without it were looked after and a strict Law made against it to discover the offendors there would not bee any Gold or Silver left in the Nation And this hath proved too true for many millions of Gold and Silver have since been transported to the unspeakable damage of the Common-wealth And upon seizure of several great quantities of Gold and Silver by M. Watkins chief Searcher of the Port of London which was shipped to bee transported the Order of the Parlament the 1 of Septemb. 1647. was made to the Committee of the Navie to see to prevent it After all these Certificates made by the Officers of the Mint and Customs and the Committee of the Navie for the speedie putting so good a work in execution all which I have hereafter set down The Council of State was pleased to make a Committee of themselvs and after many great and serious consultations drew up the draught of an Act of Parlament with their desire to the Parlament to have it pass with all expedition for the service of the Common-wealth There are others more unhappie which saie Now the Steed is stoln shut the stable door Now there is no more Gold left to transport to what purpose doth the Parlament make an Act against transporting Gold this should have been don before for how can wee maintain Commerce paie Taxes when our English Gold is fortie times more plentiful beyond the Seas then it is in England and almost all the Silver Coin of the Nation transported and scarce any left but clipped and light monie And som people are so impudent to believ that there are som Members of Parlament guiltie of transporting monie or els this Act should not have stuck so long upon their hands Others there are that have transported monie and committed manie abuses upon the Coins of the Nation that hope they shall have their pardon for what is past though they have transported almost all the Gold and Silver of the Nation that now if they would they can offend no more and they have don the Common-wealth that damage that a Million of monie cannot give them satisfaction These I humbly conceiv ought to bee made to restore their unjust gain which will deter any others hereafter from doing the like And there are that saie Look how almost all men have sped that have certified against transporting monie or lookt to stop the same Hath not Sir Robert Harlow and M. Cogan been put out of their places in the Mint Hath not M. Watkins M. Tomes Sir Thomas Daws and M. Hollowaie been put out of their places in the Custom-Hous Were not you Thomas Violet imprisoned in the Tower four years becaus you should not tell the truth and let the Common-wealth know for all that time most of their monie and treasure was sending out of the Nation I shall add somthing more to this I have observed what the State hath gotten by putting out these men and I found First That upon the putting forth of the old Officers of the Mint in M. Swallow's place who was the Clerk of the Irons and Surveier of the Melting-Hous for the Mint a place of great skill and trust there is a now a Clerk put in to execute that place that can neither write nor read and other Officers put into the places of the old ones in the Mint that were utterly ignorant of managing the mysteries of that Office And one of the greatest obstructions of the Mint comâ—s through the ignorance of the Officers and their want of correspondence and acquaintance with such as usually have brought Monie from beyond the Seas The old Officers of the Mint were Masters in this Mysterie which is not so soon learned as men think And for son of those that have been turned out of their places out of the Custom-Hous now the Act is passed for the Council of Trade there will quickly bee presented the practices of som of the Officers of the Customs and Petitions for a redress of many abuses practised by som of them and a Review Petitioned for to know upon what grounds many of the old Officers were turned out of their places beeing never charged with any offence but onely forced out to make waie for others to com into their places som of the old Officers of the Customs beeing turned out of their places onely becaus of their activitie in stopping the Gold and Silver of the Nation from beeing transported and this is M. Edward Watkins his case and others put into his Office that seize's Gold and Silver before it is forfeited and when the Merchant recover's it again by Law the Searcher that made the seizure take's the King's Bench and so the Merchant may go seek his monie to the great damage of the Merchant But according to the former presidents all Officers of the Customs were to put in securitie for the just performance of their trust to the State and no Officer was to receiv the Customs and Monies of the Common-wealth in any Port of this Nation nor to make any seizure before hee had put in securitie to the Lord Treasurer to make a true accompt of what monies and goods came to their hands which I having more then probable reasons do believ the Collectors and other Officers of the Ports have not don to the great damage of the Common-wealth and prejudice of the Merchants if seizures bee unjustly made and the Merchants recover their Goods or Monies by a Verdict at Law and after all their charge and hazard not to have all their Goods and Monies again This discoverie I have put in for the service of the Common-wealth it beeing a caus judged in the Checquer this last Term that for the future such abuses of the new Officers of the Customs might bee prevented I have to som men replied this Act it hath been delaied by the Parlament onely by the multitude of other business though I must confess there are verie few businesses of the Common-wealth can take place before this but that all people should see when the Parlament's business was a little over how zealous in deeds not in words they would bee for to punish these great offendors and to make them paic back the unjust gain which monies should bee emploied for the Publick and so save the Nation Taxes That I was confident there was not any Member in the Parlament was guiltie of transporting monie or if there were they durst not bee seen to justifie so wicked an Act but would bee glad to sleep quiet in a whole skin and truly if I did know any of them I would not meddle with them unless the Act did positively enjoin mee to do it It hath been objected to mee by som Gold-smiths and others That I my self have been a transporter of monie and melter down of heavie Coin of the Nation and a furnisher of Gold and Silver to transport out of this Nation and a buier of Gold and Silver above the price of the
to give a clear testimonie of the falsness of that malicious charge against mee I was willing to obey the commands of som of the Council of State and did with all humilitie present to my Lord President and som of the Council of State most of these Propositions for their private use and they were honorably pleased to accept of my endeavors and gave mee their approbation of them as a great service offered by mee to the Common-wealth wherein I did deserv all encouragement and that the State would see to put many of them in execution which noble favor of theirs far beyond my imagination and desert hath everlastingly obliged mee to their service to studie alwaies to advance the interest and prosperitie of the present Government of this Common-wealth as it is now settled without King or Lords to the uttermost of my power and to the last drop of bloud I have against any person or persons whomsoëver that endeavor the damage or undermining of the present Government Now my request is to all the worthie Merchants of this Nation that som of them would bee pleased to take this argument into their hands and what I have said undigestedly and without a method they with a more learned pen would perfect for the service of the Nation in general Most of these Papers are transmitted down to the Honorable Council of Trade by an order of the Council of State and referred to their judicious consideration And the true reason of my printing of them is that som more learned pen might finish what I have roughly begun and whosoëver doth it would do a great service to the Common-wealth And for the Merchant-strangers that live and inhabit in any part of this Nation my request to them all is That they would consider of what I have here presented in their behalfs and that they would all contribute their advice and reasons for the perfecting of what is by mee humbly propounded and so to carrie themselvs in all their actions that no just exceptions may bee laid to their charge of beeing prejudicial Instruments either to the present Government or that any of their dealings should bee disadvantageous to the prosperitie and commerce of this Nation but that they in humble requital of the Parlament's Protection which they all enjoie equally with the Natives of this Nation would bee pleased to studie all waies and means for the setting of such Manufactures here as they know is made beyond Seas for employing our shipping for contributing their humble advice in repairing our Havens and Harbors for dreining of our Lands for employing of our poor for setting up the Fishing Trade for making our Sea-Port-Towns their store-houses of Corn and for laying a foundation of bringing in their rich commodities from all parts of the world into our Ports and Harbors of England wee having far better and securer Harbors then our Neighbors And for their enabling them to do this that they would humbly propound to the Parlament and Council of Trade the best means and waies they conceiv all these things may don whereof one of the principal waies is to have free Ports in this Nation to Import and Transport all Forrain goods Custom-free that is not spent in this Nation and for their settling of a bank in London and settling of a cours of Bils of Exchange in several Sea-Port-Towns of this Nation and for the settling of a Court of Merchants in London to determine all differences amongst Merchants If they would studie these things and all others they know which would conduce to the profit and honor of this Common-wealth and would shew themselves openly that they are publick spirited men they would Petition the Parlament and Council of Trade in these particulars and when they are required by those in Autoritie would contribute their best reasons and advices clearly without any by-ends justly and according to the great experience many of them have by their knowledg of business of trade in other Countries This would bee a great service to the Nation in general and it is no more then I think is their dutie to do and I humbly conceiv the State exspect's from them they should do And that all Merchants would present unto the State what new Customs and Imposts have been laid on the English Nation in Forrain parts more