Pages 466-470
Analytical Index to the Series of Records Known as the Remembrancia 1579-1664. Originally published by EJ Francis, London, 1878.
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Ship Money.
VI. 118. Letter from the Lords of the Council to the Lord
Mayor and Court of Aldermen. They were informed that divers
foreigners, dwelling within the City and Liberties, had not paid the
moneys at which they were assessed towards the charges of the ships
lately furnished for the King's service, as though they were exempted
from such charges, being Non-freemen. They required the Court of
Aldermen to call upon them to pay such moneys without further
delay, and in the event of refusal to certify their answers to the
Council. If, however, any of them were noblemen or Privy Councillors, they were not to be troubled with any such demand.
Whitehall, 29th January, 1626.
VII. 51. Petition of the Mayor, Commonalty, and Citizens of the
City of London to the King. By letters of the Privy Council of the
4th August, 1626, the City had been required to set forth twenty of
the best ships in the Thames, fully furnished and victualled for three
months, for the defence of the realm, and by a second letter of the
8th August, 1626, had been required to perform the same on their
allegiance. By Act of Common Council the Petitioners had enacted
that the charge should be borne by the inhabitants of the City. The
ships had been accordingly furnished, and they had been forced to disburse large sums of orphans' money out of the Chamber, expecting
to be forthwith reimbursed by the Citizens. Divers persons, out of
opposition to that service, would not contribute, and had been distrained upon for non-payment, and vexed and molested the constables
and officers with suits at Common Law, who in defence were forced to
plead long pleas, which were very chargeable and troublesome both
to them and the City. The Petitioners therefore prayed that some
course might be taken for freeing the officers from such suits, and for
reimbursing the Chamber by those who were assessed.
(Circa1630.)
VII. 52. Order of the King in Council, referring the foregoing
Petition to the Lord Keeper, (fn. 1) and the Lord Privy Seal, (fn. 2) to advise
such a course as they should think fittest for the relief of the
Petitioners.
Whitehall, 5th November, 1630.
VII. 132. Order in Council, requiring the Recorder to attend the
King and Council every Sunday afternoon, to give an account of the
proceedings concerning the business of shipping, (fn. 3) within the City of
London, till the work should be perfected.
Whitehall, 14th December, 1634.
VII. 169. Order of the King in Council, directing that the
Recorder and the Sheriffs should attend the Council every Sunday to
give a weekly account of their proceedings touching the shipping to
be sent forth by the City this present year for the King's service.
Whitehall, 14th February, 1635.
VII. 170. Order in Council, reciting that the Recorder, some of
the Aldermen, and the Sheriffs of the City, had attended the Board,
with an account of their proceedings in levying and collecting the
moneys assessed for the setting out of shipping, and had also stated
that divers persons not only gave dilatory answers, but refused to
make payments, and that, as the King would not suffer such undutiful
courses to be practised by any, he had commanded the Sheriffs and
Officers of the City to enter the houses of such persons, take their
goods in distress, and sell them for satisfying the sums assessed upon
them.
Whitehall, 21st February, 1635.
VII. 179. Warrant from the Lords of the Council to Reignold
Gunnell, one of the messengers of His Majesty's Chamber, directing
him to repair to the places of abode of the persons named in the
Schedule annexed, under the hand of the Clerk of the Council, who,
being formerly resident in the City and Liberties, had not paid the
assessments of Ship Money, and who, though summoned by Warrant
to appear before the Council, had not attended, and to demand of
them the money, and, if received, to deliver it to the Lord Mayor
and Sheriffs; to take into custody any who refused to pay, and bring
them without delay before the Council. The Warrant also recites that
a further Schedule will be furnished to him by the Lord Mayor of the
names of other persons who had left London without paying, and had
left nothing whereon to levy, and directs him to take similar steps to
obtain the money, and in default to summon them to appear before
the Council.
Whitehall, 30th April, 1636.
(The Schedule of names is not given.)
VII. 189. Report from the Judges to the King upon the case and
question signed by him, and enclosed in his letter concerning Ship
Money. The opinion states that when the good and safety of the
kingdom in general is concerned, and the whole kingdom in danger,
His Majesty may, by Writ under the Great Seal of England, command all his subjects at their charge to provide and furnish such
number of ships with men, victual and munition, and for such time as
he shall think fit for the defence and safeguard of the kingdom, and
that by law he might compel the doing thereof in case of refusal or
refractiousness. That in such case His Majesty was the sole judge
both of the danger and when and how it was to be prevented and
avoided.
Dated 7th February, 1636.
Copies of the signatures of twelve Judges are appended:—
John Bramston, John Finch, Hum. Davenport, John Denham, Ric. Hutton, Wm. Jones, Geo. Croke, Tho. Trevor, Geo. Vernon, Ro. Berkley, He. Crawley, Ric. Weston. (fn. 4)
VIII. 140. Letter from the Lords of the Council to the Lord
Mayor, Commonalty, and Citizens of the City of London, Lords of
the Manor of the Borough of Southwark, forwarding a Writ of His
Majesty, in which, being no less than for the honour and safety both
of the King and kingdom, and the securing and clearing of commerce,
His Majesty required their utmost diligence; and directing them to
appoint a place of meeting with the others nominated in the same
Writ, and go on with the work according to the tenour thereof.
In the assessment they should take care to proceed equally and
indifferently.
31st October, 1634.
Note.— The Writ is not entered, but the marginal note is as follows:—"Letter from the Lords for executing His Majesty's writ for providing a ship within Southwark."
VIII. 141. Letter from the Lords of the Council to the Lord
Mayor, Commonalty, Citizens, and Sheriffs of the City of London, in
similar terms to the preceding Letter.
31st October, 1634.
Marginal note.—"Letter from the Lords for execution of His Majesty's writ for providing of ships within London."
VIII. 194. Order in Council, upon complaint of the Lord Mayor
that the inhabitants of the Liberty of St. Martin's-le-Grand delayed to
pay their assesment for Ship Money to the City as they had formerly
done, pretending they were a Liberty apart from the City. The Order
directs the inhabitants to pay not only the 100l. set upon them this
year by the City, but also hereafter all other assessments rated by the
Lord Mayor and Sheriffs for shipping, to the said City and not elsewhere; and authorizes the Sheriffs, in case of refusal, to enter the
Liberty, and there to assess and levy what they should be rated to
pay towards the business of shipping.
3rd September, 1637.
VIII. 201. Warrant from the Star Chamber "To., one of
the messengers of His Majesty's Chamber," to the same effect as
No. 179, Vol. VII.
17th November, 1637.
VIII. 209. Order in Council, directing the Lord Mayor and
Sheriffs, and their officers, to observe the several directions given to
the Sheriffs of counties for enforcing the payment of Ship Money.
8th June, 1638.