House of Commons Journal Volume 1: 12 April 1624

Lunae, 12 Aprilis, 1624

Lowe's Estate.

L. 2. AN Act to enable Vincent Lowe to sell certain Lands: - Committed to Attorney Wards, Sir Will. Cope, Knights, Burgesses, of Nottingham, and Darby, Yorke, Sir Rob. Hicham, Sir Char. Mountacue, Mr. Pym, Sir Jo. Stradling, Mr. Denny, Mr. Fetherstone, Sir Rob. Moore, Sir Wal. Earle: - Morrow, Two Clock, Court of Wards. Notice to be given to the Friends, if the Committee see Cause.

Verbeake.

L. 2. An Act for the Naturalizing of Peter Verbeake; Committed to Mr. Denny, Sir Tho. Hurne, Sir Tho. Holland, Sir Jo. Corbet, Knights, Burgesses London, Norfolke, and Suffolke, and the Out-ports, Sir Char. Mountacue, Sir Will. Cope: - Tuesday next. Exchequer Chamber, Two Clock.

Committees added, &c.

Mr. Sanders: - To have some added to the Agers Bill.

Knights, Burgesses London, Buckingham, added to the Committee of that Bill.

These Gentlemen are to send some to attend the Committee of the Bill for them.

Edward's Decree.

Edwards.

L. 1. An Act to reverse a Decree made in the Court of Whitehall, commonly called the Court of Requests -

Cecill's &c. Nat.

L. 1. An Act for the Naturalizing of a Daughter of Sir Edw. Cecill, and divers others.

Oxford.

Oxford Bill, - To-morrow Afternoon, Four Clock.

New River.

Anwell River : - Thursday, Two Clock.

Message to Lords.

Mr. Secretary sent up to the Lords, to desire another Time for the Bill of Monopolies; and also especially to recommend unto their Lordships Care the Bill of Concealments.

Symony.

L. 2. An Act to prevent Symony in Colleges and Halls : - Committed to Sir Edw. Cooke, Sir Geo. Moore, Sir Edw. Gyles, Sir Walter Earle, Mr. Pym, Sir Will. Boulstred, Mr. Boswell, Sir Benja. Ridiard, Sir Hen. Mildmay, Sir Natha. Rich, Sir Hen. Poole, Mr. Carvill, Sir Rob. Hatton, Sir Gilb. Jerrard, Sir Dan. Norton, Sir Eras. Dreyden, Sir Rob. Moore, Sir Jo. Stradling, Sir Tho. Hoby, Doctor Googe: And all, that come, to have Voice: - Thursday, Court of Wards, Two Clock.

Answer from Lords.

Mr. Secretary: - Hath attended the Lords : Desired another Time for the Conference. Had Answer, that for the Monopolies, appointed To-morrow Afternoon ; and, for the Bill of Concealments, had given it One Reading already, and would give it all the Expedition that might be.

The Prince's Exchange.

Mr. Solicitor reports Sir Lewis Watson's Bill, without any Alterations,

L. 3. An Act for Confirmation of Exchange of Lands, between the most Excellent Prince Charles, and Sir Lewis Watson, Knight and Baronet: - Upon Question, passed for a Law.

Clerks of Markets.

Mr. Banks brings in a Bill to prevent the Abuses of Clerks of Markets.

Prisoner in the Fleet to attend.

The Serjeant called to an Account for Fowles. -

Says, he had a Warrant for him. His Father gave his Word, he should come to him next Day, and yield himself: Next Day sent Word he was a Prisoner in the Fleet, at the Suit of a Member of this Fleet [a]. Sir Guy Palmes.

Mr. Clarke: - True, Sir Guy Palmes had such a Decree in Chancery against Fowles. Fowles told him, he was enlarged, to attend this House, being committed close Prisoner.

Sir Edw. Cooke: - To have the Warden of the Fleet -

Ordered, That the Warden of the Fleet shall attend this House, with Foules, his Prisoner, To-morrow Morning, at Eight Clock.

Clerk of the Market.

L. 1. An Act to prevent the Abuse of the Clerk of the Market.

Cutlers.

Mr. Brooke reports the Bill for the Cutlers of Hallamshire. The Alterations twice read. -

Ordered, To be ingrossed.

Mohun's Estate.

Mohun's Bill, - To-morrow Morning, Seven Clock, Exchequer Chamber.

Outlawries.

L. 2. An Act for Reversing of Outlawries: - Committed to Attorney Wards, Mr. Clarke, Mr. Wainsford, Sir Clem. Throckmorton, Sir Will. Cope, Mr. Lenthall, Sir Jo. Strangewaies, Serjeant Towse, Serjeant Digs, Mr. Brooke, Mr. Whistler, Mr. Sherland, Sir Hen. Spiller, Sir Tho. Bellosis, Mr. Bartlet, Sir Jo. Danvers, Mr. Noy, Mr. Carvill, Sir Tho. Lucy, Sir Jo. Drake, Mr. Louther, Mr. Myn, Sir Hen. Poole: And all, that will come, to have Voice: - Wednesday next, Two Clock, Court of Wards.

