surely next to God's gracious protection her Safetie was built as Solomon's Throne was shee was supported by XII Lyons a grave and prudent Counsel the number of her inward Privy Counsellors not much exceeding that number By her prosperous Conduct and Management of her Affairs all Christendom esteemed England to have a glorious Prince a wise Counsel of State and the People happy in general I have read that my Lord Chancellor Bacon in a Speech of his in Parlament had this saying Sure I am saith that golden mouthed Orator that the Treasure that cometh from the Commons to her Majestie is but as a vapor which ariseth from the Earth and gathereth into a Cloud and stayeth not there long but upon the same Earth falleth down again And if som few drops fall upon France and the United Provinces it is as a sweet odor of Honor and Reputation to the English Nation throughout the World Elegantly expressing the relief that the English afforded both to France and the Low-Countries against their then common Enemy the Spaniard In her glorious Reign the Counsells that were then in Parlament tended ever to the individual prosperitie and the safety and preservation both of the Queen and People And like Christ's coat without seam all their Counsels were of one piece the equal prosperitie of both And after 44 years reign this glorious Queen dyed rich in Jewells rich in Money and Plate the Lands of the Crown and above all rich in the Love and Estimation of her Loyal People after shee had contended with the King of Spain by invading him in Spain in Portugal in the Indies firing and burning his Ships and Carrakes in our narrow Seas and made her Commanders so terrible on the Spanish coasts that the children when they cryed their parents would fright them with garda el Draco which is Bee quiet have a care here is Drake I pray God and hope to see the same fear fall on them by the Virtue and Valor of Your HIGHNESS's Admiral Blake not onely to fright their Children but their Natives when they are men making them to cry garda el Blaco as well as their Fathers said garda el Draco This great Quarrel at the first was undertaken by the Queen for the relief of the miserable poor distressed Dutch Protestants the States of the United Provinces in the Low Countries they had no other title in her Reign I hope they will for ever acknowledg the Curtesies of English men's blood and money that hath made them now the High and Mighty Lords the States and a free State I wish it bee not now in their Greatness blotted out of their remembrance Queen Elizabeth's VVarrs in Ireland were very expensive and also her Relieving of France both with Men and Money And at the foot of the accompt for all these great undertakings to leav her Successor her Kingdoms in great wealth peace honor and safety and her People happy make's up the mâ—â—acle Towards the setting of this glorious STAR som sons of Belial laid the foundation of the Hellish Powder Plot and at latter end of her glorious Reign the Anabaptists and Sectaries begin like Snakes to engender but her Successor King James by his prudence shook them off as St Paul did the Viper by several waies and means First as the Physition let 's som blood out of the bodie to preserv the whole Secondly as Sea-faring men in a storm cast's som goods over board to save the Cargasaon Thirdly as a good Husbandman that will afford som feet of ground for hedging and and ditching to fortifie and secure the rest Fourthly as a good Gardiner that would have his garden plants grow pluck's up the weeds by the roots So King James used all these Remedies to the Sectaries som of their mouths hee stopped with preferment som hee committed to the rigor of the Law which cost them their lives others to Prison And after the Dispute at Hampton-Court hee put down his peremptory resolution by Proclamation which I humbly call his hedg to keep out the little Foxes that spoil the Vineyard of the Church Requiring a conformity to the same by all Persons upon strickt penalties which proved a good temporary Remedy May it pleas Your HIGHNESS to read but one touch more of the splendor and glory of this great Queen Elizabeth shee was not without her Eclipses with troubles and fears many waies to shew the uncertainty of worldly glory even from her nearest Kinswoman Mary Queen of Scots who while shee was Queen of France by her Husband's perswasion took upon her the stile and title of Queen of England from which sprung all her troubles in Scotland when shee returned a widow out of France and this was done by Queen Elizabeth and her Counsel's instigation These troubles by her Scotch Rebels drove the Scotch Queen into England whither shee fled for refuge but it proved otherwise for upon that score shee was catch't in the net of death and so much the sooner by reason of her impatience not brooking the delayes of her Deliverance which thrust her head-long