assistance taken on You the Government of beeing PROTECTOR of England Scotland and Ireland and the Dominions thereunto belonging You ought and are bound both before God and to these Nations to the uttermost of your power to give Protection and equal Justice to all the good people of these Nations that are willing to live under your Protection and to defend them with all your might strength and to use the power God hath put into your hands for those ends to keep your People in peace and safetie against all factious spirits In pursuance thereof You are asmuch as in you lieth to keep from power or publick Imploiment all such as You and your Counsel shall know to bee publick or secret undermining Enemies of the peace welfare of this Common-wealth by what pretences titles or callings soever whether Civil Militarie or Ecclesiastical You and your great Counsell upon my bended knees I say are to have a special care of some men who under the pretence of the Priviledges and Rights of the people in Parlament would upon that popular score vent their own discontents and put all again into a confusion with what spirits some old Members came to serve the Nation in this Parlament was visibly seen to all men that wished the peace of this Nation in some Counties upon their election and in their ordinary conversation and deportment The scope and drift of some mens designes was to make division and faction between the Parlament and your Highness between the City and your Highness and put all things into a confusion this present day to make way for the publick Enemies of your Highness and this Nation This was by some particular persons no doubt intended and all men that studie and love the peace of their Countrey might see it under such cunning undermining questions as was by some discontented spirits set on foot the last Parlament craftily to undermine the very Body and Beeing of the Government and sliely to strike at both your Highness and your Posterities Life Fame and Fortunes and to pluck up by the roots your Highness Counsel and the established Government which your Highness by the Advice of your Counsel had setled witness the many Libells of all sorts and tempers to stir up commotions in several Parts and Parties the Ingredients beeing prepared for all Interests to incense and infuse a hatred and detestation of the present Government and without Gods mercie the intentions of som would have before this time burst out into tumults and insurrections my hopes and praiers are that God by your Highness prosperous government hath prepared better things for this Nation That some factious Cocks which crew so loud in the Countrey now they are kept out of the Pit may return home to their Houses Countrey Capons and sleep quietly in their roosts it will bee a happiness both to themselvs their Countrey their Wives and Children their Friends Tennants Servants and Neighbors if they do so and their not doing of it may bring disturbance on the Nation and a certain ruine upon themselvs their Wives and Children It is an old trick Divide and Rule and many that have had the power will leave no stone unturned to get again into play so they laugh they care not if the whole Nation cries There are many good People who have been misled upon the notion of Libertie and Freedom And if your HIGHNESS and your Supreme Counsel the Parlament do not give a stop by your power and vigilancie even at this juncture of time without Gods mercie things may run into great Disorders Therefore your HIGHNESS and the Parlament I most humbly upon my knees say must build the walls of our Jerusalem England Scotland and Ireland and the Dominions thereunto belonging as Nehemiah did that of the Jews Your Highness and the Parlament have many Samballats that envies your Building and scorns your Reformation there are many of the Children of Separation and Division in these Lands When a wise man would keep his House from falling that is rent shaken with great tempests he props it up with timber cramps it with Iron bolts and barrs and it may be upon the propping of it to set it upright cracks the seiling and fret-work of the best and stateliest room in his House surely if either the Wife or the Children or the Servants should come and complain to the Owner what dammage this beautifull room hath received the Master of the House and his Workmen have at hand a readie Answer which is Should hee not have propped and crampt the House with Iron bolts and barrs the whole fabrick would have fallen and the House have been made a heap of rubbish both hee and they would have had no place to keep them from the weather By this my propping and cramping up my House saith the wise Master and his VVorkmen I have secured and got my Esse I have kept my beeing when my House is new tiled and tyte to keep out the weather you shall have your desire I will give you all content I will cause Plaisterers to repair and garnish that seiling which you are so much offended with the cracking of I will new gild it and make it more beautifull then ever it was provided you will put to your hands to sweep down the Cob-webbs and carrie away the rubbish and so cleanse and clear my House do this I promise you I will do the other No doubt but a wise and dutifull familie will do it chearfully with thanks for their Esse and beeing hath been preserved through the Master of the families Providence May it pleas Your HIGHNESS I humbly say The good people of these Nations under your protection ought at this juncture of time earnestly to pray to God that the foundations of their Happiness may bee so laid this Parlament as to secure firmly their beeing that they may have an Esse and then comes the Bene that it may bee as firmly setled upon as sure a foundation as a Rock against whom no divisions or force can or shall prevail For the effectual Security of these Nations that this Parlament would bee pleased to erect a high Court of Justice to sweep down the cob-webbs remove the rubbish clear the house and by Justice restrain and if incorrigible cut off unruly and violent spirits Wise men cut their coats according to their cloth and will bee sure to keep themselvs warm before they buy Lace to trimm them Vpon my knees I humbly desire your Highness to put the Nation in a posture of defence against home-bred Traytors and forain Force and then bee pleased to garnish the People with rich and stately Priviledges Security ought to bee provided for before Ornament The Divisions at home are farr more destructive and dangerous than any forain Force or Invasion can bee to this Nation God bee thanked the Sea is a hook in our Enemies nostrils they may bee numerous but they are at a distance I hope this
the value of every Book of Rates and what Commissioners signed the Books the Accompt of the Countie particularly set down who were Treasureres anâ— to give them a full charge to inspect into all the Officers of Excize and Customs Commissioners for Prize Goods all Treasurers and other Officers both in London and all other Cities Burroughs Towns and Ports in the Countrey that have fingered the publick money This stricktly and impartially to bee done upon the oaths of able and discreet persons in every Parish in England will lay the axe to the root of the Tree and grubb up by the roots unjust Committee-men and Treasurers and all such as have defrauded your Highness and the Common-wealth And this will bring your Highness in millions of money and ease the publick Taxes May it pleas your Highness From such as are true honest English-men and love their Countrey I look for no opposition in setting this Business on foot for calling the Accomptants and Treasurers of the Nation to Accompt but it is the guiltie partie that will bee sure to sting mee and they are both potent and numerous with the venom of their tongues which is as bad as the poison of Asps for this Business doth touch them to the quick and they and their Creatures will leav no stone unturned to do mee a mischief Therefore upon my knees I most humbly begg your Highness 's and the Parlaments gracious and favorable Countenance and Protection of these my true and loyal Endeavours for the Service of your Highness and this Parlament Which gracious Protection and Favour shall forever oblige your most humble and loial Subject to pray daily for all Gods choicest Blessings on your HIGHNESS's Person and on your Princely Illustrious and Glorious FAMILY That all Plots and wicked Designes against your HIGHNESS may bee blasted and com to naught That your HIGHNESS may bee victorious against all your Enemies both by Sea and Land That your HIGHNESS may Protect these Nations in Honour and Glory many years And at the end of your Government and prosperous Rule here on Earth your HIGHNESS may bee taken into the Protection of him that made the Heavens and there to Reign with his Son for ever in eternal Glory So praies Your HIGHNESS 's most humble Loyal and obedient Subject THO. VIOLET September 1656. To His Highness OLIVER LORD PROTECTOR OF England Scotland Ireland and the Dominions thereunto belonging May it pleas Your Highness WHen I heard in November 1655. your most Honorable Counsel was upon setling a way for the taking up of the Accompts in general of this Nation and they had recommended it to your Highness for your Highness's confirmation thereupon divers Auditorâ—â—â—d worthy Gentlemen were nominated to inspect and take the Accompts of some particular persons viz. of the Commissioners of the Customs and others I humbly thought it my duty living under your Highness's Protection not to neglect any opportunitie wherein I might shew my self serviceable unto your Highness and the Common-wealth And having formerly in August 1653. humbly presented my humble Proposals to the Parlament for calling the Accomptants of the Nation in general unto a just and due Accompt but as the sequele proved it was not Gods time for the then doing of it Also I did again renew this my humble Petition to your Highness on November 8 1655. In which my most humble request I was and am farr from charging all Treasurers Committee men Sequestrators Excize-men Commissioners of the Customs c. to bee