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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A95991	A true narrative of som [sic] remarkable-proceedings concerning the ships Samson, Salvador, and George, and several other prize-ships depending in the High Court of Admiralty; humbly presented to the Parliament of the Common-wealth of England, and the Councell of State, and the Councell of Officers of his excellency the Lord Generall. / By Tho. Violet of London, gold-smith.	Violet, Thomas, fl. 1634-1662.	1653 (1653)	Wing V593; Thomason E1070_4; ESTC R208665	74,616	123

your Petitioner shall pray c. A Copie of a Paper presented the eighth of December 1652. to the Lord Bradshaw and Master Allen by Thomas Violet who the same day delivered the said Paper to the Councel of State and the Councel upon several debates before the Comittee of Forraigne affaires Ordered the 13. of December 1652. the said Tho. Violet to assist on the behalf of the Commonwealth the prosecution in the high Court of Admiralty against the ships Samson Salvador and George which had then aboard all the silver now coyning in the Tower and that he should repair to D. VValker Advocate for the Comonwealth and acquaint him from time to time what he had to offer on behalf of the publique in reference to the said Ships MAy it please your Honor having understood from some Merchants that the Councel of State have referred the Spanish Ambassadors claime to a great quantity of Treasure which hee pretends to bee his Masters the King of Spaines silver and all the silver belonging to his Masters subjects unto the Admiralty there to receive a Judgement according to the equity of the cause In all humilitie I acknowledge the Justice of the Admiralty and that I beleeve they will doe their utmost both for doing the Spanish Ambassador right and to see the State shall have what belongs justly to them But withall I thinke it my duty to acquaint you that the proceedings in the Admiralty must goe according to the formes of that Court except the Judges receive some extraordinary direction from the Parliament or the Councel of State in this weighty businesse now I humbly say the proceedings at Law will take so much time up that the Merchants will send into Spayne for new cocquets and new Bills of lading and for money no doubt they will get a post-Registring and I am confident there are many in London can write and counterfeit Bills of lading and Cockets and never send into Spayne for them besides I have good reason to beleeve the hearts purses heads and books of accounts of many Merchants of London will be all ready to assist the Dutch-Merchants to cozen the State of this Treasure and truly my humble opinion is that if any publike ministers can by their policy get all this silver out of the Parliaments hands that then they will bee extraordinarily rewarded by them of Holland for salvage of this Treasure it will be beyond Commission money or factoridge And as the conjuncture of time stands between us and the Dutch this present moneth of December some publique Ministers in England will have the profitablest employment of any Ambassador in the World if they can christen all Hollanders goods and Treasure with the name of Antwerpians Ostenders and Dunkirkers or by his or their power can make all goods laden in Hamburgers or Hance townes that those goods must of necessity belong to Hamborough when I have certaine profe to justifie the contrary and I humbly desire before the ships be discharged my witnesses may be all examined and upon the perill of my life I will prove that in these ships there are great quantities of silver for the Accompt of Hollanders and people of the united Provinces I having formerly beene privy to the proceedings of Merchants that have transported gold and silver out of this Nation and also acquainted with several Merchants that have yeerely imported silver from Spayne I thought it my duty to acquaint you that if the Parliament and Councel of State be not very vigilant in this businesse and of the proceedings about the silver they will be cozened of their right for there will be no stone left unturned both by the Merchants beyond Seas and here to circumvent the State of this Treasure This that I say I speake not out of ill will to the Hollander for there are several of the Councel of State did me the honor to aske me what I thought of a Peace or Warre I ever with all humilitie told those that asked mee that there could never come a more safe nor honorable thing to the State then to conclude a safe and honorable Peace with Holland yet though I loved them very well while wee had Peace I respect them not now during the time of Warre after such a rate that they by craft should cozen the State of this great Treasure which is now taken if to the uttermost of my power I could hinder it or ad any thing to the stop of it and knowing what great mischiefs would come to this Nation if I did not make your Honors acquainted with these practises I thinke I am bound as any English-man not to feare the face of any though I know it will get mee ill will and a shrewd turne even with som great ones in power this service shall beare me record how faithfully I ever loved and doe love my Countrey and convince all those that have misrepresented mee to the State that after so long oppression I may have my Estate restored and this is the true reason wherfore I humbly present this Paper