Volume 50: December 16, 1697-December 31, 1697

Calendar of Treasury Papers, Volume 2, 1697-1702. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1871.

'Volume 50: December 16, 1697-December 31, 1697', in Calendar of Treasury Papers, Volume 2, 1697-1702, (London, 1871) pp. 119-128. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-treasury-papers/vol2/pp119-128 [accessed 26 April 2024]

December 16, 1697–December 31, 1697



1697. Dec. 16.	1. Letter of the Lords Justices of Ireland to the Lords of the Treasury, respecting the petition of Mrs. Elizabeth Caldwell, for a reward for some gunpowder which she supplied at the hazard of her life, under the denomination of sugar, fruit, and other merchandise, to several garrisons there, in the late revolution; recommending her to the Royal favour. Dated 16 Dec. 1667. Minuted:—“26 May '99. Ref. to L^ds Justices for a list of 150l. a year for her life.” The report of the Attorney General, the petition, and two affidavits relating thereto. 8 pages and 2 halves.
[About Dec. 16.]	2. The case of John Morton, who had lent old money at the receipt of the Exchequer, at the rate of 5s. 8d. per ounce, and was a loser to the extent of 4,456l. 3s. 1d., as appeared by the auditor's certificate: finishing with a hope that his case might be considered. Also the certificate. Dated 16 Dec. 1697. Minuted:—“My Lords will consider this.” 1 page.
Dec. 20.	3. Great Wardrobe. A particular of several extraordinary provisions for His Majesty's service, since Mich. 1697. The account includes furniture of various kinds, &c., for the King's lodgings at Newmarket, for Windsor, at the giving audience to ambassadors there, for goods bought for the Czar, &c. Dated 20 Dec. 1697. 4½ pages.
[? About Dec. 20.]	4. Petition of Phillip Packer, gent., addressed to the Lords of the Treasury, to be placed in his late father's employment, as usher to the receipt of the Exchequer. Minuted:—“20^th Xbr. 1697. Read & rejected.” 1 page.
Dec. 23.	5 and 6. Letter by command of the Lords of the Admiralty to Mr. Lowndes, sending (in order to be communicated to the Lords of the Treasury) the copy of a letter and other papers from the Navy Board as to several matters relating to the Victualling Office. Dated 23 Dec. '97. Also the said papers. 12 pages.
Dec. 23.	7. Order in Council, referring the petition of Nicholas Estoll to the consideration of the Lords of the Treasury. The petitioner states that in the year 1665 he discovered a conspiracy to seize the King, the Tower, and other places of strength, to subvert the government, &c.; for which he had a pension of 50l. per ann. for life, which was then in arrear for three years, he being 78 and his wife 70 years of age, and prays for a continuation of the pension and payment of the arrears. Dated 23 Dec. 1697. Minuted:—“17 Aug. 1698. My Lords are of opinion that there is no reason for continuance of this pension.” 2 pages.
Dec. 24.	8. Letter by direction of the Lords of the Admiralty to Mr. Lowndes, sending copy of a letter from the Com^rs of Victualling, as to what progress was made for supply of provisions for the following year, to be laid before the Lords of the Treasury. Dated 24 Dec. '97. Also the said copy. 2 pages.
Dec. 24.	9. Petition of the brasiers, workers, and traders in copper, and the masters of the copper mills in and about the City of London, as to English and foreign copper, and more particularly as to foreign copper made into blanks, 40 tons of coarse Barbary copper having been bought up by persons who made the blanks, which was a great prejudice to trade and the copper manufacture; praying that orders might be given for preventing the use of any other than English copper for making farthings and halfpence. [With numerous signatures.] Docquetted:—“24 Dec. '97.” 1 page.
Dec. 24.	10. Letter of the Lords Justices of Ireland to the Lords of the Treasury, desiring they will move the King to give the necessary orders for the allowance of various sums, amounting to 1,116l. 6s. 6½d., paid out of the forfeited rents by warrants from the chief governors of Ireland, by the Deputy Receiver General, which sums the Com^rs of accounts scrupled to allow. Dated 24 Dec. 1697. Minuted:—“A warr^t as desired. Done.” Also a list of the payments. 2 pages.
