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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A65091	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 common-wealth this silver, Dec. 16, 1652 ... : together with several humble proposals, for the profit and honour of this common-wealth, in saving them many score of thousand pounds ... / by Tho. Violet ...	Violet, Thomas, fl. 1634-1662.	1659 (1659)	Wing V594; ESTC R18686	84,216	166

Parliament for drawing the generall Pardon to have these offences excepted James Harrington Herbert Morley Your Petitioner did deliver this Order to Mr. Attorney Generall and this exception is put into the generall Pardon of this Parliament as may bee seen upon perusal 3. The Committee of Essex put mee out of Possession of the Mannors of Battells and Patan-Hall in Essex as appears by their Warrants Of which Lands I had an Extent of One thousand pounds for the payment of five hundred and one Mr. Elconhead received my rents ever since 1643 and never paid the Committee of Essex any thing for your Petitioners Extent of five hundred pounds and the same Elconhead injoyes your Petitioners Lands in Essex to this very day by colour of the Sequestration of the Committee of Essex to your Petitioners great damage 4. The Committee of Shropshire seized in my sisters hands in London three Bonds due to mee in two thousand pounds for the payment to mee Thomas Violet One thousand pounds by the Lady Anne Waad Edmond Lenthal Phillip Cage and Charles Mordent Esq's 1643. which Bonds were carried to Shrewsbury 5. I had the Leas and Extent of ten severall Houses at the Posterne in Little Moor-fields and the Tennants owed mee when I was committed to the Tower in arrears for rent above one hundred pounds And for these sixteen years I received no Rent of them But one Mr. Elconhead hath received the Rents of them ever since by colour of a Sequestration of the Committee of Middlesex 6. I had the Office of sealing and surveying of all gold and silver Thread and Wyer which prevented the making of all sleight and adulterate gold and silver Thread and Wyer granted to mee under the Great Seal for three Lives from the Late King which Office cost mee Fifteen hundred pounds to the Lord Treasurer Juxon L. Cottingon Sir John Cook Secretary of State and Sir John Bankes the late Kings Attourney The necessitie of keeping up that Office to prevent the daily Cozenages and frauds of divers Silkmen Wyerdrawers and Refiners in their making Cours sleight and deceitfull Gold and Silver Wyer and Thread Your Petitioner formerly presented unto your Honours and can prove it that forty thousand pounds a year in silver is wasted besides the Wearers daily Cozened for want of a due Regulation of gold and silver Thread and Lace And upon the Discovery of these notorious Cheats 1635. the late King and his Council appointed mee Surveyor and Sealer of the said Manufacture I caused all the abuses to bee laid aside I indicted some offenders imprisoned some caused others to stand in the Pillory and made many of them that wrought adulterate cours silver run away out of London By which means I angred many Cheating Wyerdrawers Silkmen and Refiners and the late Kings Council and Commissioners setled such Rules and Orders during the Regulation of the Manufacture as it was all made of good silver and the Coin and Bullion of this Nation preserved and your Supplicant was bound to the late King to warrant all the Manufactures either of gold or Silver Wyer or Thread which hee sealed or surveyed in the Office to bee good silver and to make it good to any party grieved in the Nation as appears by my Patent under the Great Seal of England For which Assurance Surveying and Sealing I was allowed to demand and take an half penny for every ounce Troy in Wyer Spangles Oes c. I surveyed and 4 pence for every pound weight Venice for all the Gold and Silver Thread I sealed with the Seal of my Office being the Rose and Crown And all that time the gold and silver Lace was as good Silver and as duly assaied as the Plate or Money of the Nation and now it is made under no Rule nor Government but the Wearers many of them cheated by course and deceitfull Lace Wyer silver Thread as I can demonstrate 7. I had a Grant from the late King under his Signet to bee Master-worker of the Mint in the Tower of London for my life with the Fee of five hundred pounds a year for executing that place which Grant was taken from my Mother out of her Custody when I was sent to the Tower 8. I had one quarter part of the Lady Villers Farm at the Custom-house for the Importation of all gold and Silver Thread Hatbands Lace and Copper throughout England and Wales which cost mee a little before I was sequestred above seven hundred pounds And if the making gold and silver thread was put down in England the Custom of gold and silver thread imported would make a farr greater Revenew then now it doth by the Excise and the Manufacture if it bee made here ought to bee kept to a strict Regulation Mr. Edwards and Mr. Tbornbury I imploied to Collect this duty at the Custom-hous 9. I spent in my Imprisonment in the Tower for almost four years about eight hundred pounds reckoning my Fees and Expences and could never