Minute Book: February 1703 | British History Online

Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 18, 1703. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1936.

'Minute Book: February 1703', in Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 18, 1703, (London, 1936) pp. 12-17. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-treasury-books/vol18/pp12-17 [accessed 24 April 2024]

February 1703



Feb. 1, forenoon. Treasury Chambers, Cockpit.	Present : Lord Treasurer, Chancellor of the Exchequer. The Gentlemen of the Bank will be here on Wednesday at 11 o'clock. Ibid., p. 23.
Feb. 2, forenoon. Ibid.	Present : ut supra. The Agents for Taxes are called in. [My Lord orders that] they must deliver to the Chancellor of the Exchequer on Thursday morning a state of the receipts [Receivers' accounts] of the taxes. Ibid.
Feb. 3, Treasury Chambers, Cockpit.	Present : ut supra. The Attorney General delivers in the last report of the Postmasters General concerning Mr. Castleton and says that he does not see any fault that affects Mr. Castleton. And thereupon my Lord is pleased to declare that he sees no reason to displace Mr. Castleton upon the articles exhibited by Mr. Tutchin or Mr. Blackhall. [Send] to Mr. Blathwait to be here on Friday morning about the contracts for bread and bread waggons. The Gentlemen of the Bank are called in. It is proposed to them to be concerned in borrowing a sum of money in Holland for the army ; whereby the exchange may be helped. Ibid., p. 24.
Feb. 5, forenoon. Treasury Chambers, Cockpit.	Present : ut supra. The Duke of Marlborough comes in. The Gentlemen of Wales are called in and desire that the salaries of the Judges of Wales may be increased. My Lord thinks it reasonable and the Queen will be made acquainted [therewith]. [Send] to the Navy Commissioners to be here on Tuesday morning. [My Lord orders] a sign manual to be prepared for [authorising] the Earl of Ranelagh to pay over to Mr. Fox the money in his hands for the Danish subsidies. The memorials of the Earl of Ranelagh for pay due anno 1702 are read. [My Lord orders that] Mr. Blathwait is to prepare a warrant according to the Duke of Marlborough's directions now given him for commencing the pay of several Regiments. [My Lord orders that] 2072l. 7s. 8d. (over and above 6000l. already received) is to be issued to the Earl of Ranelagh in further part of the sum not exceeding 700,000l. for the year 1702 : [and is to be] to enable the officers to make recruits and to be paid on account of pay to 24 Dec. 1702 out of the funds of last year [as and] when so much comes in. Mr. Blathwait will forthwith send the draft of the contracts for the bread and the waggons for the year 1703 whereon there is to be the same advance as last year. Desire Mr. Eyles to be here on Monday morning [for the Treasury Secretary] to speak with him about the bill of exchange for 10,000l. drawn by Mr. Sweet. Mr. Blathwait will prepare an order for the Commissioners of Chelsea Hospital to reduce the number of the Invalids. [My Lord] ordered 20l. to Mr. How for pay to Major General Erle's Regiment. Ordered that every Paymaster of the Forces do transmit hither weekly a certificate of their receipts and issues of the moneys ordered by the Lord Treasurer from time to time and of the remains in the Paymaster's hands from time to time. The letter [of direction] to the Exchequer for 4682l. 17s. 9d. for the Earl of Nottingham et al is read and approved : also the letter for 1175l. [to be paid] by 100l. a week to the Duchess of Cleveland. Ibid., p. 25.
Feb. 8, forenoon. Treasury Chambers, Cockpit.	Present : ut supra. [Write] to the Prizes Commissioners to send an account what Agents [for Prizes] are appointed in the West Indies and what care is taken to secure the prizes there. [Write] to the present Commissioners of Wine Licences to bring hither their account for the year ending at Xmas last. Prepare a warrant for what is due to Mr. Yong [William Young] on his pension. [Send] to the Commissioners of the Salt Duties to be here on Friday afternoon. [Send] to the Navy Board to attend to-morrow week in the forenoon. Ibid., p. 26.
