Of the other part of the Exche∣quer, called by some the Low∣er Exchequer, where the Kings Revenue is received and dis∣bursed, with admirable Order and Frugality.
THe Principal Officer is the Lord Treasurer, of whom see the First Part of the Pres. State of England.
Since the Death of the Earl of South∣ampton, 1667. This great Office hath been in the hands of five Commissioners:
Now there are but three Commissioners, the Lord Ashley, Sir Thomas Clifford, and Sir John Duncomb, who execute the same at Whitehall. They have each one a con∣siderable Page 125 Salary from the King. There is one Secretary, Sir George Downing, Knight and Baronet.
Next is the Chancellour of the Exche∣quer, who is also an Officer of great Account and Authority, he hath a princi∣pal power, not onely in the Exchequer Court, but also here in the managing and disposing of the Kings Revenue: he hath also the Custody of the Exchequer Seal. This Office is injoyed by the forementioned Lord Ashley.
Then there are two Chamberlaines of the Exchequer, Sir Nicholas Steward, and Mr. Hyldiard, in whose Custody are all Antient Records, Leagues and Treaties with forreign Princes, the Standards of Moneys, Weights and Measures, those an∣tient famous Books, called Doomes-day, and the Black book of the Exchequer, whereof the former is Liber Censualis totius Angliae, the Tax Book of England, made by William the Conqueror, wherein is de∣scribed all the Lands of England, with the true value, and their Owners name, it was six years in making, viz. from the 14th to the 20th year of that King, and called at first Rotulus Wintoniae, but since named Doomes-day Book, because therein was set down an exact Account, not one∣ly of all the Cities, Towns, and Villa∣ges of England, but the number of Fami∣lies of Men, Souldiers, Husbandmen, Bond∣men, Servants, Cattle; how much mony, what Rent, how much Meadow, Pasture, Page 126 Woods, Tillage, Common, Marsh, Heath, every one possessed: and when any one cited, or any difference arose about those things or Taxes, &c. there was no place for denying or deceiving the King (whereof many men ever made little Con∣science, though all good Christians ever counted it a grievous and hainous sin) when this Book was opened, like as it will be at the opening of the Book at the great day of doom, or general Judgment of the World. This Book is kept under three Locks and Keys, not to be lookt into under 6s. 8d. and for every line transcribed is to be paid 4d.
Next is the Auditor of the Receipts, Sir Robert Long, whose Office is to file the Bills of the Tellers, whereby they charge themselves with all moneys received, and to draw all Orders to be signed by the Commissioners of the Treasury, for issu∣ing forth all moneys by vertue of Privy Seals, which are recorded and lodged in his Office. He also makes debentures to the several Persons, who have Fees, An∣nuities, or Pensions by Letters Patents from the King out of the Exchequer, and di∣rects them for payment to the Tellers. He receives every week the state of the ac∣count of each Teller, and also weekly certifies the whole to the Commissioners of the Treasury, who immediately present the estimate or Ballance to the King. He takes the Tellers Accounts in gross at Easter and Michaelmas. By him are kept the se∣veral Page 127 Registers appointed for paying all persons in course upon several Branches of the Kings Revenue. He is Scriptor Talio∣rum hath five Clerks to manage the whose estate of Moneys received, disbursed, and remaining.
Next there are four Tellers, Laurence Squib, John Loving Esquires, Sir George Downing aforementioned, and Sir Willi∣am Doily Kt. Their Office is to receive all moneys due to the King; and thereupon to throw down a Bill through a Pipe into the Tally Court, where it is received by the Auditors Clerk, who there attends to write the words of the said Bill upon a Tally, and then deliver the same to be en∣tred by the Clerk of the Pells, or his un∣der Clerk, who there attends to enter it in his Book: then the Tally is cloven by the two Deputy Chamberlains, who have their Seals, and while the Senior Deputy reads one part, the Junior examines the other part with the other two Clerks.
Clerk of the Pells is William Wardour Esquire, whose Office is to enter every Tellers Bill into a Parchment skin, (in La∣tin Pellis, whence this Office hath its name,) all receipts and payments for the King, for what cause, or by whom soever, and is in nature of a Comtroller, hath four Clerks, whereof one is for the Intro∣itus, and another for the Exitus. More∣over he is to make weekly, and half year∣ly Books, both of the Receipts and Pay∣ments, which are delivered to the Com∣missioners of the Treasury.
Page 128In the Tally Court sit the Deputies of the two Chamberlains Edward Faulcon∣bridge and John Low Esquires, who cleave the Tallies, and examine each piece a part.
A Tally in the Exchequer from the French Verb Tailler, to cut, is a very an∣tient and most certain way of avoiding all cozenage in the Kings Revenue; the like no where else in Christendom, and is after this manner.
He that payes the King any moneys, re∣ceives for his Acquittance a Tally, that is, the one half of a stick cloven with certain proportionable Notches thereon, expres∣sive of the sum from the said Deputy Cham∣berlains, who keep the other cloven part of the stick called the Foyl, and deliver it to the Tally-Joyners on the other side of the Exchequer, who are also Deputies to the Chamberlains, and they joyn it with the Foyl, which agreeing, they give it their Test, and send it by an Officer of their own to the Pipe where their Quietus est is engrossed in Parchment.
Other Officers in the Exchequer are the two Ushers, Robert and Philip Pack∣er Esquires, whose Office is to take care to secure the Exchequer by day and by night, and all the Avenues leading to the fame, and to furnish all necessaries, as Books, Paper, &c.
Page 129There is also a Tally Cutter, and four Messengers.
By long continuance, and the wisest contrivances that the ablest men of many ages could invent, the Exchequer of the King of England is become the best, orde∣red publick Revenue in the world.
Though the number of Officers in the Exchequer is far greater than in any other of the Kings Courts, yet not near so great as the Financiers and other Officers be∣longing to the Revenues of the French King, who are so many, that their Fees eat up three parts in four of the whole Re∣venue: whereas for rewarding all the Of∣ficers in the English Exchequer, whereof most are ever persons of Estates, Parts, and great Integrity, it costs the King a very in∣considerable sum of money, as will easily appear to any one who shall consider that in case of a gift from the King of Moneys or Pension out o• his Exchequer, he that receives it pays but 5 l. per cent. amongst the Tellers, Auditors, Clerk of the Pells, and their Clerks, and to all other Officers whatsoever; and which is remarkable, there goes not amongst the said Officers and Clerks so much as 5 s. per cent. out of publick Payments, as for the Navy, Ord∣nance, Wardrobe, Mint, to the Cofferer. Treasurer of the Chamber, &c.
In case of Moneys paid in by any of the Kings Tenants, Receivers, it costs them sometimes but six pence, and at most but 3 s. for every payment under a thousand Page 130 pounds; and that goes only to the Clerks for their pains in writing and attending.
The bringing in of all moneys to the King costs his Majesty amongst Receivers, Collectors, and all others in the Country not above 2 s. in the pound; and at his Exchequer it costs him in a manner nothing at all; for the Tellers, who are bound to the King in 20000 l. security, for the true discharge of their great trusts, have under 33 l. per an. for their Salary from the King, and the two Clerks of each Teller, who constantly attend their Offices, have no∣thing at all from the King.
