<166r>

To Sr. Isaac Newton Master and Worker of his Maj. Mint in ye Tower

The Humble Memorial of Sam: Bull 2d. Engraver &c

Sheweth

That the sd Sam: Bull has servd as an Engraver to the sd: Mint since ye Year 16967 being invited by ye late Mr Harris in ye time of ye great Coynage, from a profitable business he was then engag'd in, withe promises of good encouragmt. and accordingly recd. for ye 1st. years service above 100li. wch. ye Officers were pleasd to declare he then very well deserv'd

That when ye Coynage was expiring, other Gravers, who had been Employd were discharg'd, but ye sd Sam Bull was invited by ye three principal Officers to continue, they promising to gett him an Establishmt. from ye Trery. which was done accordingly, by a Warrt. for an allowance of 50li. ꝑ Ann to him, as a Probationer and that was afterwards advanced to 60li with an allowance upon every mony puncheon yt he made; and this continued to Mr. Harris his Death.

That thereupon Mr. Croker, & ye sd: Bull were sent for by Sr. Iohn Stanley & your Honour &c, who directed them to go on with ye business promising at ye same time to gett a new Patent, for Mr. Croker to be first Graver at 200li ꝑ ann, & for ye sd: Bull to be second Graver at 100li. ꝑ ann. But unhappily at this juncture, one Monsr. Le Clerc insinuating himself into favour, was appointed & pd as third Graver for about 7 years, 80li ꝑ ann tho he did not act or work for ye. Mint during that whole time, whereas ye sd: Bull in ye same time gravd all ye arms & yet recd. no more than 80li ꝑ ann of ye 100li. which was offer'd to him at first by all ye three principal Officers

That ye said Bull since his Majesties accession has had more business than before, by ye Augmentation in ye Royal Arms, but without any consideration

That ye sd: Bull paying Taxes, & having very little perquisites by medals, puncheons or otherwise, has less encouragmt. than at his first coming into ye Mint, tho he has now spent about 26 years in ye service (being ye best part of his life) which with all submission cannot but be thought an extraordinary hardship and discouragment

That during his whole service this Memorialist never recd. any complaint agst. him, but on ye contrary <166v> humbly hopes, that he has at all times acquitted himself in his Station, with skill, diligence & fidelity.

Therefore your Memorialist most humbly beseeches your Honour to whom his whole service & behaviour are well known, that you'd please to take his case into your serious & speedy consideration, that one, who modestly speaking might have gain'd a hansom Livelyhood in a private Capacity may not after an unblamable service of 26 years, hardly gett his Bread in ye service of ye Crown who is

Your Honrs. most Obedient & most humble servt

Sam: Bull

The 14th. Sepr 1722

© 2024 The Newton Project

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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