get Justice though I petitioned to the Parliament as aforesaid for many years to come to a legall Triall knowing my self to bee innocent both by God's Law and the Laws of the Land and by the testimony of a good conscience which hath ever supported mee in and thorow all these great troubles All this Estate was and is Sequestred to this day but my three aforesaid bonds which I now have in my Custody besides my damage for my four years Imprisonment 10. Since I came out of the Tower by order of the Councel of State 1652. your Petitioner laid out in the Prosecution of the Silver Ships Sampson Salvador and George above the summe of seven hundred sixty five pounds I borrowed every penny of this money paying Interest for it at this day And by my Protest against the Discharge of these silver Ships Sampson Salvador and George and my Discoveries thereupon by many good and legal Witnesses Passengers and others in these Ships I caused all the Silver to become the Common-wealths All which services I did upon the faithfull promise of the Councel of State in Decemb. 1652 to restore mee to all my Estate or the full value of eleven thousand pounds John Corbet Esquire one of the Members of this present Parliament at this day and one of the Committee of Shropshire meeting with your Petitioner in March 1655. was noblie pleased to take notice of your Petitioners good endeavours to serve the Common-wealth and seeing that your Petitioner had put out in Print a List of his particular damages and the particular Bonds Houses Lands Offices set down which had been taken from your Petitioner his Mother and Sister who had then a great part of his estate in their Custody at the time of his imprisonment in the Tower and were plundred of it during that time of my Imprisonment there by the title and name of Sequestration This Noble Gentleman Mr. Corbet being very sensible of my sufferings and how your Petitioners estate had bin

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

their Rule to walk by in stead of the Bible because they are in great places to practice Iniquity by a Law as Ahab did for Naboths Viniard who did not only cheat him of his Land and Inheritance but robbed him of his Life and to seem holy called a Fast the effect of that godly Fast was to set two mens sonns of Belial to beare false witnesse that Naboth had Bsasphemed God and the King sending a warrant for the Execution of innocent Naboth before ever they tryed him that he should be ston'd to death right or wrong what a sad End the Authors of this murder and robbery come to is well known how many great and Noble Persons of the eminentest for quality in this Nation have bin Trappaned and perjured out of their Lifes Lands and Estates and some of the witnesses upon their Death beds with horrour of Conscience and great Remorse have confessed the perjury that they were suborned by others to the great scandal of the Justice of the Nation by such waies to get mens Estates This is most apparent God is comming to visit for these things and when man cannot bring the Delinquents to Justice he causeth the guilty Persons one to punish another till by the dividing and subdividing they are so weak that as the flood cam upon the old world and destroyed mankinde so by these divisions the strength of the Nation is disjoynted Every man upon and against his Neighbour making a passage and way for the common Enemy to come and swallovv the Innocent with the guilty if God be not mercifull Moses divided the Red-Sea and the Children of Israel passed over on dry Land God hath by nature made a Sea betvveen us and our Neighbours he hath hedged us in and made a vvall of seperation between us and Popery but our sins at this day are plucking down this wall the wilde Bore of the Forrest is come in amongst us the Devil and the Jesuites have plaid their parts in this Nation to the ruining of many Body and Soul and to the admiration of Christendom the Jewes Crucified Christ thinking to gratifie Caesar Caesar a few years after paid them to purpose for Crucifying him May it please your Honours The ten Commandements and Fonts for christning of children at the beginning of these Troubles were plucked down and now comes Pulpits to be beaten in pieces and frequent tumults in several Churches within the city of London as lately at Aldgate parish hath bin done which is a corner of the city where many poor live and are fit for any Insurrection When I see children with a candle amongst powder or chips I feare the burning of the house or a blow with powder when wee see the buds appeare the spring is near these are as certaine signes of a mischief as the plague-tokens are to a man that hath the Plague the best symptomes are a purple fever a shaking an earth-quake if not a dissolution The pride and vanity of some Lecturers and Ministers who in the Nation having studyed points of dissention and division instead of the Gospel of Christ preach themselves too much plenty have made them wanton No doubt but some of them do it with the advice of the Iesuits to make a separation in Countryes Cities Townes Parishes and Families till without Gods infinite mercy the Iesuits bring a destruction both on the Churches and houses of the Nation and