House of Commons Journal Volume 12: 5 January 1698

Mercurii, 5 die Januarii;

Nono Gulielmi Tertii.

Prayers.

Guibon's Estate.

SIR Henry Hobart reported from the Committee to whom the Bill to enable Sir Francis Guibon, and Dame Isabella his Wife, and their Trustees, to sell the Manor of Avenalls, and other Lands in or near Gunthorp, in the County of Norfolk; and for settling other Lands in lieu thereof; was committed, That they had examined and considered the same, and had made some Amendments thereunto; which they had directed him to report to the House; and which he read in his Place, with the Coherence; and afterwards delivered in at the Clerk's Table: Where the same were once read thoughout; and then a Second time, one by one; and, upon the Question, severally put thereupon, agreed unto by the House.

Ordered, That the Bill, with the Amendments, be ingrossed.

Bampfield's Estate.

Ordered, That Leave be given to bring in a Bill to vest a Power in the Trustees of Sir Coppleston Warwick Bampfield Baronet, an Infant, to make Leases of his Estate during his Minority.

Grantham Election.

A Petition of several of the Inhabitants of the Borough of Grantham in the County of Lincolne was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That a Writ issuing for chusing a Member to serve in this present Parliament for the said Borough, in the room of Sir John Brownlow deceased, Sir John Thorold spent Money at the said Election, contrary to a late Act of Parliament to prevent Expences; and by bringing Strangers to vote, who never were admitted, their Claim being under Pretence of a late Charter made by the late King James, which he also revoked; and by other undue Means; the said Sir John Thorold hath unjustly procured himself to be returned for the said Borough: And praying Relief therein.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee of Privileges and Elections: And that they do examine the Matter thereof; and report the same, with their Opinion therein, to the House.

Duties on Leather.

A Petition of the Master, Wardens, and the whole Society and Fraternity, of Skinners and Glovers, within the City of Gloucester, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners Trades are very much lessened since there has been a Duty laid upon Leather, which they are not able to pay; and, unless they be speedily relieved, they, and their Families, will be brought to great Want: And praying, That the Duty upon Leather may be taken off.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee, to whom the Petition of the Aldermen, Stewards, and Company of Fell-mongers, Leather-dressers, and Glovers, in the City of Chester, is referred: And that they do examine the Matter thereof; and report the same, with their Opinion therein, to the House.

False indorsing Exchequer Bills.

Mr. Lowndes, according to Order, presented to the House several Papers, relating to the Examination, taken before the Lords of the Treasury, touching the false Indorsement of the Exchequer-Bills.

Ordered, That the said Papers do lie upon the Table, to be perused by the Members of the House.

Maesaeker's, &c. Nat.

A Message from the Lords, by Sir Miles Cook and Sir Richard Holford:

Mr. Speaker,

The Lords have passed a Bill, intituled, An Act for the Naturalization of Gerrard Maesacker and others: To which they desire the Concurrence of this House.

And then the Messengers withdrew.

Estimates and Accounts.

Mr. Norris, according to Order, reported from the select Committee, to whom the Examination of the States, Estimates and Accounts, which were presented to the House was referred, That they had examined and considered the Estimate of the Deficiencies of the last Year's Aids; and the Abstract of the Arrear due to the LandForces, Guards, and Garisons; and the Account of what remains due to several Regiments late under the Care of the Right Honourable Thomas Lord Coningsby and Charles Fox Esquire, to the Time they were placed on the English Establishment; and the Account of what is due to several Regiments, to be cleared of their Irish Arrears, till the last of March 1692; and had directed him to report the Matter, relating thereunto, to the House; which he read in his Place; and afterwards delivered in at the Clerk's Table.

Ordered, That the said Report be taken into Consideration To-morrow Morning.

False indorsing Exchequer Bills.

The House resumed the adjourned Debate of Yesterday, touching the ordering the Stay of any Prosecution at Law against Mr. Marriott.

Ordered, Nemine contradicente, That all Prosecutions at Law against Mr. Reginald Marriott, in relation to the false Indorsement of Exchequer-Bills, be staid during the Pleasure of this House.

Preventing correspondence with late King James.

A Message from the Lords, by Sir Miles Cook and Sir Richard Holford:

Mr. Speaker, The Lords have agreed to the Bill, intituled, An Act against corresponding with the late King James, and his Adherents, with some Amendments: To which Amendments they desire the Concurrence of this House.

And then the Messengers withdrew.

Ordered, That the said Amendments be taken into Consideration To-morrow at Twelve a Clock.

A Member discharged from custody.

Ordered, That Mr. Tanner, in Custody of the Serjeant at Arms attending this House, for absenting himself from his Service in Parliament, be discharged out of Custody, paying his Fees.

False indorsing Exchequer Bills.

The House being informed, That Mr. Burton was in the Custody of the Serjeant at Arms;

Ordered, That the Serjeant do bring Mr. Marriott and Mr. Burton to this House.

Then the Minutes of the Treasury of the 1st of November last, and Mr. Burton's Confession therein, were read; and are as follow; viz.

Treasury-Chambers, 1st November 1697. Forenoon.

Present.

Mr. Pelham,

Mr. Burton confesses, He did pass the Bills for 1,700l. on Excise; but that he applied more of his own Money to the Excise, to compensate That, for Payment of the Salaries and Incidents there: And said the Bills for this 1,700l. is the Whole did pass the Excise irregularly; and that 10 of them for 1,000l. are taken up by him, that they should not appear.

Pelham. Who indorsed them?

Burton, I desire to take it on myself: It was done in the Office by Direction.

Littleton. Did any of the Commissioners of Excise know of this?