then was formerly laid that so if our Merchants cannot procure a redress themselvs beyond seas the State upon the Merchant's Petition might by their Letters or other waies to Forrain States take notice of it and see our Merchants to have right and this is usual in Holland upon the least obstruction of trade or intrenching upon the Merchants the States General make it matter of state and either by force or by treatie remove the obstruction as all men know that are acquainted with their proceedings between the King of Denmark and them for Customs in the Sound and the Portingals and them in the East and West-Indies and in their other transactions with other Princes and States their principal care is to take off the obstructions of Trade I praie God all just and fair-dealing Merchants with us may have the like and greater countenance and protection from the State then their Merchants have in Holland And whereas the Merchant-strangers in London have exacted on them several fees more then is conceived to bee by Law that these Merchant-strangers would petition the State that the Citie of London bee required to bring in forthwith the tables of fees for Package Scavage and all other duties they can by Law justly and anciently demand of the Merchant-strangers And that a certain rule may bee set up up in Printed tables in the Custom-Houses what fees shall bee taken for the future And that such Officers that have formerly exacted more monie of the Merchants then their just fees may bee compelled to restore the monie back to the Merchants And if the State reliev Merchant-strangers here it will bee a great Load-stone to other States and Nations to do all right to our Merchants beyond Seas But for those men either English or strangers I will not honor them with the name of Merchants that are Transporters of Wool Fuller's Earth Horses Gold and Silver or any other prohibited goods to the weakning and impoverishing of this Nation and all such as have culled and melted down the heavie Monie of this Nation into Ingots and sold it to such as have Transported it or to such as have made Gold and silver Wier and silver Thread and such as have couzened the Common-wealth by buying up the light and clipped English silver Coin and vented it again to Graziers or publick Cashiers or any other persons to the great deceit and damage of the Common-wealth I shall leav them all to the Law with this memento to them That as Justice is leaden-footed yet shee hath iron hands and though slow yet shee is sure and all ages have held men that do these things as Moths and Cankers
suffer longer for ungrateful men When I was engaged in the late King's service I was ever faithful to all his just Commands and to the uttermost of my power did serv him in all lawful waies and beyond that I would never go Now with all humilitie I have humbly tendred my self to the Parlament for I think believ I speak as in the presence of God I living under their protection I am as much bound to serv them faithfully as ever I did the late King and I have this advantage in the change Kings die but the Parlament of England as it is now established never die's so that here I humbly fix and prostrate laie my self and all my endeavors to the uttermost of my power to improve the interest and service of the Parlament as it is now established without King or Lords against any person whomsoëver It may bee objected by som men that I have not don prudently in declaring so much for the service of the State as I have don before I knew my conditions what the State would do for mee for by these informations I have given light enough to have others to go on and laie the foundation of the Regulating of the Trade of this Nation and it may bee now don by others as well as by my self This in part I grant to bee true but my caus is not everie man's caus I was blasted by the devillish invention of som men and to the Citie of London Armie and the Parlament presented as a Malignant a Papist one dis-affected to the Parlament and present Government as it now established without King or Hous of Lords So that beeing under this cloud and hard opinion of the State and suffering so long time in the Tower as before J have said and my Estate still under Sequestation it did highly concern mee to take any opportunitie to remove this hard opinion off mee and that the Parlament might see from the bottom of my heart my seal in deeds and not in words to do them service J have with all humilitie-truly and plainly stated this business and J hope have laid the ground-work for the setting of other more learned heads on work for the perfecting what I have roughly begun and that the Common-wealth will receiv a great advantage by it and if the Parlament shall pleas to command mee to serv them in any of these particulars they shall not finde many men will do them service on the terms I shall and do with all humilitie offer them for I will willingly so I may have my Estate Offices restored again to mee or their value which have been taken from mee upon mis-information of som malitious people give the maimed soldiers that have fought in the Parlament's service since the death of the late King one half of my Estate I shall die possessed of and to the maimed Sea-men that are emploied in the State 's service since the death of the late King one quarter-part of my Estate which I shall die possessed of and the other quarter-part I will and do reserv to give to som friends so that three parts of four of what I have or shall have com's to those that have or shall have ventured their lives in the State 's service and I am and shall bee no more but a faithful Steward to improve my Estate to their advantage And for the true performance of this I will willingly give a perfect Accompt to the Master 's of Trinitie-Hous and of Saint Thomas Hospital in Southwark once everie year and give them a perfect Invoies of my Estate and where it remain's with securitie not to pass any of it away other then for my expences for my maintenance and to have the disposing of one intire quarter-part to som kindred or friends of mine at my death the other three parts to bee freely given to the relief of maimed soldiers and sea-men that have or shall bee emploied in the Parlament's service provided J may be restored to my Estate And this J do not as J am conscientious of any evil wittingly or willingly I ever acted against the State for J stand upon my innocence but J do it really that it may bee a pattern to som that have blasted mee to the State as a Malignant and a Delinquent they having no children and have got som scores of thousands of pounds by the Parlament's service that they in humble thankfulness to God for his mercie would bestow a good part on the poor and for the future bee ashamed of scandalizing mee when the reality of my words and deeds disprove them to the whole world for Malignants make not such free will-offerings to the poor maimed soldiers and maimed sea-men that have and shall lose their limbs in the defence of their Countrie and Liberties as it is now settled without King or Lords and though it may not bee above a mite in comparison to the State J cannot possibly express my real intentions in the Parlament's service more then by these my words and deeds And J will upon the peril of my life bring the Parlament in fiftie thousand pounds by the Fines and Compositions of the Transporters of Gold and Silver and such as have practised many abuses on the Coins and Bullion of the Nation within the compass of one year besides what summes hereafter if Commissions according to former presidents bee granted and if the Parlament pleas to pass the Act as it is now drawn against Transporters of Gold which Act was recommended by the Council of State to the Parlament and hath been twice read in the Parlament Hous and committed and when it passe's the Hous the Mint in the Tower of London will again flourish a business of the greatest honor profit and safetie to the Nation in general that can bee as your affairs now stand What is here said is with all humilitie presented to the Parlament for the service of the Common-wealth by a faithful lover of his Countrie beeing desired to state my Reasons by som in Autoritie for passing the aforesaid Act I humbly conceiv if it were made stricter then it is it were far better for the Common-wealth For Transporting Treasure heretofore hath been made Felonie when the Common-wealth I humbly conceiv had not so much occasion to see to keep their Treasure in the Nation and the Mint going as now they have Signed THOMAS VIOLET London Feb. 12. 1651. An Index of the principal matters conteined in these PROPOSITIONS LEgorn Genoa and Amsterdam have raised themselvs to their Greatness onely by giving Merchant-strangers equal privileges with their Natives Prop. 1. pag. 1. The great Wealth that hath been gotten in Amsterdam in bringing of Merchandizes thither though exported back Custom-free And the like advantagious Trade at Dover upon the Composition Trade now brought to povertie for the want of free Trade Pr. 2. p. 3. The dangerous effects of great Customs either in Kingdom or Common-wealth Pr. 3. p. 3 4. Spain
the future may bee made as shall bee most conducing to the benefit of the Common-wealth in general without any private regard to private persons My Lord this argument which I have undertaken concern's the corrupt interest of many men who will storm to see these things laid open to the world and I shall bee sure to bee stung with the venom of som of their tongues Therefore I am an humble suitor to your Honor and the Council of State for your Honor's protection and countenance of these my weak endevors for the service of this Nation which noble favor shall for ever oblige mee to praie for your Honor's happiness and prosperitie God continue your Honor in all prosperitie in this world and in the world to com and this shall bee the praier of Your Honor 's humble and obliged Servant THO. VIOLET TO THE HONORABLE THE COUNCIL OF TRADE This Book with my most humble service Honorable Gentlemen THese Papers are most of them recommended to your care by order of the Council of State to take them into your consideration Indeed many of them were drawn by mee about five years ago in the Tower afore I ever thought of a Council of Trade But seeing it is the hap of these unpolished Papers to bee recommended to your care I am verie glad of it and most humbly give the Council of State thanks for recommending them to your judicious examination making no question of their sowing in a fertile ground seeing som of these Propositions are already com to the perfections of Acts of Parlament May it pleas your Honors I am no other then the day-laboring man I have brought you Marble from the Mine felled you Trees and brought them to you and at your feet