great expence pains and faithfulness shall have its due and promised Reward considering that in these humble Proposals which I have propounded to your Honours for my satisfaction I take no money from the publick but humbly offer to pay in monethly a great Revenue to the maimed Souldiers to regulate the abuses of the Manufacture of Gold and Silver Thread and Lace to give a stop to the Transportation of Gold and Silver to keep your Mint constantly at work to coyn money great quantities yearly all which services are of very great consequence to the Common-wealth the consideration of the premisses I humbly leave to your Honours and remain Your Honours dutifull and humble Servant TH. VIOLET THE TABLE THO. Violets Petition to the late Protector Oliver for getting the Common-wealth two hundred seventy eight thousand pounds and to be paid his reward according to Promise p. 51. The Lord Protectors Reference 61 The Officers of the Mint their Certificate concerning this businesse 61 Several persons Affidavits of Tho. Violets Services 63 A Copy of Tho Violets Letter sent to the Lord Bradshaw 67 Mr. Wilson and Mr. Hills Letter to Mr. Thurloe 68 Doctor Walkers Warrants to the Examiners Mr. How Mr. Arnold Mr. Dorislaws Mr. Bud concerning Tho. Violet 69 Sir Tho. Viner Sir Iohn Barkstead Iohn Limbery Maurice Thomson Esq their desires to the Lord Bradshaw touching Tho. Violet 74 Doctor Walkers Certificate 90 Lord Com. Bradshaws Certificate concerning Tho. Violets service in staying this Silver 80 Alderman Francis Allen Esq his Certificate 83 Sir George Fleetwoods Certificate concerning this service and the Councel of States Promise and engagement to Tho. Violet for his reward 84 Sir Iames Harringtons Certificate of many services done in staying this Silver and in other Particulars 92 Sir Tho. Viner Sir Iohn Barkstead Gabriel Beck Capt. Iohn Limbery Edward Dendy Henry Middleton Maurice Thomson Isaac Dorislaws Esq Certificate touching Th. Violets great service in the Silver-business 99 The Late Lord Protector Richards Order to Gabriel Beck and Francis Bacon Esquires touching Tho. Violet 112 Francis Bacon and Gabriel Becks Certificate to the late Lord Protector Richard 113. Tho. Violets Petition to the late Lord Protector in the name of Edward Iohnson Esq for the making of a publick farthing 118 The late Protectors Warrant to Master Solicitor General Ellis to prepare a Grant for these Farthings 120 An Account given to Sir Thomas Viner Mr. Alexander Holt c. of this business of the Silver Ships 122 The several abuses and obstructions of the Mint with ways propounded by Tho. Violet to set the Mint on work 11 The late King Charles's Letter to the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of the City of London 33 An Account of what hath been taken from me by the Parliament 38 An Order of the Councel of State requiring Th. Violet to pay fourty pounds to the Committee of Salop for certain Bonds with power to take the benefit of them and sue them as he might have done before any Sequestration 47 Iohn Corbet Esq his Receipt for the aforesaid fourty pounds 48 To the High Court of PARLIAMENT of the Common-wealth of England c. AND TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE THE COUNCEL OF STATE I. THomas Violet of London Goldsmith humbly presents this Narrative concerning his staying in the Court of Admiralty the Silver in the Ships Sampson Salvador and George together with the Certificates and Reports of many Honourable Persons attesting your Petitioners great service done this Nation in his seasonable Applications to the Councel of State 1652. and his protesting in the Admiralty against the discharge of this silver and discovering the frauds of the Spanish and Flemish Claimers and in many other particulars II. Further sheweth that there was unloaded out of the aforesaid ships 1653. upon your Petitioners discovery the summe of two hundred seventy eight thousand pounds which your Petitioners stayed by his Protest in the Admiralty the same houre the Judges would have discharged it And this silver was all coyned in the Tower And Colonel Barkstead Lieutenant of the Tower paid all this treasure to the Army and Navie for the defence and service of this Common wealth in 1653. and 1654. as will appear to your Honours upon the sight of his Accounts concerning this businesse III. These Particulars with many others are certified to his late Highnesse Oliver Lord Protector under the hands of Col. Barkstead Lieutenant of the Tower Alderman Viner Capt. John Limbery Doctor Walker Serjeant Dendy Maurice Thomson Treasurer of the East-India Company Serjeant Middleton Isaack Dorislawes Gabriel Beck Esquires By vertue of his late Highnesse reference directed to them 13. July 1657. IV. The true Copies of these original Petitions and Certificates and several other Transactions touching this silver are here presented to your Honours view to the end your Petitioner may after so long a delay of Justice have his dearly earned reward Your Honours upon perusal of all the Premisses will see it clearly proved your Petitioners great expence eminent zeal faithfulnesse and integritie with the hazard of his life in this service of the Common-wealth Your Honours Humble Servant THO. VIOLET May 25. 1659. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE The LORDS and others of the COUNCEL OF STATE VIZ. Thomas Lord Fairfax Major Gen. Lambert Col. John Desborough Col. James Bury John Bradshaw Serjeant at Law Sir Anthony Ashley Cooper Sir Horatio Townsend Sir Arthur Hesilrigge Sir Henry Vane Lieut Gen. Ludlow Lieut. Gen. Fleetwood Major Saloway Col. Dixwell Mr. Reynolds Mr. Josiah Barners Col. Morley Mr. Thomas Scot Mr. Robert Wallop Sir James Harrington Col. Walton Col. John Jones Col. Sydney Col. Sydenham Mr. Hen. Nevill Mr. Thomas Chaloner Col. Downs Lord Chief Justice St. John Col. Thompson Lord Whitlock Sir Robert Honywood Sir Archibald Johnson May is please your Honours YOur Petitioner did about the eighth of Decemb. 1652. deliver into the Councel of State a Written Paper wherein was discovered that at that present time a Practice and Combination was set on foot by several Merchants and others to deceive the Common-wealth of a great quantity of silver above three hundred thousand pounds which was then aboard the Ships Sampson Salvador and St. George then riding about Black-wall Upon Examination of this Businesse at the Councel of State the Councel within few dayes after commanded and engaged your Petitioner in this service and your Petitioner did faithfully promise the Councel his uttermost endeavours to discover this fraud and at his own charge to prosecute this Businesse in the Court of Admsraltie The Judges of the Court of Admiraltie did appoint the 16. day of Decemb. 1652. to give sentence for clearing these ships and silver being to the value of about three hundred thousand pounds in silver as appears by the Certificate of the Officers of the Mint Whereupon your Petitioner came into the Court of Admiralty the very day and houre the Judges were clearing the said silver and at his own peril made his Protest in the Admiraltie
in any age as your Supplicant hath heard of or read of Your Petitioner trusts and hopes in God and your Highnesse that so great service to your Highnesse and the Nation shall not go unrequited What service this Treasure did your Highnesse and the Nation at that conjuncture of time in 1653. Christendom knows the Dutch then our Enemies felt and this Nation under your Highnesse government do enjoy and have the happy fruit of at this day Your most humble Petitioner prayes your Highnesse to take all the Premisses into your Princely consideration And that your Petitioner may have his estate or the value thereof restored to him in recompence of his services aforesaid And your Petitioner shall ever pray c. THO. VIOLET Whitehall July 13. 1657. His Highnesse is pleased to referr this Petition to Sr. John Barkestead Knight Lievtennant of the Tower of London Sr. Thomas Viner Knight Captaine John Limbery Doctor Walker Gabriell Becke Serjeant Dendy Maurice Thompson Serjeant Middleton and Jsaac Dorislaus Esquires or any three or more of them to take the Petition within written into their consideration examine the premisses and to State and Certifie the case to his Highnesses together with their opinions upon the whole matter Fol 231. Fra Bacon Here followeth an Attestation of my Protesting in the Court of Admiraltie against the Judges clearing and discharging the said Silver and Ships and against the Spanish Ambassadors Claims just that Morning as they were discharging of the Ships and Silver being the sixteenth day of Decemb. 1652. as appears by the Certificate of the Officers of the Mint under their hands viz. WE whose names are here under-written hereby certifie all whom it may concern that we were present in the Court of Admiralty that day the Judges of the Court were reported to proceed to a sentence for the clearing or condemning of the ships Salvador George and Sampson it being about the seventeenth of Decemb. 1652. And there we saw Mr. Thomas Violet the same day in the Court present a Paper unto the Judges which he declared contained several Reasons and Arguments to the Judges for respiting their Judgment concerning the discharging of those ships and several other Prizes till he had examined several Witnesses on the behalf of the State to disprove the Spanish Claimes concerning these Ships at which time the Silver was aboard these Ships After some time spent in arguing the business by Mr. Violet in behalf of the State the Judges seeming to proceed to a sentence concerning the said Prise Ships Mr. Thomas Violet made his Protest in the said Court of Admiraltie aganist the discharge of all or any of these Prises declaring hee did it upon his owne accompt till his Witnesses were examined in the behalf of the State And that the Judges if they should proceed to the contrary should answer it to the Parliament and Council of State at their peril Thereupon the Court desisted from proceeding in the said Businesse and the Judges thereof required Mr. Violet to attend the Councel of State that afternoon about his carriage that day in the Court of Admiraltie touching these ships Dated at the Mint in the Tower of London December 23. 1654. Signed George Brett Thomas Burch James Hoore Here follow the Affidavits and Certificates of the truth of Tbomas Violets Service made by honest men of clear reputation Merchants and others that he emploied and were privie to the whole Proceedings in the Admiralty and other parts of this Nation and by what wayes and meanes he made these Discoveries to entitle the State to this Silver and disprove the Spanish Ambassadours and the Spaniards Claims The Affidavits follow viz. JOhn Glover of London Merchant aged about fourty years maketh Oath That Mr. Thomas Violet having since December 1652. received several Orders and Warrants from his Highnesses Councel 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 he the said Mr. Violet emploied for making discovery of the several frauds and practices of the Masters of those ships and of several other Merchants Claimers of the Silver and lading in the aforesaid ships to deceive the State by their several Claims And also of the several Bills 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 veiw and examine all the Bills 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 many thousand sheets and that the said Mr. Violet had several Warrants from Doctor Walker to the Register and Examiners of the Admiralty to require them that the said Mr. Violet and all such as he should nominate under his hand to the said Register and Examiner should be impowered to make several Searches which he this Deponent and the rest did almost every day for about three moneths And this Deponent further maketh Oath That after he and the rest had taken such Observations and Directions as Mr. Thomas Violet had given order concerning the marks of several Bills of Lading and several other particulars both Mr. Simon Baldwine and this Deponent delivered the Papers up to Mr. Violet hee having imployed and contented us for our pains This Business concerning the ships and silver this Deponent came to be 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 merchants in Rotterdam and had Commerce and Trade with most Townes in Holland where Trading was stirring And this Deponent know's many 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 to 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 Baldwin several other people for the making these discoveries ever since Decemb. 1652. And this Deponent hath been imployed
