Minute Book: November 1707 | British History Online

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

'Minute Book: November 1707', in Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 21, 1706-1707, (London, 1952) pp. 48-53. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-treasury-books/vol21/pp48-53 [accessed 26 April 2024]

November 1707



November 3, forenoon.	Present: ut supra.
November 3, forenoon.	[Send] to the Lord Chief Baron and the rest of the Barons of the Exchequer and the Customs Commissioners to be here on Wednesday afternoon at 5 o'clock about the form of the bond to be given by the East India Company for bringing home their goods without breaking bulk. Ibid., p. 122.
November 4, forenoon.	Present: ut supra.
	Mr. Bridges presents his memorials [for money for the Forces abroad] which are read and the minutes [of my Lord's directions for issues thereon] are [endorsed] upon them.
	[Send to] the Navy Commissioners to attend next Friday afternoon.
	[Desire the] Barons of the Exchequer, the Customs Commissioners, and the East India Company to be here next Friday afternoon instead of to-morrow afternoon. Ibid., p. 123.
November 7, forenoon.	Present: ut supra.
	My Lord Chief Baron and the other Barons of the Coif, the Customs Commissioners, and several of the Managers for the East India Companies are called in about the form of the bond to be given [by the said Companies] to bring home the ladings of ships from the East Indies without breaking bulk.
	The Lord Chief Baron says that he and the other Barons penned the condition of a bond which they thought according to the true meaning of the Act of Parliament: that those that have the right to trade may give licences but they are answerable for those that trade by licence, also the intention of the Act may be wholly frustrated, for if a whole lading be carried to another country it will be a hard matter to prove the property.
	The other Barons of the Exchequer speak to the same purpose and [maintain] that the condition [clause of the draft bond] agreed by them is agreeable to the intention of the Act though not strictly to the letter [thereof].
	Heathcote [says] our condition is allowed to be according to the letter [of the Act 6 Anne c. 37]. If [there be any] danger of ill practice one way, ten times more danger tother way. The Companies must give licences to their officers and seamen. For a licence to trade for 50l. if the Company takes a bond of 100l. they may perhaps recover the 100l. but must forfeit 10,000l. for the offence of another [as the licensee in a matter] which they cannot help.
	Sir Richard Harrison [says] the trade is unpracticable if this bond is insisted upon: that the Companies trade for the Queen.
	The Lord Treasurer [says] I must guide myself by the direction of the Act which leaves these disputes to the Barons; and hopes if there be a hardship it will extend only to this one ship because it is likely the Parliament will apply a remedy.
	Shepherd [says] the Company has not all the trade. There are particular trades and the Company is necessitated to give licence to their seamen who will venture their lives more for 40 shillings of their own than for the whole cargo of the Company. He thinks the recital in the condition of the bond in dispute is mistaken.
	Mr. Moor [says] as this bond is pend [penned] we shall trade under a certain forfeiture of 10,000l.; but it is almost impossible to think (especially in time of war) that a ship can be brought home but [without] some of the seamen may run some of the goods and no man alive can prevent it.
	Heathcot [says] we insist upon it that the bond offered by the Company is all the law requires of them.
	The Lord Chief Baron says though the penalty be 10,000l. there will be an equity against it according to the damages and costs: that those that freight out the ship are to give security: with which [opinion] the other Barons agree.
	Heathcot [says] nobody cares to be at the mercy of others.
	Moor [says] we have no favour in Westminster Hall.
	Harison [says] those that we license are no part of us and do trade for themselves and not for the Company.
	Mr. Godolphin says the bond is for the ship and not for any particular person's property and the like is done in the case of the Plantation bonds; that the [Customs] Commissioners insist [on the condition] for the interest of the Companies, who are entitled to 5 per cent upon bringing to goods to England.
	Harison [says] we will give the Commissioners an account of all our licences that they may take security from those that have them.
	Culliford [one of the Customs Commissioners says] the occasion of altering the condition of the bond was the landing of great quantities in Ireland and Barbados.
	The Lord Treasurer says there is no reason for me to give any rule contrary to the Act as it is explained by the Barons, who by the Act itself are the proper judges; though there be hardships and difficulties, which [however] may be remedied in another place.
	Heathcot [says] we hope the Barons are satisfied that we may proceed.