into so many Treasons that Queen Elizabeth could not let her live and bee in safety her self for Queen Elizabeth was often times heard to say Either strike or bee stricken and so shee struck first and cut off her head and by that means removed her Capital Enemy It is a certain truth It is a dangerous thing for a supreme Magistrate to have the patience to stay to bee first striken but to put an end to those plots which were daily plotting and hatching against her Crown and Dignity for the Queen of Scots had real plots for both having found in her Study the Keys of above fifty several Characters for several people shee held Intelligence with both Forain and English Traitors Queen Elizabeth's grave and wise Counsell would not let her play an after game They had the Queen of Scots tryed by a Jury of English Noblemen many of them being Catholicks her own friends and neerest relations and had they not found her guilty many of their heads had gone off for which very reason many that the Scotch Queen took to bee her friends were her greatest enemies But doing that business so effectually the Queen wincked at many Noblemen for many of her Jury that had been hatching and acting with her Queen Elizabeth buried their faults in oblivion But Abington and Babington scaped not so well being both hanged drawn and quartered and their Estates annexed to the Crown There were others as Somervill Parry Savage and many more that sought this glorious Queen's death but shee vvas still protected by the Watchman vvhich slumbereth not and dyed gloriously and in peace May it pleas Your HIGHNESS vvhen King James came to the Crovvn a Powder Plot vvas laid for him his Vine and Olive-branches being to bee about him attended by his Nobles and third Estate in Parlament who were all designed in the twinckling of an eie to have been brought
Your loial Subject did present unto Your Highness's said Commissioners at Worcester-hous about the last day of May the names of several persons who had been entrusted and employed as Accomptants and Treasurers to receiv and finger the publick Monies Lands and Marchandise Very many of these persons have made the Commonwealth's Money Lands Goods and Merchandise which they were entrusted with so like their own that to this day it stick 's in these men's hands and is in their private possession to the great dammage of the Nation And many of them upon examination will bee found to have at this time vast summs of money in their hands and possessions amongst them all to the value of many hundred thousand pounds Likewise your loial Subject hath most humbly presented your Highness how strict Queen Elizabeth was to have all her Receivers called to a just accompt never sparing her great Officers and Favorites by which means shee lived and died rich never finding want in her Exchequer nor her Chests without Treasure Your faithfull Subject finde's now upon his Inquiry many of these Gentlemen that were Treasurers and Accomptants to wonder and make it strange that ever they should live to see the day that any persons should call them in question upon their accompts and that a just and true accompt should bee ever expected by the State from all persons that have received and possessed themselvs of the publick Moneys Lands and Merchandise c. May it pleas your Highness your humble Suppliant saie's That that opinion of these Gentlemen for to have a perpetual Indempnity and to escape scot-free as hee most humbly conceiv's is not grounded upon any just or true reason for there bee hundreds of Orders Ordinances and Acts to enable them and thousands of people now living to bee Collectors of Subsidies Committee-men Treasurers Excise-men Commissioners of the Customs Trustees for the sale of the King Queen and Prince's Lands Bishop's Deans and Chapters and other Delinquents Lands Receivers Sequestrators and Collectors of the monthly Taxes Collectors for Charitable Uses and all and every one of these persons by the fundamental Laws of this Nation their bodies lands and estates from the time and hour they became Debters to the Common-wealth their Persons Heirs Executors and Administratorâ— their and every one of their Goods Tenements into whose hands they are sold converted or do com And all other Lands Tenements Goods and Chattels which any other person then had or now have in trust for their use or which at any time ever hereafter shall have power to dispose of are all lyable to the due and true accompting paying and answering your Highness and your Successors the monies lands and goods c. they have received and this is by many Statutes known to be the law of England And many of them before they were admitted to act as Trustees Sequestrators Committee men or Treasurers took an Oath not to act contrary to the several Rules Limitations and Instructions given them by several Acts and Orders of Parlament and Council of Sate as