on this Great Citie of London and set every man to cut one anothers throats Would not the end of these things bring an unhappy deformation instead of a blessed Reformation when we are exposed to the fury of a forein Enemy by the vileness of the Iesuits and folly of our own Divisions What a divelish State trick vvas put upon the late Protector Oliver and his Secretary Mr. Thurloe by Sir Kenelm Digby and several other Persons Jesuitically inclined in setting the Protector on that fatal businesse of Hispaniola and Jamaica without ever advising and consulting with many of the English Protestant Planters who had for many years lived in those parts and had they had the honour to have been consulted with they could have told them that those fiery Regions was not for the constitution of our bodies That Fox and subtile Statesman Sir Kenelme Digby his very name should have bin fatall to the Protestants cause if the Lord Protector Oliver and Mr. Thurloe would have bin pleased to remember the Gun-powder treason This fatal designe of Jamaica cost the Protector and the Commonwealth above tvvo millions of pounds beside the lives of above twentie thousand valiant Englishmen destroyed by the unhealthfulness of the Climate and want of necessary Provisions and when these valiant men were almost famisht who had they bin in any part of Christendom the Spaniards durst not have look't them in the face had they bin twice their number yet these gallant Souldiers were all like sheep led to the slaughter and their blood spilt like water on the ground by the treachery of some of their Officers who no doubt had private instructions from some then in power to do what they did which upon examination was the cause they kept their heads upon their shoulders and escap't both with lives and estates May it please your Honours I hope your Honours will pardon these sad and necessarie truths proceeding from a loyal heart I have formerly ventured my life many times to get the Common-wealth two hundred seventie eight thousand pounds in money I now venture my self in these dangerous times to speak truth It is now as it was in the daies of Noah no man but Noah and his Familie believ'd a flood would come till it did come and sweep them all away And if I be justly used I may now in your streights bring you in presently as great a sum in money again as I saved you formerly abov three hundred thousand pounds fevv of the Council of State when I undertook to discover the Spanish Ambassadors fraudulent claim to this Silver I say there was but few of that Council did believe that I could ever get the State this Silver or that I would be so faithful to refuse ten thousand pounds which was offered me by the Claimers of this Silver which is certified in this Book by severall honourable Persons to be true should I bend my braines as much to study the disturbance of this Common-wealth as I have ever done the peace and happiness of it I could Demonstrate to you a pen and Inkhorne-man as I am can do more service or disservice then many hundreds of Red-coats I humbly pray my faithfulnesse be not paid with Ingratitude As for my own life I desire to have it no longer preserv'd then I can serve and benefit my Countrey I will wait on God and exspect an happie issue upon this my humble request knowing that if the Reputation and Iustice of the State and the Certificates of honorable persons be of any value in your Honours sight my

Which Persons before-named had contrived by forged Bills of Lading false Claimes and Claimers with other fraudulent pretences to get cleared the Court of Admiralty the aforesaid Silver and Ships and for the effecting thereof there was no Cost spared nor Stone left unturned as appeared by intercepted Letters of Mr James Steniere a principal Actor to have this Silver cleared which Letters caused the said Mr. Steinere to be Commited to the Serjeant at Armes attending the Parliament and by Mr. Pompey Callendrens Letter there was fifty in the hundred offered in Amsterdam to ensure the said Silver and Ships out of our hands Many of the Council of State did upon the intercepting these Letters concerning the Silver Ships believe that the Spanish Ambassador had for a peece of money to be paid him claimed this Silver as the King of Spaines Treasure and his Subjects colourably but they knew not which way to discover it and to prove the fraud that so the State might have the Silver as Prize there lay the mistery that then the Council could not fathom and that made the Lord Bradshawe and severall of the Council of State to ingage your Supplicant in this service they telling your Petitioner that if this fraude was to be found out they were assured your Petitioner could do it if your Petitioner would be true to the State whereupon your Petitioner did faithfully promise the Council of State his uttermost endeavours to discover this fraud and within three dayes after your Petitioner hearing the Parliament had made an Order upon the request of the Spanish Ambassador for the Judges of the Admiralty to proceed to a speedy sentence concerning these Ships and Silver thereupon about 8th of Decemb 1652. your Petitioner made the Lord Bradshaw and Council acquainted that hee had certain Intelligence and would prove it upon the perill of his Life by many credible Witnesses that a great part of this Silver appertained to severall Merchants of the united Provinces and that these Ships having unfree Goods in them were by the Civill Law forfeited to the State and upon the aforesaid Paper which your Petitioner delivered into the Council of State the Council of State sent for Doctor Walker your Highness Advocate who told the Council of State that if what was alleadged in that Paper could bee made good the Ships should bee stayed let the Judges say what they pleased May it please your Highness The Judges of the Admiraltie appointed 16th Decemb. 