to your Honor vizt My Lord when the King of Spaynes fleete returns to saint Lucar there lies out alwaies beyond the bar of saint Lucar which is out of the command of the Castle several ships of all Nations and these lie there purposely to take in silver and gold coucheneele and all other India commodities so stolne aboard which some yeeres there hath beene imposed above twenty in the hundred for Registring These goods being shipped as aforesaid then the Master of the ship that takes them in usually signes three Bills beside the Register of his owne bookes which in time of Warre are many and every Captaine Master or Purser must keepe and carry with him one to enter all parcels and accounts One bill of these three the Merchant usually sends along with the ship with a letter of advice to the Merchant what he hath sent him the markes and weight or number of Ingots or peeces of eight and the marks and number of all bails fardels chests or caske Another of these bills is sent over land usually by the Post with letters of advice of such goods gold and silver and those bills a shipboard they alter according to the course they are to steere if it be through the chanell of one two or three enemies they will shew severall bills of lading and bookes of entries but those bills that goe by land are alwaies the true bills the other bills in these times are usually amusements to defraude the State but usually those that come by the Post are the true bills but for those on ship-board usually the Merchants know a moneth sooner then the ships coming by Sea what gold and silver or comodities his Factor hath shipped and in what ships and gives order accordingly at Dover or other Ports in this Nation for sending his goods to severall places beyond Sea or to London according as advice shall be given him where the

Mint in the Tower of London Sir There are som men when they behold a hous ready finished they do not at the first apprehend the several pins and beams and materials that make 's and frame 's the building there is many a nail driven which the Spectator never see 's the builder that paie's for it hee onely keep 's that particular account as I have don for this Book Humbly present you I must confess this is but a thatched Cottage but it hath cost mee many years pains and trouble and great expence to present it to you in that ruff and unpollished shape it is in I have for many years night and daie had several helps and hands both in England and beyond-Seas from choice intelligencers and out of several manuscripts in the custodie of Sr John Cook when hee was Secretarie to the late King and since the Parlament I have got what I could by industrie from Merchants and others both at home and abroad at my great expence to make mee serviceable to my Countrie in studying the individual prosperitie of every man that is a true lover of this Common-wealth Sir Hee that travail's far in a Winter's daie had need to bee up before Sun-rising And such honorable Members as your self shall and have no doubt found the affairs of the Common-wealth left strangely intangled the 20. of April 1653. The great God of Heaven direct you to set all strait in the Common-wealth and that you may amend what you found amiss to the comfort of this Nation and to you and your posterities everlasting honor whereby this Common-wealth may bless God for you and other worthie Members of Parlament and Armie SIR There is a Rule in the State of Venice when their Embssadors com home the Senate there requireth them to give an account of the negotiations in Forreign parts and to declare the conditions manners fashions and powerfull parties and factions in those Kingdoms or Common-wealths from whence they return An Embassador of Venice returning from England in the late King Charles's time was according to custom to give his usual account in the Senate hee after a long Oration of the power of the Spanish Italian French Dutch and Scotch-interest in the Court of England their several influences on all the actions of the late King and his Counsel was required to give an account of the power and interests the English Natives had themselvs in their own Counsels to which the Embassador replied That the Natives themselvs had little or no power in the Court of England for though the King 's Privie Council had all English bodies yet they had Spanish French Dutch and Scotch hearts and many of them Forreign Prince's Pensioners and the true lovers of their Countrie the Natives of England had little power in their own Counsels the late King having a resolution to cast off all Parlaments and to rule by his own Prerogative The sad effects of those Counsels and thir miscarriages brought the late great miseries and Wars on this Nation May it pleas you Sir I would to God som men could not justly say the like during som time of the late Parlament many of their Counsellors and Members in the begining of the late Parlament speaking all perfit Scotch and Presbyterie and afterwards som of their late Counsellors perfect Spanish Dutch and French SIR I say I have found this a sad truth ten thousand pounds deep and better to my particular estate SIR let mee most humbly entreat you to bee instrumental with all the worthie Members of this present Parlament to remember they are English and to act upon true English principles esteeming the good of the Nation above all private respects and their faith and word once past is ever