all fals and unjust Stewards I humbly say I was and am far from that for I beleev there is som good Corn amongst this great heap of chaff tares My humble suit to your Highness was and is That this heap of Chaff and Corn the Treasurers and Sequestrators may bee winnowed and sifted the Chaff and Tares from the good Corn and that a strict Inspection bee made into all their Accompts both for Pajements and Receipts according to the strict Rules of former times and according to many Presidents and Acts of Parlament in several Ages by knowing just and unbyassed men such as will make it their whole Business to inspect into the Frauds and present your Highness with the Truth without respect of persons and how they finde each mans Actions That so your Highness in imitation of the great Judg of Heaven and Earth whose Deputy you are here over us may render to every one according to his works To such Gentlemen that shall bee approved just and faithfull in their Accompts of this Nation your Highness would bee graciously pleased to set a mark of Respect and Trust upon them for that they have been found Just in their Generation and not tempted as Acan was with the Babylonish Garment â—â—â—ilver nor the Wedg of Gold And for the faulty Treasurers and Sequestrators and all such as shall bee proved to have cozened the Common-wealth in deteining or defrauding the Common-wealth of their Monies Goods Lands Merchandise c. or by imbezling any thing of value from your Highness and the Common-wealth They may bee served as the Unjust Steward was in the 16th of Lukes Gospel and ver 2. Give an Accompt of thy Stewardship for thou mayest bee no longer Steward And to have a mark put on them never to bear any Office of Trust in the Common-wealth more And that according to the Statute of 6. Hen. 4. cap. 3. Commissions may issue forth directed to discreet and able persons to inquire and certifie the Profits the said Accomptants have received within each Countie of this Nation and what shall bee found to bee by them concealed and not accompted for the said Accomptants may bee attainted of the said Frauds and Deceipts by a Jurie of Inquirie and bee made to pay the penaltie being treble the dammage This excellent Law for the strict and just taking up all the Accompts of Sequestrators Treasurers Collectors of monethly Taxes Committee-men Excize-men Commissioners of Customs c. to bee put in execution will bring your Highness and the Common-wealth in millions of money and ease the good People in general of the Nation of their Taxes if they pay but the Principal and Interest for what will bee found upon a strict and just Inquirie in your Treasurers and Accomptants hands A Copie of the Papers I delivered unto Your HIGHNES'S Nov. 8. 1655. viz. Proposals humbly conceived for your HIGHNESS's Service May it pleas your HIGHNESS My most humble Petition for Your Service is THat there bee speedy order taken that the Commissioners for your Highness's Prize-goods and all others that have had private Letters of mart or Letters of Reprizal Commissioners for Excise and Customs Treasurers of Gold-smiths Hall Drury Worcester and Gurney houses may have no discharge from your Highness till they have and shall deliver in their Accompts and till that som especial Commissioners be appointed and fully impowered by your Highness to examine hear and determine the said Accompts And the
of this nature as these in my Queries I set down All which I humbly present unto you as being very material both for his Highness's service and for myself As for my part I intend to make your Judgments thereupon to bee my Rule either to proceed or desist in these following Discoveries to avoid unnecessary expence and trouble both to my self and others My humble Queries are these following 1. WHen Comissioners are or have My Copy is not perfectly exactâ—◠〈◊〉 in soâ—e one or two small particulars it may â—â—â—fer from the Originall which I put up to the Commissioners at Worcester hous been appointed either by Ordinance of Parlament or Order of the Councel of State or under the Great Seal of England for to take the Care and Charge of the Sale of all Prize Ships and Merchandize brought in by any of the men of Warr of the late Parlament or of his Highness's and the States Shipping and all and every one of the said Commissioners having allowance of Poundage or yearly Fees from the State for that Service for their care and pains in the sale of all or any Merchandize Gold Silver Jewels Plate Ships and all other goods whatsoever brought in for the Use of the Publique Which Commissioners have been appointed by Parlament Counsel of State or his Highness And by vertue of that Power Commissioners have acted being all of them obliged and tied to make a true and just Accompt upon oath unto his Highness of all summs of money they receiv and the just and true value of all Merchandize and Goods they have been intrusted with the Sale without any fraud or mentall reservations saving onely their just Fees and Sallerie appointed to each of the Commissioners by the Parlament or his Highness And these Commissioners having failed in their Trust whether according to the Statute 6 Hen. 4. Cap 3. this bee within the Cognizance of your Commission to punish the Offenders and to cause them all to make a just and true Accompt upon oath and to pay the Commonwealth what they have defrauded the State for what remains in their hands 2. Whether these Commissioners when they had their Commissions have Covenanted jointly or severally with the State to give a just and true Accompt to his Highness and the Parlament And whether they bee guiltie all of them that were put into one Commission if I prove the offence of some of them Or whether onely such of the Commissioners as are proved guilty and the other Commissioners though their power was all of one date and they acted together shall not bee accomptable but every man for himself severally to answer for his own particular actions and no further 3. That if I shall prove some of the Commissioners for the States Prize Goods HAVE sorted out Wines Sugars Oyles Wools Fruit silks Linen Cloth of Gold and Silver Jewels Pearl Civer Bezer Stones and any sorts of Commodities in anie Cellars Ships Warehouses or other Places within this Nation either by themselves servants Coopers Brokers Porters or anie other skilfull persots in Merchandize and when this sorting picking garbling is one to reserve a quantity more or less of this sorted picked and garbled Merchandize for the Commissioners themselves either one or more of them viz. If the Commissioners or Sub-commissioners for the State make a sale of thirty thousand Poundes of goods and merchandize more or less there having been before Ten thousand Pondes of this merchandize sorted and garbled out for the Commissioners As in one Instance Suppose 300 Tunnes of French Wines are the whole Parcell of Wines the State hath by their Commissioners to Sell and 200 Tunns of this Wine is exposed to Sale by the States Commissioners and sold by the Candle as the usuall way is publiquely to every man And one hundred Tunns of this French Wines being picked out of the choicest and principall of the whole Parcell is reserved for a Commissioner or Commissioners for the sale of Prize goods and these Commissioners shall pretend this small Parcell of 100 Tunns of Wines is not worth the trouble to make a new Sale by the Candle And thereupon these Commissioners or Sub-commissioners being intrusted to sell these Wines by the State having a Fee or Sallary for the same do contrary to their Trust either by themselves in their own name or names or get friends and use the names of others to buy the said 100 Tunns of Wines but so that still the Commissioners have the profit of the said Wines so sold when in truth this 100 Tunns of Wines picked and sorted out of 300 Tunns was realy worth in the Market as much as the 200 Tunns sold publiquely by the Candle for 15l 16l 20l the Tunn and sometimes more And some of the Commiseioners for Prize goods have bought for their own uses the Hundred Tunnes of the choisest and pick'd Wines at the rate of 15l 16l 20l the Tunne and sometimes more which Wines have been by the said Commissioners sold to the Vintners and others at 30l 35l and 40l a Tunn ready money when the State hath had but 15l and â—0l allowed and put down on their Accompt This demonstration serves for all their Wines Sugars Tobaccoes Silks Linnens Salt Civet Bezer-stones Pearls Jewels Wools Oyles Fruit and Spice and all other Commodities brought in any the States Prizes These merchandises sorted garbled and pickt from the gross bulk may bee better in the true value then the gross quantitie of merchandise sold usually by the Candle sometimes 20l. 30l 40l in the hundred and sometimes where goods are perishable half in half there is so much difference in the sorting And whether these Commissioners being intrusted to sell the States Goods at the best rate could underhand buy these Goods themselvs after they have been picked and sorted or go partners with any that did buy and that much under the true value as will bee found upon examination by my discovery 4. Whether these things being duly proved the Commissioners for Prize-goods and every one of them are not lyable to make a true accompt to his Highness and to stand charged with all the surplusage of Monies they have made of all or any the Prize-goods belonging to the State and his Highness which they have not as yet duely and truely accompted for and to bee ordered to deliver in upon their several oaths a just and true accompt of all the Merchandise Jewels Diamonds Pearls Civet Beazar-stones c. that have come into their custody and what Prize Ships or Goods they sold and had a share in themselvs of the true value of all merchandise that hath come to their hands and whether I may not cause to bee viewed all Books and Papers which I know can evidence the same and thereupon produce any person or persons to bee examined to finde out the bottom of the fraud and whether any person or persons nominated to bee examined as witnesses touching the premisses shall bee
