The Palace of Pleasure Volume I Part 6

The said William Painter owes 1200 for land in mortgage and is indebted to divers persons besides.

He humbly beseeches Her Majesty to have pitiful regard for his wife and marriageable children.

IV.

POWELL'S CHARGES AGAINST EARL OF WARWICK AND PAINTER (Abstract).

(_Hatfield, Calendar_ iii., No. 581.)

September, 1587. John Powell to the Queen, offers to expose frauds in the Ordnance Office, and begs the Queen to grant him a hearing before the Lord Chancellor, Lord Treasurer, Lord Admiral, and Earl Warwick, which last named he accuses of great oppressions, and one Painter of false recording the office books.

V.

W. PAINTER'S CONFESSION.

(_Record Office State Papers, Domestic, Eliz._, vol. 224, No. 102.)

[Sidenote: xxiij{clo} Junii 1589.]

Willm Paint{er} confesseth that all those things that stande nowe charged upon Thearle of Warrewicke by the twoe bookes delivered by M{r.} Coniers and M{r.} Bartholme Vodoington were in truthe taken out of the Quenes stoare in the Towre of London and other places, and promiseth that before Michaelmas Tearme next he will in writing und{r.} his hand shewe discharge of so muche of the same as the said Earle is to be discharged of, and will charge his L. w{th} so muche thereof as in truth he ought to be charged w{th} by shewing of his owne warrant or other good proof that the same came to his L. hands or to suche as his Lo. did appoint for the receipt thereof, and the residue he will charge upon suche others as of right are to be charged therew{th}, and for his bett{r} instruction he placeth a coppie of the said twoe bookes delivered by the Audito{rs}.

_signed_ W. PAINTER.

_endorsed._ { 23 Junii, 1589.

{ M{r.} Painters aunsweare for the Charging the E. of { Warwick in the 2 books delivered to the Audito{rs} { of the Presse.

VI.

(_Record Office Dom. Pap. Eliz._ ccxxv., No. 38.)

June 22, 1589. Answer of John Powell, Surveyor of the Ordnance, to the informations given against him by Mr. Wm. Paynter. Examined in the office of the Ordnance before Sir Robert Constable and the rest of the officers, and noted in the margin accordingly.

VII.

APPLICATION OF A. PAINTER IN BEHALF OF HIS FATHER (Abst.).

(_Brit. Mus. Lansd. MS._ 67, f. 47.)

April 6. 1591. He has many times besought his honour to accept of his serviceable endeavours with regard to his duty concerning the indirect government of the office of ordnance, the entries into the books &c. and as he knows that many irregularities have been committed for which he fears he and his aged father may be blamed he has thought it his duty to crave access to his Honour as well to advertise what has been heretofore done as to declare the manner how this office is managed, beseeching his honour, in regard his aged father is clerk of that office, whose duty it is to register all things, not to sign any proportion books of debt or monthe's books but by the delivery of the said clerk or his deputy.

VIII.

GRANT IN REVERSION OF PAINTER'S OFFICE (Docquet).

(_Record Off. Dom. State Papers, Eliz._ ccx.x.xiii.)

1591. Grant in reversion of John Grenewaie of the office of Clerk of the Ordnance, with a fee of 8_d._ per diem, after the death of Wm. Paynter.

IX.

ACCOUNTS OF THE ORDNANCE (Abstract).

(_Record Off. Dom. State Papers, Eliz._ ccxliii., No. 96.)

Accounts by John Powell, Wm. Painter and Thos. Bedc.o.c.k for provisions and stores delivered unto her Majesty's Ordnance up to 31 Dec. 1592.

Total of debts 6,786 0_s_ 5_d_; of payments during the last year 3,960 17_s_ 6_d_; Balance due, 2,825 2_s_ 9_d_. Also of debts due for provisions brought into the stores, repairs, &c., during the year: total 4055 9_s_ besides Sir Rob. Constable's debt. With note that as the books of the office have been delivered to the two auditors, the writers cannot set down every particular debt but have done so as far as they could.

X.

SPECIFIC CHARGES AGAINST PAINTER.

(_Brit. Mus.: Lansdown MS._ 73, No. 59.)

