that Company above sixty hundred thousand pounds in Silver and Gold sent to the East Indies were their Books of Entries examined and their Books of Account to their several Factories in India what they have sent yearly to every particular factory and some Auditors appointed to make the inspection upon Oath I humbly say there would be found many hundred thousand pounds transported both of English Gold and Silver more then ever they had licence from the King to send to the great weakning damage and decay of this Nation they being a Company that heretofore used to bribe out all their abuses by one course or other Had not your Majesty by your Royal pardon pardoned them they should before this time have found the East India Company charged by me in the Exchequer with many hundred thousand pounds of English Gold and Silver and of half Crowns and foreign Gold and Silver transported against the Laws and Statutes of the Kingdome let them have got off as well as they could May it please your Majesty That company pretends a debt your Royal Father should owe them for Silks and Pepper delivered unto one Burlemack a Merchant about the Year 1630. upon your Royal Fathers account had not your Majestie in your great mercy pardoned this very Company of Merchants in your gracious and free Pardon 1660. I could have chalked out the way to have peppered the East India Company it had never been so peppered since it was a Company they are pardoned for what is past but they have no Priviledge for the time to come But if your Majesty command me to watch the East India Company that they for the future send no more gold or silver then they have licence for from your Majesty I shall faithfully do it and give a stop to these mischiefs they have formerly committed If your Majesty command I shall not fear the riches or greatness of the East India company or Merchants of London but I will tramel them and reduce them to the due obedience of your Majesties commands and the Law of the Kingdom For the longer this business is not looked after makes some Merchants think to get leave to weaken the Kingdom in general and incroach upon your Majesties sacred Prerogative to send what silver and gold they list away for the future without any Comptroller May it please your Majesty a Court in the nature of the Star chamber would Frost-bite these Gentlemen and make them pluck in their Horns and submit to your Maiesties Lawes which will be for the good of the Nation in general that these men may be curbed and not left to rob the Kingdom of all its Gold and Silver as some Merchants have taken the boldness to do when we had no King in this our Israel for this last seventeen years Never School-boyes plaid such tricks in the absence of their School-masters as some of the London-merchants have done When the books of the Common council of London copied out together with the East India Companies books be throughlie inspected your Maiestie and your honourable Privie Council will see incredible passages fit for Your maiestie to know such as is for Your maiesties honour and safetie for the future to prevent viz. I most humbly pray your Majestie and your honourable Privie Council to command true Copies of all the Acts of the Common Council of London from one thousand six hundred and thirty eight to one thousand six hundred and sixty and the true copies of the East Indies Companies books of Envoys sent to their Factors of all the Gold and Silver they sent yearly the ships name and by what Factor and to what Factors in India and Persia ever since one thousand six hundred and twentie to one thousand six hundred and sixty Not that I have the least thought that any of them should be punished for what is past by reason of your Majesties gracious pardon but that an Eye might be kept over them to keep them from committing the same or the like offences again against your Majestie your Crown and Dignity I humbly say I am so charitable to them that I had rather see them alwaies upright in all their actions then ever to hear that your Majestie should put your Royal self to that trouble to pardon them again when they have offended it is better I humbly say for the Merchants that your Majesty take all course to keep some Merchants from falling then to take them up after they are down if they be watched that they shall have no opportunitie to offend it saves the labour of punishing any of them Some Merchants I have heard say at the Council of Trade one thousand six hundred and fiftie that it is an old Heresie to hinder the transporting of gold and silver freelie and to retain it in the Kings hands he only to give a licence to transpor Sure I am it is a Phanatick opinion for the Merchants to labour to obtain it out of your Majesties and your privie Councils hands Some Merchants are great magnifiers of Commonwealths their Policies and Governments those that are for an Amsterdam model both in the Church and Kingdom but in our Kings sacred hands this great Trust in all Ages hath happilie continued and no Merchant never durst ask such a request to have it at their own dispose these Merchants covet more profit and gain then they do the Kings Majesties greatness and that makes them so busie to get this Royal flower out of the Crown May it please your Majesty your standard of Gold and Silver is fixed to all your Subjects of all your Nations the pound sterling is a fixed paiment and is the guide to all the Bankers in Christendom for till they return their Bills of Exchange for England no Banker or Merchant can tell certainly the true intrinsecal value they shall receive for a hundred pounds delivered in their Banks by Bills of Exchange to any place but onely England where these paiments are fixed and paied according to the pound sterling which is by shillings pence and half-pence without any fraud or bankmonie from the paiment of one hundred pound to the paiment of one hundred thousand pounds no man can be wronged of a penie but it will exactlie appear upon the casting up of the accompt Commonwealths and Bankers go upon Merchants subtilties that is not for the Honour and Dignitie of your Majestie to make your monie go high when you are to paie your Armies and Fleets and then presently to call it down in Kingdomes Kings are Sacred and cannot act such dirty tricks as Commonwealths do Englands Tragedy from one thousand six hundred fourtie three to one thousand six hundred and sixtie may serve as a warning to all good subjects how to turn Kingdomes into Commonwealths or to leave power of transporting Gold or Silver at the will and pleasure of the merchant Merchants are like fire and water Good Servants but bad Masters in their proper spheers good but