laie them all to bee hewn and squared by your judicious and profound Wisdoms You are the Master-workmen who are now to take your Instruments to hew square them for the building of the trade of this Common-wealth And I shall presume to wait on you those daies you sit to see how your Building goe's forward and when that you give a dispatch of the Materials in these Propositions it shall not repent mee of what I have don And I shall with all humilitie and chearfulness furnish you with som other Propositions for the service of this Common-wealth To so great and grave Judgments I know multiplicitie of words need not the great God of Heaven and Earth bee in the midst of your Counsels and bee Counsellor to you all and put that into your hearts that you may bee enabled for so great a work as the State hath laid on you and to bee careful of the maintenance of the Trade that concern's the poor of this Nation in general that they may have a livelihood as well as the rich And thus much in all humilitie let mee tell you if ever any men in this Nation had need to make use of Christ's rule of beeing as innocent as Doves and as wise as Serpents it is your Honors in this emploiment you have for regulating of Trade The infinite subtilties frauds and abuses in several Trades are so many that the hundredth part of the cheats used to get monie cannot bee imagined by any other persons but your selvs that daily hear the abuses practised on many Manufactures made in this Nation And som men by these cheats have gotten wealth and dignitie for in London formerly many times they chose Aldermen most an end for their wealth not for their wit or honestie and that hath made such a hole in the Chamber of London's Treasure the poor Orphans portions when such Kites as got their Estates indirectly came to bee Magistrates Other Trades there are whose povertie beeing pestered with more multitudes in the Trade then it will bear make 's many people in several Trades fall a making the Manufacture indirectly falsly and slightly to the great abuse of the Nation and all the wearers and this more particularly I know is don in the making of Gold and Silver-Thread as was justified to your Honors by hundreds of the women-spinners in London upon their Petition against the Wheel-spinners and their humble desires to your Honors for a Regulation for the future So that what between the covetousness of the rich and the necessitie of the poor all the abuses in Trade is committed and these weeds will everie daie increas in the Garden of this Common-wealth if the Parlament make not strict and sharp Laws against these offences and offendors that make the Manufactures of the Nation slight and base And not onely to make Laws but appoint such persons as shall see those Laws put in execution that Justice bee don and these men would bee the pruning knives to rectifie the Garden of Trade and till it bee don the abuses in Trade and Manufacture will not bee prevented I have humbly and plainly told you what I think is to bee don for the best improvement of the Trade of this Nation and leav what I have said to your Honor 's grave consideration and shall ever praie for the prosperitie of your Honors Signed By your Honor 's humble Servant THO. VIOLET TO MY HONORED FRIENDS the Merchants Natives of this Nation of England and the Merchant-Strangers living and inhabiting in any part of the Dominions of the Common-wealth of England GENTLEMEN MAny of these Papers were drawn by mee in my solitude in the Tower and I never intended them for publick view but for my private use afterwards Providence ordering it so I was commanded by som of the Council of State to give them my attendance and humble advice about removing the obstruction of the Mint and to attend som honorable Gentlemen who were to draw a table of the just value of all the Coins in Christendom and to settle their true values according to the Standard of the Mint in the Tower of London and what those Coins will make in our Mint beeing full weight a great part of that work is already don and a model drawn for the taking away the obstructions of the Mint in the Tower of London and when the Parlament and Council of State pleas to command it will bee perfectly finished having this opportunitie with somof the Council of State I was commanded by som of them to draw them such Observations concerning Trade as I did conceiv might bee for the benefit of the Common-wealth the increas of Trade and the increas of Shipping And though I knew my own insufficiencie for so weightie a business and that there were many hundred in London more able to do this then my self yet considering that now God had put into my hands an opportunitie that I might present my self to the Council of State and to the Nation in general that I was not such a man as som maliciously had charged mee to bee which was that I was a Malignant and one dis-affected to the present Government as it is now settled without King and Lords I saie
waie you will see clearly many other secrets upon perusal of these Books then I will speak of and so you will bee able to rectifie settle the Trade in a flourishing condition that it may bee beneficial to the Common wealth and all the Adventurers whereas heretofore now as it is managed none getteth by it but the Committees of the said Companies and the Companie 's Factors and their Officers The Adventurers having been blinded ever since it was a Companie and led by the nose by their servants or els how could their Factors and servants bee so rich and the Companie 's stock so poor 7. I humbly conceiv upon the Examination of all the premises when that the Books of the Companie are examined it will bee found that the East India Companie hath sent away the Common-wealth's Coin both in Gold and Silver I am the more encouraged to speak this plainly to you becaus I know there is now no Lord Treasurer no Lord Privie Seal no Bed-chamber-men nor Privie Council to bribe nor as I hope any els to bee bribed to take off and suppress the just examination of abuses in Companies which heretofore have been proved to have been a common Trade wâ—th som Companies to keep up their Letters Patents to the high deceit of the Nation having given great summes of monie for Bribes to have libertie to oppress the good people of the Nation and to have Licence with Autoritie to deceiv the Common-wealth all which abuses I praie God may by the wisdom of this Council bee carefully found out and presented to the Parlament and such Order and Regulation made for the future for all Traders as may bee most for the prosperitie of this Nation in general without any regard to particular Interest when it shall bee found destructive to the Common-wealth Septemb. 11. 1650. Signed Tho. Violet Die Mercurii Sept. 11. 1650. At the Council for Trade at White-Hall Ordered THat the East-India Companie bee desired to produce their Original Charter before this Council Ordered THat the East India-Companie bee desired to bring in to this Council what Licences they formerly have granted them for the Transportation of Bullion or Coin since the year 1620. Ordered THat the East-India Companie bee intreated likewise to produce the direct and true Accompts of all the several summes of Bullion and Coin in any specie to the full that have been yearly transported by them since the year 1620. Ex. Ben Worslie Secret THat your Honors would bee pleased to move effectually in the Hous for a positive Order to require the East India Companie to give obedience to the Order of the Council of Trade dated 11 of Septemb. 1650. And that the East India's and Persia Companie 's Books of Invoices may bee brought forth to the Council for Trade and not to accept of the Accompt what they have Registred in the Custom-Hous but what shall appear really upon their Original Books of Invoices in the Companie 's custodie which they have sent really to everie Factor yearly in Persia and India for they enter at the Custom-Hous but what they pleas but the truth must appear by the Companie 's Original Books the Dutch East India-Companie as I am credibly informed have since their first stock made everie hundred a thousand to the Adventurers and as this stock hath been managed in England the Adventurer get's nothing but the private Officers I humbly desire for the service of the Nation in general the truth of all these proceedings may bee truly stated that so the Council may bee enabled when they see their Accompts justly and clearly by their own Books to give the Parlament their opinion concerning the East India-Companie's request and for the regulating that Trade for the future for the best advantage of the Common-wealth beeing a business of great concernment to the wealth and honor of the Nation May it pleas your Honors I am of old Mr Carmarthen's minde which was an Officer in the Custom-Hous in Queen Elizabeth's time hee would speak a truth though many of the great Officers of the State Merchants Customers were against him for it yet by his vigilance constant perseverance the truth came to the Queen's ear and shee checked her Treasurer and Leicester and commanded them to bring Carmarthen to her when Burlie and Leicester had laid him in the Fleet for a busie fellow shee would hear for all their words what that busie fellow said though much against her great Counsellor's minde and then the Queen found upon examination that her great Officers were bribed And the conclusion was Carmarthen raised the Queen's Farm in few years to double the monie it made afore and made Customer Smith paie it and in despite of the Lord Burlie and Leicester Carmarthen had the Queen's thanks For though in other things shee would hear them yet when it concerned themselvs and upon the point of her Revenue shee would not trust wholly the greatest of her Officers but had her instruments to give her true Information a sure waie for a State never to bee deceived and a rule fit for these times This storie is much after this manner recorded of Queen Elizabeth for a piece of high Prudence Justice and Bountie shee making Carmarthen and his son Surveyor of all the Customs and Customers in which place they continued above 50 years and this Carmarthen's son died but three years ago in the same office the Queen gave his Father for this service These Propositions in these several Heads beeing set on foot by the Parlament I humbly conceiv is another manner of service for the State then Carmarthen's both in point of profit honor and safety and though som private men for private Companies may bee avers against what I have here said in these particulars it is their self-interest that make's them so I am an humble suitor to your Honors that the Act against transporting Gold and Silver culling and melting the currant Coin of the Nation which hath laien so long committed may forthwith pass into an Act for till that bee don your Mint will bee obstructed and to transport all the Gold and Silver and coin none what the end of such things will bee I am enforced to speak 1. For I see there are som which either out of spite to the welfare of this Nation or by the subtiltie of the transporters of Gold and Silver and cullers out of the heavie currant Coins of this Nation have engaged themselvs to obstruct this great Service that so the Common-wealth may bee circumvented of his surest strength Monie which is the sinews of war and strength of the Nation and those people that abound with it are able to command all things in the world And that Common-wealth and Familie that is without it is made uncapable of doing any great action Besides by this dangerous Maxim as much as in them lie's they labor to darken and weaken the splendor and strength of your Armie which