pains hazard and labour five hundred pounds in this service And I am perswaded had not Mr. Violet undertaken this businesse in that very nick of time he did 13. of Decemb. 1652. and constantly and vigilantly followed and agitated in this businesse both at the Council of State and Admiralty this great quantity of silver had been lost and the State deluded with pretended claimes and how seasonable a service this was at that conjuncture of time and the happy fruit and effect so great a treasure brought to the Nation is visibly to all men My opinion is that for the Honour and I may say profit of this Nation to encourage all men for the future to be faithful to the Common-wealth and to expose their Persons and expend both their spirits and purses for the Honour and safety of the publick as Mr. Violet hath done in this great undertaking and brought it to a happy issue That as the sum of money was the greatest that ever I think at one time was saved to this Nation by any one mans discovery so his reward should be sutable not only to have the ful restoration of his Estate which was faithfully to my knowledg promised to him both by many of the Council of State and Parliament before ever Mr. Violets undertaking this service mentioned in his Petition But this service being finished Crowns all his former undertakings and in my opinion he not only deserves the full restoration of his Estate but to have an honourable memorial left to posterity of his seasonable and faithful discoveries and services concerning the aforesaid silver That so all others may be encouraged to trust to the faithful promises of the Council of State when they shall see the States promises faithfully performed in such a conjuncture of time as when the Government was changed And I think I am bound in my conscience that taking notice of such high proposals as were propounded either in Parliament or Council of State during the time I had the honour to serve the Publick amongst which I have and do hold this service mentioned in Mr. Violets Petition to be one of the first rank that was ever presented in Parliament or Council of State when the work is finished I hold my self obliged both in honour and conscience to give the undertaker such as Mr. Violet that hath in this business laboured all along to the perfecting of the work The State having gotten by this discovery and undertaking about three hundred thousands pounds as M. Violet affirms to me so much money coined he having finished his sore task I think I am bound in justice to help him what I can that so after so great paines and hazard Mr. Violet might not work in vain And upon this account I make this certificate whereof one part is upon my own knowledge and experience I have had of Mr. Violet the other Part I refer to the Orders of Parliament Council of State Doctor Walkers warrants and the Certificates of the Officers of the Mint And I wish for the due encouragement of all active Persons that shall hereafter venture upon great and high undertakings for the profit honour and safety of this State and Common-wealth that Mr. Violets reward and compensation for this great service may alwayes be had in remembrance for no doubt so great and faithful a service discovered so seasonably will have a happy issue and the reward from the State will be sutable to the greatnesse of the Service Septemb. 22. 1657. G. Fleetwood This is a true Copy of Sir George Fleetwoods certificate on the behalf of Mr. Thomas Violet examined by me Thomas Hewet John Rimmer Doctor WALKERS CERTIFICATE I Can truly and do certifie That when the Cases of and touching the Silver in the three ships the Sampson Salvadore and St. George were depending in the Court of Admiralty touching the same being Prize And before the Argument touching the casting the Onus probandi thereupon in that Court were made Mr. Thomas Violet did repair to the said Court of Admiraltie and to my self being Advocate to the then Parliament and did produce from the then Council of State one order bearing date the 13. of Decemb. 1652. And also some other Orders of the then Council of State whereby he the said Mr. Violet was ordered to repair to the said Court of Admiralty and also to my self as Advocate for the then Parliament And to look after and take care of those said businesses touching the said Silver in the said three Ships or to such effect and accordingly hee the said Mr. Violet was therein very carefull and industrious and did by himselfe and others imployed by him and at his owne charge take great paines in following the said businesse and in searching after and examination of the said Ships Papers and Bookes and writings and other matters that were exhibited into the Registers of the Admiraltie and in making his observations thereupon and collecting thereout what might make for the State and looking after such other evidences as hee could finde out wherein hee was noe way remiss or negligent and the said Mr. Violet did openly owne the same business in Court and moved therein on behalf of the Parliament and that earnestly and with zeal and made or declared some Protest therein in the said Court of Admiraltie And did not only particularly apply himself to me but did also in my hearing privately press it to some of the then Judges of the Admiralty And I did finde that the said Mr. Violet by his much publick owning and appearing therein in the behalfe of the Parliament and then Council of State did contract much envy and ran great hazards of his person and it cannot bee but that he did lay out and expend much money to such as he imployed therin 10. March 1657. Wal. Walker I shall humbly desire your Honours to observe that Doctor Walker if hee had pleased could have certified in this his Certificate the day of the moneth I made my Protest against the Judges of the Court of Admiraltie being the 16. Decemb. 1652. against their discharging this Silver and the great Contest I had with them about it before I could get the Judges to Respite their Judgment and that to his knowledge the Judges of the Admiraltie complained of mee to the Council of State that very day in the afternoone for doing this service and that had it not bin for your Petitioner the State had bin cozened of all this Silver But because I printed the list of the Dutch prizes and discovered the abuses and cheates put on the Nation by some Officers in the Admiralty no doubt but this business stuck in his stomack and to gratifie some guilty persons that had cozened the State and that made him to certifie my business by halfs and but part of his knowledge But it matters not as long as your Petitioner hath his services fully certified concerning this Silver business under the hands of Sir James
the Parliament by which I conceive hee merited the indempnity and restoration of his estate before this great undertaking mentioned in his Petition about the Silver in Decemb. 1652 but doing this service successfully in staying this Silver I thinke my selfe therefore now much more bound in honour and conscience after so longe a tryall of this mans patience constancy and fidelity and his love to his Country to give you my true observation of the man both in his acting this and other great businesse and this I attest upon my knowledge and experience of the man and not upon hear-say And if the rule of the Gospel be observed viv that all men do to others as they would be done to themselves Mr. Violet cannot be many weekes without a full restoration of his Estate or the value and if Mr. Violet hath had such measure as he hath presented to the world in print surely I must say he hath had hard measure but I wish him not only his Estate but also an honourable memoriall to be left to Posterity of his great service according to former engagements to him by some of the then Council of State for this particuler service of the Silver mentioned in his Petition this just due and deserved Testimony I do give him this first of October 1657. James Harrington This is a true Copy Examined by us Thomas Hewet John Rimmer John Symes WHen I brought these aforesaid Certificates to the Commissioners to whom the Examination of my services touching this Silver was referred by the late Lord Protector Oliver I offered to bring them the Testimonialls of several others of the Council of State to affirme and attest to the same effect as these honourable Gentlemen had don But the Referrees were pleased to say they had seen enough and to forbid mee the troubling any others for conformation of what I had alleadged in my Petition they declaring that these Certificates aforesaid had given them full and ample satisfaction and that they were sorry I should bee so dealt with and that they did see my sad sufferings and would fully and effectually certifie the true State of my businesse to his Highnesse Oliver what I had merrited from the State they not doubting but I should have not only the summe of eleven thousand pounds paid mee for this discovery and great service but also should receive an honourable reward over and above for the same To Incourage others for the future to relie and trust to the Promises of the Council of State and to be faithfull in the trust that was imposed on them by the State The Referrees telling your Petitioner that in Justice Prudence Honour and Policie the States must pay mee and that they could not expect but the end of my labours would come to a happy issue and thereupon the aforesaid Referrees were pleased to give mee this honourable Certificate following concerning the true State of my services and the Council of States ingagements to pay mee the summe of eleven thousand pounds and an honourable reward over and above viz. May it please your Highnesse WHereas by your Highness order of the 13th of July last your Highness was pleased to referr unto us or any three of us Mr. Thomas Violets Petition hereunto annexed whereby wee are directed to examine the premisses suggested therein and to state and certifie the Case to your Highnesse together with our opinions upon the whole matter In obedience whereunto wee having perused the said Petition and finding many perticular services which the Petitioner thereby affirmeth were done by him and well knowne to the Lord Bradshawe and many others of the late Council of State and hee having named to us Sir James Harrington Sir George Fleetewood and Francis Allen Esquires who amongst other of the Council knew the Petitioners great service done concerning the Ships Sampson Salvador and George their Silver and Lading mentioned in his said Petition and the Council of States intentions and engagements to him when hee undertooke to disprove the Spanish Ambassador and Spanish and Flemish Claimers thereunto in the yeares 1652. and 1653. For the clearing of the truth of the Petitioners allegations suggested in his said Petition wee held it necessary to acquaint the Lord Bradshawe and the said Sir James Harrington Sir George Fleetwood and Francis Allen Esquires with your Highnesse said Referrence and sent them Copies thereof with the said Petition and with our desires that they would certifie their particular knowledges therein that so wee might the better returne to your Highnesse the true state of the Petitioners Case And wee have accordingly received Certificates from all the aforesaid Persons which wee have hereunto annexed together with the said Petition and Referrence for your Highnesse gracious peruseall all which Testimonialls and Certificates set forth the great services done by the Petitioner by his seasonably discovery of the Spanish Ambassadors and Claimers fraudulent endeavors to deceive the Common-wealth in December 1652. Wee have likewise perused severall Orders of Parliament and Council of State that set forth the intended fraudes and Practices of Don Alonso de Cardenas in coming in his owne Person to the Parliament and to the Council of State with severall other Merchants and their Claiming the Dutch Silver then aboard the said Ships And wee finde Mr. James Stenere committed by the Parliament for tampering in this business Wee finde it attested under the hands of Mr. George Brett James Hoare and Thomas Birch all Offieers of your Highnesse Mint they being then in the Court of Admiraltie the 16th of Decemb. 