Dec. 25.	11. Wages due in the Treasurer of the Chamber's office to clear the half year, from Lady-day 1697 to Michaelmas 1697, and the yeomen of the guard, to Christmas following. Also, Arrears of wages due in the Treasurer of the Chamber's office to Lady-day 1697, the rest of the servants having already received down to the said time. 2½ pages.
Dec. 27.	12. Letter, signed “J. Ellis,” addressed to Mr. Lowndes, asking him, on Mr. Secretary Vernon's behalf, to put the Lords of the Treasury in mind of a letter concerning the ship the “St. Christo,” taken by a Dutch man-of-war near Carthagena, and cast away at Rye; the ambassador of the States General of the United Provinces pressing for an answer to it. Dated 27 Dec. 1697. Minuted:—“To M^r Sec^y Vernon, acq^t the amb^r w^th it, and that by law my Lords can do no more than is proposed by ye C. of Cust^o.” Also the said letter, dated 10 Dec. 1697. 2 pages.
[? About Dec. 29.]	13. Memorial of Col. Richard Coote, as to the discharge of certain men (about 60 and 12 serjeants and 12 drummers) in the regiment under his command, to whom sea pay was due. He says he discharged such foreigners and Irish deserters as were taken in at Barcelona, together with old and infirm men. Also a list of the names of the men and the allowance to each. Minuted:—“Read 29 X^ber '97.” In the Minute Book, Vol. VIII., p. 83, 29 December 1697, is:—“349^li to be issued to ye E. of Ranelagh in new money to pay the arrears of Col. Coot's discharged men out of loans in gen^ll.” 5 pages.
Dec. 30.	14. Letter of the Lords Justices of Ireland, to the Lords of the Treasury, sending the Com^rs' of Revenue and Forfeitures report, as to forfeited estates in Ireland, which, together with that of Roger O'Shaghnussy, in the county of Galway, already granted to Thomas Prendergast, Esq., for his timely discovery of the late design against the Royal person, would amount to 500l. per ann. The Lords Justices state that according to the enclosed report the clear yearly value of the O'Shaghnassy's estate, above quit rents and encumbrances, amounted to 493l. yearly; but Mr. Prendergast had endeavoured to set the same, and the highest proposal was but 2s. per acre, by which it would fall short 197l. 13s. of the 500l. per ann. It also alludes to further deficiencies. Dated 30 Dec. 1697. Also the said report, but the list of lands not now with it. By which it appears that three separate lists to make up the deficiency were sent in by the said Prendergast of properties which together amounted to the value of 334l. 0s. 2½d. per ann., and the Com^rs state that all the estates were in His Majesty's disposal, but that the estate of Thady Callaghan had been already reported by them for Mrs. Wendesford, of Lawrence Kelly for Major-General Stewart, of Pierce Dillon for Brigadier O'Farrell (to whom it was granted in custodiam for two years), and of Thady Meagher for Brigadier O'Farrell and the Earl of Meath. In the Minute Book, Vol. VIII., p. 96, on 19 Jan. 1697–8, is:—“Petic[i]on of Capt. Thomas Prendergast read. The King saies he ought to have his 500^li per ann. The warrant for Gustavus Hamilton is not to interfere with him. So much is to be conveyed to the petitioner of the lands in the lists as will make up his present grant.” 6 pages.
[? About Dec. 30.]	15. Petition of Hugh Rowley, of Calmore, Esq., to the King, entering somewhat into detail of his affairs, and further showing that the lands intended by the King for him were disposed of to the Earl of Rochford and Marquess of Pusier; praying that a commission might issue out of the Court of Chancery or Exchequer in Ireland, to inquire of the King's title to the lands and leases in the annexed list (which are for the most part concealments), and such other concealments as he should make discovery of; and that the King would grant as many of the lands to the petitioner as would amount to 300l. per ann., &c. Undated, but see the next paper of 30 Dec. 1697. Accompanied by the list and a certificate of the petitioner's services and sufferings in Ireland, having a note at the end, signed Israel Feilding, dated 12 Nov. 1697, as to the above certificate being to the best of his remembrance a correct copy; and further certifying that the said Rowley delivered the stores of war to his order, he being constituted storekeeper of Dublin and storekeeper general of Ireland, at the salaries of 100l. and 300l. per ann. 3½ pages.
