A brief discourse showing the causes of the controversies between the Warden and Master of the Mint

A brief Discourse shewinge the causes of the Contrau^ersies growen betwene the warden and m^er worker of the mynte

First the nowe warden and m^er were bothe suters for thoffice of m^er & worker /

Eche of them offred a price for {ferminge} of the mynte /

The wardens first offer was to allowe to her ma^tie for coynage xxch for gold and viij^d for silu^er the pounde wght and he to saue the whole remedies wherby is plaine that somuche of the remedies as was not speciallie reserued to her ma^tie was eu^er the memaninge of the suter in all his sutes and offers to be to him y^t sholde haue the office and that at the same tyme the warden thought it no matter againste conscience or the com̄on weale or her heighnessse due proffitt to haue him self the whole remedies /

This was then thoughte so large an offer as no other man wolde reache unto /

The m^er offred the same price it was accepted & her ma^tie pleased that he sholde haue the office before any other /

The warden tolorablie offred a greater price w^ch he saide he mente but uppon suche conditons as he wolde haue sett doune yf the Audito^res had not willed the contrarie wherw^th the L: Treasur^er was offended /

The m^er ꝑteininge that greater offer to procede of mallice & to be a demise to driue him from the bargaine agreed to giue what soeu^er the warden offred bicause of her gracious benivolence her ma^tie willed that Lonyson geuinge as an other wolde sholde haue the p^refermente /

Here the m^er humblie priaeth due consideration of y^t w^ch followeth

First the forme of the wardens sute & offer & his meaninge to haue had not onelie the whole remedies where the nowe m^er hathe but the one half but also diu^erse other speciall proffitte w^ch he mente by secret meanes to reape to his oune use as in p^referringe him self alwaies to the first paiemente & in {oftene} retornes of his owne bullion then other Subiecte sholde haue had by w^ch & other meanes he might easelie haue brought the whole trade of bullion into his owne hands as herafter us shewed /

Secondlie the wardens conscience w^ch is speciallie to be noted that if he might haue had thoffice colde quietlie haue taken all these & other proffitte of thoffice to him self w^ch nowe he supposeth in his concience re due to her ma^tie /

Thirdlie the Audito^res {priuise} to the wardens sute and seu^erall offers and what moued him to winke at so greate a discomoditie as the warden therin offred to her ma^tie for it is probable that if the warden might haue had thoffice at his first offer it had ben to him C £ yearlie more proffitable then it is nowe to the master /

But all their deuices and pruposes were p^resented by her ma^ties grantinge the office to the m^er /

The wardens furder practices for his speciall proffitte /

The warden beinge still desirouse to atteine y^e saide speciall proffitte & ꝑtely to execute his mallice againste the m^er practised diu^erse waies to bringe one of these two thinge to passe viz either to procure the office from the m^er \to/ him self or to enter into suche pacte and compositons w^th the m^er as might yeilde him those extraordinarie proffitte aswell as if thoffice had ben in his oune hands /

After her ma^ties first grante of the office to the m^er & before the full ꝑfiting therof the warden agreed w^th the m^er yf he tolde yett thoffice allowinge for coynage ijs vj^d golde and xch siu^er to change offices and to make upp the m^ers fee C poundes yearlie /

After obteyninge of the office for the same allowance the m^er offred the warden to accepte the saide bargaine of exchange The warden then refused it bicause there was allowed to thoffice the proffitte of the whole remedies w^ch still maketh it plaine that the wardens concience w^ch the Audito^ers good favoure <1v> colde haue allowed to him self the whole remedies w^thoute grudginge who since for zele and conscience haue denied to the m^er the half remedies althoughe they knewe it was eu^er the meaninge of bothe theire sutes and of the masters contracte w^th her ma^tie

Afterwards when the warden had thus gon from his owne agremente w^th y^e m^er and yet neu^erthelesse had used diu^erse policies and vehemente ꝑsuasions to obteinte the office to him self and faylinge of all these meanes to get his purpose he fell to other practices for his proffitt /

He charged the m^er that he prosmised him to make upp his fee C^£ a yere w^ch althoughe indede he did not yet bicause he might wronge him diuerse waies he was contented for a tyme so longe as he thought good to graunte it and paied him accordinelie for a whole yere xliiij ^£ vij^s vj^d howe beit the warden was not therw^th satisfied but from tyme to tyme urged the m^er to things inconveniente /

At a nother tyme he wolde haue had the m^er to receiue his Spanishe moneyes unmolte at the full price and to stande to all waste & meltings and other losses wheunto yf the m^er wolde haue agreed the warden wolde haue siffred him to receiuw and melte Spanishe moneyes as it alwaies hathe ben accustomed w^thoute first meltinge it for takinge thassaies onelie w^ch nowe he denieth the m^er p^retendinge it to be for her ma^tie and subiecte proffitt in truthe can be no proffitt to her ma^tie at all but a doble charge & losse to the m^er and a greate hindrance to the subiecte /