1652. that the Petitioner by his active faithfull and seasonable Protest in the said Court at that very instant nicke of time and the very hower the Ships and Silver were in judgement before the Judges there and upon discharge the Petitioner by his Protest stayed the Silver mentioned in the Petition being to the value of above two hundred seventy eight thousand pounds in Silver taken out of the aforesaid Ships and Coyned in your Highnesse Mint as the Petitioner hath proved to us upon the sight of some accomptes And wee finde by severall Orders of the Council of State and Orders from Doctor Walker the Common-wealth's Advocate and by severall Depositions and Certificates that the whole weight of that businesse was imposed on the Petitioner by the Council of State in 1652. and 1653. as to the discovering part and the Petitioner was required to prosecute this service after the dissolving of the long Parliament by the Council of State then being The Heads of the Lord Bradshaws Certificate Wee also finde it attested by the Lord Bradshawe that the seasonable interposition of the Petitioner and his Protesting in the Admiralty applications to the Council and discovery of the fraudes both of the Spanish and Dutch touching the said Silver those actions of the Petitioner accompanied also with great charge hazard and trouble were the maine occasion if not the causa sine qua non of the after
the Sampson Salvadore the St George These Silver-ships brought treasure to our shore Two hundred seventie thousand pounds and more Color'd by Flemish and by Spanish Claimes The Fraud's discover'd Violet spoile's the games By seasonable Protest when Great Ones did decree To th' Nation 's Dammage to haue set them free Reward is due ô lett it not bee said The Worke is don But Workman never paid Tho Violet A TRUE NARRATIVE OF THE PROCEEDINGS In the Court OF Admiraltie Against the Ships Sampson Salvador and George their Silver and Lading AND An Accompt presented what Silver was taken out of the said Ships and coined in the Tower being above two hundred seventy eight thousand pounds all which Silver the Common-wealth got by the chargeable Prosecution and Discovery of Tho. Violet who saved the Commonmon-wealth this Silver Dec. 16. 1652. As in this Narrative is Attested under the Hands of many Honourable Persons Together with several Humble Proposals for the Profit and Honour of this Common-wealth in saving them many score of thousand pounds 1. By making an Act against transporting Gold and Silver 2. Against the culling and melting down the heavy currant Coines of the Nation By removing the Obstructious of the Mint and wayes propounded to make the Mint constantly coyn money 4. For the just and due Regulation of the Manufactures of gold and silver Lace to prevent the daily cheats put upon the Wearers 5. And for the making of a publick Copper Farthing and a great Revenue propounded to be monethly paid out of the same for the relief of the maimed Soldiers And several other Particulars humbly represented to the Parliament and Councel of State By THO VIOLET of London Goldsmith Deut. 24. 14 15. Thou shalt not oppresse an hired Servant that is poor and needie whether he be of thy brethren or of the strangers that are in thy land within thy Gates Ver. 15. At his day thou shalt give him his Hire neither shall the Sun go down upon it for he is poor and setteth his heart upon it lest he cry against thee to the Lord and it be sinne unto thee LONDON Printed Anno Dom. 1659. To the RIGHT HONOURABLE John Lord Bradshawe Lord Commissioner of the Great Seal of England Tho. Lord Fairfax Maj. Gen. Lambert Sir Arthur Hesilrigge Sir Henry Vane Sir James Harington Lieut. Gen. Ludlow Lord Whitlock Lieut. Gen. Fleetwood Josiah Barners Esq Coll. Morley Tho. Scot Esq Col. Sydenham Henry Nevill Esq Tho. Chaloner Esq All of them of the most honourable Councel of State May it please your Honours IT is a curious Art to make a Watch and he must be a skilful Artist that exactly sets a broken Bone God for the sins of this Nation hath several times in this Age took the Clock of this Common-wealth in pieces and many of the pins and wheels have bin and are misplaced It now requires great skill to place and set every thing in its due order Your Honours have a great work to do God hath broken us in pieces and divided our Councels and none can unite us but he that hath wounded us he only must cure us and bless and sanctifie all lawful means or else our disjoynted bones will never be truly knit or exactly set For this end hath God apointed a select number of honourable persons of which number your Honours are Members whose heart God hath fixed for this great Work to revive the stones out of the heap of rubbish and to build the Walls of our Jerusalem though the Sanballats Arabians and Ammonites be worth and conspire altogether to fight against Jerusalem to hinder this VVork Right Honourable if you will finish this good VVork you have begun you must do as Nehemiah did keep good watch day and night because of your enemies lest your adversaries serve you as they served Nehemiah for they say you shall not know nor see till we come in the midst amongst them and slay them and cause the work to cease if this be not prevented this Parliament will have a fatal end Presidents in Courts of Justice is a great Guide to all just Judges especially when they have been made by the Grave and Learned and are recorded in the Sacred Bible the chiefest Book that every good Statesman walks by such Statesmen that walks by Machiavels rules the wicked Maximes of these troublesom times they do as Saul did when he left God and went to the VVitch of Endor he pretended to go to speak with Samuel and met with the devil so these times have produced many a Fast the pretence hath bin to seek God and Peace when the true end hath bin to get to be the Head of a Party and Faction to make division and to get the Peoples money The People are now very well acquainted with such canting and as we know after a flash of lightning there comes a clap of thunder so hath it many times fallen out after Fasts hath followed an erecting of an High Court of Justice or one remarkable oppression or other I humbly present you here in this Epistle with a good President made by a great Statesman Nehemiah such a one as God hath recorded was a Saviour of his Countrey a Builder up of Jerusalem in the like case and in the like straits as it is now or suddenly without Gods infinite mercy will be vvith us he took this course In the first place he sought God and prayed before the God of Heaven and did not make a mock-Fast then he used the means he fell to his VVork and built up the walls of Jerusalem and did not only build but he built wisely and politickly and had there bin a Sanballat found amongst them the people would have stoned him On the lovver places behind the vvall and on the higher places he set the people after their families vvith their svvords their spears and their bovves and vvhen he had set himself in a posture of defence he made the people to be his Guard and delivered an Oration to the Rulers and People saying Be not afraid of your enemies remember the Lord which is great and terrible and fight for your brethren your sonnes and your daughters your wives and your houses I shall humbly desire your Honours to observe vvhat vvas the effect of this orderly and good posture Nehemiah and his people did not their work carelessely and by halfes and spent their precious time in needlesse questions but did all things upon sound advice For when great things are quietly without Faction disputed and the Result concluded then to use expedition and resolution is just policie But all hasty and unadvised attempts at long running brings the Common-wealth into great danger and the Actors generally into contempt and misery many men in their designes thinking to catch a great Fish but after long angling bring up a Frog this daily experience hath shewed and I can experimentally say it to be true For those men that read Machiavel and make it
Treasurer of the East India Company Serjeant Middleton Isaac Dorislawes Esquires or any three or more of them to take your Petitioners Petition into their consideration to examine all the premisses and thereupon to state and certifie your Petitioners case to his late Highnesse Oliver Lord Protector together with their opinions upon the whole matter touching your Petitioners reward and satisfaction for this service as appears by the original Petition and Reference All the aforenamed Referrees upon reading this Petition and the transactions thereupon after many dayes meeting held it very necessarie for the clearing of the truth to acquaint the Lord Bradshaw Sir James Harrington Sir George Fleetwood and Francis Allen Esquires with your Petitioners Petition and his Highnesse Reference thereupon in regard your Petitioner had named all the aforesaid Honourable perjons in his Petitions and Papers amongst others who both knew your Petitioners services touching the staying this silver and were privie to the Councel of States Ingagements and Intentions to pay your Petitioner eleven thousand pounds when your Petitioner undertook to disprove the Spanish and Flemish Claimers And upon Consideration of the Councels promise to your Petitioner as aforesaid was the cause that made your Petitioner undertake this difficult chargeable and dangerous service And the aforesaid referrees received Certificates from everie one of the aforesaid honorable persons which Certificates set forth the great service done by your Petitioner viz. That your Petitioner was upon his first undertaking of this Business looked on by the then Councel of State as the Great Wheel that set all on work and set on foot this discovery in getting the State this great Treasure or else the State had lost it in the Admiraltie and that these Actings of your Petitioner accompanied with great charge hazzard and trouble was the Cause sine qua non of the after-benefit received by the State upon conversion of this silver That the Councel of States Ingagements and intentions to the Petitioner at his first assuming the imploiment was not without