Serges, &c.

L. 1. An Act for the true Making of Serges and Perpetuanoes.

Recusants.

Sir Tho. Hoby: - One County that hath neither Knights nor Burgesses. - Who shall present the Recusants ? -

Bishop a Secretary that is a Member of this House. - To attend these Gentlemen.

Knights, Burgesses of Yorke and Northumberland to do it; and Mr. Lively added to them.

Lesieur's Nat.

L. 2. An Act for the Naturalizing of Sir Stephen Lesieur, Knight.

L. 3. An Act for the Naturalizing of Sir Stephen Lesieur, Knight: - Upon Question, passed for a Law.

Lord Mountacue.

Lord Mountacue's Bill, - To-morrow, Eight Clock.

Prisoner Discharged.

Lovell, brought to the Bar, and there kneeling, made his Submission. - Says, is very sorry that he hath offended the House: Acknowleges the Censure to be just.

Discharged, paying his Fees.

Statutes.

Statutes: - To-morrow, Eight a Clock.

Impositions on Wines. &c.

Sir Edwyn Sandys reports from the Committee, to examine the new Impositions. - This Morning they met. A great many Attendants, of Merchants, and others. - Never heard such a Complaint - The new Impost on Wines. - Made no diligent Enquiry into the first Mover of it. - Declared here, to be the Lord Treasurer. He moved it to the Lords of the Council. - Found no other Suggestor. - For the Proceeding of it; thus: The Officers offered a Copy of a Privy Seal, for laying of 3l. upon a Tun, upon all Wines, for One Year, for the urgent Necessities of the Palatinate. They exceedingly complained of this. - 1. Against all Equity, and Use, to be laid on their Commodity, without their Privity. - After they were gone to the Vintage, then this laid.

- If they had known of it before,would have given over their Trade - Dealt withal strangely. - Wines taken from them, although paid half: Promised the Charge should be laid on the Vintners; but not so [b]: Made many Petitions, and received extreme harsh Usage; and committed to the Pursivants: Told, they should rot in Prison, if they paid it not. - Rich. Clowberry, the Merchant: - The Words spoken by my Lord Treasurer, at Chelsey. - Conclusion was, they paid half in ready Money, and entered Bond for the other. Three Years given them for that. At this Time the Rochellers laid 30 s. on every Tun of Wine. They lost, that Year, a good Part of their Principal, and utterly discouraged in their Trade. -

13 Aug. 20 Jac. another Privy Seal issued out. This drew it down to One Pound upon the Tun. Here some Error. This conceived to be to the next Parliament; but they find no such thing: And a Misinformation to the King. - Said, to lay it, on the voluntary Consent of the Merchants here, Rhenish Wines omitted. They deny this Consent; but say, when they were in Bond for the second Moiety, they were Suitors to have the King take 20 s. till their Bonds were discharged. Every Day Pursivants at their Backs, till they had yielded to this. - They complain, that, if this Imposition continue, they are utterly undone. Some of them pay double their Estates. In One Year have paid the King for Seven or Eight Thousand Tun : Almost 30,000 l. - For Two Years, among them all, not gained 2,000 l. The Officer acknowleges 44,000 l. within Two Years, in London, upon this new Imposition. - Pay Cent. per Cent, and sometimes more ; whereas to pay but Five per Cent.- - 5 l. 2s. English, the Tun: For this, goes to the King Six or Seven Pounds. - The Israelites in Egypt never in greater Bondage, they said - For the Publick ; complained, that, were it not for these Customs, were able to drive as much Trade. - That conceived in Writing. - For the Grocery Wares; a Warrant by Mr. Jacob, from the Lord Treasurer, to levy this Composition Money in London, and other Out-ports : So that they conceive this to be no Error, but done by my Lord Treasurer's Direction. For the Sugars ; Muscovado set in the new Book at 5 l. - Think it a mere Error of the Printer: Cannot find, it was ever raised, or any Warrant to have it Printed. For the Farm of the Sugars; Farmers paid 5,500 l. a Year: Now a great Diminution in the King's Revenue. - Let at 2,000 l. a Year to Two of my Lord Treasurer's Men. -

One of the Under Farmers said, that Herman and Catchmy had let out these Frams for 6,000 l. a Year to the grand Farmers. - They pay so for them. - By virtue of the King's Seal Privy, an Allowance made * to the Merchant : This not made in the Commodity of Sugar, upon Exportation of it. Lastly, for Printing of the new Book; a Copy, 22 Octo. 1623, of a Privy Seal, for Printing of this Book. - His Warrant to Mr. Lever, to see the Book printed: together with a Schedule of the Particularities, just as the Book is printed. For Suppressing of it; Book bears date 5th Decem. last: About the 12th, this Book suppressed, by Command from the Lord Treasurer, first, for some few Days, after, during my Lord's Pleasure. Messages sent to Mr. Lever about this.