PROPOSALS HUMBLY PRESENTED To his Highness OLIVER Lord Protector of England c. and to the High Court of Parlament now assembled For the calling to a true and just Accompt all Committee-men Sequestrators Treasurers Excize and Custom-Commissioners Collectors of Monethly Assessments and all other Persons that have been entrusted with the Publick Revenue or have in their Custody any thing of value appertaining to the Common-wealth WITH Several Reasons for the Doing thereof and the Waies how it may bee exactly done and several Presidents by Acts of Parlalament for the due and strict execution of the same for the Honor of God and Ease of the good People of this Nation in general in their Taxes ALSO For the Regulating of the Manufacture of Gold and Silver Thread and Wyer and for the passing an Act against Transporting Gold and Silver and against Melting down the Currant Silver Monies of the Nation LIKEWISE A Narrative of the Proceedings in the Court of Admiraltie against the Silver-Ships Sampson Salvador and George By THO. VIOLET of London Goldsmith Prov. 11. 10. When it goeth well with the Righteous the City rejoiceth And when the Wicked perish there is shouting Josh 7. 19 20 21. Luke 16. 1 2. LONDON Printed Anno Domini M. DC LVI To His Highness OLIVER LORD PROTECTOR OF England Scotland Ireland and the Dominions thereunto belonging May it pleas Your Highness AMongst the Roman Emperors the name Pater Patriae was held their highest title of Honor and the surest support of all good Princes hath been the Peoples hearts For where the Tongue-string and not the Heart-string make's the musick the harmony may and doth many times end in discord Queen ELIZABETH that glorious Queen and England's Deborah used to say Give mee my People's hearts and wee shall not need to ask their purses and this Maxime never deceived her With what easshee got aids from the Nation in Parlament the Records of her Reign shew The chief point that made the People so free to grant in those daies was they knew by forty four years experience shee was sparing and frugal her self and God blessed her with a wise and prudent Counsel And in point of managing her Revenue That shee never forgave her Accomptants or Receivers of her publick Revenues where it was possible to bee levyed The State had had millions of money now in bank had they followed her Rules to take a strickt accompt of all their Receivers The monies belonging to her Crown as I humbly said was never forgiven Insomuch as som of her greatest Servants and Favorites dying in her debt shee would not discharge their Heirs or Executors but held their Lands under extent till shee was paid the uttermost farthing saying Shee would not forgive any Officer that was an accomptant for the publick monies was not hers to give And the Earl of Leicester Secretary Walsingham and Lord Chancellor Hatton for all their being great Pillars in the Common-wealth and greatly in her favor having gotten to bee in her debt their several Lands were held under extent after their deaths till every penny was paid her Though som of their Heirs petitioned yet they were forced to pay the uttermost farthing receiving this answer from the Queen That if the People should know that shee prodigally gave away the publick Treasure they might justly denie her when shee had occasion in Parlament or otherwaies An excellent Rule at this time and at all times for all sovereign Princes to follow May it pleas Your HIGHNESS About the Spanish Invasion in 88 Queen Elizabeth borrowed of the Merchant Adventurers about One hundred thousand pound and kept that money by her for above one year and paid it exactly at the day with interest after 10 per cent though shee made not any use of one penny of it but put it in bank with the rest of her Treasure This shee did out of her fore-cast and providence that so if the Spaniards had landed shee would not then bee to seek for Treasure for to pay her Souldiers and supply her occasions Her wise rich and provident Grandfather Henry the 7th shee reading his Life and Reign could teach her that Rule never to let her Exchequer bee empty hee leaving as is recorded in Richmond Hous Seventeen hundred thousand pound in gold which is now by computation according to the present value neer five millions By these courses that glorious Queen got such reputation for good husbanding and prudent managing her Revenues and principally by her just repayment and by her sparing the publick Treasure that in many of her Parlaments the subsidies and fifteons granted â—â—re intreated and pressed on her as a beâ—evolence and free-will offering of the People to her with many expressions of thanks from the Parlament for her good and gracious Government And somtimes their voluntary bounty hath been such that the Parlament hath granted more than shee would accept and the Queen hath with thanks her self in Parlament returned Subsidies again Her Fame extending beyond Solomon's even to the farthest and greatest Monarchs in the world The Grand Seigniour sending his Imperial salutes and desiring her Peace and Amitie with Commerce and Trade And the Emperor of Russia admiring her great Valor in offering to affront and assault and begin a Warr with the King of Spain at her desire did grant to the English Merchants for the respects hee bore to their glorious Queen Elizabeth many great Privileges and Immunities in his Empire for Him and his Successors for ever which were inviolably observed by his Successors till about the year 1650. Shee usually said Shee desired that her Subject's Purses should bee her Exchequer For as long as they were rich shee could not bee poor These Princelie and Popular Expressions took so with all her Subjects rich and poor that shee never stirred out of the Court but shee had the Acclamations Praiers and Praises of Thousands of her People both in City and Country And shee would shew the like tenderness and affection to her People And this Blessing God bestowed then on this Nation that Prince and People were of one Minde one Heart and one Faith except som few Catholicks Her watchfull eie was ever over them and that strengthened by God's blessing her hands that in her time shee did such great things in her greatest Difficulties her Affairs were carried smoothly on by the prudence of her Counsel If Grievances were by the Commons in Parlament presented unto her it was in such a decent form shee alwaies keeping the dignity of her State Imperial that the People's Grievances appeared unto her like the tears of the Turtle and the mourning of Doves Som of the Representations of their Grievances in Parlament I have seen and read to this effect That if there was any thing expressed otherwise then they should have represented That her Majestie would cast the vail of her Grace upon it and give a favorable and benign Answer and Interpretation of their humble Petition And
surely next to God's gracious protection her Safetie was built as Solomon's Throne was shee was supported by XII Lyons a grave and prudent Counsel the number of her inward Privy Counsellors not much exceeding that number By her prosperous Conduct and Management of her Affairs all Christendom esteemed England to have a glorious Prince a wise Counsel of State and the People happy in general I have read that my Lord Chancellor Bacon in a Speech of his in Parlament had this saying Sure I am saith that golden mouthed Orator that the Treasure that cometh from the Commons to her Majestie is but as a vapor which ariseth from the Earth and gathereth into a Cloud and stayeth not there long but upon the same Earth falleth down again And if som few drops fall upon France and the United Provinces it is as a sweet odor of Honor and Reputation to the English Nation throughout the World Elegantly expressing the relief that the English afforded both to France and the Low-Countries against their then common Enemy the Spaniard In her glorious Reign the Counsells that were then in Parlament tended ever to the individual prosperitie and the safety and preservation both of the Queen and People And like Christ's coat without seam all their Counsels were of one piece the equal prosperitie of both And after 44 years reign this glorious Queen dyed rich in Jewells rich in Money and Plate the Lands of the Crown and above all rich in the Love and Estimation of her Loyal People after shee had contended with the King of Spain by invading him in Spain in Portugal in the Indies firing and burning his Ships and Carrakes in our narrow Seas and made her Commanders so terrible on the Spanish coasts that the children when they cryed their parents would fright them with garda el Draco which is Bee quiet have a care here is Drake I pray God and hope to see the same fear fall on them by the Virtue and Valor of Your HIGHNESS's Admiral Blake not onely to fright their Children but their Natives when they are men making them to cry garda el Blaco as well as their Fathers said garda el Draco This great Quarrel at the first was undertaken by the Queen for the relief of the miserable poor distressed Dutch Protestants the States of the United Provinces in the Low Countries they had no other title in her Reign I hope they will for ever acknowledg the Curtesies of English men's blood and money that hath made them now the High and Mighty Lords the States and a free State I wish it bee not now in their Greatness blotted out of their remembrance Queen Elizabeth's VVarrs in Ireland were very expensive and also her Relieving of France both with Men and Money And at the foot of the accompt for all these great undertakings to leav her Successor her Kingdoms in great wealth peace honor and safety and her People happy make's up the mâ—â—acle Towards the setting of this glorious STAR som sons of Belial laid the foundation of the Hellish Powder Plot and at latter end of her glorious Reign the Anabaptists and Sectaries begin like Snakes to engender but her Successor King James by his prudence shook them off as St Paul did the Viper by several waies and means First as the Physition let 's som blood out of the bodie to preserv the whole Secondly as Sea-faring men in a storm cast's som goods over board to save the