good reason uncommitted to writing for avoiding of misconstruction And the Councel of State did not onely promise the Petitioner the restoration of his Estate for his particular service of staying the Silver but did also promise to confer upon the Petitioner an Honorable Memorial and had not the Petitioner had a real assurance from the Councel of State in 1652. for the paying of him the summe of eleven thousand pounds the whole Businesse touching this Silver had been lost and left undertaken had not the Petitioner had such an insurance and promise and also relied on the same for a just Performance It is true they certifie that for some Reasons of State the Petitioners Thomas Violets assurance and reward was not committed to writing to avoid clamour and lewd tongues but this omission was not to frustrate the Petitioner of his dearly earn'd Reward the restoration of his Estate or eleven thousand pounds These are but the Heads of the aforesaid Certificates the Originals certifie all matters touching this Business at large under the hands of the Lord Bradshaw Sir James Harrington Sir George Fleetwood Francis Allen Esquires every person severally certifies all the aforesaid referrees their particular knowledge of this Business Col. Barkstead Sir Thomas Viner and all the before-named Referrees upon consideration of these Certificates and upon sight of the attestation of the Officers of the Mint and several other Witnesses who depose That Thomas Violet was several times offered and might have received from the Claimers of Silver Merchants of Flanders then in London the summe of ten thousand pounds to have desisted the prosecution of this Business in the Court of Admiralty and to have betrayed the trust which the Councel of State imposed on him to make a discovery of Spanish and Flemish fraudulent Claimes and also upon sight of several orders of the Councel of State the Judges of the Admiralty and Doctor Walker and several depositions taken in the Petitioners case upon the whole matter all the aforesaid Referrees certifie his late Highness Oliver Lord Protector viz. That upon Examination of Thomas Violets Petition they finde that the Petitioner is a person who not onely deservs the making good of the Councel of States Ingagement and Promise unto him for the true paying your Petitioner Tho. Violet the summe of eleven thousand pounds but upon due consideration had of the great Travel Charge and Hazard which your Petitioner hath undergone in the Prosecution of this businesse and your Petitioners great faithfulness in refusing to be corrupted or betray the interest of the Common-wealth as hath been fully proved unto them as also upon the Attestation of Sir George Fleetwood and Sir James Harrington concerning the Promise of the Councel of State to your Petitioner Tho. Violet for the restoration to him his estate or eleven thousand pounds all these Referrees report to his late Highnesse Oliver Lord Protector that they humbly conceive upon the whole matter of Fact that over and above the payment of eleven thousand pounds that there be some signal reward conferred on the Petitioner for this his eminent service that all other for the future may be encouraged to serve the interest of the Common-wealth with that singular faithfulness and integrity as the Petitioner hath done and they all certifie that they finde It proved that the Petitioner by his chargeable prosecution of this business in the Court of Admiralty hath contracted debts amounting unto the summe of seven hundred sixty five pounds which the Petitioner borrowed at interest all his own estate being under sequestration ever since 1643. besides several other great summes of money your Petitioner borrowed at interest for his support ever since his sequestration upon consideration whereof they finde the Petitioners Engagements are very pressing upon him and they all humblie offer that for the present lest the Petitioner should be thrown into prison for the very moneys he hath expended in getting the Common-wealth this great treasure of two hundred seventy eight thousand pounds the just accompt thereof they had seen presented unto them by Col. Barkstead That his Highnesse Oliver Lord Protector in consideration of all the Premisses would be pleased presently to pay the Petitioner Tho. Violet some considerable sum of money to pay off his great engagements for the State and for his support for the future according to his quality and that the remainder of the money to make up the summe of eleven thousand pounds be paid unto him according to the Promise of the Councel of State the Petitioner Tho. Violet having served the Common-wealth in this great businesse with a great deal of resolution faithfulness and activity This Report is at large signed and certified to his late Highness Oliver Lord Protector the first of May 1658. by Col. Barkstead Lieutenant of the Tower Mr. Alderman Vyner Gabriel Beck John Limbery Edward Denly Henry Middleton Maurice Thomson Treasurer of the East-India Company Isaac
squandred away was pleased to tell your Petitioner he could do him a courtesie in procuring to your Petitioner three Bonds taken from your Petitioner in two thousand pounds for the payment of your Petitioner one thousand pounds 1644 which Bonds Mr. Corbet told me were at Shrewsbury in Shropshire morgaged by that Committee for fourty pounds which the Committee had laid out for publick use Your Petitioner was glad to hear where these Bonds were and to know who had them though they day in Lavender for fourty pounds your Petitioner for many yeares making diligent enquiry after them and had never got true information where they were had not Mr. John Corbet told him and it was a thousand to one that these Bonds being eleven yeares out of your Petitioners Custodie that your Petitioner ever heard of them or got them again into his hands This Worthy Gentleman Mr. John Corbet advised me to make my Application by Petition to his late Highnesse Oliver Lord Protector and to his Councel for to have these Bonds restored and that if his late Highnesse and his Councel would give him order to do it he wished me so well be would procure your Petitioner these three Bonds safe and uncancelled Provided your Petitioner would pay the Committee of Shropshire for them the summe of fourty pounds which your Petitioner willingly offered to do whereupon your Petitioner petitioned the late Lord Protector Oliver and his Councel for the aforesaid three Bonds And the Councel of State ordered John Corbet Esquire should attend them to give them true information of this businesse which accordingly he did and thereupon this Order following of the Councel of State was made and your Petitioner paid his money to Mr. Corbet accordingly Friday March 21. 1655 At the Counsel at White-Hall UPon reading a Report from the Committee to whom the Petition of Thomas Violet was referred praying that certain Bonds seized upon by the Committee of Salop may be delivered unto him Upon consideration of the said Report and for that the said Bonds are ingaged for forty pounds which the said Committee imploied for publique use Ordered by his Highnesse the Lord Protector and his Counsel That upon the said Thomas Violets paying unto the said Committee the said summe of forty pounds for which the said Bonds are ingaged That the said Committee bee required to deliver up the said Bonds unto the said Thomas Violet and that hee bee at liberty to sue the same and to take the benefit thereof as formerly hee might have done and that it bee referred to John Corbet Esq to see the said Bonds delivered up accordingly upon payment of the said forty pounds Henry Scobell Clerk of the Counsell Mr. John Corbet I attended with this order March 28. 1655. Hee was pleased to tell mee hee was to go down into Shropshire and would speak with the Committee who were to receive the forty pounds and then I should know where to pay my money for hee told mee hee had never received Publique monies and hee was verie unwilling to receive any now But upon his return upon my earnest intreaty and to save mee from further trouble hee told mee hee would receive and keep this forty pounds in deposito for the use of the Committee till he had order from them for the disposing of it That transaction follows viz. MEmorandum That the 24th of May 1656. In obedience to the Order of his Highness the Lord Protector and his Counsel of the 21. of March 1655. I John Corbet Esq have delivered unto Thomas Violet of London God-Smith three Bonds the first bearing date the 6th of June 1638. of eight hundred pounds for the payment of four hundred pounds within one year after the death of the Lady Anne Waad in which Bond the said Lady Anne Waad Charles Mordent Philip Cage and Edmund Lenthal Esquires stand bound to the said Thomas Violet and one other Bond of the 6th of June 1638. in six hundred pounds for the payment of three hundred pounds within two years after the death of the said Lady Anne Waad in which the Persons aforesaid stand bound to the said Thomas Violet and one other Bond of the same date of six hundred pounds for the payment of three hundred pounds within three years after the death of the said Lady Anne Waad in which Bond the Persons aforesaid stand bound to the said Thomas Violet The summe of forty pounds being paid by the said Thomas Violet according to the said Order JOHN CORBET Witnesses then present Edward VVatkins VVilliam Davis Edmund Cogan John English Scr. The Lady Anne Waad of Battels Hall in Essex died about May 1643. And the Bonds are due to mee Thomas Violet at this day as abovesaid Your Petitioner may justly say his Estate was squandred away when a thousand pound of good Bonds of your Petitioners lay in lavender for eleven years for forty pounds and your Petitioner had never known where they had bin had not Mr. Corbet tould him your Petitioners humble Prayer to your Honours is that seeing your Petitioner hath paid Mr. Corbet the forty pounds according to the aforesaid Order and hath these Bonds safe and uncancelled now in his Custody and in consideration of your Petitioner services in staying this Silver That your Honours would be pleased in part of your Petitioners satisfaction of eleven thousand pounds by your Honours Order to Impower your Petitioner by Authority of Parliament to shew and Implead these Bonds notwithstanding any Order of Parliament to sequester the said Bonds and to Impower your Petitioner to take out Judgement and Execution thereupon notwithstanding any Order or Ordinance to the Committee of Shropshire or any other Committee Touching or Concerning these Bonds And my most humble Petition is to John Corbet Esquire one of the Honourable members of this Parliament that as hee received my money for the use of the Committee of Shropshire and gave mee the first notice and discovery in whose Custody these Bonds were so hee would now bee pleased out of his love to Justice to certifie his knowledge of the truth of this Business that so I may have Releif in this business according to Justice and equity Hereafter followeth your Petitioners Petition to Oliver Lord Protector and his Reference thereupon to Col. Barkstead Alderman Viner Capt. Iohn Limbery Doctor VValker c. TO HIS HIGHNESSE OLIVER LORD PROTECTOR Of the COMMON-WEALTH of England Scotland and Ireland And the Dominions thereunto belonging The Humble Petition of Thomas Violet SHEWETH THat your Petitioner did about the 8th of Decemb. 1652. deliver unto the Council of State a written Paper wherein was discovered that at that present time a practice and Combination was set on foot by the then Spanish Ambassador Don Allonso de Cardenas with several other Merchants both Strangers and Natives to deceive the State of a great quantity of Silver near fower hundred thousand pounds which was aboard the Ships Sampson Salvador and George then riding at Eriffe