	The Navy Commissioners are called in. [On their memorial my Lord Treasurer] ordered 12,000l. for the Ordinary [of the Navy] out of Contributions for Annuities:
	likewise 20,000l. for Wages which latter sum is to be issued out of 15,693l. 13s. 4d. by negotiating Land Tax tallies [in the hands of the Navy Treasurer] and 4,306l. 6s. 8d. of Contributions for Annuities:
	likewise 909l. 9s. 4d. for Sick and Wounded.
	likewise 4836l. 18s. 6d. for Wear and Tear.
	Ordered that the [Navy] Treasurer do raise money as soon as he can at par on the 100,000l. tallies on the Malt Act ordered yesterday [Nov. 4] and on the Land Tax tallies for 9083l. 12s. 6d. which were put into his hands for Wear and Tear: and that out of the 109,083l. 12s. 6d. so to be raised and the abovesaid 12,000l. and 4836l. 18s. 6d. there be applied so much as will satisfy 2 months on the Course [of the Navy] to wit for January and February 1705–6, and that the rest be applied towards paying last Xmas quarter to the Yards.
	Mr. Bridges is called in and his memorial [for money for the Forces abroad] is read and minutes [of my Lord Treasurer's decisions thereon are endorsed] thereupon.
	[The draft of a] letter to the Board of Ordnance is read and approved for them to pay the bills drawn by Mr. Crowe on my Lord Treasurer for powder and ball furnished for her Majesty's service at the request of Sir Cloudesley Shovell, although the receipts cannot at present be delivered to the Treasurer of the Ordnance, they being either lost or mislaid; and care will be taken to recover them or duplicates of them from Mr. Crowe and to deliver them to the said Treasurer of the Ordnance as soon as they can be obtained.
	[My Lord Treasurer directs] 5000l. to the Cofferer of the Household in further part of [last] midsummer quarter [for the Household Establishment payable by him]. Treasury Minute Book XVI, pp. 124–5.
November 10 forenoon.	Present: Lord Treasurer, Chancellor of the Exchequer.
	Send to the Customs Commissioners and Mr. Holt [Comptroller of the accounts of the Customs] to attend this day week at 5 o'clock concerning the methods of his comptrol and accounts.
	Mr. Howe's memorial [for money for the Guards and Garrisons] is read and ordered, amounting to 33,364l. 13s. 9d.
	[My Lord Treasurer directs] 6093l. 15s. 4¼d. to the Treasurer of the Chamber for 1707 June 24 quarter [for the details payable in the Office of the Chamber] according to his memorial. Ibid., p. 126.
Eodem die [afternoon]	Memorandum: This day Fleetwood Dormer, a Commissioner of the Prizes, resigned to my Lord Treasurer his said office. Ibid.
Nov. 11 [attendance] ditto.	Memorandum: This day Mr. Pollexfen, a Commissioner for Prizes resigned to my Lord Treasurer his said office. Ibid.
Nov. 12 [attendance] ditto.	Memorandum: This day Mr. Anthony Duncombe, a Commissioner for Prizes resigned to my Lord Treasurer his said office. Ibid.
Nov. 14, forenoon.	Present: Lord Treasurer.
	[My Lord directs] 6000l. for the Navy for bills of exchange: to be issued out of money in the Exchequer of former years.
	Desire the Attorney General to be here this afternoon at 6 o'clock about a report concerning the Collectors [of Taxes] in Surrey (struck through). Refer to the Attorney General the report from the Agents for Taxes about the collectors in Surrey.
	Sir Theodore Janssen is called in. My Lord Treasurer acquaints him that her Majesty's service requires a credit not exceeding 6000l. sterling to be given to Mr. Chetwynd, her Majesty's Envoy at Turin, for transporting the Palatine Troops from Italy to Spain, and desires that the said credit may be sent to him by this night's post at the best rate for her Majesty's advantage that may be.
	Sir Theodore [promises my Lord that he] will give his bill on this condition to wit at 56½ pence per Crown [the said 6000l. in sterling] to be paid [to him, Sir Theodore in reimbursement] within a fortnight from this day; but in case he be not paid [reimbursed] till Xmas next then [he is] to be allowed at the rate of 57 pence per Crown. My Lord is pleased to agreed to this [and orders] a letter [of advice] to be written to Mr. Chetwynd accordingly. Ibid., p. 127.
November 14, afternoon.	Present: Lord Treasurer, Chancellor of the Exchequer.
	The Navy Commissioners are called in.
	Send to Mr. Burchet the petition of the Russia merchants and desire him to inform my Lord Treasurer what has passed at the Admiralty Board in relation to the matters set forth in the petition and what convoy hath been usual in such cases and what convoy was allowed in this case. Ibid.