AN APPEAL TO CAESAR WHEREIN GOLD And SILVER Is Proved to be the Kings Majesties ROYAL COMMODITY WHICH By the Lawes of the Kingdom no Person of what Degree soever but the KINGS MAJESTIE and his Privy Councel can give Licence to Transport either Gold or Silver to any Person after it is Landed in any part of the Kingdome of England That this Great and Sacred Trust cannot be changed into the Hands of any Person Persons or Corporations whatsoever without changing or diminishing the Sacred Power of his Majestie it being against his Crown and Dignity Humbly Presented to his Most Sacred MAJESTIE and his Most Honourable Privy Councel in opposition to some Merchants who are Endeavouring upon feigned Pretences to dispossesse his Majestie of this Royal Trust and to have it Confirmed by Act of Parliament to Transport at the Merchants pleasure Forreign Bullion and Coine freely after it is Imported into the Kingdom and make it a Free Merchandize for their private profit to the Damage of the whole Kingdom in general By THO. VIOLET of London Goldsmith MATTH 22. 21. Render therefore unto Cesar the things which are Cesars c. LONDON Printed in the Year 1660. TO THE KINGS most Excellent Majestie And to the LORDS of his MAIESTIES most Honourable PRIVY COVNCEL The Humble Petition of THO. VIOLET of London Goldsmith Most Dread Soveraign I Your Majesties most Humble Loyal and Dutiful Subject humbly upon my Knees present this insuing Narrative to Your Sacred Majesty and to Your most honourable and prudent Councell I had not presumed to have medled with this cause and Argument but that I see with what eagernesse some Merchants of London thought to steal one of the prime Flowers of your Majesties Crown from your Sacred Majesty and Your most honourable Privy Councell before the Rising of this blessed Parliament True it is Gold and Silver all over the World is a currant Merchandize it answereth all things and commandeth all things under the Sun But so that in all Kingdoms Gold and Silver is a Kingly Merchandize and only at the Kings Dispose and Will and not at the dispose of the Merchants to be transported at their pleasure May it please Your Majesty by Twenty Acts of Parliament the Lawes of this Kingdom of England in all Ages hath invested it in the most Sacred Hands of the Kings of England and their Privy Councel and none other whomsoever either Lords Bishops or Commons The Reasons upon perusall of this Narrative Your Majesty will find to have been done upon most wise just and great consideration both for the Honour Strength and Defence of the Kings Sacred Person His Crown and Dignity and Safetie of the people The Money Bullion Gold and Silver of this Kingdom in all Ages till these perillous head-strong Fanatick daies hath been counted the chief Strength of the Kingdom the very Soul of the Militia and the Sinews of Warre and Peace in Your Majesties most Sacred Hands and in Your Privy Councels the Law of this Kingdom hath invested it and in none other of Your Majesties Subjects of what condition soever and there let it safely remain to the end of this World Your Majesties most humble Subject upon his bended Knees prayes Your Majesty to keep this Sacred Trust intire in Your Hand and not to diminish the least tittle or branch of it O never suffer it to be at the will of the Merchant least Your Majesty which God defend giving some fawning spaniels this Authority as they desire out of Your Sacred Hands You give an oppertunity in a few years that the breed of them may turn Mastives and so they may have a power to fly in the Face of Your Sacred Majesty as some of them did to Your Majesties Royall Father of blessed memory which God defend Fore-warn'd Fore-arm'd I humbly think I deserved not to live should I not say this The Gold and Silver of the Nation either Forreign Coyne or Ingot or the currant Coin of the Kingdom is the soul of the Militia and so all wise men know it that those that command the Gold and Silver of the Kingdom either Coin or Bullion to have it free at their disposall to be Judges of the conveniency and inconveniency or to hinder or give leave to transport Gold and Silver at their pleasure is the great Wheell of the State a most Royall Prerogative inherent in Your Majesty Your Heirs and Successors and none other whomsoever but by Your Majesties Licence and cannot be parted with to any Persons but by Your Majesties most especiall Grant your Majesty and your Privy Councell being by the Law the only proper Judges to have liberty to send to your Friends the Gold and Silver of the Kingdom Upon such just Reasons of State as your Majesty and Privy Councell shall judg fit for the due relief of your Friends and Allies to offend your Enemy and defend your Imperiall Crown and Dignity and strengthen your Friends As Queen ELIZABETH severall times assisted HENRY the Great King of France your Majesties Royall Grandfather and the States of Holland with vast sums of Gold and Silver The like Royall prerogative is in the Crown upon Petition of the Merchants setting forth their just Reasons and at your pleasure your Majesty to give them leave to send Forreign Gold and Silver either to the Indies or any part of Christendom but so as your Majesty as all your Royall Predecessors and your Privy Councell being in Commission by your Majesty for that service are the only proper Judges of this businesse and have the Lock and Key to dispence with the penall Statutes to give leave to send so much Gold and Silver of Forreign Bullion or the Coin of the Kingdom as your Majesty shall please in your wisdom for to grant and to what Prince or Country but not at the will of any other Person whomsoever Your Petitioner humbly prayes upon my Knees for your Majesties honor for your Majesties safety for the safety and greatnesse of all your Lords and Gentry for the safety of all your People that your Majesty keep this Royall Trust intire and the same always in your Majesty and your most honourable Privy Councels hands as the Appell of your Eye Gold and Silver is a Merchandize all over the World true but in Kingdoms it is a Kingly Merchandize and not to be transported without the Kings leave What I hear say I upon my Knees submit to your Sacred Majesties consideration Novemb. 28. 1660 and shall pray c. To the Right Honourable the Lord High Chancellour of England the Lord Steward of his MAIESTIES Housh old the Lord High Treasurer of England the Lord Roberts all of his MAIESTIES most Honourable Privie Councell These humbly present May it please your Lordships I Humbly presume for to Acquaint your Lordships that I understand some Merchants of London are endeavouring to obtain an Act of Parliament to make Gold and Silver a Merchandize to transport freely at their will and pleasure
as it is at this day at Amsterdam and several other Common-wealths in Christendome If this do not satisfie your Lordships I have it at large to shew this mischief but I hope I shall not need to say more to this businesse to stopit My Lords I am none of the Councel or Committee for Trade and so it may be presumption in me to intermeddle to say any thing in this businesse but my Lords a Stander by may see more in the Game then the Gamesters I am no Lawyer yet I humblie say I know this point concerning the giving libertie to Merchants to transport money and what the damage may be to his Majestie to his Lords of the Councel and to the Kingdom in general as well as many others that are in Commission for the Regulating of Trade My Lords I have bin writing on this Argument above this moneth and shall be ready to present to his Majestie and his Privie Councel within this week a Paper that shall unfold the many mischiefs and dangers the Merchants would expose the King and the Kingdom into had they this Power in their hands the Merchants should they obtain this their desire and remove this Trust out of his Majestie and his Privy Councels Hands to be the only Iudges to give leave to Merchants to transport Gold and Silver would rob the King of one of his greatest Prerogatives and Flowers of the Crown which by twenty Acts of Parliament and Proclamations is only invested in the Kings Majestie and his Privy Conncel the granting the Merchants this Power will bring an hundred inconveniences and mischiefs to the King Nobility and Gentry as I have at large to shew