A true Medium of the monies payable from 1613. to the yeare 1618. by the Masters and owners of diuers Ships comming and going forth to sundry Ports in this Land, and other places beyond the Seas for the Lights at Winterton. According to an Order from the Lords of the Councell to the Officers of the Exchequor and Customhouse, and their Certificate vpon the same. As followeth. Viz.
- From Newcastle and other parts beyond the Seas Northward to London. 766. l. 04. s. 09. d. ¼.
- To Yarmouth. 062. l. 08. s. 05. d. ½.
- To Ipswich. 036. l. 19. s. 10. d. ¾.
- To Sandwich. 034. l. 09. s. 11. d. ½.
- To Chichester. 004. l. 16. s. 03. d. ½.
- To Southampton. 002. l. 05. s. 01. d.
- To Poole. 000. l. 00. s. 09. d.
- To Plimmouth. 000. l. 02. s. 02. d. ½.
- To Exeter and Dartmouth. 000. l. 12. s. 02. d. ½.
- From Newcastle for Coales beyond the Seas. 032. l. 15. s. 06. d.
- From Newcastle for Tonnage from the parts beyond the Seas. 026. l. 10. s. 00. d.
- From Lynne for Tonnage from the parts beyond the Seas. 001. l. 05. s. 03. d.
- Ships from Hull to the parts beyond the Seas at fiue shillings the Ship. 009. l. 05. s. 00. d.
- Ships from Boston to the parts beyond the Seas at fiue shillings the Ship. 000. l. 10. s. 00. d.
- Totall. 978. l. 05. s. 03. d. ½
The true Medium of the Monies payable in the Port of London, for the yeares 1619. and 1620. that the Patentees haue enioyed their Graunt, amounteth to the summe of seauen hundred and foureteene pounds thirteene shillings and two pence, which is lesse then the Medium aboue written in the Port of London, by one and fifty pounds eleuen shillings seauen pence, by reason of the restraint of building with Timber. The Dutchmen forbearing to bring in Timber as formerly they were accustomed.
THe Medium aboue written of the value of a penny per Tunne of all shipping lyable to the payment of the allowance of Winterton Lights, was certified by the Bookes of the Farmours of the Kings Customes, by the Officers of the Custome house of London, and by the remembrancers Deputy of the Exchequor, who were appointed by my Lord Zouch, my Lord of Falkland, the Master of the Rolls, and Sir Edward Coke, to make search for the same, According to an Order giuen by the Lords of the Councell.
- THe Annuall charge for maintainance of these Lighthouses for Coales, Candles, and Seruants wages that continually attend them. As appeareth by the attestation of Master Edward Owner, one of the Burgesses of this Honorable Court of Parliament doth amount to 230. l. 00. s. 00. d.
- The Officers of the Custome houses haue two shillings in the pound, and in some places three shillings for their paines in collection and keeping bookes of account. 094. l. 00. s. 00. d.
- The King hath a Rent of 006. l. 13. s. 04. d.
- The Tenants of the ground haue a Rent of 004. l. 00. s. 00. d.
- What the charge of the reparations and remouing the Lighthouses will be, it is vncertaine, yet in one yeare the Patentee paid for helping the wooden Tower, the glasse windowes, the new Cradle of Iron, which euery two yeares at least must be made new. 011. l. 16. s. 06. d.
- All which in toto will exceede 350. l. 00. s. 00. d.
THe Patent is grounded in point of Law vpon the Certificate of Master Serieant Crew, Master Atturny Generall, and Sir Henry Yeluerton.
It is grounded in the point of conueniencie vpon the returne of a Commission vnder the great Seale of England, directed for the tryall thereof, where the Aldermen, Burgesses, Masters of Shipping, Fishermen of great Yarmouth and Winterton were examined vpon Oath, And the necessity thereof certified in the high Court of Chauncery, As may appeare by the Copie of the Commission, Examination, Certificate, and returne vnder the Officer his hand of that Court.
It is grounded in point of charge vpon the halfe of the voluntary Contributions graunted to Sir Edward Howard for one Light-house at Dongeonnesse, although there be three Light-houses at Winterton, and that the Patentee is tyed to set vp all other Light-houses within the compasse of foure miles, which heereafter (by the alteration of Channels and Sands) may be found necessary.
Moreouer, a great number of the same Masters haue set their hands voluntarily to giue the same allowance of a penny vpon the Tunne for a Light-house at Kelsey in the Riuer of Humber, as appeareth by Certificate.
The Scottish-men doe all willingly pay a penny vpon the Tun, as may appeare by Certificate vnder more then threescore Masters hands.