in this Manufacture som men that have deceived the Common-vvealth in making of slight Gold and Silver-Thread fear if a Regulation should bee settled by Parlament to have no Silver-thread spun either by the Hand or Spindle but such as is covered vvith a good Plate of Silver and five Ounces Troie at the least to the pound Venice that then they shall bee suffered to cousen no more and this is the true reason of their anger against any that stand's for a Regulation then they know their own guilt in so notorious defrauding the State in the Excise and how much monie they owe the State in Arrears vvithin this four years beeing above twentie thousand pounds vvhich is in the hands of fewer then thirtie men and they know if I bee commanded by the Parlament I will give a good accompt of this business I do humbly desire Sir Robert Harlow that my Grant might bee delivered to the Honorable Council for Trade and that hee would pleas to report vvhat hee found concerning it to your Honors and that if I cannot maintain my Grant for the surveying the Manufacture of Gold and Silver-Wier and Thread for the good of the Common-wealth and for the service of the wearer and honor of the Manufacture I shall with all humilitie laie my self at the Honorable Council for Trade's feet so to regulate my Grant as they in their great Wisdoms shall finde most advantageous to the Common-vvealth And I do humbly farther propound to the Council for Trade that they would bee pleased to take notice that there is an Ordinance of Parlament of the sixt of August 1646. for all Gold and Silver-Wier to paie four pence on the Ounce Troie at the disgrossing at the Bar and this Ordinance follow 's in these words viz. That four pence shall bee paid by waie of Excise for everie Ounce of Silver Troie weight and so for a greater or lesser quantitie proportionable of Silver and Gold that any Refiner Gold-smith or Gold-Wier drawer or other that shall prepare melt down or disgross for Wier the same to bee paid by everie Refiner Gold-smith Gold-Wier-drawer or other at the Bar where the same shall bee disgrossed And that all Gold and Silver to bee disgrossed for Wier as aforesaid bee brought to one certain place or places appointed or to bee appointed by the Commissioners of the Excise and not elswhere and that no Bars Benches Screws Engins or other Instruments for disgrossing of Silver bee used or allowed in any other place this is in the Book of Ordinances fol. 1114. That for almost four years this four pence the Ounce did not make to the State above one thousand pounds for all that time of near upon four years And during these four years the Refiners of London beeing named in the Act many of these Refiners durst not sell Guilt and Silver-Wier without taking and securing the dutie of four pence the Ounce to the State whereupon rather then they would run into contempt of this Act som of them gave over their trades and others of them lost their customers for many of the Wier-drawers drew and refined all their own Silver and never paid the State the duties reserved by the Ordinance and there remain's in the hands of som of the Gold-Wier-drawers Refiners above twentie thousand pounds contrarie and in contempt of this Ordinance of Parlament and which som of the said Wier-drawers and Refiners are in Arrears to the State The Wier-drawers and divers other Trades having with great advantage made the wearer paie four pence the Ounce Venice for Excise vvhen any bought it in Lace and this which I now put in writing is that the Gentrie may know what to paie for the future for upon a true accompt four pence an Ounce Troie in Silver-Wier is not above one pennie farthing upon everie Ounce Venice in Silver Thread So though the Wier-drawers made a great advantage of the Excise collecting far more from the Gentrie of this Nation then four pence the Ounce Troie yet they have not paid these Arrears to the State a business of great concernment now there is occasion for monie and require's a speedie examination That for this last year the Wier-drawers and Refiners did paie but one pennie the Ounce which pennie make's now fifteen hundred pounds a year so that four pence the Ounce would have been above six thousand pounds a year if the four pence had been justly gathered Now upon examination it may bee proved there was more Silver-Wier disgrossed and made into Thread and small Wier by the Refiners and Wier-drawers in everie of the years 1646 1647 1648 1649 then in this last year 1650 so that by this accompt there will clearly remain in the Refiner's and Master Wier-drawer's hands above twentie thousand pounds and the number of them is not above thirtie men which owe this monie for which summe they are tied by an Ordinance of Parlament and no discharge can bee given them of this debt but by an Act of Parlament for all that drew Silver at the Bar are upon the drawing of it bound to paie the State four pence the Ounce for vvhat they drew and no persons have any power to discharge this debt but the Parlament and if I bee required and impowered I make no question to give the State a good accompt of this debt I do most humbly desire the Honorable Council for Trade to take notice that by the eighth Article of their Commission they are to consider what Excise is fit to bee laid on all goods and commodities and so equally and evenly laie it that the State may not bee made uncapable to defraie publick charges Now I humbly desire the honble Council for Trade to take especial notice of this my humble Proposition which is that one pennie on the Ounce Troie upon all Gold and Silver-Wier disgrossed at the Bar and made into Gold and Silver Thread is no equal Excise in proportion to other commodities that are rated with Excises which are far more serviceable to the Common-wealth Besides the Gold-Wier-drawers before any Excise was thought of did offer unto the late King and his heirs for ever one thousand pounds a year and two pence the Ounce to have a Corporation as I shall make it appear But the deceits so grosly practised by many of them was so clearly proved that then at that time the State would not trust them with a Corporation as I have formerly declared Neither would the late King and his Council trust the Finers but under a Regulation by Commissioners though they saw paid the late King six pence the Ounce for all Gold and Silver disgrossed at the Bar upon sale of the Silver Now I saie after the Excise of one pennie the Ounce upon Silver and Guilt Wier when it is Manufactured into Thread it is not above ten shillings the hundred pounds Excise for som sorts and not above fifteen shillings in one hundred pounds worth upon any sort of Gold
serviceable to the Parlament of England then any Finer or Transporter of Gold hath or can bee that malitiously have charged mee to bee a Malignant for I will bring the State in fiftie thousand pounds if they will pass the Act against Transporting of Gold And I humbly conceiv no man ought to have his Estate taken from him and given away before hee bee convicted by Martial Law or the Common Law of the Land If those that have malitiously informed the Honorable Committee that examined mee at Gold-smiths Hall could have made good their Charge or have proved any thing to my prejudice they would have brought mee to my Trial in the compass of four years while I was prisoner in the Tower I could not have avoided a Trial or kept it off one daie and I know they left no stone unrolled for they sate many daies to have don mee a mischief and I have it from good hands that worthie Gentleman Doctor Doreslaws told them I had don nothing but what I could justifie having M. Theophilus Rilie's approbation and Warrant hee beeing a publick Officer of Trust and if any were in fault it was M. Theophilus Rilie who had abused his place and Trust if hee had don any thing beyond his Commission But the truth was they looked more to keep mee close prisoner in the Tower that so I should not discover them that sent away the Treasure of the Nation then any thing els for they knew if I were abroad I would have served the Parlament in that Discoverie To the Honorable Council for Trade I am an humble suitor for restoring mee to my Office for the Regulating the Manufacture of Gold and Silver-Thread the Regulation is now depending before them and with all my heart I humbly shall laie it at those grave Senator's feet to regulate mee and my fee as they shall see the Office just and necessarie and for the benefit of the Common-wealth and no further For the Goods Bonds and Accompts taken at several times from my mother while I was in the Tower J shall humbly desire any persons that did sequester them to let mee know of it whither they were carried and how disposed of and J shall bee bound to praie for them and if they bee inferior Officers or others that can tell mee they shall bee well rewarded by mee and God's blessing for as yet J cannot hear who hath them and my mother died in my close imprisonment in the Tower and though by the great favor of Master Henrie Martin one of the Right Honorable Council of State J had libertie to go and see my mother whilst J was prisoner in the Tower with two keepers yet when J came to her shee was so spent and her heart broke for my oppressions shee beeing threescore and seventeen years old that shee could not tell mee any thing of my business nor give mee the least notice in the world who had taken my Goods Bonds and Accompts away other then that shee was plundered several times and this old Master White the Warder of the Tower Master Axtel and Master Jackson keepers in the Tower know's to bee true who were with mee all the times J saw her For my Farm in the Custom-Hous for the late King's debt with all my aforesaid losses J do most humbly leav it to the Parlament for my satisfaction and J praie that the Committee of Shrop-shier may bee Ordered to restore mee my Bonds they seized of mine from my sister