your Lordships and the Privy Councel and if I do not satisfie his Majestie your Lordships and all his Privie Councel of this that I say to be true never let me have your Lordships good opinion that I am either an honest man or one that loves the Kings Safetie Honour and Greatnesse and the Honour of his Privy Councel And therefore my most Humble Suit is to your Lordship my Lord Chancellour that if this businesse be called on at the Councel of Trade and your Lordship be present there this day as I hear you intend to be purposely about this businesse that your Lordship would be pleased either to put off this businesse for to have it argued before the Kings Majestie or his Privie Councel at Whitehall sometime next week in the mean time I shall be ready to shew to your Lordship and the Privy Councel that it concerns his Majestie next to the Militia to continue and keep this great Trust in his Majesties Sacred hands and in the Power of his Privie Councel and no other person by the Law can or ought to have the Priviledge to give leave to transport Gold and Silver at their pleasure this being the soul of the Militia they that have the money and the Peoples purses have virtually the Command in all Common-wealths of the Government let who will have the Title the Bankers have the power and this priviledge is no where granted but in Commonwealths God defend England from the very name of a Commonwealth for the Tragedies which were lately acted by some Merchants in England When we had no King in this our Israel they have robbed the Kingdome of all the Gold and so now would work iniquity by a Law but by Gods Assistance I will diffect them and lay the danger open to his Majestie your Lordship and the Kings most Honourable Privie Councel and stand or fall by your righteous Judgement humbly praying for his Majesties Safety Honour and Service that no further proceeding in this great businesse be argued but before his Majestie and his most prudent Privie Councel within lesse then a week I shall be ready with my Reasons for what I say to shew your Lordship that so all the Lovers of the King might be satisfied of the Damage and Danger of removing this great Trust out of his Majesties and his Privy Councels Hands So I humbly rest Novemb. 27. 1660 Your Lordships Humble Servant THO. VIOLET For the Right Honourable the LORD CHANCELLOUR May it please your Lordship to give Order That no further proceedings in this business be but before His Majesty and his Privy Council at White-hall and if His Majesty and Privy Council give judgement against what I say to be true I will lose my life when they hear this business examiued WHereas the Merchants of London are endeavouring to get an Act of Parliament to have liberty to export Gold and Silver freely without the Kings Majesties and his most Honourable Privy Councils leave I humbly propound for His Majesties service and the safety and honour of his Majesty that these humble Proposals might be considered of before any further proceedings on that business be made That his Majesty and his honourable Privy Council be pleased to keep intire in their own hands the Licencing of all Gold and Silver after it is imported into this Kingdom to be exported or Coined as they shall see just cause for the safety of the Nation and safety and honour of his Majesty and the Lords of his Council and the safety and benefit of all his Majesties Subjects of what condition soever and being setled in the Crown so many hundred years by Acts of Parliament as I shall prove it this great and Sacred trust be no way altered especially at this Juncture of time this Kingdom being robbed of almost all its Gold and a great part of the Silver Coin for the private profit of particular persons to the weakning of the Nation and the destruction of Trade this Royal trust being one of the prime flowers of the Crown and the very soul of the Militia and it a right inherent onely in the King and his Privy Council and there onely deposited for many hundreds of Years whereby the King only by the Law can give leave and licence to transport Gold and Silver after it is imported into the Kingdom and that if you ever suffer this Roial trust to be managed by the Merchant and suffer all persons by Act of Parliament to be free to transport Gold or Silver either in Coin or Bullion after it is imported and landed in England You take away one of the principal Prerogatives and flowers of the Crown destroying his Majesties Mint in the Tower of London and lay a sad foundation to give some factious Merchants of this Kingdom a ground to make new disturbances and leave the Nation weak and naked of all Gold and Silver The granting the Merchants this power they desire will bring a thousand mischiefs both on the King and Kingdom which God defend In all ages till these Phanatick daies the Gold and Silver after it was landed in the Kingdom was held the Blood and Sinews of War and Peace the Militia and strength of the Kingdom I shall humbly present unto you these following Reasons for keeping this power intire
in your Majesty and Privy Council and the King Lords and Commons cannot be safe to suffer any other person upon any pretence whatsoever of the Crafty Merchant to have the disposals at their will and for their private lucre to have the power by Act of Parliament to transport Gold or Silver either to the Indies or other forraign Countries or to any part of Christendom Without your Majesties licence and order to take an exact account of what quantity of Gold or Silver is transported to what Country the Ship with the Ships masters name either to the Indies or any forraign Princes Country in Christendom or to any State or Commonwealth that so upon reasons of State they may either inlarg his Licences to the Merchant or straighten them according as the King and his Privy Council in their great wisdom shall think fit Your Majesty and Privy Council ever having regard that the Kingdome have alwayes such plenty of Gold and Silver as may be for the honour of the King and safety of the people and to maintain Trade and Comerce in the Kingdom to pay Rents Customs Excise and Subsidies to be a strength and an honour to the Kingdom and the King and his Privy Council to take the care to hinder Gold and Silver to be transported to the Kings enemies And of all and every part of these Heads and Branches and real Prerogatives in all Ages the King and none but the King and his Privy Council by Acts of Parliament are the onely proper Iudges at their will discretion and pleasure for the safety of the Kingdom and no other person whatsoever Upon the several Reasons of the Merchants to his Majesty and his privy Council and upon their petition and request the King can dispence with the penalty of the Law and give the Merchant licence to transport onely such quantities of Gold or Silver either forraign Coin or Ingots or the currant Coin of the Kingdom either in Gold or Silver as the King and his privy Council shall think fit for to carry on the Merchants trade in Christendom and out of Christendom to strengthen his Majesties friends and offend his foes and this is an undoubted right of his Majesties Crown and cannot be dispenced with or deposited into the Merchants hands or any other Subjects either Lords spiritual or temporal but to the dishonour of his Majesty and all the good people of the Kingdom I do humbly prove it true for these Reasons following If any person of what degree soever transport Gold or Silver without the Kings licence the Laws and Statutes heretofore hath made it Felony both for Bishops Noblemen or Commons as I shall shew by the St atutes hereafter following afterwards a praemunire and at this day forfeiture and imprisonment during the Kings pleasure viz. 9 Edward 3. 