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<DATE>2015-01-14</DATE>
<RESPSTMT>
<NAME>Alexis Jakobson</NAME>
<RESP>MURP</RESP>
</RESPSTMT>
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<TEXT LANG="eng">
<FRONT>
<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="1" MS="y">
<P><HI>Lux in Tenebris.</HI> OR, A CLAVIS TO THE TREASURY IN Broad-Street.</P>
<P><HI>LONDON,</HI> Printed for <HI>Francis Tyton</HI> at the three Daggers in Fleet-Street, 1654.</P>
</DIV1>
</FRONT>
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="text">
<PB REF="2">
<PB N="1" REF="2">
<P>_COurteous Reader, The dolefulgroans, and heart piercing out-cries of our mother Nation, now travelling and ready to be delivered, to|gether with the &s;olemn publick invitations of our mo&s;t renowned Patriots, at pre&s;ent A&s;&s;embled together for her A&s;&s;i&s;tance and &s;ecurity, requiring every true born &s;on to contribute his tallent to her ayd and a&s;|&s;i&s;tance; I &s;hall endeavour, according to my duty, and the obli|gation that is upon me, in this the day of her trouble and angui&s;h, freely to offer up my poor mite, which I here dedicate and pre&s;ent to the Politick Arti&s;t, it being a &s;park of light to be applyed to his Chri&s;tal Globe, which will &s;o multiply it, that by the Raies thereof, he may be guided to the di&s;covery of the dark corners in and about the center of the Trea&s;ury in <HI>Broad&s;treet,</HI> and the Meanders of the circumference thereof within this Infant Common-wealth: The which, for methods &s;ake, I &s;hall di&s;tribute into the&s;e parts, <HI>viz.</HI> The fir&s;t treating of the great lo&s;s and damage which hath accrued to the Publick by immethodical Accompts. The &s;econd, the un&s;uffer|able lo&s;s &s;u&s;tained by the Commi&s;&s;ioners neglect, in not calling to accompt their Sub-commi&s;&s;ioners and Sub&s;titutes. The third, the lo&s;s &s;u&s;tained by not clearing Accompts with Merchants and others. The fourth, the inconveniences and mi&s;chiefs attending their un&s;igned Orders and accompts. The fifth, the large coats cut out of the States narrow cloth. The &s;ixth and la&s;t, the cau&s;e and fountain of the re&s;t; to which for a conclu&s;ion, I &s;hall briefly point at the remedy.</P>
<P>To the fir&s;t, Which is their immethodical accompts, I affirm that the Commi&s;&s;ioners them&s;elves have not as yet given to the Auditor,
<PB N="2" REF="3">any of their own and peculiar accompts, re&s;pecting their receipts and payments, which hath been clear in the circum&s;tances attend|ing the particulars thereof, but had in them many generals, be|&s;ides ambiguities, which the Auditor could not be &s;atisfied in, without Comments and additional explanatory Papers; And as for money brought to accompt, as disbur&s;ed for incident charges, the Auditor never as yet had (notwith&s;tanding his frequent &s;o|licitations) any accompt of the particulars thereof; The Commi&s;|&s;ioners procuring a propicious Order from the Committee for re|gulating the Excize, that the Auditor &s;hould onely compare their (general) accompts of charges with the receipts of the parties, and pa&s;s them accordingl; And as to their Sub-commi&s;&s;ioners, I a&s;&s;ert that they have been &s;o far from ob&s;erving the natural me|thod of accompts, with the circum&s;tances of time, and the quantity of Commodities for what each per&s;on in the &s;everal Town&s;hips within their re&s;pective Divi&s;ions have paid or are indebted, That many of them have neither &s;pecified time, place, per&s;on, or com|moditie; And none of them have been clear in all tho&s;e circum|&s;tances, in&s;omuch that no man may by their accompts be guided to di&s;cover a particular fraud; generals and ambiguities being their &s;anctuary. And as for debts and imperfect entries (notwith|&s;tanding the Ordinance of 31 <HI>Augu&s;t</HI> 1644, enjoyning the Com|mi&s;&s;ioners quarterly to deliver to the Auditor a true Copy of all perfect and imperfect entries, receipts, and payments of all the Offices throughout the Nation, that the State might have an accompt of the debts which are owing, and the per&s;ons by whom they are due) there was never any Sub-commi&s;&s;ioners that gave any accompt thereof: But have ob&s;erved this Ordinance equally with their directions of the 30 of <HI>April</HI> 1650, by the Committee for regulating the Excize, enjoyning them to return Rolls of their Compo&s;itions unto the chief Comptroller, whereof there is as much notice taken, and re&s;pect had, as to the &s;everal Papers &s;ent and delivered to the Commi&s;&s;ioners by the Auditor, and others, de&s;iring a method in their accompts to be ob&s;erved, which had an&s;wer, importing the Auditor to di&s;turb the Revenue, in bu&s;ying him&s;elf about matters of their charge, concerning him not; But how well they have di&s;charged the &s;ame, may be gathered from an in&s;tance or two: The fir&s;t &s;hall be in the accompts of the Sub-commi&s;&s;ioners for <HI>Northwales,</HI> where it &s;eems there are but two