1652. to give sentence for the Clearing or Condemning these Ships Sampson Salvador and George and they ordered the Commissioners for Dutch prize Goods to bee then in the Court but the Commissioners Mr. Hill and Mr. W●lson declared unto your Supplicant the day before they were to attend in the Admiralty that they were Merchants and a great part of their Goods and Estates in Spaine and therefore they durst not for feare of having an Imbargo on their Estates in Spaine bee seen in the Court of Admiralty to stopp these Silver Ships but they earnestly prayed and advised your Petitioner that if hee knew any way to entitle the State to the Silver in those Ships hee should doe the Common-wealth very great and acceptable service and save the State all the Silver which otherwise would be discharged that morning for then there was no other person appeared to stay these ships and silver but your Supplicant either at the Councel of State or with Doctor VValker your Highnesse Advocate And this Doctor VValker knowes to be a truth In pursuance of entituling the State to this silver in the aforesaid ships your Supplicant received a Command from the Counsel of State 13. Decemb. 1652. That if your Supplicant would undertake at his own peril to disprove the Spanish Ambassadours Claim and to prove that great quantities of the silver in the aforesaid ships appertained to Merchants of the united Provinces and Amsterdam by good and legal Witnesses That then notwithstanding the Order of Parliament your Petitioner should make his Protest in the Court of Admiraltie against the discharge of the said silver till his Witnesses were examined The Councel of State declaring that if the Court of Admiralty committed your Petitioner for making his Protest then the Councel would presently hear and take cognizance of the same businesse The Councel of State further declared that if your Supplicant should faile to make good what he had undertaken he would be utterly undone for that they would certifie your Petitioner to be an Incendiary in presuming to contradict the Spanish Ambassadour and Duke Leopoldus Agents in affirming the silver belonged for a great part thereof to Merchants of Amsterdam when the Ambassadour on his honour affirmed it was all for his Catholick-Majestie and his Subjects Accompts and none other But if your Petitioner was so assured as he would venture his life liberty and estate to disprove the Spanish Ambassadour and Duke Leopoldus Agents claim and prove great quantities thereof to appertain to the Dutch of the united Provinces then our enemies by good and legal proof and did perform this his undertaking your Petitioner should not only be restored to all his estate the Parliament had taken from him being about eleven thousand pounds for which summe your Petitioner had for severall yeares before Petitioned the Parliament and Council of State but also your Petitioner should have both that Estate and a good reward over and above for his good service and this Promise your Supplicant had from the Council of State and the Committee for forreign affaires and that they would see your Supplicant justly and truely satisfied and upon this Honourable assurance your Petitioner engaged and undertooke this great service and when your Supplicant Petitioned the Council of State for an Order of the Council or Parliament in writing for the States just performance when hee had proved that great quantities of this Silver aboard the three aforesaid Ships appertained to the Dutch the Committee of forreign affaires and the Lord Bradshaw was much offended that your Supplicant should scruple the Justice of the State as not to bee fully rewarded according to the greatness of the service Protesting it could not enter into the heart of any honest man to scruple or suspect the Council of State so ungratefull as not to performe there promise justly with your Petitioner and had that Council of State continued in power your Supplicant is assured in his Conscience that hee had reeeived every penny of the summe promised being eleven thousand pounds out of the monies as it was Coyned The reasons that the Council of State did not give your Petitioner a written Order for the restoration of your Petitioners Estate or the value being eleven thousand pounds was that if it was done either by the Order of Parliament or Council of State then the Spanish Ambassador and other Nations would know that the Council of State had stayed that Silver contrary to an Order of Parliament and had promised a

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