AN ABSTRACT OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF W. CARTER; Being a PLEA TO SOME OBJECTIONS Urged against HIM.
LONDON: Printed for the Author, MDCXCIV.
TO THE Merchants, Clothiers, and Drapers, &c.
I Have for Twenty four Years, used my endeavours not only to prevent the Loss of your Trade in the Woollen Manufacture (set up in France, with English, and Irish Wooll) and the Importation of French Silks, Stuffs, and Lace, &c. But also used my utmost to regulate the abuses in the Aulnage (notwithstanding the objections against me) what Steps I made in both, are in part contained in the following Discourse.
In which I have demonstrated, that my labour was not altogether Fruitless, against the designs of France; notwithstanding all the Craft, and Bribes of French Agents, by all the Interest they had in our Court the two last Reigns; both by secret disguise, and open violence, and also endeavouring by a Law to ruine our Trade under a very fair and plausible pretence: Which, give me leave to say, that had not the War fell out as it did, we should have hardly been able to keep that Trade we now have; although I had frequent Access to that Government, and did by that means put a stop at several times to it, as in part, in the close of this and another Discourse doth more fully appear.
You cannot but know (at least many of you) that I Printed my sentiments in the Year 1669. and Re-printed the same in the Year 1671. with some enlargement of what evil consequence the Exportation of Wooll to France was.
And in the following Year, (viz.) 72. Wrote an Advertisement to you therein, an Abstract of which is included in this Paper, together with what past in the Years, 1676, and 77.
But, Sirs, I am now growing Old, being upward of Sixty Years, having spent the prime of my Years in your Service, with very many hardships, Watchings, and Dangers, when you have taken your R [...]st, and improved your time, for your particular and private advantage: It cannot in reason now (at this Age) be expected that I should act in that Post much longer; and although upon that account it's not probable I may be able to perform those Services in Travels and Watchings, as formerly on the Sea-Coast, yet nothing shall be wanting on my part (here at the Helm) which I am capable of, for the promoting of your real Interest, and by instructing such as may for the future be employed by you.
Having given some hints about the Trade of France, of my endeavours to prevent it, I shall crave leave to speak something about the Aulnage. When I was attending the Council and Parliament about the Wooll-Affair, I was by some Merchants and Drapers in London, put upon the Redressing those abuses then complained of, and was by them desired to Print a Paper containing the same; and by my omitting a Licence, was for that reason clapt up in the Gate House, which was not a little cost to me; notwithstanding that discouragement, in pursuance of the Deputation, I afterwards received, both from Drapers and some others dealing in the Woollen Manufacture, (Viz)
WEE Whose Names are Subscribed Woollen-Drapers, of Winton and Alsford, having been for several Years last past exposed to great trouble, with the Officers of the Aulnage; [...] their entring our Shops, and carrying away our Goods from us, to the disturbance of us in our Trade, and prejudice of our Goods, thereby to force us to a Composition with them; which we have been forced to do. some of Ten Pounds, others Five Pounds, and Annually, s [...]me Thirty, and others Twenty Shillings, to free us from future trouble: Do therefore Authorize our Worthy Friend Mr. William Carter, [Page] as our Agent, and Atturney, to Appear, Petition and present for us, unto, and before His Majesty and Council, and before the Parliament, whensoever they shall be Assembled for the removeal of the aforesaid abuses, and preventing of such abuses for time to come; and to do all other things Lawful in and about the same, and to all and do for us, in such Lawful way and manner, as by Council shall be advised, as fully, and effectually as if we were, or might in our own Persons do the same:
Another Deputation from the dealers in the Woollen Manufacturies, of several Counties in England, and particularly of Exon, thus Worded, (Viz.)
WE whose Names are Subscribed Manufactures of Wooll, for the Counties of Devon, and Summerset, &c. Having considered as well in what we know, as by the Information we have received from other parts of this Kingdom; the great abuses that have been done to us, and other Manufactures, by such as have been employed in the Office of Aulnage, &c.
I say, in pursuance of the said Deputations, when prosecuting some of those abuses, and being in the Court of Exchequer, in the Year 1673. tho' then complained against by the Council for the then Farmers of the Counties of Suffolk and Essex: Yet was then justified in open Court by the then Lord Chief Barron, pursuant to a Report to the King and Council made by his Lordship Two Years before; as may appear by a Copy thereof, in Page 6th. I am sorry, I have the occasion to make an Apology to you upon this Head, whom I have so freely served; and to say something first of the occasion of the Bill▪ by which so much trouble was about it, and to no purpose but rather prevented another Bill which would have past, to have put the Laws in Execution [Page] against the Exportation of Wooll, and also to have Regulated the abuses of the Aulnage.
The reason of the complaint in Parliament, was occasioned by the differing lengths of some of Gloster Cloths, not to say by a Clothier himself of that County; but before the Bill was brought into the House of Commons, I had several meetings with the Agent, and told him that if he would attend the Kings Council, I would persuade the Farmers to consent to such a Bill, as that no opposition could be made against it. I remember, I was then going to Maidstone Assizes, to prosecute some Exporters of Wooll, and whilst I was there, the Bill was brought into the House of Commons, which hath occasioned so much trouble, not only to no purpose, but also prevented such a Bill which would have answered the ends of all parties.
The Bill which was so long depending, was to Transfer the Collecting the Subsidy of Aulnage at the Custom-House; and to subject it to all the Laws against Frauds in the Customs, and the duties to be paid there, by the Merchant, and by him to be discounted with the Clothier, for the same, upon a supposition that it would save charge, and by that means pay the D. of Richmond, and those concerned in Interest; and also be an overplus to defray the necessary expence in preventing the Exportation of Wooll; which Bill, after the several Hearings and Examinations, instead of doing both, it did not answer one in that manner, besides the inevitable Trouble and Controversie betwixt the Merchant and Clothier, for that some of the Woollen Manufacture, pays Custom by weight, and some by the piece; when at present the Aulnage pays all by the piece.
THE PREFACE.
IT may seem strange to some that after Twenty four Years time, the extence of my Estate, loosing a profitable Trade, and adventuring my life so often, as one Action, instead of many, set down in the close of this Paper, that after all this am constrain'd to make an Apology to those, and for whose Interest I have, with so much candour and freedom, to my own loss, expos'd my self; I must confess, I expected better usage from some than I have as yet received; but since most cannot be ignorant of the Truth of this Abstracted Narrative of my Proceedings, and that in it I have espoused your Cause, and engaged in your Quarrel, and so long fought your Battels, it will not, I hope, be thought unreasonable, if I do now expect but what is just and equitable from reasonable Men; but instead thereof, it hath not been a little surprize to me, to see a Paper Intituled, The Case of the Merchants, Clothiers, Drapers, &c. with relation to the abuse of the Aulnages, wherein I am there named Wool-Carter, as a person seemingly justifying the said abuses, and contradicting m [...] former practice, and thereby opposing a regulating those abuses, which charge, if true, I must confess, that a Face of Brass is proper for me; but if the contrary appear, it will return upon the Author of that Paper, as a False Accuser, but if it had been done by the advice and consent of those persons therein named, then I must say its hard, for me, and creates not a little trouble to be wounded in the House of my Friends, and at such a time, when I was with so much affection, great difficulty and hazard, pursuing their real Interest, in that affair wherein they have nam'd me, and more particularly endeavouring to prevent all Trade, Commerce and Correspondency with France, in which I have not stuck at any pains and difficulty in the Service; but for asmuch as the said Paper was Published (as I was informed) not only without the knowledge of most [...]f the persons therein named, but against the advice of some of those that did appear at Parliament, in pursuance of the design in promoting the Bill that have been depending, and miscarried in Four Sessions of Parliament.
As for the Charge given against me, give me leave to answer for my self, which Charge is, viz. We are very sensible of the several Artifices us'd to oppose the Bill, amongst the numbers employ'd therein, there is one known by the name of Wooll-Carter, who was formerly a zealous Solicitor against the Aulnage-Office, but now by reason of yearly payment, is become their friend, this Man pretending himself a friend to the Shop-keepers, have in several Sessions sent down Printed-Forms of Letters to a great many Corporations, for them to Transcribe and Subscribe, and direct to their Parliament-Men the substance of the Letters were to pray them to oppose the Bill, and think of some other method for the ease of the Shop-keepers. Which Charge being answered by another hand, I shall say the less to it now, only this, that I was not only a pretender, but a [...]eal friend to the Shop-keepers, for it's matter of fact, that I did not only prosecute the several Petitions of the Shop-keepers in most Counties in England, the several Sessions of Parliament, from the year 1673 to 81. most upon my own cost, but when I [...]ou [...] do no good in Parliament, by all that labour and time expended, an opportuni [...] was put into my hand by m [...]ns of some friend of mine, o [...] some great [Page] figure, that I purchased the freedom for the said Shop-keepers, without any cost to them and likewise endeavoured to have so settled it by a Law, that it should not be in the power of any Aulnager to have given them any manner of disturbance; and also, to have a Seal of content for the Honour and Reputation of the Woollen Manufacture it self, and Credit of the Clothier, and to prevent all manner of disputes and controversies betwixt all persons concerned; which, I think, is more than a pretence of kindness.
But whilst I was pursuing this latter design, I was by the importunity of several eminent Merchants and Factors in London, taken off the said Service to prevent the Exportation of Wooll, what I did in that affair is hereafter more enlarged, which I think I need not to make any further Apology, and may say 'tis a manifest Aspersion, causlesly charged upon me.
Then as to my sending Printed Forms of Letters for the Shop-keepers to transscribe and subscribe, and send it to their Parliament-Men, I own it, being their desire, not only when I have been in the Country with them, but when in London they have wrote to me, to send them Forms of Letters to answer their desires.
As to the Charge against me being formerly a zealous Solicitor against the Aulnage-Office, but now am become their friend, tho' I have in a sense answered this charge before, yet I shall be now more full in it; for as I was the person that contracted for the whole Farm, so I was by that means made more capable to free the Shop-keepers from those abuses put upon them by the former Aulnagers, which give me leave here to relate some of them, viz. The first complaint I produced at a Committee in the year 1673. was four Shop-keepers' in the County of Essex paid as a Fine and other Fees the sum of one hundred and sixty Pounds, and forc'd to promise to pay them yearly several sums of Money to free them from future trouble; and amongst many more at Winchester, Windsor, and other places, there was one James Smith of Eaton, since dead, was at the expence of about four-score Pounds, and being but a young man was ruin'd in his Trade, by his being imprisoned, and his Goods lay a long time under Seisure, and no cause for it, Fleven half pieces of Broad-Cloth, some being the latter ends of the Cloths, where the Seal is not usually fixed, and the Aulnager, without further examination, took away the others that had Seals upon them, all which was fully proved before the said Committee; all this trouble and charge was because he did Replevy his Cloth which the Aulnager had seised.
Let me odd one instance of my own case by the same Aulnagers, having sent a Spanish Black-Cloth to a Draper in Portsmouth, in value about 26 l. which Cloth was rightly Seal'd and fixed at the head-end of the Cloth, but the Aulnagers pretending no Seal, took away the Cloth, and carried it away to their Lodging, the Draper having not the liberty to examine the same, was forc'd to pay them down five Pounds, and immediately found by opening the Cloth the Seal fixed as before, notwithstanding which the said Aulnager would not repay the five Pounds, I was forc'd to allow the Shop-keeper, or else have lost his Custom, and run the hazard of a Suit at Law for my Money.
So that my Proceedings were not against the Office of Aulnage, but against such abuses, which being by me regulated, as before, I ought not in justice to suffer for my Real Service.
Give me leave to add the Testimony of another Person, who to some it may be thought strange; seeing he himself was a Farmer of six Counties, and by my means lost his Farm.
UPON The perusal of a Paper Intituled, The Case of the Clothiers, Weavers, Merchants, Drapers and Mercers, about the abuses of the Aulnagers; I find Mr. Carter is there reflected on, as a person inconsistent with himself; and the better to describe him, he is Charactered by the Appellation of Wooll Carter: I must confess it's a strange way of requital, to him that hath so visibly served not only the Nation in general, but those in particular whose Name the Paper bears. Now in regard I have known Mr. Carter many years; (tho' the occasion, to some, would think it strange, that by his means was put out of a Farm, for six Counties, for the subsidy of Aulnage; yet in as much as I found in his proceedings, preferring the publick before his private Interest, and tho' an Enemy, yet acting fairly and above board:) I could not but do him Justice, in vindicating his proceedings, notwithstanding my own Loss by him.
The said Mr. Carter, 1673. in pursuance of a Deputation he received both from Drapers and others, Solicited in the House of Commons, in the Name of the Drapers, in the Counties of He [...] ford, Essex, and Berks; the matter of the Complaint he hath already mentioned in this Preface, but the Parliament being then at that time Prorogued, nothing more then was done by him.