appeareth by the Journal books and printed Acts and Ordinances of Parlament and Council of State likewise many of the abovesaid persons upon strict examination will bee found wilfully perjured which makes the Offenders lyable to fine and ransom for the breach of their Oaths The Lawes now in force to bee duely and truely executed for to have an exact accompt will bring your Highness and the Common-wealth in milions of money there is not any one of the aforesaid persons can shew any Order Ordinance Act of the Council of State or Act of Parlament that when they were made Committee-men or Treasurers to give them or any one of them a privilege or indempnity to cozen and defraud the State or to licence any one of them to pocket up the Wealth and publick Treasure of the Nation which they have fraudulently converted to their own use And when they can shew no such privilege nor so much as a pardon they need not make it strange as many of them do at this day That they should bee forced to give the Common-wealth a just strict and true Accompt or els their Bodies and Estates as also their Heirs Executors Administrators and Assigns to bee lyable till they shall have justly and truly accompted Your Highness's humble subject delivered in Wâ—iting to your Commissioners at Worcester-Hous certain Queries for his better direction to proceed in this service and most humbly desired their judgments thereupon that so hee might know whether his discoveries were within the cognizance of their Commission All which hee humbly presented unto them as being verie materiall both for your Highness and the Commonwealths service and hee told the Commissioners that hee intended to make their judgment thereupon to him to bee his Rule either to proceed or desist in these discoveries to avoid unnecessary expence and trouble to himself and others May it pleas your Highness in June last your Supplicant left with your Highness servant Mr Kelleway the true copie of the Writing hee did deliver to the Commissioners at Worcester-Hous and most humbly besought him to present the same unto your Highness And his most humble petition to your Highness was That you would bee graciously pleased upon your Highness's perusal to signifie your pleasure thereupon to your humble and loyal subject concerning the premisses that so hee might know how to proceed but Mr Kelleway having no covenient opportunitie to get your Highness to peruse the same by reason of your Highness other great and weighty affairs thereupon your Supplicant received back the said writing again from Mr Kelleway and hath now printed the same The true reason wherefore your humble Subject hath forborn to attend the Commissioners at Worcester-hous to receiv their order and direction concerning the premisses is becaus your most humble and loyall subject intends to put in the same Writing into the Parlament and there will humbly wait for your Highness's and the Parlaments gracious Commands and directions therein And the results of that most high and honorable Court upon the premisses what your Highness and your high Court of Parliament in your great and profound wisdomes shall judg fit to bee don for the glory of God and good and eas of the nation concerning all the premisses May it pleas your Highness your loyal Subject hath in som things enlarged himself more then in his writing hee left with your Highness hee hopes it is for the honor of God the benefit of your Highness and the eas of the good people of this nation in generall His daily praiers to God is That the publique Treasure that is in private mens hands may by a gracious Act of this ensuing Parliament bee ordered converted and turned into the right Channel to save the publique Taxes which will bee as a sweet smelling Perfume in the nostrels of the good people of this nation when they shall see those Caterpillers that have not
after their agreement with mee could pay mee neither did I desire it before it was due for I was to bee paid my monies out of the same monies which were then aboard the Ships For although by my discovery and protest the Councill of State stayed the silver which was the 17th of December 1652. Yet all the time after of the Parlament and Council of States sitting which was to the 20th of April 1653. the suit against these silver ships and their silver and lading went on in the Admiraltie and my witnesses some of them examined in the Admiraltie though many other witnesses I would have examined more then I did get to bee examined but could not have them And there was no publication till after the 20th of April 1653. and then the power of the Old Council of State was taken from them and the silver though stayed all that time from December 1652. to April 1653. remained a ship board though both the Commissiones for Prize Goods and my self often times made the Council of State acquainted with the daily Imbezilments