Cargasaon Thirdly as a good Husbandman that will afford som feet of ground for hedging and and ditching to fortifie and secure the rest Fourthly as a good Gardiner that would have his garden plants grow pluck's up the weeds by the roots So King James used all these Remedies to the Sectaries som of their mouths hee stopped with preferment som hee committed to the rigor of the Law which cost them their lives others to Prison And after the Dispute at Hampton-Court hee put down his peremptory resolution by Proclamation which I humbly call his hedg to keep out the little Foxes that spoil the Vineyard of the Church Requiring a conformity to the same by all Persons upon strickt penalties which proved a good temporary Remedy May it pleas Your HIGHNESS to read but one touch more of the splendor and glory of this great Queen Elizabeth shee was not without her Eclipses with troubles and fears many waies to shew the uncertainty of worldly glory even from her nearest Kinswoman Mary Queen of Scots who while shee was Queen of France by her Husband's perswasion took upon her the stile and title of Queen of England from which sprung all her troubles in Scotland when shee returned a widow out of France and this was done by Queen Elizabeth and her Counsel's instigation These troubles by her Scotch Rebels drove the Scotch Queen into England whither shee fled for refuge but it proved otherwise for upon that score shee was catch't in the net of death and so much the sooner by reason of her impatience not brooking the delayes of her Deliverance which thrust her head-long into so many Treasons that Queen Elizabeth could not let her live and bee in safety her self for Queen Elizabeth was often times heard to say Either strike or bee stricken and so shee struck first and cut off her head and by that means removed her Capital Enemy It is a certain truth It is a dangerous thing for a supreme Magistrate to have the patience to stay to bee first striken but to put an end to those plots which were daily plotting and hatching against her Crown and Dignity for the Queen of Scots had real plots for both having found in her Study the Keys of above fifty several Characters for several people shee held Intelligence with both Forain and English Traitors Queen Elizabeth's grave and wise Counsell would not let her play an after game They had the Queen of Scots tryed by a Jury of English Noblemen many of them being Catholicks her own friends and neerest relations and had they not found her guilty many of their heads had gone off for which very reason many that the Scotch Queen took to bee her friends were her greatest enemies But doing that business so effectually the Queen wincked at many Noblemen for many of her Jury that had been hatching and acting with her Queen Elizabeth buried their faults in oblivion But Abington and Babington scaped not so well being both hanged drawn and quartered and their Estates annexed to the Crown There were others as Somervill Parry Savage and many more that sought this glorious Queen's death but shee vvas still protected by the Watchman vvhich slumbereth not and dyed gloriously and in peace May it pleas Your HIGHNESS vvhen King James came to the Crovvn a Powder Plot vvas laid for him his Vine and Olive-branches being to bee about him attended by his Nobles and third Estate in Parlament who were all designed in the twinckling of an eie to have been brought
Personages and will give your HIGHNESS the Parlament and Counsel just satisfaction The like I most humbly say for those honorable and worthie Gentlemen that are gone down into their Countries no doubt many upon their private occasions to settle their Business and return to do the Parlament and Nation Service May it pleas your HIGHNESS there is a saying Hee is more mercifull that prevents a man from falling then hee that takes him up after hee is fallen and could have staid his falling it shews an aboundance of bowels of mercie that your Highness would not let some men run their desperate course that they when they were entangled in the net of their own inventions might have enriched your Coffers by their Confiscations and ruined their families God hath put it into your heart to save them as a brand out of the fire for had they been let alone they had some of them burnt their wings If they reade the Historie of former Kings Craft as King James used to call it they constantly made Risings and Tumults an advantage unto them by Confiscations and Forfeitures to augment the Revenues of the Crown And no doubt many a man for the very covetousness to get his Estate some Kings have hatched and revived old Treasons themselvs to get and ensnare sometimes Innocents and sometimes heedless Traitors Histories both divine and profane have such examples God send some men never to forget your Highness goodness for when they had runn their course as some Gentlemen in the North and West have done some would have com to untimely deaths others to banishment and all to ruine and infamie to the break-heart of their Wives Children and relations and some others with sorrow teares and unfeigned repentance to have begged for their lives and peradventure not obteined it being cut off in their prime strength before half their daies are runn out Their Wives Children and Relations of some Families in this Nation are bound to bless God for ever that put it into your Highness heart to prevent some men in this Nation that they should not forfeit their lives nor estates a great mercie with reverence bee it spoken in imitation of the great God of Heaven that hath said I will not the death of a sinner and with long suffering and patience beareth with sinfull man whose breath is in his nostrils and lighter then the dust in the balance What are the private male-contents of this Nation in your Highness hands so long as you make God your Shield and Buckler Vnder Gods safegard and tuition mighty Kings and Common-wealths have not been able to resist the force of your Armies and Navies witness Holland Denmark Portugal c. that God that hath delivered you from the Bear and the Lyon will deliver you from these uncircumcised Philistins if you put your trust in him The Blessing of him that spake out of the burning Bush bless your Highness and your High Court of Parlament and direct all your Counsels that this Parlament may prove a Blessing to this Nation And that your Highness and the Parlament may bee as Moses and Aaron to the Children of Israel the Deliverers of these Nations out of the Land of Egypt And that God would send the spirit of Courage Love Concord upon all your Persons bless the Counsels and Acts of this Session of Parlament That your Highness may bee a Nursing-father and with compassion ease the Griefs and Oppressions of your People many of your good and loial Subjects at this day suffering much wrong and oppression amongst whom your humble Supplicant is not the least beeing oppressed contrary to Gods Law and the Laws of the Nation Your Supplicants daily praier is That God of his mercie will blast and scatter all inventions plots that are or shall be hatching against your Highness and the high Court of Parlament either of forain Foes or native Rebells And that God would turn the Counsels of some of the malicious Achitophels of this Nation that are sequestred and laid aside and some others that have maliciously deserted their Trusts into Foolishness And if they do maliciously wilfully and foolishly persist still to seek the disturbance of these Nations over which God by his divine Providence hath made your Highness Governour and PROTECTOR that then your sword of Justice may fall on some of them to terrifie others or which is worse that some of them may if they do not repent of this malicious sin to God and your Highness for what they had maliciously designed they may serve themselvs as Achitophel did 2 Sam. 17. 23. And when Achitophel saw that his counsel was not followed hee sadled his ass and arose and gat him home to his own house to his Citie and put his houshold in order and HANGED himself and was buried in the Sepulchre of his Fathers Let this bee the end of your Highness's malicious and implacable Enemies others that erre through mis-information or difference in Judgment I pray God to shew them a sight of their sins and give your Highness a mercifull heart so freely to pardon them as your Self would expect Gods pardon that so through the great mercie and protection of our God these three Nations after so manie Earth-quakes Overturnings and most famous and memorable Revolutions may bee firmly grounded and setled on the foundations of Libertie and Freedom Truth Mercy and Peace to the astonishment and amazement horror and confusion of home-bred Traitors and forain Nations your Highnesses and our Nations Enemies VVhen they shall see their hopes disappointed many of them promised to themselvs viz Uproars Tumults and Commotions Fire and Blood every man ready to sheathe his sword in his Neighbors bowels the rocks to rend and the Starrs of our Firmament to fall our Sun to bee darkned and Moon to bee turned to blood through the divisions and private discontents amongst us in Parlament But BEHOLD by the good guidance of God this glorious Parlament running its course as the Sun in his strength to the joy and comfort of our Friends both at home and abroad and confusion of our Foes in all parts that see this Parlament sit in Glorie and Peace in Love Union Order and Concord in that form as was wont to bee in Glorious Queen ELIZABETH's daies every Member making it his studie to get good Laws Liberties and Priviledges for the Counties Cities and Burroughs they served for and for these Nations of England Scotland and Ireland in general for the individual Safetie Prosperitie VVelfare and Honor of Protector and People all their Interest to goe hand in hand together And your Highness acting Queen Elizabeth's part studying alwaies to enlarge your Self to give these Nations all just and due Satisfaction and large Immunities Your Highness and the Parlament building up this Common-wealth as Nehemiah did the walls of Jerusalem Nehem. 4. every Builder to have his sword girded by his side and so they builded there are several other remarkable
