MOST VVorthy Senators, I having ſeriouſly confider'd what His Majeſty had and did do for us in the greateſt of Hazards, and, being a Brewer, made Obſervations on the great Abuſe done to him in the Revenue of Exciſe; which tended not only to a preſent Loſs to the Crown, but to the bringing the Revenue and Trade to little, as appears, and the Ruin of unconceivable numbers of good Families; I did in 93 offer the Lords of the Treaſury, to make that Revenue cleare firſt 50, then 100000 l. per Ann. more than the then managers did, and thereby make his Majeſties loving Subjects more eaſie than under that management, and that without putting the King to a penny mere charge than he then was at, nay further, to give my own Time, and to forfeit firſt Eſtate, then Life, if I did it not. But to ſet forth how I were ſent from one to another, toſt about, and ordered to wait from time to time, with the bantering Reflections, needleſs Queſtions, with being threatned to be ſent to Priſon by one of the now Lords of the Treaſury, as they were moſt unbecoming his Perſon, Places, and Character, 〈…〉 too many and not fit here to mention, a fair Hearing face to face being moſt to be credited, a •• will give clear light how the King and Publick have been & are ſerved by perſons, &c. contrary to the 12 k. 2. c. 2. and the true intent of a ſtatute made in the 5 and 6 year of Edw. 6. c. 16. and the Oath, &c.

I did in the year 95, give His Majeſty an account of his Loſs and the grievance of his People thereby, and ſet forth in my Petition, that his Majeſty loſt to term it, &c. at leaſt 50000 l. per Ann. and what was the cauſe thereof.—His Majeſty at a convenient time was graciouſly pleas'd to take the ſame Petition into Council, and made a Special Order thereupon, and commanded the Lords of the Treaſury to make a ſpeedy Inſpection into the truth of the matters in the Petition alledged, and commanded that they ſhould give him an Account or Directions therein whether the ſame were true or falſe: but this Petition was taken from the Clerk by one of the Lords of the T. as he told me; but to ſet forth the ſtirr I had to hear where it was, how when hearing, I offer'd him not only to ſpend my time but 500 l of my own money, to ſerve the Publick. How I was ordered to wait from time to time; how when promiſsed me their Anſwers, they only made me a propoſal contracy to an Act of Parliament, as appears by their own minute Book, and as ſoon appeared by what Brewers of great worth offer'd them they could not perform. But to ſet forth how I went to Kenſington to acquaint his majeſty with the Proceedings, how by their believes of the Truth of my Allegations, and the fair promiſes of one of the Lds. of the Treaſury to do the King and his People Juſtice, I was ſent to his Friend and perſwaded from acquainting the King, would be too tedious. Well at laſt according to his Majeſty's Command, a Hearing there was with the Commiſſioners, who in ſhort, as the moſt modeſt excuſe for the loſs of 50 or 100000 l. per Anr. did conſeſs the Allegations in the Petition were true, but excuſed themſelves as being ignorant thereof as a Child: But to ſet forth how I offered the Lords, in preſence of the Commiſſioners, to make it appear the next day, (if Impower'd) That there was ſuch that cheated hie Majesty of 50 odd Barrels of Strorg out of 70 odd, 3 times, and ſomtimes more in a week. How the Lords ſaid they were ſatisfied that the Allegations in my Petition were true; How they order'd me to deſire 2 more (one of which was Ld. Mayor of London not long ſince) to come to them in order to receive Powers to manage, &c. What a Jeſt we were made of notwithſtanding all truth appear'd to the believes, confeſſion, and ſatisfaction, of all concern'd. But the King and Publick ſhall have Juſtice, if it agrees with the Intereſt of ſome Perſons and their Friends, while I doubt not of the Honor and Honeſty of others of the then and now Lords of the Treaſury, but the greater number may out-ballence the leſſer.