by the said Mr. Violet in this business for almost a year and a half in the finding out and searching this business and the said Mr. Violet hath to his this Deponents knowledg expended very great summes 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 Decemb. 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 elsewhere And this Deponent maketh Oath That this 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. John Gerrel Both sworn the 25. of Novemb. 1654. before me JOHN PAGE Simon Baldwin Sworn the 17. of February 1653. before me JOHN PAGE A Coppie of my Letter sent to the Lord Bradshaw 25th of March 1653. May it please your Honour I Have left with Colonel Harbert Morley this day my Petition to the Council of State against Otho George I humbly desire your honour to take notice if the Council of State do not take some present order in it to consider what encouragement my self or any man that serves the Common-wealth in the discovery of the Ships silver and Merchandize now brought in as Dutch prize shall have when they shall bee assaulted in the streets with Stilettoes and Poniards from Cap Otho George for being instrumentall to do the State service I have been advised by several friends for this eight dayes not to come to the Exchange or Admiraltie least I should bee murthered for undertaking this business Mr. Joachim Pesler Chirurgâ—on upon the Ship Sampson now riding at Eriff of which Ship Otho George is Captaine and Jacob Elaes Otho George his Cabbin Boy hath discovered the Silver in the Ships Sampson Salvador and George that a great part thereof belongs to the Dutch For when they had been ten daies at Sea the Purser was ordered by the Captain to go into the Fore-Castle and take his Book and blot out all the names of the Hollanders and Zealanders and in their place to insert abundance of other names for which discovery Captain Otho George did stab the Chirurgeon of the Ship My humble prayer to your Honour is That the examinations taken about this business before the Lord Mayor of London in the presence of Mr. Will. Reymes John Carleton Jonathan Symonds These Examinations will imforme you at large Your Honors humble servant THO. VIOLET To Our most worthy friend John Thurloe Esquire at White-hall these present The Commissioners for Prize Goods Letter to Mr. Thurloe Mr. Thurloe WEE have a certaine discovery that a great quantity of Gold and Silver hath been stolne out of the Dutch prize ships that call themselves Hamburgers wee desire for the service of the State to have a Warrant to bring all the Bullion in the Dutch prise-ships on shoare Wee have here enclosed sent you Mr. Thomas Violets Letters to us and his proofes taken in the Office every houres delay of not taking the Silver a shoare is great losse to the State Wee finde Mr. Violet the bearer hereof very active and knowing to make these discoveries and he hath done several good and great services for the State already in this businesse We desire you to present the same to the Councel of State We are Sir Dated Dutch prize-Office Decemb. 18. 1652. Your very Friends and Servants Samuel Wilson Richard Hill A Warrant of Doctor Walkers to the Examiners Mr. How and Mr. Arnold in the Court of Admiralty December 1. 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 yield his assistance to bring in Evidence on the behalf of the Common-wealth I did heretofore signe a Warrant that all the Proceedings might be shewed him He 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 Claimers and every one of them particularly and the Allegations and Interrogatories upon which they have been produced might be shewen to him I pray your Honours to consider whether I could employ men in this Discovery for two yeares and not to pay them for their paines and yet I have not had one penny for this service Doctor Walker knew that I employed many people every day in these Discoveries several of these being often with me both at the Admiralty and at his chamber and he knew I imployed none in this businesse but credible persons as appears here under his hand And could Doctor Walker have made this Discovery or known the tricks of these Merchants Masters of ships and Pursers by forged bills and many other subtilties of Trade which is not in his Law-books but is common amongst the Dutch Merchants in these times Dr Walker would have saved me the labour and charge for employing people to make this Discovery or from making my Protest in the Admiralty and would have had the credit and thanks from the State for this Service and Discovery to himself But this I dare say though he be a great Lawyer yet for the making of this Discovery he was then 16. Decemb. 1652. utterlie ignorant of the way to do it this being a subtilty amongst a few Merchants and not to be read in the Civil Law-books and had I not had all my Intelligence from their own creatures and plowed with their Heiser I could not have done this service or made this Discovery And upon examination of this business at the Councel of State Doctor Walker confessed that it was not his study nor his place to seek up and down to procure Witnesses or to finde out waies to entitle the State to this Silver and except I could bring legal Witnesse the State must lose this Treasure this hee declared several times before the Councel of State But if the Passengers did confesse this Silver to be loaden a great part of it for the accompt of Merchants of Ansterdam as I had undertaken they would do then
hee would improve that Testimony to the uttermost for the States advantage which indeed Doctor Walker did And I proved these frauds by the testimony of about ten of the Passengers being all Dutchmen Hamburgers and Lubeccars and other Hans-towns men and I had above fourscore witnesses the Passengers and Merchants more to examine in this businesse many of them were after packed away by the Claimers being Dutch marriners and had money given them that they should keep out of the way and not be examined and several Witnesses waited many daies to be examined in the Admiralty and could not Spanish Gold and Silver was plentifully bestowed on some in the Admiralty and they loved it well The Claimers had their Instruments almost every night that stole silver out of these ships to the value of many score thousand pounds which I discovered to the Councel of State as appeared by several papers which I presented to them I imployed several men who spake the Dutch Language at my own charge and gave them money to go on ship-board and to drink freely with the Dutch marriners and in their cups to fish out the secrets of this businesse and when I had once got the end of the string I would by other engines and instruments closely follow and never give it over till I knew the whole bottom of the Flemmish and Spanish cheats which they intended to put upon the Nation These men that I imployed on ship-board for to make this Discovery for mee never appeared to mee in the Admiralty lest the Spanish and Dutch Merchants and marriners should have discovered them to have been my spies And to deal clearly with your Honours they were none of them Book-men Civilians nor Lawyers but such persons as be skellom'd mee soundly in their cups with the Dutch marriners and though I paid for the Brandey-wine strong beer Mum and Spruce beere pickle Herrings and Holland cheese yet I never exspected from them good word or peny of money for all this charge and pains If I were to do the like service again for the State I would never look in any Books of the Civil Law but consult with such persons as know how to humour a Dutch Skipper or marriner and fish out his secrets Thus have I clearly told you the waies and instruments I used to do the Common-wealth this great service I now humbly exspect according to the Councel of States promise the summe of eleven thousand pounds for this service And had I not undertaken it the Common-wealth had lost this Silver which was to the value of two hundred seventy eight thousand pounds This that he desires being just I desire that you would not put him off but let it be done forthwith unto himself and all such others as he under his hand shall nominate for he employes others under him in searching into this businesse He will nominate none but such as may be trusted in it And I desire you in your several places to give him and all that he shall employ all ready dispatch and encouragement that the businesse of the Common-wealth may finde no obstacle Where there is publication you may likewise shew him the Depositions and I pray let nothing that is just be denied him 3. Septemb. 1653. Walter Walker 3 September 1653. MAster Dorislaus and M. 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 Claimers 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 Claymers And whatever Papers are or shall bee exhibited by any Claimers in the three Ships I do as Advocate for the Common-wealth desire Mr. Dorislaus to yeild all his endeavours and assistance and 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 it readily and effectually the same tending to the service of the Common-wealth and being in order for preparing the Evidence fit to be produced for the Common-wealth I am in this Letter by order of the Councel of State to Doctor Walker entreated to make this Discovery but now I have done the States-work with the hazard of my life and vast expence I cannot by Petitions Certificates or Prayers and many yeares attendance get to be paid my most dearly earned reward which the Councel promised me being eleven thousand pounds had I thought of this usage I could have bin paid by the Claimers If this discovery had bin so easily made and had bin every bodies work to have found out the Spaniards Frauds I should not have had these earnest Entreaties from Dr. Walker according to the Orders of the Councel of State of the 1. of Septemb. 1653. The Commissioners for Prize-Goods have certified to Mr Secretary Thurloe how active and knowing they found me to make these Discoveries and had I not been so the Nation had lost every peny of this great Treasure amounting to above two hundred seventy eight thousand pounds And I do according to the Order of the Councel of State of the First of September 1653 earnestly desire and Entreat Mr. Violet and also the Commissioners for Prize goods and their Sollicitors and Agents as also the Proctor and Silicitors 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 be discerned or produced on the part of the Common-wealth That so a full Plea and Articulate Allegation may be prepared and the Proofs brought in for the Common-wealth And no Default bee done suffered or Committed 3. Septemb. 1653. Walter Walker Here follows the Referrees Letter with their desires to my Lord Bradshaw WHereas by an Order of Reference from his Highnesse the Lord Protector dated the 13th of July 1657. the Petition of Mr. Thomas Violet concerning his staying the ships Sampson Salvador and George and therein the Dutch silver is referred to the consideration of Sir Thomas Vyner and Sir John Barkstead Knights Captain John Limbrey Doctor Walker Gabriel Beck Maurice Thomson Edward Dendy Henry Middleton and Isaac Dorislaus Esquires or any three or more of them who according to the said Order of Reference are to examine state and certifie the premisses contained in the said Petition to his Highnesse together with their opinion upon the whole matter And whereas upon reading the said Petition of the said Mr. Thomas