The party who is expresly imployed by the Coast Townes to prosecute the businesse against the Patentee, hath confessed that the Shipping trading to Newcastle, doe make a voyage in a yeare more then euer they did before, and that by the benefit of the Lights, whereby it will clearely appeare, that the profit made by this voyage, will surmount the charge payd in a whole yeare.
In like manner, the same party with diuers others haue most willingly offered a halfe penny vpon the Tunne, if the Patentee would condiscend: he said further, that hee and all the rest of the Masters would be sutors to the Court of Parliament, that no man liuing should haue the performance of the seruice except the Patentee, in regard that there could be no exceptions taken against the same.
The voluntary contribution for Caster and Stamport Lights, is more then twice as much as sixe pence in the twenty Chaldron, which if they doe take onely from such Shipping as haue vse of the Lights at Winterton, as the Patentee doth, will not exceede 128. pounds a yeare, out of which deducting 60. pounds for the interest of 600. pounds imployed for their Tower, It will follow by consequent that they must entertaine the Lights at Winterton (besides the losse of their stocke) for 68. pounds a yeare, and the Patentees will abide any indifferent tryall whatsoeuer, that the Lights at Winterton, by an vnauoydable charge (if the preseruation of the Shipping, Goods, and liues of men, be to be preferred to a dangerous frugality in that kinde by pinching the seruice) will exceede 230. pounds a yeare in Coales, Candles, and Seruants wages, besides other charge which cannot be eschewed. The which appeareth euidently by this example.
The Lights at Caster and Stamport erected by Thomas Bussell, and now kept by the Masters of the Trinity-house, with one Candle oftentimes, and at most two of sixe in the pound, there hath within this last yeare falne out fiue Shipwracks, whereof three was in the night time, and diuers other Wracks, since they had the keeping thereof. Whereas in Thomas Bussell and Graue Villet their time, there was no losse at all neither at Dongeonnesse, nor at Wintertonnesse, whilst priuate men haue had the care thereof. And it shall be sufficiently proued if need be, that at Dongeonesse and at Wintertonnesse, there haue perished aboue one hundred Ships since the date of the Statute 8. Eliz. which (if this power be proper to that Corporation) should be laid to their charge, as by whose carelesnesse and neglect all these wofull losses haue happened, and which by all appearance would neuer haue beene preuented by them if Thomas Bussell had not beene an humble sutor to the King for Caster and Stamport Lights. Sir Edw. Howard for Dongeonnesse, and the Patentees for Wintertonnesse Lights.
The Masters of Shipping that repine at the payment of this penny, whereby their Shipping▪ Goods and liues are preserued, besides the gaine they make by the voyage more in a yeare, Doe [...] for measuring their Coales vpon the shore at London eight pence vpon the London Chaldron. The difference of which seruices it may be considered by this Honourable Court.
There hath beene no exceptions taken against the prosecution of the businesse before it past the great Seale: execution of the Patent after it was past, nor in the trust reposed in the Patentee.
By all which Arguments aboue written, and their voluntary Contributions graunted to others for seruice lesse important and lesse chargeable, it would appeare that they ayme rather at the Patentee then the penny, and that this vnseasonable offer of sixe pence vpon euery twenty Chaldron: (Besides, that it is impossible, and that a Statute can hardly tye any man to giue vnder hand what he pleaseth) is but a fraudulent Compact betwixt the Masters of the Trinity house, and the Masters of Shipping, who to wrest the authority from the King, and to defeate the Patent, will offer to maintaine them for nothing at all, when in the meane time it will be as easie a matter to the Masters of the Trinity-house, after they haue gotten sole power in their hands to improue their voluntary Contributions by the superintendency they haue of Sea-faring men, being for the most part yonger brothers of their Corporation, as to extort from the Strangers vnder colour of Pilottage, fiue, sixe, seauen and eight pounds euery voyage made. Notwithstanding, that they are limitted by their Charter, to take onely two shillings of twenty, one of tenne, and eight pence out of a noble of the Pilots wages. As also to take eight pence a foote as the Ship draweth deepe: Besides Boyage, Beaconage, and Anchorage, payable by both Subiect and Stranger.
Wherefore the benefit redounding to the Common-wealth by many degrees exceeding the charge, besides the safety of mens liues, the debt of the Patentee which hath beene occasioned by the performance of this seruice, being so heauy vpon him and his suerties: The charge that he is at yearely in the execution of it being so great, and the profit in regard of the vncertaine charge not answerable vnto the common opinion, and it appeareth that the Patentee hath performed the trust reposed in him better then the Masters of the Trinity-house, who not onely in this particular, but in euery thing else haue neglected the trust reposed in them, He is an humble sutor vnto this Honourable Assembly, that they may not Monopolize all vnto themselues, but that the Patentee may enioy the benefit graunted vnto him by his Maiestie.