A Copy of the English Merchants Petition to King James
To the King's Most Excellent Majesty.
The Humble Petition of several English Merchants of the City of London,
(N.5.) THAT in January, 1685. Sir Peter Vandeput and a few others, having Petitioned Your Majesty for the Remission of the Aliens Duty Outwards, upon hearing the Commissioners of the Customs, Your Majesty was pleased to declare Your Pleasure in favour of the Petitioners, and to remit the Aliens Duty for all Goods Exported of the Native Production and Manufacture of this Kingdom, until Your Majesty should find Cause to alter Your Royal Pleasure therein.
And Your Petitioners being informed, That some Persons are attempting to get the Aliens Duty Inwards remitted also, in all Humility, do represent to Your Majesty, That the Remission thereof, either Inwards or Outwards, is a Publick Damage to the Interest of Your Majesty's Kingdoms, and Diminutions of Your Revenue, and the Trade of Your English Merchants, and a means to transplant that, and the Mysteries of our Artifices into the Hands of Foreigners, to the Ruine, not only of the Trading and Working People at Home, but also of the several English Factories Abroad.
Your Petitioners therefore most humbly beseech Your Majesty's Leave, that they may be heard, to demonsrate to Your Majesty the Consequence of such Remission.
- Sir Matthew Andrews
- Sir Benjamin Newland
- Sir Thomas Griffith
- Sir John Chapman
- Sir Henry Tulse
- Sir Robert Jeffery
- Sir Samuel Dashwood
- Sir Benjamin Ayloffe
- John Hyde
- Sir John Moor
- Jacob Lucy
- Ralph Hardwick
- Robert Master
- Thomas D [...]e
- Adam Bellamy
- James Rudge
- Francis Kemp
- Thomas Duche
- William Wrayford
- Sir John Eyles
- Bartholomew Gracediew
- Benjamin Dennis
- Charles Thorold
- William Cowper
- Richard Hayte
- James Wayte
- Samuel Nash
- Roger Williams
- Bedingfield Higham
- Gregory Westcombe
- William Barnes
- John Cross
- Daniel Allen
- Rainsford Waterhouse
- John Harvy
- Samuel Lock
- John Jackson
- James Wallis
- John Kent
- Humphry Morris
- Francis Rainsford
- Henry Hunter
- Hugh Strode
- Francis Eyles
- Francis Baynton
- Richard Ryves
- Nathaniel Maxy
- Joseph Martin
- Matthew Vincent
- Matthew Grantham
- John Flavell
- Thomas Bawds
- Thomas Braylesford
- Thomas Morgan
- Abraham Anselme
- John Blackwell
- Mark Proudfoot
- Anthony Wallinger
- Abraham Beak
- Walter Watkin
- Samuel Allen
- Isaac Crabb
- Thomas Hunt
- William Gore
- Phillip Wheat
The Hamburgh Company, the Eastland Company, a great many Merchants of the West of England, and of the North of England, presented the like Petitions apart, which shews the generality of the English Merchants Opinion.
A Copy of an Order of King William in Council, for Collecting the Alien Duty Outwards, notwithstanding King James's Order to the Contrary.
THE Right Honourable the Lords Commissioners of their Majesties Treasury, having this Day laid before His Majesty in Council, a Presentment of the Commissioners of the Customs; setting forth, That by an Act of Parliament made in the 25th. Year of the Reign of His Majesty King Charles II. the Aliens Duty was taken off upon the Exportation of all the Native Commodities of this Kingdom, except Coals : And by an Act of Parliament made in the First Year of his late Majesty King James II. by which the Revenue was granted to his said Majesty King James, in the same Condition that it had been granted to King Charles II. in the 12th. Year of his Reign; the said former Act for taking off the Alien Duty was, in the Opinion of Council learned in the Laws, rescinded; or repealed, and the Alien Duty became again payable upon the Native Commodities of this Kingdom, Exported by Strangers, until by an Order in Council of his late Majesty King James, bearing Date the 22d. of January 1685 upon the Petition of divers Merchants of the City of London : And hearing the then Commissioners of the Customs, his Majesty was pleased to declare, That he would take or receive no other Custom of Merchant Strangers, for Goods Exported of the Native Product or Manufacture of this Kingdom, than what were payable to his said Majesty King Charles, at the Time of his Demise, by Vertue of the said first mentioned Statute, made in the 25th. Year of his Reign And by an Act made this present Session of Parliament, the Revenue is made payable to their Majesties, as the same had Continuance upon the 5th. Day of November last, by which, the said Alien Duty seems again to be revived. And therefore humbly praying the Directions of this Board therein. — It was, upon due Consideration thereof, this Day Ordered in Council by his Majesty, That the said Lords Commissioners of the Treasury do forthwith give Directions to the Commissioners and other the Officers of their Majesties Customs whom it may Concern, for Levying and Collecting all such Duties, as by Law are payable, for the Goods of the Native Product or Manufacture of this Kingdom, that shall be Exported by Strangers, notwithstanding the said Order of the 22d. of January 1685, or by any other Direction to the contrary.
A Copy of the Merchants Address of Thanks to King William, for his Order in Council, for Payment of Alien Duty Outwards. To the King's Most Excellent Majesty.
The Humble Address of divers English Merchants in and about the City of London.
AS God Almighty by his Providence, hath preserved Your Royal Majesty in a Glorious Undertaking, of rescuing our Religion, Laws, Liberties and Properties, which were on the brink of Destruction, and seated your Sacred Majesty's on the Royal Throne; so we in particular manner, cannot but with all Gratitude acknowledge your Majesty's Great Wisdom and Goodness, in Restoring to [...]