Minute Book: April 1699 | British History Online

Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 14, 1698-1699. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1934.

Citation:

'Minute Book: April 1699', in Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 14, 1698-1699, ed. William A Shaw( London, 1934), British History Online https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/cal-treasury-books/vol14/pp70-76 [accessed 24 November 2024].

April 1699



April 1, forenoon.	Present: Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir Stephen Fox, Mr. Smith.
	Mr. Presgrave (Mr. Clayton being present) says he delivered out to Mr. Peter Jones for Lord Normanby [Exchequer] Bills for 519l. and 625l.: he gave them to Jones to endorse but 'twas neglected: Jones had one parcel 4 April, the other 11 July: the interest to Jones was reckoned till the day the Bill was paid into the Excise Office. He has paid 9,000l. to Mr. Crumpton in the same manner.
	Mr. Wootten says he gave these Bills in payment on 28th September, 1698, as specie Bills, reckoning the interest from the day they were paid into the Excise Office. He says the mistake amounts but to 15l. 9s. 1d.
	Mr. Peter Jones says he came to the Exchequer for money on an order of Lord Normanby. Presgrave gave him Bills as specie Bills which he never lookt into but carried away, taking Presgrave's word. Jones says Presgrave never spoke to him to endorse them but gave them a paper with the sums and interest as they [the Bills] came from the Excise Office and he, Jones, gave Presgrave the odd money.
	Wootten says when they were brought home they were examined. The King loses the intermediate interest from the day [when they were] paid into the Excise Office to the day of [re]issuing the Bill at the Exchequer. Jones says he never lookt into the Bills.
	Wootten says the examination at his shop was lately and then they found there was an error. But this was since Mr. Clayton found this out. Mr. Wootten says on 29 September they paid them away and then computed the interest, of which he shows two lists in which the over-interest (that should have been saved to the King) is comprehended.
	[Write] to Mr. Palmes to be here on Monday morning.
	The Agents for Taxes [attend].
	Send the report about the [Army] clothing to the Earl of Ranelagh and desire him to issue and pay the fund in his hands accordingly. Treasury Minute Book Vol. XI, p. 96.
April 3, forenoon.	Present: ut supra.
	The pacquet for Col. Nicholson (his letter being read) is to be sent to the Customs Commissioners and when their observations [thereupon] are received, make an answer to Col. Nicholson.
	[Ordered that] 794l. 17s. 9d. for transporting 1,100 men from Chester, Bideford and Bristol to Ireland is to be paid out of the money in the Earl of Ranelagh's hands for disbanding the Army.
	[Order for] 2,530l. for half a year's salary to the [Exchequer Bills] Circulating Office: to be paid out of Civil List money [in the Exchequer].
	[Write to the Exchequer] a letter for issuing 13,440l. to Mr. Herne to buy [Exchequer] Bills [which are] to be cancelled.
	[Write] to the Ordnance [Officers] to be here next Thursday about the saltpetre to be served [into the Ordnance Stores] by the East India Company.
	The Receivers of the Two Millions [attend]. My Lords will allow them interest after the rate of 8 per cent. per an. for such money as they shall advance for the quarterly payments of the interest of the tallies levied on them bearing interest, to wit 340,000l. at 8 per cent. struck Sept. 17 last, and 17,000l. at 8 per cent. struck October 19 last, and 62,000l. at 6 per cent. struck October 24 last.
	[Order for] 3,000l. to be issued to Sir Theo. Jansen out of the Civil List money [in the Exchequer], to wit, 2,000l. for the fourth and fifth payments of the King's subscription [to the Two Millions] and 1,000l. from the third and fourth payments [of the like but separate subscriptions] towards carrying on the [East Indian] trade.
	[Write] to the Navy Commissioners to be here on Wednesday next about the officers on half pay.
	Mr. Palmes [attends]. My Lords order Mr. Peters' papers to be referred to Mr. Twitty. Ibid., p. 97.
April 5, afternoon. Kensington.	Present: the King, Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir Stephen Fox, Mr. Smith.
	[Order for] 1,000l. upon the [royal] brief [for collections] for the French Protestants, to be paid to the direction of the Archbishop of Canterbury.
	[Ordered that the] 8,201l. 12s. 0d. in the Earl of Ranelagh's memorial for 14 days' subsistence for the Forces [mentioned] in the King's Proclamation is to be paid out of the money in the said Earl's hands of the loans on the Disbanding Act.
	Mr. Blathwayt is to state the case as to the clothing.
	[Order for] a warrant to the Lords Justices to give warrant for payment of 800l. to such person as they think fit upon account, to be distributed as they shall direct to the disbanded soldiers of the Foreign Troops lately in Ireland that are desirous to transport themselves to foreign parts.