2 Henry 4 cap. 4 2 Henry 6 cap. 6. 18. Edw. 4 1 Henry 8. 5 and 6 of Edw. 6. When the Kings Majesty hath War with any Prince by the Law the King may prohibit the Merchant to export Corn Armes Ammunition to them or any other Commodities the Law provides the prohibiting the exportations of Wool Fullers earth and Timber as being destructive to the Nation Gold and Silver by the Law is free for any man to import at what place he please to land it without paying any Duty or Custome the reason whereof is that the Merchant is obliged to Coin it and upon the Coinage the King hath his duty paid but once being landed it cannot be transported but with leave from his Majesty or the forfeiture being taken and the party claiming the Gold and Silver so taken on shipboard to be committed to prison without Bail till the King or his privy Council please to discharge him This is the Law this the Custome before these mad Phanatick daies that we had no King in Israel And this in all Ages was the practice both in your Exchequer and the Star chamber for otherwise the Merchant for his private profit would send all the Gold and Silver out of the Nation and make the Kings proclamation wait upon the Merchants Exchange as at this day it is with the Gold The Merchants and some Goldsmiths have raised Gold above the Kings proclamation may it please your Majesty we want a Star chamber to punish them I humbly leave it to consideration no Gold to be had under one shilling six pence in twenty shillings more then silver I humbly pray an Act might pass this present Parliament against this abuse of the Gold Coin and several other abuses and cheats put on the Nobility and Gentry by the adulterating and undue making Gold and Silver Lace in London whereby the wearers are daily cozened by course flight adulterate Gold and Silver and by putting a slight body of Silver on a great threed of silk to the damage of this Nation above fifty thousand pound a year as I will prove it to your Majesty and your Privy Council and this is done for want of a Regulation of the Work-masters and Workmen in London that make Gold and Silver Lace without an Essay or Finenesse or proportion of Silver to Silk I humbly desire your Lordships to consider what a loss the King will have in his Customes to suffer Gold and Silver to be exported at the pleasure of the Merchant and pay no Custome here will be for the profit of particular Merchants a Trade driven both inwards and outwards and the King have neither Excise nor Custome for all the World knows Gold and silver payes no duty inwards it is free to be imported at the pleasure of the Merchant when and how and where he please for the reasons abovesaid And if you give the Merchant leave to transport the Gold and Silver freely he imports what is the King the better by this Trade of the Merchants either inwards or outwards let this be granted to the Merchants to send out Silver and Gold freely for their private profit and in a few years they will leave neither Gold nor Silver in the Nation May it please your Majesty It is profit that is some Merchants guide not honour nor the safety of the Nation and this is most apparent by some mens actions and demands touching this great businesse The King will lose in point of His Excise and Customs for if the Merchant invest his Silver and Gold in Merchandies the King hath thereby His Excise and Customs the King will lose in point of His Mintage if no money be coyned no profit by coynage this hath made the Mint a great part of their Work-houses fall down It is for the Kings honour to have His Kingdoms full of Gold and Silver for His and the Subjects defence And if this Fanatick project should take the King loses one of the principal prerogatives of His Crown and Dignity for those that have the command of the peoples purses have the principal part of the Militia This is a Common-wealth trick but tends to the
undoing of a King in all Countries where the Merchants can set up a banck and transport money freely as at Amsterdam have not these men the command of the Militia they are the peoples Princes and virtually the Banckers have the power riches and strength of the Common-wealth let who will have the Title the Prince of Orange and the Duke of Venice c. but the Banker and the hogan mogan Merchants have the power The reason is clear they have got the people by the money and leave them nothing but some Stivers and base money to buy victuals and indeed the people have nothing but a paper credit in a Kingdome the Merchants will never put up a banck least the King should seize on it all they will not allow a King to do that they practice And I humbly say it is not for the safety of the King nor Lords to let the Merchants have liberty to transport Silver or Gold at their pleasure to forreign Bancks and Common-wealths least the Merchants in a year or two put the same trick on the King and Kingdom for all their current Silver as at this day they have done for all the Gold of the Nation Let the greatnesse of the Merchant be as a Hand-maid to the Kings greatnesse and ever subordinate to the King Or else a confederation of twenty Merchants and Goldsmiths shall make the English shilling in spite of the Kings Proclamation and against His Crown and Dignity and in despite of an Act of Parliament to go for 13. d. every English shilling twenty shillings for twenty one shillings eight pence let but the Merchants make Silver a Merchandize as the Goldsmiths and Merchants have already done Gold I beseech your Majesty to observ your Royal Father of blessed memory never did by His Proclamation or at his Mint in the Tower raise the Gold coined at above twenty shillings a peece in payment Doth not the Statute 5. and 6. of Edw. the sixth make it forfeiture of the value for any person whomsoever to utter or put off Gold or Silver money at above the Kings Proclamation and imprisonment during the Kings pleasure Do not above ten Proclamations say the same this is the known Law Yet at this day by the confederation of some Merchants and Goldsmiths in spite of this Law and Proclamations for the Merchants and Goldsmiths private profit the current Gold is not by any person to be had a twenty shilling peece under 21. s. 4. d. 21. s. 6. d. 21. s. 8. d. Your Majesty shall receive a hundred thousand pounds in Silver and not have a twenty shilling peece in Gold in a payment in the Exchequer What is the reason the Merchants and Goldsmiths have made it a Merchandize they have against your Majesties Lawes to your weakning and dishonour and against your Majesties Imperial Crown and Dignity robbed You and the Kingdom of all the Gold broke your Royal Statutes and Proclamations beggered your Majesties Mint And these very men that have thus abused your Majesty after all this licentiousnesse are so bold to desire to steal one of the prime Flowers out of your Majesties Crown Which is by having an Act of Parliament that they might freely and at their will transport Gold and Silver at their pleasure they will if they could get this great power into their hands leave neither Gold nor Silver in the Nation but light and clip'd money groats ninepences and thirteenpence-half-pennies let this be but taken notice of how the Merchants have robbed your Royal Father