in London beeing three Bonds in two thousand pounds for the paying mee Tho. Violet one thousand pounds as aforesaid and that J may bee enabled by Order of Parlament to sue the said Bonds and any other Bonds or Debts J have due to mee and the parties owing mee any monie that I can justly prove due to mee may bee required by the Parlament to paie it to mee notwithstanding any Ordinance or Order of Parlament heretofore made and my humble suit is to the Parlament that the Committee of Essex bee Ordered to put mee into possession of the Manors of Battels Hall and Paton Hall they having forcibly driven Philip Cage out when hee was in possession for the use of mee Tho. Violet as appear's by their own Orders and that I may enjoie all the said Lands till the rent of sixteen hundred pounds bee paid mee for so much I am out of purs The truth is this envie of som of the Finers and som of the Wier-drawers came upon mee becaus I would not let the Wier-drawers cousen the late King of his dutie while I had the Office but to the uttermost of my power made them make all good Silver-Thread and to have five Ounces to the pound Venice and right Silver and I have heard som of the Wier-drawers confess that they had rather the State should chose fortie Officers to look after the Excise and Regulation of this Manufacture then one Violet And this though it bee a crime to them is a service to the State to have such an Officer which know's all the waies how they are cousened in their Excise in this Manufacture and to prevent it and had not my place of surveying of this Manufacture been but I had still enjoied it the State should have had twentie thousand pounds in their purs more then they have onely by the Excise on the commoditie of Gold and Silver-Wier and all this monie is lost through the ignorance of the Officers of Excise who know not how to manage the business for I know the State many times hath Officers put into such places through the interest and affection of friends that are utterly uncapable of such places they enjoie whereby the State is at great charges in fees and salaries to ignorant men But that is not the tenth part of the mischief the Common-wealth suffer's by their fees for through these men's ignorances the State is cousened of the duties that should support the Common-wealth as is notoriously visible in the Excise of Gold and Silver-Wier which at four pence the Ounce at the Bar which is laid on it by Ordinance aforesaid would have made the State six thousand pounds a year and by the ignorance and negligence of the Officers of Excise it hath made the State not three hundred pounds a year for almost four years which is not the twentie pennie of what ought to have been collected And if I had had my place I would have seen everie pennie the Wier-drawers then paid for Excise made twentie pence to the State And this the Refiners and Wier-drawers know to bee true and that make's som of them so unwilling that I should have my Office again they fear I should bee commanded by the State to use my uttermost endeavors for the collecting of those Arrears that are in the Wier-drawer's and Refiner's hands and to restrain them for the future many of them having bought Lands and grown rich with the monie they owe to the State which is fitter to
the work-men and work-women thousands I shall with all humilitie tell you what Forrain Nations do to Regulate their Monie and Bullion these Manufactures and unless you have the like rule here I humbly conceiv it will be impossible to restore the Mint to keep the Gold-smiths within compass or the Wier-drawers in any rule for many of them have got to licentious height and pride having got great Estates by culling Monie selling Gold and Silver to transport buying of clipped Monie and paying it away again and twentie other tricks that they are so proud they know not whether they stand on their heels or their head but the Act against transporting these when it com's forth will regulate them all I saie if you will have these abuses rectified as in France Flanders Spain Germanie and other Countries I humbly conceiv you must erect a Council for Monies and Bullion for in France I have seen great Volumes of Arguments of the Government and Management of Monie and Bullion and the due Regulation is of mightie importance as your affairs now stand and in all Forrain Countries the States that are Kings or Common-wealths have a particular care and make the mysteries of managing their treasure matter of the greatest state and policie and Gold and Silver either in Coin or Bullion the late Kings Queens in England did ever appropriate the especial management of them to themselvs as beeing a business of State And though now by the blessing of God wee are a free State and the Nation a free Nation I humbly conceiv not so free that the Bullion and Coin of the Common-wealth should bee Manufactured and wasted without any accompt and without any regard for the bringing in Forrain Bullion for the proportion is spent here in the making Gold and Silver-Thread without offering the State an Excise fit for to bee imposed on so superfluous a commoditie when these Wier-drawers voluntarily offered the late King one thousand pound a year and two pence an Ounce and the Refiners did give the late King six pence the Ounce and this to bee don in a King's time in a time when the Common-wealth had no Armies to paie which six pence the Ounce almost all of it was given by the late King to a couple of Courtiers the Earl of Holland two thousand pounds a year the Countess of Roxborough twelv hundred pounds a year If the Wier-drawers would paie the Arrears they owe to the State and submit to a Regulation for the present and binde themselvs to work good Silver well covered with five Ounces Silver to a pound Venice seal all the Gold and Silver-Thread as formerly and paie the duties shall bee imposed on them by the State for Excise and keep an accompt of all the Silver Manufactured by a Comptroler there might bee som hopes that this Manufacture might bee regulated if they will not I humbly conceiv if the Parlament pass the Act against Transporting Gold and Silver and have a Council for Monies according as it is in other Countries it will regulate the abuses of this Trade and all others that trade in Gold and Silver If the State had had a Council for Monies eight years ago as they have in Forrain Countries I believe Cheapside-Cross would have yielded them more Monies then it made the State I do humbly desire that it may bee examined how many fodder of Lead was made of the Cross for all the figures were Lead and who bought it and what they paid a fodder and the total summe in monie was paid for it Then I do humbly desire to have the partie or parties that bought the Lead of the Cross examined upon Oath whether they did ever fine or refine the Lead and parted the Gold from the Lead by blowing it down in an Almondfurnace and then refining it on attest and what Gold they extracted out of it to give a just accompt of the pound weights and Ounces of Gold hee or they refined and extracted out of the Lead of Cheapside-Cross Then that all men would bee pleased to take notice of the long continuance of Cheapside-Cross since it was made and in how many King 's and Queen's Reigns it was guilt the Citie-Books I believ will shew this verie Cross with the Leaden figures And then that they take notice that the Rain and Weather decaie's not the Gold for it will sink into the Lead and though it change color and tarnish with the Weather yet the Bodie of Gold is in the Lead And all men know the superstition of former times did not care what Gold they laid on Popish Reliques and I believ the Citie-Books will shew many thousand pounds laid out in Gold for guilding Cheapside-Cross upon several occasions I do humbly conceiv that when the Cross was sold it was sold by the State onely for Lead and the State had no more for it but for Lead and if any did refine and part that Lead and converted the Gold to their own use that all that Gold which was sold for two pence the pound weight the State ought to have an accompt for it and my desire to them that bought it is that they would give the just value of all the Gold they extracted out of Cheapside-Cross to the poor maimed soldiers towards their relief and maintenance they having never paid the State for it The taking away of Crosses and Superstition and plucking of them down I thank God for but withal I would not that the State should sell Gold at two pence the pound weight to any person upon what pretence of service or well-deserving soëver for after that rate the Parlament may have servants too many for their profit and in managing business in this manner the whole Common-wealth suffer's and som private persons get mightie Estates to the great damage of the Common-wealth in general I humbly saie what is the Common-wealth's ought to bee sold at the best advantage and improvement for the publick and and not for private respects sold at an under value upon any pretence to any private person whatsoëver I know for speaking this truth I shall have envie but my comfort is it will bee by or from none but interested parties and all those that are not vvill thank mee for speaking truth The Parlament heretofore made many Provisional Acts som onely to continue to the next Sessions of Parlament which was somtimes three five seven ten fifteen years before a Parlament vvas called and no remedie could bee had out of Parlament if that these Acts were found prejudicial to the State till the next Sessions of Parlament Now by the blessing of God on this Nation these inconveniences are remedied for the Parlament sit's alwaies so that if the Parlament pass any Act vvhich they shall finde upon just grounds either to add to it or take from it they have it in their own power to alter it upon the trial if a Law should pass vvhich vvere not for the general good of
