Entry Book: December 1687, 21-31

Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 8, 1685-1689. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1923.

This free content was digitised by double rekeying. All rights reserved.

'Entry Book: December 1687, 21-31', in Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 8, 1685-1689, (London, 1923) pp. 1685-1690. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-treasury-books/vol8/pp1685-1690 [accessed 20 April 2024]

Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image

December 1687, 21-31

Dec. 21. Treasury reference to the Customs Commissioners of the petition of the Skinners Company, shewing that they have a liberty of exporting lambskins with the wool on them into Ireland, but it was of late prohibited and a parcel [of such skins] was stopped, which petitioners fear are spoiled: therefore praying that they may be restored. Reference Book V, p. 197.
Henry Guy to Lady Wood. You have not sent the order to me as directed, supra, p. 1669. The Treasury Lords have therefore given direction to possess Mr. Robinson of his 457l. 3s. 6d. and care is taken that 200l. be left in the hands of one of the Tellers till you give security to abide by the award of Lowndes and Squibb. Mr. Robinson expects only Sir Edwd. Wood's bond for this security. Out Letters (General) XI, p. 288.
Same to the Attorney General. The Treasury Lords have laid before the King the enclosed orders of Council concerning hair buttons, with your report thereon. It is the King's pleasure that you prepare a new proclamation to be issued as you advise. Ibid, p. 289.
Appending: said report, undated, from said Sir J. Powys, Attorney General. I have perused the orders of Council and papers annexed, see supra, pp. 1647–8, 1667, concerning hair buttons and conceive the best way will be to issue another Proclamation to supply the defects of the former in the points complained of, viz. the want of some reasonable time of notice to the importers and the want of encouragement to informers and seizers.
Same to Col. Phelips, Chancellor of the Duchy [of Lancaster], enclosing papers [missing] relating to the rigorous proceedings of one Benja[min] Ayloff in exacting moneys upon the inhabitants of the town of Pontefract, co. Yorks. The Treasury Lords look upon it as a matter solely in your power to give relief to the inhabitants and desire same to be given as advised in the enclosed report [missing] of Mr. Graham, Mr. Burton and Mr. Wentworth. Ibid, p. 290.
Money order for 55l. 6s. 8d. to Francis Dickens, esq., late woodward of New Forest, in full of all fees and allowances due to him for marking and felling decayed trees in said forest. Order Book II, p. 111.
Dec. 22. Treasury warrant to John Fisher, Deputy Surveyor General of Crown Lands, for a particular of the premises of Frogmore etc., ut supra, p. 1650, with a view to a fresh lease thereof to William Aldworth for 60 years under the rents now in being (which are to be appropriated to the repairs of Windsor Castle) and without fine: and with a special clause to enable him to dig earth and make brick in the close commonly called the Brick Close, but with a proviso that care be taken not to burn bricks when the Court is at Windsor for avoiding any offence which may be given by the smoke thereof and ill smell. Warrants not Relating to Money XII, pp. 191–2.
Prefixing: said Fisher's report, dated Dec. 12 inst., on said Aldworth's petition. The premises are both called Frogmore in Windsor. The first [messuage with several lands thereto] was granted by Charles II to his [petitioner's] father in 1680 for 41 years on surrender of a grant of 71 years therein to his father and grandfather, but upon taking the last lease there were eight acres, the chief of the arable land, taken out of this farm and laid into his Majesty's Little Park by the Castle and a proportionable part of the rent abated, "but still there is 9l. 9s. 11d. per an. reserved upon that lease, which is a great rent, the whole when it was all together being hardly worth 40l. per an. and the houses thereupon being formerly built with elm timber taken off the ground were fallen into decay and rotten, but were so substantially rebuilt of brick by the petitioner's father and with so handsome a prospect [front] towards his Majesty's park, against which they are situate, that it's believed he laid out thereupon at least four times the value of the inheritance of the farm." The other [part of the premises] is a farm adjoining to it but of more land and formerly valued at near 80l. per an.; but out of this there has been 11 acres likewise taken into the same [Windsor Little] Park and four acres of the best meadow laid into the avenue [leading from the Great Park to the Castle] and yet the whole rent, which is very high, being 14l. 15s. 5d. per an., is still continued, and upon this tenement the houses also are of timber and very mean and decayed. The last lease thereof was granted in 1683 to Widow Franklyn for 31 years, which [lease] the present petitioner, for the conveniency and enlargement of his farm, purchased at a very dear rate, as he also did for his mother's interest after his father's death, both which cost him much more than the inheritances are worth. Petitioner is willing to re-edify the houses on this latter farm both substantially with brick and gracefully towards the view of the said [Little] Park "to make it fit for his own habitation, or (as the other is) for the accommodation of persons of honour that have dependence upon the Court, to which these houses standing a little without the town are more desirable than most of these within, being almost as near and more private and having a pleasant walk through the Park up to the Castle." In this building he will expend four times the value of the fine on the present renewal, which fine I estimate at 300l. The petition for leave to make brick is a modest request never denied to any tenant where brick earth is to be had, but he should be confined to make them only for his own use on the premises and not for sale.
