Minute Book: December 1701 | British History Online

Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 16, 1700-1701. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1938.

Citation:

'Minute Book: December 1701', in Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 16, 1700-1701, ed. William A Shaw( London, 1938), British History Online https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/cal-treasury-books/vol16/pp114-120 [accessed 23 November 2024].

December 1701



Dec. 1, forenoon.	Present: Mr. Hill; Mr. Pelham.
	Write a letter to the Customs Commissioners to have the Earl of Marlborough's goods visited at the Customs Warehouse.
	Order for the issue of 25,000l. to the Navy Treasurer for wages: to be issued out of the following funds or branches of the revenue viz.
	of the rent of Hackney Coaches	500
	of the 22d. per poundweight on wrought East India Silks	330
	of the 25 per cent. on French Goods	5105	5	7
	of the 5s. per ton on French shipping	29	10	0
	of loans on the first part of the 3,700l. per week	16765	3	1
	of loans on the last part of ditto	2270	1	4
	Ibid., p. 72.
Dec. 2, forenoon. Hampton Court.	Present: the King: Chancellor Boyle; Mr. Hill; Mr. Pelham.
	[My Lords order] 33l. 18s. 0d. to be paid out of secret service money to the [tax] collector of Hampton Court for the tax issued this year at 3s. per £ on the House Park and meadows: and the King ought not to be charged for his Gardens.
	The King comes in.
	His Majesty's pleasure is that the Customs Commissioners do give attendance at the Custom House (when there is occasion) in the afternoon.
	Mr. Wise [is called in and] his estimate of 335l. 12s. 0d. for gardening at Windsor is referred to the Office of Works. The 75l. a week is to be continued to him till his debt already adjusted by the Office of Works is paid, being 2,115l. 9s. 3d.
	Sir Lambert Blackwell's memorial for 459l. due on two bills of extraordinaries is read and respited.
	Mr. Cresset is to be paid so much as will enable him to go on the King's service.
	The petition of Robert FitzGerald is read for a grant of the office of Comptroller of the Musters in Ireland or for a pension of 200l. a year. Referred to the Lord Lieutenant.
	Francis Barry's petition for a moiety of Wainman's forfeiture is read and granted but to be in full [liquidation of all his pretensions].
	Col. Phil. Howard's memorial is read. He must be satisfied with his pension. The King says 'tis impossible for him to be giving extraordinarily.
	Francis Stopford's petition is read and respited.
	The petition of the widows of slain officers is read and rejected. The King insists on what was told them last year that he would not give them money any further.
	Col. Meautys [his petition is read: the King orders him] 50l.
	Mr. Young's petition is read.
	Mr. Latton's paper [is read petitioning] for 50l. a year for the Park at Windsor [? and arrears thereon]. He is to be paid no more than 50l. now and 50l. per an. for the future.
	My Lords are [directed by the King] to confer with the officers of the Greencloth about the Household Establishment.
	The Establishment of the Treasurer of the Chamber's Office is signed.
	Brigadier Geo. Cholmondeley's petition is read. Referred to the Surveyor General [of Crown Lands].
	Monsieur Guibert is to be paid for a bed made by him for his Majesty's service amounting to 557l. 14s. 4d. as per bill: to be paid out of secret service money.
	The money arisen by the sale of the King's stock in the East India Company is to be brought to the King in [Bank] Bills.
	The petition of Sir Thomas Tipping is read for the discharge of a bond of 500l. of Mr. Israel Hayes. Referred to the officers of the Mint to certify what he is chargeable with and how; together with their opinion what is fit to be done therein. Ibid., p. 73.
Dec. 3, forenoon. Cockpit, Treasury Chambers.	Present: Chancellor Boyle; Mr. Hill; Mr. Pelham.
	Ordered that 13,560 7s. 6d. now in the Exchequer for the King's late stock in the new East India Company be (pursuant to the King's order) issued to Mr. Lowndes for secret service and be delivered to his Majesty [in Bank Bills of — each . . . struck through].
	Issue to Monsieur Verrio the sum resting due for painting at Windsor.
