Copy of letter concerning the petition and bill of Thomas Birdikin

Author: Isaac Newton

Source: MINT 1/7/27, National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UK

Additional Information
- Notes on the Electronic Edition
  - You are currently reading the diplomatic version of this text. Diplomatic transcriptions offer a detailed representation of the document with minimal editorial intervention. All deletions and additions are rendered in the text and abbreviations have not been expanded. Switching to the normalized view of this text will , and apply 15 editorial regularizations.
- Revision History
  - 17 October 2016
    - Transcribed by Will Scott
  - 20 December 2016
    - Metadata amended by Will Scott
  - 9 January 2017
    - Catalogued by Will Scott
- Download MINT01117.xml and schema (advanced users only)

<27>

To the Right Hon^ble: the Lords Commrs of His Majestys Treasury

May it Please Your Lordships

Pursuant to your Lordships Order of Reference of the 16 December We have Examined the Petiīon and Bill of M^r. Tho^s.Birdikin Deputy Warden of His Ma^ts. Mint at Exon w^ch. is hereunto annexed and as to the first Article of the Bill wherein He prays the allowance of 22: 10. for lodging two years and a Quarter we humbly represent that the Officers of the Country Mints were allowed Lodgings in the Mints so far as there was Room for them but where there wanted Room the Officers provided Lodgings for themselves in other places without being hitherto allowed any thing by the King for the same.

The second Article where he prays allowance of 30^£ for the Quarters salary from Midsummer to Michmas 1698. we humbly conceive to be reasonable because He and the Kings Clerk after the other Officers were dismissed staid at Exeter with the Deputy Master to assist him in Coining some Moneys after Midsummer & to take care of makeing up some of the Kings Sweep of the first melting & principally to Quiet the Importers some of which were not paid off till Michaelmass.

As to the third Article where he prays 46^£ allowance for his pains in attending above 131 days in the melting house above 20 hours each melting & for his Expences in Encouraging the Workmen & Charges in Letters about the Mint Business: We find that when the Melter of that Mint demanded an allowance for the Wast in the first melting of the Hammered Money which the Peticoner beleived {sic} too much, the Peticoner undertook to oversee the melting of about 11400^lwt.. of silver and took the sweep into his owne Custody for the King & took care to see it made up giving a Constant attendance that Tricks might not be playd to Increase the Waste of the Meltings or diminish the Profitt of the Sweep. And this Attendance he gave at the Meltings twice a weeke & some times thrice a Weeke about 20 hours a day for above a year And by this his Care and Diligence he saved 220£ to the King out of the allowance w^ch: would otherwise have been made to the melter for the same. For this service therefore considering it was above his Duty & for his charge in Encouraging the Workmen during this service & for the Charge of Letters during the whole Business of that Mint, We humbly Conceive this Article of the Petiīon to be reasonable.

All w^ch. is most humbly submitted to your Lord^ps: great Wisdom

I: Stanley

Is: Newton

Mint Office
Ian: 22: 17 $\frac{00}{01.}$