of the Silver in these ships May it pleas your Highness Upon the dissolving of that Parlament and Council of State I received new Orders and directions from your Highness's most honorable Counsel commanding mee to proceed and present to them all frauds and abuses concerning this silver And when I presented to your Highness's Counsel my humble desires and told them what agreement I had made with the Old Counsel of State which was That I should receiv twelv pence upon every twenty shillings which was paid to the State out of these silver ships for my discovery till the summ of eleven thousand pounds was paid mee After I had attended your Highness's Counsel several daies for my Answer the right honorable Colonel Sidenham and Colonel Jones for Answer to my humble Petition for the said Allowance told mee the Councils pleasure was and they required mee in the Councils name to proceed and that I should have from the Council all my charges and an honorable Reward for my pains and hazzard expence and time both for those I emploied and for myself if I did disproov the Spanish Ambassadors Claim to the silver aboard the Sampson Salvador and George and other particular Agreement your Highness's Council would not make with your Supplicant for Colonel Sidenham and Colonel Jones told mee It was below the Council to make any other Agreement and of the just performance of this I might rest assured on May it pleas your Highness Till I had this promise from your Highness's Council I would proceed no further but refrained my Attendance on Doctor Walker hee sending for mee earnestly to proceed both by Mr Doreslaus and others I told them when the Counsel of State had given mee their answer how I should bee restored to my estate and receiv satisfaction for my disbursments I had and should lay out in this service I would then proceed in this Business And upon the right honorable Colonel Jones and Colonel Sidenham's promise to mee as aforesaid and upon Doctor Walker's earnest intreaty of mee as appears under his hand I proceeded in this service And this was done since your Highness took the Government by order and command of your Council of State and at the entreaty of your Advocate Doctor Walker And upon these honorable Promises besides my former Agreement with the Old Council of State I relyed and proceeded whereupon Doctor Walker gave mee several Warrants to the Register to the Examiner and to Mr Budd your Highness's Proctor and Mr Doreslaus The Copies whereof follow viz. 3 September 1653. MAster Doreslaus and Mr Bud are now again desired to deliver unto Mr Violet a Copie of the Specifications given in by the Masters and Commanders of the ships Sampson Salvador and George as likewise Copies of all the Pleadings Articulate Exhibited and admitted on the part of the Claymers of the Silver in any of these ships And they are to go with him to the Register and Examiners Offices and to procure him a view of all the Bills of Lading Extracts and Exhibites either brought into the Office or exhibited by any Claymers And whatever Papers are or shall bee exhibited by any Claimers in the three Ships I do as Advocate for the Commonwealth desire Mr Doreslaus to yeild all his endeavours and assistance as also the Register Examiner and Deputy-Register in the Admiraltie from time to time to give Mr Violet free admittance and view of all Acts Bills of Lading and Pleas Exhibited and Extracts and Papers remaining in the Registry or which shall come in And to do it readily and effectually the same tending to the Service of the Commonwealth and being in order for preparing the Evidence fit to bee produced for the Commonwealth And I do according to the Order of the Counsel of State of the First of September 1653 earnestly desire and Entreat Mr Violet and also the Commissioners If this Discovery had been so easily made and had been every bodies work to have found out the Spaniards Frauds I should not have had these earnest Entreaties fâ—om Dr Walker according to the Orders of the Councel of State of the 1 of Sept. 1653. The Commissioners for Prise goods have certified to Mr Secretary Thurloe how active and knowing they found mee to make these Discoveries and had I not been so your Highness had lost every penny of this great Treasure amounting to above Three Hundred Thousand Pounds for Prize goods and their Sollicitors and Agents as also the Proctor and Sillicitors for the State and every one of them with all convenient speed severally to set down in Writing all the Informations that they respectively know of or can finde And all the Evidences and Proofs that may bee discerned or produced on the part of the Commonwealth That so a full Plea and Articulate Allegation may bee prepared and the Proofs brought in for the Commonwealth And no Default bee done suffered or committed 3 Sept. 1653. Walter Walker And another Warrant of Doctor Walkers to the