Dec. 22. Report to the King from the Treasury Lords on the petition of James Dounton, mariner, ut supra, pp. 1593–4. We have referred same to the Customs Commissioners and fully concur with their report thereon as follows. Warrants not Relating to Money XII, p. 193.
Appending: said report, dated Dec. 6 inst., from said Commissioners. A clause in the Act of Frauds limits the time for making foreign ships free and declares what shall be accounted English ships and what foreign. There is a proviso for such ships as shall be taken at sea by letters of mart [marque] or refusal and [after] condemnation made in the Admiralty Court as lawful prize. It is certified by Sir Robert Holmes and his deputy, Vice-Admirals of co. Hampshire, that said ship was forfeited to the King as a derelict ship. Though not expressly within the words of the Act this ship seems to us, upon the same foot of equity, to be reasonably entitled to the freedom of a ship belonging to England.
[? Dec. 22.] Treasury warrant to Mr. Fisher, Deputy Surveyor General of Crown Lands, for a particular of the premises as follow, viz. several tolls, heriots and certain closes and parcels of land and wood and a small tenement in Knighton and Begildy, co. Radnor, ut supra, pp. 1553, 1605, in order to a lease thereof to Alderman Haynes of Worcester on terms as follow, the surviving trustee in the last two parcels, viz. the heriots in Cantermelenydd and the tolls of Presteigne, being hereby to assign their interest to said Haynes. Warrants not Relating to Money XII, pp. 194, 205.
Prefixing: said Fisher's report, dated Nov. 30 last, on said Haynes' petition for same. I take the premises to be all parcels of the great Lordships of Melenydd, co. Radnor. The tolls of Knighton were granted 1 James I to Thomas Messey and Thomas Pursell for the lives of Mathew Messey and William Blonden, the last life whereof died in Aug., 1678, and were soon after ordered to be granted by lease to Serjeant Beck, but he died before it was sealed. They have been since petitioned for by the late Earl of Anglesea, Mr. Tho. Davies and the Marquess of Worcester, but none of them proceeded to the perfecting of a lease. Heretofore these tolls had been considerable and had been leased at 13l. 6s. 8d. per an. rent, but from Queen Mary's time they have been let without rent and the utmost value (which was 20l. [per an.] in the [Long] Parliament's survey) is now but 14l. per an. This fall is occasioned by making some graziers freemen of that borough, who bring in multitudes of sheep and other cattle into the market and are exempt from toll. The heriots of Cantermelenydd have always been let at 10l. per an. by several leases from James I and Charles I, the last whereof was 9 Car. I for 28 years from 1633, Lady day, to Sir Edw. Sawyer and William Gibson, which lease expired at Lady day, 1661. I know of no other grant since; but it seems that the heriots have been ever since held by Tho. Harley, esq., and the rent duly paid up to the present, but under what grant or title is unknown. I cannot learn that they are worth much more. The tolls of Presteigne were granted 5 Car. I to Sir Edward Sawyer by the then Prince's Trustees for 31 years from 1629, Michaelmas (which expired in 1660) at the old rent of 4l. 12s. 0d. per an., and this rent is now answered to the Crown by the burgesses of Presteigne, but by what title is not known. By the [Long] Parliament's survey they were valued at 12l. 10s. 0d. per an., but by survey returned to Sir Charles Herbert [Harbord] in 1669 they are valued at only 3l. above the rent. All the rest of the parcels specified in the petition, ut supra, have mostly names which cannot be found in the records in the Auditor's custody or in the surveys in my custody, but Littleton Powell, esq., one of the Six Clerks [in Chancery], who knows them all, has given me a particular with the values they are now let at, amounting to 22l. 10s. 0d. per an., though by the [Long] Parliament's survey several such loose parcels belonging to the manor of Knighton (some whereof seem to be part of these) are valued at 36l. 17s. 8d. per