|
Oct. 21,
afternoon. |
Present: all my Lords. |
|
The Attorney General comes in. Write to Mr. Burchet that a
complaint has been made to this Board by the Attorney General
that Mr. Borret who [being Treasury Solicitor] is employed under
him cannot have access to the papers and entries relating to Mr.
Whittacre's accounts so that he cannot proceed against him according
to the Resolution of the House of Commons. My Lords therefore
desire of the Admiralty Lords that some person may attend the
Attorney General with such of the said entries and papers as are
proper to be made use of. A similar letter to be sent to the Navy
Board. |
|
Write to Mr. Borret and Henry Baker and all the Solicitors of the
revenue that when they pay any fees to counsel or others upon the
King's account they do take billetts for the same according to the
Statute 3 James I c. 7. |
|
Order for the issue of 3,189l. 4s. 1½d. to the Ordnance, whereof
1,624l. 9s. 0d. to be for land services and to be out of the last part of
the 3,700l. a week; and 1,564l. 15s. 1½d. for sea service: to be out
of loans on Low Wines. |
|
The Customs Commissioners are called in. Write to the Old
[East India] Company to pay forthwith to the Receiver General of
Customs the 77,736l. 12s. 3d. which they owe upon the Duty of 5
per cent and that my Lords desire to speak to them on Friday about
the rest of the money they owe. |
|
The Solicitor General comes in. They both [the Attorney and
Solicitor General] think without question that the Old East India
Company is not to pay the 5 per cent. for their goods which were on
this side the Cape [of Good Hope] on Michaelmas day 1701 and that
so far as their trade is carried by the proviso for the Old [Company]
in the Act of 9 Wm. III c. 44 clause 83 they are bound to have the legal
privileges of their charter as to time, discount &c. struck through. |
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[Write] to Mr. Owen to be here on Friday morning. |
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The Excise Commissioners are called in. The Attorney General
thinks the Officers of Excise cannot go aboard ships: they can
attend to see brandies delivered but that is on shore; the Excise
Commissioners have no power to seize in their Commission but it is
in the King's power to enable them to seize and then the first seizer
[whether Customs Officer or Excise Officer] will have it: but the
prosecution must be in the Exchequer Court by a jury and not by
[before] the Commissioners of Excise or two Justices [of the Peace].
The Solicitor General says none can seize but by an Act of Parliament
or by authority from the King or the Treasury Lords. |
|
The Attorney General says there is no colour of fraud in Edwards. |
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[My Lords order a] warrant as usual, for allowing the taxes on
Excise Officers whose salaries do not exceed 100l. |
|
Memorandum: to speak to the Customs Commissioners that the
Excise Officers be rewarded for the seizures of brandy. Treasury
Minute Book XIII, pp. 51–2. |
Oct. 24,
Friday morning. |
Present:—Lord Godolphin; Sir Stephen Fox; the Chancellor
of the Exchequer; Mr. Hill; Mr. Pelham. |
|
The Earl of Ranelagh [is called in and the following issues to him
for the Forces are] ordered. |
|
|
£ |
s. |
d. |
|
for 2 months' clearings from 25 June to 24
August |
14680 |
19 |
4½ |
|
for pay to the Garrisons for same time |
2315 |
10 |
8½ |
|
for clearings to the 4 Companies at New York
from 25 April last to 24 June |
244 |
17 |
5¼ |
|
for 14 days' subsistence of the Forces in
England to Nov. 11 next |
7224 |
13 |
2 |
|
|
£24466 |
0 |
8¼ |
|
the above sum to be issued out of the following branches of the
revenue viz. |
|
of the rent of Hackney Coaches |
330 |
|
|
|
of the 22d. per pound weight on silk [9
Wm. III c. 44] |
4844 |
1 |
5 |
|
of the 25 per cent. on French goods [7, 8,
Wm. III c. 20] |
6234 |
8 |
5 |
|
of the 5s. per ton on French shipping [12 Car.
II c. 18] |
105 |
12 |
6 |
|
of the arrears of Tonnage and Poundage |
1240 |
|
of the loans on the first part of the 3700l. per
week |
7809 |
7 |
8 |
|
of the loans on the last part of same |
3932 |
10 |
8¼ |
|
Write to the [Principal] Officers of the Mint to attend on Tuesday
morning and to come prepared to give my Lords their opinions for
preventing the currency of counterfeit and diminished moneys. |
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[My Lords order] Mr. Stratford to have 3,000l. more, making 18,000l. |
|
Mr. Hall acquaints my Lords that he hath sold the King's East
India stock and exhibits an account of it amounting to 11,826l.