Right Honorable whearas I heartofore exhibited Articles vnto yo{r} Lo{pp} therin revealing and Justlie accusing William Painter clerke of Thordynaunce of notorious Deceiptes and abuses (per)petrated by him in Thexecution of his saide office vnto whiche he hathe made some Answeare as is reported./ May it ffurther please yo{r} Lo I haue thoughte yt my parte to reveall such further and more deceiptes as I haue discovered of his lyke practizes and abuses when he tooke vppon him the charge and discharge of Thoffice as now his sonne seekethe to doe, which I Humblie prostrate heare inclosed. Cravinge of yo{r} good Lo for proofe of bothe my Articles I may haue Aucthoritie to examine suche wittnesses as I can produce by othe before some Baron of Thexchequer as to Remaine vppon recorde leaste Deceasinge her Ma{ties} seruece therbye be hindered and I in some sorte descredited in skeming to Informe your Lo{pp} w{th} matters I cannot proue./

So lyke wise if to yo{r} Ho yt shall seeme good to signe the warrantate here to fore by me (pre)sented Aucthorishinge me and others to (per)vse and vewe Thaccomptes of Sir Robert Constable Knyghte deceased and m{sr} willm Sugdon for Tower matters. I will bringe to lighte suche matters agaynste his sonne whearby yt shall appeare that he is a moste unfitt man to execute anie office of charge or truste vnder her ma{tie} beinge so corrupte a man as I will prooue him to be./ Pardon Right Ho my boldnes for Dutifull zeale did p.r.i.c.ke me to discouer that I and sithence they are abroache care of my credite dothe continuallie vrge mee not to be negligent or alowe vntill I haue by good proues confirmed and established them. So restinge Readie to (per)forme the same and accordinge to my Bounden dutie to do her hignes anie service to my vttermoste./ I Humblie cease to trouble yo{r} Ho any further at this tyme. But never will omitt to pray Thalmightie to increase yo{r} Honor with all healthe and happines.

Your Honors most humble

_G. HOGGE._

_Endorsed_ November 1793

George Hogg to my L.

Discouerie of certain abuses committed by W{m.} Paynter clerk of the Ordinance w{t}in his office.

Wronges offered by Willm Painter Clerke of Thordenance entered in his Jornall booke ffor receiptes broughte into her ma{ties} Store Anno _1575_ and _1576_.

Right Honorable, first ther was a receipte for one Laste and a half of Serpentine powder broughte into her Ma{ties} Store and debenter made by Painter for the same as made of forraigne Peeter the xiiij{th} of Julie _1576_, the which I will prooue vnto yo{r} Ho that yt was her Ma{ties} owen powder brought from Windso{r} Castell the verie same Somer./ Wherein he deceaved her Ma{tie}, and made her pay for that w{ch} was her owen./ Desyringe that my proofes may be taken bye Othe before one of the Barons of her M{ties} Exchecquer./

Secondlie, their was another Receipte made for xii{e} wh{t} of corne powder As made of fforraine provision and brought into her ma{ties} Store and debenter made for the same the xxj{th} of Julie _1576_ at the Rate of xij{d} the pownde, the w{ch} did amounte to the some in money of lx{lb} the w{ch} I will prove to be her ma{ties} Owen Powder as aforsayde./

Third, there was another Receipte made for One Laste of Serpentine powder by the sayd Painter at xj{d} the pownde/ and debenter made for the same the xxj{th} of Julie _1576_ as brought into her maties Store beinge made lykwyse of fforraigne provision the w{ch} I will proove no such matter receaved into her ma{ties} saide store and therefore her ma{tie} flatlie Deceaved by him of the Some of one c and x{lb} ? /./

ffowerthlie there was lykewyse broughte into her Ma{ties} sayde store by one Constantine Watchindroppe the seconde of auguste _1576_ certaine bowstaves to the number of fower Thousande after syxe Score to the Hundrethe at the Rate of xiij{lb} the Hundrethe the which dothe Amounte to v{C} and xx{lb} and entred by Painter in his Jornall booke and debenter made for the same I will proove vnto yo{r} Ho notwithstandinge his debenter and entrie in his sayde booke that there was xj{c} of them neuer brought into her ma{ties} Store / and therfore her Ma{tie} Apparentlie Deceaved by him of the some of one{C} xliij{lb}.

ffiftlie wheras there was a Deliverie made in Thoffice of Thordinance the xxvi{th} of Aprill _1576_ for Se{r}pentine Powder Delivered out of her Ma{ties} Store for the shootinge of Thordinance vppon the wharfe he did enter into his Jornall xx{c} wh{t} delivered whearas, I will proove vnto yo{r} Ho there was but v{c} Di delivered but heare he Dothe shewe his conninge in the discharginge of the kee(per) of the Store for the overcharge layd vppon the sayd kee(per) by him on his Receipte before specified the xxj{th} of Julie _1576_ whearas he did charge the kee(per) w{th} a laste of Powder which was never brought into the Store which he made her Ma{tie} pay for/

Syxtlie he made a Delyuerie of fower hundrethe wh{t} of Serpentine Powder the Laste of Aprill 1576 for the shootinge of Thordynaunce uppon May ? vo accordinge to the olde accustomed manners I will Proove there was but j Two hundredthe wh{t} Delyvered whearin he hath abused her Ma{tie} as in the Article befor specified/.