Feb. 12, forenoon. Treasury Chambers, Cockpit.	Present : ut supra. [Send] to Auditor Bridges to attend on Monday morning with the accounts [which he has ready] to be declared. Desire some of the Gentlemen of the Bank to be here on Monday morning about advancing some money on the tallies on the Land Tax and Subsidies of last year. [My Lord orders that] Mr. Borret is to pay all the charge in passing the bill relating to the Savoy. [My Lord orders a] warrant to stay the process against Mr. Papillon till next Easter term. [My Lord orders that] on the memorial for arrears of the Sick and Wounded 4155l. 11s. 3d. be paid out of the Land Tax tallies of last year in Sir Thomas Littleton's hands : likewise 54,747l. 13s. 4d. to be issued to Mr. Fox for subsistence of the subject Troops and the pay of the foreign Forces from the 19th inst., to the 18th March : to be issued out of loans on the Land Tax : likewise 13,012l. 10s. 0d. to Mr. How in accordance with his memorial of this day : likewise 1000l. [to William Lowndes] for secret service. Ibid., p. 27.
Feb. 15, forenoon. Treasury Chambers, Cockpit.	Present : ut supra. [The draft] letter [of direction to the Exchequer for the issue] of 400l. for Mr. Wise is read and approved. Prepare a sign manual for Mr. Crawley, Registrar of the Admiralty, to pay into the Exchequer 1500l. upon account of the moneys by him received for Salvage Duties and other Droits of Admiralty. Ground it on the assignment by the Prince [George of Denmark of such Droits to the Crown]. Direct Mr. Povey to send a weekly certificate of all his receipts, payments and remains [on account for Sick and Wounded] and to make one certificate from the beginning of this war until this time. [My Lord orders] the Sick and Wounded to have 10,000l. out of the Land Tax tallies of last year upon account of the service of the year 1702. Sir Charles Barington et al come in and recommend Sir Hugh Everard to be Receiver [General of Taxes] for Essex. The Gentlemen of the Bank are called in. My Lord desires that the Bank will advance the money upon the remainder of the tallies on last year's Land Tax and Subsidies in Sir Thomas Littleton's hands, at the same rate of 5 per cent. per an. with the like deposit for the interest and upon the same security by a [Treasury] minute as the Bank had for the last money they lent upon the like tallies. [My Lord orders the issue of] 20,000l. to the Ordnance out of the funds of this year : to be applied for land service of the Ordnance. Treasury Minute Book XIV, p. 28.
Feb. 16, forenoon. at my Lord Treasurer's house.	Present :— [My Lord orders] 2195l. 18s. 6½d. to be issued to the Earl of Ranelagh (1500l. thereof out of Salvage money) to complete the pay of the Capt. General and the Officers under him from 9th March [1701-2] to Dec. 24 1702 : to be paid out of the Funds of the year 1702. Mr. Pauncefoot will on Friday morning bring an account of the last year's expense of the Forces in the Low Countries. The draft of the warrant for reducing the Invalids is [read and] approved : also the warrant for the Earl of Huntingdon's Regiment. [My Lord orders that] the Regiments of Row, Ferguson and Ross are to be paid only from the day they came to England. [Loans to an amount not exceeding] 300,000l. are to be registered on the Malt Duties and to be for the [service of the Forces in the Low Countries : [such loans are to be] without interest : [likewise for] 100,000l. on the Subsidies : [and to be] for the Guards and Garrisons : to be issued to Mr. Howe : and to be with interest : [likewise for] 200,000l. on the Coal Act [1 Anne, st. 2 c. 4] : to be registered in the first place in the name of Mr. Fox and to be for the Forces in the Low Countries. Ibid., p. 29.
