Request for advice on various aspects of Mint practice

Author: Patrick Scott

Source: MINT 19/3/170-71, National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UK

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- Revision History
  - 1 January 2001
    - Catalogue information compiled by Rob Iliffe, Peter Spargo & John Young
  - 29 September 2011
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  - 5 September 2016
    - Transcribed by Will Scott
  - 24 September 2016
    - Will Scott finished transcription
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<170r>

Sir

I have the honour of yours of the 22^d wherin you are pleased to give me a Solution to a Scruple I proposed to Allardes my Principall with relation to the Remedies, And by which (if I rightly understand it) It would Sei{illeg}|em| that ther is but 2 pennies of Remedy allowed on both weight and fineness when the Remedie falls to be on both Sides: I mean One penny to y^e weight and another to the fineness, So that a Iournal one penn{i}|y| B: or W: fine and 1 $\frac{1}{2}$ B: or W: weight in y^e same degree Ought not to pass but be remelted Being a half penny above y^e two. And Therfor if the pot Assay be a penny B: or W: It ought to be remelted; And also if the money at delivery be a penny B: or W: weight, it ought not to pass but be remelted on y^e Moneyers charges.

This I must acknowledge did not appear so clear to my weak Capacity by the Indenture for I did think that if the melter gave out his bars within 2 pennys B: or W: of y^e fineness, He might plead upon y^e Remedies that they could not be refusd And the Moneyers did affirm that their delivery is good if not above y^e 2 pennies B: or W: in y^e weight and \that they/ wer in use so to do. So that we wer in great doubt here how to determine the mater as to the remelting, If any of y^e Iournals upon Assay should hapen'd Not to be past by reason of y^e Moneys being beyond y^e Remedies in y^e Case above. But yet I think where the Remedies fall to be on One Side that is 2 penny B: or W: in fineness, and the weight standart: (et p' contra) The money might be past by the Indenture: Tho at the same I do acknowledge the Remedies ought not to be wrought upon.

I have communicat your Letter to the Wardens and given a Copy to the Moneyers: The difference has never Yet hapend, And I hope now all concerned shall take more care it do not.

Our Pots use Sometimes to be remelted for coming up too fine, And {illeg}|that| being accidental I understand should be on the Queens charges, But I do not know how to state it.

I proposed another Question to Allardes, I was obliged to take from y^e Moneyers amongst their Scissell Any Brokeage or spoilt peeces? By Brockage I mean y^e peeces spoilt at y^e Press In setting y^e Dyes, Or where the Impression is faulty and not good. And by Spoilt peeces I mean those that hapen to be too light drawn at y^e miln, and may be cut out, but go no further than y^e Cutter, or it may be spoilt in y^e Iusting or Seis|z|ing, and so thrown in amongst y^e Scissell. I have hitherto received of both, but a great quantity of y^e Latter And as I desire to do fair things and Iustice to all; So I would have y^e Like done to me, And would not willingly be imposed upon, Especially wher I bear Charge and trust for and represent another, which with an Insinuation I had of my not being obliged to it, made me propose the doubt. And wherin I must beg the favour to be also Solved. Our method here formerly was of y^e Light Crowns to make fourty penies, Of the fourty penies twenties & of y^e twentys tens &c

Sir I had presumed to trouble you with my Severall difficulties befor this, had not my Principal been on the place; Your true friendship to him and Generous Character makes me the more bold to use this liberty and to expect You will forgive me.

Since the Moneyers are obliged to do the money by the miln and Press <170v> It occurs to me also as doubtfull whether they pay the Edging.

Now as to the State of our Coinage That you may know a little of it; By our acts of Parliament (which we reckon here to be yet in force) The Master is allowed 20 pound Scots money upon the Coinage of y^e Scots stone weight of Silver. Twenty pound Scots money is £1: 13^sh. 4^d English money. The Scots Stone weight Consists of 16 Scots pound weight, And the pound weight of 16 Scots ounces, which you know: So that the allowance on y^e English pd weight or 12 ounces troy by our acts s{{hows}|hould|} be {{illeg}|1|}9 pence $\frac{1}{12}$ and a fraction, And in y^e 100 pd weight 7^li. 19^sh: 1 $\frac{3}{4}$ and a fraction.

By our acts of Parliament also all tools and reparations & are to be allowed. And the allowance for the Stone weight Coinage is ordered to be advanced by the Thesaury As the Bullion is brought in, Other wise the Master at Liberty to stop y^e Coinage.

We are in course to receive weekly from y^e Bank 9000 pd Sterline Money Weighting about 4600 Eng: pd Troy: So that according to y^e acts of Parliam^t The Master ought to have Imprest to him weeky a sume proportionall to the allowance on y^e stone or pd weight for its coinage.

We have already Received of foraign money 113000£ sterl. weighting Standart about 31312 p^d Troy: And we have Delivered {2}{4}1600 weight

Ther is \yet/ 19000 £ sterl. of foraign Coin to come in from y^e Bank wherof is 16000 in Dollars which will be about 12 Worse on the Assay overhead And Consequently Occasion a great refineage, And for which I see no Remedy Since we cannot wait the Inbringing of the Money: And when the milnd money is brought in therafter (Tho reckoned Standart) Yet by the remeltings may hapen to come up Better And So put me in a difficulty after of providing Course money: All which are Considerations in my humble Opinion for a good stock to be imprest to y^e Master for carieing on y^e work and making up his great waist

And all he has gott yet imprest to him is {{illeg}|1|}800 £ sterl. Of which I cannot reckon under 500 £ for Tools reparations and other Necessaries provided here.

I have already refined Gross weight 1713 pd being 1814 stand^d And have 150 more not yet assayed.

I Suppose Likewayes the Master amongst his other charges is to be al::lowed the penny he payes the Moneyers over the Eight pence per pd weight 8 pence being their due by y^e Indenture, And the other penny payed at discretion of y^e officers But to be allowed by the Queen to the Master in his accompts.

All this I humbly Submit to you, And beging again pardon for y^e trouble And that you'll also please excuse wherin I may not be so clear or distinct I am

Edinbr 31 Ianry
1708

Sir

Your most obedient humble Servant
Pat: Scott

<171v>

The honorable
Sir Isaac Newton
Master and Worker of Her Maj'ties mint in y^e Tower

London

Lady Warwood in Kingstreet in Soho

Lived w^th M^r Hunter a friend to my L^d {Isletons} whose Lad & servants can give a character. They live here in y^e square.