Copy of letter proposing appointments of Mr Croker and Mr Bull as Gravers of the Mint

Author: Isaac Newton

Source: MINT 1/7/48, National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UK

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<48>

To the Right Honourable the Lord High Treasurer of England

May it Please Your Lordship

In Obedience to Your Lordships Order of Reference of August 8: & 10 wherein Wee are directed to Consider the Qualifications of Coll: Parsons, M^r Croker, M^r Rose and M^r Fowler to succeed M^r. Harris in the place of Graver of the Mint. Wee humbly lay before Your Lordship that the Master of the Mint considering what Inconveniency the Mint lately suffered and may against Suffer by taking in Cutters of Seales into the Cheif Gravers place, did upon his succeeding M^r. Neale put a clause into the Indenture then made between the Crowne and himself, whereby the Gravers sallary of 325^£. per Annum upon the next voidance of the place should cease in order to a new Establishment, for the Roettiers brought up no new Gravers under them, and M^r. Harris who succeeded them being a cutter of Seales and not skilld in that sort of Graving which is proper for the Money Imployed M^r. Croker to do all that worke with an allowance of 175^£ per Annum and retained to Himself the remaining 150^£ per Annum and M^r. Croker was not bred up in the service of the Mint, but now by long practice He works very well And we are humbly of opinion that He is the fittest person to be made first Graver of the Mint.

It is humbly proposed therefore the advantage and security of the Coyne against Coutnerfeiting that there should be a sett of Gravers constantly brought up in the Mint who having once attained to perfection may keep their Art among themselves and propagate it to probationers or Apprentices and be succeeded by them. For which end wee humbly propose that M^r. Croker be now made the first Graver of the Mint with a sallary of £200 per Annum for maintaining himself and a servant to file & polish the Dyes and turn the press and be allowed that part of the Gravers House in which He now lives. And M^r. Samuel Bull who is now a Probationer and has a sallary of 60^li per Annum be made second Graver of the Mint with a sallary of 80^li per Annum iif Your Lordship shall approve thereof and be allowed the other part of the Gravers House and that two Rooms over the great press Roome and over M^r. Crokers shop be reserved for a Third Graver to Lodge and Worke in And that the Gravers be obliged by a Clause in their Constitution to make such Draughts Embossments Puncheons and Dyes as the Master and Worker shall Direct for dispatching the Coynage according to the ancient Constitution of the Mint Coll: Parsons and M^r. Fowler do not Grave themselves butt Employ others and for that Reason are less fitt for the service of the Mint M^r. Le Clerc is a quick and skillfull Graver butt we humbly desire more time to Consider of filling the third Gravers place

Besides the Place of Graver to the Mint M^r Harris was also Graver of Seales to Her Majesty which is no part of the Constitution of the Mint and M^r. Ross desires to succeed M^r. Harris only in this place and by a Seale which He has Graved for the Dutchy of Lancaster He seems Qualifyed for it

All which is humbly submitted to Your Lordships great Wisdom

I Stanley

^[1]

Is: Newton

In Ellis

^[1] Mint Office Oct: 12: 1701