	[Order for] Lord Lincoln [to have] 200l.
	John Peters' petition is read. The King thinks he ought not to be restored.
	[Order for] 300l. to Mr. Stepney for extraordinaries: to be paid out of secret service [money].
	Mr. Killigrew [his petition is read]: nothing [granted].
	Mary Mohun's petition [is read and] granted. Ibid., p. 98.
April 6, forenoon. Treasury Chambers, Cockpit.	Present: Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir Stephen Fox, Mr. Smith.
	Sir Stephen Fox desires the supersedeas for Mr. Brawne may go and [undertakes] that, he, Sir Stephen will see that the costs shall be paid.
	[Write] to the old East India Company desiring some of their members to be here on Wednesday morning about the business of the saltpetre. [Write] to the [Principal] Officers of the Ordnance to be here then about the same.
	The Customs Commissioners [attend].
	[Write] to the [Stamps] Commissioners and Comptroller of the Stamp Office to attend on Friday in Easter week.
	[Order for] Mr. Killigrew to have 60l. out of which he is to pay Mr. Tailor 40l. he borrowed. (In the margin: paid).
	[Order for] Mris. Denys (Dennis) to have 10l. if she will promise never to trouble the [Treasury] Office any more. Ibid., p. 99.
April 12, forenoon.	Present: Sir Stephen Fox, Mr. Smith.
	[The Principal] Officers of the Ordnance [attend] and the gentlemen of the old East India Company. The Officers are willing to take 300 tons of saltpetre of the Company which was agreed for in Oct. 1696, which comes to 13,550l. at 45s. per hundred[weight] the rate in time of war; or to 11,550l. at 38l. 10s. 0d. per ton, the rate in time of peace. The gentlemen say if the bargain be not made for [ready] money they must acquaint the General Court before they conclude. They say the Company paid freight for this peter in time of war.
	My Lords offer them the Salt tallies with two years' interest due on them (which makes them as good as ready money) for the 13,500l. The Officers of the Ordnance are to give them a list of their Salt tallies to the said value.
	[Write] a letter to the Earl of Romney [Master of the Ordnance] to acquaint him with the substance of this minute and to direct the officers to execute this agreement with the Company. Treasury Minute Book Vol XI, p. 100.
April 14, forenoon.	Present: Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir Stephen Fox.
	[Order for] 20l. to the Sub Dean [of the Chapel Royal] for burying Col. Eubank.
	[Order for] 610l. 11s. 6½d. of the money of the 21 pence per barrel Excise to be issued to the Navy Treasurer for such uses as my Lords shall particularly direct. Out of this sum, direct 20l. to be paid to Lieut. Tho. Needler.
	Mr. Pelham comes in.
	Memorandum: to speak to the gentlemen of the new East India Company to give credit to Capt. Warren for any sums not exceeding 1,000l. in the Indies for contingents of the ships under his command and that he draw bills on the Navy Board for so much [such credit] as shall be taken and care will be taken [by my Lords] to answer such bills.
	[Write] a letter to the [said] Directors to come on Tuesday morning.
	[Ordered that] 6,108l. 15s. 2½d. out of the loans in the Exchequer on the Land Tax is to be paid to the Navy for the Victuallers to clear a bill of exchange of 10,000l. drawn by Admiral Aylmer for the victuals supplied in the Straits "whilst it was managed by him."
	[Order for] 500l. [as royal] bounty to the Earl of Oxford. A sign manual to be prepared.
	Count Dona's business to be heard this day fortnight.
	Desire Mr. Speaker [of the House of Commons] to be here on Tuesday afternoon.
	[Write] to the Stamp Office Commissioners to be here on Tuesday morning. Ibid., p. 101.
April 18.	Present: Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir Stephen Fox, Mr. Smith, Mr. Pelham.
	Mr. Colt to tarry till Monday.
	The cause concerning Lord Bophin and Mr. Pendarvis is to be heard this day six weeks.
	Thomas Pistoll and William Walter to be landcarriagemen in the two vacancies [London port].
	Major Holmes's paper [is] to be carried to [the King at] Kensington.
	My Lords will hear Mr. Spendelow and Mr. Green on Thursday morning. Notice to be immediately sent to Mr. Green.
	[Order for the issue of] 50,000l. to the Treasurer of the Navy for wages; out of loans on the Disbanding Act.
	[likewise for the issue to same of] 1,000l. out of the like loans; to be for contingents to Warren's squadron. Ibid., p. 102.
April 19, afternoon.	Present: Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir Stephen Fox, Mr. Smith.
	Capt. Benet to have 50l. in part of what is due to him: out of the sum reserved in the Navy Treasurer's hands.