Burton. The Commissioners of Excise knew nothing of this.

They withdraw, except Burton.

Mr. Chancellor. I am sorry for this, which will be a Blemish upon you; and, at the same time, I would have you speak sincerely all you know of this Thing.

Burton. I have resolved to do so. As to this Part, it was done but lately: As to the First Part, the Account I gave your Lordships of the Value of 6,000l. that was done, was a true Account; but I have heard since, Marriott has said it was 10 or 12,000l.; and I must abide by that. I undertook for several Gentlemen, to make good their Subscriptions with half the whole Money subscribed; but I have been forced to discount, particularly by Levi, these individual Bills I had out for those Subscriptions, to the Loss of 1,000l. to myself: The Persons that were the Subscribers had the Advantage, and I had the Loss: Indeed, my Lords, If the City-Money had been free, as I expected from the Chamberlain, I could have served those Gentlemen without this.

Mr. Chancellor. You talked of 6,000l. and now of more.

Burton. Marryott says now, That it is 10 or 12,000l: I did undertake to turn my Friends Subscriptions with half the Money; but I have lost 1,000l. by it, without bringing one Penny to their Account: I left Bills with Marryott, on Account, of the Value he was to have from Country-Receivers for me.

Mr. Smith. Did you not know what Marriott did?

Burton. I did not know it till the Latter-end; but I did intrust him at first; and said to him, For God's sake, let no more of this be done: And he promised there should not; but there was.

Smith. It is of mighty Consequence it should be known who was the Indorser; He that seems to be the common Indorser of the Bills?

Burton. I was wholly ignorant of the Signing, or putting any Hand to it: I never saw him do any: He never did it in the Office; but took them home with him, and did them there.

Littleton. Did you know of any other?

Burton. I never knew that it was done by Knight, or any-body there; only, when I saw a Bill, I knew Mr. Knight's Hand: I never saw one Indorsement signed by Marriott, or any other: Indeed I had a Suspicion of Marriott, and upon that, I questioned him; and he did own it; and I desired him to do no more: And I never gave him any more Bills after that; for then I acted by Levy, who transacted most of mine.

Littleton. When were those Bills of Excise done?

Burton. The Bills of Excise were done before Marriot and I broke off: I never made any Advantage; but as specifical Money came in for Excise, I always paid it into the Exchequer.

Mr. Chancellor. I think we have an Instance to the contrary: On the 7th July last, Story charges 7,000l. paid that Week to you from the Mint; and you paid half Money, half Bills, into the Exchequer; the Certificates are produced: But my Lords go off to the principal Matter.

Burton. This 1,700l. of which 700l. remains, is all that ever I did in my Life: The like may have been done by the Bill-Men: I have been afraid of that; and, as they receive Money, they may bring in Bills.

Pelham. Several of the Bills are indorsed with the same Hand for Excise, as was used for Mr. Knight's Bills at the Custom-house: Tho' not all, yet a considerable Number, are thus.

Burton. I have wondered at that; but it might be thus: Marriot taking Knight's Bills, as well as mine, from the Trustees, he might give one for the other; and likewise I might discount Knight's Bills, as he might do mine: And I do really think one of the Bills is Mr. William Knight's Hand.

Pelham. Of the suspicious Bills, Ten for One are done with one Hand-writing, the large Hand.

Burton. I was never privy to any of Mr. Knight's Doings; or where they were done, or how they were done.

Littleton. Yours was done by one of your own Clerks, in your Office?

Burton. Mine was done in my Office; but I furnished more of my own Money to the Excise: At Michaelmas the Commissioners sent to me, That there was no Specie in the Office: At that time I had Specie Bills for my 3½ per Cent. from the Bank, and I gave them my Bank Specie Bills, to pay their Salaries and Incidents. I do say, That I never did direct one Peny of the Specie Money to any Use, but the Service of the Office: If it did not come to the Exchequer, it went to the Service of the Office

False indorsing Exchequer Bills.

Littleton. If this Matter had not been inquired into, the whole 1,700l. whereof the 700l. is Part, had been, as the 700l. was, charged with the Trustees, to the King's Prejudice. And other Lords declared themselves of the same Opinion.

And the House being informed, That Mr. Burton and Mr. Marriott were brought to the House;

Mr. Burton was brought in to the Bar.

And the Information of Mr. Marriott, relating to him, was read.

Whereupon he prayed, That the same might be read, Paragraph by Paragraph, to him; and he would accordingly answer the same.

And then he withdrew.

Ordered, That the said Information be read, Paragraph by Paragraph, to Mr. Burton: And that he do give his Answer accordingly; and that the same be taken down by the Clerk.

Mr. Burton was again called in.

And the Information against him was read, Paragraph by Paragraph; and he gave his Answer to the same accordingly; and to several other Questions asked him, in relation to his Confession made before the Lords of the Treasury.

And then he withdrew.

Candles.

Ordered, That Candles be brought in.

And then were brought in accordingly.

Then Mr. Burton was called in again; and examined touching the Matters charged upon him.

And then he withdrew.

Resolved, That, there being Information given to this House against Mr. Bartholomew Burton, in relation to the false Indorsements of Exchequer-Bills, to which he not having given a satisfactory Answer, but having prevaricated with this House, the said Bartholomew Burton be committed Prisoner to the Prison of Newgate, during the Pleasure of this House: And that Mr. Speaker do issue his Warrants for that Purpose.

Ordered, That no Person be permitted to converse with the said Mr. Burton, by Letters or otherwise, without Leave from this House.

And then the House adjourned, till To-morrow Morning, Nine a Clock.