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| 2 Dec. |
1. Representation of the Comrs for Stamps to the Lords of the Treasury, in relation to the division of the county of Somerset into a third district. The allowance to distributors being small, their security large, &c., have induced the Board to employ as few persons as possible for supplying the country, and in some parts to put several counties under one distribution, not only to make persons of substance and repute come readily into bonds to the Crown, but to prevent a necessary addition of clerks and officers at the head office, &c.
Stamp Office, Lincoln's Inn. 2 Dec. 1718.
Minuted:—“Read.” 1 page.
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| 5 Dec. |
2. Representation of the South Sea Company to the Lords of the Treasury, viz., that there are 150,000l. of general mortgage tallies, which will come in course of payment about Christmas next, and thereby occasion a very great deficiency in their fund, and deprive them of their usual weekly receipt, for at least three or four months to come. They will be under the greatest difficulty to answer the company's bonds, and other large demands upon them; besides the half yearly dividends, which will soon become due to the proprietors; pray that their Lps will find some other method to discharge the above tallies. South Sea House, 5 Dec. 1718. 1 page.
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| 6 & 8 Dec. |
3. Certificate that their remains unsatisfied upon the register for tin 35,735l. besides interest. Signed: “Halifax.” Exchequer, 6 Dec. 1718. Another memorandum from Dr Fauquiere on the same subject. 8 Dec. 1718. A few lines.
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[Before
9 Dec.] |
4. Petition of Thomas Robertson, merchant of Inverness, to the Lords of the Treasury. Proposes to grant a bond under such a penalty as their Lps may require, to assign to the Comrs of Customs of Edinburgh, his whole estate, to be kept by them until petitioner shall pay the sum that shall appear to have accrued to him by certain frauds; prays them to obtain his Majesty's permission therein.
“Rd 9th Decr.”
“2d Janry 1718. If the petitioner will offer such security to the Comrs Customes for refunding his share in the frauds committed at Inverness, as they shall approve of, and will make the discoverys to my Lords, promised in this petition, my Lords will move his Matie for his most gracious pardon. 1 page.
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| 13 Dec. |
5. London, 13 Dec. 1718. Account of what money was advanced by Sir John Lambert and Edward Gibbon on the tin in Hamburgh, and interest due on the same, what quantity of tin was disposed of, what received for the same, and what due on the loan.
Also an account of tin remaining in Holland, sent by Sir Theodore Jansen. 2 pages.
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| 6 Nov.–19 Dec. |
6. Four reports of Walter Chetwynd to the Lords of the Treasury on the examinations he had made into the pensions of various persons who were suspended from receiving them. Dated between 6 Nov. and 19 Dec. 1718.
The names of the persons are arranged alphabetically, and the individual cases are fully reported on. 28 pages.
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| 20 Dec. |
7. Petition of John Barton to the Lords of the Treasury, for a reference of his account to the late and present Surveyor-General, in order to the payment of the balance of 1,600l. and upwards due to him for work executed under Edward Wilcox, Esq., late Surveyor-General of his Majesty's Woods, Trent South, with a note of the reference to the officers mentioned on 20 Dec. 1718.
Also an account of all work done by him in the New Forest, at the Queen's house at Lyndhurst, in Hyde Park, at Whittlewood Forest, and at Windsor. 52 pages.
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| 22 Dec. |
8. Memorial of Colen Campbell and Benjamin Benson, officers of his Majesty's Works, to the Lords of the Treasury. Send some papers relating to the contract proposed for his Majesty's buildings. The Surveyor-General of H.M. Works acquainted the memorialists that the ordinary repairs of H.M. palaces should be fixed at a certain price, and by examination the sum that seemed most reasonable was 16,000l. per ann. By leaving out Somerset House, there was an abatement of 2,000l., and by other abatements the sum was reduced to 12,000l. Jackson, Barker, and Hues contracted for the repairs of the palaces for four years. They have now to see that the work is well done and to be paid for their pains. The master mason gives an instance of the cheating practiced, viz., that the clerk at Hampton Court had built a house for one of the workmen with H.M. stores, and then charged the house in the office books, by which means his Majesty paid twice for a building which he ought not to have paid for at all. Allude to other mal-practices. Memorialist Benson states that Mr. Chr. Tilson, at Hampton Court, has the possession of one of pavilions at that palace, upon which several considerable sums have been expended, partly by collusion with the Clerk of the Works, and partly by a greater authority. Also that abominable abuses have been discovered, such as making his Majesty pay double for workmen, false measuring, cutting the lead to pieces in Westminster Hall and both Houses of Parliament, stealing the lead at St. James's, bringing in bills for day-work, that do not appear, &c. 22 Dec. 1718.
