THE GREAT Trappanner of England DISCOVERED.
AS man was the Glory of the Creation, so is there no savage more pernitious to Humane Society, or the wel-being of mankind as depraved and degenerating man, which may appear in this ensuing discourse, Epitomizing some of the multitude of the black and foul enormityes of Thomas Violet, a Name too sweet for so foul a Carkass.
His Birth was at Sea, as though nature had ordained no Country should be burthen'd to own his Nativity, being Ingendred between a poor Dutch Fidler, and a Moorish Woman. How he came into England without the help of the Devil, or ever got into the repute to be intrusted in any mans Service as an Apprentise, and so become a Member of this famous City of London, I am altogether ignorant; But shall trace him from his being to be a Goldsmith.
His first way of thriving was by Transportation of Gold, the Coyn of this Nation which he followed till defeated and then detected such Merchants as dealt with him to some of their ruines and his gaine. That trade sayling, and being more apt to mischeif then to follow his lawfull Calling he procured under specious pretences of Service to the late King and Court in Nomine Dommine: and the Nation a Pattent to set up an Office for Gold and Silver Wyer and Thred, which he so well managed to his own benefit and the ruine of the Artificers, as the cries of those Hundreds of undone Families, their Wives and Orpheans sufficiently and wofully testifie.
Many, and as great were the informations against him, for divers Monopolies he had share in, which in the mannagement of, he so behaved himself, that he could very hardly defend himself from Corporall punishment; But that he was forced to disgorge most part of that ill-gotten Mammon, which was sucked from him by some which were then Courtiers, leaving little to himself except Infamy and shame, and the Curses of those so ruined by his Cheats and Oppressions.
Thus did he shift from Post to Pillar, living by that base way of Informing, untill the unhappy difference and civill Warr of these Nations began: when to piece up his Crazy Fortune, fishing in these troubled Waters, He would then turne Statesman and wish much pretended Allegiance to the King, and as much zeale and duty to the Parliament, he shufled his Cards so fouly, and plaid his game so dishonestly, that had he been caught at Oxford he had been hanged there, hardly escaping the like here by a long and tedious Imprisonment and Sequestration of his Estate; for which he now saith, the State is in his debt 20000 l. which he hath often affirmed before Authority, and in Courts of Justice, and therefore said, it is reason he should get it up againe some way or other.
How he hath lived since his inlargement I appeal to all that know him, for instead of returning thanks to God for his deliverance, and repenting of his former wickedness, he continues still a Common and most Horrid Sweater, a debauch'd Drunkard, especially upon Sabbath days, an Epicure and an abominable Lyer, and guilty of many other ennormous and Inhumane Crimes to the great Scandal of our Christian Religion especially amongst the Jews, with whom he is very conversant; For what he can invent by lying he can easily ratifie by swearing, and thereby hopes to possess himself of other mens Estates Honestly gotten.
And now I have named the Jews, I thought it not amiss to give that people an Item of his Treacherous intentions to ruine them also. Wearied with his former Contrivances he hath at length found out a new way to pay ould debts. He Petitions and follows hard the Parliament and Councill of State to give him Authority to search for and find out false Coyners, he having been more then sufficiently suspected himself for such practises (to say no more till things be brought to farther light, especially in Gold) under the specious pretence of doing still the Common-wealth Service. And to ingratiate himself for that service, brings in a Catalogue of many by him found out; The cheif whereof as he pleaseth to Name in his scandalous and lying Pamphlets are, Tobias Knowles, who was forced to appeare and receive a Tryall at the Old Baily Sessions this last 24th of February, 1659. wherein indeed after a fair hearing, the Jury brought him in Innocent. The Residue of his Catalogue being Garrell, Carter, Preston, Chitty, Pight, Hatford and others: Having to their great dammage attended three Sessions for a Tryall, expecting and much desiring it with Mr. Knowles his Tryall, But this Violet (although Richard Pight was the Prosecutor and not Hee) prevailed to remove their Indictments by Certiorary into the Upper Bench with the Indictment against himself for the same offence The bill being found against him. This he hath done in policy on purpose to suspend their Testimony, being all or most of them witness against him: Yet pretends he hath spent above 40 l. in prosecution, when 'tis only to deferr and put off Tryalls: to save himself he having no good good Witness, but such who have been guilty of the same facts. But he spending on other mens Purses need not care what he spends: And as to these men last mentioned, I verily believe there is scarse one line of truth in all his Printed Pamphlets corcerning them.
But to keep my word with the Jews, and to let the world see of what dangerous consequence it may prove, to Arme such a desperate minded man with such Authority, he fearing neither God nor man, nor to destroy the life of any man though it were his own Father, so he could but obtaine his own wicked ends; This being the opinion of all that know him, and is generally sayd of him, having as bad a name as ever I heard man have; Pray take this ensuing discovery taken before some of the Justices of the Peace, which he so boldly Cites in divers his Printed Papers by the Oaths of Honest men, Verbatim; which may sufficiently demonstrate the reasons of his desired Authority; And whether it be the Common good or his own private Lucre he intends to promote by it, let any Rationall man judge.