	[Order for] 20l. to be paid (as the bishop of London shall direct) for a minister going to the West Indies.
	[Write] to Mr. Hutcheson to be here to-morrow morning. Ibid., p. 103.
April 21, forenoon.	Present: Sir Stephen Fox.
	Count Dona's business is put off till Tuesday next.
	John Thorne to be tidesman [London port] in the next vacancy.
	[Order for] a warrant to repeal the dormant warrants for pensions and any other Civil List payments [charged] on the Customs.
	Mr. Shales and Mr. Maryot to attend on Wednesday morning about the pensions payable out of the [Crown Land] revenues of Lancashire and other counties.
	Spendelow and Green [attend]. The Attorney General, for Spendelow, desires a warrant for a commission out of Chancery to find of record a debt of 1,000l. of the King's money which Spendelow put into the hands of Thomas and Samuel Woodward. Mr. Atcherley, of the same side, desires the same thing because it is vacation time and they cannot have process of the Exchequer till [after the beginning of the] term.
	Mr. Tullie for Green says their debt is 2,841l. 5s. 3d. for the King's money put by Green into the hands of the Woodwards.
	Green has found inquisitions and has taken their goods and lands. My Lords cannot interpose.
	The Commissioners of the Stamp Office [attend] with Mr. Pawling the Comptroller [of said Office].
	Ordered that the Comptroller's clerks have the salary which the King allows; that Mr. Pawling shall keep three clerks and no more at 300l. a year for himself and 50l. for each of the three clerks, from Lady day last.
	[Order for] Mr. Killigrew to have 25l.; but to be told my Lords can furnish no more without the King's positive direction. Ibid., p. 104.
April 25, forenoon.	Present: Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir Stephen Fox, Mr. Smith, Mr. Pelham.
	Upon reading the Earl of Ranelagh's report concerning Captain William Elwes [it is ordered that] a moiety of his [Elwes] half pay is to be received by him accordingly.
	[Order for] 8,496l. 6s. 6d. to be issued to the Earl of Ranelagh out of loans in the Exchequer on the Disbanding Act: to be to clear the allowance of half pay to the disbanded officers to 1698 Dec. 31 according to the article in the Earl's [weekly] memorial [for money for the Forces].
	Write to the Customs Commissioners to attend on Friday afternoon about the wool business. Mr. Hen. Baker to be here then.
	[Order for] 50,000l. to be issued to the Navy Treasurer for wages to ships: out of loans on the Disbanding Act.
	The Trustees for Circulating Exchequer Bills are called in. My Lords are willing to continue the loan of 60,000l. which the Trustees advance for circulating the said Bills for six months longer upon the terms formerly agreed to.
	The account of the [proceeds of the] Duties on Hawkers and Pedlars to 1698 June 24 is to be referred to Auditor Bridges. Treasury Minute Book Vol. XI, p. 105.
April 26, forenoon.	Present: Sir Stephen Fox, Mr. Smith.
	The Agents [for Taxes] come in. Write to Mr. Whitley to be here this day fortnight without fail, with all the money in his hands.
	The like letter to Mr. Briggs and Mr. Blofield: the like to Mr. Mason.
	[Ordered that] 100l. on the [Taxes] Agents' warrant for incidents be paid out of the Civil List money [in the Exchequer].
	The Chancellor of the Exchequer comes in.
	Mr. Cocks and Mr. John Dutton Colt [attend]. Mr. Cocks shews a note (which Mr. Colt believes to be his hand) importing that on 19 Oct. 1696 Mr. Colt stood indebted to Daniel Ballard 1,254l. 3s. 3d. and 500l., which sums he was to pay to Ballard on demand.
	Mr. Colt says Ballard gave him a bond in 1690 and 1691 for 2,000l. and upon his making over that bond (wherein clothiers are sureties) Colt was to be allowed 2,000l.; that the bond is ass[ign]ed but the 2,000l. is not yet allowed. When Ballard absconded, Colt with Ballard's clerk looked over his books and in the 10 years' account Colt found himself indebted to Ballard about 1,000l. which he instantly paid to make good the cash to the King.
	Mr. Cocks says Mr. Colt has extended Ballard's goods for about 1,200l. Mr. Colt says if he had not applied the said 1,000l. to the King's cash, Ballard would have owed above 4,000l. to the King's cash and that Ballard has purchased a glass house for 710l. out of the King's money and that it was at Michaelmas 1696 that he, Mr. Colt, gave order that Ballard should receive no more cash.
	My Lords think this matter ought to be better explained to them and do desire that Mr. Cocks will attend again with Mr. Colt on Friday afternoon next when the Customs Commissioners will be here likewise; and that he will endeavour to get Mr. Ballard to attend at the same time. Ibid., p. 106.
eodem die, afternoon. Kensington.	Present: the King, Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir Stephen Fox, Mr. Smith, Mr. Pelham.