In the Year 1675. he revived the same Petition, and solicited that, and many other Petitions, and several hearings were had, [Page] and thereupon divers Councels were retained by him; and the Parliament soon after being again Prorogued, nothing could be more done till the next Session, (viz.) 1677, and 78. And then the whole was Re-heard, and the House of Commons came to these Votes, thereupon. (Viz.)
1. That the Subsidy of Aulnage, ought to be paid by the makers of the Woollen Manufacture, and not by the Retaylers, or any other persons whatsoever.
2. That the Aulnagers searching of Waggons, and Packs on the Road was an abuse.
3. That the Aulnagers making Drapers, and other Retaylers to pay Yearly Compositions for not searching their Shops and Ware-houses was an abuse.
And a Bill accordingly was ordered to be brought in, to Redress the said abuses, but the Parliament was then again Prorogued.
Shortly after sundry persons having taken a Farm of the said Subsidies, and Duties for London and Middlesex; and in order to take the whole Farm of England, (as was designed to be so let) contracted with many Factors and Ware-house Men in the City, for Annual Rents; not to search their Goods, thereby to make the other Farmers of the several Counties unable to pay their Rents, when the Seal of one Cloth or Stuff was made use for several other Pieces, and to be able to give a greater Fine for the whole than any others; they did design, as soon they had contracted for the whole, to break off those Agreements in London, when the Year was out, and to make Seisure of what Goods they should then find unsealed, and to do the like in all Corporations, and other Towns in England, by the Officers of the Excise; by which oppressive Action they might have got great Summs of Money, which design coming to the Ear of Mr. Carter, he prevented the same; and then Contracted for the whole Farm, paying down 9000 l. some considerable time before the Lease Commenced, and the Farmers were at [Page] the Expence of near 5000 l. more, with Interest and other incident Charges in Seating the same, both for the ease of the Clothiers and Drapers, before they had made any profit, by the reason of the standing out of several considerable Counties in the former Leases, and notwithstanding all that great Summ paid down, and the incident Charges, yet the Farmers took not advantage of any one Seizure, but only to Seal the Goods; which I think was very good Service done by him, and was then looked upon so; and the rather, that the said Shopkeepers were not only freed from the Fines and Rent formerly paid by them, but from future damages, or any expence for the same; besides which Mr. Carter caused the Shalloon-Makers in the Counties of Southampton, and Berks, to be eased one quarter of what they had paid the former Farmers.
And also procured the Clothiers themselves, or such as they approved to be Collectors, or Deputies; which I think was real Service to all parties concerned.
And if any accidental difference falls out, he is still ready to endeavour to accommodate the same: And therefore he deserves not to be stigmatized, as he is in that Paper Printed, and sent into most Towns in England; who has without charging, Faithfully and heartily prosecuted the same design he ever did. (Viz.) Settling the duty in its right place, and to prevent all abuses that have or may happen to the Retaylers thereby; which as it hath been so, I doubt not but it will be his constant endeavour.
The Contents,
| THat in Nov. 1667. I discovered great quantityes of Wooll that had been exported in August before, from Rumney-marsh (and seized some) and also from Ireland, and discovered the same to the Parliament then sitting, | p. 1st. |
| I petitioned K. Ch. 2d. for a Party of Horse in Rumney-marsh, and some Frigats at Sea, which was granted, and thereby great quantities of Wooll were prevented from Exportation, | i. b. |
| Sept. 1668, I made Proposals to the said K. Ch. to prevent the Exportation of Wooll, which was reffered to the Council of Trade, and reported, | p. 2d. |
| August, 69 I Addrest the said King, about Ireland, which was refered to the Ld. Roberts then going, and good effects there were by preventing great quantities of Wooll from being carried beyond Sea, | i. b. |
| About the said Mon. of August, I made a discovery of 5 Vessels that came into Callice with Wooll, and obtained the then Lord Keepers Letters, &c. | p. 2d. and 3d. |
| By a Report from the Lord Cheif Baron, in Ianuary 1671, is the effects of my pursuing the former discovery, | p. 6th. |
| In the said Year of 71, I prevented a design of Transporting Wooll from Ireland, | p. 19. |
| That I prosecuted at the Assizes in Maidston in Kent, fower Persons, and convicted the same, | p. 7th. |
| An Abstract of an Advertisement to the Merchants, and Clothiers in the Year 1672, | p. 16. 17. 18. |
| In the Year 1678, I prevented the design of Mr. Monk, of lessening the penalties of the Laws for the preventing the Exportation of Wooll, | p. 8th. |
| In the Year 1684, I prevented a farther design of the said Mr. Monk, in a Commission, and petitioned the Lords of the Treasury to Impower the several Companies of Merchants &c. To take a perticular care of that Affaier, and thereupon I did then affresh undertake to look after it, and I prevented great quantities of Wooll that Year from Exportation, | p. 9th. |
| In the Year 85, I attended the Parliament, for the Passing of a Bill, and petitioned the late King for 2 Sloops to Cruse upon the Seas, and did obtain them, tho' opposed by the then Commissioners of the Customs; by which means there was above 20 French Shallops taken, and condemned, with 2 or 300 Baggs of Wooll, besides much cast over-bord, | p, 10th. |
| That in May 1686, I did request, and did obtain an Order from the then Lord Treasurer, to bring up the Wooll which was condemned, to London, and to be sold to the Clothiers, which before used to be sold after Seazure, to those that had exported it, and then exported by them again, | p. 11th. |
| That in Dece. 1686, I discovered a design of gaining a Lycence to Export 6000 Baggs of Wooll from Ireland, and prevented the same, | p. 12th. |
| A discovery of a Confederacy betwixt the Officers of the Customs, and the Exporters of Wooll, | p. 12th. 13th. |
| The Difficulty I was put to, and Examinations at the Treasury, | p. 14th. 15th. |
THE PROCEEDINGS Of William Carter Against TRANSPORTATION OF WOOLL.
WHereas divers Merchants, Clothiers and Factors, upon consideration of the great detriment that accrued to this Kingdom, and to the Woollen Trade thereof, in that great quantities of Wooll were transported frequently into France, Holland, and Flanders &c. did desire and encourage me, to endevour the preventing the same; which being readily willing to undertake, I perceived that tho' there were many severe Laws made against exporting Wooll, and tho' the wisdom of our Ancesters sound it so mischeivous and destructive to this Kingdom, as to make the Offence Capital, notwithstanding either by the wilful corruption, or gross neglect of Officers, great quantities of Wooll were clandestinely exported, by those who, for a little private gain to themselves, dare venture their Necks, to ruin the Trade of a Nation.
Applying my self therefore cheerfully to so necessary a Work in August 1667, I made a discovery of twelve French Shallops loaded in one Night, from Rumney-Marsh in Kent, with considerable quantities of Wooll, and sometime afterwards, I caused a quantity of Wooll, to be seized as it was carrying on the Beach, near Camber Point in the said Marsh, in order to be shipped on board some Shallops, that lay in Rye Harbour.
I also discovered great quantities of Wooll, likewise exported beyond Sea out of Ireland; although in that Kingdom, the exportation thereof be also prohibited, unless the same by Licence be exported into England.
At the next Parliament, in November 1667. I presented the exportation of Wooll, and the National Dangers thereof, to the House of Commons, which being referred to a Committee, to consider of, they examining of the Irish exportations, soon found the ground of that Mischief to be, that under colour of a Licence granted by his late Majestie, to export some hundred Packs of Wooll, several thousand Packs were colour'd by that Licence from Ireland: Upon which the said Committee made an Address to his said Majestie, to revoke the said Licence, for the apparent frauds practised therein, which his Majestie accordingly did.
After the adjurnment of that Parliament, upon the importunity of the said Merchants, and finding the Wooll-exporters, by their impunity grown to such confidence, as to Ship off their Wooll openly in the day time, with armed Men to assist them, in the doing thereof; I petitioned his said Majestie for a party of Horse to [...]cout about Rumny Marsh, and some Frigats to cruse at Sea, to prevent those exportations, which by his said Majestys Grace and Favour I did obtain, and by my attendance, sometimes at Sea, and sometimes at Land, with one and sometimes two Servants, did prevent the exportation of above one Thousand Packs of Wooll that Summer from the said Marsh, and by that means was bought up by the Clothiers and Staplers, which the Year before was most of it Exported.
In September 1668, I presented some proposals to his said Majesty in Council, in order to prevent the said exportations, which were referred the 20th of November following to the Council, of Trade, with this particular Order, (Viz.) ‘You are very strictly to enquire, and in form your selves by what ways and practises the Wooll of this Kingdom comes to be stollen, embessed, and sent away into forreign Parts, contrary to Law; what places (&c.) are most suspected in England or else where, and who doth buy the said Wooll in those places, to the end that nothing of care or watch may be omitted, but that all such strict and severe courses be taken, that an evil, so mischeivous and inconvenient, may be to ally prevented.’
When I carryed this Order, with my Proposals, to the said Council of Trade, they immediatly chose a select Committee on purpose to peruse them, where I was ordered to attend, which attendance lasted a good part of that Winter; the said Committee summoned and heard divers Merchants, Clothiers, Factors, and Staplers, and then made their Report, which was Read before his Majesty in Council, upon which, an Order was made the 2. of April 1669. in these words (viz.)
Whereas in pursuance of an Order of this Board, of the 20th. of November last, referring, to the Council of Trade the Proposals of William Carter, for preventing the Exportation of Wooll; the said Councel having returned their Report to the Board, that having discoursed with the said Willam Carter, and such other Persons, as they thought capable of giving them any good information, touching this matter, they find the Exportation of Wooll, is of a destructive consequence to the Trade of this Kingdom, and that the same hath grown into practice; as well by reason of the doubtfullness and provisions in the Statute made in the 12th year of his Majesties Reign Prohibiting the Exportation of Wooll, as by the neglect and remissness of Officers, in not putting the Laws in execution: And therefore proposed, that the care of that business, should be especially recommended to the President and Governors of Christs Hospital in London, for the several Reasons in the said Report, pursuant to which Report, his Majestie directed a Commission to pass under the great Seal of England for that purpose, to the said Presedent and Governors: but before the Commission past under Seal, I did carry the said Report, and Order upon it to the President and Governors of the said Hospital, who immediately caused a Court to be called, and upon reading thereof, did accept of that Authority then intended to be given them, upon which I informed the Council of their willingness therein, and did then proceed and solicite the business so [...]ar, as to pass the Commission at my own charge, under the great Seal, and carried it to the [...]resident and Governors, in expectation they would have taken it upon them, as they had agreed, but in some short time after they declined the imployment, and returned the Commission back to the King and Council, and plainly refused to act therein, upon some frivolous objections, without allowing me one penny for the money expended, which was not less th [...]n 40l. besides my own Labour and Attendance.
The next Session of Parliament, being in the year 1669 Sr. Orlando Bridgman the then Lord Keeper, brought into the House of Lords an explainitory Bill for hindring the said Exportation, under some new penalties.
Before which time William Facon of Canterbury Wooll-Comber, and one Marsh of Hoakam near Dover a Farmer, were brought up before the House of Commons for Exporting 44 Packs of Combed Wooll from Canterbury, where being examined, they were ordred to be tryed at the the next Assizes at Maidstone in Kent, whereupon I was comanded by his Majestie and Council, to prosecute them according to Law, for the said Felony; but when I came to Maidstone I could not hear of any such person, there being no Recognisance taken for their appearing there, nor any Witnesses attending to prove the Fact, so I lost my Jorney but afterwards I understood that he had compounded with his Accusers, and taken off the Witnesses, so that the Order of the House of Commons, and his Majesties care therein, proved altogether ineffectual.
About August following in the same year 1669, understanding that the Late Earl of Radnor was designed to go Lord Leivtenant for Ireland, I petioned his Majestie in Council, for some care to be taken in preventing the Exportation of Wooll from Ireland, who was pleased to Order a Letter in Council, recomending the care thereof, to the said Lord Lievtenant, on whome I waited at his departure as far as St. A [...]bans, and at my parting with his Excellency there, he promised to Act effectually therein, which his Lordship did accordingly: In so much, that within six weeks time after he came to Ireland, there were landed at Minehead, above one thousand Packs of Wooll more in that time, than had been there landed within the like space of time, in any year before, and the like proportionable at Liverpool, Chester, Bristol and Barnstable, which quantitie of Wooll in other years used to be Exported out of Ireland beyond the Seas, upon pretence of being shipt for England.
In a short time after, I made a discovery of five Vessels loaden with Wooll arived at Callice in France, one of which belonging to Dover, two to Folkstone, and two to Hythe in the County of Kent, upon which the Lord Keeper was ordred by the King in Council, to write a letter to the Mayors of Dover, Folkstone and Hythe, which was to this effect.