However thoſe ignorant Gentlemen were rewarded with a ſafe return to their Places, while his Majeſty was not thought, &c. to be informed of the truth, according to his Royal Command on the Petition, (to which I refer this Honorable Houſe and my ſelf for more certainty;) unleſs by a non-Language, and the Loſs of ſome hundred thouland Pounds thereby. Yet the Commiſſioners will hardly complain of their over much judgment, little or many times no attendante or ſervice, the taking the moſt effectual way to bring a Trade and Revenue to little; nor the charging their Meſſenger, that if I miſt but one hour of paying my Exciſe. to ſeize my Brewhouſe and all that I had; nor yet of my zeal for the good of the Publick, which was rewarded with my being left in their hands, and the unjuſt Refuſal of my money when tendred within time; and their having my Brewhouſe ſeiz'd the next day when the Office was ſhut up that no money could be paid; a poor management, and a bad reward. Good Friends are beſt known in time of need. While we have the unparraled Privilege of an Honorable Houſe of Commons to judg • their own and the Nations Grievances, 'Tis pity that 50 or 100000 l. per Ann. the keeping up of Trade with the real Good of the Publick, ſhould not be of equal Eſteem with the Intereſt of a few private Perſons. There is thoſe of unſpotted Reputes in the Brewing Trade, and worth many thouſands of pounds, that promiſed me to, but dreading my uſage, dare not acquaint his Majeſty with his Loſs, and the intolerable Grievance of the Publick thereby, of whom this Honorable Houſe will be fully ſatisfied when knowing them.

I Having acquainted his Majeſty with moſt of theſe particulars by word of mouth and writing, before and ſince his laſt return from Holland, (but it cannot be though he ſhould underſtand all the Trades out of which his Revenues ariſe, ſo as to know whether or what Perſons are rightly Qualified for the management thereof;) by reaſon of which the Publick ſuffers, and Trade and Revenues come to fall and ſinck.

And ſince his Majeſty's Special Order in Council availed nothing as to the procuring himſelf and People Juſtice, I am adviſed to lay all my Proceedings before this Honorable Houſe, who need not further be put in mind of his Majeſty's willingneſs and readyneſs to accept of your Advice and Information in matters which ſo extremly concern the Good of the Publick.

I had given this Honorable Houſe this ſhort Account ſooner, as I was adviſed, but being put off from time to time by, &c. and being deſired by a very worthy Perſon one of the Commiſſioners of Exciſe, to wait upon the Commiſſioners at the Exciſe Office, ſome of whoſe worths needs not to be ſpokan of; I was told by one of them, that he did believe no perſon was ſo fit or capable to prevent the Frauds of the Brewers as one bred up a Beewer was. I told them that as in 93 and 95 I offer'd to ſerve the Publick at my own Charge, but being ſo ill Requited, as being forc'd out of my Trade. in the loſs of ſome thouſand Pounds, by having my Brewhouſe ſeiz'd when I tendred my Money at the Exciſe Office the day before, I could not now ſpend my time for nothing, but if they would make it worth my while to • ngage in it, I would ingage to manage it with half the Charge, and put an effectual ſtop to the Frands of the Brewers. They offer'd me a Warrant to one of their Officers, I ſuppoſe to Inſtruct him, and promis'd to reward me according as they ſhould think I deſerv'd, or words to that effect. For me to learn a peron a Trade which coſt me ſo dear, for what they ſhall think fit, ſeems to me very unreaſonable. I want 〈◊〉 ſuch Service, but 〈…〉 if there were 〈…〉 Commiſſion, 〈◊〉 who being a Brewe • , know, how to manage that part, in … 〈◊〉 contr • d • ct 〈…〉 •• feriour 〈…〉 therto relating, w •• ch no one of the preſent Comiſſioners knows how to 〈◊〉 • ither, with ſu • miſſion, can it reaſonably be expected 〈◊〉 ſhould; which is the great reaſon of the Fall of the Exciſe.

The premiſes thus in ſhort hinted, the conſideration thereof is moſt humbly offered and … itied 〈…〉 juſt and Honorable Aſſembly, who if thinking the ſame worthy the time, trouble, and 〈…〉 into theſe Affairs, I ſhall be moſt glad to give my time in procuring to m • utmoſt 〈…〉 Publick, in giving ſuch Light into Affairs as may be of laſting advantage to th • 〈…〉

Your Petitioner humbly prays, for your • wn ſatisfact • n and 〈…〉 VVorks of Darkneſs, you would bear 〈…〉 … bated, 〈…〉 the Publ … be promoted, and himſelf and all his 〈…〉 Houſe.