My Lords direct him to pay it into the Exchequer. |
|
The letter [? of direction] for 2,175l. to the Secretaries of State is
read and approved. |
|
Mr. Owen and Mr. Harvey are called in. The petition and report
for Rickards is read. Owen says Rickards has preferred a bill
against him in equity which he has answered; that Rickards has
received debts which are due to him and put them in his own pocket:
there is 300l. extended and if he may have that he'll be contented:
that the King's grant to him was for service to the Crown and for
money disbursed by him [Owen]. |
|
Mr. Harvey says Owen has recovered 294l. 4s. 8d. from insurers
which was due to Rickards (which appears in his answer) besides other
particular sums: he shows a letter of Owen which induces [my Lords]
to believe that the grant was intended in ease of Rickards. |
|
My Lords admonish Owen to discharge [release] Rickards. He
insists upon the grant. |
|
[Write] to the Excise Commissioners to attend this afternoon.
Ibid., p. 53. |
|
eodem die afternoon. |
Present: ut supra. |
|
Mr. Rowe is called in. He desires that the process against him may
be superseded. My Lords will advise with the Attorney General. |
|
Write to the Attorney General to come to me [William Lowndes]
to-morrow morning and to defer the trial of the seizure of Pain's
brandy in Kent till my Lords have considered that matter. |
|
[Write] to the Commissioners of Customs, and of Excise and the
Attorney and Solicitor General to attend next Tuesday about the
seizures of brandy. Ibid., p. 54. |
Oct. 28,
Tuesday forenoon. |
Present: all my Lords. |
|
[Write] to the Auditors of Imprests and the Auditors of Crown
Revenues to lay before my Lords a new state of all accounts
depending before them. |
|
[Write] to the Navy Commissioners, Mr. Dodington and Mr. Done
to be here on Friday about the accounts of Sir Edward Dutton
Colt's Regiment and desire the Navy Commissioners to bring the
account and they need not come to-morrow. |
|
Direct Mr. Auditor Done to be joined with Mr. Bridges in making
up the account of the two Mons. (struck through). |
|
[Order for] 20,579l. 12s. 7½d. to be issued to the Ordnance for sea
service: to be by tallies on the Low Wine Act [12 Wm. III c. 11]. |
|
[Order for] 10,000l. to be issued to the Earl of Ranelagh for the
Forces in Holland: to be issued out of loans made or to be made
by the said Earl on the last part of the 3,700l. per week: but my
Lords will pay no more till they have the account from the Muster
Rolls. Treasury Minute Book XIII, p. 55. |
Oct. 28,
afternoon. |
Present: all my Lords. |
|
On Friday afternoon [next] my Lords meet about making a further
distribution to the Civil List. The [Treasury Chamber] doors to
be shut. |
|
[Write] a letter to Mr. Gwyn desiring him to acquaint the Lord
Lieutenant of Ireland that my Lords have received a letter from
his Excellency concerning some mistakes and omissions in the
Irish Establishment and [concerning] an authority to be given to
the Revenue Commissioners there to reward discoverers of the
Forfeitures in Ireland in 1641: as likewise another letter from his
Excellency concerning the application of the money appropriated
for the Barracks and increasing the salaries to the Barrack Masters:
and desiring him [Gwyn] to let his Excellency know that the reason
why my Lords have not answered those letters sooner is that greatest
part of the matters therein contained requires the King's direction
which my Lords must stay for till his Majesty's return which they
are in daily expectation of. |
|
The Commissioners of Customs and of Excise come in and the
Attorney and Solicitor General. The business relating to seizures
of brandy by the Excise Commissioners is again considered. The
Attorney General says since his last attendance he has read over
the Acts relating to the Excise but finds nothing therein to alter
his opinion from what it was to wit that the Excise Commissioners
have no power by their commission to seize but the prosecution must
be in the Exchequer by a jury and not by the Excise Commissioners
or two Justices of the Peace. |
|
The Solicitor General says the [Excise] Commissioners may seize
where there is a person that claims the goods but where no proprietor
or owner can be found the prosecution must be in the Exchequer.
The Attorney General is of the same opinion. |
|
As to the seizure of Pain's brandies my Lords order that the
proceedings for the same in the Exchequer do cease and accordingly
give verbal instructions therein to Mr. Baker who is concerned in
that matter, who promises to take care therein. |
|
My Lords read a letter (the Customs Commissioners being present)
concerning Lord Manchester's horses which he desires may be imported Customs free. The Commissioners say it has been the practice
to admit the free import by Ambassadors of horses that had been
exported from hence but that where they imported new horses they
were to pay the Duty. My Lord Manchester is to be acquainted
with this. |
|
Lord Godolphin likewise acquaints the Customs Commissioners
that they [my Lords] have signed a warrant with a blank for allowing
the Customs Cashier an additional salary for clerks, which he desires
may commence from Lady Day, 1700 in regard he has been forced
to keep additional clerks ever since the date of his patent which
was 11 March 1699–1700. My Lords ask them whether that allegation be true. Sir W. Young says their Board have been informed
and do believe that it is true. My Lords agree that it shall commence
from Lady day 1700 if he has had no additional allowance for clerks
already besides the 100l. per an. for the [clerks employed about the]
tobacco bonds. Search to be made accordingly against next sitting. |
|
Adjourned till Friday morning. My Lords will meet on Friday
afternoon to consider of a further distribution to the Civil List and
the doors to be shut. Ibid., pp. 55–56. |
Oct. 31,
forenoon. |
Present: all my Lords. |
|
[Order for] 300l. to Mr. Verrio on account of his work at Windsor. |
|
[Write] to the Officers of the Mint to attend this afternoon. |
|
[Write] to the sheriffs of London and Middlesex that Mr. Whitley
owes to the King a great sum of the public moneys and that they
will be liable to a very great debt if he should escape. |
|
Write to Mr. Chetwynd to be here this afternoon without fail. |
|
The Gentlemen of the Bank are called in. It is ordered that out
of the money, now in the Exchequer, of the Duty on Low Wines
granted 7 & 8 Wm. III c. 30 (after discharging the loans of 70,000l.
