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British Library, Lansdowne Manuscripts

BL MSS La. 80, 42. (Transcribed by Helen Good)

Octavo Februarij 1595 stilo Angliae

Articles of the misdemeano’rs of Anthonie Atkinson Searcher in the Porte of Kingston vpon Hull and of his Deputies in the sayd Office And of her Ma’tes Customs by them concealed or negligently let slippe out of thye sayd Porte and the members therof. W’thin theis xv’teene monethes last passed. /

1 About September 1594 A Shippe called the Meremayd of York Roger Aishe being Owner, and Oliver Acheball Maister) went out of the same Porte (by the privitie of the same Searcher and Hughe Scotte his Deputie) laden with Ordin’nce (without licence) and Certaine Clothe for the which no Custome was payed to her Matie
2 In Lent followinge, in a Ship of Anchuisen ( the m’r whereof was then
Cornelius Groune) were shipped ( by the privitie of the sayd S’cher and his sayd Deputie) in the sayd Porte, Twelve greate peeces of Ordin’nce without Licence (intituled the gooddes of the sayd Roger Aiske) and carie by night aboorde the sayd Shippe in the boate of one [blank] Coulter, and striken att the Staires of one Mr Poulsey.
3 More in the sayd Shipp att the same time fower Trusses of Clothe were laden: two of them being the gooddes of the said Roger, and the other two, the gooddes of James Casson and Thomas Swan. Layd aboord the sayd Shippe by Robert Towlle Deputie to the sayd Searcher; No Custome att all payed for the same.
4 About May last, was shipped in Humber in a Barke of forty Toonnes or theraboutes called the John Evangelist of Keydby (Tho: Mall then Maister and Chr’ofer Young Owner) her full fraight of Lead and Clothe (being the gooddes of Edw: Dodswoorth and others) shipped by privitie of the sayd Searcher & Scott his Deputy: And no Custome att all payd for the same./
[f.1v. ]
5 About June last the sayd Searcher seized att Grimbsbye one hoye w’th certaine Beanes therin being the gooddes of one Lyonell Kirck, and bringing the same to Hull) did (for a bribe of ix li in money and certaine Beanes) release her: and so she passed without Lycence
6 About the same moneth the sayd Scotte (as deputie for the said S’cher and by his privitie) did seize in the Haven of Hull in a boate, one packe of Clothe, of the Gooddes of one Fraunces Vdale of York: And(for x li and one fine Carzey) agreed to sett the same at lib’tie; and so did /
7 About the xxjth of Julye Last: Robert Towlle (Deputy for the sayd Sercher) with his boate did carie aboord and ladened two Scottisshe Barckes (in the Ryver of Humber aforesayd) w’th Beanes, by night w’thout Licence: by the appointment of the sayd Searcher and the sayd Scott his Deputie. Robert Towlle allso received the money of the Scottes for the same, and brought the same (the next daye to the sayd Scott: John Browne (serv’unte to the sayd Searcher) was allso appointed by his sayd Mr Attkinson to attend this service but slept his Tyde in an Alehowse, being the howse of one Tenison in Pawle. /
8 The sayd Towlle one Miles Higgins and others (whose names are well knowne to the sayd Towlle) about thesame time did (with their boates) Laden divers other Scotts in the Night with Beanes, Butter, and other prohibited Comodities by the speciall appointment of the said Attkinson.
9 The sayd Towlle (being Deputie for the sayd Attkinson in the sayd Creeke of Pawle) is well acquainted that prohibited co’modities and vncustomed goodes (to a greate valewe ) have beene, (in the sayd xvteene Monethes) transported out of the sayd Ceeke: and thatt, by the privitie of the sayd Searcher his Mr: As vpon his oathe he can (for her Ma’ty) testifie. /
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10 About the second of Julie aforesayd A Shippe called the Fortune of Hull (Walter flinton then Mr therof) passed out of the sayd Porte in the time of Restrainte) Laden with Lead and som Clothe, by the privitie of the sayd Scott (then deputie Searcher there) without any Cockett.
11 About the Sixteenth of the aforesayd Moneth of Maye last, A Shippe called the Little Henrie of Hull, (William Gentleman then Mr thereof) saylinge for Holland, did receive aboorde in the Ryver of Humber (by the privitie of the sayd Attkinson and Scott) out of a Keele of one William Raileston, two trusses of Clothe and Certaine Lead vncustomed: Iohn Preston being Mr of the sayd Keele.
12 And about one Moneth after, the same Shippe retourninge back againe from Rotterdam, into the said haven laden with wynes, there were delivered into a Keele of one Lyonell Wattson and William Raileston out of the sayd Shipp by night Seaven Toonnes of French Wyne, w’ch the sayd Attkinson seized, and for a bribe of Tenne powndes released: By w’ch corrupt dealing neither Buttlerage nor Imposte was payd, albeit there were Seaven Toones more entred in the sayd Shipp. /
13 About the sayd Moneth, A Shipp called the Gyfte of God of Hull (sayling in the River of Humber towards Melvin) received aboord out of a Boate called the Revenge (William Newton then Maister of the saydd Boate, and John Joyston Mr of the sayd Shippe) at Skitter Milles (by the privitie of the sayd Attkinson & his Deput ) two packes of Clothe vncustomed. /
14 About the same Moneth allso was delivered out of a Shippe called the Little Hare of Hull (whereof John Robinson was then Maister) (into a boate of the sayd Towlle deputie of the sayd Attkinson) in Hull haven by night, fyve or Sixe Toonnes of frenche wyne, by the privitie of the sayd Attkinson & Scott: No Custome noe impost payed for the same. /
[f.2v.]
