House of Commons Journal Volume 1: 02 April 1624

Journal of the House of Commons: Volume 1, 1547-1629. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1802.

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'House of Commons Journal Volume 1: 02 April 1624', in Journal of the House of Commons: Volume 1, 1547-1629, (London, 1802) pp. . British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/commons-jrnl/vol1/02-april-1624 [accessed 17 March 2024]

In this section

Veneris, 2 Aprilis, 1624

Stratford's Estate.

Stratford.

L. 1. AN Act for the Establishing of the Manor. -

Lord Davers.

Sir Hen. Poole : - A Bill in this House that concerns Lord Davers. - Desires to have a Copy of it; and that the Committee may not sit upon it, till a Day or Two within the Term ; and to have an Increase of the Committee; or all, that will come, to have Voice.

Tuesday Sevennight to be the Day; and all, that come, to have Voice; and a Copy to be given out to my Lord Davers.

Earith, &c.

L. 1. Earith and Plumsted.

Goodneston Manor.

L. 1. An Act for the Settling of the Manor of Goodneston, in the County of Kent. -

Concealments.

Sir Edw. Coke reports the Bill of Concealments. The Amendments twice read. -

Ordered, To be engrossed with Speed.

Trade.

Sir Edw. Sandys reports from the Committee for Trade. - Six particular Effects shew the Badness of Trade. -

1. In Matter of Cloth, the staple Commodity of the Kingdom. Clothiers decayed in Number.

2. Ill Effect in the Material. The Price of Wool fallen 10s. in a Todd. - (Remembers the Saying of Popham, that the Diminution of every 12d. in a Todd, the Diminution of 50 Thousand a Year: So that 500,000 l. a Year lost.,

3. Want of Vent. Not long since 80 Thousand lost, now but 50.

4. The Transportation of our Wools into foreign Parts : But, when we look to the Importation of foreign Commodities, that exceeding high. Reported, that the

Importation exceeds the Exportation, some Hundred thousand Pounds a Year. The native Commodities decayed a Third Part, and the foreign increased a Third Part. - The Care of the Committee, to find out a Remedy for these Diseases. - Found three Causes : 1. Restraint of Trade: 2. Over-burthening of Trade: 3. Want of Money.- -

Now directed to report Over-burthening of Trade. - Two Kind of Burthens; partly domestique, partly foreign.

- Will speak of the first. - Reduced to Six Heads:

1. Custom : - That by Law.

2. Subsidy of Tonnage.

3. Impositions: - That by Prerogative, - Two: l. Of undoubted Right; but the 2d often questioned here. - But thought fit, not to enter into it now. -

4. Impositions of Subjects upon Subjects, by Officers of the Custom-house. - The Complaint from the Out-ports. - These have devised many new Fees, which many Times doubles the King's Custorns. For these, a Bill to regulate them.

5. Burthen, from Subject to Subject, by the Merchants themselves, upon native Commodities, upon Cloth. Merchant Adventurers brought in their Patents, and Book of Orders, but not their Books of Accounts, and Court Books. - They appointed a Sub-committee, to examine their Patents, which are Six. Their last Patent granted in

15 Jacobi; which hath many strange Clauses in it; Power to impose, and imprison: A Command to all Masters of Ships, not to receive the Goods of any other Merchants ; and a Bond to be taken of them : Power to seize all Goods : Officers in every Port: Commands the Patent be not questioned in any Court at Westminster; and commands all Officers to be assistant to them : A Proviso for the Staplers, but no Benefit by it; for a Proclamation prohibited them: Take an Oath also, and a Bond of a 1000l. - Then Imposition. - In their Book of Orders, found, they begun gently, with 4 d. personal: from that grew to 8d. real, upon the Cloth, and 12d. upon some Cloth; but in the 14th Year of the King increased to 2 s. and 4s. Upon the New Patent comes 5s. and 7s. 6d. upon the Long Cloth. - The Opinion of the Committee:

- Thought to be a great Grievance in Creation, as prejudicial to all the Merchants, and to Trade in general: And further, they thought fit to enquire of the Referees in this Patent, that gave his Majesty Information, that this Patent fit. - So also a Grievance in Execution : For Imposition. - l. Desire this House to search into the Cause of this Imposition : 2. The Proceeding in the Levy : 3. To know the present State of the Debt at this Day. - Cannot have levied less than a 100,000l. by this Imposition, yet but 14 paid. - This they find of such Weight, that they desire this House to sit Saturday Afternoon, to examine this Business of the Merchant Adventurers ; and to give them Command to attend at that Time; and to command their Treasurer to bring in, at that Time, their Book of Accounts, and Court Books.

6th Burthen; Impositions upon Trade, contained in a new Book of Rates. Some new Additions of 60,000 l. of new Charge to the Subject. Lord Treasurer sent a Copy of the Book: Said, the Book misprinted : These Charges never intended : That the Cause the Book was suppressed. But in the Book appears, there was Authority for the Printing of it.

The Additions are reduced to Three Heads: 1. The pretermitted Customs on Cloth, and Draperies. - Desire Nicholson's Attendance at next Meeting.- - 2. Upon the Wines, for Maintenance of the King's Royal Daughter; but in the Book no such Matter. - Made perpetual, and no Time limited. - A grievous Complaint from some of the Out-ports about this. 3. The Composition for Grocery. The Lord Treasurer said, mistaken: This to be only from the City of London. The Book lays it upon the Out-ports. - A Petition of the Merchants of Exeter, and another Petition generally from the Merchants of the Out-ports. - Sue to be relieved. - Some Things particular complained of: - More laid on London, by a Third Part, than other Places; and, instead of taking of Salad Oil, take it for all Manner of Oil: And a great Abuse

also about the Prisage of Wines.- - Take upon the least Quantity whatsoever. -

These conceived to be the Reasons of the Decay of Trade. The Remedies they leave to the Wisdom of this House. Conclude with Two Observations: If these Burthens do continue, will tend to the utter Destruction of the Kingdom : And withal, this not a Burthen on the Merchant, but upon the whole Realm. 2. Touching the King; they were very careful not to grieve him, either with Question of Right, or Diminution of Revenue ; but think, that Reformation may be, without this, The Extent of Trade will recompense the present Abatements. The true Cause now, that Cloth vents not, because so dear. - Doubt not, but that, the Subject being enriched, the King shall not want.

Chancellor Exchequer: - Will clear somewhat in this Relation. - He delivered here, that the Imposition raised on Wines, for that End, by the Council, to continue no longer than the Parliament. This warranted * by the Privy Seals. - The Book of Rates new to him, and how this came in.

Ordered, upon Question, That this Business of the Merchant Adventurers shall be heard on Saturday Afternoon : The House to sit at the same Time, and Mr. Speaker to be here: And, that the Merchant Adventurers shall attend at that Time, and bring in their Book of Accounts, and standing Court Books, or else the Copies of them : And Mr. Nicholson to attend at the same Time. The Treasurer of the Company to be here then.

Sir Rob. Philips : - This Patent creates and invests a Right in others of a Wrong done to us. - To have the Referees found out, and dealt withal. To respite any positive Resolution, till To-morrow Afternoon.

Customers Fees.

Sir Edw. Cooke, Sir Edw. Sandys, added to the Bill of Customers Fees.

Speaker went into his Chair.

Recusants.

Sir Edw. Cooke reports from the Committee. - They have taken into Consideration the Matter concerning Recusants : Have appointed a select Sub-committee to draw the Articles, that shall be presented to the King.

Sir Natha. Rich : - To have the Committee only to draw, and set down, the Heads, upon which we shall confer with the Lords.

The Order, upon Question, approved.