Feb. 17, forenoon. at my Lord Treasurer's house.	Present : Lord Treasurer, Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ordered that Mr. Brewer do forthwith pay into the Exchequer 4774l. 14s. 4d. for the Queen's part of the prizes. Ordered that the sum of 987l. for recruit horses be issued to the Earl of Ranelagh out of the [above]said sum : likewise that 2195l. 18s. 6½d. for the pay of the Earl of Marlborough last year be issued out of the said sum : likewise that out of the [1591l. 15s. 9½d.] residue of the said sum and out of 1420l. 5s. 8d. repaid by Mr. Whitfeild the sum of be issued to the Earl of Ranelagh to be applied to pay the soldiers instead of [his applying thereto] the Malt tallies lately issued to him and which my Lord Treasurer [now] directs to be reserved, without interest, for the arrears due to the Guards and Garrisons. [My Lord orders] the salaries of the Judges et al for last term to be paid. Send Medena's [Moses de Medina's] paper for 22,524l. 5s. 5d. to Mr. Blathwayt: and if it be rightly computed he is to prepare a [royal] warrant. Write to the Navy [Treasurer] to receive 36,000l. from the Bank upon the tallies on last year's Land Tax and Subsidies and to deposit [with the Bank] tallies for 1984l. 5s. 4d. to make good the interest. My Lord cannot advance the money to Mr. Griffith because there is no authority or precedent for it. The Customs Commissioners, Excise Commissioners and Salt Duties Commissioners are to attend on Friday afternoon and Shallett's paper is to be read then. Make a list of all salaries and pensions unpaid to Xmas last. Make a list of all sums unpaid on the scheme [adopted] before the [late] King's death for the Civil List : and make an account of what has been paid (not in that scheme) towards the [said] King's [Civil List] arrears. Make a list of what is due to the Foreign Ministers. Prepare an account of the Queen's expenses for Civil matters from the 8th of March 1701-2 to the 8th of March 1702-3. The Commissioners of Prizes are to attend on Friday morning about prize oil and other things. The Agents for Taxes are to attend on Monday morning about appointing Receiver [General for the respective Counties and places, for this year's Land Tax and Subsidies]. [My Lord orders] John Verhaest to have 50l. out of secret service to carry him to Holland. My Lord will speak with Mr. Blathwait on Friday upon the memorial of the Commissioners of Transports. Ibid., p. 30.
Feb. 18, forenoon. at my Lord Treasurer's house.	Present : Lord Treasurer. A letter [of direction to the Exchequer for the issue] of 24,155l. 11s. 3d. for Transports and Sick and Wounded is read and approved. Also a letter for 3182l. 18s. 6½d. for [pay of] the Duke of Marlborough and [for] recruit horses. Also a letter to Mr. Blathwayt to prepare the [royal] warrant for [Antonio Alvarez] Machado's advance money on his contract for bread and bread waggons. [Write] to the Chamberlain of the city of London to be at the Treasury on Monday morning. Desire Mr. Boyle [Chancellor of the Exchequer] to be here tomorrow morning. Send to Mr. Pauncefort and Mr. Cardonell to be here then. Ibid., p. 31.
Feb. 19, morning. at my Lord Treasurer's house.	Present : Lord Treasurer, Chancellor of the Exchequer. [My Lord orders] 3976l. 5s. 8d. to be issued to the Navy [Treasurer] to be paid over to Mr. Whitfeild [Paymaster of Marines] : out of the funds of this year : to be for a month's subsistence to March 18 next of 4 Regiments and 16 Companies not yet put on board. Write to Mr. Blathwayte to prepare a warrant for giving to Capt. [John] Powell and Lieut. Francis their half pay from the dates of their commissions till the time they are allowed pay on the Establishment. Order the Commissioners of Prizes to send the distinct accounts which they were ordered to make of the booty taken at Vigo and the plunder taken at Port St. Mary's. Send word to the Commissioners of Customs, of Excise and of Salt Duties to be at the Treasury on Monday afternoon and not this afternoon. [My Lord orders the issue to the Treasurer of the Navy of] 20,000l. for wages to ships : out of this year's funds. Treasury Minute Book XIV, p. 32.
Feb. 20, forenoon. at my Lord Treasurer's house.	Present : Lord Treasurer, Chancellor of the Exchequer. The Gentlemen of the Bank are called in. My Lord desires them to advance to the clothiers of the 6 Marine Regiments a sum not exceeding 13,315l. 14s. 8d. on such tallies on the last year's Land Tax and Subsidies as shall be signified to them by Mr. Lowndes, they allowing half a year's interest at 5 per cent. : and in case these tallies do not come in course before the 21st of August 1703 my Lord will take care they shall be repaid their principal and interest after the rate of 5 per cent. per an. from that day. Ibid., p. 33.