an. above an old rent of 2l. 14s. 6d. reserved on a lease of 4 James I to Sir Edmd. Sawyer, which is long since expired, and no known grant thereof since is ascertainable. But upon examination of these parcels when they were petitioned for with the tolls of Knighton by Serjt. Beck in 1678 some of them might be included in grants of other things or passed away in fee. Petitioner must probably be at charge in recovering them to the Crown by law. The rent of 2l. 14s. 6d. per an. seems to be an ancient rent reserved for these. For the tolls of Knighton no rent has been paid these 130 years. The former rent of 13l. 6s. 8d. [per an.] and the cost of collection will be more than they arise to at this time. They may therefore be granted at a fourth of that sum, viz. 3l. 6s. 8d. The profits thereof for the last nine years since 1679, Aug., have been received by John Dudlike, an undertenant to the former lessees. In July, 1684, at the direction of the Treasury, I gave a letter to Charles Morgan (then deputy to his uncle, Auditor Tutor [Tudor]) to charge the said arrears in full at his next circuit and to let them yearly at the best rate he could. The present deputy auditor, Mr. Humphreys, should be ordered to enquire what was done thereon and to take care of these arrears. The heriots in Cantermelenydd may be granted at 10l. per an. rent if Mr. Harley has no lease of them. The tolls of Presteigne may be let at 4l. 1s. 0d., being the old rent still paid for them by the town. But for these last two parcels the surviving trustee [of Charles II as Prince] to whom they were granted in the time of Charles I, should be directed to assign to petitioner to assist petitioner in gaining possession to the Crown in case of opposition.
Dec. 22. Treasury nomination and appointment of Tho. Powell, esq., as steward of the manor of Staunton, co. Gloucester (which in the opinion of Sir Robert Sawyer, late Attorney General, is estreated to the Crown and the royalties thereof are in the King's hands), to keep the accustomed Courts thereof in the King's name. Warrants not Relating to Money XII, p. 204.
Henry Guy to Capt. Huitson. For divers weighty reasons the King does not think fit to go on any further in the business relating to the expedition into the South Sea. I send you this notice so that you and your partners may not put yourselves to the charges of providing for that voyage. Out Letters (General) XI, p. 288.
Treasury warrant to the Attorney General to enter a cessat processus to discharge the suit begun against Dame Katherine Soame, widow of Sir William Soame, by John Keeble, one of the sureties of John Bigsby, late Receiver of Hearthmoney in Suffolk, to recover a debt due from her said late husband, the Commissioners of Excise and Hearthmoney having stopped the proceedings and given notice thereof to Mr. Hall, Attorney for his Majesty in the Exchequer Court, but having been lately informed that some other attorney in the said Court proceeds upon the King's aid for the said Keeble against said Lady Soames notwithstanding their said countermand. Warrants not Relating to Money XII, pp. 171–2.
Dec. 23. Royal warrant to the Attorney or Solicitor General for a great seal for a new Commission of the Customs; the new Commissioners to be Sir Nicholas Butler, Sir Dudley North, Sir John Werden, Thomas Chudleigh and William Culliford as in place of the present Commissioners, viz. said Butler, Sir John Buckworth, now deceased, [North, Werden] and Chudleigh: the new Commissioners to have, as before, the control of Tunnage and Poundage, New Impositions and the Four and a Half per cent. duty and to have 1,200l. per an. salary as from 1687, Christmas: John Sansom, esq., to be their secretary with proviso as before for 300l. of his salary to be paid to Robert Bertie. King's Warrant Book XII, pp. 338–9.
Royal sign manual for 1,000l. to Henry Guy, for secret service, without account: to be issued on the 20,000l. privy seal dormant of Dec. 15 inst. (Money warrant dated Dec. 27 hereon. Money order dated Dec. 31 hereon.) Ibid, pp. 340, 341. Money Book VIII, p. 338. Order Book II, p. 112.