benefit received by the State upon conversion of that Silver the Petitioner being looked upon by the then Council of State as the great wheele that set all on work when this business first began and after til the close of the same The Councels engagements and intentions to him wards at his first assuming the imployment were not without good reason uncommitted to writing for avoyding all misconstruction they proposing on the one hand a faire and just proceeding and on the other all due incouragement to that Person whose disquisition and effectuall prosecution for making good the claime they knew must needes bee very expensive and liable to many difficulties and hazards from the multitude of the contrary interessed parties and the many and powerfull abettors so as any one in reason may conclude that without such assurance on the part of the Council and relying upon it on the Petitioners part the whole business had miscarried as left unundertaken and undone The Petitioners sore task and merrit of the State hee saith hee will not further meddle with The Petitioners zeale resolution and ability to promote the publique interest in divers respects being knowne to him in good measure as hee formerly held himself obliged to cherish and so much as in him was to improve for the States advantage so upon this occasion offered wherein the honour and justice of the State and their profit as hee conceived is mainely inv olved Hee saith hee is very free to render the Petitioner according to his best observations of him and his actings this due and deserved Testimony Dated the 5th of September 1657. The Heads of Sir James Harringtons Certificate Sir James Harrington also certifies us that the Petitioner was the great wheele of the worke which got the State this great Treasure for he both discovered to the Council of State the fraudes of the Spanish Ambassador and the Dutch and Spanish Claimers to the Silver which seasonable discovery stayed it at the Council together with his Protest in the Court of Admiralty being by him faithfully and actively performed the true attestation thereof was examined at the Council of State and the Petitioner imployed several persons at his own charge in the prosecution of this businesse being required by the Council of State to do it by all which proceedings he saith it appeaâ—s that the Petitioners ingagements in that service was not only the instrumentall occasion of getting the State that great Treasure mentioned in the Petition but the only cause and without him and his Protesting in the Court of Admiraltie at that very instant nicke of time the 16th of Decemb. 1652. this great Treasure being about three hundred thousand pounds had bin all let go and further saith that the Councll of State did not only promise the Petitioner the restoration of his Estate for this particular service of the Silver but also an honourable memoriall and that both himself and others of his associates of the Council of State in business of great and high concernment as to the Civil part especially as to the Mint and Trade made use of him in many particulers for the Publique and that he did observe that all the time he knew the Petitioner which was from 1649 to 1653. the Petitioner was very dilligent to advance the Publique Interest These actings of the Petitioner accompanied with great charge hazard and trouble shewes forch to all the world the Petitioners faithfull services constant fidelity and love to his Country this Testimony concerning the Petitioner beares date under Sir James Harringtons hand the first day of October 1657. The Heads of Francis Allen Esq his Certificate Mr. Francis Allen certifies that the Petitioner did engage in that concernment of staying the Ships Sampson Salvador and George the Silver and Lading and in discovering the fraudes endeavored to be put upon the State touching the Silver in them conteyned with a great deale of Industry courage and unweariedness and indeed he conceives to his very great charge and expence besides his freequent attending the Committee for the Mint in severall affaires referring thereunto which could not but be expensive to him also This Certificate beares date the 27th of October 1657. The Heads of Sir George Fleetwood his Certificate Sir George Fleetwood likewise certifies that the Petitioner by his seasonable discovery to the State of the Spanish Ambassadour and Claimers fraudes as to the Silver mentioned and his Protesting in the Court of Admiralty in December 1652. was the only cause of geting this great Treasure mentioned in the aforesaid Petition and that the Council of State in 1652 and 1653. imposed upon the Petitioner the whole care of the management of this business in the Court of Admiraltie as to the discovering part and that the Petitioner was several times imployed by the Council of State and members of Parliament and such of the Council for the State or Parliament as were pleased to make use of him found in the Petitioner a deep and profound insight into the misteries of the Mint businesse and Marchant affaires And the said Sir George Fleetwood further saith that it is most apparent in the whole proceedings of this businesse that the Petitioner had alwaies in his eye the restoration of his Estate or the value of eleven thousand pounds which was the summe of Mr. Violets demand to the Parliament in 1651. which was promised the Petitioner by severall members of the Council and Parliament for service done before this great undertaking and had not the Petitioner had a reall assurance from the Council of State in Decemb. 1652. for the restoring to him his Estate or eleven thousand pounds for this service of the Silver the whole business had bin lost and left un-undertaken by the Petitioner had he not had such a promise and also relyed on the same for just performance and he saith it is true that for some Reasons of State Mr. Violets assurance and reward was uncommitted to writing to avoyd claymor and misconstructions of lewde Tongues but this omission was not to frustrate the Petitioner of his dearly earned reward the restoration of his Estate as many of the late Council of State if attended on by the Petitioner would say this could never enter into their thoughts This attestation under the hand of Sir George Fleetwood beares date 22th September 1657. These Certificates with the former Attestations are briefly reported The Originals specifying the Petitioners particular sâ—rvices in this and other his undertakings more at large are hereunto annexed And whereas the Petitioner alledgeth in his Petition that had he desisted the prosecution of the said businesse in your Highnesse Court of Admiralty and betrayed the Trust the Councel â—f Staâ—e â—eposed in him he was several times offered and might have received in the yeares 1652. and 1653. from several Merchants of Flanders then in London the summe of ten thousand pounds Upon examination of this Allegation we finde that the Merchants Claimers did several times
regulating the Work-masters nor the Workers but every one is ' est to cozentle Common-wealth and they have certified it by what several wayes they do it as will appear upon your Honours Perusal of the Certificate of the Committee for Trade And the Committee for Trade finding this to be a great abuse and cheat put on the Nation have upon many dayes consideration presented to that Parliament a Report of a Model and Way for the due Regulation of all these abuses and recommend in their Certificate your Petitioner for the execution of that service to be appointed the sworn Officer and to take the fees for doing that service as formerly your Petitioner did and that your Petitioner for the future put in security in the Exchequer to warrant all these Manufactures of Gold and Silver Lace Wyre and Thread to be good silver that is drawn assayed marked or sealed at the Office And to warrant the same to be sterling silver according to the Standard at the least or to pay all damage to the Party or Parties grieved and that all Gold and Silver Thread shall be duly spun with a due proportion of Silver to Silk to the end that the Silver may not be brushed and rubbed of Lace Buttons and other sorts of works in Gold and Silver Thread as it daily is to the quantity as hath bin proved to the Committee for Trade of thirty thousand pounds a year Whereupon his Highnesse refers this Petition July 13. 1658. and all the aforesaid Reports together with a Report of the Councel of Trade for the regulating the Manufacture of Gold and Silver Thread to the considerations of the Privie Councel to take all the premisses into their consideration and to see your Petitioner paid for these services in staying the Silver and for his former losses according to Equity and Justice And that if the Councel conceived it fit I should have the emploiment to see to the due regulating the manufacture of Gold and Silver Wyre and Lace and to prevent the melting down heavy English money as I desired but the Protector soon after died before I could get the Councel of State to meet and so I renewed my Petition to the late Lord Protector Richard who signed this Order to Gabriel Beck and Francis Bacon Esquires viz. RICHARD P. WHereas wee are informed that Thomas Violet of London Goldsmith hath formerly done our most dear Father of famous memory and this Nation severall great services and that the said Thomas Violet hath made his addresses unto you and in many particulars hath acquainted you with his humble desires and good affections to our service and shewed you severall transactions which ought to be taken into our considerations being as wee are informed both for our service and the profit safety and honour of this Nation Wee therefore require you to give us an accompt of all such particulars concerning the Publique as the said Thomas Violet hath already acquainted you with and if you conceive it fit for our service you are by these presents authorised to send for the said Thomas Violet and to examine him upon any other questions or matters which you shall conceive is fit for our service and in what way the said Thomas Violet may be serviceable unto us and the Publique and the result of your debates to present unto us in writing with what expedition you can Dated 28. October 1658. To our trusty and Welbeloved Francis Bacon and Gabriell Becke Esquires May it please your Highnesse IN obedience to your Highnesse Order of Referrence dated 28. October last hereunto annexed wee have several times mett and finde that Thomas Violet Petitioned your Highnesse royall Father for his promised reward which Petition his late Highnesse 13 July 1657. referred to the Lord Barkstead Sir Thomas Viner and severall other Persons and their Report thereupon is hereunto annexed which Report we have perused and also severall Certificates of the Lord Bradshawe Lord George Fleetewood of the Vache Sir James Hanington and Francis Allen Esquires and severall other Certificates of the Officers of the Mint as also the Orders of the late Council of State Depositions and Orders of the Court of Admiraltie whereby it appears to us that the said Thomas Violet by his seasonable interposition and Protest in the Admiraltie 17. December 1652. his application to the then Council of State and his discovery of the Spanish and Dutch fraudes touching the Silver in the Ships Sampson Salvador and George being neere three hundred thousand pounds this his discovery and prosecution in the Admiraltie in all probabillity saved the State this great Treasure or else the State had been cozened thereof as appeares to us at large by all the aforesaid Certificates ready to bee produced to your Highnesse Wee finde it proved and certified that Thomas Violet expended seven hundred sixty five pounds in