passages in that Chapter fit for these present times By the blessing of God these glorious Beginnings of this Parlament will have as an auspicious and happie end and finishing to the great contentment of your Highness and all the good people of your several large Dominions to the terror of your Enemies and the frustrating of many Spanish designes that were and are hatching here under specious pretences of several mens Interests and Discontents These mens Eggs were buried no doubt in India Gold but by the good guidance of God the Spaniards Eggs will prove addle He is so subtle by the Counsel of his Jesuites casting themselvs into all shapes for hee doth most of his work by the Jesuites who sow and foment new Doctrines amongst us that have bewitched and cracked the heads of many men in these Nations which do the Spaniards and Papists work and know it not VVhen your Highness Navies sailed to the VVest-Indies You caused them to bee sheathed with Planks Pitch and Hair that the worms which breed in those Seas might do no hurt or prejudice to the hull or bulk of their Ships Great SIR England Scotland and Ireland may well bee compared to three Roial Ships and the Dominion of Wales to a most Princely Frigot Your Highness by the grace of God being Protector General and Admiral Your Highness hath now a Warr with Him that stiles himself the Emperor of the Indies This Prince is Master of a Metall that is as dangerous to all Princes in Christendom their Persons Countries Lands and Territories as the Worms in the Indian Seas are to the Merchants ships No Iron barrs can bee made so strong but this Metall like Aqua fortis will eat thorough It is called Gold and Silver it is so subtle that it will incorporate like Quick-silver almost with all metalls Men of all Professions all Ages rich and poor young and old none but are taken and corrupted with it as hee is a Natural man But God hath appointed a Remedie against this Poison to some persons through his mercie the pretious balsom of his restraining Grace but this hee grants but to a few whose spirits are elevated above Gold and Silver this world or worldly things God hath appointed another Balsom for these Nations against the Poison of Spanish Gold and Silver and that is to bless these Nations with your Highness victorious PERSON beeing assisted with your supreme Counsell the Parlament Upon my knees I most humbly say As you sheathe your Ships you send to India for fear of the VVorm so your Highness must sheathe the Cinque-ports and Creeks of your HIGHNEss Dominions you must fortifie and garrison the Sea-ports of this Nation and the People bee alwaies readie both in hand and heart all as one man to fight for our Religion Countrey our Lives Wives and Children Lands and Estates and without this bee done wee shall not have a Beeing Estates or Proprietie this is the one thing necessary and chiefly to bee lookt after to fortifie and secure the Nation against home-bred Traitors and forain Forces And if any should presume to assault us wee may bee afore-hand and by our Navies destroy their Ships Vessels in their own Seas let their Land be died with their Spanish blood let their barren Countrey bee fatned with their own Carkasses and as they give in their Monies the Sheaf of Arrows as a remembrance of the great Victories they obteined by the Valor of the English so now for their Ingratitude the Spaniards may cry as they did in Queen Elizabeths time to Philip the Second King of Spain and his Counsel SIR Let us have Peace with England and Warr with all the World And if they did so when this Nation had but one Drake and a small Fleet in comparison of what your Highness hath wee having now many score of Drakes which if they bee impowered with your HIGHNESS Commission and Gods Blessing thereupon they shall never bee able to bring home their Treasures from the VVest-Indies and though our Fleet wait long no doubt the Vigilancie of your Admirals will make the Spaniards pay for their attendance About sixteen years ago God out of his secret Judgment struck the Crown of Spain with a dead Palsie on one side by the revolting of the Portugals their right heir and true King assumed the Crown viz. the Duke of Bragantza so that now your Highness fights but with one half of the King of Spain as hee was formerly the other half the Portugal will assist You in all his Dominions both in Christendom Africa East and West Indies to destroie the Spaniards So that as God hath raised your Highness to this Greatness admirably to have the Soveraignity and Dominion of these Nations so by this rent and division of Portugal from Spain God hath facilitated and made the way easie for your Highness to cut down and pluck up by the roots this barren Tree the Spaniards And those Nations in the West-Indies which at this day live under the Spanish Tyranny and are now fed with the chaff and bran of Popish Superstition may bee by the blessing of God fed with the pure manchet of the Gospel and at once bee delivered from bodily and spiritual slavery My daily praier to God is to keep us unanimous in this Nation of England as wee and our Predecessors were in famous Queen Elizabeths daies that it may bee the study of every good Protestant in this Nation with heart hand and purse to destroy the Spaniards greatness The King of Spains Power is now not half so much as it was before Portugal revolted from him and his Power is now farr more in shew then substance his Territories and Dominions are at such a distance one from another they stand like the haires of King James's beard scatteringly as if one was afraid of another the charges of Garrisons and to keep his Dominions under his Obedience doth cost him in some Countries farr more to keep the bare Title then the Revenues of the Countries amount unto witnesse our next Neighbour Flanders and the like is for many other of his Dominions that yearly cost him many hundred thousand poundâ— hee holds a VVolf by the ears and if the King of Spain could bee well rid of them both Hee and his Counsel no doubt wishes both Flanders and Holland drowned in the Seas they have been the Spunges that have sucked up all his Treasure yearly There was wont of old to bee a saying No Fishing like the Fishing in the sea No service like a Kings so I humbly say No Warr like a Warr with Spain No service like a Protectors service If wee can but light on the King of Spains Indian Fleets stop that Course your Highness and these Nations by Gods assistance will turn the scales of all the Affairs of Christendom and make your Highness appear the true Defender of the Faith in these Imperial Dominions and the Sword and Buckler of all the Protestant Churches
in Christendom It is a Rule amongst Gaimsters Winn at first lose at last and great Undertakings are not to be effected but with great Difficulties If it please God to put it into your Highnesses and this Parlaments hearts vigorously and vigilantly to pursue the VVarr in the VVest-Indies all the Protestants in Christendom will bee bound to bless God and pray for your Highness and this glorious Parlament and by the Blessing of God You and your Armies and Navies will cut the King of Spain in the jugular vein as the Dutch man saith Kill him as dead as a herring which must bee done by the unanimous Power of these three Nations This Course vvill make great Brittany and Ireland and their several and respective Ports Havens and Harbors thereof to act and do Cadis and St Lucars work our Brittish and Irish sea-port Towns by the prosperous conduct of your Highness Admirals and Generals to be the Bancks Magazins and Scales for Return of Indian Treasure Jewels and precious Merchandize The Drumm and Trumpet encourages Horse and Man to Battell The word India and to bee master of the Treasure as Gold Silver and other good things of that new VVorld no doubt is and will bee more inducing to many noble spirited Gentlemen Merchants and Mariners of this Nation then Drumm and Trumpet to Souldiers But when the Land-souldierie shall be likewise interessed in the Purchase and Honor of this noble Undertaking and the praiers and purses of the good people of this Nation in general and an Act of this Parlament for setling a way for th◠vigorous prosecution and maintenance of this just VVarr for the Good and Peace of Christendom to goe along in this glorious Action Then surely it will bee a voice of thunder and terror to the Spaniards they have seen their best daies and the Massacres and Cruelties they have committed in the Indies confessed by their own Countrey-men now calls them to a strict accompt for the sins of their Fore-fathers All good people of these Nations may justly say your Highness is sent by God as a Blessing of God to Christendom and as a second Joshua to our Israël to fight the Lords Battels And by your most valiant Generals Admirals Land and Sea-souldierie to put the People of these Nations into possession of the West-Indies There is a sort of wilfull People in these Nations that repine and murmur and will not see your Highness make these Nations happie I humbly say Your Enemies shall see this glorious VVork done by your Highness which shall cause some men to burst with anger God hath appointed the Valor of this Nation to bee a terror and scourge to the Spanyards By this means the Spanish Greatness will go out like the snuff of a Candle and all Christendom that hath been disturbed and put into Garbles confusions and Tumults by their Ambition and Pride to the slaughtering and murthering of millions of men wasting whole Kingdomes and Nations their wounds and scarrs lye bleeding at this day in several places May it pleas Your HIGHNESS The West Indies is the King of Spain 's sting as Sampson 's strength lay in his Hair so doth the strength of the King of Spain lye in his Indies Clip but off his Trade of Returns from the Indies Your Highness will finde him as weak as water and so poor that hee shall not bee able to pay for a Poore-John or a Pilcher You will hit him in the Ball and White of the Eye If you take the Indies from him by the valour of Your People the English may make his Castilianians grinde Sugar Canes in the Barbadoes and use them as Sampson was used in the Prison-hous and keep the Spaniards so poor that the Hair of their heads shall never grow again to disturb Christendom God still for ever keep the spirit of Vnion in these Nations in general that every man in his Calling may have a heart and hand to build up our Breaches that both Your Highness and your People may as one man seek the Individual Prosperity the one of the other even as it is the study and care of every goo◠Husband and good Wife to please and content one another And this is no more then I most humbly say Prudence requires at this time for the Adversaries of our Peace are vigilant and leave no stone unturned to break in upon us and to make a division either in hearts or hands at this conjuncture of time may hazard and disturb the whole Nation Now the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob which never slumbereth nor sleepeth direct your Highness and this glorious Parlaments Counsels and Actions for his Honor and the Safety and Peace of all these Nations over whom your HIGHNESS by the Grace of God is PROTECTOR That as Your Highness is great and glorious in this World you may bee also great and glorious in the VVorld to come So prayeth Your HIGHNESS 's most loyal dutifull and obedient Subject THOMAS VIOLET LONDON Sept. 24. 