332 A. D. 1625. 



prefent, in diflindl branches ; fuch as a comptroller, a furveyor, a clerk 

 of the navy, &c. The firfl of that number was Sir Richard Wefton, chan- 

 cellor of the exchequer, and another of them was Sir William Ruffell, 

 who was alfo treafurer of the navy. They were, as at prefent, fubordi- 

 nate to the lord high admiral, or the admiralty-board, from whom they 

 were to receive diredions in maritime affairs. 



The proteftant boors of Auftria now took up arms, to recover the 

 free exercife of their religion, and they became mafters of fome places ; 

 but, not being fupported by any foreign potentate, they were reduced 

 to fubjedion in the following year, and feverely punifhed. Hereupon 

 the emperor Ferdinand II compelled all the proteftant gentry, clergy, 

 and fchoolmafters, to leave Auflria ; many of whom were kindly and 

 wifely received by the Swedes and other proteftant ftates, to the increafe 

 of their wealth and people. 



King Charles by proclamation, prohibited the importation of any to- 

 bacco not of the growth of Virginia, or of the Somer ifles. [Fcedera, 

 V. xviii, p. 19.] 



King Charles ifliied a proclamation fetting forth, ' that whereas the 

 ' making of alum was difcovered not many years fince in Yorkftiire, 

 ' and brought to fuch perfedion, as there is no doubt but fufficient 

 ' quantities may be made, as well for home ufe as for exportation : 



* which being a work of io great honour to this kingdom, and of fuch 

 ' ufe and confequence ; whereby many families are kept at work, much 

 ' treafure faved at home, which heretofore was exported for alum, and 

 ' fome increafe alfo to the revenue ; he therefor ftridly commanded, 



* that no foreign alum fhould be imported, and that no Englilh alum, 

 ' once exported, ftiould be re-imported, or ufed in England.' [Fcedera, 

 V. xviii, p. 21.] 



It was upon the farm of this alum duty, jointly with that on fugar, 

 and other branches of the revenue, that the famous merchant Sir Paul 

 Pindar advanced to this king fo large a fum as Li 30,000, on account of 

 which he and his creditors were great fufferers, by reafon of the civil 

 wars which enfued. 



Another of King Charles's proclamations this year was, for main- 

 taining and increafmg the laltpetre mines of England, for the neceffary 

 and important manufadure of gunpowder. The king obferves, ' that 

 ' our realm naturally yields fufficient mines of faltpetre, without de- 



* pending on foreign parts : wherefor, for the future, no dove-houfe 

 ' fliall be paved with ftone, bricks, nor boards, lime, fand, nor gravel, 

 ' nor any other thing whereby the growth and increafe of the mine of 

 ' faltpetre may be hindered or impaired ; but the proprietors fliall fuf- 

 ' fer the floors or ground thereof, as alio all ftables where horfes fland, 

 ' to lie open with good and mellow earth, apt to breed increafe of the 

 ■'- faid mine of faltpetre. And that none hinder or deny any laltpetre- 