Four other papers relating to the Office of Works, one of which is headed:—“Remarks on the conduct of Wm. Benson, Esqre, Surveyor of his Majesty's Works.” The first Article states: “That under specious pretences of saving money to his Majesty in the works & repairs of his palaces, he got Sr Chr. Wren turned out, and himself put into his place; his brother, lately come from a merchant in Holland, Clerk of the Works, in the room of Mr. Hawksmoor, to the palaces of Whitehall, &c., and his agent, Colen Campbell, chief clerk in the room of Mr. Wren”; and the sixth Articles states:—About this time the new Surveyor alarmed the King, Lords, and Commons, with the immediate and imminent danger of the falling of the House of Lords, Painted Chamber, Court of Requests &c., and by his own orders were set up shores and props, found and reported by the ablest builders and workmen to be more dangerous to the buildings than their own decay.
In the Minute Book, Vol. 22 p. 124, 23 Dec. 1718, is:—“The memorial of Benjn Benson, junr, & Colin Campbell, in answer to the depositions of Mr Huggins & the Master Mason is read.” 19 pages.
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| 22 Dec. |
9. Lord Lieut. of Ireland (Bolton) to the Lords of the Treasury. Has desired the Lords Justices to cause a particular account of the exceedings on the establishment for military contingencies to be made up, which he encloses. Dover St., 22 Dec. 1718.
Minuted:—“12th May 1718. Warrt sign'd.”
The account is not now with it. 1 page.
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| 24 Dec. |
10. Lords Justices to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. Enclose memorial presented to them by Col. Clement Nevill in behalf of several officers of Brigadier Munden's regiment of dragoons, giving an account of the misfortune they sustained by bad weather in their passage from Park Gate, by which they had several horses killed and disabled on board, &c. Sent for the captain of the yacht, who was at Park Gate when the horses were embarked. He thinks the masters of the transports were highly blameable in neglecting to go to sea when he did, the wind being then fair, with good weather, and the horses on board. Submit whether the matter should not be laid before the Comrs of Transports in England that they may stop the freight of the masters of the transports towards making good the damage. The revenue of this kingdom has fallen very much of late. Dublin Castle, 24 Dec. 1718.
The memorial referred to. 2 pages.
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| 24 Dec. |
11. Memorial of the Comrs for forfeitures in Scotland to the Lords of the Treasury. 2,367l. 9s. 8¾d. were due at Lady-day for incidents and salaries to their officers in Scotland, and 1,842l. 3s. 6½d. have become due on 24 September. Since the 28th of March only 1,800l. has been issued, leaving a balance of 2,409l. 13s. 3¼d. due. Pray their Lps to order 3,000l. to be paid to their Accountant-General, William Kennedy, Esq.
Minuted:—“17th Decr 1718. Prepare a warrt.”
Also an account of salaries and incident charges from 24 Sept. to 24 Dec. 1718. 3 pages.
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[? About
25 Dec.] |
12. An estimate of what will be wanting to satisfy the foreign ministers on their ordinary entertainments to Christmas 1718, and on their extraordinary allowances. The total was 10,343l. 10s. 1 page.
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| 26 Dec. |
13. Report of the Lords Justices of Ireland to the [Duke of Bolton ?], on a memorial of Wm. Ferris, Esq., about the mills and wears at Kilmainham, which he alleged were formerly in the possession of the Government steward for the use of the chief governor or governors of Ireland. Referred the memorial to the Comrs of Revenue and to the Solicitor-General, whose report of the 13th inst. they annex. Dublin Castle, 26 Dec. 1718.