Nov. 17, forenoon.	Present: ut supra.
Nov. 17, forenoon.	[Send word] to the Attorney General to be here tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock about the petition of the Scotch merchants “whereof a copy is enclosed.” Ibid., p. 128.
Nov. 18, forenoon.	Present: ut supra.
Nov. 18, forenoon.	The Customs Commissioners are to attend to morrow afternoon. Ibid., p. 129.
Nov. 19, forenoon.	Present: Lord Treasurer.
	John Brewer, Esq., Receiver General of Prizes is called in. He acquaints my Lord Treasurer that he is come to desire leave to surrender that office.
	My Lord accepts thereof and as soon as the new commission of Prizes is passed a signification of this surrender is to be sent to them, the new Commissioners.
	[My Lord directs] 3000l. to Mr. Tailer for Woodstock.
	[My Lord orders] the patents of Mr. Chancellor [of the Exchequer] to be renewed. Ibid., p. 130.
Eodem die afternoon.	Present: Lord Treasurer.
	The hemp merchants are called in. My Lord Treasurer tells them they ought to comply with their contracts; and he, my Lord, will inform himself as well as he can what equitable considerations are to be had of their losses.
	The Customs Commissioners are called in. Their papers are read and the Minutes [of the Lord Treasurer's decisions and answers thereto are endorsed] upon them.
	My Lord directs 2000l. for [William Lowndes, out of Civil List funds: and is for] Secret Service: 1000l. thereof to be paid now and 1000l. next week.
	[Likewise] 4000l. to the Cofferer of the Household [out of same] in further part of [last] midsummer quarter [for the Establishment of the Household.]
	[My Lord orders] a direction to Mr. Holt to observe such orders as he shall receive from time to time from the Customs Commissioners relating to the General Accounts of the Customs: and if by doing so he shall have occasion for more hands [or clerical assistance] my Lord will consider him in that particular. Treasury Minute Book XVI, p. 130.
November 21, forenoon.	Present: Lord Treasurer, Chancellor of the Exchequer.
November 21, forenoon.	Mr. Burrard, Sub-Commissioner of Prizes at Portsmouth is called in. He acquaints my Lord that he desires to surrender that employment. My Lord accepts the said surrender and directs that the Commissioners of Prizes be acquainted therewith as soon as the new commission is passed. Ibid., p. 131.
November 24.	Present: ut supra.
	The Earl of Ranelagh having promised that his final accounts for the Forces and [Chelsea] Hospital shall be ready for declaration by Lady day next in case he be assisted to pay the clerks my Lord Treasurer is pleased to allow him the further sum of 750l. for that end.
	[Send] to the Customs Commissioners and the Attorney General to be here this afternoon about the security for the Herbert galley.
	[My Lord directs the issue] to the Ordnance of 2000l. for sea service and 18,000l. for land service of the Ordnance: out of Contributions for Annuities [anno 1707].
	[Likewise for] 33,378l. 18s. 9d. to Charles Mason, the Transports Treasurer: out of the like Contributions: and is to be towards clearing the course (transport debts registered in course) and the interest due thereupon.
	Likewise 33,000l. to same: out of tallies on Malt anno 1707 (out of loans to be made by himself on the Malt Act): this sum to be reserved in his hands to attend such services (when the said tallies can be disposed of at par) as my Lord Treasurer shall direct.
	[Send word to] Mr. Brydges and Mr. St. Johns to be at my Lord Treasurer's house at 11 o'clock in the forenoon with the remaining estimates [for the Forces abroad, for the coming year]. Ibid., p. 132. Disposition Book XIX, p. 71.
Eodem die afternoon.	Present: ut supra.
	The Attorney General comes in.
	The Customs Commissioners are called in. They will prepare the draft of a letter to instruct the officers of the Customs in Scotland in the making of certificates for goods [shipped] from thence coastwise.
	The Committees of the East India Company are called in. My Lord, upon hearing the Attorney General, is satisfied that the Herbert galley may proceed on her voyage to India on giving such security as is mentioned in the letter of the 21st inst. signed by Mr. Tailor by his Lordship's direction.
	[Send word] to the Navy Commissioners when they come next to the Admiralty that some of them attend my Lord Treasurer about a petition of the hemp merchants. Treasury Minute Book XVI, p. 132.
November 25, forenoon.	Present: ut supra.
November 25, forenoon.	[My Lord directs] 6000l. to the Great Wardrobe, 1000l. thereof this week and 1000l. per week in the five subsequent weeks. Ibid., p. 133.