Minute Book: May 1707

Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 21, 1706-1707. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1952.

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'Minute Book: May 1707', in Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 21, 1706-1707, (London, 1952) pp. 29-34. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-treasury-books/vol21/pp29-34 [accessed 24 April 2024]

May 1707

May 2, forenoon. Present: Lord Treasurer, Chancellor of the Exchequer.
The Lord Chief Baron is present. “His Lordship” will consider of persons to be added to the Exchequer in Scotland that are conversant in the laws and statutes relating to the Customs and Excise.
Mr. St. John, Mr. Bridges and Mr. Moor are called in. Mr. Moor desires my Lord Treasurer to accept a resignation of his patent as one of the Comptrollers of the Accounts of the Army and is ready to do any other act to surrender that office: which resignation my Lord is pleased to accept.
Several reports concerning the Forces are read and the [Lord Treasurer's] minutes are endorsed [thereon]. Ibid., p. 71.
May 3, forenoon. Present: Lord Treasurer.
The Trustees [for circulating Exchequer Bills] are called in and their memorial is read and the [Lord Treasurer's] minutes taken thereon [are endorsed on the same].
My Lord agrees that the Trustees insert an advertisement in next Thursday's Gazette for taking a subscription for 100,000l. on Monday following at 1 per cent. for circulating the old Exchequer Bills for one year commencing June 16 next. Treasury Minute Book XVI, p. 72.
May 5, forenoon. Present: Lord Treasurer; Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Mr. Howe is called in. His memorial [for money for the Guards and Garrisons] is read and thereupon the following sums are ordered to be issued according to the scheme [of details as therein contained: to wit]
£ s. d.
on the order for the Guards and Garrisons anno1706 317 6 0½
on the order for the 5000 men [for sea service] anno1706 2949 1 2
on the order for the Guards and Garrisons anno1707 3382 0 2
on the order for the 5000 men anno1707 1380 19 2
[Write to] Mr. St. John to be here to-morrow morning.
[Send word for] some of the Commissioners of Customs to be here to-morrow morning.
James Chase Esq., one of the Commissioners for Sick and Wounded, desires my Lord to accept a resignation of his office and is ready to do any other act to surrender the same: which resignation my Lord is pleased to accept.
[Send word to] Mr. Maynwaring and Mr. Moody to attend next Wednesday morning about the state of the accounts of Mr. Addison and other late Commissioners for Sick and Wounded. Ibid., p. 73.
May 6, forenoon. Present: ut supra.
The Customs Commissioners are called in. Their reports are read and the minutes [of my Lord Treasurer's decision thereupon] are endorsed upon them.
Issue 20,000l. in Exchequer Bills to Mr. Brydges for the subsidy to the King of Portugal. Ibid., p. 74.
May 7, forenoon. Present: ut supra.
[My Lord directs] 7873l. 5s. 0d. for the Treasurer of the Chamber: out of Civil List money: to clear his Office for 1706 Michaelmas quarter.
[Likewise] 5718l. 5s. 5d. to Mr. Compton: out of same: and is for her Majesty's bounties and charities due at Lady day last. Ibid., p. 75.
May 9, forenoon. Present: ut supra.
The Directors of the Bank are called in. They present an opinion of Sir Edward Northey, the late Attorney General, dated 27 July 1704 concerning the Hollow Sword Blade Company acting as a Bank, of which the Directors complain and pray my Lord's advice and assistance herein.
My Lord desires them to make a state of the matter in writing and to annex the said opinion thereto and then he will advise with the present Attorney and Solicitor General what is proper to be done thereupon.
[Send word to the] Auditors of Imprests to be here to-morrow morning about Lord Orford's account.
[Send word to] Mr. Dod and Mr. Waters to attend on Monday morning. Ibid., p. 76.
May 10, forenoon. Present: ut supra.
The Earl of Orford [formerly Treasurer of the Navy] is called in with Mr. Dodington [his cashier]. His papers relating to his accounts are read and minutes [of my Lord Treasurer's decisions thereupon are endorsed] on them. Then Auditor Mainwaring is called in and his and Mr. [Auditor] Harley's report of the 7th inst. concerning Lord Orford's interest account is read and approved. A warrant is ordered to be drawn thereupon.
Sir Henry Furnese having given in a credit for 40 or 50,000 pieces of Eight at Madrid for the present relief of the prisoners taken in the late battle at Almanza, my Lord Treasurer resolves that upon the bills which the Officers will draw on the payment for the money that shall be furnished on the said credit care shall be taken to enable the Paymaster [of the Forces abroad] to comply therewith.
The memorial of Col. Whetham is read representing that clothing for 250 of his men (which [clothing] were provided here before it was known that they were to be sent to Ireland) are stopped at the Custom House [in London], and praying that same may pass Duty-free. The Lord Treasurer orders a letter [to the Customs Commissioners] accordingly. Ibid., p. 77.
