A TRUE NARRATIVE Of the Particular PROFITS and gains Made by ME WILLIAM LENTHALL, From 164● during the time I was SPEAKER.  
London, Printed in the Year 1660.   

HAving seen a Letter, which I may judge comes from a friend, it reciting the truth of what Losses I have sustained, as well as the Profits I have made: And perceiving 'tis more necessary at this time to show the truth of what I have gained since I was Speaker, to undeceive the many that believe, and relate the contrary; and which I may hope will in some measure plead my Vindication, that the errors I have fallen into were not willingly, but accidentally committed.  
When I was first called to be Speaker of the House of Commons, I think 'tis known to most that I had a plentiful fortune in Land, and ready money too, a good sum; and that if I had continued my way of practice, I might as well have doubled my fortune as got what I did, because the Estate I had then gained, was the profits of my beginnings, and having lost now twenty years of the best part of my life, and the greatest of my advantages, it will appear I have been a greater loser than an improver of my fortunes, by those public places, I have with so much hazard and danger under-gone.  
I received by the last years of my practice, five and twenty hundred pounds by the year, which I quitted when I was made Speaker; and instead of making any advantage by that, I added a great charge, keeping a great Retinue and public Table for two years, which his Majesty taking notice of, gave me six thousand pound, of which to this day I have not received above the one half.  
Immediately after the Office of Master of the Rolls falling by the death of Sir Charles Caesar, I was admitted Master of the Rolls: but if any one will look back they will find I could not, as well as I have not made the benefit of that employment as others my Predecessors had done; not only by reason of the distractions that then were, but also by reason that the Court of Wards was thought to be taken away, which yielded a yearly profit to that Office of at least eight hundred pounds: also the Bishops either for their Creation, Translation or Restitution to their Temporalties, paying a fee of a hundred pounds, which one year with another made five hundred pound profit. Then there was taken away from me the Fines on Original Writs, which in truth was all that was left of advantage to the Office; and by the loss of these fees upon the Wardships, Bishops and Fines on originals, there was two and twenty hundred pounds yearly taken from the profits of the Place.  
But that which makes the greatest noise, and reflects on me to my greatest prejudice, is the gains I should make by being Speaker; when there is due only to the Speaker five pound per diem, as a standing fee, and five pound on every private Bill; 'tis true both Houses were pleased to add five pound upon the Composition of Delinquents. As for the five pound a day, from my first sitting to my last I never received one farthing of it: As for private Bills their profit was very inconsiderable, and so it will appear, is that of the five pound upon Pardons, I having not made by both of them two and twenty hundred and twenty pounds: and this will most evidently appear, because I am checked by the journal Books of the House, where every private Bill is entered, and so was every Pardon; as also by the sergeant that attends the House, and the Clarks, they having a fee also where I have one, and receiving what I had from their hands; and certainly if my gains should be so great, theirs could could not have been so mean, especially the Clarks, who have a profit out of Orders, which the Speaker has not; and yet there was one of them that served in the time of my greatest gains, and as able a Person as has executed that employment, whose Condition was such, that the Charity of his friends contributed to the expenses of his funeral.  
Other places I executed for some short time, but I think rather from necessity than choice, for there was no one would undertake the execution of them without some other recompense than their fees: As I was one of the Commissioners of the Great Seal, which how unwillingly I received, will appear by my sudden putting of it off, and where none has since executed it without a Salary. I was also Chancellor of the duchy, but had only my labour for my pains, and as soon discharged myself of it.  
I never had any recompense from the House in money, land, or by other reward, and from 1648. to the last time that I sat, I never received any profit by Fee or otherwise from them.  
And, because the truth may fully appear, and I may apply a cure to those wounds uncertain Relation hath given me, I will here following set forth to the view of all, what my Estate is both Real and Personal.  
In Real Estate I have not above Eight hundred pounds by the year, on the Rack rent to my use. The residue of my Estate I formerly settled on my Son in marriage, and is in his possession, and on the rack rent is not above Eight hundred pounds per annum. This all my Real Estate.  
My Personal Estate in Money, Jewels, Plate, household-furniture and Debts, is not above two thousand pounds, and of this I owe Eight hundred pounds.  
There is a Widow, one Mrs. Staveley, that divers years since made use of my name in putting out Four hundred pound upon the security of the excise, but she constantly receives the Proceed thereof, and the Money is her own.  
This is a true and impartial particular of my Estate Real and Personal, and whatsoever I have besides, or any one to my use, or in trust for me, I freely relinquish, renounce and disclaim, and shall willingly part with it, and confirm it to any who shall discover it.  
I shall only add for the satisfaction of those who may doubt the truth hereof, that I never lent nor put out any money, nor any one for me in my name or in trust for me, or to my use, upon Interest, or upon mortgages of Lands, or any Security whatsoever, whereby or whereupon I might, did, or could receive any Interest or recompense for my Money.  
And I am ready to attest the truth of this upon my Oath.  
June 25. 1660.  
FINIS.