lost almost all it's Customs of Goods imported from the West and East Indies onely by laying an excessive Custom whereas if they would have been content with a moderate Custom the Wealth of the East and West Indies would have been landed for Spain which now verie scarcely toucheth that Land Pr. 4. p. 4 5. In France Spain Holland Poland Legorn Genoa and many other places the Merchant-strangers paie no more Customs then the Natives I Thomas Violet was commanded 14 years ago by the late King to attend the Lords of the Council about free Trade and the reasons wherefore it went not on was the old Farmers of he Cu stoms and the Lord Cottington were against it with the grounds of their aversness against free Trade Pr. 5. p. 5 6. If free Trade had been settled 14 years ago the Nation would have gotten many millions of monie before this time and our ships not so easily lost as they have been Pr. 6. p. 6. Wee are robbed by our own Seamen who have their wives and families here in and about London and several other parts of this Nation Pr. 7. p. 7. Good securitie to bee given not to defraud the State of the Custom or Excize of any Goods imported and spent in this Nation Pr. 8. p. 7 8. The great abuse in the Excize and Customs heretofore by collecting of them and the profuse expence of inferior Clerks beyond their allowance which must bee maintained in an indirect waie to the prejudice of the State for where the Constable is a Thief the Felon will hardly bee found Stricter penalties to bee made against stealing Excize and Customs Pr. 8. p. 8. No Ships to put to Sea but in Fleets with good Convoie Pr. 9. p. 8. Several Governments in Companies highly prejudicial to the Nation in general instance in three particulars but there are many score more First as in Oil Currants and English Cloth the miscarriage of the Merchant-Adventurers hath caused the Manufactures of Cloth to bee set up beyond Seas Pr. 9. p. 9 10. Give the Dutch the same privileges they give our Natives you will draw all their rich Merchants into our Harbors for they had rather bring their Goods unto our safe Harbors in England then run the hazard of their Texel at Amsterdam where they lose fourtie sale of Ships a year if they could have their Goods brought hither with as little charge as to Amsterdam Pr. 10. p. 10 11 12. If you allow a free Trade and let no man have greater privileges then other you will sell ten Clothes for one that is now sold Pr. 10. p. 12. That you would treat speedily with the Fishmongers about serving the Nation with fish this beeing the season of the year for doing it and so maintain your nurserie of Fishermen And to prohibite for som time the killing of Lambs and Sheep The benefit that will accrew thereby Pr. 11. p. 12 13. That you appoint som eminent Merchant and send him into Spain to treat in the behalf of the Merchants in England about the Spaniards returning Gold and Silver for England from Spain and other Merchandizes That the prime Merchants in London which are strangers may bee consulted with about it for they are the most likely to draw their Trade hither by a Treatie with their Countrie-men Pr. 12. p. 13 14. That the Parlament would bee pleased to declare That no Imbargoe or Sequestration bee upon any Gold or Silver brought into the Mint This is desired by som Merchant-strangers that know the Spaniard will not trust his Treasure to bee liable to Imbargoes for Delinquencie of his Factor Pr. 13. p. 14. To laie small duties upon English Cloth and all manner of Woollen Manufactures and so to lessen the Customs as wee may undersel any other Nation and to make transporting Wooll and Fuller's Earth Felonie Pro. 14 15. p. 14. To laie little dutie upon raw Silk Flax Goat's-hair Cotton Wooll Grogran-Yarn that so our poor may bee set on work That som French and Walloon Weavers bee invited into this Nation and â—rdered to â—ake our English poor to teach them these beeing Manufactories whereby many thousand people may bee set awork and wee get a rich Manufacture into this Nation as appear's Pr. 15. p. 15 16. That you would bee pleased to make the late King's Hous at Greenwich a Magazine for Goods the reasons are by this means the Citie of London will never have a dearth of Corn and have all Commodities at the best hand when the Merchant shall have libertie to export such Goods as hee cannot sell here after that hee hath tried his Markets Custom-free Prop. 16. p. 16 17. Several reasons to shew what benefit will com to the Nation by Naturalizing all Merchant-strangers such as shall com over and plant amongst us and bring their Families by former experience of the Dutch that have planted amongst us witness several Families now abiding here Pr. 17. p. 17 18. About the importation of French Wines that it make's the State neer upon two hundred thousand pounds a year and the Wineâ— and Casks cost in France the first pennie not one hundred and fiftie thousand pound Then that it is considerable the many thousand of people live on that as Wine-Coopers Vintners Carmen Wine-Porters Besides I am informed there will fortie Sail of Ships this year com awaie from the Canaries unladen the Wines this year having failed and if there bee not som cours taken to bring in French Wines hundreds of Vintners will break The monie that come's in by the Excize and Impost will keep a good Fleet to defend our Navigation two hundred thousand pound a year is a verie considerable summe Pr. 18. p. 19. About setting up a Manufacturie of Linen Cloth and the several great advantages would com to the Common-wealth thereby Pr. 19. p. 20 21. About keeping an exact accompt in the Nation of all the Native's Goods exported and forreign Goods imported by which means you would constantly see yearly what the Importation exceed's the Exportation and so would bee certainly informed how the stock of the Nation stand's Pr. 19. p. 20. If you make a free Trade you will have Stocks of Forreigners lie here to ballance any Imbargo and make good to the Nation when our Merchants are oppressed beyond Seas for upon Imbargoes it is not onely the Merchants suffer but the Nation Pr. 20. p. 22. The great advantages and benefits will com to this Nation by making a free Trade by the same means the Dutch from as small and contemptible beginning have held War against the most potent Prince in Christendom and after fourscore years war compelled him to give them their own Conditions Pr. 21. p. 23. Great inconveniences arising to the State by not having skilful and able men to manage the Customs by the former rules in L. Treasurer Burly ' s time and since all Custom-hous-men were to put in securitie not onely for the monie they received but also that they
the Parlaments decrying all light and clipped English Silver which mischiefs had been prevented if there had been put into the Ordinance to require all people upon the exchanging of clipt English Monie to cut it in two pâ—ices p. 70 71 80. Twentie Millions of Monie coined in the Tower of London within this twentie five years as will appear by the Mint-Book and almost all transported p. 71. No great Action in a Common-wealth can bee don without Monie therefore to prevent the growth of this mischief of transporting Treasure is the work of everie faithful lover of his Countrie p. 72. An old Dear-stealer is the best Keeper of a Park Yet before I had my pardon I paid to the late King two thousand pounds in Gold to his privie purs p. 79. Great mischiefs formerly don to the Armie in Ireland by paying their Armie with light and cours peices of eight which was delivered to them at twentie in the hundred more then any Souldier could make to make any returns to their wives and children and this was don for the profit of som Goldsmiths in England p. 80. â—everal Orders of Parlament for the discoverie of the Transporters of Gold and Silver and the Committee of the Navie the Commissioners of the Customs and the Officers of the Mint's Certificate for the speedie dispatch in Sept. 1647. and nothing don in it yet the Mint ever since at a stand and almost no Monie hath been coined for above three years not so much as within this twelve years hath been coined within the compass of fourteen daies It were worth inquirie to have them publickly known that retard the Act against transporting Gold it doth highly concern the safetie of the Nation to have it looked after for there is more in it then vulgarly can bee imagined p. 82 83 84 85 87. There is another caus of great consumption of the Treasure of this Nation by importing French and Flanders Laces to the value of many score of thousand pounds which of late is stolen in without paying of Customs beeing subtilly packed in Commodities of great bulk p. 88 89 90. Against the excessive waste of Gold in guilding of Coaches and Carroches p. 90 91. Concerning the Manufacture of Gold and Silver Threed p. 91 92 93 94 95 96 97. For the regulation of the Manufacture of Gold and Silver Threed to have a sworn Officer that is no trader in this Manufacture to bee Surveyer and Sealer The draft of the Corporation of Gold-wier-drawers presented to the Honorable Council for Trade by som of the Wier-drawers p. 98. The Gold-wier-drawers offered the late King and his Successors one thousand pounds a year and two pence an ounce for to have a Corporation p. 98. The Companie of Goldsmiths complained at the Council-Table in 1634. of several abuses in the Trade of Refining and Wier-drawing and transporting of Gold Vpon their complaint I Thomas Violet and several other Goldsmiths and Fines were brought into the Star-chamber p. 99. My great obligation to Sir John Cook the late Ring 's Secretarie for procuring my Pardon p. 100 101. I imported more Silver then I transported Gold pag. 102 103. I was commanded by the late King to have the viewing and surveying all Gold and Silver Threed and the Grant cost mee neer fifteen hundred pounds Never so good Gold and Silver Threed made as while I had the Office proved by many people that are Artists p. 103. The Refiners had that good fortune they got all off the Star-chamber without a sentence by their wit which was to out-bid the Wier-drawers p. 103 104. A Copie of Sir John Bank ' s Certificate to the late King concerning the Wier-drawer's Corporation verie fit for the State to tie up the Trade to such Rules as is there desired to avoid the consumption of Treasure 104 105 106. The Refiners of London served the Wier drawers as the Merchant-Adventurers served the Cloth-workers in King James ' s time out-bribed or out-bid them and so got the Monopoly of beeing the King's Agents they onely to furnish the Silver p. 106 107. The Wier-drawer's Petition in Parlament against the Finer's Monopoly p. 108. The Refiner's craftie Petition read the 24 of November 1640. as if they were enforced to bee the King's Agents when it was their desire and thereupon som of them had their pardon from the late King And becaus they gave six pence the ounce to the late King or see it secured there was two pence the ounce allowed to them more for their gilt Wier and a pennie an ounce for the Silver Wier then it was offered to furnish the Wier-drawers at the Golden Fleece and this is known to bee true that these Agents were allowed many hundred pounds a year more in the price of their Silver then the Wier-drawers could have bought it for had they had a free market 108 109. That upon trial of above one hundred Assaies of Gold and Silver Threed Spangles and Wier by Master Jackson Assaie-master of Goldsmith's-Hall these Manufactures were found to bee cours under sterling and adulterated and that was a principal ground the late King and his Council would not trust the Wier-drawers nor Finers with a Corporation but with a Regulation