your Majesty and the whole Kingdom of the currant Gold of the Nation And then I humbly leave it to your Majesties wisdom to consider what a project this is tending to the weakning of your Majesty and Kingdom These men that have transported the Gold and Silver of the Kingdom already without your Majesties leave and against the Law are grown monstrous rich many of them by transporting all the Gold of the Nation and most of the Silver And now their riches makes them so bold thinking to bribe out all businesse as formerly they did in the Rump Parliament they would work iniquity by a Law if your Sacred Majesty or your privy Councellors should ever permit them to the ruine and damage of the whole Kingdom to gratify the greedy avarice of some Merchants whose covetousnesse will never be satisfied gain is their godlinesse and not godlinesse their gain May it please your Majesty your Royall Grandfather and Father King JAMES and King CHARLES of blessed memory gave a stop to this mischief of transporting Gold by bringing some of the Merchants of London that transported Gold and Silver into forreign parts into the Star Chamber in the years 1619. Sir William Curtine Sir Peter Vanlor Mr. Delabar Sir Moses Trian and some twenty more were fined in the Star Chamber at near two hundred thousand pounds and paid King JAMES into his Exchequer for their composition about one hundred thousand pounds this sentence gave a stop to the transporters of Gold and upon this sentence shortly after the Mint flourished Your Majesties Royal Father in the year 1635 King CHARLES of blessed memory commanded me your Majesties Humble and Loyall Subject to discover all such as transported Gold or Silver without His leave I have the Kings Majesties Gracious Letter to me of thanks for my good and acceptable Service under His Majesties Royal Hand and Signet for discovering the transporters of Gold and Silver which Letter I have ready to produce to your Sacred Majesty 1648. On Francis Braudgen brought me your Mrajesties Royall Fathers command to put a charge against the Transporters of Gold in the Exchequer Notwithstanding his Majesties former command to forbid me to discover the Transporters of Gold 1643. because his Majesty heard that some Members of Parliam in 1648. was sending away their estates in Gold he would have them discovered and made known to the people how they robbed them of their Treasure I caused the transporters of Gold at my own charge to be fined 24100 pounds I caused upon command of his late Majesty to be filed in the Exchequer in 1648 as will appear on Record at this day above a hundred several informations against the Transporters of Gold and Silver at my charge many hundred pounds I know the men and their instruments at this day as well as I know my right hand from my left I caused an exception to have all the Transporters of Gold excepted out of the general pardon granted by the Parliament in the year 1651 as will appear in the Act I put in an exception to have had it excepted in his Majesties general pardon 1660 but there was so many guilty persons that had transported Gold and Silver out of the Kingdom that I could not get it put into the Bill to have these offences excepted whereby your Majesty lost one hundred thousand pounds had I got it excepted out of your Majesties pardon there was above an hundred
in Gold and Silver to be guided by the covetous desire of some Merchants many of them care not two pence for the safety of the Common-wealth so they and their private Families grow rich I humbly say it is a presumptuous motion of some hot headed Merchants that would by crafty and sly pretences rob your Majestie of that which is next to the Militia of the Kingdom nay it is the very soul of the Militia Gold and Silver get to be Master of that any man may get Shipping Armes Money and any thing to make a disturbance in the Kingdom We lately see upon what slie pretences the Sword was wrung out of your Majesties Royal Fathers Hands he that cast his eye upon any of the Flowers of your Majesties Imperial Crown with intent to take them out either by fraud or force let them fall as Corah Dathan and Abiram and let their end be like Achitophels who seek to rob your Royal Majestie of this your just Prerogative And this I here humbly say I will with my life maintain before your Majestie and your Privy Councel and the Parliament or Committee of Trade And these following Statutes Lawes and Proclamations are my Protection and Warrant for what I humbly say 1. A Proclamation against giving for Gold more then it is currant 21. July 17. Jacob. 2. A Proclamation against melting and culling heavy English Money 18. May. 9. Jacob. 3. A Proclamation against buying and selling Gold and Silver at higher Prises then the Mint 14. May. 1. Jacob. 4. A Proclamation against Transporting of Gold 23. May 1. Jacob 5. A Proclamation against Profit for Gold and Silver And melting English Money And to prevent the abuses and wast in making Gold and Silver Threed and Laces 4. Feb. 3. Caroli 6. A Proclamation against Transporting Gold and Silver and melting down the Currant Silver Coins of the Nation for Plate or Gold or Silver Threed 15. May. 3. Carolus May it please your Majestie to observe with what care the wisdom of former Parliaments intrusted the Kings of England and their Privy Councel to keep carefull watch that the Gold and Silver once imported into this Nation should be converted into Coin for the Strength and Honour of the Kingdom that those that did Transport Gold and Silver without the King's Licence were Felons And in the Tryall in the Star Chamber 12. Caroli Primi which I followed by Order of his late Majestie of blessed memory The Atturney-General Banks and the King's Councel read many Presidents wherein the Transporters of Gold and Silver had judgment and suffered execution of death as Felons Your Majestie will finde transporting Gold or Silver without the Kings licence to be Felony and by several Acts of Parliament 17 Edw. the 4. and the 4 Henry cap. 13. And I humbly conceive the Kingdom is in as great scarcity of Gold and Silver now as it was then for almost all the Gold and Silver is transported without the Kings licence by the disturbance of the late War and now some Merchants are grown so presumptuous that they would have an Act of Parliament to make it to be at the will of the Merchants to transport what Gold or Silver freely they please without licence from the King it were better for the Kingdom that these that go about to take this prerogative from the King were blind rather then the rest of the Kingdom should ever see that day these Merchants should have their will Stat. 9. Edw. the 3. against the transporting of Gold or Silver without the Kings licence or the melting down the currant silver coin by Goldsmiths or others into plate Stat. 2. Hen. 4. cap. 4. No person ought to presume to transport Gold or Silver either in coin or bulion upon pain of forfeiture of as much as they might which I take to be lives and estates 2 Henry 6. cap. 6. Upon a grievous complaint made in Parliament That great sums of gold and silver was transported without the Kings licence out of this Kingdom it was ordered and enacted That no gold or silver should be transported out of the Realm and because it is supposed the gold and silver is transported by Merchant aliens it is ordered That the Mercheant aliens shall find security in the Chancery that they shall not transport the gold or silver monies out of the Kingdom upon