Charles II: March 1667

Calendar of State Papers Domestic: Charles II, Addenda 1660-1685. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1939.

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'Charles II: March 1667', in Calendar of State Papers Domestic: Charles II, Addenda 1660-1685, (London, 1939) pp. 171-173. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/domestic/chas2/addenda/1660-85/pp171-173 [accessed 24 March 2024]

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March 1667

March 22. Order by Sir Thomas Player and two others, commissioners for the poll money, abating the assessment of William Proctor of Hackney, brewer, by one shilling. [S.P. Supplementary 135, No. 8.]
March 25.
Spilsby.
Order by Henry Massingberd and two others, commissioners for the poll money, remitting the assessment of 1l. 1s. on John Woolby, he being a younger brother and not chargeable. [Ibid. No. 9.]
March 26.
Harwich.
Commissioner John Taylor to the Navy Commissioners. I send up the galliot for some stores. I had charge by Sir W. Coventry from his Royal Highness to hasten several frigates out of the harbour, viz., the Pearl, Little Victory and Truelove, and to-day by an express for others come as convoys to be sent back. Most of them cannot safely go out till recruited with stores. If they be commanded away, the next news will be by letters of complaint and damages that the King has suffered by reason of these wants. (Particulars of lead boards and pinnaces required.) I sent up ten pair of hand screws to Deptford to be mended. Either they or others must be sent down. They are much wanted.
Just now I have notice of the Tiger in Hollesley Bay, which will be here to-morrow. Three more of our frigates are in Yarmouth Roads and the Guernsey in the Rolling Grounds. They will stop here for want of boats. We are informed that the great fleet of light colliers are got to the Humber. [S.P. Supplementary 136, No. 442.]
March 30.
Harwich.
Commissioner John Taylor to the Navy Commissioners. I have received none from you since I answered yours of the 26th. I moved for directions about giving receipts to the Prize officers for what is received from them. They are impatient at our delay. Please take notice of the doggers and other services to be done here. The three doggers have no commanders nor orders to enter men and therefore lie still.
Three frigates go away discontented, being all imperfect in stores and incomplete for want of needful painting. The Elias by reason of shot in quarters and stern is mended with pieces, so she shows all pie-bald, every colour, not fit to be seen abroad. Painters cannot act for want of money.
The Tiger is coming on ground, but, as I advised in my last, the smith's shop is shut up. Her loss and damage of masts and sails came by the badness of chain plates. Six broke now, seven they say at another time, all put in at Portsmouth. It is inquirable why such iron should be used. I have viewed all our stores. We have none fit for her present supply, neither is there any smith in town or country to make any to supply her. I strove with the smith's foreman to do one job and set these chain plates and offered to lend him a chaldron of coals, but we find not a bar of Spanish and fit iron for it. The ship must stay till a smith fall to work. All or most of the beams of the new ship are come into the yard, paid for with my own money, but not one bolt ready to drive into a knee.
The carpenters were marching to London, but by persuasion are turned back. They will live on the spoil and grow uncontrollable, if not supplied with money. It troubles me to see the service suffer thus. It's more profitable to give 20 per cent. for money. Yesterday and to-day some say they can go no further for want of board wages and can get no victuals. The clerk of the checque and others tell me of several labourers and carpenters dead for want of diet. We compel them to work: it's most just to provide that they may have a livelihood or to suffer them to get it elsewhere till money come. [Ibid. No. 443.]
[1667, March ?] The way now practised to avoid the Act against the importation of Irish cattle. The constables, churchwardens and overseers of L[? iverpool] agree with the importer to bring in to their town Irish cattle. One of the said officers seizes and drives them to the next fair or market and then sells them again to the importer for 5s. a head or some such trifle and he then sells them where he pleases. Thus his Majesty is defrauded of his customs, the Act is avoided and the nation suffers more now than before, which causes great clamour in the country and renders them unable to pay their poll money and other taxes.
A Case.
The constable of L. seizes cattle imported since 2 Feb., 1666[–7], and sells them in market overt to John a Stiles and disposes of one moiety of the money to the poor and keeps the other for himself. John a Stiles drives them to C. fair. The constable of C. seizes them. John a Stiles cannot prove by two credible witnesses that they were not imported since 2 Feb., 1666[–7]. In default of such proof the Act says these cattle are forfeited.
Questions. 1. Whether the first seizure satisfy the law ?
2. What remedy has John a Stiles against the constable that seized them the second time since he pleads the Act, which says that it shall be lawful for any constable to seize the same and in default of such proof as in the Act the same are forfeited ?
3. Can any Justice discharge the cattle seized the second time ? (See Cal. S.P. Ireland, 1666–69, pp. 338, 339.) [S.P. Ireland, Car. II. 349, No. 14.]