When the Chancellr found that he could not obstruct the patent, his next endeavour was to clip the profitts of the place, and therein his malice prevailed as will appeare when ye perquisites are treated of.
The perquisites belonging to ye Mr are as follows:
1. A Fee of 50£ per an payable half yearely out of the Exchequer: which ye Maistr used to call for but once in two yeares, that he might receive i00£ together: but when Sr George Downing became Secretary, to the Lds Commissrs of the Treasury, he (because there is a small fee due to the Secretary for drawing up the order to the Exchequer) enioned[[27]] all fees to take out separate orders for every half yeare: wch exacting invention is still kept on foote: although the fee for every order is exorbitant.
2. A Table of 14 double dishes per diem with bread beer wine etc., or 35s. per diem board wages, if not served in kind. But ye Ld Chancr who sought all occasions to preiudice the Maistr of the Jewell H. put the Kg upon retrenchmt of some of the tables: and went in person to the Greenecloth (although altogether unqualifyed as being noe Officer there) and cutt off the Maistrs table, and ye Groome-porters, for company, that it might not look like personall malice; in lieu whereof they allowed each of them i20£ p. an: board wages: and for this they pleaded noe other ground, or shadow of reason, but because it appeared in theyre books, that once when the treasury was exhausted Sr H. Mildmay proposed to the Kg the retrenchment of the tables & desired his Maty to begin with his. This the Ld Chancellrs Law, & Sr H. Woods philosophy made an argument to cutt off the dyet from the Jewell H.
And although Sr G. Talbot’s patent gave him all the rights that any of his Predecessors at any time enioyed, there was noe releife to be had in theyre Chancery.
Sr G. Talbot this theyre proceeding to his Maty, but the Chancellor yet swayed all things absolutely; and there lay noe appeale from him.
For one yeare after they allowed him his dyet, at the greate Festivalls (Christmass, Easter, and Whitsontide): but that was thought too much and retrenched likewise.
3. 300£ p. an: out of the money presented by the Nobility, to the King, at new-yeare’s-tyde; which usually amounted to 3000£. And the profitt ariss to the Maister by 12d in the £, and the advantage of the gold; for it was ever given away and payd in silver, till Mr. May came to the privy Purse, who gott it annexed to his office: by wch meanes that branch was cutt off from ye Maistr of the Jewell H. because the Kg was neither to pay poundage, nor allowance for gold, and ye Maistr had noe consideration for it, till upon the tender of severall petitions, his Maty in an. 77 gave him, by Privy Seale 400£ p. an: out of the new-yeare’s-guift money, during pleasure.
4. The Maistr of the Jewell H. received the value of 300£ p. an. (communibg annis) by carrying presents to Embassadours, till the jst D. of Buckingham (who was an enemy to Sr H. Mildmay) prevailed wth the Kg first, to make all his presents in iewells (and not in plate as had ever, till then, bin accustomed) and next to send them by the Maister of ye Ceremonyes (an office erected but in Kg James his time).