THis bearer William Carter brings along with him a Coppy of an Information, concerning the Transportation of Wooll; but it being a matter of so high Concernment to his Majestie and this Kingdom, as scarce any thing more; to prevent the Transportation of Wooll, and the punishment of the Offenders: I do earnestly recommend it to you, to examin the Persons named in the Information, and to make all the enquiry you can, concerning these and such others, as you shall have cause to suspect to be guilty in this kind, and to certifie what you find herein, that his Majestie in Council may give further Orders thereupon, not doubting of your care herein,
With this Letter I rod Post to Dover, and having there secured one Thomas Peirce, a Master of one of the said Vessels; whilst he was examining before the Mayor, his wife being present, and hearing the names read of the other Masters at Folkstone, and Hythe in the Information mentioned, and her Husbands Vessel then lying at Folkstone, she presently gets a Horse and [...]rides thither, and discovers the business there; by which means, when I came to Folkstone, (tho' it was the same day) I was frustrated of my design there, the Mayor and Masters being all got out of the way before I came, but hasting to Hythe, by chance met with one Mark Spicer, Master of another of the said Vessels: But before I could find the Mayor of Hythe, to examine the said Spicer, he made his escape towards Folkstone, whether I followed him, and just as he came to the Sea side, where a Boat lay to receive him, I seized him; but the Women of the Town being before alaramed by Perce's Wife (it being all in one day) came out of their Houses, and gathered up stones upon the Beach, which they flung about my ears so violently, that having no help, I was forced to quit my Prisoner, hardly escaping my selfe.
Returning back to London, and there being a Council designed to meet at Hampton Court, I went thither and waited on the Lord Keeper Bridgman, to whome I gave an account of my whole Journey, his Lordship ordred me to attend while the Council sate, which I did, and was then called in and related all the said particular passages to his Majestie, who was pleased to command me to go down into Kent again, and ordered a party of Horse to assist me.
But before the party of Horse were ready, I received an Information of Ten Thousand Stones of Wooll, Shipt in five Vessels from Gallaway in Ireland, and coulorably entred for Plymouth and London, &c.
I better knowing, than being able to prevent the usual Frauds practised in Ireland, where under pretence of getting a Licence from the Lord Livetenant, to Ship Wooll for England, sometimes double the quantity Licenced was Shipt, and the Law requiring Bonds with sureties, to be given for landing the Wooll Licenced at some Port in England, some times insufficient Security was taken, and so the Bonds were of no effect, sometimes false and counterfeit Certificates were procured out of England, in discharge of those Bonds, that the Wooll was landed in England, when in truth it was not, sometimes those Bonds tho' actualy forfited and detected, yet were easily compounded for at low and cheap Rates, and at other times by the corruption of Officers, several Bonds were compounded for, assoon as they were entred into, even before the departure of the Vessel out of the Port, whereby Offenders were incouraged to break the Laws, by knowing and paying the price of their Punishment before they committed the Offence; which mischeifs being willing to obviate so far as I was able, upon diligent enquiring, I had good reason to suspect, the said Ten Thousand Stone of Wooll was really designed to be Exported beyond the Sea, and not intended either for Plymouth or London, as was pretended by the Entries.
And thereupon I applyed my self to the then Farmers of his Majesties Customs, for an order to ride down into the Southern Ports, to examine what Wooll was lately come thither from [...]reland, to prevent Frauds by counterfit Certificates, which I obtained. Being arrived at Exeter with their Order, I understood, that one Blake an Irish Man had been lately there, tampering with some of the Custom Officers, to get the Form of their usual Seal, and the Names of the said Officers; upon which I immediatly wrote to my Correspondent in Ireland, who upon my Information found out the said Blake at Galloway, and discovered that he was concerned in all, or most of the said five Vessels, and that he had gotten counterfit Certificates, Importing as if the said Wooll had been really landed in England, when it was not, and by that Means was designing to get up or discharge the said Bonds, but I prevented the doing thereof by examining the Matter, and finding that some of those Vessels unloaded their Wooll at Flushen in Zeland, some at Amsterdam, and one at St. Ma [...]os in France; of the Truth of which I procured Oaths and Attestations, some of which are now in my Custody, whereby those falce Certificates were detected, and the discharge of those Bonds prevented.
Afterwards returning to London, and dispatching into Kent, according to His Majestie's Command, the Party of Horse being then gone before to Canterbury, for my Assistance in Rumney-Marsh, we had Notice of a parcel of Wooll, secured in a House called Brokman ▪s Barn, which securing and the Person in whose Custody it was, a great Discovery by him (of other Exporters) was made and prosecuted, as more fully may appear hereafter.
☞ Note, That William Facon before nentioned, who had been before the House of Commons, Anno Dom. 1668, was brought up to the King and Council, in Anno Dom. 1669, and before he could have his Tryal, was privately Compounded with by his Accusers the second time, tho' the King had expresly ordered his Tryal.
In September 1669, the Late King going to meet His Sister the Princes Henereta Maria, at Dover, (during His aboad there) going out one day to Sea, and observing a Vessel belonging to Captain John St [...]ell, Sergeant to the Admiralty, to out Sail any of His own Pleasure Boats: Such was the Zeal His Majesty had against the Exportation of Wooll, and his Care to prevent it, that He was pleased to hire Her on purpose for that Service, Commanding the Assistance of my Advice to the Captain, in Crusing about the Coast of Kent, to prevent the said Exportation, which was so succesful, with some other Vessels for some time, that together with the Discovery before mentioned, both as to Ireland and Kent, a great stop was then put to the said Exportation; which is confirmed in a Letter, afterwards wrote from Lile, the 5th. of March 1671, viz.
I Received Yours of the 17th. & 27th. of February, under covert, &c. about the Wooll Affair; I have much [...]eason to believe, unless some are made Examples, there will be continual Abuse; the Comodity both English and Irish, Raw and Combed, abound so much in these Countries, that for that which would yeild, not long since 8 Stivers and a half per. Pound, will yeild now but 6 and a half; yet they would be contert to give 15 rather than want it, for they cannot make abundance of Fabrik, viz Wollen Manufacture, without English or Irish Wooll.
There is a City not 5 Leagues from this, called Tourney, a Place renownd, for the making of all sorts of Stockings of Wooll; it's not above 20 Years since, that they betook themselves, to make the Worsted Hose; A Trade, whicb in my Minority, was considerable from London, into these Countries, and now you may have a Parcel of English Worsted Hose 20 Years by you, &c.
It's not above three Year [...] agon, that there was ascarcity of Combed Wooll, in this Quarter of the Country, and several of those Stocking Merchants, came hither to buy some; I told them, that such severity was used in England, that People Were mad if they Adventure.
The next Session of Parliament 1670, the House of Commons being under the Consideration of raising of Money for His Majesty; it was propounded, that Wooll might be Transported from Ireland, paying 2d. or 3d. Per. pound Custom, and 3 reasons, was offered, the answer to which; I shall now wave tell I come the to proceeding in Parlement in a distinct discourse.
The Parliament then adjourning in the year 1671, I setled a Correspondancy in Irland and Flanders, in order to know, whether the quantities of Wooll exported from one was caried to the other, and directed Captain Steel, the Owner and Master of the Vessel beforementioned, to stear his course accordingly, but after this Corespondancy was setled I was taken ill of a Feavor in June 1671 which held me 4 monthes, and a little time after the said Vessel was called in, and so the Exporters for some time had liberty to carry out their Wooll without controul.
In August 1671 one Edward Nichols, being commited to Newgate dureing my sickness for Transporting Wooll, and no per on being willing to prosecute him, was like to be discharged upon which I assoon as I was recovered did Immediately address my self to his Majestie in Council, for the further continuance of the said Nichols in Prison, till he should be discharged by Law, and an Order was forthwith granted accordingly. But there arose a Questian before the King and Council, in what Court he should be [...]rve [...], whether by the Admiralty; or by common Law, (the Vessel b [...]ing taken with the Wooll in the River of Thames near Graves-end) and it was refer'd to all the Judges to meet and consider the matter, and afterwards to Report their Opinion to the King, upon which Report, it was debated before the King in the presence of the said Judges, and the then Judg [...]f the Admiralty, whither the said Nichols should be tryed by Common Law or not, and a [...]er a long consultation in the Council, it was Ordered as followeth, (viz.)
It is this day Ordered by his Majestie in Council, that the Recorder of the City of London do, and is hereby required, by the lest wayes he can, speedily to find out in what County that part of the River of Thames lyeth, wherein the said Edward Nichols was apprehended, for Transporting of Wooll contrary to Lay, and that he Report the s [...]me to the Lord Cheif Justice of his Majesties Court of Kings Bench; to the end his Lordship may give order for removal of the said Prisoner, to the Goal of the said County, where it shall appear he was taken, in order to his Tryal at the next Assizes, to be holden for that County.
But the burthen and care of observing this Order, lay cheifly on me: Tho' the Vessel was in truth taken with the Wooll on board on the Essex shore, and for that reason the Prisoner removed to Chelmsford Goal, and thence brought to Tryal at Chelmsford Assizes, yet upon examining the Witnesses on the Tryal it did appear, that the Prisoner was not secured when the Vessel was Seized, tho' then on Board, but got away out of the Vessel, and two daies after were taken on Shore at Graves-end, upon which the Tryal was Ordered to be at the then next Maidstone Assizes, held for the County of Kent, which was the 12th. of Marcb 1671, Whereupon my prosecution, the said Nichols was tryed and Convicted of Felony, as afterward will more fully appear: About which time I did also discover the owner of the Wooll for which Nichols was Convict, and caused him to be taken into Custody, and unto Tryal also; but notwithstanding, his mony purchased such Intrest, that he did Compound and was discharged, without my knowledg, and against my will: About which time, and before the Tryal of the said Nichols, I petitioned his late Majesty for some supply to carry on the Affayre; which being refered to the then Lord Cheif Barron, his Lordship Reported as followeth, (viz.)
In Obedience to your Majesties second Order of Refferance bearing, date the 20th. of December last, hereunto annexed; I have considered of the Matter thereby to me Refered, and have discoursed with the Petitioner about his Charges and Expence, in prosecuting the Transporters of Wooll; the which he hath reduced to some certainty, and put it into writing, and hath also made Affidavit of the Truth thereof; the which is likewise hereunto annexed, whereby it appears that during these 4 Years last past, wherein he hath brought into your Majesties Exchequer about 800l. more than in former Years had been received, he hath Expended near as much, but there be many more Informations still depending, if proved may bring in a grater Summ; But without some supply at present from your Majesty he will not be able to proceed with them; if therefore your Majesty be pleased to give your Petitioner 300l. it will incourage and Inable him to prosecute the Informations depending. And if he shall Convict the Offenders, he will be capable of your Majesties further Grace and Favour, all which I most humbly submit unto your Majesties Judgment.
In which Report it doth appear that I had then expended 800l. and ordered 300l. in part until other Prosecutions brought in more Money, in a further pursuance of the said Offenders, I expended about 150l. more, and the very Fees, Attendances, and Gratuitys to recieve the 300l. cost me 50l. so that I had then but 100l. towards my 800l. And tho' I had prosecuted several Offenders (viz.) Indicted some at the Assizes and exhibited divers Informations in the Exchequer against others, yet notwithstanding, partly by Compositions of the Officers, and partly by an Act of Parliament for a general pardon, I was then frustrated of my design, and prevented recieving the Ballance of my Accounts, besides which being then complained against by some, for using a Millitary Power, (viz) a party of Horse in that Affayre, though only for the preservation of my own and others Lives, in execution of the known Laws; I was forced to decline that service at that time in Kent, the effect of all which was, that great quantities of Wooll was then exported, as well from Ireland as from Kent, which is confirmed by the following Leter, part of which I have before incerted to prove the effect of my first attempt, the remainder follows, (viz.)
Both English and Irish Wooll, Raw and Kembed abounds much in these Countrys, and for the Kembed Wooll, most of which comes from Dover and Canterbury Transporters: Callis, Deep, St. Vallerys, Abliveile, Amens, Dunkirk, Ostend, Bridgees, Zealand, Rotterdam, and Ghent, all over these Provinces, every place is choaked with it; so that you may easily see how insensibly th [...]s [...] Dover and Canterbury Transporters, draw the Kingdoms Hearts Blood from them; I could ad much more of the great benefit our Neighbours receive by it, which proves to an absolute Ruine; But I guess you can as easily comprehend my Meaning, as if I had further enlarged.
In a word France rejects our Fabricks at this day, presuming that they shall never want our Wooll to make their own fantastick Fabricks, which are so variable, as puts a great stop to the Currant de [...]nd, that used to be of our more solid Fabricks, for they will pretend to give the Mode to all the World; [Page 7] and so by this means, in time, all the World will be disgusted with our Fabricks, when by Consequence, they shall receive the Mode from the French; consider of this I pray, that so there may be some speedy remedy.
