Minute book: February 1696, 1-15

Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 10, 1693-1696. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1935.

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'Minute book: February 1696, 1-15', in Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 10, 1693-1696, (London, 1935) pp. 1429-1433. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-treasury-books/vol10/pp1429-1433 [accessed 26 April 2024]

February 1696, 1–15

Feb. 3. Afternoon. Treasury Chambers, Whitehall. Present: Lord Godolphin, Sir Stephen Fox.
The Navy Victuallers are called in. My Lords will order them tallies on the Exchequer in General for the remainder of their proportion out of the Land Tax.
Mr. Neal presents a scheme for the [setting up the] Country Mints [for the recoinage]. My Lords desire him to take care therein [to put it in hand], but would not have the works at the Tower [Mint] hindered thereby.
To know the King's pleasure whether he will have decus or tutamen or restituta on the edge of the new moneys.
Mr. Neal says the proposal of Mr. Addis for having every altern[ate] letter turned inwards will not hinder the counterfeiting at all.
Mr. Addis [is ordered] with some of the Goldsmiths' Company to be here on Wednesday morning. Send to Mr. Harris and Mr. Rotiers to be here then, with the Provost of the Moneyers, whose name is Mr. Brent.
Sir William Scawen and other gentlemen of the Bank attend [and are told by my Lords that] the King is very desirous to have the money on the Annuity Act advanced and would know if they can do it, others having offered [to do] it if a clause be passed in the House for that purpose.
The [gentlemen of the] Bank say there is no clause of [authority for] loans in the Act.
[Ibid. p. 141.]
Feb. 4. Present: Lord Godolphin, Sir Stephen Fox, Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Smith.
Memorandum: In case a Bill be brought into the House concerning the Honor of Tutbury, the Attorney and Solicitor General are to be minded [put in mind] to take care on the King's behalf.
The Excise Commissioners are called in. Their presentment about the Duty on Low Wines is read. My Lords approve very well what the Commissioners offer therein.
They give in another presentment of defects in the Salt Act.
[Send] to Mr. Duncomb to meet me [Lowndes] at the Exchequer on Thursday morning.
[My Lords order a letter of direction for] 20,000l. for the Victuallers out of loans [on the Exchequer] in General.
My Lords are of opinion that it will be unreasonable for the Victuallers to bind themselves personally to pay the rent for the Victualling Office at Chatham; but the lease may be made to them as on his Majesty's behalf with clauses of distress and re-entry for non-payment of rent.
[Treasury Minute Book VIII. p. 142.]
Feb. 5. Kensington. Present: The King, Lord Godolphin, Sir Stephen Fox, Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Smith.
[The King considers the Earl of Ranelagh's weekly memorial for cash for the Forces and directs issues as follows:] l. s. d.
for one month's subsistence for [the Forces in] Flanders: out of tallies on the Exchequer in General 99,274 18 0
for subsistence of Miremont's Regiment: out of ditto 381 0 0
to the Regiments of Farrington and Brudenel for levy money, 200l. each: out of ditto 400 0 0
to the officers of Miremont's Regiment for pay to 1st January last: out of ditto 598 0 0
to the widows and orphans of the Regiment of French Horse and the three [Regiments of French] Foot for an allowance of two days' pay per year voluntarily given to them by the officers of the said Regiments: for one year to Dec. 31 last 543 4 4
for subsistence of the families of several of the French Regiments of Horse for six months at 50l. a month 300 0 0
for a week's subsistence [of the Forces] in England 15,200 0 0
for transportation of Scotch recruits: [out of loans to be made] per the Earl of Ranelagh 387 0 0
for Hospitals at Rotterdam: out of ditto 200 0 0
to Mr. Fox, out of rent of Hackney Coaches and Reversionary Annuities for part of the memorial for [moneys for the] transports: [to be issued out of loans to be made] per Mr. Fox 1,200 0 0
The Governor and others of the Bank came in and represent the prejudice to his Majesty's service and to them by setting up another Bank and the mischiefs by the guinea running for 30s.
The King resolves that two of the Mints shall be at York and Exeter and will name the two places for the other two Mints afterwards.
[The King directs] Lord Carlisle and Sir George Fletcher to pay the arrears of their rent into the Exchequer and then the King will direct how it shall be disposed. But my Lords [are directed by the King first] to speak with Sir George about the debt owing to him from Lord Preston. Send to Lord Carlisle and Sir George Fletcher to come on Friday night.
[Treasury Minute Book VIII. p. 143.]
Feb. 7. Afternoon Treasury Chambers, Whitehall. Present: Lord Godolphin, Sir Stephen Fox.
The Victuallers [attend and] demand more money.
The [Principal] Officers of the Ordnance and of the Mint [attend]. They are [directed] to meet to-morrow morning about making more room in the Tower for the Mint.
[Send] to my Lord Lucas to discharge William Harding, a workman belonging to the Mint, who is (as my Lords are informed) in the Tower.
The [Principal] Officers of the Ordnance [attend and] say they cannot abate [anything] of the quantity of fine powder which the East India Company is to procure in Holland; but if it be furnished there by 1,500 barrels a month to Col. Gore or his order it will be sufficient: this powder to be proved according to the proof of the powder for the States General.
Mr. Neal and the Provost of the Moneyers [attend and] are directed to be providing for five mills more than there are already at the Tower and for two of the Country Mints.