<PB N="3" REF="3">per&s;ons of all the Inhabitants in five Counties that are liable to pay Excize. If you look into the accompts of <HI>Bri&s;tol,</HI> there is not one per&s;on in thirteen hundreds; of <HI>Dor&s;et&s;hire</HI> there is but four Towns in the whole County, and not the tythe of their Inhabi|tants neither; But I forbear to multiply Examples, it being ob|vious to common ob&s;ervations, how the&s;e Leeches have every where gorged them&s;elves with the nutriment provided, and in|tended for our almo&s;t fami&s;hed infant Commonwealth, the which by proportion hath not a fourth part of what is due, and accruing by the &s;everal Ordinances and Acts in this behalf.</P>
<P>To the &s;econd, which is the lo&s;s &s;u&s;tained by a neglect in not calling the Sub-commi&s;&s;ioners and others to accompt from time to time, I affirm that the &s;um of 15724 <HI>li.</HI> 11 <HI>s.</HI> 10 <HI>d.</HI> was lo&s;t, and is by an Order of the Committee of the 22 of <HI>Augu&s;t</HI> 1652, made a &s;ubject of oblivion. And that there is 26196 <HI>li.</HI> 6. <HI>s.</HI> 4 <HI>d.</HI> which on the 29 of <HI>September</HI> 1652, was re&s;ting in the hands of the &s;e|veral Brewers in and about the City of <HI>London,</HI> the which the Commi&s;&s;ioners (together with their accomptants, which have had large &s;allaries, though the bu&s;ine&s;s was managed and tran&s;acted by Prenti&s;e-Boyes) as hitherto, neither have nor could place upon the proper Debtors, for which cau&s;e the State is like to bear the bur|then, and lo&s;s of &s;o much money received by the Brewers from their Cu&s;tomers. And for like neglect in relation to the Far|mers and Sub-commi&s;&s;ioners; I affirm, that on the 29 of <HI>Sep|tember</HI> 1652, there was re&s;ting in the hands of the &s;everal Farmers the ju&s;t &s;um of 33690 <HI>li.</HI> 14 <HI>s.</HI> 7 <HI>d.</HI> and in the hands of the &s;everal Sub-commi&s;&s;ioners, the ju&s;t &s;um of 49277 <HI>li.</HI> 11 <HI>s.</HI> 11 <HI>d.</HI> which &s;aid debts the Commi&s;&s;ioners never would or never could deliver unto the Auditor with the names of the proper Debtors, but are calcula|ted from the dark lights and imperfect charge, which the Commi&s;&s;i|oners have been plea&s;ed to furni&s;h the Auditor with. The imper|fection whereof will manife&s;t it &s;elf, by the en&s;uing Catalogue of accompts, which have not hitherto been brought to the Auditor, nor any &s;atisfactory an&s;wer (though from time to time by him re|quired, and complained of) as may at large appear by &s;everal Papers &s;ent to the Commi&s;&s;ioners, the Committees for regula|ting the Excize, and Parliament al&s;o: Which Catalogue is as followeth, <HI>viz.</HI> For moneys received by vertue of the Or|dinance
<PB N="4" REF="4">of the 11 of <HI>September</HI> 1643, by the &s;ub-Commi&s;sioners of.</P>
<LIST>
<ITEM>Exon, and places adjacent, from 24 June 1652, to 29 Septem|ber 1652.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Braintree, from 25 December 1651, to 25 March 1652.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Dartmouth from 24 June, to 29 September 1652.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Arundel, from 25 December 1651, to 24 June 1652.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Barwick, from 25 March 1650 to 29 September 1652.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Bedford, from 9 September 1647, to 29 September 1648.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Bridg-water, from 25 December 1650, to 25 December 1651.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Bury S. Edmonds, from 24 June 1648, to 29 September 1648.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Colche&s;ter, from 29 September 1649, to 25 December 1650.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Grave&s;end, from 24 June 1652 to 29 September 1652.</ITEM>
<ITEM>The Ports in Wales from Decemb. and March 1651, to 29 Septem|ber 1652.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Li&s;card, from 29 Septemb. 1649, to 25 March 1650.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Pembrook from 29 Septemb. 1647, to 25 Decemb. 1648.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Truroe, from 29 Septemb. 1651, to 25 Decemb. 1651.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Che&s;ter from 29 Septemb. 1651 to 25 December 1651.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Somer&s;et Ports, from 29 Septemb. 1651 to 29 Septemb. 1652.</ITEM>
<ITEM>North-wales, comprehending the Counties of Angle&s;ey, Carnar|ven, Denbey Flint Merioneth, and Montgomery, from 15 Feb. 1646, to 29 September 1652.</ITEM>
</LIST>
<LIST>
<HEAD>For money received by the Sub-Commi&s;sioners, by vertue of the Ordinance of the <HI>9</HI> of <HI>Januarie, 1643.</HI> viz.</HEAD>