Dec. 30.	16. Letter of the Lords Justices of Ireland to the Lords of the Treasury, on the petition of Hugh Rowley, of Calmore, Esq., praying a grant of certain lands mentioned therein, in consideration of his services and losses in the late rebellion; reporting adversely to his claims, on account of his character, and the late Lord Capel having thought fit to remove him from the commission of the peace and his command in the militia. Dated 30 Dec. 1697. Report of the Com^rs of Revenue thereon. 2 pages and 2 halves.
Dec. 31.	17. “An abstract of the deficiencies in His Majesty's supplies for the war, which have not been made good, and do therefore at this time occasion a debt in the respective offices.” Dated ult. xbr. 1697. 2 pages.
Dec. 31.	18. Letter of the Earl of Rochford to Master Secretary Lowndes. He was indisposed with the gout, and desired Mr. Lowndes to move the Lords of the Treasury that the papers that came lately out of Ireland on his (the Earl's) behalf might be laid before the King, &c. Dated the last of Dec. 1697. In the Minute Book, Vol. VIII., p. 97, 19 Jan. 1697–8, is:— “Earle of Rochford's report is read. The King saies what His Ma^ty has given him ought to be made up.” 1 page (quarto).
Dec. 31.	19. Letter of the Committee of the Board of Trade to the Lords of the Treasury, giving the substance of a letter received by them from Sir William Beeston, His Majesty's Lieutenant-Governor of Jamaica, as to his difficulty in the supply of the King's ships there, to extricate himself from which, he had called in 1,000l. of the subsistence money for the soldiers, and had applied it to victualling the ships. Dated 31 Dec. 1697. 1 page.
Jan. to Dec.	20. Reports to the Lords of the Treasury and other papers connected with the business of the Com^rs of Transportation, including estimates for provisions for soldiers, medicines, &c. [Not thought worth individual descriptions.] 43 pages.
[? 1697 or 1698.]	21. Representation of Edward Scarborough, collector of Customs at Liverpool, in answer to a memorial by Richard Ustick, who prayed to be put into that place, and stated that a grant of the collection had been made to him in 1694, and sought that Scarborough's accounts might be looked into, and that the damage received by His Majesty, through the marrying of Scarborough's daughter to a considerable merchant of that port, might be inquired into: assuring their Lordships they were groundless and malicious suggestions. Without date; but the affidavit annexed is dated 25 Dec. 1697. 2 pages.
1688 to 1697.	22. Eight papers, letter A to H, containing computations for land and sea service, and provision by Parliament for war. The first commences from 5 Nov. 1688, and the last is for the year 1697. 12 pages or parts of pages.
[? About 1696 or 1697.]	23. Petition of Percival Brunskell, gent., to the Lords of the Treasury, “for a Com^rs place on ye law duty, or hackney coaches, or any other imploym^t” their Lordships thought fit. Without date; but ? 1696 or 1697, from mention of the laying on of the paper duty. 1 page.
1696 and 1697.	24. “A copy of several depositions, letters, and proceedings in relation to the privatere Day, harbour'd in Pensilvania anno 1696.” Dated 1696 and 1697. 18 pages and 3 halves.