	The Earl of Ranelagh's memorial is read, he and Mr. Blathwayt being present. Ordered that there be issued to the Earl as follows out of loans in the Exchequer on the Land Tax: viz.
		£	s.	d.
	for two weeks' subsistence to May 7 next for the Troops in the King's Proclamation	8201	12	0
	for six weeks' subsistence to the same date to the Regiment of Fusiliers at Jersey and Guernsey	904	15	0
	for ditto to Col. Collingwood's Regiment in the West Indies	898	19	6
	for ditto to four Companies of Invalids	681	16	0
	for support of the Royal Hospital	900
	for the Commissioners of the Musters	135	16	0
	for the arrear of subsistence due to the Garrisons to Dec. 31 last	3677	14	3
	for one year to the Constable and Lieutenant of Dover Castle to 1699 March 25	210
	for the widows of officers killed [in service] as by the King's warrant	500
		£16110	12	9
	The Earl of Ranelagh and Mr. Blathwayt are to report to the King what will be necessary "for clothing of the soldiers of the 7,000 men and for enabling the Officers of the Guards in their clothing."
	[Write] a letter to [the Lords Justices] Ireland signifying the King's pleasure that the guineas sent thither to pay the Forces disbanded there be issued at 26s. apiece [being the same rate] as guineas are current there at this time.
	Miremont's Dragoons are to be paid the value of their horses sold by Mr. Hill in Flanders. Mr. Blathwayt will prepare a letter for this.
	[Order for a royal warrant for] 30l. a year for breeding Lord Sturton's young kinsman, a Protestant, [to be payable] from Lady day 1698: to be paid to Mris. Stourton. Ibid., p. 107.
April 28, forenoon. Treasury Chambers, Cockpit.	Present: Sir Stephen Fox, Mr. Smith, Mr. Pelham.
	A letter to be sent to the Exchequer importing that the Duchess of Buckingham since the Duke's decease has received 9,840l. and that memorandums be made thereof [in the books of the Exchequer so] that the said sum, when the next payment is made to her, be deducted out of the arrear of 45,312l. on the Duke's pension of 2,500l. per an.
	The Chancellor of the Exchequer comes in. Ibid., p. 108.
eodem die, afternoon.	Present: all the five Lords.
	Mr. Cocks and Mr. Colt come in with the Customs Commissioners and Mr. Ballard.
	Ballard says the 500l. (mentioned in the note) is due to him from Colt.
	Mr. Colt says there are proceedings [afoot] in the Exchequer and the case will be tried next term.
	Ballard says the money in the note was so much Mr. Colt took out of the King's cash which Ballard was liable to.
	Colt says he did not remember his note till Mr. Cocks showed it him about a month ago and he had sworn so in the Exchequer.
	Ballard says in his account which Mr. Colt seized the 1,254l. 3s. 3d. was contained. He says 355l. is part of the 1,254l.; which 355l. is part of the money employed to buy the glass house share; so, deducting that, Mr. Colt is debtor to him, Ballard, for the rest.
	Colt says Ballard has conveyed away the glass house there to others.
	Mr. Cocks says Colt at first denied the note; afterwards he said he would pay the money on [their] producing the note.
	Mr. Colt denies this. He says that 1,300l. and odd pounds of this money is by him charged to the King and the rest was for the glass house share.
	Ballard says the note for 500l. was amongst his papers seized by Colt.
	Colt says he answered the money in the note by 1,000l. before the inquisition and 300l. and odd pounds since the discourse between him and Cocks; the rest was the glass house money.
	Mr. Ballard says Mr. Colt ordered mo[ney] to meet him at Knightsbridge, clipt money of Mr. Carswell of Knightsbridge and clipt money of Sir H. Colt: that he, Ballard, had 100l. for taking clipt money and paid Mr. Colt 50l.
	Mr. Hendley will take with him an able officer and Mr. Ballard will go with them to Bristol to examine these accounts and report to my Lords such matters as he shall find in them.
	Mr. Ballard says Mr. Colt was an insurer in the name of another; Ballard paid money for him on that account: and that he [Colt] traded in melasses and other things.
	Mr. Colt denies this.
	Ballard says Colt traded with Baker and Lansdowne in trading to France in the time of war, particularly taking in wines at Bordeaux, carrying them to St. Sebastian and from thence they were to come home; but the ship was cast away.
	The Customs Commissioners and Mr. Hen. Baker [attend]. Mr. Baker's scheme for preventing the exportation of wool is read; and the Commissioners' last report. Treasury Minute Book Vol. XI, p. 108–9.