The case of Thomas Bushell, Esq;

The case of Thomas Bushell, Esq;

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The Case of Thomas Bushell Esq

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The Case of Thomas Bushell Esq

MAster Bushell, according to his obligations of duty and particular ingagement, to put in practice his Master the Lord Chancellor Bacons conceptions, concerning Minerals and Minerals discoveries, made his first adventure in Wales, where his experience verified his Masters Theory, and his success answering his expectation, he (according to the advice of his Lord, from whose deep foresight in future events he had received that command, and urged by the inconveniences which attended his taking up money in London, and returning it thence to pay his Workmen, and the charge of returning it back to London) contracted with his late Majesty, that in care he should find any quantity of Silver in cutting, through the five mountains nominated to Mr. Bushell by the Lord Bacon, he should have a Mint to coyn it, which Mr. Bushell did, had his Mint established, and coyned considerable summes weekly.

But the wars in England survening, His Majesties commands called him from those Mines (which yielded him above 4000 l.per an. and relieved many hundreds of poor people, that were imployed in those works) to attend his Majesties more immediate service▪ How his Comportment [...]erein answered the trust reposed in him by His Majesty, His Majesties attesta [...]ion under his Royal hand and seal will sufficiently evidence: although there are many other services performed by him, both to the King and Queen which are not mentioned therein.

His Majesty, in consideratien of his Loyalty, and the vast debts he daily contracted for his service, was pleas'd (with [...]he advice of his Council) to grant him unde [...] the great Seal, the Customs of Lead for 2 [...], years at the yearly rent of 6000 l. But the Parliaments victory over His Majesties forces soon defeated him of the possession of them; as the wars before had outed him of the Silk-office, which was erected upon the complaint of the S [...]k weavers, to prevent the false dying of Silk; all Silk, both before and after it was dyed, being to be brought to the said Office, and 6 d, per Pound by their voluntary offer to be payed for it, one two pence whereof was to be divided between Mr. Bushell and Mr. Carleton, to support the great charge of the said Office [...]nd the remaining 4 d▪ was reserved for His Majesty, who finding of what importance the Mines would be, both to His Majesty and Kingdoms, if the rich veins in other mount [...]ns were pursued like those in Wales, was pleased to allow Mr. Bushell the disposing of the said 4 d. upon such mineral works, as the Lord Bacon had designed for tryal, he giving a just account of his Receipts and Disbursements to the Lord Warden of the Stanneries, and the Lord Mayor of London for [...]he time being, but the wars intervening, deprived him of the benefit of both: Nor since His Majesties happy Restauration can he be admitted to eit [...]er, although the one be assigned by him, for the payment of his debts to Widows and Orphans, and contracted for His Majesties servi [...] and the other for a general good to take off the Taxes of the people, if Providence adde a blessing to his endeavours.

His Majesty was pleas'd to intrust him with the command of Lundy Island, where he received [...]eral summons from divers of the Parliament Officers, but still refused to yield it without His Majesties Royal consem by word of mouth at Caussam, (whither Mr. Bushell had a safe conduct from Sir Thoma [...] Fairfax) although formerly invited to it by His Majesties Letter, And then he gave it up to Sir Thomas Fairfax, (who was the Parliaments General) and the Lord Say, (who was the proprieto [...] of the Island) upon Articles, which being formerly violated, and he contrary to the teno [...] of them arreste [...], he put in Bail, and his Bail being afterwards prosecuted by one Snellock, the said Snellock was commited for his contempt, the Articles con [...]med by an Ordniance of the Lords [...]nd Commons in Parliament in the year 1647. although he could never be restored to his Estate, according to the intent of them.

The several revolutions there distracted Kingdoms suffered afterwards, still deprived Mr Bushell of the justice he ought to expect as his due; so that he resumed his mineral Profession, and coming about three years since to London, to settle some business in order to his proceedings in mineral discoveries, notwithstanding he was still injuriously debar [...]ed of his Estate, he was (contrary to his Articles) arrested, dangerou [...]ly wounded, and committed a clo [...] Prisoner to Newgate, under which restraint he lay ever since, until upon his Petition to the Lords the last Parliament, he was relieved by their Order to attend thei [...] Lordships de die in diem. But no sooner was the Parliament adjourned, but one Crofts, Edney, and Ogden an Attorney slighting and openly in disdainful language [...]lifying and despising the said Order, sued the Sheriffs for an Escape, whereupon he was again clapt up a close Prisoner in the same New-gate: But upon his Petition to the Lords at their reassembling, their Lo [...]dships were pleas'd to order the commitment of those Creditors, but the sudden dissolution of that Parliament frustrated Mr. Bushell of the benefit of the said Order.

The same Creditors at whose suit he is now a Prisoner, did in Cromwels time subscribe to take five in the hundred; nor do they aim now so much at the satisfaction of their debt, as to serve the avarice of others, (with whom they are combined) who have intruded into Mr. Bushells Estate, and now seek by this oppression to deprive him of all means to recover his Rights, which they have wrested out of his hands: One Jones having now a Mine of Mr. Bushells, which he hath kept from him many years, worth 700 l. per an. and that for nothing almost.

Nor is the debt to Crofts so just as is pretended, being for Commanders and Souldiers clothes, in which the said Mr. Bushell was cheated with Copper instead of Silver Lace.