the prosecution of this service besides all his time and hazard which monies appeares to us he tooke up at interest for which he stands indebted to severall persons and he hath proved to us he is every day in danger to be taken in execution for the very monies hee expendded in this service to get the State this great Treasure And wee finde it attested unto your Highnesse royall Father by the Certificates of all the aforesaid Referrees that the State did promise unto Thomas Violet upon his undertaking at his own charge to do this service to pay him the sum of eleven thousand pounds and some other rewards for this service in stopping the aforesaid Silver And it is further certified to your Highnesse royall Father by all the aforesaid Referrees that they finde it proved that Thomas Violet was offered ten thousand pounds in the behalfe of the Claimers to have desisted his prosecution in the behalfe of the State touching this Silver And we finde that the Lord Barkstead Sir Thomas Viner and all the other Referrees humbly propounded to your Highnesse royall father as very fit and just that a considerable summe of money bee presently paid unto Thomas Violet for to discharge his debts and for his support lest otherwise hee should bee throwne into Prison and utterly ruined for the very money he hath expended in this service and that care be taken for the future for Thomas Violets subsistence according to his quality and that the remainder of the money to make it up the summe of eleven thousand pounds promised to him by the State for this service may be paid unto Thomas Violet as soone as the great occasions of the State can permit This Certificate is hereunto annexed and signed by all the aforesaid Referrees 1. May 1658. to your Highnesse royall Father And wee humbly offer it as our opinions that it is both just and fit for the honour of the State that the monies Thomas Violet hath expended in this service and a due consideration for his support for the future be speedily paid unto him to preserve him from a present ruine
Common-wealth all this Silver as aforesaid but no performance no promise nor word kept That Thomas Violet might have had ten thousand pounds from the Claimers to have deserted this Trust and to have conniv'd and let this Silver go but he would not be false to the Common-wealth But constantly for two years being assisted by ten other persons that followed this businesse in the Admiraltie a Shipboard and at the Exchange and in severall other places and with much Trouble Charge and Expence to get the State the aforesaid great Treasure borrowing fifteen hundred pounds of severall of his dear and loveing friends to do this service who upon the Councils of State not performing with me in paying me my dearly earned reward were all cozened of their money for I cannot pay you before the State pay mee and if this should fall out to be true would not all good men say both you and I have had hard measure for our good will and fidelity for getting the State this great Treasure and make other men for the future to take money when it is offered them And not to play an after-game as I now do to Petition for my due satisfaction I pray God for the honour of this Nation and of this Posterity that the Council of State take order for my satisfaction and indeed I am perswaded in my Conscience when the Council sees these Transactions attested by a multitude of honourable Witnesses and my services so great that never any man of my quality had the like Contest with mightie men and brought it to so happie success as I have don that I shall be truly paid eleven thousand pounds and the Damages will be considered for the forbearance of my dearly earned reward so long from 1653 to 1659. Gentlemen I have presented to you the hardest usage that you or I can expect and if I be not justly and honourably dealt with let fortune doe her worst I will trust and wait on Gods Providance and tide out these troublesom times ever keeping this rule where I receive Protection there will I pay obedience let it be to Oliver or Rowland and no longer then I can have Protection will I owe obedience but I will study the happinesse and Honour of my Countrey so long as I live and breath and let what will come this hath and shall be my rule to walke by I now think it convenient to give you an accompt by what waies I humbly propound to be paid by the Parliament and Council of State this summe of eleven thousand pounds and to take no money from them but to bring them in greater summes of money and also advantage the Nation many scores of thousand pounds and fill the Nation with great Treasure of gold and silver the Soldiers delight and the Merchants darling being that which is the measure of all things Upon the peruseall of this narative you will see a Watch taken in pieces and to your eye you see the wheeles and springs that makes the motions and the parties imployed A Painter may shew you the Colours before he workes but the craft is in mixing and grinding them and handling the pencel that makes the Picture There is not one man of a hundred thousand that could or can go through with this businesse but the undertaking of it would brake his neck It was God that inabled me and kept up my spirits and so he doth at this day or else it had bin impossible but I should have sunke under the weight of so much oppression The shewing you a Watch and painting inables you not to make either without long study Tooles and materialls Here you see both the Theorick and the practick part that I have and can serve my Countrey And me thinkes that rule in common Justice should be allowed to me that haveing made my proofe-piece as it is amongst most Lawyers or Tradesmen as a reading shews a man well verst in the Law an excellent Picture once finished makes a man an approved Painter and severall prizes skilfully played approves a man master of defence I humbly present unto the Parliament and Nation my getting the Common wealth this two hundred seventy eight thousand pounds to be my proof-piece to shew to posterity that the Garden of England hath too few such malignant Violets that would voluntarily venture life credit and what is above life have morgaged all my well-being for the future for fifteen hundred pounds to save this Nation and refused ten thousand pounds when I was offered to be bribed Let any just man consider of what I have done and no man can deny me this reward of eleven thousand pounds that hath honesty honour or Conscience When they remember Christs rule do as thou wouldst be done unto I must put the number of such ungratefull persons if the sad fate of State have left any of the breed in the Council of State not into the number of English States men but they are of the breed of Machiavel and I hope not to finde one of them in our English Council of State that professe Christianity and would offer worse measure to their fellow Countrey-men and Protestants then Turks would use to Christians God deliver all good honest minded men from such Machiavel-villains but I hope better things that St. James his rule shall be remembred shew me thy faith by thy workes that I that have worked in the Vinyard of this Common-wealth all my time so succesfully for the profit and honour of the Nation from the year 1648. to 1659. now I have gotten the State this Treasure as I have fully proved it both the money the State promised being eleven thousand pounds and an honourable reward the honour and Justice of the Nation being so highly concerned to see mee Justly satisfied To conclude have you but patience till the next Term and such of you as have commenced your suits go no further put not your selfe and me to expence and trouble till I get the Council of States Answer to this booke I here promise you all such of you that will have my person next Terme willingly to submitt to your Executions and if the Council of State will suffer me to be buried in a prison alive for the money I expended to get the State two hundred seventy eight thousand pounds and at that time ventured my life in the businesse such oppressions will stinke in the nostrills of all good and just men but I hope better things and trust the Council of State will be more carefull of the credit and faith of the Nation Your Bond-man for the States service and would sain subscribe my self my own Freeman to do yon service THOMAS VIOLET THE POSTCRIPT The Wayes I humbly propound to the State to pay me this debt are these in which Emploiment the Common wealth will get twenty times more advantage then I as appears Viz. 1. I Have at this time three Bonds in my Custody which were out of my possession
and increase of the stock of the Nation Provided I may have the place of Master-worker and Melter with the usuall fees formerly allowed to them setled under the great Seale and that I may be impowered by Orders and Warrants from the Council of State from time to time for to see the due execution of my place for the inabling me to do this service This businesse to effect is very troublesom and chargable And will be of mighty concernment to the State for their service as you will see in this booke by filling the Nation with Treasure and money the blood and sinews of Commcrce and Warr what makes so generall a complaint of want of Trade but want of money and people have not monies to pay the ordinary and necessary charges and if the State do not look to settle this business suddenly this mischeif for this many years I have foretold to the Parliament in Print and I knew would suddenly come upon us It is a certain Maxime Not any private person or a Common-wealth can ever be capable of effecting any great businesse that is not rich in monies or cannot command great summes of money either of his own or upon his Credit I pray read and consider what I have said concerning this businesse in this book Fol 11. 12. 13 14. if the State imploy me here in the Mint I will remove all these obstructions and set the Mint a working and this imployment if I have it for my life I will humbly accept of it at the value of two thousand pounds in part of payment of my satisfaction of eleven thousand pounds and by my industry and care will increase the States Stock every year some hundred of thousand of pounds of Silver which now comes in and is stollen out I would never undertake to do this diffiult businesse were I not assured there is none in the Nation can do it but my self and till the State imploy me this work will never be done effectually Three of you Gentlemen are great mints men and Gold smiths and know the difficultie of this undertaking and I dare affirme before you none of you will trouble your selves to finde out the bottom of these difficult waies that must be used to do this service not for ten times the profit I shall receive by this Emploiment Therefore I humbly desire to have an act to injoy the place of Master-worker and Melter for my life provided I do this service within three moneths after my grant this mischeif is come to a gangrene and the Council of State must make sharp and strict Orders in this businesse or else this mischeif cannot be remedied a great deal of care must be used to put these Laws in Execution else there wil be a perpetual consumption of the Stock of the Nation in the Silver coines as it is come already on the Gold coines you shall not receive in a thousand pounds one twenty-shillings-peece in Gold and in few years there wil be the like defect in the Silver not so much as will maintain Commerce and Trade pay Rents and Taxes nor to go to Market The first Sluce-gate that must be stopped is the forbidding the melting of gold and Silver currant coins of the Nation for gold and silver thread it