman Wollastons place in the Tower being so inconsiderable in the eie of the State and in the reputation of the world the melter of the mint being but the Master workers servant that Alderman Wollaston never had a Patent for it under the Great Seal whereas the Master worker of the Mint hath a Pattent the Warden the Assaie-master the master of the Irons the Engraver the Comptroller the Teller and several other Officers of the Mint have all of them their several Pattents under the Great Seal of England for their several places Now Alderman Wollaston's place was worth every year to him more monie then all the aforesaid Officers of the Mint twice told for every year hee cleared near three thousand pounds a year as I proved to the late King and I can prove it to your Highness the Parlament and your Counsel whensoever you pleas and all the Officers Fees in the Mint did not amount to one thousand pounds a year A strange fraudulent trick that a servant for in the Mint Alderman Wollaston was but the master workers of the mints servant should get six times more then his master and three times more then all the Officers in the mint It was the profits of this Place raised him principally to bee an Alderman But this is no great wonder when the masters of the mint for many years are and have been ignorant of the mysteries and perquisites of their places to the great dammage of the Nation in many particulars In former times it was not so Goldsmiths and Artists were masters of the mint that knew the course of Exchanges and held Correspondence with Forrain Bankers and merchants no Age can shew afore this a Doctor of Physick master worker of the mint and had not I stopped at one time three hundred thousand pounds of silver the Irons in the mint would have been rustie I caused more money to come to the mint at one time 1653 then hath been coyned this seven yeare besides that money Upon this my Information to the King hee presently sent for Mr Andrew Palmer the Assay-master of the mint and Mr Henry Cogan the Comptroller of the mint and examined the business about Alderman Wollastons Place in the Tower and commanded mee to bee by and to declare before them what I had told his Majestie concerning Alderman Wollastons Place of melter in the mint And when they heard what I said they confessed it to bee a truth that Alderman Wollaston had in ten years beeing esteemed but as a servant by the condition of his Place in the mint to the Head-Officers the master Worker and Warden of the mint gotten more by his melting of the Silver in the mint then all the Officers of the mint put them all together had done Whereupon the King was wonderfull angry with them they beeing his Officers in the Mint that they would suffer such a thing and not acquaint him or his Counsel with it And asked If my Lord Treasurer or Lord Cottington or the Lords of his Counsel allowed him to have such Fees and allowances or knew that Wollaston made such Gaines in the Mint by being Melter of the Gold and Silver They told his Majestie No they did believe none of them knew it nor any others but the Officers of the Mint for that it was a mysterie and few did know it Thereupon the King sworâ— his Officers of his Mint must either bee Knaves or Fooâ—s to let such an one as Alderman Wollaston gull him of three thousand pounds a year and to give such a Place of Profit to any without his consent or the
is made to six ounces of Silk but three ounces of Silver the Silk many times heavy died the Wearers many of them are cozened and their garments spoyled And many other Cheats and frauds I could particularize 9. When I delivered an Accompt of these gross deceipts to the King and Lords and upon examination they finding these Abuses to bee so frequent both amongst Refiners Silkmen and Wyer-drawers The King and Lords of his Councel having often imployed mee in these Discoverics of the fraudes of the Wyerdrawers They ordered mee Thoms Violet Anno 1635. to bee Surveyer and Sealer of all these manufactures for three lives under the Great Seal of England And to have and receiv to my own use One Halfpenny the Ounce for Wyer and 4 Pence the pound Venice for all gold and silver Thread I Sealed and Surveyed And prohibited all persons to put silver or gold Thread to Sale before it was warranted by the Seal of my Office being the Rose and Crown In consideration of this Fee aforesaid I Covenanted and put in Securitie to the late King in the Exchequer That if any gold or silver Thread Spangles Purls Oes or Wyer should bee Surveyed and Sealed or passed out of my Office either by mee or my Deputie which was cours or adulterate silver under sterling or not justlie made the Thread with a due proportion of silver at the least five ounces silver to three ounces silk I was bound and am bound to this day to answer and pay all Damages to any person grieved or wronged in the Nation concerning the Premises And neither the Wyerdrawers nor Silkmen could in Parlament produce one parcel of silver thread that I sealed in the