<ITEM>Arundel, from 25 March 1649, to 24 June 1651.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Barwick, from 25 Decemb. 1649, to 24 June 1651.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Bo&s;ton, from 24 June 1647, to 29 Septemb. 1649.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Bridgwater, from 25 Decemb. 1651, to 24 June 1651.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Dover, from 25 March 1649, to 29 Septemb. 1649.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Sandwich, from 29 Septemb. 1648. to 25 March 1650.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Clackclo&s;e, from 29 Septemb. 1645, to 10 October 1645.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Wisbich, from 10 Januarie 1644, to 25 March 1647. and from 24 June 1647, to the 29 September 1649.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Grave&s;end, from 29 September 1647, to 24 June 1651.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Hull, from 24 June 1650, to 29 September 1650.</ITEM>
<PB N="5" REF="4">
<ITEM>Ip&s;wich, from 25 December 1649, to 25 December 1650.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Lanca&s;ter, from 29 Septemb. 1647, to 24 June 1651.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Li&s;card, from the 24 June 1650, to 24 June 1651.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Maulden, from 24 June 1647, to 24 June 1651.</ITEM>
<ITEM>South-wales, from 24 June 1647, to 24 June 1651.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Newca&s;tle, from 29 September 1647, to 29 September 1650.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Whitbey, from 25 March 1648, to 24 June 1651.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Norwich, from 24 June 1647, to 25 December 1650, and from 25 March 1651, to 24 June 1651.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Pembrook, from 29 September 1650, to 25 March 1651.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Plymouth, from 25 March 1650, to 24 June 1650.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Port&s;mouth, from 24 June 1649, to 29 September 1650.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Rye, from 10 April 1645, to 10 July 1645. and from the 25 of March 1649, to 29 September 1649.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Ip&s;wich, from 29 September 1650, to 25 December 1650.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Truroe, from 29 September 1648, to 25 December 1650.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Worce&s;ter, from 29 September 1648, to 24 June 1649.</ITEM>
<ITEM>York, from 25 March 1649, to 24 June 1651.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Che&s;ter, from 24 June 1647, to 25 December 1649.</ITEM>
<ITEM>North-Wales, from 15 Febr. 1646, to 29 September 1652.</ITEM>
</LIST>
<LIST>
<HEAD>For money received by the Sub-Commi&s;sioners, by vertue of the Ordinance of the <HI>8.</HI> of July <HI>1644. viz.</HI></HEAD>
<ITEM>Bo&s;ton, from 8 July 1644, to 24 June 1647.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Alisbury, from 29 September 1646, to 25 March 1652.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Arundel, from 25 December 1650, to 24 June 1652.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Barwick, from 25 December 1647, to 25 March 1649; and from 25 December 1649, to 29 September 1652.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Bedford, from 8 July 1644, to 25 December 1651.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Braintree, from 8 July 1644, to 24 June 1645; and from 25 De|cember 1651, to 25 March 1652.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Bridge-water, from 25 December 1650, to 25 December 1651.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Bury St. Edmonds, from 8 July 1644, to 24 June 1645.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Clackclo&s;e, from 24 March 1644, to 29 September 1652.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Canterburie, from 8 July 1644 to 24 June 1645.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Colche&s;ter, from 29 September 1649, to 1 Januarie 1650, and from 24 June 1652, to 29 September 1652.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Dor&s;et, from 24 June 1651, to 29 September 1652. and from the
<PB N="6" REF="5">25 December 1647, to 29 September 1649, and from 25 De|cember 1649, to 24 June 1650.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Dover, from 29 September 1649, to 25 March 1650.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Ely, and Wisbich, from 25 December 1648, to 29 Septemb. 1650.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Ely, from 25 December 1650, to 29 September 1651, and from 25 December 1651 to 29 September 1652.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Wisbich from 25 December 1650, to 24 June 1651.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Grave&s;end, from 24 June 1652, to 29 September 1652.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Guilford, from 29 September 1647, to 24 June 1649. and from 29, September 1650, to 25 December 1650.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Hertford, from the 24 June 1648, to 20 Febr. 1648, and from 25 December 1649 to 24 June 1651.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Holt, from 29 September 1649, to 29 September 1652.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Huntington, from 8 July 1644, to 25 March 1646 and from 24 June 1650. to 29 September 1651. and from 25 December 1651, to 29 September 1652.