is true there is a Law against it but who looks after the Execution Execution is that that gives life to the Law The like course must be taken against the Transporting gold silver out of the Nation it is true old Laws forbid it but who makes it their businesse to discover the offenders Had the Act passed in the House which I prosecuted against Transporting Gold and Silver and I impowered and imployed as I humbly propounded ten years ago this Nation had had at this day millions of Silver which is now Transported to the great damage of the Nation This Act hath bin twice read in the House ten times Committed Referred to the Committee of the Navies Officers of the Mint Officers of the Customes all their Reports and Certificates certifie that if the Parliament will not passe this Act and appoint able skilfull persons to make it their businesse to hinder the Transporting Gold and Silver the stock of Gold and Silver in the Nation would be all Transported and this Nation exposed to very great inconveniences by not preventing it who can or could say more then these Certificates say If the Parliament please to passe this Act I will spend my time and paines and in that service take these Transporters in the nick of their action and confiscate the monies had I Warrants and did set my springes I would catch these Woodcocks my experience would be of great advantage for an old Dear stealer is the best keeper of the Park and it is not unknown to some of you that almost thirty yeares ago I was questioned about Transporting Gold and Silver I discovered a nest of Transporters of Gold and the King ingaged me to do that service I caused them to be fined twenty foure thousand one hundred pounds in the year 1635. in the Starr Chamber as appears by the Records and made Alderman Gibbs and Sir John Wollaston glad to Petition and pay well to the late King for their Pardons for abuses done in their Trades and this was the true ground of Gibbes and Wollastones revenge against me When in the yeer 1643. they maliciously and Knavishly ingaged honourable Gentlemen to present me to the Parliament for a malignant and to send me to the Tower and sequester my Estate to my damage at this day twenty thousand pounds only to work their malicious ends upon me when at that time they had Trappaned me to catch me as a man catcheth a Partridg with their Lowbel Mr. Theophilus Rily who decoyed me into this snare to undertake to bring up from Oxford the Letter from the Late King Charles mentioned in this Book Fol. 33. And then to aggravat it against me with that Violence to some honourable members of Parliament that it had like to cost me my life and I suffered almost four years imprisonment in the Tower and had my estate sequestred to my damage of twenty thousand pounds as appeares in this Book Fol. 38. I Petitioned the late Protector Richard for to give me and some others I nominated in trust for my use the grant of making a common farthing as appeares in this booke Fol. 118. 119. 120. 121. 122. the late Protector accordingly gives me c. the grant of the same for 31. years in part of my reward for this service of staying the Silver and orders the Solicitor Generall to attend the Parliament for their Approbation who are desired to ordain and appoint such Rules Prohibitions and Penalties for the effectuall and better management of this service the preventing of all former abuses and restraining the importation and Counterfeiting of any the said farthings from the parts beyond Sea as they shal think fit and necessary for the carrying on of this busines for the good of the Common wealth and he reserves to the Common-wealth twelve pence out of every twenty two shillings I shall humbly desire the Parliament to give me the grant for the sole making of a Publique farthing for 31. yeares of the value and weight aforesaid and I shall humbly and thankfully accept of this imployment as the value of five thousand pounds towards my debt of eleven thousand pounds and if the Parliament please to have a farthing made lighter yet as heavy againe as the common farthings I shall make a common farthing to go currant in England Scotland and Ireland and I will pay unto the maimed Solders five shillings upon every two and twenty shillings that is uttered in the Office and accompt truely upon Oath this will be a great revenew to the maimedSolders and I will be bound to accompt monthly to the Treasurers of the maimed Solders which will be about three hundred pounds a moneth for some years By these waies I shall both pay my self my eleven thousand pounds and be serviceable to the Common-wealth above an hundred thousand pounds in doing these services in the Mint and for Regulating gold and silver Lace and Wyer and stopping the Transporting of gold and silver no man in the Nation hath had the experience to do it but my self and where I get one penny the Common wealth in point of bonour and profit will get twenty the issue of all I humbly leave to God and submitt my selfe to his good Providence And remain Gentlemen your Bond-man till the State free mee THOMAS VIOLET 25. May 1659. FINIS
the Councel of State that some of you have commenced Suits and I look every daie for your Executions to be served on me for the very money I laid out to save the lives of thousands of this Nation I shall humblie leave it to the consideration of the Parliament Councel of State and all true Englishmen that are Lovers of their Countrey and respect the credit of the Nation when they shall reade what I have done in this service so clearly proved First what the State and Common-wealth hath got and the conjuncture of time when Van Tiumpe the Dutch Generall with the Dutch Fleets was in the Downes and at that very time I was offered by the Claimers of this Silver great Merchants of Flanders who was then in London to get this Silver out of the States hands I have proved that these very Claimers severall times offered me the summe of ten thousand pounds to have suffered the State to be cozened of this Silver in the Admiraltie and had I not esteem'd and valued the peace and prosperity of this Nation above my life I would have taken this money without any further trouble and gone and lived in another Country where I could have bin imployed in some Common wealths and States and have bin honourablie and thankfully rewarded I shall humbly desire the Parliament and Council of State to consider how many such malignants there is in the three Nations England Scotland and Ireland if the Parliament could but finde a covee of ten such malignants in England Scotland Ireland and the Dominions of Wales to bring them in two hundred seventy eight thousand pounds every one of them as I have done such a summe of money would pay the debts of the Publique if they can finde none of the breed but my self I humbly desire then to preserve me for a Phenix and to pay me eleven thousand pounds which I have so cleerly proved they owe me and give me a Commission to go a Kite-catching for the Common-wealth I shall humbly present them with a great number of pretended godly Buzzards who since the year 1640. have cozened the Common-wealth of many hundred thousand pounds I shall humblie shew them the wayes how they have done this and finde out the men who from the bottome of basenesse and beggerie have by unjust waies accumulated to themselves vast estates in these distracted and trouble some times to the ruine of many thousands of families whose cries for their oppressions have ascended up unto Heaven and no doubt but is the principal cause of these sad distractions and divisions that are now amongst us If one Achan could trouble all Israel for stealing a golden wedge and a Babylonish Garment what disturbance will a thousand Achans do who have cozened the Common-wealth of England Scotland and Ireland for my part I humblie say clearly that I never stayed this Silver in 1652. for any of the then Councel of States particular profit I never minded either Oliver or Rowland I did it for the service of the Common-wealth and Honour of the Nation as I was a true Englishman without respecting private persons and let who will have the Government or Supreme Power I shall humbly demand it as it is my right and due my dearlie earned reward of eleven thousand pounds for this service S. Paul saith hee sought with beasts at Ephesus I am sure of it in this business in staying this Silver I was fain to encounter with beasts in the Admiraltie at the Exchange a ship-board to make my self all things to all men to spend my spirits my money make use of my Credit engage severall of you Gentlemen to borrow great summs of money for mee to get the State this great Treasure and when I exspect my reward to bee delayed with Referrees and Reports and Certificates and to trouble all these honourable Gentlemen to spend their time for several daies in taking the Proofs and Collections and as yet not to receive one dramm of justice or one peny of Reward to bee used as children are that look into a Fortune-book to be directed from one spirit to another how honourable this usage will bee for the Common-wealth to have this recorded to posteritie I leave it to you and all just men to judg So contrary to all humane exspectation hath Gods dealings been with mee in this business that where my greatest fear was I had no need to fear and where my greatest confidence was there I am miserably disappointed For I feared the Spaniards and the Claimers would kill me for staying this Silver but that was a needlesse fear for God hath kept me I put my trust in man and thought assuredly that it could never enter into the hearts of Gentlemen and an English Council of State but thankfully and honourablie to pay me what they had promised faithfully and I so dearly earned which was for getting them two hundred seventy eight thousand pounds The State to pay me in liew of my Estate taken from me to my damage twenty thousand pounds for which the Council of State agreed to pay me as aforesaid the sum of eleven thousand pounds besides an honourable reward Had I served my God with that integrity and broke so many nights sleep to study to please him as I did to please the Council of State and man God would not have left nor disappointed me as man doth Had the Council of State an intention never to have paied me when I undertook their work they had done both you and me a Courtesie to have chopped of my head and eased me out of a troublesom world Then I had not cozened you of your money which I must be forced to do if the Council do not pay me most of you know I could not pay you till the State payed me and this some of you will attest when required to be true besides it grieves me to the Soule more for some of you who out of good will to the Nation borrowed great summes of money for me and at this day are sued for the same and must pay it that I should be made an instrument to Trappan you or any honest man for your good will to your Countrey to cozen you of your money It is true my body is at your service to imprison in a Goal but it is money that you expect and not my flesh or bones How shamefull a thing would it bee that it should be left to posterity that Thomas Violet that saved this Nation two hundred seventy eight thousand pounds all imploied in the defence of the Nation at such a time the Common-wealth was in Jeopardie and in great streights for money discovering this Plot the same day the Judges in the Admiraltie would have discharged the Silver and then it had bin presently conveyed to our enemies the Dutch For which service and undertaking the Council of State faithfully promised him the summe of eleven thousand pounds and an honourable reward Thomas Violet having gott the