Office or that was sealed by my Officers to be cours silver or under the Standard And for five years I caused this Manufacture to bee made so exactly as the money and Plate of the Nation is now made and the best gold and silver Thread in the world Without my Fees which were allowed mee under the great Seal of England I could not bee at the Charge of searching and Sealing and without my Sealing and Surveying I cannot warrant this Manufacture of gold and silver Thread and Wyer c. to bee good and truely made both for the fineness of the silver and a due proportion of silver to a due proportion of silk and without this Regulation everie workman is left to do what hee list both for the fineness of the silver and the due proportion of silver to silk And at this day for want of my Office many frauds and deceipts are put on the Nation and all them that wear this Manufacture which I am bound to prevent or make good the Damage to the Nation or to any that shall bee deceived Which cannot bee exspected from mee unless I receiv my Fee to defray my Charge and hazzard I run in warranting all this Manufacture to bee good and justly made And of the justice and Equity of this I conceiv there can bee no dispute May it pleas your Highness NOw at this day the Manufacture of gold and silver Thread Wyer Spangles Oes c. is under no Rule nor Regulation either for the Fineness of the silver or the just and due making the silver thread with a due Proportion of silver to a due proportion of true died silk but it is left to every one to do what hee lists and to Cozen the Commonwealth and to cull and melt down the Coins of the Nation And if the Refiners can get but the Goldsmiths to melt down the heavie Coins as shillings sixpences and halfcrowns which they do at this day and as they are wont to do ever when silver is above the price of the Mint or when wee have Wars with Spain then generally silver is dearer then the Price of the Mint The Refiners think themselves clear and the Law cannot touch them if they buy heavie shillings and sixpences melted into Ingots And by this way all the heavie currant silver monies and Coin of this Nation is melted down This heavie English silver monie for the greater part is called and weighed by Goldsmiths in Lumbard-street who keep people purposely to cull and weigh the heavie shillings and sixpences of this Nation when silver is dear May it pleas your Highness Wee shall not have monie to buy and sell nor to hold Commerce nor pay Rent or publick Duties if this mischief bee not stopped When I was an Apprentice I delivered with mine own hands for one Mr Eman's Account who was my Master to Alderm Gibbs above thirtie thousand Pounds of heavie shillings sixpences and halfcrowns which hee bought of my Master Mr Timothy Emans a Goldsmith in Lumbard Street The said Mr Emans then being a publiuqe Cashier for severall Marchants and receiving their monie and keeping their Cashes by which means hee culled and caused to bee culled and melted everie year in heavie shillings and sixpences above Thirtie thousand pounds a year from the year 1624 to the year 1630 into Barrs or Ingots And there was many Goldsmiths in Lumbard street at that time everie of these years did melt as much heavie English monie and some of them more then Mr Emans did And English silver was at that time so scarce one could hardlie get white monie Anno 1629 for gold but now almost all the silver and almost all the gold is gon the silver melted down for gold and silver Lace The gold almost all Transported that in a payment of ten thousand pounds one shall not receiv Ten shillings in gold Alderman Gibbs would never have these shillings sixpences and halfcrowns from Mr Eman in Kinde but the propeâ—â—ie altered and melted into Ingots though hee knew and bargained for English monie by the name of Swarg to bee melted without fraud being a common word amongst the Goldsmiths for heavie English monie Whereupon my Master commanded mee to put in everie Ingot so much Copper as the silver wasted which was about a farthing the ounce For Mr Eman selling the heavy shillings halfcrowns and sixpenses to other Refiners and Silver-smiths in Kinde without melting would not bear the waste of melting Mr Gibbs 's English money into Ingotts But Alderman Gibbs finding my Masters Silver a farthing in five shillings courser then other Goldsmiths in Lumbard Sreet Silver was who melted down Mr Alderman Gibbs had a pair of Assay Ballances in his closet and when hee questioned mee about this Business hee weighed above sorrie severall Assayes of my Master Eman's silver with the Standard Piece and all of them fell out one penny weight short and then hee took about forty other Assayes of one Mr Bradshaw's Silver as hee told mee and Alderman Gibbs said to mee This is heavy English mony in Ingots which I have and do daily buy of Mr Bradshaw and weigh your Masters Assayes against his So I did and found my Masters Silver all one penny weight short of Mr Bradshaw's Silver Thereuppon Alderman Gibbs was