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Ip&s;wich, from 29 September 1645, to 25 December 1645.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Lanca&s;ter, from 25 December 1651, to 29 September 1652.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Wakefield, from 25 December 1646, to 29 September 1648, and from 25 March 1649, to 24 June 1649, and from 24 June 1650, to 25 December 1650.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Leice&s;ter, from 8 July 1644, to 29 September 1646, and from 29 September 1647, to 29 September 1649, and from 24 June 1650, to 29 September 1650, and from 25 December 1650, to 25 March 1651, and from 24 June 1652, to 29 September 1652.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Rye, from 24 June 1650, to 29 September 1650, and from 24 June 1652, to 29 September 1652.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Lincoln, from 29 September 1646, to 24 June 1650, and from 25 March 1651, to 29 September 1651.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Li&s;card, from 24 June 1651, to 29 September 1651, and from 25 March 1652, to 29 September 1652.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Maulden, from 12 November 1647, to 29 September 1649.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Newca&s;tle, from 25 March 1649, to 29 September 1650.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Northampton, from 25 December 1648, to 25 March 1652.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Yarmouth, from 29 September 1649, to 29 September 1650.</ITEM>
<ITEM>North-riding, from 29 September 1651, to 25 March 1652.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Nottingham, from 25 March 1650, to 29 September 1650.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Pembrook, from 25 March 1648, to 25 December 1648, and
<PB N="7" REF="5">from 29 September 1651 to 29 September 1652.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Peterborow, from 24 June 1646, to 29 September 1647, and from 25 December 1648, to 29 September 1649.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Plimouth, from 24 June 1648, to 29 September 1648.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Port&s;mouth, from 29 September 1648, to 29 September 1649, and from 24 June 1650, to 29 September 1650, and from 29 Sep|tember 1651, to 25 March 1652.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Reading and Wind&s;or, from 8 July 1644, to 20 December 1644, and from 25 December 1648, to 25 December 1650, and from 25 December 1651, to 25 March 1652.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Rumford, from 29 September 1649, to 29 September 1650.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Sarum, from 29 September 1649, to 25 December 1651.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Salop, from 24 June 1649, to 24 June 1650.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Sandwich, from 29 September 1648, to 25 March 1650, and from 29 September 1650, to 24 June 1652.</ITEM>
<ITEM>South-hampton, from 25 March 1649, to 29 September 1651.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Southwould, from 25 December 1647, to 25 March 1651, and from 29 September 1651 to 29 September 1652.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Stafford, from 29 September 1645, to 29 September 1646, and from 24 June 1647, to 15 June 1648.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Che&s;ter, from 29 September 1649, to 24 June 1651, and from 29 September 1651, to 25 December 1651, and from 25 March 1652, to 29 September 1652.</ITEM>
<ITEM>I&s;le of Wight, from 25 December 1648, to 25 March 1649, and from 24 June 1651, to 29 September 1651, and from 24 June 1652, to 29 September 1652.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Worce&s;ter, from 24 June 1648, to 29 September 1649, and from 25 March 1652, to 29 September 1652.</ITEM>
<ITEM>St. Albons, Banbury, Monmouth, Oxon, Bath, Tiverton, Malborow, and Northwales, from the 8 July 1644 to the 29 September 1652.</ITEM>
</LIST>
<LIST>
<HEAD>For money received by the Sub-Commi&s;sioners, by vertue of the Ordinance of the <HI>24</HI> of November <HI>1645. viz.</HI></HEAD>
<ITEM>Bury, from 25 March 1648, to 29 September 1652.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Colche&s;ter, from 29 September 1649, to 24 December 1650. and from 25 March 1652, to 29 September 1652.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Darby, from 15 May 1645, to 24 June 1646.</ITEM>
<PB N="8" REF="6">