The DISCOVERY.
This Deponent saith, that in the beginning of last Spring, Tho. Violet Gold-Smith came to this Deponent, and told him this Deponent, that the said Thomas Violet knew of a way that might make him the said Deponent for ever, and so desired the said Deponent to go along with him, the said Tho. Violet, into Dukes-Place, whereupon the said Deponent went along with the said Tho. Violet into the place before mentioned, and was by him the said Tho. Violet brought into the Synagogue of the Jewes, in the place aforesaid, and spake with one Mr. Moses their High-Priest that year, and other Jewes; and this Deponent saith further, that the said Tho. Violet told the Jewes, this Deponent was a fit man to do them service in the business which he the said Tho. Violet had treated with them about; and that afterward, he the said Deponent and the said Tho. Violet, went together into Fish-street, and that whilest they were there together, the said Violet desired the said Deponent to procure some Patterns of Forreign Coyns, and to bring them to the Jewes aforesaid, to the end they might make choyce of such as they should think fitting; whereunto the said Deponent answered, that he thought this action to be unlawful, but then the said Violet told the said Deponent, that he should not need to fear any such thing, for he the said Violet would acquaint the Parliament and Council of State concerning the business, who would grant him the said Deponent, and all the he should employ in this business an Act of Indempnity; then this Deponent procured certain Patterns of Forreign Coyns, and brought them to the Jewes aforesaid, who when they saw them, made choyce of them, and desired the said Deponent to procure a great quantity of such Pieces as they had made choyce of; Then this Deponent came to the said Violet, and acquainted him what had passed betwixt this Deponent and the Jewes. upon his bringing the said Patterns; whereupon the said Violet promised the said Deponent 200 li. to begin the said work, and desired him the said Deponent, to acquaint Mr. Pight Clerk of the Irons in the Tower with the business in hand, with this Caution, that he should not discover to the said Pight, that the said Violet was any way concerned in it, and that this Deponent did accordingly acquaint Mr. Pight aforesaid, that he the said Deponent did intend to make some Pieces as Meddalls for the new Emperour of Germany, if the said Pight thought it to be lawful, to which the said Pight answered, that this Deponent needed not doubt to make them, but the said Deponent might go on lawfully, so that he was careful he did not meddle with the Coyns of this Commen-wealth; And this Deponent saith further, that upon the said Violets promising him protection as aforesaid, and the said Pight his telling him the business was lawful, he the said Deponent cast about 400 Pieces mixt mettall of Copper and Brasse, which when he had done, the said Violet came to him, and told him, that his design in this businesse wherein he had employed him the said Deponent, was to Trappan the Jewes and to get half their Estates, which he the said Violet said, the Council of State had promised him for the discovery of the business when time should serve, and that the said Deponent [Page 4]should share with him the said Violet in the Booty. And moreover this Deponent saith, that for the better carrying on of the said plot, the said Violet told him the said Deponent, that he should carry the Pieces which he should make for the Jewes to some Tavern, and send for the Jewes thither, and let them receive the the said Pieces there; but withall he should give the said Violet notice of it first, that the said Violet might come and apprehend them in the Intrim. And this Deponent saith, that when the said Violet had discovered this his intent unto him the said Deponent, that the said Violet told the said Deponent, that he the said Violet would stab the said Deponent the next time he met him, if the said Deponent should by any means reveal or discover the said Violets design in the business aforesaid. Again, this Deponent saith, that when the said Violet had discovered these his designs unto him the said Deponent, that he the said Deponent did melt down again the pieces aforesaid, which were made for the Jewes aforesaid. And this Deponent saith lastly, that the said Violet, and the said Pight disagreed because the said Pight had not taken away the Farthing presses, as he had promised the said Violet, that then the said Violet did impeach the said Pight with confederacy with false Coyners, and for allowance given to this Deponent to Coyne the Pieces aforesaid; and that thereupon the said Pight did Impeach the said Deponent for Coyning the said Pieces, which is the true ground of the prosecution against this Deponent.
These Affidavits are sworne, and others to the same purpose by other Witnesses before divers of those Justices of the Peace as aforesaid. And the said Violet hath produced before the said Justices and other Witnesses, an Order from under Mr. Scots hand (as he affirmed) and others of the late Council of State, to encourage him in this business here related.
And this Deponent with divers others further say, that the said Violet did offer this Deponent 100 li. to suborne him falsley to swear against a Justice of the Peace of quality and worth, to destroy him in his Estate and reputation; and afterwards the said Violet did produce and shew unto this Deponent, a paper of above 30 names of Aldermen, Justices and other Gentlemen of worth and quality, that the said Violet would have had this Deponent falsly to accuse, and to be sworn against them; but he refusing so to do, the said Violet threatned to stab him as aforesaid; and also the said Violet in further pursuance of his evil and wicked practises, meeting with several honest Artists, the said Violet shewed them a paper, and after he had read it to them, he told them in his discourse, that if they would work for him, he would get them a Warrant from the Council of State to indempnifie them, if they would joyn and assist him to ensnare and Trappan several Gentlemen, which said honest men, as also the former Deponent with several others here, are ready to make Oath of when thereunto required.