May 13, forenoon. Present: ut supra.
Mr. Brydges is called in. His memorial for 83,143l. 0s. 11½d. [for the Forces abroad] is read and ordered according to the scheme [of details therein set out].
It being suggested that there are several clothes formerly provided for the Marines remaining in Mr. Harnage's hands which have been paid for, write to Mr. Harnage to give my Lord an account of that matter.
Mr. Walters and Mr. Dod are called in. Their memorial is read and minutes [of my Lord Treasurer's decisions thereupon are endorsed] upon it.
[My Lord approves of] Norman Terry to be agent for the Perquisites of Admiralty at Dartmouth in the room of Mr. Norman. Ibid., p. 78.
May 14, forenoon. Present: ut supra.
[My Lord directs] 5500l. to Mr. Tailer on the order in his name for the building at Woodstock.
[Write] to some of the Bank to be here on Friday morning.
[Send word] to the Commissioners of Customs to be here on Friday afternoon at 7 of the clock. Ibid., p. 79.
May 16, forenoon. Present: ut supra.
[Send word] to the Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer that the Lord Treasurer desires the favour of him and the rest of the Barons to go to the noblemen of Scotland who will be at the house of the Lord Chancellor of Scotland in the Pall Mall on Monday next at 5 o'clock in the afternoon to discourse with their Lordships about the constitution of the Exchequer for that part of Great Britain which was called Scotland.
[Send word] to the [Principal] Officers of the [Tower] Mint to wait on their Lordships at the same place to-morrow morning at 11 o'clock about the settling the Mint in that part [viz. Scotland].
The hearing which was intended for this afternoon is to be on Monday afternoon next and the Customs Commissioners are to attend then instead of this afternoon.
[My Lord Treasurer] ordered 76,500l. to the Treasurer of the Navy, out of Exchequer Bills: 50,000l. thereof for Wages and 26,500l. for wages for the Marine Regiments.
My Lord Treasurer orders that the value of the timber delivered by the Surveyor of Woods, Trent South, to the Navy out of her Majesty's forests be at all times inserted by way of memoranda in the yearly accounts of the public revenues.
The Navy Commissioners and the Attorney General are to attend next Wednesday afternoon about a petition of Mr. Cole and others relating to imprest bills made out to Mr. Winter. Treasury Minute Book XVI, p. 80.
May 19, forenoon. Present: Lord Treasurer, Chancellor of the Exchequer.
[The draft of a] letter for applying 49654l. 8s. 9d. (in Mr. Jett's hands) for interest of debentures to complete 3¾ years [thereof] is read and approved. Ibid., p. 81.
Eodem die afternoon. Present: ut supra.
Sir James Montague, Solicitor General, is called in as also Sir Sir Thomas Parker and Serjeant Cheshire on behalf of Alexander Butterworth, and Sir Edward Northey, Serjeant Bennet and Mr. Dod on behalf of the executors of Mr. Barnardiston. The report of Sir Edward Northey as late Attorney General is read and the petition of Mr. Butterworth thereupon. The Counsel for Butterworth desire that (the bonds being brought into the Exchequer) it may be left to that Court to consider whether it be fit that any further proceeding be had thereupon: and no new grant to be made in the meantime.
Counsel for Barnardiston's executors say the Queen is a royal trustee, Butterworth a tenant for life and therefore his Counsel affect delay.
[My Lord Treasurer decides that] Mr. Butterworth is at liberty to move the Court of Exchequer this term concerning the bonds and if the Court do not order a proceeding that may reasonably hinder the present rectifying of the mistake in the former grant my Lord will move the Queen for a new grant as soon as the term is ended. Ibid.
May 21. Present: ut supra. On reading Mr. How's memorial my Lord Treasurer orders that the several articles therein amounting to 5386l. 10s. 8d. for Guards and Garrisons anno 1706 be paid out of the tallies on Malt remaining in his hands for that year's service: and that the 1051l. 15s. 4d. demanded for clearing the Guards in Holland to Dec. 23 last be paid in like manner when the muster rolls come to hand.
[My Lord likewise orders] 28l. 4s. 8d. to be paid by Mr. How out of the like tallies and orders for the respited pay of Lieut. Cason of Lord Paston's Regiment: to be on account of the 5000 men in sea service anno 1706.
[My Lord Treasurer further directed issues as follows] to Mr. How
£ s. d.
for Guards and Garrisons anno 1707 1580 1 6¼
for the 5000 men in sea service anno 1707 8159 16 0
for the Invalids anno 1707 669 9 0
£30409 6 6¼
Hereof 15,703l. 5s. 9d. is to be issued out of loans on Malt anno 1707 and 14,706l. 0s. 9¼d. is to be raised [by Mr. How] on the tallies on Land Tax anno 1707 which are in his hands. Ibid., p. 82.
