Holograph draft and partial draft of MINT00863 (Mint 19/1/468)

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May it please your Lordship.

In obedience to your Lordships Order of Reference upon the Bills of M^r Rob^t Weddel for prosecuting coyners during the space of 19 months ending last Christmas was a twelve month, & upon the memorial of Warden of the Mint concerning the same: We have considered the services alledged to be done & examined the reasonableness of the said Bills, & humbly represent to your Lordships that the services so far as we can find were done, & allowing to Mr Weddel for travelling charges 6^d per mile, 2^s per Post-stage & 15^s per day abroad, (as was allowed by the late Lord Treasurer & by the late Lords Commissioners of the Treasury) & to the men who assisted him in apprehending & prosecuting criminals 6^s 6^d per day for each man & horse during their journeys: the bill amounts to 32^[1]0.^li. 0^[2]s. 0^[3] which we think reasonable, besides such incident charges as admitt of no vouchers.

These incident charges are fees of Council & Court charges upon trials of persons accused (viz^t for indictments, swearing witnesses, attending with records &c) amounting to about 62^li. 10^s. & allowance of meat & drink to witnesses during their attendance on the prosecutions, & pocket expences in apprehending & examining people accused & in attending on Iudges & Iustices of the peace & paying for their Warrants & for stationary ware & post Letters: all which amount further to about 68. 3. 8. And considering that M^r Weddel has advanced about one half of the money set down in his bill out of his own pocket without interest for carrying on the prosecutions & was a very good prosecutor & that the charges of receiving the money due upon the bill are not set down in the Bill: & that if Prosecutors be discouraged they may be induced to pay themselves by taking money of criminals to let them escape: We are humbly of opinion that the Bill amounting in the whole to 467^li. 15^s. 2^d be allowed.

All which &c

the travelling charges will amount unto 186^li. 12^s. 6^d which with M^r Weddels salary, a Bill of M^r Fords, the fees of receiving the money allowed upon the last account, & the charges of a law suit with a Coyner, make um the summ of 337^l. 1^s. 6^d which we humbly think reasonable to be allowed.

That there are other charges which admit of not vouchers or examination{s} whereof the fees of Council & other Court fees & charges upon the trials of persons (viz^t for Indictments, swearing of witnesses, attending with Records &c) amount unto about 62^li. 10^s. 0^d. And these charges being necessary, we are humbly of opinion that the Prosecutors Account of them (where nothings appears fals or unreasonable{)} should be accepted. And the maintenance of witnesses during their attendance or Courts of justice, & pocket expences in apprehending & & examining people accused & in attending or Iudges & Iustices of the peace & paying for their warrants & for stationary ware & Post letters amount further unto about 68^li. 3^s. 8^d.

But considering that about one half of the money set down in M^r Weddels bill hath been advanced out of his own pocket without interest for carrying on the prosecutions & that the charges of receiving the money due upon the Bill are not set down in the bill both which may amount to above 40^li., & that M^r Weddel was a {very} good prosecutor & if Prosecutors be discouraged they may be induced to pay themsel{ves} by taking money for favouring or protesting coyners: We are