pain of forfeiture of the sum or value and if any do contrary and that duly proved his pledges shall pay the forfeiture though the Merchant stranger be gone beyond the Seas If this Law had been put in execution this last twenty years the Kingdom had had millions of gold and silver which it is now robbed of and the offenders are now grown so impudent to hope to get an Act of Parliament to rob the kingdom of all the gold and silver as the greedy Merchant shall find and see his opportunity to send away what gold and silver they please without the Kings majesty or his privy Councils licence for the future 18 Edw. the 4. No person to carry gold or silver or jewels out of the kingdom upon pain of Felony 1 Henry the 8. cap. 13. An Act made that whosoever shall carry any gold or silver out of the Realm without the Kings licence shall forfeit double the value The 5th and 6th of Edward the 6th cap. 16. An Act touching the exchange of gold or silver that whosoever gave more for gold or silver then it is or shall be declared by the Kings Proclamation shall suffer imprisonment for the space of a year and make fine at the Kings pleasure the one moity to his Majesty and the other moity to the Partie that shall seize the same or will sue for it by the Bill of information were the Gold-smiths of London sued on this Statute it would ruine most of them Had not the Act of Oblivion pardoned them but that gives them no licence or protection now at this day to act as they do to sell gold for 21 and 22 shillings for a Twenty shilling peice Till this be remedied and the rule for the price of gold set by your Majestie the Mint will never coin gold to any considerable quantity If this desire of the Merchants should go on the Kingdom of England which in all Kings raigns abounded with gold and silver and famous for their pound sterlings the true guide and measure of our monies will be put to use the Rooking tricks of the Bankers of Amsterdam and other Commonwealths Feed the people with a paper credit and the Merchants have all the peoples money I beseech your Majesty to consider of this monstrous design and proposals of the Merchants should by your Majesty be granted which God defend in whose hands your Majesty disposeth the Militia of the kingdom even truly your Majesty would surrender the Militia of the kingdom into the Merchants power To send away all the treasure of the kingdom by which means they will so fetter and impoverish the
this Kingdome God hath delivered your Majestie from the Sword-man the Club man and hath restored your Majestie to the Glory and Greatnesse of your Royal Father and your Predecessors with the Hearts of all your good Subjects and a large increase of the Revenues of your Crown to the joy of all your Majesties good Subjects This Glory troubles some Mungrels of LONDON that dare not bark but are at this day cunning fauning Spaniels that would by fauning cozen your Majestie of this Great atd Royal Prerogative which had they it in seaven years they may lay such a Foundation that the Child unborn may rue it I have read of a little Fish that sticking to a Ships side shall stop a great Ship under sail The Merchants of a Kingdom or Common-wealth that are Bankers and have libertie to transport Gold and Silver at their pleasure rule the Commonwealth both for War or Peace and have virtually the sovereign power being Masters of all the peoples monie These Bankers can hang a Pad-lock on the Commonwealths Sword when they please God defend your Majestie and your Lords from suffering them to do so in your Kingdom of England for all the reasons before and after following The Merchants of London have transported all the Gold and most of the Silver out of England principally by the confederation and assistance of the Goldsmiths in Lumbardstreet who are just in the nature of the Bankers at Amsterdam and the Goldsmiths is your Merchants Jaccall as the Jac-call is to the Lion they hunt for the Lions prey The Goldsmiths lay up Gold and Silver for the Merchants to transport some Goldsmiths in Lumbardstreet keeping at this day many great Merchants of London cashes and some Noble mens cash by this credit of several mens monies the Goldsmiths in Lumbardstreet are in the nature of Bankers and have a great stock of Treasure by them alwayes of Gold forraign coines and Silver And as these and the Merchants please to truck and and chaffer set the price of the currant Gold of your Kingdom at above the price currant by Proclamation of your Royal Father and above the price of your Mint to the destruction of your Majesties Mint and against your Crown and Dignities your Majesties Mint is tied to a certain rule both for the weight and fineness of the Standard of your Majesties Gold and Silver and cannot by the Law exceed now here is the mischief The Goldsmiths they go between the Mint and the Merchants that transports Gold and Silver and out-bids the Mint 1. d. and sometimes 2. d. and more the Ounce in Silver and five shillings the Ounce in Gold at this day and so catch up all the Gold and Silver to transport being Factors and Purveyors to the Merchants that transports Gold and Silver And by this confederation between the Merchants and Goldsmiths contrary to the Lawes and Proclamations of the Kingdom they have cheated and robbed the Kingdom and your Majesties Mint in the Tower of London and for these last fifteen Years have destroyed and made desolate the same Your Majesties Mint in all times by the Law should have the preheminence and first served Your Majesties Mint at this day is neglected your Majesties Lawes despised and your Majestie and the Kingdom of England Lords Gentry Commons cheated and robbed of all your Gold and almost all your Silver to the weakning and impoverishing of the Kingdom This wickednesse is done onely for the inriching of a few particular Persons Goldsmiths and Merchants to the destruction of the whole Kingdom and if not timely prevented to the ruine and destruction and decay of Trade This was done when we had no KING in Israel God forbid your Majestie now should suffer it If your Majestie by your justice do not make some of these Offendors an example and timely prevent it by the grave advice of your most Honourable Lords of the Councel for the time to come to prevent these abuses by a Law or renewing the old Laws by your Majesties Proclamation making it losse of Estate for any Goldsmiths to sell any Merchants Gold or Silver to transport or to convert Gold or Silver into any other use then Plate and Gold and Silver Wyer the Offendor for ever after to lose his Freedom And that no Merchant or Goldsmith shall give for Gold or Silver more then it shall be declared for by Proclamation upon pain of forfeiture And that all Goldsmiths that are Exchangers of Forreign Bullion shall enter into securitie with the Officers of your Majesties Mint to your Majesties use to Coin the same and to convert it to no other use That no Merchant obtain a Licence from your Majestie to transport Gold or Silver nor the East India Company other or more then they themselves cause upon their own proper accompt to be truly imported according to their Charter and that all Warrants for transporting Gold or Silver be Registred and the Goldsmiths to be tyed to Coin all the Gold and Silver they shall hereafter buy such Goldsmiths that will not to be debarred the liberty to have power to exchange Forreign Gold and Silver this being a Prerogative of the Crown and never granted the Company of the Goldsmiths as I