	[Order for] 40l. to be issued to the Office of the Works, 20l. thereof for William Story late Volary keeper and 20l. to William Clerk who was formerly employed to look after the trees in St. James' Park, as in full of their respective pretensions for those services; and express in the letter [my Lords' intention] that no more is to be hereafter paid them in the Office of the Works or elsewhere upon any pretensions of that kind or for the King's ground which was granted to Sir Henry Vane.
	Write a letter [of direction to the Exchequer] to satisfy the order for 500l. to Mr. Yard.
	[Write] to Mr. Madocks to be here on Friday morning.
	[Write] to the Navy Commissioners to be here on Monday morning with Mr. Dodington about the several accounts before them.
	Write to Sir Thomas Littleton to be here then about the old Victuallers' account.
	[Write] to Mr. Evelyn to be here then about his account for the Sick and Wounded [money].
	Write to Mr. Harry Mordant to send his accounts to the Auditors.
	[Write] to the Remembrancer to be here next Friday morning.
	Write to the Auditors to be here on Monday morning with Mr. Hewer's account. Mr. Hewer to be here then.
	[Write] to Mr. William Knight to be here then with his account.
	[Write] to the Commissioners of Excise to be here on Friday afternoon prepared to inform my Lords how far the accounts of Excise and Salt Duties are proceeded in.
	[Write] to the Agents for Taxes to be here this day week.
	Speak with the Auditors about the Prize accounts.
	Write to Mr. Paschal to be here this day week.
	[Write a] letter [of direction to the Exchequer] for 3,450l. for the Judges and Masters of Chancery for last term. Ibid., p. 74.
Dec. 5, forenoon.	Present: ut supra.
	The letter [of direction] for 1,281l. 4s. 0d. for Mr. Cresset is read and approved.
	Mr. Madox is called in. He exhibits the states of Sir Edw. Seymour's account and says the accounts shall be finished within a month.
	Write a letter [of direction to the Exchequer] for paying 8,450l. 7s. 10¼d. [for items as] in the list [in which is set out the course of payment] for warrants signed by my Lords: and direct that all money of the funds of the Civil List remaining from time to time after the weekly payments and particular sums already directed be satisfied to the Cofferer for the Household until 19,147l. 9s. 6d. be paid him to clear [the Household] till Midsummer 1700.
	[Order for] 1,500l. to be issued for secret service.
	[Write] to Mr. Chetwynd to send to me [Lowndes] forthwith the state of Morgan Whitley's account. Treasury Minute Book XIII, p. 75.
Dec. 5. afternoon.	Present: Mr. Hill; Mr. Pelham.
	Order for 235l. to be issued to Mr. Henry Baker.
	The Excise Commissioners attend. My Lords admonish them to reward the Customs officers when they do service to the Excise or the Salt Duties; and the Customs Commissioners are to reward the Excise officers when they do service to the Customs.
	Issue 97l. 18s. 4d. to Sir Lambert Blackwell.
	and 25l. to Tho. Shorter and John Turnor.
	and 200l. to Monsieur Geldermalsen. Ibid., p. 76.
Dec. 8, forenoon.	Present: Chancellor Boyle; Mr. Hill; Mr. Pelham.
	The Navy Commissioners [are called in].
	Write to Mr. Dodington to deliver the account of the 27 ships [under 2 Wm. & M. Sess. 2, c. 10] to the two Auditors of Imprests for both to examine and pass.
	The half pay Sea Officers are called in upon their demand for the year 1698. Their petition is read. They are willing now to receive their payment out of deficient tallies. They say the reason they did not apply for those tallies before [was] because they did not know of them.
	Write to the Navy Board to forbear to assign the debts of the second book upon the deficient tallies on the Land Tax till further order.
	Ordered that the debt of 35,945l. due [for the year 1693] by the Establishment of the 22 Feb. 1693 to the half pay Sea Officers be paid out of those tallies and that the interest upon those tallies computed by even months to some day in this December be applied as principal towards this debt. Ibid., p. 77.
Dec. 10, forenoon.	Present: ut supra.