to bee kept either with particular men or States There was many Noble Gentlemen of the last Parlament labored it and studied to bring it about but they were over-powred by several parties and divisions even amongst themselvs if there bee any that hinder this good work in your Counsels I pray God to discover him and to amend and convert him or bring him to Justice That which I most humbly desire is for every man perfectly and freely with due reverence I humbly say it to the Supreme Autoritie to speak his Countrie 's language perfect English in all their words and actions to bee publick spirited men that is to studie the just peace wealth prosperitie and happiness of every individual member of this Nation and that they studie the restoring of Trade the erecting of Manufactures the setting all the poor on work to the relieving the aged and impotent even such as have been struck by God's hand or for their Countrie 's defence My most earnest suit to you is above all earthly things diligently to prepare Ships men and materials for to defend your Dominion of the Seas of this Common-wealth for without this you nor any one member in this Nation can call any thing their own longer then it shall bee lent them by the courtesies of our neighbor-Nation And what favor upon their prevailing can bee exspected by us from them their former courtesies in the East-Indies and their late actions apparently declare to every true English heart Upon honorable and just conditions for the good of both Nations God in his good time I hope and pray for that hee will finde a way to save his servant Isaac that is both English and Dutch and catch the Ram in the Bush I mean the Jesuits that lately kindled this fire and to this daie blow the coles between both Nations Noble SIR I have in this Narrative shewed you a Watch in pieces and som of the Wheels and Springs that make's the motion or els a Carpenter's Rule the inches and Mathematical lines Yet noble Sir I humbly tell you the shewing a man a Rule and a Watch doth not enable him without long studie tools and materials to make a Watch or a Rule I humbly saie I had rather bee a Carpenter by daily practice to know how to build a hous then a Mathematitian by Theorick which can talk of an hundred things in framing an hous but give him a Mallet Saw and Square hee know's not how to handle one of them So it is not the Theorick but the Practick part that can do this service which I have don for the Common-wealth Sir I humbly saie there must bee Men read as well as books and many years studie to do this service SIR I deliver not this paper to erect Offices and Imployments upon the recommendations of friends for any in Power to make such use of these my humble Proposals as som of the late Parlament have don viz. To put into great places of trust and skill ignorant and unskilful men or Rooks as many of your Treasurers and other Officers have been that by indirect waies have cram'd their purses and bought incredible vast possessions Their monies and lands they now have belong's truly to the

is pretended they ought to be unlesse they first prove that those ships silver and all the lading doe really belong unto his Master or some of his subjects nor those of the Netherlands which I humbly say he or they will never be able to doe and I have sufficient proof to the contrary if I can but get my witnesses examined I have about eight witnesses to examine and the Merchants will pack many of them away now they hear I have used to send som of my Intelligencers amongst them into St. Katherines and other places In the mean time if either his Master or his subjects receive damage by any publique ministers claiming silver which is none of theirs but belongs to Holland the Commonwealth is excused and free and the publique minister must bear the blame if any using his Master or his Subjects title to the silver when they had no title or interest therein which if that designe had taken effect all men may see the damage that would acrue to this Nation thereby whatsoever may be pretended to the contrary Sir The law takes no notice of Words but legall proof and evidence where a publique minister bears Parol against the interest of the Commonwealth amounts to no more then a private mans for when a claim is laid to all this silver by forraign Agents as the King of Spain and his Subjects silver I shall prove part of this silver belongs to some Merchants of the united Provinces our mortall enemies and a small part of this silver belongs to some Merchants in London Sir If I finde a man tripping for a penny I will trace him for a pound I fear not to speak a truth in this particular it is for the safety and well being of the Nation that makes me speak so earnestly Sir though in Court and matters of State publique ministers be allowed a Credence paramount agreeable to their letters Credentiall of forraign Princes yet neither those Letters nor their Function shall I humbly conceive allow them any neither the lest priviledge or preheminence beyond civility in any Court of Justice against the Common-wealths title in this businesse of the aforesaid Prizes and silver 1. The Spanyards are as rarely found to trade out of their own Territories all writers say or between upon Strangers bottoms as their King himself and so the goods not likely to have beene theirs originally or by originall consignment colourably perhaps they may that is since their seizure