Minute Book: April 1677

Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 5, 1676-1679. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1911.

This free content was digitised by double rekeying. All rights reserved.

'Minute Book: April 1677', in Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 5, 1676-1679, (London, 1911) pp. 433-437. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-treasury-books/vol5/pp433-437 [accessed 25 April 2024]

Image
Image
Image
Image
Image

April 1677

April 2. Monday. Treasurer Danby directs the bankers to attend [this day] with their accompts, for his Lordship's perusal and declaration.
[Day Book, p. 121.]
April 2. Monday. Treasurer Danby directs that Mr. Legat, the messenger, shall have the 15l. (allotted him by order of Council) out of secret service [money in the hands of Charles Bertie].
Mr. Thomas Howard and his sister Mary [are] to be paid [in full] as formerly.
The king directs the 700l. for the Countess of Lichfield's lodgings to be paid according to the times to be agreed upon.
Sir John Pettus to have 100l. out of Mr. Bertie's secret service [money] by his Majesty's direction.
His Majesty has signified his pleasure that the Masters of Requests shall be paid [in] full, and [further] the arrears due to them. [Treasury Minute Book V. pp. 265-6.]
April 7. His Majesty has directed that Mr. Perenant's warrant shall be filled up with 500l., to be received out of the discovery mentioned in his warrant.
Also that Lady Dallison shall have 50l. out of the privy seal dormant.
Treasurer Danby directs that the Earl of Anglesey's pension, etc., shall be paid, notwithstanding he received the Christmas quarter since the order of Council [for retrenching payments on certain branches of expenditure].
His Lordship also directs the following payments, viz., to Mr. Buller, Earl of Yarmouth, Capt. Day 50l., Visct. Brouncker, Mr. Stephens, Gervas Price [to be paid in] full, Mr. Slingsby for the Duke of Lauderdale, Prince Rupert [to be paid in] full, Sir Sam. Moreland, Capt. Read, Mr. Lawrence, Sir William Killegrew half a quarter, Madam Paston [to be paid in] full.
[Ibid. p. 268.]
April 9. Monday. His Majesty has appointed to be attended at the Treasury Chambers about the goldsmiths' business at 4 in the afternoon [of this day]. The Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Attorney General and such others at the Lord Treasurer shall think fit are to be summoned to attend.
[Day Book. p. 121.]
April 9.
Treasury Chambers.
Present : The King, Duke of York, Prince Rupert, Lord Chancellor, Lord Treasurer, Duke of Ormonde, Lord Chamberlain, Chancellor of the Exchequer.
The Attorney General opens the case, consisting of two points : (1), that the goldsmiths insist there might be no redemption which is contrary to the draft ; (2), that the Goldsmiths might [shall] not be left at liberty [to decide for themselves whether] to satisfy their creditors or not.
Mr. Sawyer, Mr. Raymond, and Mr. Finch, of counsel for the goldsmiths, are called in. Mr. Sawyer says that his Majesty in consideration of the goldsmiths' debts and interest has settled an annuity of 6 per cent. on the fund of the Excise and in the draft [of the great seal for effecting this] he finds two things to which he principally objects : (1), that there is a trust ex-expressed for their [the bankers'] creditors, which will be a great incumbrance upon them [the bankers], especially if their creditors should refuse to take their shares [in the form of annuity] : and therefore moves it may be only by way of covenant ; (2), that there is a clause of redemption which is not consistent with a purchase (as this is) and no stranger will buy because there is no certainty in the estate, and it is of much less value than an absolute estate.
The Attorney General answers to these objections ; (1), that it was always intended that the bankers should be compelled to pay their debts, and he first proposed it by way of proviso, but afterwards put it by way of trust as the most moderate way ; (2), concerning the redemption, the Attorney General says they can be no losers by that clause.
The Lord Chancellor says that tis all one whether it be a trust expressed or implied. The Lord Chancellor and Lord Treasurer move against the clause for referring differences arising between the bankers and their creditors [to the Lord Treasurer], as a trouble to the Lord Treasurer, but [are] overruled.
Mr. Sawyer represents against the inconvenience of a perpetual redemption, but at last upon my Lord Chancellor's arguments they submit.
The draft of the warrant [for the great seal was then] read before his Majesty and the Lords [then present] and approved by them ; only these alterations [were] directed : (1), the trust [clause is] to agree with the covenant, and to be settled by counsel on both sides ; (2), to make all subsequent assignments to be enrolled with the Auditor of the Receipt and the Clerk of the Pells : and a covenant to be inserted for performance, etc.
The King directs that 1,000l. per an. shall be added to the 4,000l. per an. already paid to Maddam G. [Nell Gwynn] to make that yearly payment up [to] 5,000l. per an., and that this 1,000l. per an. shall begin from Christmas last.
[Treasury Minute Book, pp. 267-8.]
April 11. Wednesday. The business of the town of Northampton as well relating to the wine licences as to the Hearthmoney is to be heard [this day] at 5 in the afternoon, and the Commissioners of the Wine Licences are to attend and one of the Contractors for the Hearthmoney.
[Day Book, p. 122.]