	Desire some Gentlemen of the Bank to be here on Friday morning.
	[My Lords order] 2,400l. to be issued to the Earl of Ranelagh for the services of the Forces in Holland, to be applied for enabling the officers of the 12 Battalions in Holland to perfect their recruits: [and this item is] to be placed to the head of subsistence of the said Battalions: the said sum to be issued out of Branches of the revenue as follows viz., 338l. 18s. 8d. out of loans on the last part of the 3,700l. a week; 100l. out of the 22d. per pound weight on wrought East India silks; 1,961l. 1s. 4d. out of money brought in or to be brought in for the 25 per cent. on French Goods.
	Direct the Auditors of Imprests to send to my Lords a state of the accounts of Morgan Whitley for the Duties on marriages &c.
	Write to the Customs Commissioners to be here on Friday afternoon.
	The letter [of direction] for 35,945l. for the half pay Officers of the Navy is read and approved.
	Mr. Paschal is called in. He says the books for the Parliament are just upon being finished. Ibid., p. 78.
Dec. 12, forenoon.	Present: ut supra.
	[Write] to the Auditors of Imprests to attend on Wednesday morning with a state of all such accounts of Wine Licences as are not yet passed; and a state of all debts for [the credit of] that revenue upon accounts that are passed. Write to Mr. Young and the other Commissioners to attend then.
	Order for the issue to the Earl of Ranelagh of 7,740l. 14s. 1d. for 15 days' subsistence to the Troops and Regiments in England and the Regiment of Fusiliers to Dec. 24 inst: to be issued out of loans on the last part of the 3,700l. a week.
	The Gentlemen of the Bank are called in. It is proposed that they should give (advance) money for [or upon] about 10,000l. tallies on Low Wines "which [tallies] are [have been] issued to the Officers of the Forces in Holland for their clearings."
	Write to Mr. Blathwaite that my Lords desire him to move the King to direct that the 1,682l. 5s. 7d. due to the Bank by a contingent warrant dated 23 March 1697 may be paid without deduction of poundage.
	[Write] to the Customs Commissioners to be here on Monday afternoon.
	Order for the issue of 5,000l. to the Navy [Treasurer] for wages: hereof 4,612l. 7s. 4½d. to be out of the 25 per cent. on French goods and the remaining 387l. 12s. 7½d. to be out of loans on the 3,700l. per week. Ibid., p. 79.
Dec. 15, forenoon.	Present: ut supra.
	The Agents for Taxes [are called in]. Let process issue against Mason and his sureties. Prepare a warrant. Direct the Agents forthwith to transmit the report of Mason's allowances.
	[My Lords order] a warrant for process against the estate of Spendlove deceased and his sureties.
	Mrs. Williamson is to be paid 1,000l. out of arrears of unappropriated taxes, she [first] paying 2,234l. 7s. 11d. into the Exchequer upon her late husband's accounts.
	[Write] to the Agents to direct Mr. Briggs and Mr. Whitley to bring their Mint ticquets to the Auditors as vouchers to their accounts.
	[Write] to the Chamberlain of London and Auditor Shales to be here on Friday morning with a state of the account of Sir Thomas Cuddon for taxes in the years 1697 and 1698.
	The Commissioners of Transports are called in. They will perfect half their accounts in three months and the whole in six months.
	Write to Mr. Champaute to be here on Wednesday. Ibid., p. 80.
Eodem die afternoon.	Present: ut supra.
	The Customs Commissioners [attend]: their papers are read and answers [are minuted or endorsed] upon them.
	Write to Mr. Holt to send an account of the debts standing out for arrears on the Subsidy Act [6 Wm. III c. 1] ended 1699 Xmas, in whose hands [the same are] and upon what securities they stand and what course is taken for recovery of same. Ibid.
Decr. 16. Hampton Court.	Present: Chancellor of the Exchequer; Mr. Hill; Mr. Pelham.
	Send to Mr. Lancelot Burton to attend my Lords with the last account of the Household which is passed in the Exchequer.
	His Majesty comes in.