1697.	25. The answer of the Governor and Company of the Bank of England in a general court assembled, to the questions proposed by the Honourable Committee of the whole House of Commons. The first question was:— Whether the Bank could raise the sum of 2,564,000l. if the House thought fit to settle the duties on salt upon them? The reply is to the effect that the Parliament had taken away the duty of tonnage, the duties on coals, &c., which were the funds for payment of money advanced by tallies, besides which the subjects paid their taxes in impaired and adulterated money, and the Bank on the pressing occasions of the Government advanced last year 800,000l. and upwards on Parliamentary funds, several of which were deficient and none yet paid, and therefore they could not at present raise the 2,564,000l. The second question was: Whether if the House should provide interest at 8l. per cent. for all tallies out upon the Parliamentary funds, and for the payment of the principals in a certain number of years, they were “willing to be grafted upon by subscriptions of the said tallies, with a proportion of their own bills?” They answered that they rested assured the House of Commons would make no alteration of the present establishment of the Bank, but what was necessary for the public service, and for the restoration of credit, and not prejudicial to the proprietors. If the House enlarged the fund and corporation of the Bank, they would submit; so that such provisions were made as encouraged the Bank to accept new subscriptions, some of which provisions they subjoined. Then follow 18 provisos. Without date; but the advance of 800,000l. was made in 1696, and this was a year after. 3 pages.
[1697.]	26. A list of the names of Commissioners for taking in the voluntary subscriptions which should be made into the Bank of England on or before 24 June 1697. 1 page.
1697.	27. Part of a series of enclosures to some other paper, relating to the mercantile affairs of the province of Maryland, amongst them is a list of the names of persons who had been impleaded for navigation bonds, &c. Also an address of the general assembly of Maryland in relation to the Acts of Trade and Navigation, and accounts of duty on tobacco. Dated in 1697. They are numbered 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, and 15, the others being wanting. The following are descriptions of four of them, viz.: Copy (numbered 6) of a loyal address to the King on the part of the burgesses, &c. of the province of Maryland, convened in a general assembly, under the governor, Francis Nicholson, Esq.; representing that the masters of ships trading to the province of Maryland had induced the inhabitants there to become their sureties, that they should deliver their tobacco, &c. as the Act of Navigation required, but having neglected to perform the condition of their bonds, they were forfeited: praying the royal mercy. Undated. Col. Francis Nicholson was Governor in 1694. See State of England for that year, p. 742. Copies of various communications and proceedings relating to penal navigation bonds, which took place in the House of Burgesses, the council at the port of Annapolis, &c. 30 Sept. 1696 to 18 Feb. 1696–7. Marked No. 9. “Maryland. An account of all fines and forfeitures ariseing & becoming due to his Maj^ty in Petuxant district, within the said province, estreated to the 5^th day of Aprill anno domini 1697, and collected by George Plater, collector and receiver of his Maj^tys dues within the said district.” 5 April 1697. Marked No. 12. “Maryland. The account of his Maj^ties fines and forfeitures received by George Plater, receiver of his Maj^tys dues in Petuxant district. [Till 5 April '97.] Also the sums for which he prayed allowance. The account was sworn to, 2 July 1697. Marked No. 13. 24 pages, some sewn consecutively.
[? 1697.]	28. Copies of various papers relating to the demands of the owners of the “Coronation” and the “England,” frigates taken for their Majesties' service at Barbadoes in the year 1691. The last is dated in 1697. 6½ pages.
1697.	29. An account of the gross charge by duplicates for the subsidies for the year 1697. Showing the total against each county. 1 large page.
1697.	30. “An account of y^e law proceedings concerneing y^e duties of Excise & salt depending in Trinity terme, 1697.” Minuted:—“To be read when y^e Comm^rs of Excise are here.” Against each person's name is a description of the proceedings that had been taken. 13½ pages.
[? 1697.]	31. Petition of Richard Lyndon, a sworn clerk in the Exchequer and in the office of Mr. Auditor Beale, deceased, late one of the auditors of the prests, &c., complaining that he had served above 40 years in that office, and had instructed Mr. Auditor Done in the duties of the same, who had turned him off: praying for an order of restitution, together with his salary and fees according to articles made between them, making about 780l., &c. Without date, but about the year 1697 by comparison with another paper received 19 May 1697 (Vol. XLV., 43). 1 page.
[? 1697.]	32. Printed form of an agreement to be made between the Lords Com^rs of the Treasury and such persons as were willing to advance money for the exchanging of bills, authorised to be issued at the Exchequer, for any sums not exceeding 1,500,000l. Similar form as well for 1,200,000l. as for 1,500,000l. Without date, but the Acts referred to in the papers were passed 8 & 9 Will. III. 6 printed pages.