can prove by the Law that the Warden of your Majesties Mint is your Majesties Exchanger and he may Licence any whom he please to buy Forreign Bullion provided they put in securitie to Coin it in the Tower and convert it to no other use but to coin upon the pain of forfeiture of his Bonds to your Majestie May it please Your Majesty my most humble prayer to Your Majesty and Privy Councel is that at this juncture of time the late Lord Cottingtons Rules Observations may be made use of for bringing of Gold and Silver into the Kingdom that State-man about the year 1630. made a most advantageous Contract with the King of Spaine for the bringing in Silver from Spaine in English bottoms and Landing the Silver at Dover one third part to be Coyned in Your Majestyes Royal Fathers Mint in the Tower of London and the other two parts by Your Majestyes Royal Father and his Privy Councels Licence to be transported at the will of the Importer this Commission was granted under the Great Seal of Your Majestyes Royal Father by the advice of his Privy Councel and above ten millions of Silver Coyned upon that Contract from the year 1630. to 1643. This Silver hath bin almost all transported away for the private profit of the Merchant and little currant Silver Coyne left in the Kingdom but light and eliped and Counterset mony in abundance All the Gold sent away to the destruction of the Kingdom for the private profit of the Merchants If Your Majesty please to inquire of Your Officers of the Mint they can certifie this is the truth And what a dangerous Project this was of some men to goe about to steal so Royal a Flower out of the Crown such pilferers are Enemies
would have been brought into the Mint and coined to the great augmentation of the stock of this Nation And that they be required to give your Majesty and your Privie Councel an Accompt of what quantity of Spanish Pistollets Dutch Riders Hungarian Duckets Gold Gilders Gold Albertus of Flanders Italian Pistolets Turky Sultels and all other Forrein Gold and Silver they have bought up in London of Goldsmiths Merchants Natives and Strangers which have not been members of their Companie and transported to India and Persia since 1620. All which I am sure they have perfect Accompts of And that the aforesaid Companie be required to send your Majestie and your Privie Councel in all the Warrants and Licences for their doing of the same and for a true discoverie of the premisses 4. That your Majesty and your Privie Councel would require the Books of Envoies of the same Lading of everie ship of all the Gold and Silver in Bars or Coin that bath been sent to the East Indies and Persia since 1620. for by them your Majestie and your Privie Councel shall see what Gold and Silver each ship carried and the Ships Factors and Master's names and to what Factorie in Persia or India and the several years and so your Majestie and your Privie Councell will quicklie see the just quantitie to a pennie what they have transported and in what sort of Coin either English Gold or Silver or Forrein Gold or Silver for these fourtie years the giving your Majestie and your Privie Councell a true accompt thereof will be of great concernment to the Kingdom in many respects 5. That your Majestie and your Privie Councell would appoint a Committee to view over the Journal Books for out of them there will be gathered businesses of great concernment to the Nation and if some able Book-Keepers be appointed with me to take out what I shall observe in them it will tend highly to the service of your Majestie and give a stop to great mischefs that is daily practised on the Kingdom 6. If your Majestie and your Privie Councel please to inform your selves by this waie your Majestie and your Privie Councel will see clearlie manie other secrets upon perusal of these Books then I will speak of and so your Majestie and your Privie Councel will be able to rectifie and settle the Trade in a flourishing condition that it may be benificiall to the Kingdom and all the Adventurers whereas heretofore and now as it is managed none getteth by it but the Committees of the said Companies and the Companies Factors and their Officers The Adventurers having been blinded ever since it was a Companie and led by the nose by their servants or else how could their Factors and servants be so rich and the Companie 's stock so poor 7. May it please your Majestie and your Privie Councel I humblie conceive upon the Examination of all the premises When that the Books of the Companie are examined it will be found that the East India Companie hath sent awaie the Kingdoms Coin both in Gold and Silver manie hundred thousand pounds more then ever they had warrant for to do from your Majesties Grand-Father or Father though your Majestie and your Privie Councel hath forgiven it yet It ought to be prevented for the future this mischief which your Petitioner most humblie praies for your Majesties and your Privie Counsels service also That your Majestie and your most honourable Privie Councel command a true Transcript under the hand of the Town-Clerk of the Citie of London to be transmitted to your Majestie and your Privie Councel of all the Acts and Orders of the Common Councel from the year 1638. to the 25. March 1660. It is true your Majestie by your gratious pardon hath pardoned all offences but for the future there will be great use made of their Orders to know by what degrees and steps the late confusions got to a head and poisoned that great bodie of your Citie of London I humblie saie your Majestie and your most honourable Privie Councel will make great use of the sight of them to prevent anie the like disturbance again and to nip them in the bud this will be for the generall good and quiet of the whole Kingdom for as London pipes so the greatest part of the Kingdom dances especiallie all Cities and corporations keep the spring head clear from being disturbed the streams will run alwaies clear they have your Majesties most gratious pardon for what is past but that gives them no priviledge to act the like things again eitherby fraud feined pretences or by force The East India Companie formerlie having made it their common practice by giving great summes of monie for Bribes to have libertie to oppress the good people of the Nation and to have Licence with Authoritie to deceive the Kingdom all which abuses I praie God by the wisdom of your Majestie and your most honourable Privie Councel may be carefullie found out and such Order and Regulation made for the future for all Traders as may be most for the prosperitie of this Kingdom in generall without anie regard to particular Interest when it shall be found destructive to the Kingdom and your dutifull and loyal Subject shall pray for your Majesties long and prosperous Reign over us Novemb. 28. 1660 Signed Tho. Violet I charged the East-India Company before the Councel of Trade 1650. with robbing the Nation of many hundred thousand pounds of Gold and Silver more then they had Licence to send and severall other Misdemeanours Thereupon the Councel of Trade made these Orders Die Mercurii Sept. 11. 1650. At the Councel for Trade at White-hall Ordered THat the East India Company be desired to produce their Originall Charter before this Councel Ordered THat the East India Company be desired to bring into this Councel what Licences they formerly have had granted them for the Transporting of Bullion or Coin since the year 1620. Ordered THat the East India Company be intreated likewise to produce the direct and true Accompts of all the severall summes of Bullion and Coin in any specie to the full that hath been yearly transported by them since the year 1620. Ex. Ben. Worsly Secret But these Orders were never obeyed but some of the Rump Parliament was brib'd and no Reformation I only got the Envy for making this Discovery I humbly hope the East India Companies time of bribing out all Business is expired now in your Majesties blessed Reign Truth shall prevaile especially such as are for your Majesties Honour and Safety I shall humbly shew your Majestie the damage the Kingdom suffered by sending all the Silver to the East Indies in Spanish monie before it was coined with King Jame's and King Charle's Face and the Percullisses as it was coined in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth and humbly recommend it to your Majestie and your Privy Councel to have all Silver so coined before it goes to the Indies It is for the Greatness and