15 About the same Moneth allso John Burkell of Hull saylinge towardes Stode, tooke in out of a boate of one James Harrison of Hull in the sayd Roade, one pack of clothe & diverse other packes, all vncustomed The sayd Searcher & Scott, his Deputie being privie thervnto. /
16 About the xxvth or xxvjth of Julie lat, A flieboate of Holland did (by the privitie of the sayd Attkinson & Scott) take in out of a boat of one Laurence Collison and others, about five packes of Clothe uncustomed
17 About the fifth of August last were delivered by night out of a ship called the emmanuel of Hull Henry Burnett then Maister and Leonard Phelippes Purser thereof into the boats of Lawrence Collison and John Middleton and others to the value of xxvj toonnes of french wynes by the direction of the said Attkinson for which neither Buttlerage nor impost was paid
18 About the same time the said searcher having seized certain grocerir wares of the gooddes of one [Blank] Boothe of London in the said Haven did for a bribe of five or six pounds release the same
19 In September last a ship called the Robert of Hull Richard Sheffield then Mr thereof coming into the haven laden with forty tons of French wine did by the direction of the said Attkinson and Scott his deputie enter onely xvteen tonnes thereof by which fraude of the said searcher and his deputy neither Buttlerage nor impost was payed for the rest viz xxv tonnes more
20 About the same time a Scottishe Barck comming to the said haven laden with french wines and five or six tones of the same being landed in the house of one Osgerbie in Hull aforesaid The said searcher together with one David Jenken a messinger of her Ma’tes chamber seized the same and for release thereof the sayd Scott had (to thuse of the sayd Searcher) fower or fyve powndes payed by the handes of Walter Peck. /
[f.3]
21 The xxixth of September last in the Eveninge were . . . . into the aforesaid ship called the Emanuell, in . . . . (out of a boat of the said Robert Towlle three packs [of] Clothe vncustomed, by the privity of the said searcher, [&] Towlle and Scott his deputies: Thomas Horsley being then maister of the same shippe
22 Within [blank] moneths last passed A bark called the Viagre of Hull of the burden of xxxty tonnes or thereaboutes was by the said searchers privily twice laden in the said port with beans and other corn transported without licence for which no custome att all was paid
23 About September last Dierick Hostman of Hambrough [did] take into a ship in the said river out of the boates of the said Towlle & one Roger Gall (by the privity of the said searcher and Scott) seaven packes of Clothe or more uncustomed.
24 About October last there were carried aboard one flieboat riding in the said river bound for Melvin William Stokes being pilot of the same two packs of Clothe vncustomed by a boat of James Harrison And three packs more uncustomed allso, by the boat of Marmaduke Wiseman All by the privity of the said searcher and Scott his deputy.
25 In October aforesaid out of a keele of laurence Collison were dilivered aboard a small bark in the river (bound for Middelboroughe) by the privity of the said Scott deputy for the said searcher two or three packs of cloth and divers other gooddes uncustomed.
26 About the same time were delivered abourd a ship of Holland called the Cablee, out of certain boats of Hull by the privety of the said Scott to the value of seven packs of cloth uncustomed
27 About September last the said Scott deputy to the said searcher sold to one James Lowrie of Edinbroughe [f.3v.] Threescore firkins of Butter bought of one John Colman and others and the same were delivered aboard a ship of St Andrews by one Thomas Wraye to one John Smithe a Scottisshman without licence or custom.
28 About the same time the said scott sold to one Cornelius a Dutchman fifty firkins of butter shipped by Thomas Wraye at one Reignoldes his Stayeth in Hull without Licence or Custome
29 In November last in two ships bound for Stode by the intelligence of John Hewett given to the customer of Hull were found and taken xvteen packs of cloth woorthe xvC li willingly lett slippe by the Searcher and his deputies out of the said haven uncustomed by which means her Ma’tie had her Custom due for thesame
30 there hath passed out of the said port within xij months last past (by the privity of the said searcher & of the said scott and others deputies to the said searcher to the value of CC fodder of lead and C trusses of cloth [one line unreadable] Ma’tie) wilbe prooved
31 About two years passed the said Scott as deputy for the said searcher seized to the value of thirty thousand Holland Lynge forfeited to her M brought into the said port in divers ships And the said Searcher and Scott for a bribe of forty or fifty shillings of every thousand of the same fish released the same whereby her majesty lost the same
32 The s search hath also this last summer laden divers Scottish barkes with beans to the value of 400 quarters or more without either licence or custom
33 The sd search also about aug last did sell unto one Kerne a Scottisshman vj’xx quarters of Beans which were shipped in the said haven aboard a ship called the fortune of Hull Walter Flinton then maister thereof and for the same vjxx quarters the sayd Searcher entered [f.4]and payed Custome onelie for fiftie quarters and defrauded her Ma’tie of the rest
34 William Wigges deputie to one of the suveyors there can show letters written by the said Searcher to the merchants of York for money to th value of lxli by them to him to be gieven to make shorte and false entries of such Cloth as they had to be transported out of the said port