( 293 )
pardons of crimes, and severall grants of land, have past through my hands, yett I assure you, Sir, that I have not made profitt enough to defray the incident charges of that office, not having demanded the ancient and accustomed fees belonging to it, and meerely uppon the accompt of preserving his Excellencyes honour cleare, and my selfe free from the least appearances of this evill.
I am likewise, Sir, clerke of the Councill, in which capacity tis obviouse that wee have the meanes to fore-slow or forward mens bussiness, to exspress the sence of the board in words of more or less advantage to the suitor; besides, their Lordshipps of the Councill are sometimes pleased to require my poor opinion in some cases, especially that concerne disposure of lands. And yett, Mr Speaker, all these opportunitys and temptations have gained to me noe other profitt, perquisite, or priviledge, but the bare salary of that place, notwithstanding wee doe some sometimes extraordinary worke for the accomodation of particular persons.
I am, Mr Speaker, one of the Commissioners for setting out lands to the army, and, as my enviouse adversaries say, the only Commissioner, and dominus factotum in the business, though there be a rash mistake in that; however, Sir, wee distributed as much land as probably might have been sould for a million of ready money. Our rules have been such as wee have given out lands indifferently, at one and the selfe same rate, which differ in intrinsicke value as much as ten from one; and yett, notwithstanding all these temptations, I have not been swayed to favour by bribery. I have received noe gratuity, not soe much as of eeatables and drinkables; and have been soe sparing in my negotiations uppon matters relating to this trust, that I have allready, and can againe make itt appeare, that I am neer four thousand pounds worse for medling with this employment. I say, Mr Speaker, near ffour thousand pounds of pecuniary damage, besides a thousand other inconveniencies, whereof this great accusation is but one.
As to the second, which is, that I have made it a trade to buy vast numbers of debentures when I was chief surveyor, contrary to the proviso of the Act of Satisfaction, and that I have by injuriouse artifices necessitated men to sell their debentures, or else to deny them satisfaction, uppon which article I say,
That the vast number of debentures which I have bought are under 7000li; that I have been soe farr from making a trade of it, that I doe not remember