1656. To His Highness OLIVER LORD PROTECTOR OF England Scotland Ireland and the Dominions thereunto belonging May it pleas Your Highness HAving formerly in November 1655 and April 1650 last most humbly presented Your Highness in writing with som humble PROPOSALS for Your Service in relation to the calling to a true and just accompt all persons that have directly or indirectly in their Custodies the publick Monies Lands Plate Jewels Merchandise or any other thing or things of value and also the Statute made at Westminster in the tenth year of the Reign of Richard the Second which excellent Law was made to bring to a strict accompt all such as had defrauded the King and State The then Parlament in making that good Act was so carefull to have all persons brought to accompt that had received the publick Treasure and all such as had defrauded the King and Realm that they made it a premunire and loss of a man's Estate besides imprisonment for any of what degree soever that perswaded or gave counsel unto the King to have the said good Law defeated And they found the strict and due execution of that Law to bee the onely Balsom to cure the great distempers and debts of the Common-wealth and ease the good people in general of great outrages oppressions and insupportable charges These are the very words of that Statute Upon the delivery of this Writing Your most humble Subject received Your Highness's gracious pleasure by Mr Kelleway that Your Highness did approve of those his humble and loial endeavours for Your Service and that they should bee taken into consideration May it pleas Your Highness Your humble Subject finding that on the 26 of May 1656. a Commission was issued our under the Great Seal of England to certain persons for to make enquiry and discovery concerning all persons that have in their hands or possessions Moneys Goods Plate Merchandise or any thing of value appertaining to the Common-wealth c. Whereupon
most excellent Waies and Rules were setled in the Court of Exchequer in all Kings Reigns by the great care of many Ages And the Sages of the Law know there was not a more exact method in the world then the Court of Exchequer was for the just accompting and paying the Kings Dues I have heard my Lord Cottington say in the Exchequer Chamber That no Prince in Christendom had the like exact way as the King of England had by the course of the Exchequer if the Rules set down by the Court bee by the under-Officers duely executed so that whatsoever summ comes in there bee it a million of money must bee duely paid and accompted for or else hee could finde it upon the foot of the accompt if ever it came in charge into the Pipe And if the course of the Exchequer had not been disturbed and the payments of the publick money thrust out of the old Channel it had been impossible to have had so many Treasurers cozen the Common-wealth so grosly and shamefully as they have done And in order and pursuance of calling all Accomptants to a just true and strickt Accompt your Supplicant most humbly presents these ensuing Proposals to your Highness and the Parlaments view and consideration and humbly prayeth that the same may bee put in strickt execution with such alterations and additions as your Highness and the Parlament shall conceive fittest for the good of the Nation in general to ease the people of their Taxes For God defend that the generalitie of the people should contribute their monies and pay it to Treasurers that shall make themselves great and their private posterities after them out of what they have cozened and defrauded the Common-wealth of Therefore I humbly petition your Highness and the Parlament 1. THat an Act of Parlament may bee made and a Proclamation thereupon go forth commanding and requiring all Committee-men Sequestrators Trustees for sale of Delinquents Estates Commissioners of Excize Commissioners of the Customs Treasurers of the publick Plate and all other Treasurers Receivers Collectors and all other Accomptants and persons whatsoever that have been imploied to collect and receiv and have collected and received any the publick monies goods chattels plate c or other things of value throughout England and Wales ever since the beginning of the year 1642. shall within three moneths next after the date of the said Act and Proclamation make up and deliver according to the Laws and Statutes of this Nation made for Accomptants and Accompts into the Exchequer or other place your Highness shall appoint their several just and true Accompts of what Monies Goods Chattels Plate c. or other thing of value they or any for them have received And how and by what warrant they have paid and delivered out the same The same Accompt to bee delivered in upon the particular oath of every such person Accomptant that the same is a just and true Accompt And upon every particular accompt so made to pay in the money remaining in his hands upon his said Accompt if any there bee into the Exchequer or other person and place your Highness shall appoint to receiv the same And upon failer of bringing in their several and particular Accompts according to the said Act and Proclamation that then all such monies goods chattels and other things of value which shall bee found and proved upon Inquisition they have received for the Common-wealth whereof they have not accompted for shall bee levyed and taken upon their estates and their persons imprisoned untill they have justly and truly accompted And if any person or Accomptant aforesaid shall bee dead then the Heir and Executor or Administrator of such person so dying or being dead shall duely accompt for the partie so dying or being dead according to the Laws and Statutes of this Nation 2. That an Act of Parlament may bee made and sent throughout England and Wales to require and impower four of the next Justices of the Peace or such other Commissioners your Highness shall appoint to call a Jury in every Parish of substantial Free-holders or other discreet honest men either of the same Parish or Parishes next adjacent and to call to their assistance all other discreet persons that can and will give them true information concerning any of the premisses in charge And the said Jury so impannelled to make true Inquisition of all such neighbours and persons aforesaid of these particular things following viz. 3 That the Jurie bee impowered to enquire and present all persons men and women and their degree and qualitie that have been sequestred in each respective parish within every County of this Nation and the dayes of the moneth and year when this was done Also they are to enquire and present what stock of Cattel Money Plate houshold stuff c. or other things of value they had taken from them and to set down the particular values thereof Also to set down the values of the Houses Lands and Tenements Woods c. sequestred and into whose hands the same came And to set down the parcels and values distinctly and the several time and times when this was done and by whose order warrants and directions and who received the monies 4. They are to enquire and present in every Parish what Committee-men and Sequestrators and Treasurers are in every Parish their distinct names and qualities who of them are dead and who bee their Heirs and Executors or Administrators And if any Sequestrator Treasurer or Committee-man bee removed out of their ancient abiding places since 1642. to set down to the best of their knowledg or information they can get where every such Sequestrator Committeeman and Treasurer doth live in what Countie and place within this Nation or elswhere 5. They are to enquire in what Places of the Countie the Committee for Sequestrations did usually sit and to certifie the same And that diligent search bee made for all Books of Orders of everie particular Committee That in every Parish twelv able and discreet persons upon oath shall make strict inquisition who received all Rents and Profits of all Lands and Houses of Delinquents in the said Parish and how long every Delinquents lands were under Sequestration before they were compounded for or sold and to present all persons that shall bee proved to have the publick money in their hands and what quantity And this all Juries in every Parish shall swear to do without favor or affection and that some considerable penaltie may bee inflicted on such Juries or the Parties offending amongst them that shall wilfully perjure themselvs in wilfull making false Returns and in wilfull concealing any frauds to the prejudice of the Common-wealth through their connivance or willfulness when the Evidence for the State hath by good and legal witnesses sworn the fact positively and clearly and yet the Jury will not make their Returns according to their Evidence to set a penalty upon all Offenders of this
