A few years later on (14th September, 1648), Mr. Edward Arris presented to the Court a letter from Mr. Wateson, wherein was intimated that he expected the Company to repay him the money borrowed, the bonds for which had been seized by Cromwell’s party, and for which the Company had already compounded, whereupon we read “This Court doth declare theire acknowledgement of a great respect and esteeme they have and beare towards him and shalbe ready to doe him all the right they can without prejudicing the Company”; and again on 30th April, 1650, “Mr. Richard Wateson an ancient M{r} of this Company Doth this day desire to know the mind of this Court concerning the 1,200{li} by him lent to this Company and sequestred in this Company’s hands and compounded ffor 500{li} in full of principall and Interest, The matter being of great Consequence, this Court doth take time to consider of it and to give him an answer therein.” What answer Mr. Wateson got, I do not know; he was held in great esteem by the Company, and doubtless some honourable compromise was arranged. In their negotiations with the Committees, the Company seem to have been able to impress the Chairman favourably on certain occasions, though there is grave reason to apprehend that this official of the party of purity was open to a bribe, as the following minutes would seem to indicate. 27th October, 1645. The Company having been threatened with sequestration of their entire estate unless an assessment made upon them was paid on Friday following, a Committee of the Court was ordered to wait on Mr. Scawin, the Chairman of the Committee for the Army, to beg his favourable consideration of the Company’s poor estate; the result is seen in the next entry. 14th September, 1648. This Court takeing notice of the greate Love and ffavour of Mr. Scawin Chaireman to the Comittee ffor the Army expressed oftentimes upon severall occasions towards our Company Doth thinke fitt in gratitude and accordingly doth order That the present Governours doe present to him a guift of the value of vj{li} 13{s} 4{d} The quality and price of the guift is left to theire discretions. 1646. To relieve them of their great debts, the Company about this period raised considerable sums by granting annuities; the following are examples in point:-- 24th March, 1646. This day M{r} Nicholas Heath payd the sum of 200{li} to the use of this Company and is the purchase money for an Annuity of 26{li} pˀ añn. for 10 yeares to himselfe and Grace his Wife Whereupon the Deed of Grant of the said Annuity was sealed with the Com̃on Seale and delivered to theire use. Alsoe this day M{ris} Elizabeth ffreeman payd the sum of 200{li} the Purchase money for the like Annuity of 26{li} pˀ añn. for 10 yeares and the Deed for that purpose was sealed and delivered to her. On the 30th January, 1649, the King’s troubles were ended by his murder, and very shortly afterwards we find this significant minute.