and interest) there be issued to the Earl of Ranelagh the
sum of — to be applied to discharge a warrant for that sum
due to the Bank: and after the payment thereof 7,319l. 3s. 2¾d.
out of the overplus of the said Duties is to be issued to the Bank
for their deficiency due 1 June 1701 according to Lord Halifax's
certificate and the Attorney General's report. |
|
Desire that some of the Old East India Company attend on Tuesday
afternoon at 5. |
|
Sir William Withers tells my Lords that he is under apprehension
Morgan Whitley may make his escape. My Lords tell him there is
no agreement making but the Sheriff must be answerable in case
of an escape. Sir William says he must take a lodging to secure
him. He desires there may be a habeas corpus to turn him over.
My Lords acquaint him that cannot be. |
|
[Ordered that] 3,000l. out of — is to be issued to the
Treasurer of the Navy for Nathaniel and John Gold, merchants,
for the eighth payment upon their contract for hemp. |
|
[Write] to the Navy Board to make forth their bills [on the Navy
Treasurer] for 569l. 14s. 10¾d. and 96l. 17s. 4¼d. to the administrator of Col. Edward Dutton Colt by way of imprest for the clothiers
[of his Regiment]. |
|
The Navy Commissioners, the Victuallers, Mr. Dodington and
Mr. Papillon [are called in about the Victualling accounts]. Mr.
Mayn says he knows of no money or Exchequer Bills applied to
pay debts which should have been paid out of salt tallies and that
the antedating the bills to be paid out of salt tallies was necessary.
Mr. Lyddal says bills for services after May 1697 were altered to be
paid out of salt tallies. Mr. Mayn says that was for the service.
Mr. Lyddal [says] there were several bills of the same nature, for
the same time and the same service; there was no need of antedating the bills because if the service was before 1st May 1697 the
bills might be paid out of salt tallies but there was a time when salt
tallies were better than money. |
|
Mr. Dodington says if the Victualling Commissioners have
mistaken, it ought not to hinder Lord Orford's account but if Mr.
Papillion, as his Lordship's cashier, has acted wrong it will concern
my Lord's [Orford's] account. |
|
Mr. Papillon says if he paid any money out of course it was by
order of the [? Navy] Board under the Secretary's hand, Cha. Mitchell. |
|
Mr. Mayn says they never gave any such orders. |
|
It is complained that when a General bill was made forth for all
the sums contained in several particular bills both the one and the
other have been left with Mr. Papillon and so the King may be liable
to a double payment. |
|
Mr. Papillon will show all his vouchers to the Comptroller. |
|
Ordered that the rest of the Victuallers' money for this year's
service viz. 17,316l. 12s. 9d. be now issued out of loans on the Two
Thirds [of the] Land Tax 12–13 Wm. III c. 10. |
|
As many of the salt tallies in the Navy Treasurer's hands as
amount to 47,239l. are to be forthwith applied to the course of the
Victualling which will carry on the course to the end of March last.
The creditors for every 100l. are to have 100l. in principal and the
interest which is due from 23 Nov. 1700 but no premium. |
|
[Further ordered] that out of the residue of the salt tallies the
old debts incurred before 1st May 1697 be paid as demanded, at the
same rate [as above]. |
|
Issue process against Mr. Sturt for his account. Treasury Minute
Book XIII, pp. 57–58. |
Oct. 31,
afternoon. |
Present: all my Lords. |
|
The [Principal] Officers of the Mint are called in. |
|
Write to the four Tellers of the Receipt, and the Receivers of
Customs, Excise, Post Office, Wine Licences and to Sir Thomas
Cuddon and the Agents for Taxes to be here on Tuesday morning. |
|
Mr. Yong to have his half year's annuity. |
|
[Order for the issue to William Lowndes of] 400l. for secret service. |
|
[Order for the issue of] 100l. to Lord Hunsdon out of secret service.
Ibid., p. 58. |