Sir Rob. Pye: - To have the Schedule seen, whether the Sugars were in.

Mr. Glanvill: - One Thing omitted : A Course taken, to send for all the Vintners, to make them buy it; and so the Price of Wine presently raised.

Sir Edw. Cooke: - What now fit to be done ? - To have this Matter, as now opened, referred to the general Committee of Grievances; that, when my Lord heard we may take this, with other Things, that are to be transmitted.

Mr. Bateman: - These Impositions on the Wines, now paid, accounted for to his Majesty, though the Subject hath parted with it.

Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker to be here after Dinner.

Impositions.

Resolved, The Consideration of this Matter of Impositions, now reported, shall be referred to the Committee of Grievances; and Mr. Guy's Motion.

Lunae, 12 Aprilis - post Meridiem

Lord Treasurer. [Earl of Middlesex.]

Sir Edw. Cooke reports from the Committee of Grievances. - Earl of Middlesex hath had several Charges :

1. Concerning the Court of Wards: 2ly, For receiving 500 l. out of the Petty Farms, to procure the Warrant.

Eight Months Suitors to him, for Recompence for their Loss:

Could not get it, till they had given him 500 l. -

Ingenii dominus, plerumque peccati servus. - Jacob denied this 500 l. given to the Lord Treasurer: Hyde, Dawes, Garroway, and Bishop, to prove this. For the other 500l. Garroway, Wolstenholme, Williams, and others.

- The Committee resolved, that sufficient Matter found super totam materiam, to present it to the Lords.

Sir Rob. Philips: - Concerning the Particulars of the Impost on the Wines, his Opinion he will give with much Caution towards his Majesty. - To let the Right of imposing sleep a while. - Necessary to represent this, as a Fault in the Lord Treasurer, and an Injury to the Commonwealth. - Clear, he was the Projector. - Injury done, to lay a Surcharge of Custom on the Goods of Merchants, and so mediately on the whole Kingdom. The Honour of his Majesty deeply engaged in this. 3l. laid, contrary to the Contract made with the King, and contrary to his Royal Word given. - To have this Part also complained of in the third Place.

Mr. Noy; - Inclines to no Opinion he hath yet heard.

- Not to complain of Imposition simply, as Impost: - To complain of it, and of them that advised it, for their own Profit.

Sir Edwyn Sandys : - Differs from the last Opinion. - Lord Treasurer no Cause of this Imposition, with respect to his own private Ends. This a Matter of so great

Consequence, that, if brought in but upon the by, it would infinitely discontent the Subject. The Imposition not laid, to gain the 500 l. Besides the Matter of the Grocery : - A general Complaint against that. He gave his Warrant to levy that: So the Matter of Sugars. - A Gain to him directly of 4000 l. a Year - Not to leave this uncomplained of.

Sir Jo. Savyle: - Two Charges against the Treasurer. For the Bribery, hath heard it; but not the other. The One plainly proved ; but, for Impositions, no such thing rests upon him. - To speak to them directly, and plainly, and not upon the by. - To wave the Impositions at that Time.

Sir Tho. Wentworth: - Thinks this Imposition the greatest Offence of all. - A Business of so tender a Nature, that not to be touched upon the by. - To leave it unto the Complaint of others.

Sir Tho. Jermyn: - To have the Imposition now presented. To have it as ill accompained as may. It may be, the King will like it the worse, for the Company it keeps. Noscitur ex socio.

Mr. Spencer: - To have the Committee take Consideration of the King's Promise in 12o, that he would lay no Imposition.

Chancellor Duchy : If this Matter of Imposition now offered, to be done with a very tender Hand. - May open a Gap for him, to lay hold on the Horns of the Altar. May do it with that Caution. -

Resolved, upon Question, super totam materiam, That there is good Ground to present unto the Lords the first Bribe of 500 l. received by my Lord Treasurer out of the petty Farms; and of the second Bribe of 500l. received by him out of the great Farms: And also, that the Charge concerning the Court of Wards, in converting Wardships, and extorting Fees, shall be presented also to the Lords; and also the Imposition on Wines, the Matter of the Sugars, and the Composition for Grocery.

Resolved, That a select Committee shall reduce into Form, and present to the House the Frame and Model.

Sir Edw. Cooke, Sir Edwyn Sandys, Sir Dud. Digs, Mr. Recorder, Sir Rob. Philips, Chancellor Duchy, Mr. Cooke, Sir Tho. Wentworth, Sir Tho. Hoby, Sir Pet. Hayman, Sir Fra. Barrington, Lord Candish, Sir Jo. Elliot, Mr. Wainsford, Mr. Solicitor, Sir Edw. Payton, Sir Rob. Killegrue, Sir Tho. Jermyn, Sir Jo. Epsley, Sir M. Fleetwood, Sir Will. Spencer, Mr. Spencer, Mr. Price, Mr. Noy, Sir Hen. Poole, Sir Rob. Harley: These are to meet To-morrow Morning, at Seven Clock, in the Court of Wards.