Which Leter is confirmed by two other in these words, (viz.)
So repeating the substance of the former Letter only differing expressions, and more large, concluding in the last thus, (viz.)
After the Assizes were over, I went again into Kent, and aboad some time there, looking after the Exporters, on the Sea Coasts I found 2 Vessels near Hy [...]he appointed, and lying ready to carry away Wooll, one of which I had been informed had [...]one little elce for a long time, of which William [...]ayly before mentioned was Master, the other Vessel was new built by another person usually employed in that design, but nothing was attempted whilst I was in the Country: But having occasion to come to London, I gave notice of the Design to two several Officers, by me appointed to be vig [...]lent, who Seized 12 Packs of the Wooll designed to be Transported in one of the said Vessels, being brought down to the Sea side, ready to be ship'd off, and secur'd in the House of one Nicholas Davis, and afterwards part of it was rescu'd by the Inhabitants, who rose in the night with Weapons, to the number of 20 Persons, and wounding the Officers, carry'd away 8 of the said 12 Packs; but afterwards the said Nicholas Davis was taken and secured, in order to his Tryal.
Thereupon the said Nicholas Davis, together with Thomas Knight and Thomas Stoner, all three Inhabitants of Rumney-Marsh, were by me prosecuted at Maidstone Summer Assizes 1671 for Transporting Wooll, where they were also Tryed and Convicted thereof; and the same Assizes, together with the said Edward Nichols, formerly convicted, were burnt in the Hand, as may appear upon Record.
These are to Certifie, that at the General Goal delivery holden at Maidstone, in the County of Kent, the 12th. of March in the 24th, Year of His now Majesties Reign 1671 Edward Nichols Marriner was convicted of Fellony for Transporting of Wooll; And that on the first Day of August in the 24tb. Year aforesaid, Thomas Night, Nicholas Davis, and Thomas Stoner, were convicted of Felony for the like Offence.
These are further to Certifie, that Wm. Carter Gent. did on His Majesties behalf attend the respective Tryals of the said Nichols, Night, Davis, and Stoner, for the respective Felonies aforesaid, and did then manage the respective Evidences against them, and thereupon cause them to be prosecuted and convicted for the said Felonies as aforesaid; given under my Hand, the 22th. of April 1676, and in the 28th. Year of our Soveraign Lord Charles the Second, &c.
These Proceedings being carryed on in the Intervale of Parliaments, at the next Session I procured and solicited a Bill to pass, so farr as to be read twice, refered and engrossed in the House of Commons, being the Substance of that Bill before mentioned, brought in by the [Page 8] Lord Keeper Bridgman, but by the Means of one Mr. Francis Monk, it was obstructed, on purpose to usher in another Bill of his projecting, pretendedly to obstruct, but intendedly to encourage the Exporting Wooll, as by a Draught of the said Bill it self is ready to be made appear.
In the Year 167 [...], the said Mr. Monk Solicites another Bill in the House of Commons; pretending thereby to make the Laws more practicable; but intending to Repeal the strength of the Act in the 14th. Year of his late Majesties Reign, which Bill being Committed, and almost past the Committee (I being so much discouraged for want of Money, that I had little Interest in the Clarks) nevertheless watching his Motion, did get a worthy Member to move the Committee, to appoint some Merchants and Factors to attend them, and to the end, for that time adjorned, by which means I prevented his design that Day: And in the mean time printing some Reasons against the Exportation of Wooll, for the Information of the Committee▪ before their next Meeting; whereupon his Bill was rejected and laid aside.
After which time little was to be done in Parliament, for 3 or 4 Years, by reason of other things then Transacted.
But about he Year 1682, Mr. Monk Petitioned the late King in Council, to have a Commission Empowring divers Persons to put the Lawes in Execution against the Exportation of Wooll, some of which Persons came to my House in the Country, upon the Pretence that some Gentlemen at White▪Hall, being willing to undertake the business, and hearing that I had spent some time in that Affaire, desired my Assistance, and to give them a Meeting, which accordingly I did, and had several Meetings with the Gentlemen, till I was informed by some of them that Mr. Monk was concerned: Upon which notice I told the Gentlemen, that the Project laid by Mr. Monk would not do, and advised them to s [...]are their Money, and so parted: But notwithstanding my Caution, they did proceed upon the said Petition before mentioned, untill their whole Designe was laid aside, as you will find by the following Refferences, and Reports thereon, (viz.)
By an Order of Council dated the 2 [...] st. March 1682. and the Reports from the Lords Committee of Trade, &c. made to his late Majestie upon the Petition of Francis Monk and others, praying a Commission to put in Execution the Laws Prohibiting the Transportation of Wooll, &c. Informing his said Majestie that there were very great abuses in unlawful Exportations of that kind, which were of pernicious consequence, and that the fitness of the Commissioners to be imployed in that Affayre, and the cautions to be used therein, were refered to the late Lords of the Treasury to consider of, for the better putting of the Laws in Execution.
The matter of the said Order of Council, with other Papers and Proposals, made by the Petitioners, were referred by their Lordships, to the Commissioners of his said Majesties Customes; who by their Report dated the 8th. of June 1683 do approve that some Persons be appointed for that Service, under such Authority as should seem meet: And that the Persons to be intrusted ought to be of known Honesty.
Also the whole Matter afforesaid was referred to Mr. Attorney General, who made his Report concurring with the Commissioners of the Customes; and he further adds, that Security should be given, that upon Seizures no Compositions should be made without Lycence.
After which, the whole matter and Reports being referred to the Company of Merchant Adventurers of England; they Reported that all Persons, that shall faithfully endeavour to hinder the Exportation of Wooll, &c. as aforesaid (without connivance to the Offenders, or sinister regard to themselves) ought to be encouraged; for as much as the Exportation is become a National Mischief, and threatens the utter Ruine of the Woollen Trade, if not timely prevented; that several Necessitous [...]ersons, having been formerly Commissionated, Studying their own Profit, instead of hindering the said Exportation, have rather Assisted and Promoted, than Prevented the same.
Which Reports being Read by their Lordships, and the Answer of Mr. Monk, were sent the 10th. of March 1683 to the said Company for their further Consideration; who in April 1684 sent for [...]e to attend them about the whole matter; who after several meetings with a Con [...]it [...]ee of the said Merchants Adventurers, Levant and East-Land Companys, I attended the [Page 9] Sea Coast with 2 Men, one on Board Captain Brown, and another on the Shore, by which great quantitys of Wooll were Seized and Condem'd, and much more prevented from being Exported that Summer, than was Seized or Condemned.
The said Monck and others Exhibiting again further Proposals for the carrying on that Service, on the 4th. of April 1684, the same were transmitted to the Commissioners of the Customes, who the 25th. of the same Month, Reported that they did look upon those men not fitt to be Imployed in so great a Trust, notwithstanding they produced the Certificates of several Clothiers, &c. Purporting their desire that the said persons might be imployed in that Service, which Clothiers &c. So Certifying they found to be generally mean Persons, not to be credited in a thing of that Nature and Consequence: and requiring the said undertakers to produce Certificats from known Merchants, Blackwell-Hall Factors &c. they declined to do the same.
The said Company of Merchants-Adventurers of England, made their Report on the Papers sent the Commissioners the 10th. of March 1683 wholy against the undertakers, for that they designed their own private profit, more than the effectual carrying on the intended Work; and the said Company were well assured that if the undertakers could have no gain at all, Honestly, they would of necessity miss the main design of their undertaking.
Upon all these Transactions there was a Petition drawn up by me, and exhibited to the said Lords of the Treasury by several Clothiers and Factors of the Woollen Manufacture within the Countys of Worcester, Glocester, Somerset and Wilts; and taking notice that the undertakers were designing to obtein such a Commission as aforesaid, upon supposition that they were thereunto encouraged by many Thousands of the Woollen Manufacturers, the Petitioners disown any such Power, and do therein Pray that the proposals, being matter of weight, may be recommended to the Hamburgh, Turkey and other Companys, whom the Petitioners were assured would propose such methods for effecting the said Prohibitions, as may be most effectual and succesful.
Upon which Petition the said late Lords of the Treasury caused Letters to be written to the said Companys, taking notice in the said Letters what proceedings had been made therein, and also sending Coppys thereof; did in the said Letters desire the said Companyes or some of their members to meet together to peruse the said Papers, and consider of such Rules and Methods as they should judge proper and sufficient for the effectual restraint of the Exportation of the said Commodity; and in the said Letters desired the said Companys to send their Resolution thereon in writing; as also whether they or any of their Members would be willing to engage in the Care of seeing the Laws for Prohibting the Exportation of Wooll observed.
A Committee of each company mett, and the Letters and Papers being Read (and my Proposals for a Method) all concluded it necessary to find out som fund proportional [...]o the Charge when adjusted; at which time by one of the Committee it was declared the Clothiers were ready for their part to contribute 1600 P. Per. Annum. And it was then propounded that the same should be farther communicated to other Merchants trading for France, Spain, Portugal, &c. for to procure likewise their assistance, And it was also agreed by the said Committees at their next meeting to come prepared with resolutions how much each Company would raise.
Att which meeting the necessary Charge was brought in to amount to about 4000P. Per. Annum; after which time the Factors of Blackwell-Hall, in behalf of the Clothiers entred into a Voluntary Subscription of 2d. Per. Cloth, 1d. Per. Serge, and so Pro Rato, to rayse their 1600P. beforementioned, for 3 Years.
The Merchant Adventurers of England, agreeing to contribute 300p. Per. Annum for the like time, and other Companys, by their Deputys agreeing likewise to contribute in proportion to their Trade in the Woollen Manufacture.
These Subscriptions being entered into, the Difficulty lay how to Collect it; the Parliament then suddenly meeting, a Bill was drawn up by me, corrected by Council, and approved of by the then Lord Treasurer, which Bill, had not the Parliament been Prorouged, and I straitned for want of Money, would probably have passed into a Law, there being nothing on my part wanting in Solicitation.
That fayling I Petitioned his Majestie for two Sloops to be employed for the preventing Exportation of Wooll; and tho' there was some Opposition to it, yet his Majestie was Graciously pleased to give Order to Sett out the said Sloops in that service, and the Care for their dyrection being committed to me, I did accordingly undertake it: and whilst the Vessels were preparing at Dover I sent over a Man to Calice to make some discovery, which he effectually did and assoon as one of the Vessels were ready, I went to Sea in her, and sent for my Man to come from Calice, fearing he might be discovered, and had he not hastened at the receipt of my Letter, in all probability he might have been Killed; for another Person was set upon in Calice as supposing him to be my Man, and was like to have been Murdered, had not his Landlord rectified the French-Mens mistake: Meeting my Man at Sea in the Packet-boat, we took him on Board, and by his discovery we took several French Shallops before we came into Dover, and tho' great Opposition was made in the Exchequer by many Claymes and other vexatious motions there, to discourage me; yet I prosecuted, and condemned three in Michalmas Term 1685, and caused more to be Seized at that time, which afterward were prosecuted to Condemnation; and in the middle of December I took a Jorney into the North, leaving my Man at Dover, to observe my dyrections whilst absent. The Exporters contriving how to hinder my design, had got a Quo minus out of the Exchequer against him for 500l. in the name of John Noble, a Person that he never saw or heard of before and kept it in their hands above a Month, that they might surely fix him in Prison, because the Vessels were discovered by him (I having sent him privately to Calice for that purpose) and also the Information Exhibited in his name, tho' the Forfiture of forreign Vessels are wholly the Kings. And before they executed their Quo minus, some of them made Affidavit and sent it up to London, and moved the Court of Exchequer the first day of the next Term (viz) 23th. of January 1685 for an attachment against him, under pretence of a Contempt of an Order of Court, for not delivering of a Vessel Seised and not Condem'd; and an Attachment was awarded against him, unless he shewed Cause to the contrary in five or six dayes; and that he might not be capable of shewing Cause, the said Exporters, assoon as they heard of an order of Court, Arrested him and carryed him a Prisoner to Dover-Castle, upon the 500l. Action; but Mr. Breton the Collector of Dover, believing it to be a sham Action, designed to Bayle him, till William Eaton (one of the contrivers) sent him a Letter to disswade him, assuring him it would be proved a Real Debt; so he was forced to ly in Prison.