Examiners Mr How and Mr Arnold viz. 1 December 1653. MAster How and Mr Arnold in the business of the three ships Sampson Salvador and George and the Silver and Lading in those ships Mr Violet was ordered to contribute and yeild his Assistance to bring in Evidence on the behalf of the Commonwealth I did heretofore sign a Warrant that all the Proceedings might bee shewed him Hee now desires that the names of all the Witnesses already produced on the behalf of the State as also the Allegations and matter upon which they were produced as likewise the names of all Witnesses produced on the behalf of the Claymers and every one of them particularly and the Allegations and Interrogatories upon which they have been produced might be shewn to him This that hee desires being just I desire that you Dr Walker knew to his own knowledge that I imployed many people every day in these
to intitle the State to this Silver and disprove the Spanish Ambassadors and the Spaniards Claims The Affidavits follow viz. JOhn Glover of London Merchant aged about forty years maketh Oath That Mr Thomas Violet having since December 1652. received several Orders and Warrants from his Highness's Council and Doctor Walker Advocate for the Common-wealth to assist in the behalf of the Common-wealth against the silver Ships Sampson Salvador and George and all their Silver and lading In pursuance of which service the said Mr Violet hath constantly intreated his this Deponents assistance amongst several other persons which hee the said Mr Violet imployed for making discovery of the several frauds and practises of the Masters of those Ships and of several other merchants Claimers of the Silver and lading in the aforesaid Ships to deceiv the State by their several Claims And also of the several Bils of lading and in several other particulars in pursuance of this service for the Common-wealth for several moneths this Deponent with one Mr Simon Baldwine a merchant who lived a long time at Cades and St Lucars in Spain and with Mr Violet this Deponent and they two did view and examine all the Bils of lading and the several pleas and Exhibits Extracts and all other writings and papers which were brought in and remain in the Registrie of the Admiraltie concerning these ships silver and lading the Register declaring that they had seen all the Transactions that was then upon record in that business which were manie thousand sheets and that the said Mr Violet had several Warrants from Doctor Walker to the Register and Examiners of the Admiraltie to require them that the said Mr Violet and all such as hee should nominate under his hand to the said Register and Examiner should bee impowered to make several searches which hee this Deponent and the rest did almost every day for about three moneths And this Deponent further maketh Oath That after hee and the rest had taken such observations and directions as Mr Thomas Violet had given order concerning the marks of the several Bills of Lading and several other particulars both Mr Simon Baldwyne and this Deponent delivered the Papers up to Mr Violet hee having imployed and promised to content us for our pains This Business concerning the ships and silver this Deponent came to bee ingaged in at the request and entreaty of the said Mr Violet hee having heard how necessary and advantagious hee this Deponent should bee in making this discovery of the truth of this Business For that this Deponent for many years was an Inhabitant and merchant in Rotterdam and had Commerce and Trade with most Townes in Holland where Trading was stiriing And this Deponent know's manie of the marks of the Bills of Lading of these Silver Ships though they pretend to belong to Spaniards Hamburgers and Flaunders yet they are the same marks as divers Merchants of Holland give on their goods and Merchandize And that since the War with Holland divers Ships and their lading have been condemned in the Admiraltie and made prize of which had Silver and merchandize aboard them at the time of the condemning with the same markes which are in these Ships Sampson Salvador and George And this Deponent further deposeth That hee knoweth the said Mr Violet imployed besides Mr Simon Baldwine several other people for the making these discoveries ever since December 1652. And this Deponent hath been imployed by the said Mr Violet in this business for almost a year and an half in the finding out and searching this business and the said Mr Violet hath to his this Deponents knowledg expended very great sums of monie in prosecution thereof to the value of above five hundred pounds besides all his pains attendance and hazzard this Deponent having heard him several times threatned and in danger of his life by several Merchants and others Claimers of the Silver in these ships they having declared in this Deponents presence That by the said Violets protesting in