Eodem die afternoon. Present: ut supra.
The Navy Commissioners are called in. Their report concerning the Customs collectors' accounts [of moneys paid to Lords Lieutenants for press and conduct money of seamen] is read and orders are given thereupon.
Mr. Hawes promises to re-deliver to the Navy Commissioners next week the last ledger of Sir Edward Seymour whereupon they will immediately despatch what remains to be done by them.
The report of April 22 last from the late Attorney General and the Surveyor [of Crown Lands] concerning the 3 acres in Chatham Dock is read.
[My Lord Treasurer orders] publication to be made at the Navy Office concerning part of the old debt of the Navy as proposed in the petition of the creditors.
The petition of Heath, Cole and Ash is read concerning the imprest bill of 3000l. My Lord will lay before the Queen in Council the [Navy] Commissioners' report and that petition concerning the said imprest bill. Ibid.
May 23, forenoon. Present: ut supra.
Mr. Brydges [Paymaster General of the Forces Abroad] is called in; his memorial is read and my Lord Treasurer directs [issues] thereupon as follows:
£ s. d.
in part of 445,350l. 14s. 2d. for the Forces in Spain and Portugal anno 1707: out of Exchequer Bills 22549 10 2
in part of 222,379l. 5s. 10d. for the 10,210 men in Portugal anno 1706 for 6 months' offreckonings for the Royal Regiment of Dragoons from 24 Dec. 1705 to 23 June 1706: to be issued out of Contribution money for Annuities anno 1706 1091 2 7
in part of 63,661l. 13s. 6d. voted for levy money, pay and contingencies of the Forces sent with Earl Rivers: out of Contribution money as above 657 0 10¾
Direct the Surveyor General [of the Works] to consider and report what additional room may be made in the House of Commons; in what time it can be done and what by estimation the charge will be.
[Send word to] the Attorney General to be here next Monday afternoon about the revenue of the Hospital in the Savoy to be granted to Greenwich Hospital: and about the transires from Scotland: and on his report concerning effects brought home by Sir Jo. Jennings: also about the advertisement of the Company for making Hollow Sword Blades. Treasury Minute Book XVI, p. 83.
May 26, afternoon. Present: Lord Treasurer, Chancellor of the Exchequer.
The Customs Commissioners are called in. The form of the transires from Scotland as proposed by the Attorney General is approved by the Lord Treasurer.
Presentments [of Customs officers] are read and minutes [by my Lord thereupon are endorsed] upon them. Mr. Gilpin is to succeed Mr. Baines in his office at Carlisle. Ibid., p. 84.
May 27, forenoon. Present: ut supra.
[Send word to the Gentlemen of the] Bank to be here on Friday morning.
[Give notice likewise for] some of the East India Company and the Board of Ordnance to be here then about the debt for saltpetre. Ibid., p. 85.
May 28, forenoon. Present: ut supra.
Petitions and reports are read and the minutes [of the decisions of my Lord Treasurer are endorsed] on them.
The Auditors [of Imprests] and the accomptants who were to attend this morning are to be here next Friday morning.
[Send word to] the Attorney General to be here about 12 o'clock on Friday morning and to bring with him the draft of the Commission for the Equivalent. Ibid., p. 86.
May 30, forenoon. Present: ut supra.
Several Directors of the Bank are called in.
[My Lord Treasurer directs] 37,986l. 6s. 5d. to the Victualling: for bills of exchange: to be issued out of loans on Malt anno 1707.
[My Lord similarly directs the] issue to Mr. Brydges of 3200l. in Exchequer Bills and 50l. 10s. 0d. in any other [unappropriated] applicable money: as in part of 150,000l. for Charles III of Spain: and is to complete the sum of 23,256l. 10s. 0d. for several species of clothing furnished for the use of her Majesty's Forces in Spain.
The [Principal] Officers of the Ordnance and the Directors of the East India Company are called in. The Company demands interest for their saltpetre. My Lord Treasurer thinks it hard. The Directors will lay the matter before their Court and give an answer.
[Send notice] to the Directors of the East India Company and the Customs Commissioners to attend on Monday afternoon about the security to be given for the ships that are to go for India [for their not breaking bulk].
[My Lord directs the] issue to Mr. Brydges of 8209l. 14s. 0d. on the order for 150,000l. for the King of Spain anno 1707: and is to be paid over to the Treasurer of the Ordnance for arms and accoutrements provided by that Office for the use of the said King.
Auditor Mainwaring and Mr. Moody are called in. The report relating to the balance resting on the accounts of the late Commissioners for Sick and Wounded is read. Ibid., p. 87.
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