About this time coming home I was informed of the Order of the Court of Exchequer, and the next day, I did appear my self in the said Court, and owned the proceedings of my Man, as done by my Order, and therefore would be lyable to the Judgment of the Court for what he had done, and sent for him up to answer, not knowing him then to be a Prisoner in Dover-Castle: but being informed of that, I moved the Court upon an Affidavit, and got a friend with me, and we become Bayle in Court, and removed him by Hebeas Corpus: so all that business fell to the ground; till afterwards having gott him a Prisoner att Bulloine In France, they proceeded against him on a feigned Action in the Crown Office, and would have brought it to Tryal att Maidstone Assizes, but I stopt it at Mr. Attorny-Generals.
After which time, upon the encouragement of the Contribution before mentioned, there were fitted out two of the best of those French Vessels which I had gott condemned; and together with the assistance of those two Sloops his Majestie (upon my petition) had Set out, there has been aboue 20 Vessels seized and condemned, and divers parcels of Wooll, besides great quantites cast over board by the Exporters, that they and their Vessels might make their escape.
But in the midst of these Transactions the late Lord Treasurer hearing little from the Merchants, after his Majestie had sett out the two Sloops before mentioned, his Lordship by his Letter dated the 15th. of March 1686/5, to the Company of Merchant Adventurers of England, prest the said Company, to consider what his Majestie had done, in setting out two Sloops as an encouragement for them to proceed; and of what evil Consequence Delayes were in that concern. To which the said Company, by their Letters of the 25th. of the same Month, informed [Page 11] his Lordship what progress they had made in that matter; and that for their share they had resolved to contribute 300l. Per Annum for 3 Years; as the Factors had for their Clothiers, by their Subscriptions of 2d. Per. Cloth (and for the better carring on the said Work, had ordered two Sloops that had been taken and condemned by me, to be fitted out for that Service) though other Merchants had not come to any Resolution in that matter, how much they would contribute. Upon the Receipt of this Letter his Lordship directed Letters dated the 30th, of the same month to the other Companys, to inform them what progress the said Company of Marchants Adventurers had made, &c. Whereupon the said Companys (or most of them) gave answer to his Lordship of their readiness to assist proportionable to their Trade, for so good a Work; Copies of which Letters were sent to the Merchants Adventurers, by Mr. Guy, the 10th. of April following (viz.) 1686.
And having, as before mentioned, caused not only so many Vessels and great quantities of Wooll to be condemned at my own Charge, tho' in the Officers names, and intending to bring up the Wooll to London to be sold to Clothiers, (it being generally sold before by the Officers to the Exporters) some of the the Officers refused to agree therto, because it would yeild more mony at Dover: upon which in May 1686, I wrote to then Lord Treasurer the matter of Fact, and his Lordship by Mr. Guy ordered the Commissioners of the Customes to direct their Officers to permit me to take the Wooll as appraised (I paying the Charge) and bring it up to London, to be sold to the Clothiers. In pursuance thereof, after I had condemned the Wooll at my own charge, and paid the King's moiety into the Exchequer, and remitted money to Dover, and paid the Officers moiety, with all their charge there, I ordered it to be brought up: And having setled things at Dover, as I thought well, and exhibited several Informations in the Exchequer on the Forfietures of 3s. per. Pound, and prepared to Prosecute others on the Statute of the 14th. of Charles the second. By this means so great a stop was put to the said Exportation by these Prosecutions, that Wooll did rise in France above 30. per. Cent. in 6 months time, (viz.) between January 1685, and July 1686: After which I took a Jorney into the North on the Borders of Scotland, in order to prevent the mischiefs in those parts; but whilst there, was informed, that some of the Officers of the Customes in consederacy with the Exporters, did endeavour to obstruct my Proceedings, which they had been a long time contriving.
And whilst I was in the North, was informed that the Wooll I had condemned for the Officers in their own Names, and paid all the Charges, and running the risk of bringing it up to London, as before mentioned, was by one of the Officers sold by some under hand means, and he received part of the money for it, which I had fully paid him for before, and so went out of Town, which occasioned a great Controversy betwixt my Friends here, (that had supplyed me with money, and to whom the Wooll should have been delivered) and some others: This coming to the Ears of the Exporters at Canterbury and Dover in few hours, for their encouragement (as well as it came to me in the North for my discouragement) their Plot took effect, and so from that time, (viz.) August and September 1686, the Exporters revived their old Trade, that in a little time twenty thousand Packs were exported: The forementioned Officer was Commander of one of the Sloops that I had prevayled by Petition to his Majestie to fit out, and would have been put out of his place through his folly long since, and the Sloop laid aside; had not I through the importunity of his Friends born with him, and kept him in; by which means the advantage he hath received thereby, cannot be less than 600l. in 2 Year and halfs time; but having for some time left him to his own conduct, he is through his Folly and Knavery dismist from his employ.
At my return from the North, the first thing to be done was to get my man out of Prison, but in little or no Capacity to hinder the said Exportation from Kent, the 2 Vessels before mentioned that were put out, being laid up, having neither Power to Seize Wooll, nor Collect money to prosecute the Offenders.
After which time I Petitioned the then Lord Treasurer to Impower the said Companies, Factors and Clothiers, &c. that had entered into a voluntary Contribution, that they might be in a condition to carry on so good a Work, the Petition being referred to the Commissioners [Page 12] of the Customes nothing was done; this attempt fayling I Petitioned his Majestie in Council, some time after to the same effect, annexing a Copy of the Commission to Christs Hospital before mentioned, which being referred to the Lords Commissioners of his Majesty's Treasury about F [...]bruary 1686, their Lordships referred the whole to the Commissioners, as before the late Lord Treasurer had done, and there it re [...]ed.
Nevertheless, tho' I could not do what I would, yet I neglected no opportunity I was capable of; for hearing that there was a design privately to procure a Licence to Export 6000 Baggs of Wooll from Ireland; which might contain 20000 Packs: the Names of the Persons being given to me, I went immediatly to Mr. Attorney Generals, Treasury, Secretary of State and Signer Offices, and entered Caveats at each Office; and a Friend of mine wrote a [...]etter to a Worthy Merchant and Gentleman in the Country, who did immediatly, with some other Gentlemen write to a great Minister of State; who was pleased to answer as followeth, (viz.)
Yours of the fourth Instant was conveyed to me last night, while I attended his Majestie at Councel, which I immediatly communicated: Both His Majestie and we that had the honour to attend him were all surprized, that the Malicious Falce Reports that you seem to Insinuate, had obteined credit in your Neighbourhood, of His Majesties Intentions, to give Licence for the Transportation of Irish Wooll to parts beyond the Seas: It hath been so farr from His Majesties Intentions, that He has long ago given strict Orders, both to His Admiralty, and in His several Ports to use their utmost endeavours for the strict Prosecution of all Offenders in that kind, and hath further given directions to the Officers of the Customes, to give their utmost assistance in the Affair: But for your satisfaction the King Commanded me to let you know His Royal Pleasure the [...]ein, and that He expects You to take Care that His Royal Intentions may be made Publick.
I have also in Command that the Justices of Assizes, do take especial Care to satisfy the Country in this particular; so Gentlemen having no more at present to trouble you, I crave leave to Subscribe my self, &c.
London 14th. Feb. 1686.
After which time some of the Officers in further pursuance of their design, to baffle me in my proceedings for future, upon the alteration of some persons in Office so represented me; that I was rendered thereby wholly uncapable of any thing, and by some greatly reflected on, 't [...]ll I had prevailed by the means of [...]e eminent Merchants, to have a hearing before the Lords Commissioners of His Majesties Treasury: At which hearing it was judged reasonable, I should be re-imburst m [...] Charge in that Service, and ordered to bring my Accounts, and Certificates from Sr. [...]ob. Howard, what money was brought into the Exchequer by my Prosecutions; which being done, and their Lordships referring the whole matter to the Commissioners of Customes, in May 1687, upon receipt of which, the Commissioners were pleased to direct Letters to the Officers, (in whose Names I had prosecuted and paid in the money, as before mentioned) to know [...]hither they did own what I had done, and some o [...] them, (even those very men, that I had directed how to Seize, and undertook to runn the risk, as before mentioned, for their Advantage) were not only so base as to deny what I had done [Page 13] for them, but also guilty of Forgery; so at that time I was rendered by some very Obnoxious, and at the same time perplexed in the Court of Exchequer by the Exporters; and was forc [...]d to pay great Summs in my own defence, and particularly for one Witness being his Bayle it cost me near 50l.; notwithstanding all which, I at last recovered my self in my Reputation, and gave Answer to those Officers Letters, and sent it to the Commissioners as followeth. (viz.)
Whereas it hath been objected that I pretend the Prosecution of Wooll and Vessels, when is hath been done by the Officers, and [...]etters are produced, which would seem to make good the pretence; to instance one for all, (viz.) Captain Knight's to the Commissioners.
The Wooll I have taken and seized was by my own Endeavours and Industry, Condemned by a due Course of Law, and the King's Moiety paid with my own Money: No [...] I humbly pray your Honours that if his Majestie please to grant the Bounty, I may receive it for my Encouragement,
In answer thereunto, I shall annex the Assidavit of two of his own men, that prove, that Captain Knigbt was not at Dover, at the time of the date of the pretended Letter; but at Sea six Dayes before and four after, and by an Affidavit of his Sonns, that the matter in the Letter is False, by which others ma [...] be judged; besides the matter of John Knight's Affidavit, I did, in a late parcel of Wooll, Seized by the said Captain Knight, Condemn and pay the Charge, and the King's full Moiet, as it was appraised; yet when I Sold it, I was forced to abate 3l. per. Pack of the Appraisement, and stood to the loss, singly, that I might not hinder the bringing up the Wooll, tho' it yeilded more Money at Dover than here, being done before the Proclamation came forth: The Truth of this Answer will appear in the following Affidavits, (viz.)
Robert Kedman and William Ayres maketh Oath, that these Deponents being employed under Captain Peter Knight, Commander of a Sloop to prevent the Exportation of Wooll, and having been at Sea with the said Captain Knight as Mariners, in His Majesties Service about tenn Days, came not on Shore from Sea, 'till Sunday last: by which reason they could not Appear according to the contents of a Su [...]p [...]n [...] issued out of this Honourable Court, requiring them to be at Westminster on Munday l [...]st at one of the Clock, to give their Testimony for the King against Henry Culmer. And they could not possibly come to London before Teusday morning l [...]st, and are come on purpose to give their evidence at the said Tryal, which they apprehend to be on Thursday, if they could not come [Page 14] time enough on Munday, and they are able to prove, that the said Henry Culmer hath Exported divers quantities of Wooll, having taken him in the Fact of Exporting the same.
John Knight maketh Oath that being employed as Mate under his Father Peter Knight in the Service of the Customes, for about sixteen Years past, he hath observed that after the Seizures of Wooll by the Custome House Officers, the Owners of the Wooll, or some Agent for them generally bought the Wooll of the Officers, which afterwards was Commonly exported, and this he hath the greater reason to believe, for that several times, when this Deponent hath been present at the Seizing of Wooll, after the same hath been condemned, he hath taken the very same parcels again at Sea, as it hath been Exporting the second time.
And that several Officers, after they have Seized Wooll, have delivered it to the Owners, without any Proceedings therein.
And this Deponent further saith, that when his Father formerly made Seizures of Wooll, he agreed with the Superior Officers of the Customes, to give them part of the benefit of his Seizures, besides the full Charge of the Prosecution to Condemnation; by which the said Officers generally had an equal Profit of the said Seizures, with the said Peter Knight; but since Mr. Carter hath looked after the Exporters, the said Carter hath paid the said Peter Knight all his Charges, in Taking, Appraising and Condemning the Vessels and Wooll, and the full Moiety thereof clear of all Charges, and besides when the Wooll Condemned was Sold for more than the Appraisement, the overpluss was paid by the said Carter to his Father Peter Knight.
And as to the Charge in General of my discouraging Diligent Officers.
In Answer to which, as the Affidavit of John Knight before mentioned, do in part prove the contrary: So I do Averr and shall make good, that in the Seizures of Wooll and Vessels, that I have undertook to Prosecute, I have bore all the Charge and run the risk, in Case the Wooll and Vessels were not Condemned, and have Prosecuted in the Officers Name, who have had the full benefit of the Moiety thereof, tho' I have been at the Seizing both of Wooll and Vessels my self.
And besides the Charges in Prosecuting and condemning the said Wooll and Vessels in the Exchequer, I have actually paid amongst the said Officers near 200l. for their Charges about Dover in their Seizing, Appraising, and other Incidents, several of which Seizures had not I [Page 15] undertook, the Officers would have let fall; by all which it doth appear, whether I have discouraged Officers, and gained my self; when I have within this four Years spent 1000l. in Travailing, and in the said Prosecutions, besides Servants Wages and my own time, and keeping of Horses, towards all which I have received between 2 and 300l.