His Mask being now taken off, he begins to appear in his Colours; And truly I wonder, he that hath from his youth dealt so much in Silver and Gold, should now have so much Brasse in his Face, as so impudently and in Print to Patronize his mischiefs under the names of such persons as the Lord Mayor of London, the Lords Commissioners of the Great Seal, the Lord Chief Justice of England, The [Page 5]Attorney General, and several of the late Council of State named in his Papers, as Mr. Scot and others, and many other persons of Honour, Worth and Quality; for which presumption in all sober mens opinions, he deserveth rather the whip or worse punishment, then the least countenance or favour.
And in perusal of his printed papers, besides his tedious Tautalligies, multitudes of printed sheets of the same things over and over again, imperfection of Language, and multitudes of invented lyes by him and his Compliers. And if the Reader compare the design of his four poor Workmen for which he seeks indempnity, with the foregoing discourse, which former discoveries will be averted also, by some of those four to be true; any one that runs may read the scope of his intentions.
There are but a few things more which I shall only glance at in this Epitome, out of his printed papers; for I confess I have already troubled my self and the Reader too much with so bad a subject.
All still under his former pretence of State Service, First, To strike at the well-being of one Richard Pight Clerk of the Irons, a person well known by persons of quality, who know him to be a faithful Servant to the State; Onely he designs thereby to get his place, though in his own false English, he saith, he would not accept of it; yet I know where he hath told an intimate friend of mine, it is that he aimeth at.
Another passage is, That notorious falshood of his, affirming himself to be the sole discoverer of the prize taken in Silver at Sea, 1652. whereas the truth is, one Abraham Johnson and others had made it known ten daies before Violet heard of it, and were out in the prosecution several hundreds of pounds, which by his Petitions to the Parliament, and other Records may appear; and Violet was only intrusted as a Solicitor in the business. Besides, this Silver was brought to the Tower by Cornet Day, who did it with the hazzard of his life, for which the Protector gave him for his good service 200 li. and justified in Richard Pights Petition lately to the Parliament; yet this Violet hath the impudence to attribute this business to himself.
And one Lewellin whom he hath affirmed in several of his Papers to be boyld in Oyl in Dunkirk for uttering false Coyn is false, and testified by one now in Town who lately came from thence, that he is alive; And one Walker who is lately come from Dunkirk, whom he depends on as his chief Witness, and hath caused to swear, soon after his arrival was apprehended, and lyes now in prison for a high crime, acted before he went to Dunkirk, who also was in prison there, suspected for uttering false Coyn, and 'tis sed is come over but under Bayle. He and such others his Confederates, are the Witnesses he seekes for.
And further he saith in his Papers, if himself and some of his Confederates which stand indicted may but have an Act of Indempnity, he will discover a whole Nest of false Coyners, (as he calls them) when as he himself is thought verily to be the chief Actor for whom he would have indempnity, that so they may be Free to swear, to destroy whom he pleases; Whose daily practise and study it is to use all subtile Trappaning devices, leaving no action or means unattempted to destroy [Page 6]others by his invented shameless lyes, by large promises of Rewards and Feasting; And getting Warrants unjustly to charge honest and peaceable men with things they are ignorant of, and altogether guiltlesse in; and are so far from acting as he desperately charges them, that they abhorr the very thoughts of any such intentions.
Many other odious and damnable practises might here be added, as well out of his lying Pamphlets, as out of his Life and Conversation. To name but one particular, his desperate and hellish swearing, If he had but paid according to Law for all the prophane Oaths he hath sworn, I verily believe he hath sworn away a great part of the 20000 li. (he saith) the State owes him; but in truth I am weary of looking, both into his Papers and his Life, and should not have troubled my self to have made this publick, had he not been so impudent and incorrigible, and like the deaf Adder to all admonition or repentance.
I shall now conclude, with my prayers to Almighty God, to turn him from his evil waies, which I think is the discharge of my duty to him as a Christian, wishing him no evil, but good; however I am sure this Narrative is the discharge of a Christian duty to my Country, and to all I wish well unto, who I verily think are causlesly great sufferers. Only before I end, let me tell you, This Violet is now, and hath been many years, one of desperate fortunes, and lives by shifts, projects, inticing sums of money from Gentlemen and Trades-men, with large promises of Places or great Gaines, with shuffling and shifting from Lodging to Lodging, and running into peoples Debts, feasting and drinking Wine immeasurably vpon other mens purses; What if I should say 30 Bottles of Wine upon a Sabboth day, he and his Comrades and his accomplices to Health and Carrouse (as I amt credibly informed.)
And by his own Confession (before severall Witnesses) the chief Abettor and Assistor of him with money at present or lately, to carry on these his mischievous designs is, one Rammage Farthing-maker in the Tower, whose aime in all this business is, To suppresse all Tools for making Farthings but his own; the said Rammage having proffered a large weekly Sum to be paid to one party, if all the Presses for making Farthings may be but taken away about London but only his, that so he may have the sole Trade in his hands.
Farewell till farther occasion.