170-71)

Author: Isaac Newton

Source: MINT 19/1/159-60, National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UK

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  Response to the applications at MINT00062 (Mint 19/1/140-45) and others [MINT 19/1/170-71]

<159r>

May it please yo^r Lo^p

In obedience to yo^r Lo^ps Order of Reference signified to us by M^r Lowndes his Letter of Iuly\Aug 8/ we have considered the Petitions of Coll. Parsons & M^r Croker & {discoured} the Petitioners & also spoke w^th M^r Rosse & we find that Coll. {sic}\wherein we are directed to consider the Qualifications of Col. Parsons M^r Croker & M^r Rosse to succeed M^r Harris in the place of Graver of the Mint we have discoursed the|m| Petitioners & find that Coll./ Parsons doth not grave himself but directs & imploys good workmen & has a good fansy & judgem^t in those matters & that M^r Rosse desires to succeed M^r Harris only in his place of Graver of Seales to her Maj^ty & by a Seale w^ch his|e| has graved for the Dutchy of Lancaster he seems to be a good workman for seales & sufficiently qualified for that place.

But as for M^r Harris's other two places of Graver for y^e money & for Medals, we humbly lay before yo^r Lo^p that y^e Master of the Mint upon considering what inconveniency the Mint lately suffered & may again suffer by taking in Cutters of Seales into the chief Gravers place, did upon his succeeding M^r Neale{s} put a clause into the Indenture then made between the Crown & himself whereby the Gravers salary of 325^℔ per an upon the next voydance of the place should cease in order to a new establishment. For M^r H the Roetiers brought up no new gravers under them & M^r Harris who succeeded them being a cutter of seales & not skilled in that sort of graving w^ch is proper for the money, imployed M^r Croker to do all the|a||t| work for an allowance of 175^℔ per an & retained to himself the remaining 150^li per an to himself without doing any thing for it & M^r Croker not being bred up in the service of the Mint did not \well/ understand it when he first succeeded M^r Roetier but was necessitated for three or four years to copy after M^r Roetiers work, tho now by long p{illeg}|r|actise he works very well & is|w||e| are humbly of opinion that he is the fittest person to be made first Graver of y^e Mint.

It is humbly proposed therefore, for y^e \advantage &/ security of the coyn again against counterfeiting, that there should be a set of Gravers constantly brought up in the Mint, who having once attained to perfection may \do their own work &/ keep their Art amongst themselves & propagate it to p|P|robationers or Apprentices & be succeeded by them: & that no new \other new/ Graver be taken into the Mint \or imployed under them/ unless as a Probationer or Apprentice. For w^ch end we humbly propose that M^r Croker be \now/ made the first Graver of the Mint \by a signe Manual/ w^th such an augmentation of salary as yo^r Lo^p shall think fit\a salary of 200^li per an, if yo^r Lo^p shall approve thereof,/ for maintaining himself & a servant to file & polish the Dyes & {pull}\turn/ {illeg}|t|he Press, \& be allowed the use of that part of the Gravers house in w^ch he now lives/ & that M^r Bull who is now a Probationer \& has a salary of 60^li p^r an w^th some other allowances worth about 20^li a year more {as have}/ & works very well be made T|T|he second Graver w^th a Salary to be also appointed by\of 100^li p^r an if/ yo^r Lord^p, {sic} & a new Probationer\pleases & be allowed the use of y^e other part of the Gravers house and that a new Probationer be/ taken into the third place as soon as a fit person shall be met with.|,| |& be allowed in one of the Gravers apartments a room w^th a closet to lodge & work in.|

And as for the /other\ place of Graver of Medals to her Maj^ty we are humbly of opinion that the Gravers of the Mint for the time being <160r> are the fitte{illeg}|s|t persons to execute it, & that whenever the Master of the Mint \shall/ \they be obliged by a clause in their constitution to assit the Master & worker of the Mint whenever he shal/ receives any directions about making of Coronation Medals or others^[1] they \said Gravers/ be obliged \by a clause in their Constitution/, & that without asking his leave they have no authority \granted them/ to use any of the Presses \or other tools/ or |to| work in any of the Rooms w^ch belong to his \the Masters/ Office for the coynage of Money, without asking his leave|.| a|A|nd that they shall not \{illeg} convey out of the Mint any of the Dyes or Puncheons for making of Medals nor/ sell Medals at a higher rate then the Warden Master & Comptroller of the Mint shall allow.

Mint office Aug. 13
1704

M^r Fowler an{illeg}|other| Petitioner is no Graver, but only makes designes & {faces} {illeg}\draughts/ for Medals.

^[1] and that they be obliged by a clause in their constitution to make do |assist| the Master & Worker of y^e Mint whenever he shall be directed to make Coronation Medals or others.