After which time I Petitioned the Lords Commissionets of the Treasury, laying before their Lordships my Case and Suffering in my Service, and what Damage His Majestie and the Kingdome sustained thereby; and had prepared for Tryal of a Transporter in Michaelmass Term, being not able to proceed and having borrowed diverse great Sums to carry on the Affayre so farr; which being referred to the Commissioners of the Customes, they ordered their Solicitor to disburst the Money, upon which I proceeded, and as before cast the Exporter; some time after I attended the Commissioners upon the former reference, who were pleased to make Report as followeth.
In obedience to your Lordships commands upon the annexed Petition, and other Papers of Mr. Carters, delivered to us by your Lordships in May last We have considered the said Petition and Papers; and do humbly Report to your Lordships that we have observed the Petitioner to have been a very Zealous prosecutor of the Transgressions, and transgressors mentioned in the Petition, and that upon his motion the King was pleased about two years since, att his own charge to set out two Vessels to prevent the Transportation of Wooll, which are continued in that Service to this day, that in his proceedings he hath met with great opposition and difficulty, and upon that consideration he has upon diverse occasion obtained favourable Reports from this Board; as a Person fit to be countenanced and encouraged in his proceedings: yet we never intended that his charge was to be born by the King, supposing his recompence to be out of his share of such penalties and Forfiturs, as he should himself Prosecute and recover, or should be otherwise contributed to him, by the Merchants and Clothiers, who he alledged to be willing to undergoe the Charge, and by the Account hereunto annexed we find that he has run himself into very great Expence, and we are informed that not having met with the Encouragement he Presumed upon from the Merchants and others, he has much lessened his own private fortune thereby. Ʋpon the whole Matter we are humbly of opinion that he has with great Heartiness and Zeal, Prosecuted the Offenders and Vessels, that have been Guilty in Transporting Wooll, and that he hath dealt therein with all Honesty and Integrity, and we are humbly of Opinion that the said Account hereunto annexed, is a true Account, he having offered to make Oath of the Truth thereof, and we do Humbly recommend the same to your Lordships Favourable consideration, but we cannot advise the disposing of his Majesties part of the Forfiture, otherwise than they are already disposed by Proclamation.
- N. B.
- J. W.
- D. N.
- W. C.
In which Report you may perceive my Actions and Integrity, and that I have not received the Money I have expended, much less any thing for my Time, Hazard and Labour, nor for my Servants, or keeping of Horses these four Years, besides former Disburstments, part of which was before mentioned in the late Lord Cheif Baron's Report; more you may perceive by these following Lines, what I Wrote to the Merchants and Clothiers, and Printed it, as an Advertisement to them, in the Year 1672. (viz.)
A Brief Advertisement to the Merchants and Cloathiers, &c.
I Had an Intention, the beginning of the last Summer, (before a long and chargeable Fit of Sickness befel me for near three Months,) to inform you in what state that Affair about Exportation of Wooll, then stood; in which the Life and Death of your Trade, and the subsistence of many Thousands of Families, that depend on that Manufacture, consists.
Give me leave, (by some of the many instances I could give,) to demonstrate, that, my Labour, in this affair, hath not been fruitless altogether.
I have now been four years engaged in this Service: and how I have been forced, as well upon Travils, as Watching both by Sea and on shore, I presume is well known to many of you.
And what expence I have been at, in that time, both for servants and horses, and in my attendance at Court, and on the Parliament, gratuities to Sea-men, and parties of horse, and for the holding, and maintaining correspondencies in Ireland, Flanders, &c. you cannot but in some measure be able to appehend.
And that it must be the greater, in that I have not spent six daies, in twelve Moneths, at my own habitation, with my Friends: either to abate expences, or to look after any private business of my own.
What damage I have sustained, by losing my Trade in pursuance of this affair, is wel known (at least) to some: for,
When first I undertook this Affair, I intended to spend only one Moneth, or there about, in attending on the Parliament for a new Act, which held me near six Moneths; and at the Adjurnment of the Parliament, I returned to my calling; it being kept on foot for me, during the time of my attendance.
But those that knew my Trade at that time, know right well what opportunities of advantage I le [...]t slip.
Therefore it must be a great mistake in some, that think I took up this Affair, as though I had nothing else to doe.
For I was importuned by several Merchants and Others, soon after the Adjurnment of the Parlament, to address my self unto his Majestie in Council, for a Party of Horse, to be in Rumny Marsh in Kent, where the greatest part of the Wooll is shipped from England; and some Frigats, for preventing the said mischief; which through his Majesties favour and incouragement, I did obtain.
Upon the promise of those Merchants, to re-imburse my charge, I proceeded.
And had those Merchants and Others, perform'd their promise, as some few did, I had done much more than I have, (though I have left nothing undone, that I was capable to perform, or doe, considering how little assistance I had from others) and indeed, my endeavours in this business, have had so good success, as to prevent many Thousand Packs of Wooll from exportation, that the effect evidenced it self (at that time obvious to many Merchants, from their correspondents beyond Sea,) in the rise of Wooll there and the fall here.
But should it now hereafter, for want of incouragment and attendane miscarry, how much it will wound Englands trade to the heart, I need not tell you, for, such is the gaine and incouragemend, for the transporting of this commodity, that if any imployed, or entrusted in this affair, will be bribed, they need not make complaint for want of Money, I do assure you: and if I for my integrity must fall, (and be forced to quit thes service,) after all this four years labour and travail, It will be no encouragement to any other Peasen, to engage a-fresh therein.
Give me leave to adde, that it was no small grief to me, during my sickness, to here of the many hundred packs of Wooll that were exported, (both from England and Ireland,) more than had been at other times, which you will easily see in the ensuing Petition and Letter; and my trouble was so much the more for as much as the King had given Order, a little before, that a Vessel purposely hired, because of Her swiftness, should attend that affair, and though I had made provision (by correspondante) for intellegence to prevent that mischief, yet I had not Money to pay Servants, nor to encourage my corispondents, nor that I could find any willing or able to pursue the said business, either because of the hazard or pains, or expensiveness thereof. The effect of which about Michalmus last, occasioned this following Petition.
To the Kings most excellent Majesty The Humble Petition of several Merchants.
THat although many severe Laws, have been made against the Transportation of Wooll; neverthelese, many evil-disposed Persons, do frequently Ship-off great quantities thereof to the great decay of the Cloathing-Trade of this Kingdom, and to the undoing of many thou, sant Families, who lived comfortably thereupon: and being through an ill custom, sold inforraign parts, as cheap as in many many places of this Kingdom; by means whereof, the Woollen Manufacture of this Nation, findes but small vend abroad, and dayly decreaseth in price; so that neither the Clothier, nor Merchant, have any incouragement, in making, or transporting the same; together with such great duties imposed by the French King, and Others; as in effect amounts to an absolute prohibition, (and that no purpose to incourage the Manufacture of their own Country.) Which if by some effectual means, be not speedily prevented, must in a short time, wholy destroy the great Manufacture, and Staple trade of this your Majesties Kingdom and conseqvently to the decreasing of your Majesties Revenues, of the Custom; and that more particularly of late dayes, a greater quantity of Wooll, hath been transported then formerly, by reason, as is doubted, of the connivance of some Officers, and easily compounding with the transporters when discovered, which gives great incouragement to those Persons, to continue in this mosi destructive course
Your Petitioners most humbly pray, that your Majestie, would be pleased to issue out your Royal Proclamation, commanding all Officers and Others, to put the Laws in execution, that so all may take notice thereof: there being many poor people imployed in shipping off the Wooll, who pretend ignorance, and know not the Penalty of the Law: and that no compounding be made with any, but the Laws may be severly put in execution, against all Persons that may be found guilty.
And tho' I have before upon this occasion incerted the substance of a Letter Dated, Flanders March the 5th. 1671. yet I cannot wave a repitition of this part of it.
I received yours of the 17/27 February, under Covert from &c. about the Wooll-affair. I have much reason to believe, unless some are made Examples, there will be continual abuse; the Commodity, both English and Irish, Raw and Comb'd, abound so much in these Countries, as at present it's worth nothing. &c.
Now Sirs, how both these do answer, to what was said before, that unless this Business be continually attended, by some Person, that will be faithful; there will be an inevitable ruine of the Clothing Trade, may be easily perceived.
Give me leave further to inform you, what great Sense his Majesty himself hath also of this Affair; who hath been pleased to evidence it, both by his Care and Charge, in not only commanding His Troops, but several Frygots to attend upon every Occasion, beside his Hireing a Vessel; he also hath spent many dayes in Council about it; and in declaring his resolution, strictly to execute all the Laws against the Transportation of Wooll, and to further all rational Proposals, that can be f [...]rther made; and did order (upon reading the fore-mentioned Petion of the Merchants) his Royal Proclamation, to be issued out about this Matter.
Now for a conclusion, Gentlemen: If this service be acceptable, and that it be carryed on, you cannot imagine, it can be done without supplies. For, you cannot expect the King should take the charge of it wholly upon himself; of which, the profit will mostly return to his Subjects. Nor that I should, if I were able, bear it my self, though indeed I have done it beyond what my condition could well permit me; and it's very plain, what hath been the consequence of my being discouraged, and taken (wholly off) but three Months from this Affair.
Sirs, I hope you will believe, and i'ts but Rational, so to do; if I have spent so much of my time, and strength, mostly upon my own charge, with those hazard I have been exposed to, these four years, in this Affair, with that little incouragement I have received: that if incouraged but with necessary supplies, so that I might not be taken off my pursuit, that I might do much more than I have; and the rather, because every thing is more easie than it was at first, having discovered so many Persons, and their wayes, and several in custody, in order to their Tryal, some Convicted: its Rational, at least to suppose the way fair, to put a stop, to this most destructive course.
Gentlemen, These instances are not of small import. To the whole Affairs, and that the agitations about them: call for no small attendance and travel; nor is it without its own charges, accompanying dispatches.
I have also given Declarations to two Persons, for transporting above three Hundred packs of Wooll, and had prepared Tryals with them; but was forced to forbear two or three Terms for want of Assistance to prosecute them; for such Potent Persons, are not easily run down: if they, and their Confederates know once with whome they have to doe, (if they will not be bribed) and that Money is wanting to prosecute, they can finde wayes by Friends, and Money, to make Suits delatory and chargeable; besides an other mischief, of taking off Witnesses: Of which you will see a Demonstration afterwards.
At Easter or Trinity Term 1669, one Mr. John Morten prosecutes Mark Gabree in the Exchequer, for transporting of Wooll. The said Gabree removes it into Surry, where Mr. Morten brings it to Tryal, Midsomer Assizes following, and subpena's one Thomas Petley, who had been Gabrees Wooll-Kember: Morten obtains a Verdict against the said Gabree; but so it was ordered, that whereas the forfiture was three Shillings per pound, he had but twelve pence: and being but a small parcel, he lost by it.
At Michaelmas following, the Tryal aforesaid, Gabree arrests Petley, by a Writ of the Crown Office for Perjury, out of revenge; and to undo him, being but a poor man, and make him uncapable of being Witness any more; and to deter others.
At Mid [...]mmer Assizes 1670, Gabree pretends to come to Tryal: but when he saw Petley appear, and had his Witnesses for his defence, he let it fall that Assize.
Since Michaelmas, Seventy one, Petley is again arrested as aforesaid.
But I have now presented hi [...] Case to his Majesty, else he would have been utterly ruin'd; and now the said Gabree is in Custody, being owner of the Wooll, taken at Gravesend, as aforesaid.
I shall conclude with a few particular Instances, that I observed in attending the Parliament, of which I only hinted some thing in page 5tb.
To begin with a Motion made in the House of Commons 1670, when that House were under consideration of raising Money for His Late Majesty's supply, it being then taken for granted, that there were great quantitys of Wooll clandestinely exported from Ireland to Forreign Parts, it was then propounded, that a Tax of 2d. or 3d. per l. might be laid upon such Wooll for three Reasons, then given, (viz.) First, it would make it so Dear to Foraigners, that the English could under sell them in our Manufactury. Secondly, It would raise a great Revenue to his Majestie. Thirdly, It would be an inducement to the Officers, to be more careful to look after the Custome, and so less would go: This seemed to many Wise Grave Senators at first, to be very Fesible, until I gave Answer to it. And that was thus.
Answ. 1. As to 2. d. or 3. d. per pound dearer, signifies nothing: For if they Enter 10 Packs, there shall go off a 100 Packs Unentred. But grant it did all pay that Custome there in Ireland, it pays no Custome when it's Imported in Holland, Flanders, or France; and then to consider the Custome it paid here to his Majestie upon our Woollen Manufactury, when Exported, which is above five pound for a Pack of Worsted-stuffs, &c. and it's such Wooll that is coveted; and that as before the French King laying such an Impost upon our English Woollen Manufacturies, of 20 or 30 per cent, this overballanceth by ten parts the first Reason, and besides about the Manufactors working so much cheaper, which I humbly suppose, is a sufficient Answer to the first Reason of the Motion.
