Recommends Hopton Haynes for the post of weigher and teller, giving an account of his previous employment at the Mint (as a clerk) and elsewhere

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To the R^t Hon^ble the Lords Comm^rs of his Maj^ties Treasury.

May it please yo^r Lord^ps

Vpon yo^r Lord^ps Reference of the 7th of August last concerning the qualifications of the Petitioners for the Weigher & Teller's place I humbly conceive it not rem{ain} from o^r business as Officers of the Mint\my duty/ to give your Lord^ps what light we\I/ can into the matter by laying before yo^r Lord^ps faithfully & according to the best of {illeg}|my| knowledge or information the qualifications & services of the Petitioners in Mint affairs: in w^ch respect one of them at least deserves in justice a particular character. M^r Haynes has been in the Mint about fourteen years except two short intermissions & while he acted there had a general reputation amongst us for integrity sobriety good humour & readiness in business. He has a steady hand, writes very fairly, is a very good Accomptant & skilled in all the business of the Mint & in the Recoynage instructed the Officers & Clerks of the five Country Mints & did other great service. For these reasons the Officers of the Mint (M^r Neale, M^r Hall & my self) then recommended him earnestly to the Lords Comm^rs of his Maj^ties Treasury as a fi{t} person to execute the Office of Comptroller under the two late Comptrollers in that time of great business & when the Comptrollers insisted on M^r Berisford a stranger, M^r Haynes was appointed to take care of the Comptrollers business till M^r Berisford could qualify himself. Since the Recoynage M^r Haynes has been imployed in the Excise Office about two years by M^r Hall above mentioned who is able to give a further character of his abilities & behaviour in both offices. Yet M^r Neale in recompence of his services & of his examining & setling the accompts of the five Country Mints continued him his Clerk with a salary of 100^li ꝑ an duely paid till his death December 99: w^ch salary being now ceased M^r Haynes has nothing remaining in lieu of a setled business w^ch as he represents was of more profit & w^ch at the instance of some of the principal Officers of the Mint he quitted to serve the publick in the Recoynage in hopes of being further considered when there should be an opportunity, so that at present he accounts himself\is/ a loser of that service|.| even tho his Clerk's place in the Excise Office should be recconned into the bargain. By reason of his abilities I have ever since wished for him back into the Mint, and if he <122r> be not now brought back as he has been once already when we could not be without him he may be so engaged in other business that we cannot have him when we may want him. If any of the principal Officers or their Clerks or Deputies should at any time dye or leave the Mint, M^r Haynes is qualified to assist till the place can be supplied anew that y^e business of the Mint receive no stop, & upon any extraordinary occasion to help in o^r Accomps or other business of the Office of Receipt. for we want men of skill. |These things I represent humbly conceiving it for the service of the Mint, to encourage & imploy those who by their past services appear best qualified to serve in it.|

All which is most humbly submitted &c

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Is. Newton

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The principal business of the Weigher & Teller is to weigh the Ingots |of Gold & Silver| from the Importers into the Custody of the Warden Master & Comptroller who enter the same\weight/ in their books & by that weight deliver the Ingots to the Melter & after coynage thereof he weighs it from the Monier to the said three Officers & from them to the Importers by the same weight justly distributed according every mans share & proportion that there be no occasion of complaint to the discredit of the Mint & discouragement of Importers to whom I am answerable for their Bullion & whose satisfaction is my Interest.

Is. Newton