[? 1697.]	33. A paper docquetted:—“Complaints against the officers of the glass duty,” as to the money matters of those officers. Minuted:—“The Comm^rs to have a copy & make an answer in writing.” Without date, but it appears from the entries to have been drawn up in 1697. 1½ pages.
[? 1697.]	34. Memorial of the officers of the Royal Regiment of Horse, to the Lords of the Treasury, asking that the 11,691l. 18s. due for the extraordinary allowance of 8d. a day to the non-commissioned officers and private horsemen might, on the issuing of Exchequer bills for the subsistence to the 1st of January last (1696–7) be ordered, to prevent the clamours of the innkeepers. Without date, but ? 1697. 1 page.
[About 1697.]	35. Petition of William Gratwick, Esq., and Elizabeth his wife, to the King. They had paid a debt on behalf of the Crown, amounting to 7,000l., and the King had ordered the Lords of the Treasury on 16 April 1697, to find some employment for the “petitioner;” praying for the interest on the money or a pension to preserve them from want until the employment was found. 1 page.
[About 1697.]	36. Copy of the petition to the House of Commons of Sir Thomas Cooke, Knt., creditor of Sir John Friend, late of London, Knt., attainted and executed for high treason; showing that the petitioner was in danger of losing his debt of 3,000l. due from the said Sir John Friend, by a proposed grant of his estate, and praying their help. [Copied from the entry book in Mr. Secretary Vernon's office]. Without date, but Sir J. Friend was forfeited in 1696. 1 page.
[? About 1697.]	37. “A brief prepared by counsel, to be improved at the execution of the inquisition for the King's title to several lands, lying within the county of Dublin, forfeited by the rebellion which began in 1641 and vested in his Ma^ty, his heirs and successors, in trust for adventurers, &c.” Docquetted:—“Coppy of a brief prepared by counsell against the executing a comission of inquiry for lands to be granted to John Blackwell, Sept. 15, 1693.” Transcribed May 29, 1697. Accompanied by a petition of Lambert Blackwell, Esq., to the Lords of the Treasury, for a grant of forfeited lands of the yearly value of 1,000l., his father, the said John Blackwell, having had lands taken from him in 1660, and having granted the reprisals to the petitioner. Also copy of a warrant in favour of the said John Blackwell, &c. Dated 4 May 1693. 6 pages.
[Probably 1697.]	38. Petition of Major-General Leveson, to the King, for the bestowal on him of such part of the debt of the deceased subcollector of tenths of the Clergy, in the diocese of Norwich, as the King thought fit. Without date, but the tenths were collected up to Christmas 1696. 1 page.
1697.	39. Petition of Sir James Caldwell, Baronet, to the King. In April 1696 the King, in consideration of the sufferings and losses of the petitioner, in his service in Ireland, granted him a custodiam of the forfeited estate of Dudley Bagnall, Esq., of about 900l. per ann.; the estate is charged with the payment of 400l. per ann. to Mrs. Bagnall, and 100l. per ann. to Sir James Clifton, &c.; the petitioner has petitioned for a continuance of the estate, with what addition the King may be pleased to grant; the petitioner is informed Mr. Piszars has the reversion of the estate, &c.; the petitioner is of opinion that the King intends at least the continuance of the estate to him, who has spent in his Majesty's service to the value of 10,000l.; praying their “Lordships” will stop Mr. Piszar's order, till his Majesty's further pleasure is known. Accompanying is a letter signed E. Caldwell, begging that a caveat might be entered, on his father's behalf, against Mr. Piszar, that his letter might be stopped till the King's further pleasure were known. Undated, but A.D. 1697. Compare the paper 28 April 1697, Vol. XLIV., No. 71. 3 pages.
