Vols. IX. and X. cover 1661, May 24 to 1661, November 1, and 1661, October 30, to 1667, April 23, both volumes concerning Customs and signed throughout by

Southampton.

Vols. XI. XII. refer to Excise. XI. covers October 27, 1660, to April 30, 1663. All the entries, comprising warrants for appointments, quarterly allowances, letters, orders of reference and reports, are signed by Southampton and there are no minutes.

Vol. XII. covers April 30, 1663, to February 12, 1666-7, and is exactly like XI. At the commencement of the volume there is the following memorandum, "all business proper to this book from the 1st of July to the 19th of February 1665, is entered in the book entitled 'The Progresse Book.'"

Vol. XIII. is the "Progress Book" thus referred and covers July 1665 to Lady Day, 1666, during which period the Treasury was removed to Nonsuch and Southampton's orders are signed from Aps Court or Stratton. The entries relate alike to Customs, Excise, land and money, and the book was evidently a general entry book for all Treasury business during the recess in plague time.

The concatenation of the sets of documents just surveyed may be graphically illustrated thus:

From a survey of the records covering this extremely important interim period, 1660-7, therefore the following conclusions are deducible.

1. That at least three parallel sets of books were in use at the Treasury, viz. Excise, Customs and General, the latter splitting up into Money Book and Land Book from September 1660.

2. That for the few months during which the Treasury was in commission under Hyde and others, and before Southampton's treasurership, regular minutes were taken. But instead of being entered in one book specially reserved for a "Minute Book" the various minutes were scattered through the three or more parallel sets of books, according as such minutes referred to the business of now the one and now the other set; and to these minutes thus scattered and divided amongst three or more parallel sets of volumes were appended irregularly records of the, or some of the, subsequent acts which were taken upon the instruction of the minute, e.g. the letter written or the reference ordered, or the report made after reference, or the order or warrant made out and

so on.

3. With

Southampton's

the commencement of treasurership the need of a formal resolution of a board disappeared, and with it the minute itself. But the course of Treasury business remained the same with certain developments. Instead of the minute of approval of a certain appointment, or of a quarter's salary bill in the Customs, the appointment or the bill is entered with Southampton's approval or confirmation in the Customs. Book. So for matters relating to Excise. So for matters relating to Crown leases. While in the

matter of money warrants the separate Money Book emerges from at least December 1660. That is to say, the minute of resolution implied in the Lord High Treasurer's decision is scattered through the parallel sets of volumes in just the same way as the minutes of the preceding Commissioners had been.

From 1667 the Treasury was again put into commission by letters patent of May 24, 19 Car. II. the Lords Commissioners being George Duke of of Albemarle, Anthony Lord Ashley, Sir Thos. Clifford, Sir Wm. Coventry, and Sir John Duncombe. As a matter of

course the need of some record of the formal resolutions of this body at once emerged. Instead however of going back to the old system of scattering the minutes among various parallel sets of volumes, according as such minutes related to the subject-matter of any one of those sets, and then attaching to the minute thus deposited the record of subsequent steps taken upon it, the innovation was made of having a book "singly to register the brief notes to be made by the Secretary to the Lords Commissioners."

The first meeting of these Commissioners was held on the 25th May 1667, and was devoted to the reading of the commission. The second was held two days later on the 27th, and the first resolution then recorded was as follows:

"Ordered that the Secretary Sir George Downing, Knight and Baronet, attending this commission should keep a book singly for registering the brief notes he should take for framing any orders upon or pursuing other their Lordships directions, which notes at their next meeting and before they entered upon any new business he should acquaint them with and what was done

Done, and La Berkshire's

8,000l. to be

in Sir Stephen Fox

his name,

and to be in

his hands.

thereupon, and so from time to time what progress was made upon any directions then unperfected. That he should enter the names of the Commissioners present at every meeting and constantly observe this method."

From this date 1667 to the present, with the exception of the lacunæ already referred to, the system and record of these Treasury Minute Books is unbroken.

With regard to the subject-matter and method of these Minute Books, however, considerable changes are noticeable after certain lapses of time, changes due to some or other alteration in the methods of Treasury work or book-keeping. At the first the minutes are exceedingly full, recording and noticing all kinds of Treasury business. But at a later period they become much more meagre and attenuated.

The following is a copy of one day's proceedings of the Treasury Board as recorded in the early Minute Books:

May the 30th, 1667, Thursday.
Present:

THE DUKE OF ALBEMARLE, MR. COMPTROLLER, LORD
ASHLEY, SIR WILLIAM COVENTRY, SIR JOHN
DUNCOMB.

That Mr. Vice-Chamberlain considers whether past debts of the Navy for the war may not be paid out of moneys received by him on the eleven months' tax, except the 380,000l. for seamen's

wages.

That His Majesty be spoken unto by their Lordships about the particulars of the sums in the Privy Seal for repaymt of His Majesty's 200,000l. borrowed on his Customs for the Navy out of

the eleven months' tax.

Sir Robert Viner being called in was assured of all punctuality from the Commissioners as to what was borrowed of him before their time and of what shall be borrowed of him and his partners and was desired to acquaint them therewith. Alderman Blackwell came afterwards and had the like said to him.

That the Treasurer of the Navy be acquainted that the victualler complains he wants 62,000l. assigned to him and that he give the reason thereof.

Letter

Sir George Downing to speak with the farmers of the hearth written to them, June money to pay Mr. May 20,000/ the 1st. That Mr. Vice-Chamberlain and Alderman Blackwell be here They came. about the accompt of the business of the tin in Flanders to-morrow

at eight in the morning, and that Mr. Vice-Chamberlain bring

such persons and papers as he thinks necessary.

Also that Mr. Sherwyn and Mr. Beale be sent to attend then about this business.

to the

That application be made to His Majesty that before any Granted, and warrant be signed by His Majesty for issuing money or charging order given the revenue or making any grant of any part thereof the Lords secretaries to Commissioners be aquainted with the address made to His Majesty observe it. concerning it and make their report of their opinion to him of the matter of fact and of the condition and present state of the

revenue.

That His Majesty be moved on the behalf of Sir Edward Pooley, Granted. that he may be considered out of the first places that may fall in the Exchequer.

A minute to be drawn and laid daily before the Lords Commissioners of anything in which they are to move the King.

A warrant to Sir Robert Long for Sir Stephen Fox, for an order Done. of what was due to the Guards to the 11th of May instant.

That His Majesty be moved whether the mace shall be used by Granted. the Commissioners in the chamber.

Sir Robert Long to send a list of all Privy Seals since His Written to Majesty's return which are unpaid in part or in whole.

That the ordinary times of the Lords Commissioners meeting be upon Tuesdays and Thursdays at 3 of the clock in the afternoon and upon Wednesday and Friday at 8 in the morning.

[Treasury Minute Book I. p. 6-7.]

The marked change from the fulness of entry and wide variety of subject-matter which thus distinguish the earliest Minute Books to the meagreness of detail and subject-matter of the Minute Books later than 1689, is to be attributed to change in official routine or in the system of Treasury book-keeping. This will become apparent in a moment in the account (below) of the Reference Books and Register of Papers. It was a simple

I 88141.

b

about it.