approved of by the Commissioners of his Highness's Treasurie or others to bee appointed for that service by his Highness and Counsel Then the full Charge of every County shall bee put at the foot of each mans Accompt that hath been a Receiver And every Receivor's Estate and Person to lie lyable till hee hath perfected his Accoumpt justly and truly in the Exchequer according to the good known Laws of the Land 14. And if this cours bee strictly looked after and taken Whosoever hath any of the Commonwealths monie in his hands it will bee found out For if any Treasurer or Collector hath a Charge given him by the Countrie Citty Town Corporation or hundred for the monies hee hath received Every Receiver and Treasurer must discharge themselves by known legal Acquittances and Warrants from such as were legally impowered to give them and from the day any Accomptant of the Commonwealths money till the time hee shall have a just and legal Discharge upon a just and true Accompt not a feined forged or Averian Account I most humblie say Every Receivers and Accountants Bodie Lands and Estate whatsoever their Heirs Executors and Administrators are all and every one of them Lyable till they have justly Accounted and gotten their Legal Quietus est And this is the known Law of the Nation and constantly hath in all ages been practised in the good old way of the Court of Exchequer at Westminster The Whole Premises upon my knees I humble tender at Your Highness and the Parlaments feet and implore your gracious and benigne Acceptance of your Supplicant's loyal endeavor for Your Highness and the Commonwealths Service To His Highness OLIVER LORD PROTECTOR OF England Scotland Ireland and the Dominions thereunto belonging The humble Petition of THOMAS VIOLET of London Goldsmith Humbly sheweth THat great quantities of Plate Bullion and the heavy currant Silver Coynes of this Nation as Shillings Sixpences and Half-Crowns and Five shilling pieces have been formerly and are at this day melted down for the making of Gilt and Silver Thread and Wyer Spangles Oas Purl c. to the great waste of the Stock of this Nation By which evil Practices many mischiefs and damages have been and are daily put on the Common-wealth which ought strictly to bee prevented most especially in this conjuncture of time when wee have Warrs with Spain That your Highness would bee graciously pleased for the future not to suffer either Refiner Goldsmith or Wyer-drawer to melt the Coyn or Plate of the Nation to make Gold or Silver Wyer or Thread but that all Silver imploied or spent in this manufacture bee bought or contracted for beyond Seas upon the produce and returns of Commodities And that none of the Coyn or Plate of the Nation be spent or wrought in this manufacture upon the severest penalties can bee inflicted on the Offenders That the late King and his Counsel in Anno 1635. taking into their consideration the great loss hee sustained in his Customs by suffering this manufacture to bee in England did cause a Duty to bee imposed on Gold and Silver Wyer which was made into Silver Thread Spangles Purls and Oas the summ of Six pence the ounce Troy which is not two pence upon the ounce Venice upon Gold and Silver thread commonly so called but it is truly gold and silver Silk for the Silver is all spun on Silk May it pleas your Highness the Book of Rates in the Custom-house laies eight groats upon one pound Venice which upon accompt is above six pence the ounce Troy in Wyer as upon Examination before the Counsel of Trade your Petitioner shall make it clearly appear That if your Highness do continue the making of gold and silver wyer and thread here That your Highness will bee pleased to recommend it to the Committee for Trade to take especial caâ—e to prevent the frauds and dammages now daily done and practised in this manufacture And to make such Orders and Rules for the Trade that there may bee a thorow Reformation of false sleight and deceitfull stuff upon very strict penalties And for the due execution of the same the Committee of Trade to consider and settle such Officers and their Fees for their paines as they shall deem fiting to prevent the by-past Abuses And to report the same Regulation to your Highness and your Counsell for Confirmation That if your Highness continue this manufacture here That then as great an Excize bee laid on it here as is laid on the Custom and Impost of Gold and Silver thread imported from Millan Venice or other Forain parts For the making of silver thread here hinders the importation of so much Silver as would bee brought in on that manufacture which Silver will increase the stock of the Nation And this manufacture being made here as it is now made without order or Rule both for fineness and weight of Silver and without consideration had what your Highness and the Common-wealth loseth in the Customs by suffering it to bee made here and the waste of the Coyne Plate and Bullion of the Nation without a due regulation of this manufacture it is far better for the Commonwealth to have the making totally put down May it pleas your Highness Much may bee alledged and pleaded for the making this manufacture here so it may bee justly made as that it keeps and maintains a lively hood for many thousand persons and families in and about the City of London which would perish if this manufacture were put down A just and strict regulation will bee better for the Work-men and the Trades-men such as are honest and would not adulterate their Lace Ribbons Spangles c. in this manufacture And bee greatly advantagious to the wearers The Coyn and Bullion of this Nation will bee preserved and your Highness Revenue much increased If the draught for the just and due regulation of the manufacture of Gold and Silver wyer and thread which your Petitioner herewith most humbly presents to you Highness bee put in due execution with such alterations and additions as the Committe for Trade in their great wisedoms shall think fit for your Highness and the Common-wealths Service Your Petitioner humbly praies That the premisses may by your Highness bee recommended to the Committee for Trade and they Ordered 1. To consider Whether it bee fit at this conjuncture of time to continue the making of this manufacture here in England 2. If they conceive the manufacture still may bee made here for the relief and imployment of the Poor That then the Committee of Trade bee Ordered by your Highness to set down such Rules and Waies as they in their Judgments shall think fit to prevent all former Frauds and Abuses put upon the Coyn of this Nation And that asmuch Excize may bee laid on the Silver Wyer and Thread as is paid to your Highness and the Common-wealth in the Custom-house if the Silver Thread were imported from beyond Seas into this Nation
ends being Master-wyerdrawers and not for the generall good either of the workmen of the Trade or of the Commonwealth The workmen desire that the workmasters of this manufacture may bee restrained and for the future may not as they do force the workmen for their private gain to make their work sleightly and adulterate That there may bee a sworn Surveyer and Assayer appointed one that is neither Workmaster nor workman but an indifferent conscionable man between them both that may Survey and Assay all work made and to bee made and may set Rules and Orders between the workmasters workmen that so the work-masters may not caus the workmen to make base sleight and adulterate work for the workmasters private gain And that the Workmen may not bee so beaten down in their Prices that they cannot make a livelihood that the Surveyor may appoint the Assaymaster who may trie and make Assayes of all work made into Silver and Gold thread wyer Purles Spangles c. that so the manufacture may bee made of fine silver not under Starling but as much better as every Trader pleaseth That Tho. Violet who was formerlie imployed in the Regulation of this Manufacture and knoweth the way of discovering all these Frauds and Deceits in the making and working of this manufacture may bee Surveyor and Searcher to seiz on all cours and adulterate silver in wyer and thread c. and for all sleight work And that your Honors set Rules and Orders for the punishing the offenders and that all gold and silver Wyer c. may bee well and justlie made And that Tho. Violet may have such a Fee allowed him for his service and pains taken therein as may support his Charges and recompence him for his service care and pains to bee taken therein and for his warranting to the Nation that all the silver shall be justly made and that strict penalties should bee put and laid uppon all work-masters that give their work men cours adulterate Silver to work to draw Gold or Silver wyer and that all workmasters bee forbidden to caus the workmen to draw their silver to such extraordinary sizes for slightness that when it is twisted on the Silk it is so thin it cannot bee made servisable to the wearers but with the wind or Rain drops of the wearers Garments I wished these men to put to their hands to theis last aforesaid proposals which for the present they refused telling mee I knew these things to bee true aswell as themselves The reason why for the present they would not set to their hands was They would see first whether there was an Intention of the Parlament or Counsell for Trade really to reform these abuses and to see good Silver lace spangles c. should bee wrought and made in the Nation and to punish strictly the offendors when they were once assured of that they would discover the whole bottom of the workmasters knavery and oppression and how many of them deceiv the Common-wealth But if they should bee seen to discover these abuses before they were assured the Parlament would reform them by their discovery they should bee undon for som of their workmasters would bee starke mad with them And that som of them have been threatned by their work masters the master-wyer-drawers never to bee set on work by any of the master-wyer-drawers if ever they petition against or discover any the frauds of their workmasters in these Manufactures The