for it was the sens of the whole Council-Table To give them a Corporation and to leav it to themselvs to manage was to give them a Licens to deceiv the Common-wealth with Autoritie p. 110 111. The Erecting of my Office of Sealer and Surveyor of Gold and Silver Threed and to warrant it all good that was sealed with the Seal of the Office Without that assurance the Common-wealth had no benefit by the sealing p. 111 112. The rude carriage of som of the Wier-drawers and others trading in the Manufacture at the Council for Trade If they cannot carrie themselvs civilly before such a great Assemblie what clamors shall the Surveyor have when hee doth his dutie in seeing them make good work p. 112. That all Gold and Silver-Threed should bee made with five ounces Troy Silver to one pound Venice of Thread and if any were made under to deface or burn it then you would have your Silver-Lace last six times as long as it doth p. 113. The Fee of four pence the pound weigh in Thread allowed to mee Thoma Violet was earned with a great dea of attendance charge and hazard for I was to see all the Manufactur made good to the Common-wealth thâ— had the Seal of my Office p. 113 11â— Several people whom I did question fâ—â— making fals Gold and Silver-Threeâ— and Wier and for putting Copper iâ— to Silver Lace and selling it for goâ—â— Silver p. 114 115 I humbly desire that Sir Robert Harlov may deliver my Grant for my Officâ— to the Council for Trade and hee beeing the Chair-man appointed by thâ— Parlament to examine the business and that hee would bee pleased to certifie to the Honorable Council of Trade what hee found upon Examination concerning my Grant that
so the Honorable Council for Trade may do that which they shall finde upon my Grant most advantagious for the Service of the Common-wealth that so the Wearers of the Manufacture of Gold and Silver Lace may not bee cozened p. 115. An Ordinance of the sixth of Aug. 1646. for laying four pence upon the ounce Troy upon all Gold and Silver-Wier p. 116. That there is twentie thousand pounds in the hands of som of the Gold-wier-drawers and Refiners which they owe in arrears to the Parlament the Excize not making for almost four year above one thousand pounds which if I had had my Office I would have collected six thousand pounds a year which is four and twentie thousand pounds and all this monie due to the Parlament lie's in the hands not of above thirtie persons p. 116 117. The Gold-wier-drawers before any Excize was thought upon did offer the late King and his Heirs for ever two pence the ounce Troy and a thousand pounds a year to have a Corporation but the deceits so grosly practised by many of them were so clearly proved that this State would not trust them with a Corporation nor the Finers but under a Regulation by Commissioners all men of great qualitie in the Common-wealth p. 118. There is now for a time collected of the Wier-Drawers and Refiners at the Bar but one pennie the Ounce which upon account of Excize is not above fifteen shillings in an hundred pounds of Gold and Silver-Thread when it is manufactured Other Commodities which are for use of the Nation and not superfluous paie's five pounds in the hundred Excize p. 118. If the Council for Trade pleas to take into consideration Master Atturnie General Banks ' s Certificate for regulating the Manufacture of Gold and Silver-Thread this State will make six thousand pounds a year of the Excize if the Rules desired in the Silver-Spinner's last printed Petition to the Council for Trade bee also taken into consideration and my humble Propositions to the Council for Trade p. 94. 95 96 97. bee taken into consideration the Manufacture shall all bee made right both for the fineness of the Silver and the just covering of the Thread with a good Plate at least five ounces the pound Venice by which means the poor working Wier-drawers and the Silver-Spinners will have a comfortable livelihood and the Common-wealth served with good Silver-Lace Thread and Wier which heretofore they have been grosly cozened in by reason of the slight making of them p. 118 119. I challenge any Wier-drawer Finer or Silk-man in London to produce one pound weight of bad or slight Silver-Thread I ever sealed at the Office or that any man could ever fasten one pennie on mee or other reward for conniving at any man that did not work good Silver and I am sure I and my Servants sealed above a million of Scanes of Gold and Silver and if they could have found mee faultie in that particular they would have gon to the Parlament with a full crie But though they sought and sought carefully yet they could not finde one ounce p. 119 120. While I had the Office of Surveyor and Sealer for the Manufacture of Gold and Silver-Thread I did discharge my trust faithfully in seeing the Common-wealth should not bee cozened for which som of them clamored most lewdly against mee about the Citie of London p. 121. The several mischievous designs of Refiners and Wier-drawers against mee as the Widow Simmonds wife of one Joseph Simmonds set on by the combination of the Wier-drawers in vexatious Suits when I had their Acquittances and onely mis-laid them upon my troubles in my Sequestration which was brought upon mee by the malicious charge of som of the Refiners of London p. 122 123. 124. An accompt of what hath been taken from mee by Sequestration p. 124 125 126 127 128. Tho. Conningâ—bie of Hartfordshire Esquire and Christopher Hatton of London Gentleman Witnesses of Philip Cage Esq his Declaration p. 129 130. An Order of the Committee of Essex for Master Edward Elconhead touching Thomas Violet ' s Lands in Essex p. 130. An Acknowledgment of Mistris Mordant concerning Tho. Violet ' s Bonds and Extents on the Manors of Batels and Paten-Hall in Essex p. 131 132. An Order of the Committee of Essex touching Master Elconhead ' s bringing in the caus of my Sequestration in Essex p. 132. Master Elconhead never paid any Monie to the Countie of Essex for the use of the Countie as I could hear of for the composition of my Lands in Essex p. 133 134. The late King's Letter to the Citie of London p. 135 136. Two Letters of M. Read ' s sent to M. Theophilus Rilie Seout-master of the Citie of London from Oxford p. 136 137 M. Theophilus Rilie Scout-master of the Citie of London did daily then emploie Intelligencers into the King's Quarters by Order of the Parlament and the Citie of London as hee told mee Thomas Violet p. 138 I had a Pass to go to Oxford as appear's by the Journal-Books p. 138 The reason wherefore I was willing to go to Oxford was that I might have licens from the late King to discover the Transporters of Gold and Silver which about a moneth before I went to Oxford hee sent mee a Letter to command mee not to proceed in the said Discoverie The Copie of the King's Letter to mee Thomas Violet 19 Novemb. 1643. The reason why bee would not suffer mee to make that Discoverie hee told mee it would make him good store of Monie when hee came to London p. 139 140 141. I do now offer the State to bring them fiftie thousand pounds within the compass of one year if they will pass the Act against the Transportation of Gold and Silver as it is now presented by the Council of State p. 141. For the Honorable the Council for Trade I humbly present if they settle the Trade for refining Gold and Silver and Wier-drawing in a Corporation as it is now desired by the Wier-drawers it were to make all the speed possible that that little Silver in Coin which is yet left should bee culled and melted down for Gold and Silver Lace p. 148. A Council for Monie were verie necessarie p. 148 149. Concerning the buying Cheapside-Cross p. 150 151. The great mischiefs Transportation of Gold and Silver bring 's on this Nation p. 153 154. It may bee objected that I have not don prudently in declaring so much for the service of the State before I knew my conditions what the State would do for mee The reasons which did induce mee to do it p. 155 156. If I may have my estate restored to mee again which hath been sequestred upon the mis-informations of som malicious people I will give the maimed Souldiers which have served the Parlament since the death of the late King half of my Estate I shall die possessed of and to the maimed Sea-men emploied in the State 's Service one quarter-part and for the true performance of this I will give a perfect accompt to the Masters of Trinitie-Hous and the Masters of Thomas Hospital in Southwark once everie year upon conditions by once recited p. 156 157. FINIS
and Silver Thread when it is Manufactured And other sorts of goods that are for use and not superfluous paie's five pounds in the hundred Now if the State pleas to laie six pence on the Ounce for all Gold and Silver-Wier that is disgrossed at the Bar it is not above three pounds in one hundred for som sorts of Gold and Silver-Thread and four pounds ten shillings in the hundred pounds Excise for the heaviest when it Manufactured and it is a superfluous commoditie that if any will wear it they ought to paie so much Excise as other commodities doth and if the rules desired in the Silverspinner's last printed Petition to your Honors with som few other Observations on Master Atturnie General Bankes his Certificate for the Regulating the Manufacture the State will make six thousand pounds a year of it and the Manufacture all made right both for the fineness of the Silver and the just covering of the Thread with a good plate and to settle a comfortable livelihood for the labor of all the poor working Wier-drawers and Silver-spinners that have a right to the Trade by service or seven years usage and the supernumerarie Master-Wier-drawers and Work-men to bee excluded the Trade that have not served for it or not wholly followed it for seven years I humbly desire your Honors to take notice by the Ordinance of Parlament that laie's four pence upon all Silver disgrossed at the Bar dated the sixt of August 1646. all Gold and Silver-Thread was to bee made up in scanes and to bee sealed without any fee and this no doubt was moved to bee put in by som people who knew verie well if there were no fee allowed there could bee no service don and that which hath made the Citie of London so full of slight Silver-Thread is the neglecting the surveying of it For how could any Sealer give his attendance warrant the Silver to the Nation and to any Merchants to bee good Silver both according to the Standard of the Silver and that it contain's in one pound Venice five Ounces of Silver and without this warrant to the buier what good doth the sealing of it While I had the surveying of this Manufacture which was above four years I warranted it all to the Common-wealth and I challenge any Wier-drawer or Finer or Silk-man in London to produce one pound of bad or slight