out fees paid, which there being no man to prosecute, there can be no man likewife to pay, and fo the King loofeth his moiety, when his title appears by verdict. 3. It falleth out sometimes in informations of weight, and worthy to be profecuted, the Informer dyeth, or falls to poverty, or his mouth is stopped, and yet fo as no man can charge him with compofition, and fo the matter dyeth. 4. There be fundry feifures made, in cafe where the lawes give feifures, which are releafed by agreements underhand, and fo money wrefted from the subject, and no benefit to the King. All feifures once made ought not to be discharged, but by order of the Court, and therefore fome entry ought to be made of them. 3. The Officer in fuch cafe is to inform the King's learned Counsel, that they may profecute if they think fit. 4. The Officer is to take knowledge of fuch feifures, and to give information to the Court concerning them. This is of more difficulty, because feifures are matter in fact, whereas fuites are matter of record: and it may require moe perfons to be employed, as at the ports where is much abufe. There There be other points wherein the Officer may be of good ufe, which may be comprehended in his grant or inftructions, wherewith I will not now trouble your Majefty, for I hold thefe to be the principal. Thus have I according to your Majesty's reference certified my opinion of that part of Sir Stephen Proctor's projects, which concerneth penal lawes: which I do wholly and most humbly submit to your Majefty's high wisdom and judgement, wishing withal that fome conference may be had by Mr. Chancellor and the Barons, and the rest of the learned Counsel, to draw the fervice to a better perfection. And moft fpecially, that the travels therein taken may be confidered and difcerned of by the Lord Treasurer, whofe care and capacity is fuch, as he doth always either find or choose that which is best for your Majesty's fervice. The recompence unto the Gentleman, it is not my part to presume to touche, otherwise than to put your Majesty in remembrance of that proportion, which your Majefty is pleased to give to others out of the profits they bring in, and perhaps with a great deal leffe labour and charge. out fees paid, which t being no man to profe there can be no man 1 wife to pay, and fo King loofeth his moiwhen his title appears verdict. 3. It falleth out fo: times in informations weight, and worthy to profecuted, the Infor dyeth, or falls to pover or his mouth is stopp and yet so as no man charge him with comp tion, and fo the matter eth. 4. There be fundry fures made, in cafe w the lawes give feift. which are releafed b greements underhand, fo money wrested from subject, and no bene the King. All feifures once ought not to be dife but by order of th and therefore for ought to be mad projects, which conc wholly and maki wildom and judgment. ference may be had by and the rest of the lea to better perfection. therein taken ma by the Lord Treature. the doth &lways et for your Maely Te recompence unt graftme to tout of fmall effect, because that abatenivalent to that price which Spanish Goldsmith; but yet it may be ufed itate, being recoverable at his Ma is, concerning the exportation of rmer times, wherein we fell firft Eaft Indies, concerning which it r opinions anfwered by the Mery, that the filver which fupplies lly Spanish moneys, would not be i trade, fo that it fucks in as well d it was added likewife, that as tries manteined that trade in the little though our trade were difer which is exported immediately ld be drawn out of this Kingdom ly by the Dutch; and for the filnt, it was thought to be no great xportation, we saw no remedye he lawes, fpecially thofe of emne mitigation made agreeable to three remedies are of that nature, the causes of this scarcity. There of policies and meanes, directly Mynt. hereof was this; It is agreed that the eretofore fed the Mynt, principally money. This now comes into the but not into the Mynt. It was proation of fome prefident in France, that 378 A Certificate to the Lords of the Council, upon information given, touching the Scarcity of filver at the Mynt, and reference to the two Chancellors, and the King's Sollicitor. A It may please your Lordships, CCORDING unto your Lordships letters unto us directed, grounded upon the information, which his Majefty hath received concerning the fcarcity of filver at the Mynt, we have called before us as well the officers of the Mynt, as fome principal Merchants, and spent two whole afternoones in the examination of the bufinefs; wherein we kept this order, fifft to éxamine the fact, then the caufes, with the remedies. And for the fact, we directed the officers of the Mynt to give unto us a diftinguifhed accompt how much gold and filver hath yearly been brought into the Mynt, by the space of fix whole yeares laft paft, moré specially for the last three months fucceeding the laft proclamation touching the price of gold, to the end we mought by the fodainness of the fall, difcerne whether that proclamation mought be thought the efficient caufe of the prefent fcarcity; upon which accompt it appeares to us, that during the space of fix years aforefaid, there hath been still degrees of decay in quantity of the filver brought to the Mynt, but yet so, as within these last three months it hath growne far beyond the proportion of the former time, in fo much as there comes in now And yet notwithstanding it is fome little or none at all. opinion, |