like tyranous threatning many of the Master wyer drawers have used to the women spinners to terrifie them from speaking the trueth So that many of these workemen to the master wyer-drawers and also the women spyners of gold and silver thread are in a sad condition every way They must worke cours deceipfull gold and silver thread and wyer and must not nor dare discover it uppon pain of being undon by som of their cruell Work masters Som of them with tears in their eys have told mee they were forced to worke their Work Masters cours and deceiptfull silver wyer and thread contrary to their consent to get bread And that their Masters have so pestred the trade formerly with taking a multitude of apprentices for private and present gain that now not one half of the Journiemen can get work to put bread in their heads That the Journymen stand in more aw many of them and fear to displeas their Workmasters then their apprentices doe And this is the true reason so much bad sleight silver thread is made If one man will not work at such sizes and such price that the Silver shall run such a length that many of the Workmen even dravv their eyes out of their heads So that vvhen the Silver com's to bee put on the Silke it is in a manner as thin as a gilt on a bay leaf the vvind vvil blovv the Silver avvay of the silk and then the vvheele-men and hand spinners must agree vvith som of these vvorkmasters as the Silkmen did vvith the Dyers they must make one pound of ravv Silk vveigh tvvo pound vvhen it com's from dying so the Master vvyer-dravvers vvill and at this day do force many of their Worke-men to make Silver three ounces Silver to cover six ounces of silk and fovr ounces silver to cover five ounces of Silke and this is sold for good silver thread by the Master vvyer dravvers and Silkemen so that the vvearers are Cozened many times half in half And this makes Knaves against a regulation For they can get more by selling ten pounds vvorth of this sleight and deceitfull Silver Lace then they can do by selling fourty pounds vvorth of good silver Lace this is the true reason vvherefore they vvould have no Sealer but vvould have the Regulation of this business left amongst the Refiners and Wyer-dravvers themselvs This is the Substance of the Women spynners and many of the Journymen vvyer-dravvers desires at this day vvhich they vvould give under their hands and prosecute it by hundreds if they vvere assured your Highness and the Parlament vvould appoint a strict Regulation of these abuses in their Trade They will attend the Counsell of Trade and humbly present their desires concerning all the premises My most humble Petition to your Highness and the Parlament is For the speedy passing the Act against Transporters of Gold and Silver against the Cullers and melters down of the heavy Coyns of this Nation and such as buy Gold or Silver above the price of the Mynt THis Act was in Mr Augustin Garlands hands in 1652. a member of the long Parlament and was recomended to the Parlament by the Counsell of State and was drawn up by a Committee of the Counsell of State for the mint in 1651. for the appointing of Commissioners who should make strickt enquirie after the abuses of transporting Gold and Silver And then there was an endeavor by som of the Transporters of Gold and Silver and of such as unlawfully bought sould exchanged
or melted down any of the currant coyns of England or of any Gold or Silver bulloin to have it passed by with a generall Pardon The Committee for the mint taking Especiall notice of the greate mischeifs that have hapned to the Nation by the said abuses when the general pardon was drawing up they made this order to prevent the Offendors escaping their due punishment viz. At Whitehall Jan 24. 1651. Mr Attorney Generall At a Committee of the Counsell of State for the Mint this inclosed exception was presented to the Committee to have it inserted in the Generall pardon The Committee do hold fit for the benefit of the Commonwealth to have this exception inserted in the Pardon and do recommend it to you accordingly viz. Except all offences don and committed by any person whatsoever in transporting out of England any gold or silver in Coyn or Bullion without licence and all other offences in the unlawfull buying selling exchanging and melting down of any the currant silver moneys or Bullion against whom or for which any information is now depending in the Court of Exchequer at Westminster Ordered that Mr Thomas Violet attend Master Attourney General with this order of the Committee and also the Committee of Parlament for drawing the General pardon to have these offences excepted James Harrington Herbert Morley I did attend the Committee of Parlament and Master Attourney General with this abovesaid order and they did insert the exception in the General pardon and so none of these offenders are pardoned the offenders are liable to the Law at this day At the Committee at Whitehall August 16. 1649. Ordered that a Committee bee appointed to take into consideration the business of the Coyn and the Par between us and other Nations and how the coyn of this nation may bee kept from being carried out and likewise to consider of som means Whereby the Mint may bee set on work and they are to speak with any persons they think good about it December 20. 1649. THe Committees names Lord President Bradshaw Sir James Harrington Sir Gilbert Pickering Sir William Constable Mr Scot Mr Bond Collonel Purefoy Collonel Joanes Mr Thomas Challoner Sir Henry Mildemay Collonel Morley Mr Allen Mr Darley Mr Cornelius Holland Mr Nevil or any two of them Sir James Harrington had the Chaire for this Committee hee writes to mee this Letter viz. SIR BEeing informed of your abillity and readiness to make tender of such proposals as may bee for the service of the Common-wealth I thought fit to desire you that I may speak with you to morrow in the afternoon being Tuesday about two a Clock at which time you shall finde mee at my lodgings in the Stone Gallery in Whitehall 12 Jan. 1649. Your loving friend James Harrington For Mr Thomas Violet these And at the desire of Sir James Harrington and Mr Thomas Challoner and others of the Honorable Committee for the Mint I did write to Holland for all the principal Coynes in Christendom and did deliver many of them to the officers of the Mint to make an assay of them which several pieces of forrain gold and silver were assayed in the Presence of the Committee of the Mint they being there at the Tower several dayes to make these Trials where I attended them and I sent into Holland France and Flanders for all their several Placares and did procure the Lawes and Ordinances for regulating their respective mints with the several standards and weighits for their Coyns gold or silver to be translated and thereupon the Commitee of the Mint caused the principall of these forrain Coynes to bee ingraven with their weight and finenes of every piece according to the standard of each mint both gold and silver what it ought to weigh with a just Calculation of the vallue what all the several Species would make in the Tower of London and the penny weight and graines that everie such forrain Specie or Coyn would make in the Tower of London and what proportion our gold and silver held with the mints of Flanders France and Holland and this was exactly calculated by the officers of the Mint and my self in the years 1651 and 1652 and all the proceedings thereupon After many moneths time and the several Coynes graven in Copper Plates were delivered into the custody of Sir James Harrington the chairman of that committee to report them unto the Hous but the Parlament being dissolved 20 April 1653. the Act against the Transporters of Gold and all the Proceedings concerning the regulation of the mint was stopped for that time There had been severall Agitations concerning this Act in the hous manie times in Parlament viz. 18. March 1640. The business of the examination of the transporting Goldand Silver referred to the Committee that was appointed to consider of the state of the Kings Army and Thomas Violet appointed by that order of Parlament to prosecute this business An order of Parlament 1 September 1647. That the Committee of the navie consider of som effectual cours to prevent the Transportatim of Bullion and to report what they have don to the hous The Committee of the Navy 2. September 1647. direct their order to the Commissioners and officers of the Customs and particularly to Mr Edward Watkins then head Searcher and they were all desired to consider of som cours to prevent the Transportation of Bullion out of the nation In October 1647. All the Commissioners with the chief officers of the Custom-house set down several waies for the prevention of the Transporting of Gold and Silver which the Marchants by all secret means do daily Transport The Committee of the Navy by their order of the third of Dec. 1647. directed their order to the officers of the Mint to certifie their opinions what waies courses were to bee taken for preventing the Transporting of Gold Silver out of the nation The officers of the Mint after great consultation and consideration having taken good advice som of them having had long experience viz. Mr. Palmer and Mr Cogan were the fitter to give advice first the officers of the Mint upon their certificate desire that all the Transporters of Gold and Silver and such as have melted down the currant Coyn of the nation may bee brought to justice to Deterr others from acting the like abuses for the future Secondly that according to the president of the statute of 14 Richard 2. Cap. 12. A Commission bee granted to make enquirie through the nation after all such as had conveyed the moneys of England out of the nation and of all such as culd out and melted the heavy currant money 4 Hen. 4. Cap. 10. the sixth of Edward 6. Cap. 19. Touching the exchange of Gold and silver to bee put in execution that whosoever gives more for Gold or Silver then it is or shall bee declared shall make fine at pleasure of the State To conclude they say in their Certificate that the Mint cannot bee imployed