excellent Majesty the Dutchess of Buckingham and the Lord Georgs Digby his Majesties Secretary and Coll. Read were only privie to this businesse to my knowledge at the Court and no other Two Letters of Col. Read's sent to Mr. Theophilus Rily Scout-master of the City of London from Oxford to incourage the Common-Councel of the City of London to Petition his late Majesty for Peace and to consider the sad Effects that would follow upon the Scots invading England Jan. 1643. SIR I Wrote to you formerly but never had any Answer I assure you faithfully I have not been wanting to do what you desired as you may perceiv by the effects if you have not your desire blame your self and give me leave to tell you that if you neglect the opportunity now offered to you it may be you shall never have the like again for I have made those whom you have given just occasion to be your worst friends to be your best and the only instruments to procure what here is sent you and be you confident shee shall still be so provided you do your part The Queens most Excellent Majesty in my hearing I being sent down to Oxford by order of Rilie and some others to bring up his Majesties Letter Decemb. 1643. did most earnestly intercede for the City of London The King thereupon replied that he had there the best and worst subjects of any King in Christendom and hereupon the Queen replied Violet it shall be my care to see the Gentlemen that come from the City with a Petition to the King shall be well accomodated and have a most Gratious Answer to all their just demands God blesse them God increase their number and thereupon the Queens Majesty wept and the King drew his handkerchief out of his pocket and the tears stood in the Kings eyes which made both Read and I fall a weeping and thereupon the Queen commanded Col. Read to lift up the Hangings to see no body stood behinde the Hangings to hear what shee said which Read did and when the Queen see no body behinde the Hangings Ah Violet said she the King and I am in a most sad condition we have Traytors about us that watch all our Words and Actions we speak nothing nor do nothing but it is seat up to the Parliament and they interpret it in the worst Sence The Queens Majesty at that time was very ill and lookt very carefully and was nothing but Skin and Bones God be thanked for the blessed change that is here at this day the Kings Majesty her Son in the Throne of his Royal Father and King of the hearts of his People these two Papers was found in Rilies pockets and was printed by Order of Parliament and Col. Read charged to be a Jesuite I am sure of it these Papers makes him a true Prophet I saved Reads life in getting him exchanged of the General Essex by a wrong name consider I beseech you what a gap is opened by bringing in of the Scots for the destruction of this Kingdom if there be not a Peace which I pray God Almightie to send speedily you must expect Armies of Strangers from several Places who are now preparing who certainly at their coming in will over-run the whole Kingdom and when it is past remedy you will see your own Errors and therefore to prevent more misery then I am able to expresse to this deplorable Kingdom and the effusion of the bloud of thousands of men women and children which must inevitably be this Summer apply your selves in an humble and submissive way to his Majestie whom I know you will finde ready with Arms out-stretched to receive you to favor and mercy and grant you favors even beyond your expectation Defer no time for God's sake and what you will do do it speedily I say again do it speedily for reasons I may not write Oxford Dec. 10. 1560 Col. Read's Paper to Mr. Rilie Scoutmaster of the City of LONDON SIR I Assure you that I have not been wanting to further your good desires and if it be not your own faults I make no doubt but things will have an happy issue for I finde those that are most concerned in it forward enough Reflect now upon the miserie of the times and upon the groans and sufferings of those you see not which yet have been nothing to what they will be if not speedily prevented by a Peace which to obtain I beseech you let it not only be your own care but the care of all those you love or have power with otherwise be confident of a generall ruine which certainly will be inevitable both to your selves and posteritie and therefore take it into your serious consideration and let no causless jealousies hinder you to apply your selves in an humble and submissive manner to his Majestie who I am sure will yet look upon you with a gracious eie lose no time for the longer you delay it may prove the more difficult no doubt This last Letter I Tho. Violet delivered from Read at Oxford to Mr. Rilie in London Decemb. 20. 1640. This Coll. Read I got exchanged by a wrong name for a private Souldier at the intreatie of Sir Basil Brook who told me I should do a very good service for his Majestie and the Queens Majestie to get Read to be discharged but that must be done by a wrong name or else said Sir Basil Brook the Parliament would never admit of his exchang I did effect it and sent this Coll. Read to the King at Oxford upon condition he would returne to Mr. Rilie the Scout-master of London how he found his Majestie inclined to receive a Petition from the City of London for peace that they would declare themselves for a peace and Petition his Majestie for a cessation of Arms and an accommodation between the late King of Glorious memory And I Tho. Violet was sent down to Oxford Decemb. 29 1643 to bring up his Majesties Gratious Letter the Copie of the Citie of London desire being sent to his late Majestie wherein they desired upon the Copie I brought to Oxford to have his Majestie directed his Letter to the Militia of London but his late Majestie would not own the Militia to treat with them as the Militia of the Citie because his Majestie told me at Oxford they were not impowred by his Commission and he would not own them I told his late Majestie and the Lord Digbie it was contrary to my instructions which I received from Mr. Rilie to alter the superscription of His Majesties Letter but seeing His Majestie would not but direct his Letter To our Lord Mayor and Aldermen of our City of London and all other our well affected Subjects of that our Citie I would venture my life to bring up this Letter to London and going according to my instructions I received from his Maiestie to acquaint Wollaston then Lord Mayor of London and Alderman Gibbs they caused me some few