	The Earl of Ranelagh and Mr. Blathwait are called in. They present an Establishment for fire and candle amounting to 1600l. per an. which is approved and to commence from Xmas last.
	Lord Cuts, Major Gen. Lumley, Sir Charles Haro, Col. Wood and Col. Henry Withers are to be empowered to inspect the lists of the Out pensioners of Chelsea Hospital and to enquire how each man came to be so, how they are qualified by their service and age or infirmity and what pretensions they have to any arrears; also to enquire into the qualifications of those in the Hospital and in the four Companies of Invalids and what persons amongst them are not qualified or fit to be continued: and to consider and give their opinions what may be done for the King's service in relation to the said persons.
	Lord Rochester's letter about arms for Ireland is read. A [royal] letter to be prepared [to authorise the Paymaster, Ireland] to pay for them. Both parts [of Lord Rochester's request] agreed to.
	Mr. Warr [his petition is read] for three months' allowance as Secretary to the Embassy in Holland at 20s. a day. Ordered.
	Lady Kirk's petition is read praying that the place of housekeeper may be restored to her and her son. The King orders it to remain as on the former Establishments.
	Daniel Child and Peter Hume, their petitions are read relating to their places as Wardrobe keepers. Ordered that the goods be forthwith brought into the Removing Wardrobe but their salaries are to stand on the Establishment until they die or are removed and then to be saved to the King.
	Thomas Goodall and Robert Lowndes to be added to the Commissioners of Wine Licences.
	My Lords are to sign Mr. Thurston's docquets [but same are to be] during pleasure.
	The case of Mr. Stockdale and Mr. Meek is read. Mr. Windham is to be joined with Mr. Meek in the office of one of the 5 undersearchers of London port, during pleasure.
	Dame Mary Rich's petition is read praying relief against an extent taken out against her for money her late husband, Sir Ribert Rich deceased, had borrowed of one Pacey, a Receiver of Taxes. To be considered at the [Treasury] Board.
	A memorial of the Duke of Bolton is read praying the continuance of his allowance of 1,200l. per an. as Lord Chamberlain to the late Queen, which [allowance] was lately left out of Mr. Nicholas's Establishment for the late Queen's servants. [The King orders him] to be restored to his pension except for the time when he was one of the Lords Justices of Ireland.
	[Order for] 50l. bounty to Mr. La Martiniere.
	Mr. Hubblethorne's petition is read praying that his pension of 100l. per an. on the Establishment of Ireland may be increased to 200l. per an. Not granted.
	Mrs. Franklyn [her petition is read] praying that her pension of 40l. per an. as brewer to the late Queen may be continued. Ordered that the same be re-continued on Mr. Nicholas's list.
	Mr. Hen. Killigrew [his petition is read]. The King gives him 100l. but he must not apply again till next Xmas.
	William Legg [his petition is read. The King orders him] to have 100l. a year in Ireland in lieu of his pension out of Lord Ranelagh's Office.
	The petition of George Clark, one of the Post renters of Scotland [is read] praying to be discharged of a bond of 2,000l. entered into jointly with John Murry for answering the dues on letters sent from England into Scotland &c. Ordered that Clark be discharged on paying 1,000l.; and my Lords are to speak with the Postmasters [General] about settling the Scotch post for the future. Write to the Postmasters General to come to the Treasury to-morrow.
	[Order for] 200l. to Col. Bings out of Army Contingencies.
	[Order for the issue to William Lowndes of] 1,000l. for Secret Service. Treasury Minute Book XII, pp. 81–2.
Dec. 17, forenoon. Cockpit, Treasury Chambers.	Present: Chancellor Boyle; Mr. Hill; Mr. Pelham.
	Direct the Customs Commissioners to receive this day from the new East India Company the full sum of all the Customs and other Duties for their goods imported in the ships Tankerville and Panther without any regard to the 4½ per cent. discount or the interest demanded out of the same: which [matter of discount] the Gentlemen of that Company have left to the consideration [and decision] of my Lords.
	Send their paper to the Customs Commissioners to consider and to advise with the Attorney or Solicitor General and to come prepared with their opinion on Monday next.