<ITEM>Dartmouth, from 24 November 1645, to 20 May 1646, and from 25 December 1651, to 29 September 1652.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Dover, from 24 June 1648, to 25 March 1651, and from 24 June 1651, to 29 September 1652.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Exon, from 25 December 1651, to 29 September 1652.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Huntingdon, from 24 November 1645, to 29 September 1646, and from 29 September 1649, to 25 March 1650, and from 24 June 1650, to 24 June 1652.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Lanca&s;ter, from 25 December 1648, to 29 September 1652.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Lincoln, from 25 March 1647, to 29 September 1649, and from 24 June 1651, to 25 March 1652.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Lyn, from 9 May 1651, to 29 September 1652.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Newca&s;tle, from 25 March 1649, to 29 September 1650, and from 25 March 1652, to 29 September 1652.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Nottingham, from 29 September 1648, to 25 December 1649, and from 25 March 1652, to 24 June 1652.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Yarmouth, from 29 September 1649, to 25 December 1649, and from 24 June 1652, to 29 September 1652.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Pembrook, from 24 November 1645, to 4 January 1646, and from 29 Septemb. 1647, to 29 September 1652.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Plymouth, from 29 September 1651, to 25 March 1652.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Port&s;mouth, from 29 September 1648, to 29 September 1649, and from 25 December 1649, to 29 September 1652.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Sarum, from 25 March 1648, to 25 December 1651.</ITEM>
<ITEM>South-hampton, from 24 June 1651, to 29 September 1652.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Stafford, from 24 November 1645, to 25 March 1647, and from 24 June 1647, to 25 December 1649, and from 24 June 1650, to 25 December 1650.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Whitbey from 24 November 1645, to 25 December 1646, and from 24 June 1649, to 29 September 1652.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Wisbich, from 25 March 1651, to 29 September 1652.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Worce&s;ter, from 24 November 1645, to 29 September 1646, and from 25 March 1648, to 29 September 1651.</ITEM>
<ITEM>York, from 24 November 1645, to 24 June 1646, and from 25 December 1649, to 29 September 1650.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Leeds, from 29 September 1648, to 25 December 1650.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Li&s;card, from 24 June 1648, to 25 March 1651, and from 24 June 1651, to 29 September 1652.</ITEM>
<PB N="9" REF="6">
<ITEM>Truroe, from 25 December 1649, to 29 September 1651.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Che&s;ter, from 24 November 1645, to 20 July 1646, and from 29 September 1649, to 29 September 1652.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Dor&s;et, from 24 November 1645, to 25 March 1649; and from 29 September 1649, to 29 September 1652.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Bo&s;ton, from 24 November 1645, to 29 September 1649; and from 25 March 1650, to 29 September 1650; and from 24 June 1651, to 29 September 1652.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Gloce&s;ter, from 24 November 1645, to 25 December 1649, and from 24 June 1650, to 25 March 1651; and from 24 June 1651, to 29 September 1652.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Barn&s;table, from 24 November 1645, to 19 October 1648; and from 29 September 1649, to 29 September 1652.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Bridgwater, from 24 November 1645, to 29 September 1649; and from 29 September 1650, to 29 September 1652.</ITEM>
<ITEM>S. Albons, Alisbury, Arundel, Banbury, Barwick, Bedford, Brain|tree, Cambridge, Canterburie, Coventrie, Ely, Grave&s;end, Guilford, Hereford, Hertford, Holt, Ip&s;wich, King&s;ton upon Thames, Leice&s;ter, Lewes, Maulden, Maid&s;tone, Monmouth, Marlborow, North-hampton, North-riding in York-&s;hire, Oxford, Peterburrough, Reading, and Wind&s;or, Rumford, Rye, and the rape of Ha&s;tings, Salop, Sandwich, Southwould, Tiver|ton, Wakefield, I&s;le of Wight, and North-Wales, from 24 November 1645, to the 29 of September 1652.</ITEM>
</LIST>
<P>By this time, I doubt not courteous Reader, but that thou art well &s;atisfied of the imperfect charge, from which notwith&s;tanding I a&s;&s;ert &s;o great a debt; but by the way thou may&s;t probably ad|mire, why &s;o many Accounts &s;hould be &s;tanding out, e&s;pecially re|lateing to the two la&s;t Ordinances. I an&s;wer, that the parties entru&s;t|ed to receive tho&s;e accounts, if a &s;ub-Commi&s;&s;ioner had brought an account unto them, and had not al&s;o brought money to clear the &s;ame, they would not receive the &s;aid account; and by this means the State hath not onely lo&s;t what money the &s;ub-Commi&s;|&s;ioners had in readine&s;s, but is al&s;o incapable of charging the &s;ub-Commi&s;&s;ioners.</P>
<P>La&s;tly, that the Commi&s;&s;ioners of Exci&s;e, have either voluntarily
<PB N="10" REF="7">or negligently &s;uffered, and permitted the &s;ub-Commi&s;sioners thus to detain the Accounts of their receipts, is very evident, by an offer that was made to my &s;elf and others, in and about the moneth of <HI>June</HI> 1650, (the former Commi&s;sioners, their time being to de|termine at <HI>Michaelmas</HI> following) that if we would di&s;patch their account then in hand, they would provide that all the &s;ub-Commi&s;|&s;ioners accounts &s;hould be brought to us within a moneth; but their offer not taking, the accounts are, as you may perceive, not brought in to this day.</P>