Feb. 22, forenoon. at my Lord Treasurer's house.	Present : Lord Treasurer. The Agents for Taxes attend about appointing Receivers for the Land Tax and Subsidies for the ensuing year. Send a letter to the Customs Commissioners to send an officer to the Duke of Marlborough's lodgings at St. James's to seal his goods and baggage in order to their despatch to Holland, taking care that no customable or prohibited goods be passed therein. Ibid., p. 34.
Feb. 25, forenoon. at my Lord Treasurer's house.	Present : Lord Treasurer, Chancellor of the Exchequer. [Send] to the officers of the Exchequer to attend all day at the Exchequer upon the day the Money Bills pass (fn. 1) [in order] to despatch the loans &c. [Send] to Sir Thomas Littleton and Mr. Fox to be at the Exchequer at the same time. [My Lord orders that the sum of] 2195l. 18s. 6½d. for the Earl [Duke] of Marlborough's pay is to be put to the account of 264,874l. 10s. 0d. for Guards and Garrisons. [My Lord orders] 22,524l. 5s. 5d. to be issued to Mr. Fox out of loans in the Exchequer : [to be paid over] to Mr. Machado on his warrant. [My Lord directs the issue of] 5000l. to the [Cofferer of the] Household. Ibid., p. 35.
Feb. 26, Treasury Chambers Cockpit.	Present : ut supra. [My Lord approves the draft of a] letter to take in [loans to the amount of] 500,000l. on the Coal Duties Act. likewise for 600,000l. on the Subsidy Act. likewise for 600,000l. on the Malt Act. likewise for 79,155l. and 8475l. on the Annuity Act. [My Lord approves the draft of a] letter [of direction to the Exchequer] for issuing 100,000l. to Mr. How for the Guards : without interest : out of loans to be made by [Mr. How] himself on credit of the Subsidy Act. My Lord reads and approves the draft of a letter [of direction to the Exchequer] for issuing to Charles Fox for the service of the Forces in the Low Countries 300,000l. out of the loans on the Malt Act and 200,000l. out of loans on the Coal Act ; the said loans to be made by said Fox himself without interest. [My Lord orders the] issue to Sir Thomas Littleton for the service of the Navy and Victualling of "such a sum as shall not to-morrow before 4 or 5 o'clock in the afternoon be contributed on the Annuity Act as will complete the 79,155l. and 8475l. therein mentioned" : to be issued out of contributions to be made by [said Littleton] himself [on the Annuity Act]. Send to the Navy Commissioners to be here on Tuesday morning at 10 o'clock. Desire Mr. Ward and Mr. Eyles to be here on Monday morning. [My Lord orders that] 1000l. more is to be issued to the Messengers [of the Chamber] in further part of their bills : to be issued out of arrears [of the late King William's Civil List revenue due] before 8 March last. My Lord reads and approves the draft of a letter [of direction to the Exchequer for the issue] of 4172l. 1s. 7¾d. to the Works and 823l. 9s. 11d. for the Works at Windsor. [My Lord orders] 100l. to be issued to the Treasurer of the Chamber, to be paid over to Mr. Collins the messenger on his bills "because he's to attend the Duke of Marlborough." Ibid., p. 36.
Feb. 26, [sic] forenoon. Treasury Chambers, Cockpit.	Present : Lord Treasurer. The Customs Commissioners are called in. My Lord recommends to them Mr. Fitch and Richard Fletcher for such places as they are qualified for. The said Commissioners' papers are read and the answers [and decisions of my Lord are endorsed] on them. The Excise Commissioners and the Salt Duties Commissioners will attend on Monday afternoon. Prepare an order to the Commissioners of Prizes to cause 10,000l. more of the Queen's part of the prizes to be paid into the Exchequer and issue it to the Earl of Ranelagh for pay of the Forces in the Low Countries due before Dec. 25 last ; it being intended to pay a bill of exchange to Mr. Eyles for that service. Ibid., p. 37.