Daily entries from the 17th century London diary
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“Scrivener, usurer, and the last of the Clerks of the Court of Wards, d. 15 Nov. 1662, “infinitely rich”: Richard Smyth, *Obituary*, p. 56. He is said to have been worth £400,000 at his death: see ‘The way to be rich, according to the practice of the great Audley’(1662)….” L&M note, 23 Nov. 1662.
Clerks of the Court of Wards
A very good living to be made from worthy young people that required some one to look after their interests [ being a ward of]
here be list of incomes at this site also this
Officers of Court of Wards.
The Question being propounded, That the Officers of the Court of Wards, whose Names are mentioned in the Report from the Committee, to whom the Case of the said Officers was referred, are fit (in Case the Bill pass for taking away the Court of Wards) to be taken into Consideration, for a Recompence for their respective Places, according to the Committee’s Report;
And the Question being put, That the Question be now put;
It passed in the Negative.
From: ‘House of Commons Journal Volume 8: 21 December 1660’, Journal of the House of Commons: volume 8: 1660-1667 (1802), pp. 219-23. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=26332&strquery=Clerks%20of%20the%20Court%20of%20Wards%201660. Date accessed: 22 November 2005.
Court of Wards.
Resolved, upon the Question by the Parliament, That the Records lately belonging to the late Court of Wards, be transferred into the Court of Exchequer: And that Humfrey Salwey Esquire do take them into his Care and Custody, as well such as are already transferred into the said Court, as also all such Records, Evidences, and Writings, as remain in the Custody of Hugh Audley Esquire, as Clerk of the said late Court: Who is hereby required to deliver them accordingly, by Inventory, to be kept for the Benefit of the Publick: And that the said Mr. Salwey be authorized to deliver them out, as he shall receive Orders, from time to time, by any of the Courts of Justice sitting at Westminster.
Ordered, by the Parliament, That the Amendments to the Bill touching bringing in the Arrears of the late Court of Wards be reported on Thursday-sevennight.
From: ‘House of Commons Journal Volume 6: 14 March 1651’, Journal of the House of Commons: volume 6: 1648-1651 (1802), pp. 548-49. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=26085&strquery=hugh%20audley. Date accessed: 22 November 2005.
It appears the Court of Wards under Audley mat have engaged in accounting irregularities to the benefit of the guardian.