Answ. 2. As to his Majesties Revenue by 2 d. or 3 d. per pound, is answered in short; The Custome paid as above upon the Export of our Woollen Manufacturies, is double that Custome; but the Custome upon the Importation of the Product thereof, may amount to three times the worth of the Pack of Wooll; from hence may be concluded, That his Majesties damage by the quantity that is asserted to be Transported, cannot be less than one Million of pounds Starling; so that this also is Answered.
Answ. 3. As to the Officers inducement, I shall answer in short, by asking this single Question, (viz.) Which in reason can be the greatest Inducement, 3 d. per pound for Custome, or 3 s. per pound Forfiture, of which three parts is given to the Prosecutor, who must be supposed to be more watchful to gain the Forfieture, than the Custom for the King, if Shipt to be Transported, which is now in Force and Recoverable? But there was more in the bottom, For within a day or two of the said Motion, there was a Noble Lord did affirm in the Committee for Wooll, that his Lordship was offered a hundred thousand pound Sterling, to pass an Act for Transportation of Wooll; and besides, there is a Petition of many years standing, that within this few months I had a view of, for Combed Wooll to go off upon the same pretence as before; alledging it is course Wooll, and not for the Clothier. It's true, that it is not fit for Cloth, but it is for Worsted-stuffs, and Stockings, which is as prejudicial, if not more than Clothing Wooll.
By which that motion fell to the ground, but some time after the petition before mentioned, did appear bare Faced, of which I wrote in a Letter to the Merchants and Cloathiers (viz.) in 1686 Comprehending what past in Parliament from 75 till that time, (viz.) I began this.
Perceiving at length what I had for some time a suspition of, that some Persons at the then next Sessions of Parliament, did not only appear to justify the Fact of Transportation of Wooll privatly, but did appear publickly and in Print, to assert and avow the conveniency that it would be to this Nation; and therefore did desire, that an Act of Parliament might be made for a limited Exportation, giving also some pretended Reasons for the same.
In March 1676 a Bill was put into the Hand of an Eminent Member of the then House of Commons, to be brought into that House, with whome I had some Discourse, and did so far diswade him to delay, till the following Letter prevail'd on the Factors, and some Clothiers then in Town, to assist me.
Having been at Westminster this day, and spake with divers Members, I find the Arguments for the Exportation of Wooll, have so far prevailed with the Parliament-men, that a Bill is already put in Sr. T. M's. Hand to bring it into the House which may be done this very day (altho' I had some Discourse with him about it and did endeavour to diswade him from it)
The Consequence of which, seeing it must tend to the utter Ruine of the Cloathing Trade, and seeing I have done the utmost that can be expected on my part to prevent it, which is to draw up Reasons effecttually to make out the Inconvenience of it, which I have also put into the Printer's hand.
I thought it my Duty therefore, further to acquaint you, that unless some further speedy Course be taken for a general meeting, to consider how, and in what manner this Mischief should be obviated. I conceived the Intrest of the Clothier would suddenly have grown desperate, seeing no private or single Mans appearing in this Case, who ever he be can signify any thing to oppose it.
I am much convinced, that not only the Cloathing Trade, but the very Intrest of the Nation in general is at s [...]ake, and in hazzard to be utterly lost, if this Point should now be wholy neglected? This I have for some years foreseen, and have talked of, but it hath not been regarded, but you will find that I spake not slightly, but on good grounds▪ and what there is just Cause to suspect, will come to pass, if this Matter be not with Industry and Diligence prevented.
After I had prevailed with the Clothiers to give me some encouragement; I did then endeavour to use proper Arguments, and took a fit Season to present them, when the House of Commons was so earnest for the prohebiting French Commodities, laying before them, that the Wooll endeavoured to be limited for Transportation was principally intended for France, which proved so effectual for the Ends designed; which Arguments I refer you to for your further satisfaction.
After this was laid aside, the next Sessions of Parliament comes a Gentleman that hath been all along my Competitor (viz.) Mr. Munk as in p. 8 and brings in a Bill, and prevailed so far as to get it read and committed, upon which I drew up the following Petition, which was signed by several Merchants and Factors, viz.
Whereas there is a Bill depending, the Parliament whereof seems to be against Transportation of Wooll, the Scope and Consequence of it (as is humbly conceived) will tend rather to encourage it: For whereas it is suggested in the said Bill, that the Act made in the 14th, Year of His Majesties Reign, making Transporting of Wooll Felony, is ineffctual for the preventing thereof, and therefore prays the Repealing the Felony of that Act, without confirming the rest of that Act; as if making Transportation to be Felony did encourage Transporting; that Suggestion with all submission is conceived to be a great mistake: For though it must be granted (whatever Laws have been or shall be made in this case) that some Persons for their own Lucre (though it be never so much to the Damage of the great Manufacture of this Kingdom, and notwithstanding all the Care imaginable) will adventure to Transport Wooll. Yet for some Years after the Act of the 14 Car. 2. was in force, there was a great stop put to the said Transportation, until wooll so increased in Ireland beyond its Consumption there and here, that great Quantities were actually Transported from thence; but till that Glut the Act of the 14th. Year of His Majesties Reign (by which the Forfeture was Three Shillings for every pound of Wooll besides the Wooll forfited) conjoyned with the Act in the 14th. Year of His Majesties Reign, was found effectual to prohibit Transporting Wooll, for [Page 21] the Prosecutor having liberty to Prosecute upon what Act he please.
If the Act against Felony were repealed, there would be much more Wooll exported then hath been done; for although few Persons that have any considerable Estate do now appear in the very Fact of the said Exportation, but most times poor men; therefore in reason it cannot but be supposed if t [...] Act which makes it Felony were repealed, none elce but poor men would do it, and then to what purpose would that Act be of making the Forfiture, Three Shillings per pound; to be sure no one would be at the Charge to prosecute. But then of the other hand, experience is of some use in this case: I remember that I prosecuted several P [...]sons for Exporting of Wooll about the Year 1672, upon that Act of Felony, by the p [...]t [...]cule [...] or [...]e of King Charles the second; and did Convict Fower of them, as in [...] t [...]e 7th [...] [...]h [...]ch put some stopp at that time to the said Exportation, so that both in reason and experience that Act ought to stand.
[...]o all which [...] did what hath been done since May 1687. finding the work so great, both in the Ch [...]ge and [...], and too much for my self to carry on alone, being so much [...] though [...] much for the King and Kingdoms good, not being will [...] to the Ground; a third Petition was drawn up by order of [...] and Clothiers in Exon (who by their Mayor had Petitioned the late King [...] Kings [...] Woollen Manufacture in his dominions) pur [...] before mentioned page. 11 and 2, and there being a [...]roclamation [...], the same was at last agreed to, by the said Commitioners of [...] [...]roclamation Clauses were desired in the Petition to be added [...] Merchants and [...]ct [...]rs [...]n London, to appoint persons to Seize [...] to Collect voluntary Contributions, to [...]
[...] with [...] King, undertook to have it added to the [...] to carry the Petition and Clauses, to the Clerk of the Coucil; [...] Kings him▪ that day to the Proclamation, and whilst I was there [...] was b [...]ought that the Commissioners of the Customs would not have any [...], so I lost my labour, and the Proclamation came forth without th [...]se Clauses▪ [...] [...]he l [...]s I kept things on foot, though with great difficulty; and prosecuted divers [...] the Exchequer, and convicted one Henry Colmer, whose Tryal I mentioned in [...], but not his name; which Colmer was to be employed by the order of Sr. Nicoles [...]u [...]er. in the Room of Capt. Knight, when I petition▪d the late King in July 1685, for the Two Sloops then laid down by the Commissioners page 10th. After which time I dr [...]w upon the [...] Petition signed by several clothiers and Factors, which being refer'd to the Commission▪ [...] the customs▪ and upon their Report at last did consent what they had a long time opposed, and upon their Report to the Council, Mr. Atturney General was ordered to draw up a Commission, [...]hich past the Broad Seal the 28th. of June 1688, and the same day I was Inportuned by som of [...] Commissioners to send down Two Men and Horses into Kent and S [...]ss [...]r, t [...] take ca [...]e of inspecting [...]n [...] preventing that Mischief, being then Shearing-time which accordingly I did do the very same day; and defrayd the Charge my self.
That some time after was ord [...]ed by a Committee of the said Commissioners, to fitt out Two Sloops to be at Sea, and two or three Men more at Land to attend that Service, and when they were fitted I went down and g [...]ve directions therein from time to time, and prevented great quantities of Wooll from Exportation, and some Vessells seized, and some Wooll taken in the Night time▪ [...]s the same was Carrying on Horse Backs to the Sea Side, and some of the Exporters themselves secured, who dissovered near Thirty others; against the Cheifest of which I procured a Warrant from the late Lord Cheif Iustice Wright, and with as much wariness as I could (some of them before hav [...]ing Absconded) was secured 8 or 10 of the Cheifest of them and desired the M [...]or o [...] [...]ney to Committ them, but he admitted them to [...]aile, tho I [...] hard [...]o the contrary; But he was not so well pleased that I did not come [...] which i [...] [...] possible I should have hardly got one of them upon that Warrant, and good reason for that he himself is since discovered [Page 22] to be, and is now prosecuted for the same Fact. I shall conclude with these following Affidavits, viz.
The Information of James Webb. John Edwards. and Henry Spillet.
THese Informants maketh Oath, that being employed in the Executing of a Warrant from the Lord Cheif Justice against several Exporters of Wooll, living in Rumney; and was on the 11th Instant severally informed of Thirty Packs of Wooll, intended to be [...]hipt and transported that Night. These Deponents, James Webb and John Edwards, together with John Milner was arrested in several Actions, on purpose, as these Deponents beleive to prevent them of Seizeing the said Wooll; that at or near the same time one John Slaughter a Transporter of Wooll, and one that was taken upon the said Warrant, & bound over to the Assizes; came with a Hanger into the Room, and provoked them to Fight; until by the Mayor of Rumney was forced to be gone, the next Morning these Deponents preparing for Lyd, news was brought there, that the said John Slaughter was come Armed with Ten other persons near at hand, and Ten more expected to Assault these Deponents; Mr. Carter and his Company, upon which news the said Mr Carter sent to the Mayor, to disire him to keep the Peace, and shortly after went to Lyd, and being informed there also sum intentions to Export Wooll that Night, whereupon these Deponents and Company, prepared to go out to the Sea- [...], about Eight of the Clock that Night, and going in the Street, were assaulted b [...] several persons unknown, and one of our Company Wounded, but afterwards discovered one to be the Bayliffs Son of Lyd, who came to our Lodging and threatned that if any stirred out of the House, we should be fired at, out of the Town; or words to that effect, he being sent by the Bayliff his Father, as he said: But the reason as these Deponents beleiveth, was that they might not be interupted in the exportation of Wooll, as before intended; that about one of the Clock at Night, agreat [...]ody of Horse and some Foot, (supposing after they had Shipt the Wooll) came about the House where we Lodged, Fireing several times; Shouting and Railing upon us, but upon the Importunity of Mr. Carter; these Deponents, nor any of the Company did Fire any Gun, when we had the oppertunity of Killing of them, and were provoked in our own desence so to do: These Deponents further maketh Oath, that when it was light, they went to the said Baylfls House about the Ryot, and defireing his Assistance in the search after the persons Guilty of the said Ryot; and asked whether there was any Watch in the Towne the Night before, as his Son pretended that there was, but inquiring into it by several Jurats and others, and constable, found there was no Watch that Night, nor any ordered nor had been along time before: That about Ten of the Clock the same day these Deponents, was followed by about Fifty Horsemen, near the Camber point, over against Rye.
- James Webb.
- John Edwards.
- Henry Spillet.
This Deponant, John Edwards, further maketh Oeth; that all the men except two with the horses, got into their Sloops Boats lying ready for them, an perceiveing that some of he horsemen riding near the two men with our horses, the said men left their horses on the Camber-point, and got into a Boat and put off; but the horsemen fired both at the men in the Boat, and also at the horses; and here since that one of the horses is killed.
JAmes Atkins, Master of a Vessel called the Dilligence; did see a Party of Horse armed, following Mr. Carter and several of his assistance, the 13th. Instant December; intending as this Deponent beleiveth to do some mischeif to them, for that some of the horsemen fired at his men in a Boat, as they was coming off the Cumber; the Shot Grazing near the Boat.