Mr. Bushell humby conceives hereupon, that the relief their Lordships shall afford him will be a high Justice to their late and present Majesties, their Lordships own Honour, and the whole Nation in general.

For if a Person that hath done their Majesties such Signal services shall have no other Monument then a loathsome Gaole, it cannot but cast an unhandsome reflection on their Majesties: What his services to his late Majesty were, and what His Majesties Resentment of them was, does appear by his Royall Attestation.

For his service to His present Majesty, he humbly refers himself to His Royal Breast; only this he must take the boldness to say, That by the intelligence which at a dear Rate he purchased, and gave His Majesty of a design laid by Cromwell and his cursed Fraternity, to destroy both His Majesty and the Duke of York, he was one of the Principall Instruments of the happiness, these Kingdoms now injoy in their restored Prince.

What a Justice it will be to their Lordships own Honours, will be no hard matter to conjecture: For, if Articles made by their General, and Confirmed by the Parliament, and Orders in pursuance of them be so easily violable; a great diminution and contempt both of their Honour and Authority will necessarily follow, especially in such a Case as this: For Mr. Bushell could not be so stupidly insensible of his own ingagements, as to have adventured himself among so many Creditors, but that he conceived himself secured by the Honour of a Parliament, which he had received in Hostage for the performance of his Articles.

What a Justice it will be to the Nation in general, may be concluded from his constant indeavours (which have not been without Eminent success) to promote the honour and profit of it, inriching it by discovering its Subterranean Treasure, and imploying many poor people who are now ready to starve for want of him: Nor are the Mines in a better condition, those that have injuriously extorted them out of his hands, not knowing how to work them; So that they now lie useless and unprofitable, being buryed in their own Ruines; and that he is able to restore them may be easily Credited from his first reducing them from a ruder Chaos to such a perfection, as that of the Silver extracted out of Lead, he Coyned a 100 l. a week.

Nor have the Eclipses he has suffered in his fortunes (to a total deprivation of them) had any influence on his Industry, which has still continued indefatigable. Witness the Recovery of a Work at Row-Pits on Mendyppe in the County of Summerset, formerly deserted (by reason of the abundance of water) by Sir Bevis Bulmar, which Mr. Bushell is so confident, that he will be content to forfeit all his Grants both of the Mines, Mint, and Customs of Lead, and to suffer death as the greatest Traytor and Imposter, if in two years time he doth not out of that drowned work and other discoveries of his own, raise 1000 l. a week. Provided he be secured by the Parliament in the quiet injoyment of them, when he has been at the trouble and charge to drein the one, and discover the other.

This work had been long since perfected, had not his Arrest and Imprisonment (contrary to his Articles, destroyed that little Reputation he had left, and involved him in those misfortunes, which make him now an humble Suitor for their Lordships relief. And certainly it cannot but seem to my Rational man to be very hard measure, a Person that hath done and is still able to do such considerable services to the publick (to which he ever was, and still is only devoted) should be denyed a share in that happiness of which himself was so great an Instrument, and which he dares say he is able by mineral discoveries, to advance more then any other Subject within His Majesties Kidgdoms. Mr. Bushell having been proved by a part of his life, led for three years in an obscure Hermitage, before he was allowed by his master the Lord Bacon to attempt the said mineral design. And after that, to preserve himself from utter ruine, he was forced in the late Wars to indure a three years famine in Lundy Island, before he had those Articles, whose Confirmation he now humbly desires. As also three years banishment from the Conversation or sight of his friends or any others at Lambeth for service he had done His Majesty; to which retirement he was pursued by Cromwels bloudhounds, and others who had intruded into his Estate. And after all this hath languished and groaned under a loathsome Sepultu [...]e for three years more in Newgate, contrary to the Articles he had given him by the Parliaments General, and Confirmed by an Ordinance of their own, as hath been said before.

And if any shall seek to prejudice the Reputation of the said Mr. Bushell, by objecting against him the multiplicity of his Debts yet unsatisfied: It cannot be supposed by any Rational man, but that a person ingaged in so expenceful a design as that of the Mines must of necessity Contract some Debts, which had not his late Majesties Commands called him from those rich Works his own Industry had raised, or had he been restored to his Estate as he ought by his Articles, had, been long since discharged; So that the non-payment of his Debts contracted before the Wars, those he was ingaged in for His Majesties service during the Wars, and those which for his necessary support, by reason of his being divested of all his Estate he has been involved in since, must by any sober man be rather imputed to his misfortune, then any injustice in himself: Especially, since the sole aim of all his indeavours ever was the service and advantage of the Publick, according to the Commands and Directions of his Dead Master the Lord Bacon, without any the least reflection on his own particular Interest.

Information about this book

Title statement

The case of Thomas Bushell, Esq;

Bushell, Thomas, 1594-1674.

Edition statement

1660

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2009-10 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A78055

ID [STC]

Wing B6243

ID [STC]

ESTC R226199

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

45578205

ID [OCLC]

ocm 45578205

ID [VID]

172156

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Early English books online.

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(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A78055)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 172156)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 2616:8)

Source

— The case of Thomas Bushell, Esq;, Bushell, Thomas, 1594-1674., England and Wales. Parliament..

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1 sheet ([1] p.).

s.n.,. [London :: 1660?]. (Publication information suggested by Wing.) (Imperfect: bleed-through from ms. on verso.) (Reproduction of original in the Bodleian Library.)

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