s was referred to it
shows that it was qualified to deal not only with questions of trade but
also with plantation affairs.[11] At about the same time a committee of
the Council was appointed to take into consideration a special question
of trade and to make report to the Council. Neither of these bodies
appears to have had more than a temporary existence, although the
commission sat for some time and accomplished no inconsiderable amount
of work.

The first Privy Council committee of trade that had any claim to
permanency was that appointed in March, 1630, consisting at first of
thirteen members, the Lord Keeper, the Lord Treasurer, the Lord
President, the Lord Privy Seal, Earl Marshall, the Lord Steward, Earl
of Dorset, Earl of Holland, Earl of Carlisle, Lord Dorchester, the
Vice-Chamberlain, Sir Henry Cottington and Mr. Secretary Coke. This
committee was to meet on Friday mornings. The same committee, with the
omission of one member, was appointed the next year to meet on Tuesdays
in the afternoon. In 1634 the membership was reduced to nine, but in
1636, 1638 and 1639, by the addition of the Lord Treasurer, the number
was raised to ten, as follows: the Lord President, the Lord Treasurer,
the Lord Keeper, the Lord Privy Seal, Earl Marshall, Earl of Dorset,
Lord Cottington, Mr. Comptroller, Mr. Secretary Coke and Mr. Secretary
Windebank. The meetings were again held on Fridays, though on special
occasions the committee was warned to meet on other days by order of the
Council, and on one occasion at least assembled at Hampton Court.[12]
To this committee were referred all matters of trade which came to the
attention of the Council during the ten years, from 1630 to 1640. Notes
of its meetings between 1631 and 1637 were kept by Secretaries Coke and
Windebank and show the extent and variety of its activities. Except for
the garbling of tobacco it does not appear to have concerned itself
with plantation affairs.[13] As the King was generally present at its
meetings, it possessed executive as well as advisory powers, not only
making reports to the Council, but also drafting regulations and issuing
orders on its own account. Occasionally it appointed special committees
to examine into certain trade difficulties, and on September 21, 1638,
and again on February 3, 1639, we find notice of a separate board of
commissioners for trade constituted under the great seal to inquire into
the decay of the clothing industry. This board