United is an information preferred by the Attorney-General in the Court of Exchequer in 1673, for the recovery of the above mills and wears. “One Qr-Master Flood took the defence, and upon full evidence judgment was given for his Majesty.”
Also two reports and a further reference on the same subject, giving some particulars of the property from the time it was forfeited by McWey, an Irish papist, in the rebellion of 1641, till it was let to the miller who now has it, at 100l. rent per ann. 5 pages.
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| 29 Dec. |
14. R. Topham to the Rt. Hon. the Earl of Sunderland. Recommends Mr. Rowland again to his Lp's protection. During the heats of the last election several malicious informations were trumped up against him and carried to the office of the works; but they were entirely slighted by the Board. Mr Rowland desires to be heard to the charge before anything is determined to his prejudice. Windsor, Dec. 29, 1718. 1 page, quarto.
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| 13 Sept.–30 Dec. |
15. Various papers relating to the affairs of the Trustees for the Sale of the Forfeited Estates in Scotland, and more particularly to the claims before the Comrs of Enquiry in Scotland, set up by Robert Dundas, Solicitor-General for Scotland, on behalf of the Crown, to the single and life-rent escheats of the Earl Marshal and others attainted, whose estates became forfeited by their wilful disobedience in not “compearing” before the Court of Justiciary, upon the charges that were given them, pursuant to a clause of the Act made 1 Geo. I., entitled, An Act for Encouraging all Superiors, Vassals, &c., and who have since that time been attainted for high treason. Dated between 13 Sept. and 30 Dec. 1718.
The last paper is an “Accompt of the yearly values of the real estates (according to the surveys returned) of such of the attainted persons, whose life-rent escheats are acclaimed by the Solicitor-General on behalf of his Majesty.” 10 documents.
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| Dec. |
16. Several of the Patent Officers of the Works to Lord Sunderland, about abuses committed in the Office of Works. The late Comrs, under specious pretences of saving the Crown money, broke the ancient establishment, yet by great and unnecessary expenses, and large additional salaries, and travelling charges to themselves, putting their coachmen, footmen, and other men and maid servants on the list of day labourers, the quarterly accounts grew so high that they were ashamed or afraid to carry in one three-quarters' account to the Treasury, in all their three years' time, but postponed the tradesmen's just debts to the amount of about 50,000l., to the ruin of some, and loss of all the artists employed, whilst the paymaster and some other officers enriched themselves thereby. Criticise the new project of the surveyor, which will help him immediately to ready money, which he wants, and which will never be half employed as it ought, for the palaces are in such good repair as not to require near the annual sum [asked], “therefore, the three tools, the contractors, are commanded by the surveyor to assign the benefit of their contract to his brother Benson, Secretary to the Board, and Clerk of the Works of Whitehall, and to Mr Colen Campbell, the Surveyor's deputy, and chief clerk of the works, with a power of attorney to receive the 1,000l. monthly, but for the surveyor.” Are sure that the works would be cheaper and better done by the old method. Scotland Yard, December 1718. 2 pages.
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[? End of
1718.] |
17. Petition of Mr William Wishart, Principal of the College of Edinburgh, and William Elliot, Esq., executors of the late Sir James Wishart, knight, Admiral of the White, and Commander-in-Chief of his Majesty's ships in the Mediterranean in the year 1714, to the King. Sir James Wishart, about April 1714, expended 56l. 5s. to procure intelligence, and get into his hands an original contract of great importance concerning the trade of this nation. In July of the same year he expended 235l. 2s. 6d. in presents to the Dey and others of the government of Algiers, to facilitate his negotiations there. The Lords of the Admiralty declined to allow these articles. Prays his Majesty to order payment.
Letter of J. Wishart to the Principal Secretary of State (Sunderland), and copies of two others on the same subject. ? End of 1718. 5 pages.
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[? After
Dec.] |
18. Memorial of Sir John Anstruther, Surveyor-General and Master of H.M. Works in Scotland, to the Lords of the Treasury. H.M. palace of Holy Rood House has fallen into a ruinous condition for want of repairs since the Union. Memorialist had it surveyed in Nov. 1717, when it might have been repaired for 1,797l. 2s. 9d. The house is unprovided with water, which may be brought for 300l. more; a second survey in Dec. last shown that it would take 106l. more for repair of the roof, &c. The whole expense will be 2,681l. 4s. 1d., besides 300l. for the water. Prays that the sums may be issued to prevent the utter ruin of the house.