consigned to som of Antwerpe to defeate the claime of this Commonwealth they being commonly partners with the Amsterdammers that being usuall in cases of the like nature especially where so much respite of time hath beene given and so much money stolne out of these ships which shall in all likelyhood be imployed to bribe out of the States hands these ships if they can fasten on any in power that will be so wicked to receive bribes if my humble advice had beene followed the stealing this silver had beene prevented 2. The like assuredly may be affirmed touching the money bullion and plate in the ships in question since the naturall subjects of Spayne dare as ill or worse transport any silver as strangers the crime being alike penall to both but the subject in a worse condition if he adventure being a man of estate because he remaines in the Countrey when the stranger perhaps never returnes to answere it if discovered after he is out of the Countrey as upon publication of this businesse many will not dare to returne into Spayne lest they forfeit not only their own particular and their friends estates but also their lives But Sir suppose it may bee objected that generall negatives from never so many instances of never so universall non uzans amounts not to the face of one particular affirmative profe in contra yet it cannot be denied for reason and so I humbly conceive ought to be granted that som such distinct particular and signisicant proofe in a cause of this high nature and concernment to the profit and safety of this Common-wealth ought first to bee made of the lading of this silver and that from the originall Port of Cadiz or S. Lucar under the Kings Seale or from the Duanas there before any credit can be given to generals against so known constant and universall custome of frauds daily practised against this Common-wealth as I have discovered concerning these Prize-ships before mentioned Sir I have made some of the Councel of State acquainted with the severall waies how the Merchants cozen the State about their prize-ships and goods and they are very apprehensive of it and I know some of the State will call this businesse to a strict accompt therefore I humbly desire you therein still to continue your care as you have done Sir truly if at the first those publique Ministers that claimed had produced originall Warrants from the King of Spayne the attestation of the Ports of Cadiz and S. Lucar from the Duanas there by authentique witnesses that this silver was shipped for the King of Spayne or his subjects proper accompt and that all that was claimed was really true and made that the ground of their exceptions against the proceedings of the judicature of the Admiralty therein had appealed to the Councel of State or Parliament my humble opinion is that perhaps their demands might have arived at a fairer issue then now they may have reason to expect And by Gods assistance they shall have a quick and a vigilant eye on them for night and day I and my Instruments shall watch them so that som merchants and others may live to wish they never had medled in this silver businesse and this I will prosecute according to my Order faithfully though it cost me all that ever I have in the world I know I have ventred my life in this businesse and I will not pluck back my hand let my hazard be what it will Sir whosoever travels and will enter the confines of another Nation though in amity by the Civill-law that is the law of Nations it behooves him to carry with him a sufficient Passe declaring from whence and what he is to what place bound and when demanded by any publick Officer to make that known and proved or upon refusall or for want of such a passe he is at discretion liable to bee arested and imprisoned untill hee cleere the doubt and give satisfaction to the law but if it be proved he hath made a false Passe or that hee bee of another name or Countrie then hee pretends hee may bee hanged for a Spie The like Lawe governs at Sea the Sea-mans ordinary Passe for his ship is his Cockets I meane true ones not counterfeit and feigned his true bills of store bills of lading letters of consignment Pursers and Supercargoes bookes fairely and truly kept for his goods not such bills as Otho George presents and if any Master of a ship be found at Sea without these or the

and faithful services as is well known to all the Commissioners of the Council of Trade the Committee of the Mint and many members of Parlament and Council of State and now in December last I staied the Silver-ships and many other prize-ships at my vast and great expence For my doing this business for the Common-wealth I have at once lost many friends amongst the Merchants and others spent great sums of monie and in hazard of my life If this bee not sufficient testimonie to restore mee to my Estate and to have a good Reward I shall humbly leav it to the consideration of your Lordship and all good men I have in print but given the world a little hint how your businesses in the Admiraltie have been and are mannaged and so for the Mint but if the State knew throughly how things stand in their Admiraltie-Court and how their treasure at Gold-smith's-Hall Worcester-Hous their Customs Excise and Mint-businesses have been managed and is to this daie they would say it were time to look about them The truth of it is had I been imployed and impowred ever since the beginning of August 1652 to have