the Court of Admiraltie against the discharge of these Ships and Silver in December 1652. the day the Judges appointed for discharging the Ships and Silver And by his further prosecution against those Ships and Silver since hee hath been and is the onely cause of hindering them of their Silver and Ships And that they had had their Silver long since had not Thomas Violet undertaken the prosecution of this Business And this this Deponent hath heard affirmed several times by merchants and others claimers both at the Exchange and elswhere And this Deponent maketh Oath That thâ—s Affidavit is for the affirming and justifying of Mr Violets pains hazzard and service in prosecution of this Business of the Silver ships and Lading John Glover Sworn the 27th November 1654. before mee ROBERT KELLEWAY Master of the Chancery in Ordinary THomas Ley and John Gerrel make Oath that in December 1652. Mr Thomas Violet was Commanded by the Council of State to assist in the behalf of the State against the Ships Sampson Salvador and George And several times since the said Mr Violet hath received warrants from his Highness Council and Doctor Walker Advocate for the Common-wealth for the prosecution of that service this the Deponents know becaus Mr Violet hath shown them several times the warrants upon several occasions hee having imploied them these Deponents for about sixteen moneths in the assisting him to prosecute this business concerning the Silver Ships Besides to their these Deponents knowledg hee did imploie eight other persons at his charge for making these Discoveries for above sixteen moneths together hee the said Thomas Violet paying all charges of meetings Boat-hire and for writing and subscribing all the Transactions for the Counsel of State and Doctor Walker for Printing the several Proceedings for the Parlament and Counsel And they these Deponents are assured and know Mr Thomas Violet could not though hee hath been very thrifty in this Business to have as much done for as little money as hee could expend in this Service for the State in his prosecution of these silver Ships hee hath expended above five hundred pounds besides all his hazzard pains and time having to their knowledg sate up many nights and daies together to do this Service And having contracted the envie of many merchants for staying this Silver And this Affidavit these Deponents make for satisfaction of all whom it may concern Thomas Ley. John Gerrel Both sworn the 25 of November 1654. JOHN PAGE SImon Baldwine of London merchant aged neer 43 years maketh Oath that Mr Thomas Violet in December 1652. was ordered and required by the Council of State to assist in the Admiraltie in the behalf of the Common-wealth against the Silver Ships Sampson Salvador and George and their Silver And several times since hath received several orders and warrants from his Highness s Council and Doctor Walker Advocate for the Common-wealth against the said Ships and all their Silver and Lading For
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
compelled to declare their knowledg except the partie or parties themselvs and whether your Commission doth impower you the Commissioners to give mee a full fifth part of all such summs of money as shall bee paid into the Exchequer upon any discovery of all or any the aforesaid misdemeanors I humbly pray your Honors to take notice that the Commissioners for Prize goods alwaies have had a great fee and allowance setled on every one of them for their pains and trouble and therefore I conceiv they are obliged to deliver in an exact and just accompt upon oath in writing of all the several ships and merchandise to his Highness 5. For the Commissioners of Excize Treasurers of Goldsmiths-hall Commissioners of Drury and Gurney-houses Collectoâ—s for the Plymouth Duties for redeeming of poor Slaves at Tunis and Argier c. that have had several Ordinances and Orders of Parlament Orders from the Counsel of State Orders from his Highness for the payment of great sums of money as this Case is stated viz. John Doe hath an Ordinance from his Highness or formerly from the Parlament or Counsel of State for six thousand pounds charged upon the Excise or any other Treasury to be presently paid or in cours These Commissioners have also a great Fee and Sallary for their pains and more then that they cannot lawfully expect nor contract with John Doe to make an abatement of the said Debt of 6000l but as I humbly conceiv by making such a bargain for their private profit by installing a publick Debt and to put the profit up to their particular use they are lyable to a Fine to his Highness as I have proved unto you in a president done by Act of Parlament in Richard the Seconds time as appears by the Records Commissions were granted to finde out that very offence besides to bee liable and make good all such summs of money and dammages for