	Write to the Agent of Taxes to be here on Monday morning. Ibid., p. 83.
Dec. 22, forenoon.	Present: ut supra.
	Direct that the arrear to clear the Treasurer of the Chamber to Midsummer 1700 be paid next after the sum ordered to the Household.
	[Order for] 200l. to Mr. Verrio for the painting at Hampton Court: on account.
	Desire the Bank to lend 10,000l. on the 3,700l. a week.
	Issue out of the same [10,000l. as above] 7,600l. to the Earl of Ranelagh for the subsistence of the Forces in Holland.
	Order for the issue of 5,344l. 5s. 5d.: by tallies on the Low Wines: for the offreckonings of the 12 Battalions in Holland for 4 months ended Sept. 30 last.
	Desire the Bank, if they can conveniently, to lend 10,000l. more on the same [3,700l. per week] fund: for seamen's wages.
	Write to the Commissioners of Trade that their letter is read to my Lords and that my Lords have no objection but that the person that furnishes the cloths for the four Companies in New York may receive from the Earl of Ranelagh the offreckonings of those Companies (reserving sufficient to discharge the clothing already furnished) till the said new clothing be fully paid for.
	Sir John Conyers has leave to go into the country for a fortnight and then will pay in his proportion. Mr. Price will be here this day week and pay his share. Write to the Agents for Taxes not to take forth any process in the meantime.
	Shut the doors to-morrow morning [when my Lords will sit] to hear pensions at 9 of the clock.
	[Order for the issue] to the Treasurer of the Chamber of 375l. for the Daily Alms. Treasury Minute Book XIII, p. 84.
Dec. 22, afternoon.	Present: Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Hill, Mr. Pelham.
	Write to Lancelot Burton to bring an account of the whole debt to the Household to Xmas 1701 and to distinguish how much is due for the half years ended at Xmas 1700 and Midsummer 1701 severally.
	The letter for Sir John Conyers and Mr. Price is read and approved.
	[Order for] 150l. more to be paid for transcribing the Journals.
	The Customs Commissioners are called in: their papers are read: minutes [are endorsed] on them.
	Write to the [Principal] Officers of Ordnance to be here to-morrow morning. Ibid., p. 85.
Dec. 23, forenoon.	Present: ut supra.
	Prepare an order to the Auditors to state and make up all accounts according to the course of the Exchequer and their duty as auditors without allowing or making any claims or cravings on behalf of the accountants or making any allowances not warranted by the course of the Exchequer to be made by the auditors; and if the accountants have any equitable cravings after their accounts are declared they may make application to this Board.
	Write to Sir John Parsons to pay the balance of his account into the Exchequer. Ibid., p. 86.
Dec. 29, forenoon.	Present: ut supra.
	The counterfeit letter in the name of William Lowndes directed to the Corporation of Yarmouth which was sent up by [Mr.] B. England to H. Ballow is communicated to the Board by Mr. Lowndes. Ordered that it be sent back to Mr. England and desire him to proseprosecute the offenders according to law. The letter concerns Pratt and Lacon who have a deputation from the Lottery Farmers.
	Write to the Agents for Taxes to forbear taking forth any process for 14 days upon the warrant against Mason and his sureties.
	Issue to the Navy Treasurer 6,000l. for arrears of wages and recalls and 5,000l. for wages to ships. Ibid., p. 87.
Dec. 31, forenoon.	Present: Mr. Hill; Mr. Pelham.
	Sir Thomas Cook et al complain that the Customs Commissioners refuse to suffer their [the complainants'] goods (which are not to be consumed in England) to be lodged in their own warehouse under several locks and keys, and that the said Commissioners (though complainants have paid their Duties as promised) do threaten to sue their bonds.
	Write to the said Commissioners to be here on Friday afternoon.
	The new Commission of the Treasury [was read] bearing a teste dated the 30th inst and constituting Charles, Earl of Carlisle, Sir Stephen Fox, H. Boyle, Richard Hill and Thomas Pelham as Treasury Lords. Ibid., p. 88.