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Printed in NC, 4: 207-9.
Summary account of the official roles of the various Mint officers. Recently, the master has abrogated to himself much of the authority of the comptroller and (especially) the warden. Recommends 'restoring the ancient constitution'.
The State of the Mint
The Mint, as appears by the Charter thereof, is a Corporati
on consisting of the Warden, the Workers, the Moneyers & the
other Offi Ministers. The Warden b is stiled Keeper of the Exchan
ges, that is of the Mint th
brought thither to be exchanged by coynage. H
a Magistrate & the only Magistrate set over the Mints to do Iustice
amongst the members thereof in all things except in causes of Free
hold & causes relating to the Crown. The Workers che
melt refine allay & run the standarded gold & silver into Ingots to be
coyned. The Moneyers are they who flat out & coyn those Ingots
into moneys. The other Officers Ministers are the Controller, Assaymas
ter, Surveyor of eAuditor Weigher &
Teller, Auditor, Engraver, Porter: whereof the Controller, Assaymaster
& Surveyor are, in behalf of the King & his people, a Che
Master & Worker in his Accounts, Assays, & Meltings. These other
Ministers are standing Officers with constant salaries but the workers
& Moneyers are no standing Officers nor have salaries but are
allowed after a certain rate in the pound weight for all the
moneys they make, excepting that the Master & Worker (that is
he who is one of the Workers & the Master of the rest) did in e
reign of ed become a standing Officer with a salary
of 500℔ per an̄&che
soon after was appointed by Act of Parliament to receive e
age ch
For the Seigniorage or Revenue of the Mint was till then received
of the King by the Warden. Also e
was empowered by another a clause in another Act of Parliament to
incorporate new Moneyers into the Mint without the Wardens consent
& soon after formed a Project of erecting Mints in the Country
without any Warden at all, & lately has rejected the Wardens
judicial power by endeavouring to have differences referred to the
Warden & himself. The Moneyers have also shook off the Wardens
authority over them by feigning themselves a Corporation, & the
Controller (who is the first of the other Ministers) by getting the Office
of Master & Worker into his hands (tho an Office inconsistent with
his own) hath equalled himself with the Master & Warden & this
equality they have ratified by a new Law (no where written
but in the Moneyers Charter) that all Orders made by the
Master & Controller are binding even to the Warden himself.
And thus the Wardens Authority which was designed
sorts of Ministers in their Duty to eCountrye
Ministers act as they please for turning the Mint to their
several advantages. Nor do I see any remer
easy then by restoring the ancient constitution.