forbearance as shall bee proved they have craftily and fraudulently concealed and kept the same money from his Highness As for example the aforesaid Six thousand pounds warrant of John Does the Treasures or some one of them taking advantage of John Does necessitie treat with him and compound for his said Order or Ordinance which is for six thousand pounds for three thousand pounds more or less as John Doe and the States Treasurer can agree and John Doe makes his bargain for more or less as hee is straitned in his occasions and as his payments grow upon him Upon John Does receiving the money hee agrees for it may bee 3000l 4000l or 5000l for his Order of 6000l Hee upon receipt of the sum contracted for makes a general and full acquittance and discharge for the whole summ of 6000l aforesaid My humble Quere to you is Whether this is not a fraudulent Act of any Treasurer Commissioner of the Excize Custom-hous and Drury-hous or any other publick Treasurer of the Nation and every such Treasurer punishable if hee deliver in unto the State the full summ of 6000l when in truth hee hath paid poor J. Doe but 3000l or the sum John Does necessity compelled him to take And I humbly desire to know of you Whether you have power by your Commission to send for John Doe or any other person that can discover unto you the truth How much justly of this 6000l was paid to John Doe and to examine him of the grounds and reasons that made him the said John Doe give a receipt for more money then hee received and the time when the Treasurer or Treasurers made him his payments and how much truly and really remaineth in the Treasurers hands which the said Treasurer hath fraudulently concealed and deteined in his hands from his Highness and the Commonwealth and who and what partie or parties were the Agents and Broakers and where they dwell to drive the bargain between John Doe and the aforesaid Treasurers whether the said Treasurers have broken their Trust in compounding the States debt and putting the whole summ on their accompt when they paid but part they being the States servants and receiving Fees and Sallary for their just and faithfull performance of their duty in their place of Treasurer or Treasurers from the Parlament and his Highness And I know in a Trial in Chancery between the Lord of Holland and one of his Stewards who put in several summs of money to the full value in his accompt to several persons when hee had compounded his Lords debts and the Steward was allowed no more then hee really paid to his Lords Creditors if this bee the Law for a Private man I hope it will bee Law for his Highness and the Common-wealth 6. There are two Reasons which make mee humbly conceive that the Preasure or Committee-man Sequestrator or whosoever hee bee ought to pay to his Highness the summ and interest which hee hath concealed and is lyable to a further punishment without his Highness's pardon 1. First because every Receiver is his Highness's Servant and receivs a Sallary for his attendance and pains and therefore upon that accompt ought to give a just accompt upon oath to the Exchequer both of all the summs of money hee receivs as a Committee-man Commissioner or Treasurer justly and truly without fraud both for principal and interest if hee hath compelled the States Debter to pay interest hee ought to accompt for all that interest to the State the like just accompt hee ought to put into the Exchequer for his just and real payments and if it bee proved hee delivered in fall feigned forged or Averyen Accompts or put in more money on his accompt then hee hath really paid to every person that is nominated on his accompt I humbly conceiv it all former Ages have held it a high Crime and punishable and I hope your Honors will do so now 2. Secondly As the Receiver or Treasurer will bee sure not to charge himself with more money then hee truely receivs for the use of the State so I humbly say his Highness's Commissioners for the Treasury nor the Barons of the Exchequer ought not to discharge him for any greater summ then the aforesaid Treasurer hath truely and really paid And this I humbly desire your judgments in for a greater or lesser summ and if I shall prove one or more Treasurers guiltie of the aforesaid offences whether you by your Commission are impowered to give mee a full fifth part for my discovery of all such summs of money I shall cause to bee paid in to the Exchequer touching the premisses 7. Whereas several Delinquents and purchases of Lands having made their Compositions and bought Lands and having given securitie to the Parlament or to his Highness and have failed at the several daies of their paiments and so continued some for years and some for moneths And the aforesaid persons upon the finishing their said payments have accompted and paid interest to his Highness's Treasurers for all that time they forbare to pay their