JOhn Syer Marriner, maketh Oath; that being imploved in a Vessel, called the Merchants Desec [...]e; to prevent the Exportation of Wooll, he the said Deponent was required, with several others to assist in the Execution of the Lord Cheif Justice Warant, against several Exporters of Wooll; and having performed that service the 12th. of this instant December, came that day to Lyd, in order to go to Rye; on Board their Vessel then lying at Anchor there. And about Eight or Nine of the Clock in the night time, he with the rest of his company at the request of Mr Carter; was going towards the Sea-side to Seize, or Preven the Exportation of Wooll; which was supposed to be intended to be transported that night, and as this Deponent and Company, were going through the Street, was set on by several persons unknowne, who received several Wounds, and afterwards found one of the persons to be the Baylisss Son of Lyd, after which time several persons came to this Deponents Lodgings, Firing several times, and railed upon this Deponent and Company.
And this Deponent further maketh Oath, that the next day being the 13th, instant, he with the rest of the Company coming toward Rye aforesaid, was pursued, by about fifty horsmen or thereabouts, armed and had not the Boats belonging to several Vessels gave their attendance and took us in, we might have been distroyed.
RAndal Gosley maketh Oath, that on the 13th instant December; there being a great Body of Ho [...]se come on the Camber near Rye, being supposed Irish, or French; which put the Town of Rye into a great fear, and being on the other side of the Harbor, the Majestrates sent some Persons in a Boat, to discover who they were, and the Reasons being enquired into, was to do some mischeif to Mr. William Carter, and his Assistance; who had taken up sum Persons for Transportation of Wooll: These Horsemen following them so fast that Mr. Carters Men could not get their Horses over the Ferry, but left them on the Camber Point.
This Deponent, being afterwards sent, by the said Mr. Carter; to look after the Horses, went as farr as Lyd, where one John Slaughter owned the Horses to be in his Custody, and would keep them so for damages, pretended to be done him by the said Mr. Carter; and further said that his name was Slaughter, and a Slaughter he should find of him
And this Deponent further saith, that some others then in the Company of the said Slaughter, said that they would secure his Body, and some others his Soul, for that neither was his own.
The Ʋolluntary Deposition, of William Ellis of Dover Marriner; taken as followeth.
THis Deponent maketh Oath, that coming from [...] to Rye, in the County of Sussex; passed by the way of Lyd, [...] ▪ and at a place called Broomhil House, on this side Lyd aforesaid; the Deponent met with two Men on Horseback, who askt this Deponent whether he was going, he answered for Gilford-Ferry in order to Rye; one of them Swore (God- [...]am-you) you are one of the Rogues that was at Lyd last night, and if they thought this Deponent was one (they would share him) meaning as this Deponent beleives, in Sea terms, dividing of him; but he, this Deponent using good Language, and telling them he was not the Person they took him for, they let him pass,
But, when this Deponent came to Gilford-Ferry, there was one John Smith of Gilford, came in with a Bottle of Wine in his hand, and coming where this Deponent sat by the Fire side, he Swore (by God) this is one of the Rogues b [...]longing to the Sloops, and said let us [...]ind hin neck and heels, and share him, the said Smith further said, there lyes Warners Horse, and he knew who shot him with a Slug, by which the horse fell downe, but rose againe, and some Person knockt him downe with a Clubb; and upon the same Shot. This Deponent herd John Smith of Gilford, say, that the Blood gushed from the Horse▪ and he further saith, that could he light of Mr. Webb, John Warner, Henry Spillet, or any of the Sloops-crew; they would certainly Kill them. And further this Deponent saith not. William Ellis.
These are all True Coppys of the Original upon Record, here examined by me.
Postscript.
I Would not omit one Passage, which may be very observable, That after I had taken up, and bound over to the Assizes, the Persons mentioned, Page 21. the Mayor and Jurots of Rumny occasionally came to my Lodging the same Ev'ning, with whom I had a long Debate, I reasoning with them about the evil consequence of Transportation of Wool, and that many, if not most of the Transporters, when they came to dye were found worse than nothing; the reasons I then alledged, was the evil committed, was not only against the Interest of England in general, but many Thousand poor People were ruin'd by it, so it was a just occasion to blast all the Proceedings of such Persons, insomuch, that in the close of that Discourse, Two of the Company confest the Truth of what I had urged; one of which Persons had been Convicted for Transportation of Wool, on the Statate that makes the Forfeiture of three shillings per l. and had Execution taken out against him for the same the Term before; the other Person was the then Mayor of another neighbouring Corporation: But whilst I was in discourse with the said Mayor and Jurots, some of the Transporters, which I had that day bound over to the Assizes, came to my Men, and their conversation was like to end in Bloud, had I not been very importunate with the Mayor to keep the Peace, and to dismiss the Company, as in the aforesaid Affidavit of James Webb, John Edwards and Henry Spillot, do also appear.
Give me leave to add the Abstract of an Affidavit of one of the Persons that was in the company of Rioters before mentioned, who was the more able to give a full Account of their Number and Design, which person being made sensible of the evil, came off from them, and was employed by me, and of great advantage in further Discoveries, who made his Affidavit before Sir John More, formerly Lord Mayor of London, the substance of which followeth, viz.
This Deponent maketh Oath, That upon the 13th day of December 1688, He was importun'd by James Hunt and other Transporters of Wool about Rumney, to pursue Mr. William Carter, who suddenly after met with a greater number of Men, about one Hundred, who went after the said Mr. Carter and his Men, towards Rye, and had they not got into some Boats, Mr. Carter would have received some hurt, for many of the Exporters were Desperate Fellows, not caring what mischief they did,
I would crave leave to add to what I only hinted in Page 21. That tho' I had taken so much pains, and been at such expence and hazard, yet for want of a timely provision by a Fund to defray the charge of prosecuting those Informations, there was an Act of Grace and Pardon past which discharged the said Oflenders; but what assistance I had at that time was by one Merchant, who also did disburse several hundred Pounds in fitting our the said two Vessels, and one other which was hired, and victualing of them, in expectation of being reimburs'd, which person also paid the Fees in Passing the Act in the Year 1689. to prevent Exportation of Wool, (the Title only of which Act have been long depending this last Session) and was also at some expence the Session of Parliament 1692. for the continuance thereof, which Merchant, tho' so generous and free for the Publick, having also several Thousand Pounds due to him for the Transport-Ships employ'd in the reducing of Ireland; and by reason that his Trade lay formerly in Flanders, now in the French Jurisdiction, he is somewhat straitned by all these means, and to help forward [Page 26] his ruine, had 78 Actions laid upon him about one and the same time, and the names of some of the Plaintiffs he ow'd not one penny to, and besides to increase the charge, several of the Summs are not above 6 or 7 l.
I do forbear the naming of Persons, because I would not expose them, but they who are concern'd knows it best.
And as this single Merchant was prejudic'd by his voluntary expending near one Thousand Pounds for the Publick, and twice as much more in the Transport-Ships, so the Company of Merchant Adventurers, who had in the year 1685, and 1686. assisted me, and did disburse about six hundred Pound towards the charge then expended, which Company having been more free than all the other Companies, against the Exportation of Wool, yet this Company was laid open in the year 1689. by the occasion of a Bill then depending to prevent Exportation of Wool, (viz.) the favourers of the Exporter, of Wool, joyning with some other Merchants not of that Company, added that clause for the free Exportation of the Woollen Manufacture▪ and by it prevented that clause for a Fund to put in Execution the Laws against Exportation of Wool, the evil consequence of which hath been so much seen, and may be more felt hereafter, by which means all that provision before mentioned fell to the ground, notwithstanding which, I being unwilling a matter of so great concern to the Nation should wholly be laid aside, did in the Year 169 [...], humbly propose to the King in Council, some endeavours, [...]ot only to prevent Exportation [...]f Wool, but also Trade, Commerce and Correspondence with France, and desired four Men as my Guard, and also the Officers of the Customs in Kent to assist me. and a Fifth-Rate Frigate to cruise on that Coast, which being referred to the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury, whose Lordship; also referred the Examination thereof to the Commissioners of the Customs, who made Report thereof as followeth, viz.
In obedience to your Lordships Commands, signified to us by Mr. Jepson, of the 13th. instant, on the Petition of William Carter and Papers thereunto a [...]e [...]'d. We do humbly Report to your Lordships, That we are of opinion, that if the Pteitioner Mr. Carter shall engage in the Service his Petition relates to, the assistance of four men on Horseback, which he can conside in, is but a reasonable assistance to him, and being diligently employed, may very much conduce to the proposed purposes; and we conceive that a nimble Frigate of some Force, to cruise upon that Coast, whose Commander may be sometimes instructed by the said Mr. Carter, would also effectually conduce to the same purpose, and we think it but reasonable, that the said Mr. Carter, personally engaging in the Service at aforesaid, should be also assisted by the Officers of the Customs, which is humbly submitted to your Lordships Consideration.
- R. S.
- G. B.
- J. W.
- R. C.
Upon which Report the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury gave direction accordingly.
Notwithstanding I had no manner of security for Money to defray the charge incident in that service, yet I took out the Orders for my men and that from the Commissioners of the Customs, and goes down into Kent, and attended that service till I was forc'd to desist for want of necessary supplies; but before I did leave the Sea-Coast, I wa [...] by the Order of the Queen directed to attempt another Affair in those parts, the effect of which service ended in the method for a Descent into France, in the beginning of the Year 1692. And whilst I was attending the Coasts of Kent and Sussex, in the Months of May and June, found that in order to make the aforesaid Proposals more effectual, I did humbly lay before the Queen at the Cabbinet-Council in July following some further things necessary in that affair; but it being referred to the Grand Council, though there were several objections against it, yet I was heard and answered these Objections, and obtain'd an order upon it, and tho' I took it out, yet there were some obstructions which put a stop to my just proceedings in this Affair, to the great damage of the Kingdom.
The things I then propounded to the Council, and argued for, were as followeth, viz.
1. The securing of and sending for an old Transporter of Wooll, and lately employed in that [...]ffair, who to assist others in that evil was put into the Light-House by Rumny Marsh, by the order [...]f the then Farmer of it, which Farmer of the Light-House having been a long time, not only a [...]reat Exporter of Wooll, but also an Importer of Lace and other prohibited French Goods, which [...]erson was then in Newgate for countenancing and abetting of persons in going to, and coming [...]om France.
2. For two Sloops to attend the Frigat before ordered, as Advice-Boats the same I had formerly [...]ted out of twenty French Sloops made swift for Sailing.
3. For some more men to be added to these four I had before ordered, where I found most [...]anting.
4. For to be put in a capacity to prosecute divers Transporters of Wool then discovered guilty; [...]ese were the thing▪ I then desired.
And give me leave to add the substance of a Letter that I afterwards wrote to one of the then [...]ords of the Treasury, that did most object against me at the Council, viz.
▪As to the Force now used both at Sea and on Shore, to attend this Service, it is found not to be sufficient, because the effects manifest it; and the Commissioners of the Customs by [...]heir several Reports have declared, that it was beyond the power of their Officers to hinder it; besides, it was not in their Commission, and therefore not their proper station.
▪And as it was with the Commissioners of the Customs, so it was with those of the Admiralty, [...]r they could not exceed the number of the Ships of War, but your Lordships, as disposers of Their Majesties Treasure, can direct either, as may be both for Their Interest, and the Kingdoms good.
▪And Sir, what I said at the Council Board will be proved, viz. that a Land-Guard alone, will [...] answer the end propounded, without some Vessels at Sea, nor they neither, without such as are proper for that service, and to be under the care and directions, either of persons concern'd [...]n interest, or known of more than ordinary Integrity, (for the Temptations therein are great) [...] that have been upwards of 20 Years employ'd, have observ'd any thing, may be credited.
▪And if the French King (besides his Ships of War) doth employ (as I am well inform'd) near [...] hundred small [...]l [...]ops (there being about Forty belonging to Dunkirk and Callis) for carrying on his design, should it be thought so great a charge for Their Majesties to maintain two [...] Vessels in th [...]se parts so much needed, over and above the Royal Navy, especially if it be con [...]dered, formerly in time of Peace, there was always Two Vessels employed by the Commissioners of the Customs, on those Coasts on purpose to prevent Running of Goods, commonly [...] Stealing of Customs.
▪Sir, give me leave to speak freely now, as I did warmly before your Lordships in Council, that [...]is saving a Penny and loosing a Pound; not that I propounded any private advantage to my [...]elf in it, as I told your Lordships, I could be better content in my private station, but it was for the Publick I was so importunate, and had been often complaining in this matter for upwards of Twenty Years, as before, from the fears of those evils we now too much see and feel of the power of France, insomuch that it may be easily computed, that the French hath gained from England in this time, almost Eighty Millions for want of our care, the particulars I have formerly enlarged.
▪To conclude Sir, I do with submission say, that what service I have done in this Affair, I have not as yet put the Crown to any charge, for though I have had several sums of mony order'd me (meerly for my expence) yet a much greater was first brought into the receipt of the Exchequer by my Prosecutions, which are upon Record, and being matter of fact is evident enough.