<P>To the third, which is the lo&s;s &s;u&s;tained by not clearing their ac|counts with Merchants, and others, I affirm, that notwith&s;tanding the directions in the Ordinance of the 16 of <HI>September</HI> 1645, and el&s;ewhere; that the Commi&s;sioners of Exci&s;e have not hitherto cleared their accounts with them, but have been &s;o far from it, that they have &s;carce kept a regular account, whereby they may be enabled to do the &s;ame; in&s;omuch that an hone&s;t, ingenious, and able accomptant of their own, did a&s;&s;ert in their hearing, that the State had lo&s;t 200000 l. by neglect therein; which a&s;&s;ertion of his, I am not at pre&s;ent in a capacitie to manife&s;t by the particulars, in regard tho&s;e accounts have not been in the <HI>Auditors</HI> cu&s;todie or cognizance.</P>
<P>To the fourth, which are the inconveniences and mi&s;chiefs atten|ding their un&s;igned orders and accounts, (the reforming where|of, hath at &s;everal times been de&s;ired, and the inconveniences com|plained of) <HI>viz.</HI> that their Clerks may probably make as many orders as them&s;elves; and I am induced to believe the &s;ame to be &s;o, for the rea&s;ons following; The fir&s;t drawn from the corruption in nature, which can hardly bauk an opportunitie; the &s;econd from the flouri&s;hing of the parties; and the third from the great &s;ummes of money that are ordered away, by orders &s;igned by their Clerks, and upon &s;o little rea&s;on or ground for the &s;ame. For it cannot be &s;uppo&s;ed that judicious men, which have &s;worn to exe|cute their places, according to the be&s;t of their knowledge, po|wer and skill, &s;hould give away 7 or 8000 <HI>li. per. an.</HI> out of the receipts of wine onely (not to mention any of the re&s;t) under the
<PB N="11" REF="7">notion of defective, when as there is none properly &s;o, or at lea&s;t properly to be accounted &s;o, but what is &s;old to Di|&s;tillers; for the Vintners which &s;ell all together at one and the &s;ame rate, gain (as I &s;uppo&s;e) the mo&s;t by that which co&s;t them lea&s;t. And as for the not &s;igning of their accounts, the inconveniences are obvious to every common capacitie; and therefore I &s;hall onely in&s;tance in one, and leave the courteous Reader to determine, whether or no, thou or any other, woulde&s;t be willing to acknowledge and own &s;uch an account, wherein it &s;hould be made appear, that in&s;tead of plea&s;uring the Parliament with the loan of 74650 <HI>li.</HI> thou &s;houlde&s;t place the &s;ame to account, as &s;o much paid for the re&s;pective &s;ervices, by &s;everal Ordinances, out of the States ca&s;h in thy hands; wherby thou woulde&s;t have been di&s;charged for the like &s;umme; and notwith|&s;tanding make payment of the &s;ame again to thy &s;elf, in the &s;ame and &s;ucceeding accounts, as did the Commi&s;sio|ners in the year ended the 29 of <HI>September</HI> 1646, in which account of their own, be&s;ides 11650 <HI>li.</HI> which was certified to the Comptroller, there is 31792 <HI>li.</HI> 16 <HI>s.</HI> which they have twice placed to account, as disbur&s;ed out of the States ca&s;h in their hands; the fir&s;t at the day of the loan, and the &s;econd at the day of their reimbur&s;ment thereof; all which con&s;idered, there is very great rea&s;on and cau&s;e, why the Commi&s;sioners and their Agents &s;hould improve the chief|e&s;t of their talents and intere&s;t, to per&s;wade all &s;orts of peo|ple, that to maintain an <HI>Auditor,</HI> is onely a charge, and ex|pence of the Revenue, and utterly u&s;ele&s;s; But I &s;ay and pray, <HI>floreat re&s;publica,</HI> counterfeit wares are &s;eldom &s;old, unle&s;s in the dark, or where there is no more light then &s;hop|keepers will allow of; the Commi&s;sioners are freed from an <HI>Auditor,</HI> and have a Comptrol of their own breeding <HI>(latet anguis in herba).</HI> And as this is now &s;etled in the mo&s;t can|did &s;en&s;e, (as I conceive) can be but a cloak for knaverie; for one man (though endued with the eyes of <HI>Argus</HI>) cannot truly regi&s;ter and take due cogni&s;ance of the tran&s;a|ctions in three or four places at once.</P>
<PB N="12" REF="8">