[? 1697.]	40. The case of Captain Crawford, Lieut.-Governor of “your Majesty's Fort of Sheerness,” praying that he might have such an addition to his pay, as would make it up to 300l. a year, as other Lieut.-Governors had, whose companies were disbanded. Referred to Lord Ranelagh for his report. Undated; the petition was delivered by Admiral Russell (probably before he was made Earl of Orford, which was in 1697), and the disbanding of the army was in 1697. 2 leaves (quarto).
[? 1697.]	41. A paper containing memoranda in respect of the army, headed:— “Difference between the late and the present new establishment.” Undated, but by comparison with the note in Rapin, Vol. III., p. 368, it would seem to be in 1697. 1 page.
[? 1697.]	42. “A [printed] list of all the land forces intended to be kept up in England, and not disbanded, pursuant to his Majesty's proclamation.” Undated, but most likely 1697, by comparison with Rapin, Vol. III., p. 368. 1 page (printed).
[? 1697 or 1698.]	43. Memorial of the Commissioners of the Malt Lottery to the Lords of the Treasury, complaining that they were allowed but half the reward given them, for the management of the Million Lottery; setting out what their services had been, and pressing upon their Lordships that the unsuccessfulness of the affair ought to be no argument against their services; the poorness of the mine affording no pretence against the payment of the labourers. Minuted:—“Adhere to y^e former resolucon.” Undated, but this duty was to be managed by the Com^rs of Excise. See Minute Book, Vol. VII., p. 121, 16 April 1697. In the Minute Book, Vol. VIII., p. 103, 2 Feb. 1697–8, is:—“The Com^rs of ye Mault Lottery Tickets to have 100l. a piece.” 1 page.
[? 1697 or 1698.]	44. The case of Thomas Cobb, late Receiver-General for the county and town and county of Southampton; viz. as to the duplicate of the fourth 4s. aid, wanted in the Exchequer, the production of which the Com^rs of the town had eluded, and without which he could not pass his account; praying a stop to be put to the process against him till next term, &c. Without date, but ? about 1697 or 1698. (The 4th 4s. aid granted 7 & 8 W. and Mar.). 1 page.
[? 1697 or 1698 or later.]	45. A paper docquetted:—“M^r Everard's answer to Sir John Foches (fn. 1) paper,” which charged him with disaffection to the Government, and the charges are here answered seriatim. Without date, by reference to the “Association” it was after 1696. 6½ pages.
[? About 1697.]	46. Petition of Charles Gregory, gent., to the Lords of the Treasury, praying to be appointed as a tide surveyor in the port of London, if they should not restore Mr. Crouch, who was suspended; with a certificate added in his favour, signed by Edward Clarke, mayor, and others. Undated, but Edw. Clarke was mayor in 1697. 1 page, decayed at the left hand.
[? 1697.]	47. Memoranda made by Mr. Walker, who was desirous of obtaining a grant of lands in Ireland, belonging to Charles Geohagan's estate, mentioned in Col. Hamilton's list of lands; which lands Mr. Walker was recommended for, by the Lords Justices of Ireland. The Lord Chancellor Methen [or Methuen] would speak to the King and the Lords of the Treasury, and Mr. Bowyer, agent to Lord Galway, would wait on them. If the King disposed of it otherwise, he says, “let my Lord Chancellor move that I may have some yearly pention according to my first report from Ireland,” &c. At the foot are the precise addresses of Lord Chancellor Methuen, and Mr. Bowyer. Undated, but ? 1697. Methuen was the Lord Chancellor and during the life of the King. 1 page.
[? 1697.]	48. Petition on the part of Mr. Lansdowne and Mr. Long, to the Lords of the Treasury, for their case to be heard, in relation to the obtaining a grant of coal mines in Somersetshire. Undated, but ? the end of 1697; the 11 of Dec. 1697 is mentioned as the day when the hearing did not come on. ½ page.
[? 1697.]	49. Representation by the Com^rs of Excise to the Lords of the Treasury, of the case of the officers employed under them whose salaries were under 100l. a year, with a view to the repayment of the subsidy to them. Undated, but probably 1697, as there is a similar one in April 1696 (Vol. XXXVII., 44), and from reference to a previous warrant of 30 July 1696. 1 page. Minuted:—“W^t signed.”