Henry Guy to Mr. Duncombe [Cashier of Excise] to forthwith pay 1,000l. into the Exchequer without fail, "this being for his Majesty's service." Place this sum in your next week's certificate of the Excise. Disposition Book VI, p. 140.
Same to the Auditor of the Receipt to advance the abovesaid 1,000l. to me [Guy] for secret service [as by the above royal sign manual]. The warrants for the regular issue of this sum shall be sent you as soon as they can be passed. Ibid.
Royal warrant to the Lord Deputy of Ireland for a Commission to pass the great seal of Ireland to constitute Thomas Sheridan, William Dickenson, William Strong, Herbert Aubrey and Francis Plowden as Commissioners for the Revenue, Ireland: during pleasure: with the salary of 1,000l. per an. each, payable quarterly as from 1687, Christmas. The new Commission as herein is to determine the present existing Commission, but the pensions of 500l. per an. to Sir William Talbott and 60l. per an. to Charles Pleydell are to be continued during pleasure. John Ellis is to be Secretary to the Commission and John Thompson, gent., to be agent and solicitor with salaries as in the present Commission. The new Commission is to have all the powers of the present one and to be empowered to issue warrants to the collectors of the ports or districts to pay salaries and incidents, for which payments said Commissioners shall not be accomptable. Out Letters (Ireland) V, pp. 64–5.
Dec. 25. Money warrant for 55l. 6s. 8d. to Francis Dickens as by the money order of Dec. 21, supra, p. 1685. [It was unconstitutional on the part of the Auditor of the Receipt to make out his money order before receiving the authorisation of the present money warrant.] Money Book VIII, p. 334.
Dec. 26. Treasury warrant to the Receipt for tallies of assignment on the First Fruits for 500l. to Aubrey, Earl of Oxford, for last Christmas quarter on his pension of 2,000l. per an. Money Book VIII, p. 337.
Dec. 27. Money warrant for 9,332l. 3s. 4¾d. to Lawrence, Earl of Rochester, Henry, Earl of Peterborough, Sidney, Lord Godolphin, Robert Werden, esq., and Sir Edward Herbert, kt., Trustees for the Queen; as for last Christmas quarter on the sums granted her by the patent of 1685, Aug. 28. Ibid, p. 336.
Same for 2,500l. to the Queen for same quarter on her annuity of 10,000l. as by the patent of 1686, Dec. 3. Ibid, p. 337.
Henry Guy to the Auditor of the Receipt to issue as follows out of the branches of the revenue directed to be this week paid into the Exchequer, viz.: Disposition Book VI, pp. 140–1.
Out of the Customs. l. s. d.
to the Treasurer of the Navy on the Navy's weekly money on the 400,000l. for one year's naval service from 1686, Lady day 6,400 0 0
Out of the imposition on wine and vinegar.
to ditto in full of 7,000l. on account as above 600 0 0
to ditto to pay off warrant officers [on their pay etc. due before 1686, Lady day] 200 0 0
to the Treasurer of the Ordnance [for one week on the Ordnance Office] ordinary 1,000 0 0
Out of the Excise.
to the Earl of Ranelagh for the Forces 11,000 0 0
Out of the Hearthmoney.
to the Cofferer of the Household 2,000 0 0
to Sir William Villiers for the arrears of the Stables 1,000 0 0
Out of the Letter Office money.
to the Queen 5,000 0 0
(Same, dated same, to the Customs Cashier to pay into the Exchequer, out of his week's receipt of the Customs, the above 6,400l. for the Navy.) (Same, dated same, to the Commissioners of Excise and Hearthmoney, enclosing the paper of the disposition of cash of those branches of the revenue for the present week; said paper including only the above one Excise item and two Hearthmoney items.)
Dec. 29. Money order for 200l. to Sir Robert Howard, Auditor of the Receipt, for one year to 1687, Christmas, on the accustomed allowance for extraordinary service performed in his office. Order Book II, p. 112.
Dec. 31. Henry Guy to the Customs Commissioners to report on the enclosed papers [missing] of Monsieur Amiaud, containing a complaint against the Customs officers at Dartmouth. Out Letters (General) XI, p. 289.
Same to same, enclosing a memorial [missing] of Monsieur de Ruvigny, desiring that some goods coming from France for him may be delivered to him at Greenwich. Have the goods searched at Greenwich when the vessel comes up. Ibid.