April 11. The petition of the town of Northampton [is heard this day] touching their wine licences, wherein three things are prayed, viz. : (1), a discharge of their arrear of rent amounting to about : (2), a remission of the penalties they have incurred for selling wine without licence for a year and a half ; and (3), that the king would grant them licences to sell wine for some years to come at a small rate.
Treasurer Danby directs that the [Wine Licence] Commissioners should inform him of the present trade of that town in relation to selling of wine, and that the town shall prepare a petition upon the abovementioned three heads, which his Lordship will present in their behalf to the king, and receive his Majesty's pleasure therein.
The said town further humbly moved his Lordship touching the manner of the granting of the Hearthmoney of that town for the building of the church and other public buildings in that town. His Lordship directs that the present [Hearthmoney] Contractors shall depute such as the town shall nominate to collect the duty, which shall be applied to the purposes aforesaid under the inspection of the Earl of Northampton etc., as his Majesty formerly directed, and that a privy seal shall be prepared to the effect of the king's former directions and for striking tallies from time to time upon the present [Hearthmoney] Contractors for their [the town's] discharge during their [the Hearthmoney Contractors'] undertaking : and afterwards [for the striking of such tallies] upon such persons as shall be Receivers or Collectors [or Farmers] of Hearthmoney.
[Treasury Minute Book V. p. 269.]
April 21.
(Corrected from April 14.)
Treasury Danby appoints to hear the old Farmers of [the revenue of] Ireland at 4 in the afternoon [of this day], relating to the balance of their accompt : and Capt. Mansell [is] to be summoned as also Mr. Noell and Mr. James Hinton.
[Day Book, p. 122.]
April 21. Upon reading Capt. Wetwang's petition for the [office of keeper of the King's] weighhouse at Newcastle, Treasurer Danby directs a warrant to be drawn fro a grant thereof to Robt. Wetwang for 31 years.
"To call of my Lord Treasurer before he goes to the Treasury Chamber on Tuesday for Capt. Wauklyn's paper."
Mrs. Willoughby to have 100l. upon the privy seal dormant.
Col. Loger Brettridge the like.
The Earl of Berkshire to have three years' creation money by special order.
The Marquess of Dorchester to have all his arears of creation money, being 213l. 6s. 8d. on the Exchequer, and 210l. upon the Customs.
Sir Edw. Bish to have 40l. granted at the instance of the Earl of Bath.
The Earl of Mulgrave to be paid a half year [in] full : on the alum farm.
Mr. Charles Bertie to the repaid 2,360l. out of the arrears due from Tho. Browne [being] about 1,520l., from Fra. Hollingshed [being] about 700l. and Hugh Holland [being] about 290l. : in all [said arrears being] about 2,510l.
[Treasury Minute Book V. p. 270.]
April 24.
Tuesday. (Altered from April 23, Monday morning.)
The business of the old Farmers [of the Revenue] of Ireland is to be heard this day at 4 in the afternoon. All the persons to be summoned as on the 14th inst, supra, p. 435.
[Day Book, p. 122.]
April 24.
Treasury Chambers.
Present : Lord Treasurer, Chancellor of the Exchequer : assisting : Visct. Ranelagh and the Attorney General.
Mr. Alderman Breedon, Mr. Dashwood, Mr. Dannett Forth and the rest of the old Farmers of the Irish Revenue are called in with Mr. Keck and Mr. Sawyer (their counsel) and their petition is read craving several allowances by reason of the Plantation Act and other losses sustained upon the balance of their account [said balance] being 19,600l.
Reprisal [deduction] offered : Mr. Keck (1) quit rents : vested in the King : agreed to be leased to the Farmers, yet [Keck states that] a great quantity of the acreage land remains still in the King's hands unconveyed to them. [In reply] Treasurer Danby acquaints them that the Exchequer Court in Ireland has disallowed this pretension of theirs to the quit rents and therefore the Farmers cannot be entitled thereto. Mr. Keck says no judgment was given in the Court of Exchequer in Ireland by way of judicial proceedings.
Visct. Ranelagh moves that the 19,600l. balance [due from the Farmers] may be deposited in some good hand in case of appeal from the judgment of the Barons [of the Exchequer] in Ireland. Treasurer Danby conceives that this business being referred by the King to the Lord Lieutenant and his Council, therefore the report from said Lord Lieutenant and Council ought first to be had therein before the Farmers can properly come before Treasurer Danby by way of appeal.
The Farmers offer to admit that the judgment of the Barons in Ireland is against them and instance some particulars which have been disallowed by them [the said Barons] which the Farmers say ought to be allowed unto them particularly repairs of building the Custom House, etc.
Upon the whole matter Treasurer Danby directs that the Farmers shall attend the Attorney General and make him acquainted with all the particulars of their demands in point of defalcations and also with the judgment of the Barons in Ireland : and the Attorney General after full examination of the whole matter is to state the same and make report thereof to the Lord Treasurer.
Treasurer Danby causes Mr. Guy's warrant for collecting arrears of fee farm and other rents to be read and advises with the Attorney General thereon and after some debate his Lordship directs that the Auditors shall return an account of all [such] arrears with what speed may be.
The Tellers [of the Receipt are ordered in their weekly certificates] to specify what moneys do make up their several balances, and Sir Robt. Howard [the Auditor of the Receipt] is to be written to to specify the same in his weekly certificate. Mr. Wardour [Clerk of the Pells] is to do the like.
[Treasury Minute Book V. pp. 270-1.]