Encloses the second survey referred to. 2 pages.
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[Between
1714 and
1718.] |
19. The Lord Cornwallis's case. The Lords of the Treasury directed a lease of the site and demesnes of the Priory of St. Peter's, in Eye, and the manor of Eyehall to be passed to Lord Cornwallis for 31 years, at 300l. fine and the usual rents, but the Queen Dowager claims the site in the grant of her jointure. The Lord Cornwallis is likely to be put to great expense in defending the King's title, and desires the lease may be granted to him without fine, or that the fine may be moderated.
Minuted.—“Granted to bee respited as within.” 1 page.
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[Between
1714 and
1718.] |
20. Petition of Sir John Germain, Bart., to the Lords of H.M. Treasury. Has an annuity of 800l. per ann., payable out of the Receipt of the Exchequer, for which he has only one tally and order. Prays them to vacate the same, and to direct as many tallies and orders to be prepared in lieu thereof at 14l. each, as will amount to the full value.
Sir John Germain died in 1718. 1 page.
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21. “An abstract of the several supers set upon persons for services relating to the land forces in the accompts past before the auditors of his Maty's imprests, which remain to be accounted for.” [After 1717.] 3 pages, brief size.
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22. Petition for Mrs Margaret Territt to be continued on the list of poor pensioners, at 20l. per ann. She is a very great object of charity, and of a very good family.
[After Lord Torrington ceased to be a Lord of the Treasury (viz., 1717)].
Minuted:—“Agreed to 20li.” ½ page.
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23. “Sarah Coghlan, alias Crosbie's case in behalf of his Majesty.” A paper so headed, containing abstracts of an inquisition and other documents touching the case between 1638 and 1717, with a certificate at the end signed by Henry Singleton and two others, that they have perused the same, and are of opinion that his Majesty is entitled to whatever estate Sir John Crosbie was seised of, at the time of his attainder, and that the lands conveyed by Sir Walter Crosbie by his feoffment deed of 13 April 1630 (under which Sir John at the time of his attainder was entitled to an estate in tail male) were concealed from the Crown. [After 1717, the date of the last document referred to.] 6 pages.
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24. Observations on the Comrs of Customs' report on Mr Barnet's representation to the Treasury respecting the Custom House accounts. [After 1717.] 2½ pages.
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25. Clause proposed for an Act of Parliament for the Marine Officers' respits. Walter Whitfield, deceased, late Paymaster of the Marine regiments, computed that 6,798l. 0s. 1½d. were due to the officers of the Marine regiments. [? After 1717.]
Also copies of votes of the House of Commons in 1712 and 1713, connected with the same. 5 pages.
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26. Petition of William, late Lord Widdrington, Ralph Standish, John Dalton, John Thornton, William Shaftoe, Philip Hodshon, and Albert Hodshon for themselves and others, who were convicted of high treason, but had their lives and liberty given to them. Their estates were forfeited for the use of the public. Have been two years destitute. Pray that a Bill may be brought in to enable his Majesty to dispose of the estates for their benefit. [? About 1718.] 1 page.
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27. A paper docqueted:—“Notes on all the petic[i]ons and signatures brought in.” The documents referred to are petitions from the “wife of Rollo,” the Lady Paterson, and the wife of Lyndesay, the petition and Barons' report for Threpland, the petition and Attorney-General's report for Errington, the like for Standish, and three petitions, with a report from the Barons for Lady Kingstoun, Lady Elphinston, and Mrs. Carnegy. They relate to provisions out of the estates of their husbands. In addition to the notes on the above is added: “On the signatures of Ladys Nairn and Southesk, see particular notes;” and further: “Two more signatures are newly returned from Scotland for Lady Drummond, and the wife and children of Stirling, who, being in the same act as Lady Southesk, be pleased to be referred to the notes on her signature.”
With these are copies of several minutes, which will be found entered on the reports on these cases calendared for July of this year. 2¼ pages.