Silver I ever sealed at the Office or that any man could ever fasten one pennie on mee or other reward for conniving at any man that did not work good Silver It is well known I did alwaies stand to reliev the poor work-men and work-women while I had the Office against their oppressing work-masters in causing their workmasters not to deliver them bad Silver or such as would not work by reason of the not refining of it well and made the Refiners change it though it were good according to the Standard yet not beeing well drietested it would bring the poor work-men a great deal of trouble and loss by reason of the Quick-Silver That I was strict to see all men work good Silver and to caus those that did not to bee punished I confess it ot bee true and it did concern mee to do it for els I had brought a scandal on the Manufacture and my Office and I might have been undon in warranting the commoditie to bee all right that was sealed in the Office And if the Wier-drawers could have proved but any Gold and Silver-Thread with all their vigilant search throughout the Citie that had been sealed that was cours Silver or held not five Ounces to everie pound Venice it had gon in to the Parlament with a full crie but though they sought and sought carefully to finde it out that either I or my servants had sealed any bad Silver they could not finde one Ounce though I am sure I and my servants in the time I had the Office sealed above one Million of Scanes of Gold and Silver and it was a great mercie of God to mee the Wier-drawers vvith all the tricks they used could get no cours or slight Silver-Thread to produce to the Parlament But missing their mark in that design they with som Refiners whose tongues I have found more sharp then a two-edged sword with the greatest industrie subtilly spit out the poison of Asps which naturally grow's in som of their mouths or els so much untruth could not bee invented as they bestowed upon mee the poison of their mouths and tongues beeing to mee as venomous as the Aqua-Fortis they make For in the beginning of this Parlament som of them cast about the Citie of London and to people that never knew mee as if I had been the worst man living And though the Finers and Wierdrawers of London both Petitioned the late King for their Trade as I said before and each striving which of them should set their trade in such a waie that might bring them in the most for their particular profit vvhen they had moulded all their Regulation then I was nominated Surveyor and Sealer of all the Manufacturie by the late King which I did discharge faithfully in seeing they should not cousen the Common-vvealth for my doing thereof som of them clamored most lewdly against mee about the Citie of London And som which I know did use these unworthie vvaies to defame and slander mee are now discovered and held themselvs unworthie men and in as much contempt with the Citie of London as they put upon their neighbors It is not their removing out of the Citie of London can make their cursed remembrance bee forgot These restless spirits have left no stone unmoved to do mee a mischief and to present mee as a Malignant and dis-affected to this Common-wealth Truly I will declare to all the world I ever loved and honored the late King with all my heart as long as hee bad breath in his bodie and would have don him any just service and nothing beyond that I would have don and I am confident no gallant man will condemn mee for speaking this truth Now hee is dead I am free with the same faith and humble dutie and somthing more by reason my afflictions hath got mee som more experience I will constantly serv this Parlament and the Common wealth of England as it is now settled without King or Lords to the last drop of bloud in my bodie against any person that oppose's them and will do the Parlament all just service for the Common-wealth And I thank God I never by any was desired farther and if I should I would bid any that ask's mee to do it do it themselvs Yet these Moles som of the Refiners and som of the Wier-drawers vvould introduce to som of my friends that I am a dangerous Instrument for som of the State so that these men's tongues are like saws with cross teeth if I bee of the King's side I shall bee blasted when the King is dead if I serv
the State I shall not scape them but if they had rested with words I should better have born their malice But this last Michaëlmas Term they fell on mee with deeds took mee upon an Execution at the suit of one Widow Simonds wife of one Joseph Simonds when I never vvarranted any Atturnie to appear for mee and I had a Releas of the said Joseph Simonds for to withdraw all Actions and thereupon I delivered him an Ingot of Silver which was seized on by the late King's Commissioners by order of the Lords of the Council and this was don eleven years ago I never owed this woman or her husband one pennie and I make no question but I shall have reparation and to finde out the confederacie against mee This Joseph Simonds brought the same Action against Sir John Wollaston Alderman Gibs Sir William Becher Master Alderman Harison and divers others and they all non-suited him several times and if I had known the declaration against mee I would have pleaded and gotten off as well as others but I was in the Countie of Darbie-shire and never knew of it till there was Judgment entred upon a Nihil Dicit and a Writ of Inquirie of Damages when I had the said Joseph Simond's Releas attested by five witnesses and I found this Releas by a strange accident after I had lost this Acquitance about ten years the tenth of this present Januarie this I put down openly that as I was affronted publickly on the Exchange by beeing arrested there upon an unjust Action all men should know I cannot bee arrested for a just Debt REceived the 19 daie of Octob. 1640. of Thomas Violet by vertue of an Order of the Lords at White-Hall the 18 of Octob. 1640. one Ingot of Silver-Guilt weighing 17 pound weight one Ounce and five pennie weight and I do promise to withdraw all Actions that have been commenced either against Robert Amerie Thomas Violet or any other for seizing and deteining of the said Silver-Guilt In witness whereof I have bereunto set my hand Joseph Symonds Witness wee M. Blunt Andrew Heitly Will. Creswell Will. Crosbie Will. Bourne Beyond Seas it is not permitted to a Sergeant to arrest any man on the Exchange and it were verie fit it should bee so here in London for many Merchants are crazie commodities and their reputation 's not to bee touched lest they fall in pieces I speak not for my self for I owe not one hundred pounds in the world that any bodie can justly ask mee though I have had taken from mee by Order of Committees above eight thousand four hundred pounds and I have left off trading this ten years But I know there is a great necessitie at this time for Merchants not to bee arrested on the Exchange for the humor of many English Usurers and som others is that if they finde a man sinking everie man enter's his Action and pul's somtimes a good Estate in pieces whereas they should do as they do in Holland if their debtors have losses at sea or by fire or bad debts they plaie the good Samaritan binde up their wounds and instead of adding affliction to their debtor comfort him and by this careful usage many a score of men beyond seas have recovered their Estates and been gallant Merchants again whereas here they fling them into prisons and ruine them But for such Merchants or others that break out of knaverie to cousen men by their Composition as too many do or such as have Diced or Whored away their Estates and then break in other men's debts I desire from my heart and humbly praie a Law may bee made to make it Felonie in any that hath or shall do it I am credibly told it is so in France and other Forrain parts But that which was the Master-piece of all the Refiner's plots to destroie mee was when by the subtiltie of two of them they put mee into the Tower for three years and eleven months and did engage great and honorable men against mee for what som of them knew themselvs long before I did and I did nothing but by warrant of publick Officers By which fals information they caused mee to bee sequestred of my Estate and damnified and plundered to the value of eight thousand pounds and kept close prisoner in a room in the Tower for nine hundred twentie eight daies and never could bee heard to make my just defence and had not God sent Sir Thomas Fairfax his Armie to London I had never got out of the Tower but been buried there alive For the true Examination of all the transaction of that business I am an humble suitor to the Parlament to have Justice and that the truth of this business might bee found out and that it may bee referred to the Honorable Committee of Examinations and then it will bee found this design was to blast and undo mee and by that means to prevent mee that I should not tell the State what I knew to bee true and should never com to bee heard in what I could serv the State for as they had laid the design for my life and good name it was one hundred to one that ever I escaped their mortal snare An Accompt of what hath been taken from mee for which I humbly desire reparations and satisfaction 1. WHen I was sent to the Tower the sixt of Januarie 1643 my mother had of my Goods Bonds and Bils in her hands taken away from her at several times viz. to the value of one thousand three hundred and odd pounds besides many of my Papers and Accompts of a great value and consideration to mee seized and many of my Papers were of great concernment to the Common-wealth and as yet I cannot com to the knowledg who hath them but this I am sure of if there had been any thing in them that could have made against mee there had then use been made of them 2. My mother had at another time a Privie Seal taken from her wherein the late King acknowledged hee owed mee for my expences in the Discoverie of the Transporters of Gold and Silver nineteen hundred threescore and eight pounds which monie I laid out everie pennie out of my own purs 3. The Committee of Essex put mee out of possession of the Mannors of Battels and Paton Hall in Essex as appear's by their Warrants here annexed of which Land I had an extent to the just value of one thousand pounds due to mee in 1643. and Master Philip Cage was in possession of the premises for my use as hereafter follow 's 4. The Committee of Shropshire seized in my sister's hands in London three bonds due to mee in two thousand pounds for the paiment of mee Thomas Violet one thousand pounds by the Ladie Wade Edmond Lenthal Esquire Philip Cage Esquire Charls Mordent Esquire as appear's under the band of Philip Cage Esquire 5. I had the Leases of ten several Houses at the Postern in little More-Fields and