looked after all the prize-ships and had had a moderate allowance for my intelligence I would have saved a great many hundred thousand pounds that you have let gon out of your hands and is at this daie in Holland whereby this Nation hath been unexpressably abused which without God's mercie will prove fatal May it pleas your Honors Let the hazard envie and blame bee never so great nay though it cost mee my life and all I had in the world I would discover unto your Honors the design that was laid to cozen the the State of the silver in the prize-ships For doing this service in staying the silver I have found just what I expected to the ful for many of the Merchants in London Officers of the Admiraltie and som others spout reviling words at mee as a whale doth water and som of them have not scrupled to threaten my life and they are skilful at it both by poison or poniard they are people that have lived in Countries where for a little piece of monie such things are usually don I most humbly confess were I not satisfied in my conscience that there was a necessitie by God's providence which put mee on to make this discovery I should not have don it For I feel it I have raised against mee by doing it many hundred enemies May it please your Honors I have spoken with divers of the Councill of State and they wished mee to put in my humble propositions and therefore I most humbly present them to your Honors humbly desiring your Honors advice and assistance in this weightie business that I might bee justly and fairly dealt with about these Prize-Ships and the silver in them My most humble suit to the Council of State is that out of all these Ships that I made a Protest against their delivery in the Court of Admiraltie and out of the ships Samson Salvador and George I may in reward for my discoverie and charge of intelligence reciev all my Estate which hath been taken from mee to the value of the sum of eleven thousand pounds which is but just my own monies which I have had for ten years unduly kept from mee as appear's by the particulars hereafter following With this my humble Petition I have made several Members of Parlament and of the Council acquainted and they hold that I deserv a farr greater Reward for doing this service for here I do the State the greatest service that ever was don in England by any man of my condition I bring unto the State neer four hundred thousand pounds at this conjuncture of time in silver of our Enemies monie which if it had not been for mee the State had been cozened of it I also discovered a fraud and mysterie of som Merchants which if it had continued would have endangered a ruin of this Nation The Dutch at one time before I discovered the frauds to the State did get out of the Parlament's hands Eleven hundred thousand pounds in silver which wee had once in our custodie since last August and now it is all in Holland For this my service to the State I have brought on my self many Enemies so that now if I should not have just dealing from the State and my Estate restored or the value of it I have by this action for the Common-wealth made my life bitter and uncomfortable unto mee every way and it will for ever discourage any to serv you upon the like occasion My Lord I do the State this service and ask not one pennie but to have my own again which hath been unduly taken from mee as aforesaid upon fals pretences and I never get a trial as is well known unto your Honor. But som of the Members of Parlament when I petitioned for a Trial even by Marshal Law replied if I had been guiltie I should never need to have petitioned for a Trial I should have had one without petitioning A fearful and sad thing to jest mee out of my whole Estate they not remembring the rule do as you would bee don to May it pleas your Honor For God's sake consider what I say there is none in England of my condition ever did England in any age so great a service as I have don in this very particular about the Dutch prize-ships and shall not my faith and true love to my Countrie at such a conjuncture of time bee by such as you are whom God hath set at the Helm looked on and cherished I am confident God will never suffer the State to commit such a sin of ingratitude I dare say I have convinced the greatest Enemies I have in England by deceiving their expectations they little thinking THO. VIOLET could or would have don the Parlament this service I have heard so much my self from som of their own mouths and I do verily believ in their own consciences between God and themselves they are convinced that they have oppressed mee unjustly and if so let som Members of the Parlament have a care when they are in judgment Not to pronounce a sentence against the light of their own consciences for the Oppressors that willingly do injustice to pleas themselves or others that are in power when their conscience shall check them for Oppression may one day fall under the same affliction themselves For those Gentlemen how great soëver must know there is a righteous God who seeth all things and in his good time will render to every man according to his merits and those that judg without mercie shall have no mercie and they know not how soon God will call their delay of Justice and their forbearing to do men right to accompt truly the cries of the oppressed are many in this Nation May it pleas your Honors if I may have my Estate restored or the value of it it shall