Copy of response to the petition of James Penman

<171>

To the Right Hon^ble: the Lords Com^rs: of Her Ma^ts: Treary

May it please Your Lordships

In Obedience to your Lrodships Order of Reference of the 5^th Instant upon the Petiīon of M^r. Iames Penman Assay Master to the Mint at Edenborough, We have considered the same and upon Enquiring into the matter therein contained We beleive {sic} that the Busines of the Assay master during the late Recoinage of the moneys in Scotland was very laborious by reason that every Iourney of new Money was severally Assayed according to the Custom of that Mint, & that the performance thereof required a Clerk and Assistant to the Assay master, for the maintenance of whom during that Recoinage which lasted a year and six months, We are humbly of opinion that there may be allowed to the petiīoner for Himself & M^r. Borthwicke a summe after the Rate of Forty pounds ꝑ Ann. in all sixty pounds to be divided between them in proportion to the time they severally acted as Assaymasters during that service, there being the like Allowance made to some other new Clerks of that Mint.

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

Is: Newton

In: Ellis.

^[1]