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To the most Honourable the Lord High Treasurer of Great Britain

The further Memorial of Henry Smithson

Most humbly sheweth

That the said Smithson on the 25th. March last presented a Memorial to your Lordship thereby humbly representing That thro' the neglect of the present Warden of the Mint & the discouragement by him given in the prosecution of several notorious Coyners & Vtterers of false Money as likewise makers of Tools & Instruments for that pernicious Trade several such Criminals have been (not long since) acquitted and discharged for want of a due prosecution, & others now in Custody likely to be released in the same manner for that the said Warden & his Deputy refuse to disburse a farthings towards the charge thereof

That since the delivery of the abovesaid Memorial to Your Lordship the said Smithson hath receiv'd certain Information of Great Numbers of false Coyners who have join'd themselves together in a Body on the Borders of England near Scotland where they Coyne (without disturbance) vast Quantitys of counterfeit money both Gold & Silver which may prove of dangerous consequence to the Kingdom unless timely prevented.

That about a fortnight ago One John Thompson came out of the North about 260 miles distance from London to give in his Informations to the said Warden against divers persons now in Custody for the Crimes aforesaid as likewise against others not taken (some of whom are Outlawd) And tho' the daid Thompson is a very material Evidence & a very proper Person for discovering & apprehending such Criminals (having a particular knowledge of most of the Gang on the Borders aforementiond) Yet the said Thompson was discountenanc'd by the said Warden & dismiss'd with the poor reward of a Crown

[1]

All which is most humbly submitted to Your Lordships

great wisdom & Iustice by Your Lordships

most devoted humble servant

Hen Smithson

[2]

[1] April 16. 1714

[2] Your Lordships commands may be directed to the said Hen. Smithson to be left with Sir Isaac Newton.

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Professor Rob Iliffe
Director, AHRC Newton Papers Project

Scott Mandelbrote,
Fellow & Perne librarian, Peterhouse, Cambridge

Faculty of History, George Street, Oxford, OX1 2RL - newtonproject@history.ox.ac.uk

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