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28. Memorial to the Lords of the Treasury of the 122 French officers respited in Ireland from the 12th of August 1717, for the removal of their respits, as well as the oath required concerning their goods, after pensions have been given to them for their services, &c. Praying for a warrant to that effect. (French.) 1 page.
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29. Petition of William Hamilton, of Grange, First Commissary for the shire of Midlothian, and in the name of the noblemen and heritors of that shire and of the shires of East and West Lothians and Lanark. These counties, during the late Rebellion in Scotland, in 1715, furnished certain quotas of horsemen and carriages for the service of the train of artillery, &c., and have received no satisfaction. Relates the efforts made to obtain payment. Prays their Lps to take into their consideration the parts of Capt. Burrough's accounts, which relate to these charges, also his own case and that of Quartermaster Rigg. ? 1718. 1 page, brief size.
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30. A paper docqueted:—“S. S. Scheme” [South Sea Scheme.] The scheme is divided into nine separate items, and the first item is:—“That the present fund for the Lottery, 1710, be incorporated into the company's present fund, and both of them made equally subject to the payment of the company's present annuities of 500,000l. and 8,000l. per annum, as well as of the intended additional annuities of 125,000l. and 2,000l. per annum, preferable to all other payments or dispositions.” ? About 1718. 1 page.
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31. Certain memoranda laid before the Lords of the Treasury by [? the Paymaster-General] to show what was allowed to other paymasters, &c. after the expiration of their patents. ? About 1718. 1 page.
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32. Names taken at the Lord William Pawlett's office in the Exchequer, in order for a subscription towards a lottery for reducing Exchequer Bills, the tickets valued at 3l. per ticket in this account. (Draft.)
Also another similar list. 4¼ pages.
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33. A scheme for a more speedy collecting and better securing the moneys arising on the Land Tax in Great Britain, and for recovering the same without any charge to the Government.
[The proposal is to throw the collection on the Comrs of Excise]. ? 1718. 1¼ pages.
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34. Proposal for a considerable saving in several articles of the contingent expenses of the Civil List. ? 1718. 1¼ pages.
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35. A paper docqueted:—“Trea[su]rer Chamber. Debt. Midsr & Michas. qurs 1718.” Signed:—“J. Holbech.” 1 page.
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36. “Accot of interest due on sundry tallys of sol [to 25 Xber 1717], taken in by the Accompt-General of the Bank of England, for annuitys at the rate of 4 p. ct pr annum, according to an Act of Parliament in that behalf.” ? 1718. Signed:—“Jno Monteage, Accounta-Genll of the Bank of England.” 2 pages.
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37. An account of the salaries due to his Majesty's agents and other inferior officers belonging to the tin contract, from Midsummer to Christmas 1717. ? 1718.
Also an account of the officers of the Mint of the quantity of tin remaining in the Tower. Parts of 2 pages.
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38. A list of the names of governors, receivers, and deputy-auditors in the Plantations. Undated, but between 1718 and 1720. 1½ pages.
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39. A paper-covered book, having on the first page the word “Appendix.” It is divided under the following heads:—“No 1. Abstract of the accots of the stewarts or factors appointed by the Lords of Session upon the forfeited estates in Scotland, taken before the Comrs and Trustees for the said forfeited estates.” “No 2. Abstracts of severall surveys of the forfeited estates real, lying in Scotland, taken by the surveyor & his deputy upon the oathes of the severall tennts & possessors, &c., by ordr of the Cõmissioners & Trustees for the said forfeited estates in the year 1718, containing the particular rents, and the yearly values thereof.” [The names and rental of the properties are given at pp. 29 and 30.] “No 3. Octob. 15, 1718. The reasons for sustaining the claims of personal creditors of forfeiting persons, tho' the bonds and other vouchers of the debts were not upon record, before committing the treason; as the same were pled before, and humbly offered to the honoble Commissionrs and trustees of the forfeited estates in Scotland, in the case of the Governour and Company of the Bank of Scotland, their claim upon the estates of Southesque and Balnamoon, by the counsel for the said Governour and Company.” Undated, but ? 1718. 47 pages.
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