<P>To the fifth, which I call the large coats cut out of the States narrow cloth; I a&s;&s;ert that in the di&s;&s;ection of their book of charges, for the year ended the 29 <HI>September,</HI> 1659, made in obedience to an order of the Committee for Regulating the Exci&s;e, there may you at large view their bountie, and liberalitie among their creatures, amount|ing to the &s;umme of 16099 <HI>li.</HI> 19 <HI>s.</HI> 11 <HI>d.</HI> part be&s;towed on this man, and part on that. But you mu&s;t ask of them the rea&s;on, if you would be &s;atisfied therein; onely I heard &s;ay, that it was for the better carrying on of the Ex|ci&s;e, that the Parliament Clerks, and their under-Clerks, to|gether with the Serjeant at Arms. Committee-Clerks, Door-keepers, and Me&s;&s;engers together, mu&s;t all be their Pen&s;ioners, and under con&s;tant &s;alary, while&s;t that they at home &s;tate the dome&s;tick expence of the Office, and make for the &s;ame year a provi&s;ion of 35 &frac12; Chaldron of Coals, 2400 Faggots, 14500 Billets, and 293 dozen of Candles, that you may &s;ee how the re&s;t are &s;pent; and as for their re|ceipt by fines and forfeitures, out of which the Commi&s;sio|ners by Ordinance of the 11 of <HI>September</HI> 1643, were im|powered to give and make allowance to Informers, &amp;c. from that time to the 29 <HI>September</HI> 1647, they made allowances (be&s;ides others not placed to account) amounting unto 2247. <HI>li.</HI> 11 <HI>s.</HI> 11 <HI>d. ob.</HI> re&s;erving to the State no more then 1111 <HI>li.</HI> 15 <HI>s.</HI> 6 <HI>d. ob.</HI> and after that till the 24 June 1653. when by Ordinance of the 13 of <HI>July</HI> 1647, the full moity of all fines and forfeitures was to be paid for the u&s;e and re|lief of maimed &s;ouldiers, the Commi&s;sioners did di&s;po&s;e of 10228 <HI>li.</HI> 3 <HI>s. ob.</HI> unto their own Officers and others, pay|ing 7628 <HI>li.</HI> 18 <HI>s.</HI> 2 &frac34; for the u&s;e and relief of maimed &s;oul|diers.</P>
<P>In the &s;ixth and la&s;t place, I &s;hall endeavor a di&s;coverie of the fountain and &s;pring head from which mo&s;t of the&s;e corrupt &s;treams have i&s;&s;ued; the which as I &s;uppo&s;e lieth hidden and clo&s;ely covered in the fourth Article of the Or|dinance
<PB N="13" REF="8">of the 31 of <HI>Augu&s;t</HI> 1644, and in the clo&s;e of the Ordinance of the 30 of <HI>July</HI> 1646, in both which it is declared that the Commi&s;&s;ioners of Exci&s;e &s;hall not &s;tand chargeable with any more then the money which either hath or &s;hall be by them received; from which and the premi&s;es the con&s;equence is undeniable, That the Commi&s;sioners neither had nor would have had the like circum&s;pection, as if otherwi&s;e they had been charge|able for their Officers and Sub&s;titutes, as in rea&s;on they ought: For they either have or &s;hould have taken &s;uf|ficient &s;ecurities, for and from them, wherey they might have &s;ecured them&s;elves: From hence therefore it came to pa&s;s, that in chu&s;ing of their Officers and Sub-commi&s;&s;ioners, they were bya&s;&s;ed with re&s;pect to rela|tions and private intere&s;ts, more then with the qualifi|cations and abilities of the per&s;ons for the &s;ervice, by means whereof I dare boldly affirm, that the Revenue hath, and may &s;uffer more by the management of fools, which are not capable to walk by rules and in&s;tructions, then either it hath or can by the management of knaves, which (though but formally) do ob&s;erve and walk by the &s;ame: Hence al&s;o hath i&s;&s;ued &s;uch a &s;tupid care and regard in the methodizing of Accompts, in calling their Sub-commi&s;sioners and Accomptants from time to time to clear their own Accompts, and truly to &s;tate and clear Accompts with Merchants and others: The Commi&s;sioners them&s;elves being in no danger, and withall their friends and relations highly plea&s;ured, having by this means (to &s;ay no more) a fair opportunity, and advantage to keep great &s;tocks of the States money in their hands, and drive great Trades, while the State mu&s;t be nece&s;sitated to borrow upon intere&s;t.</P>
<P>Courteous Reader, having thus opened the &s;oar, give me leave to remember thee of this maxime, <HI>Tolle cau&s;am, &amp; tollitur effectus;</HI> and withall to &s;ubmit to thy &s;erious and
<PB N="14" REF="9">deliberate con&s;ideration, a Salve or two, <HI>viz.</HI></P>
<P>Fir&s;t, That the &s;econd and third Articles in the in&s;tru|ctious of the Committee for regulating the Excize, dated the 30 of <HI>April</HI> 1650, may in part be re-inforced and ob&s;erved, <HI>viz.</HI> That the Sub-commi&s;&s;ioners, Collectors, and their under-Officers may repair to every Town, Village, Hamlet, and Pari&s;h within their limits and Precincts re&s;pectively (or &s;ome others authorized to that purpo&s;e:) And by the ayd and a&s;&s;i&s;tance of the Ju&s;tices for the Peace, or the Commi&s;|&s;ioners for the Monthly A&s;&s;e&s;ments, the Con&s;tables, Head|boroughs, and other Officers (together with the a&s;&s;i&s;tance of &s;uch well affected per&s;ons as &s;hall freely offer up them|&s;elves to the &s;ervice) take and make in writing a true Li&s;t or Roll of the number and names of the &s;everal Inhabi|tants, which are either Brewers, Victuallers, Ale-hou&s;e-Keepers, or Jnn-Keepers, which brew and &s;ell Ale, Perry, Sider, or &s;trong Beer; And with re&s;pect had to the quantity of Ale and Beer, &amp;c. by them brewed and &s;pent, to make Compo&s;itions with &s;uch as will compound for the &s;ame: And as for &s;uch as refu&s;e to compound, to make a true e&s;ti|mate of what money in rea&s;on and probability they ought or &s;hould pay according to the quantities of Beer and Ale, &amp;c. which they cu&s;tomarily draw and vend, (and let them be left to make true entries thereof at their peril:) And likewi&s;e, that the &s;aid per&s;ons &s;o authorized do in like manner return the names of the &s;everal Merchants and Traders in Exci&s;able Commodities, with the like e&s;timate: And the &s;ame Roll or Li&s;t under their hands and Seals to be &s;ent and delivered to the Auditor or other per&s;on deputed to exa|mine and peru&s;e the &s;aid Accompts, who (notwith&s;tanding the frequent alterations and changes in per&s;ons) may and will thereby be exceedingly guided, and enabled for the due Examination of the &s;aid Accompts, which &s;hall be brought to him from time to time afterwards.</P>
