Mr. Roberts Authorized to state Accompts . MR . Roberts , who was the Representative of Mr. George Dashwood , one of the Undertakers , with the Assistance of the Secretary , and two Clerks of the Undertaking , made up , and closed the said Accompts , by Virtue of an Authority from Sir James Hayes , John Stepney , and John Hays , Esquires , the only Persons then acting for the Undertaking , and who declared , when they gave Roberts the said Authority , that they had full Power from the rest of the Partners and Undertakers , to transact and finish all the concerns thereof . And so my Lord Ranelagh , by his Letter of 22d of May , 1677. owns that their Signing would bind all the rest ; which he confesses also in his Answer to Sir John Champante's Bill in Ireland , as by the Decree in Ireland may appear .

His Method , Care and Industy in the same . In the making up , and stating these Accompts , made up in the Method the Authority prescribes , Mr. Roberts , with the Assistance of the said Secretary and Clerks , spent above two Months examining , and comparing them with Sir John Champante's Day-books of Receipts and Payments , and with his Leidgers , and the other Books of the Treasury Office , and with the Weekly and Quarterly Accompts , which Sir John Champante constantly gave the Undertakers , and with the Entries of the Cheque and Controul , which Officers appointed by the Undertakers , made of his daily Receipts and Payments ; and likewise , with the Entries of the Clerk of the Pells , of the Auditor-General , and of the Chamberlains of the Exchequer , and with the Accompts of the Collectors of the Undertaking , and of the General Farmers , and with all the other Books and Papers , that might detect the least Error in the said Accompts , or Surcharge Sir John with any Sums omitted , which the said Mr. Roberts very industriously endeavour'd . And also with the Warrants , Vouchers delivered up . Orders , and Debentures , and other Vouchers maintaining the said Accompts which Sir John then deliver'd up , which have been since made use of by the Undertakers , to justify their Accompts with the King , and accordingly lodg'd with the Auditor General , except those which relate to the Charges attending the management of the Undertaking , which were lately in the Custody of John Hays , Brother to Sir James Hays .

Roberts made up the former Accompts . The said Mr. Roberts was the Person relied on by the Undertakers , to make up the two former Accompts , which are signed , and passed by the Undertakers ; and his Care and Industry in the Service of the Undertakers was so well known , and approved of , that long after the close of the said two last Accompts , in the year 1678. the Lord Ranelagh , Sir James Hayes , George Dashwood , and John Bence , Esq ; did by several Letters desire Mr. Roberts to take upon him the Management of the concerns of their late Undertaking ; and particularly by a Letter of the 16th of July , 1678. write to Sir John Champante , to engage him the said Mr. Roberts thereunto .

At the Rehearing of Sir John Champante's Cause in the Court of Exchequer in Ireland , the Councel of the Earl of Ranelagh , and Mr. Stepney , The Accompts examined by the Court of Exchequer in Ireland , and Decreed conclusive . with Two able Accomptants , appeared against the said Accompts , and were Armed with all Sir John Champante's Books and Papers , which by Order of the said Court were put into their Hands for several Months , and had access to all the Offices of Cheque in the said Kingdom , but were not able in the least to falsify the said Accompts , all their objections being fully answered to the satisfaction of that Court , who after Six Days spent in the examination of the said Accompts , and hearing the Proofs , Decreed the said Two Accompts final and conclusive ; Declaring , That they were Accompts , not only stated by Mr. Roberts , but also by the Court of Exchequer . At which re-hearing , it appeared fully in the Depositions taken , and was also proved , Viva voce , in Court , That Sir John Champante had deliver'd up all his Vouchers , and that they were in the possession of the Undertakers .

Decretal Order in the Exchequer here . At the hearing of the Cause in the Court of Exchequer in England , in June 1688. which took up Eight days , the Court , by the Proofs , therein received full satisfaction as to the method , care and industry of the said Mr. Roberts , in stating of the said Accompts , and of the justness and exactness of them ; and that Sir John Champante's Vouchers were all delivered up in Ireland when Roberts stated his Accompts , and that he was under an utter Impossibility to come to a new Accompt ; however out of tenderness to the now Appellants , and the other Defendants , it was referred to the Two Auditors of the Imprest , in Case the Defendants had any material Objections to offer against any of the particulars in the said Accompts , to inspect and examine the same , and whether the said Accompts were made up and stated in the method of the Two former , and wherein they did agree or differ from the same ; and Sir John Champante was decreed to be examined on Interrogatories . It is now above Eleven Months since the said Decree was made , and yet the Appellants have not made any Objections , nor Exhibited any Interrogatories .

Both Courts satisfied as to the Memorandum of 12295 l. And as to the Entry of the Memorandum relating to 12295 l. which occasioned the transcribing of some Leaves therein , without the least alteration of any Article or Figure , it fully appear'd to the Courts of Exchequer , both of England and Ireland , That it was a just and fair thing , and solely to the advantage of the Undertakers , tho they did endeavour to charge Sir John Champante with the contrary .

Above 12. years since Accompts , stated and no Error detected . It 's more than Twelve years since the said Accompts were first stated , and the Undertakers have ever since been in Possession of all the Books and Papers that could any ways assist them in the said Accompts , which they have been never able , notwithstanding their utmost endeavours , in the least , to do : So that in the consideration of the matters aforesaid , it is humbly hoped that the said Accompts may be taken and remain as stated and conclusive , and that Sir John Champante may not be put upon the Impossibility of coming to a new Accompt , his Vouchers being delivered up , and his now Accompts having passed such strict examination .