[Ibid. p. 144.]
Feb. 10. Present: Lord Godolphin, Sir Stephen Fox, Mr. Smith.
Sir John Fleet communicates a letter from Monsieur Clifford in Holland about procuring the saltpetre and making the powder there. My Lords resolve that the money for this saltpetre and powder shall be paid out of the first loans on the Continued Impositions.
[My Lords direct] the Queen Dowager and the Princess [of Denmark] to be paid each for last quarter so as they take the same in an entire payment forthwith.
Sir George Fletcher [is called in]. My Lords tell him their opinion that the arrears of the pension of Lady Kenmare (as well as the growing payments) should be paid to her according to the Queen's intention: and as to the 3,000l. to Col. Pursell they think he may take it without arrears of interest: “in case the Lady Kenmare's husband dies whereby she recovers part of the estate, the 400l. a year may cease; and my Lords will speak to the King whether these incumbrances be charged on part of the estate or the whole [struck through] that the remainder may be free for my Lord Bellomont.”
Frederick Hertogh [attends]. He is to have a list of the foreign names that are nominees for annuities, [so as] to inform himself and my Lords whether any of them are dead.
Mr. Bryar, Mr. Cary and Mr. Martin, Agents for the Leeward Islands, [are called in and inform my Lords that they] will undertake to send letters of credit for the subsistence of the soldiers in the said islands: and my Lords [promise that they] will take care to furnish that subsistence weekly as to the other Regiments. This subsistence is 134l. 16s. 10d. a week, viz. 17l. 13s. 6d. a week for the Reformed Officers of Col. Holt's Regiment and 117l. 3s. 4d. a week for the Regiment.
[My Lords direct] the salary of Col. Codrington to be paid here out of the sugar arriving from time to time [as payments in kind] for the Four and a Half per cent. Duty.
[My Lords direct] the Earl of Ranelagh to compute the subsistence due to Col. Webb's Regiment with an advance extending to the end of February and to put it in his [next weekly cash] memorial against Wednesday [next].
[My Lords direct] Lemuel King to go to the [Principal] Officers of the Mint with his proposal for edging the money, and if they like it to come to my Lords again.
An order to be prepared according to the King's pleasure for the Warden of the Mint.
[My Lords order] Mary Stedman 20l.; Anne Savage 10l.: but they are to have no more.
The Navy Commissioners and Mr. Dodington are to be here this day week about the ship Lion.
[Treasury Minute Book VIII. p. 145.]
Feb. 12. Kensington. Present: The King, Lord Godolphin, Sir Stephen Fox, Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Smith.
The [Principal] Officers of the Mint are called in [and the King tells them] none of the gold is to be coined until the silver which is first delivered in be despatched.
The Earl of Ranelagh, Mr. Blathwayte, Lord Coningsby and Mr. Fox [attend and] the account of the arrears due to the Forces that served in Ireland is read.
The Earl of Ranelagh desires that the Agents may be directed to pay the Regiments not in guineas but in such species as they receive at the [War] Office; this by a public order in print. Mr. Blathwayt is to write to the Colonels about this.
[Ibid. p. 146.]
Feb. 14. Afternoon. Treasury Chambers, Whitehall. Present: Lord Godolphin, Sir Stephen Fox, Mr. Smith.
My Lords will cause the subsistence for Col. Holt's Regiment in the Leeward Islands to be paid to the Commissioners' [Agents] for those islands, who have by an instrument obliged themselves to pay the same upon Col. Codrington's bills.
The Excise Commissioners come in. [Send word] to Mr. Blaithwait that the Excise Commissioners have acquainted my Lords that it's necessary that his Majesty's revenue of Excise from several places should be brought up [to London] in specie and desire him to appoint good guards for that purpose at such times as the Excise Commissioners shall adjust with him.
[Send] to Mr. Duncomb to attend on Monday afternoon next with the Excise account that is ready for declaration.
The Colonels of the Army and the clothiers [attend]. They say goods are so dear and it is so long before tallies are given that the clothiers cannot furnish the clothing as they have done: the offreckonings will not suffice to bear the charge, but the Regiments must run further in arrear.
My Lords [reply that they] will soon give them tallies for the offreckonings of the year 1695.
The clothiers say that goods are 50 per cent. dearer than they were, and they would know how they shall be paid the extra charge for clothing for 1696 because it will exceed the offreckonings.
My Lords will take the King's pleasure herein.
[My Lords decide] to have 1,500l. out of the Post Office by continuing their [the Post Office] weekly payment for three weeks longer after their former appointments, which would end about five or six weeks hence.
[My Lords direct] 40,000l. to the Victuallers out of the Land Tax, but [they are] to pay 10,000l. out of it to [the Excise Commissioners towards] their debt to the Excise.
Mr. Ben. Crofts is to be considered before the place of Mr. Christian at Carlisle port be disposed of in case it becomes void.
[My Lords order] Mr. John Crowne 50l. upon the next [bounty] list.
See what privy seals have been [passed at any time] for passing any accounts of any former Admirals.
[My Lords order the King's] printers to have tallies on the Excise.
Send to Mr. Bland to be here on Monday so that my Lords may consider what tallies are necessary to furnish several particulars in the Great Wardrobe.
[My Lords order the] Judges to have tallies on the Excise for their salaries due for three terms.
[Treasury Minute Book VIII. p. 147.]
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