<P>Secondly, That the Commi&s;&s;ioners, Sub-commi&s;&s;ioners, and their under Officers may have a method pre&s;cribed and
<PB N="15" REF="9">enjoyned, wherein every receipt may be attended with the natural circum&s;tances of time, place, per&s;on, quantity, or value of the Commodity: And that the Accompts of the Sub-commi&s;&s;ioners e&s;pecially may be di&s;tingui&s;hed into three heads, parts, or columns; The fir&s;t, containing the proper receipts within the time of the accompt ari&s;ing and growing due; The &s;econd, containing the Arrears due and payable before the time of the accompt in order as they &s;hall be received; And the third and la&s;t, containing the debts due, and uncollected within the time thereof, excluding the Arrears due upon former Accompts, by which together with the nece&s;&s;ary dependance of one accompt upon ano|ther, an Auditor may be enabled to look very narrowly and piercingly into the bu&s;ine&s;s; To this I add, that if the Sub-commi&s;&s;ioners according to the Order of Parliament, dated the 23 of <HI>October</HI> 1649, &s;hall upon penalty be en|joyned either to give Acquittances, or at lea&s;t to &s;ign &s;uch Acquittances as &s;hall duly be made by the per&s;on of whom they receive any &s;um or &s;ums of money; As al&s;o, that be&s;ides the forfeiture of their bonds, there may be an encourage|ment of double the &s;um to be paid by the Sub-commi&s;&s;i|oners or others to the di&s;coverer, which by comparing of &s;uch his Acquittance with their Accompts, if it be con|cealed and &s;hall not be found to be entred therein ac|cordingly. The premi&s;&s;es ob&s;erved and publi&s;hed in every Market-place, I leave thee Reader to judge, what improve|ment may be made in the Revenue, when a man will &s;carce dare to defraud, being watched &s;o narrowly on every &s;ide.</P>
<P>Thirdly that the greate&s;t care, and circum&s;pection may be had in keeping true accounts of the imports, and the Mer|chant enjoyned to give account from time to time, what he hath di&s;po&s;ed of, and to whom; &s;o &s;hall the people be ea&s;ed of the great burthen, in keeping &s;ervants onely to fetch
<PB N="16" REF="10">Tickets; whereby they are enabled to carrie, remove, or romage their wares; and the State ea&s;ed from the bur|then of a multitude of unnece&s;&s;ary Officers, kept for this purpo&s;e; To which I add, that there may be an e&s;tabli&s;hed Comptrol in the &s;everal Ports, as there is in <HI>London,</HI> and alwaies hath, and is for the Cu&s;toms (a revenue of le&s;s im|portance) which doubtle&s;s will countervail the expence (though not &s;en&s;ibly) in bridling the corruptions of o|thers, which hitherto have had &s;o fair an object and oppor|tunitie.</P>
<P>And la&s;tly, that the Sub-Commi&s;&s;ioners and Comptrollers may be enjoyned under a penaltie, to perfect, and either bring, or &s;end their accounts to the <HI>Auditor,</HI> before the expira|tion of the next Quarter, and in the interim no &s;alarie to be either allowed or paid them. And by this means the Au|ditor &s;hall be enabled to give and make a due account of the revenue in its proper time and &s;ea&s;on, as oft as it &s;hall be required.</P>
<P>To conclude, I expect both cen&s;ure and calumny for this my bold attempt, which notwith&s;tanding I a&s;|&s;ert to be the legitimate birth of my tender affecti|ons to the Publike, the which if my private endea|vours (which have been many and frequent) could have brought forth, during the time of my abode under the late Auditor, I had not at this time di&s;covered it to the World: But the&s;e things being probably now like to be buryed in Oblivion, and without hope of re|dre&s;s, I thought my &s;elf in duty bound not to keep &s;ilence in this &s;ea&s;onable time: And therefore though by withdrawing the curtain, I have and &s;hall incur the frowns of &s;ome, if I have herein contributed any thing of Publick concernment, that was and is all I de&s;ire; other matters I value not, being at pre&s;ent if the Re|cords
<PB N="17" REF="10">be not embezelled, able to maintain what I have writen to be the truth: And therefore I &s;ay with the Poet,</P>
<EPIGRAPH>
<Q><L>Si fractus illabatur orbis,</L>
<L>Impavidum ferient ruinae.</L></Q>
</EPIGRAPH>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>And &s;ubcribe my name, <HI>Tho. Fauntleroy.</HI></SIGNED>
<DATELINE><HI>Ludgate Hill</HI> <DATE><HI>the</HI> 22 <HI>of Novemb.</HI> 1653.</DATE></DATELINE></CLOSER>
<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
</ETS>