Also he requested for his owne bullion brought into the mynte to haue had his moneyes deliu^ered him againe by wght payinge the m^er onelie iij^d uppon the pounde wght & in consideraton therof he offred to discharge the m^er of the foresaide xliiij^£ vij^s vj^d a yere and so if he might haue had the benefitt of the wght {als} the shew to him self w^ch nowe he p^retendeth to be her ma^ties there had neu^er any other tryall ben procured or moned as nowe there is cont contrarye to the forme of the Indenture /

Also he wolde haue had his owne bullion deliu^ered & paimente to be made of his moneyes before other men sayinge bicause he was the hed officer he oought to haue fauo^re and that it had alwaies ben so used and tolde no waye be p^reiudicial to the m^er the m^er answered that such delings caused Stanleye to be complained of and therfore he must deale w^th all men indifferentelie neither myght he doe it in equitie soe that the Couen\a/nte of his Indenture were to the contrarie wheruppon the warden semed to be offended /

Then he wolde haue growne to a nother compositon that if the m^er wolde haue paied him his moneye p^resentelie uppon eu^ery coynage he the warden wolde haue clered all other mens bills at xiiij dayes eande yf there were not moneyes coyned of there owne sufficiente by w^ch means he sholde haue had two or thre retornes for other mens one and so w^thin short tyme haue had the whole trade in his owne hands To this after longe debatinge the m^er answered that if the warden colde gett the {comitells} warant for the m^ers discharge and the consente of them that used to bringe bullion into the mynte he wolde doe it and not otherwise wherw^th the warden was offended and from thenceforthe he and the Audito^r sought wrongefullye to molleste the m^er for w^ch cause he surseased the paimente of the forefaide anuitie of {illeg} xliiij^£ vij^s vj^d /

The warden beinge dismissed therof and ꝑceivinge no likelihod to obteine his other desires then followed such tones of open mallice as hath ensued                                                                            viz

First he exhibited to the L: Treasure^re a bill of speciall articles wherin he supposeth that by the teno^re of the Indenture he is to take upp all ꝑffitts to her heighenesse upe other then onelye xviij^d for eu^ery pounde wght of golde and viij^d for silu^er w^ch he saithe the m^er is to haue for makinge the moneyes and beringe all waste and expence wherin he sheweth what conscience he bereth towards the m^er for he knoweth or safelie maye knowe that this allowance is not aboue C iiij^xx £ a yere at the most and that the m^ers waste and expence is C C ^£ a yere at the leaste

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Then he complaineth againste the m^er for challenginge the proffitte risinge by the meltings for puttinge allaie to the bullion w^thoute sufferinge the warden to see it for puttinge his oune silu^er to meltinge w^thoute assaie taken therof and for not sifferinge the Teller to tell the moneyes concluding that he taketh all these to be contraye to theffecte of the saide Indenture and that many other matters were nedefull to be ordred by of these he praieth his Lordeshipps p^refect order /

To these Articles the m^er ꝑticularlie answered referringe him self therin to be indyed by the teno^re of his Indenture prayinge to enioye y^e benefit of her ma^ties graunte accordinge to righte as by his saide answers appereth /

Shortelie after the warden w^th thaduice of the Audito^r diuded y^e m^ers patente & Indenture into xlij Articles settinge doune obiections againste y^e m^er almoste uppon eu^ery Article wherin are also Iterated y^e form^er Articles /

And at the foote therof the warden draweth the whole patente & Indenture in to thre princepall pointts or questions / viz /

The first is that where by form^er Indentures all man^er proffitte haue ben reserued to the printe whether any thinge be comprised in the saide patent and Indenture to take the same from the Quene nowe and what and howe muche it is that is taken awaie /

Secondlie whether her ma^tie notw^thstandinge the trialle mentoned in the Indenture maye not make any other triall that she will beinge iuste and trewe tryalle / &c /

Lastelie whether y^e m^er w^thoute y^e Quenes warant maye ꝑhibit or hinder suche tryall /

All w^ch obiections princepall pointts and questions the m^er at alrge hathe answered and suffitientelie disproued at the foote of eu^ery obiection in suche wise as nothinge hathe ben therunto replied

These foresaide matters beinge answered and put to silence a newe deuice was framed againste the m^er to make a shewe of those greate proffitts w^ch the warden and Audito^r had then sofore enformed the L: Treaser^er to growe indirectelie to the m^er wheruppon his hono^r willed the Audito^r to sett donne a reconinge howe those proffitte grewe and and theruppon the Audito^r drue his deuice and reconinge in effecte as followeth /

Hereunto the Audito^r replieth and the m^er {rewyneth} as by their seu^erall bookes apprereth

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Uppon this the ꝑties ioyned Issue and by comanndemente of the L: Treasur^er and iointte consente of the ꝑties artesmen were appointed and sworne on bothe sides to trye the truthe and finde the erro^r in this controu^ersie and to gelde upp their seu^erall oppinions to m^er Osborne and m^er Humfrey who were also appointed to reporte those sworne mens doinge to his Lordeship and by full consente and agremente of bothe parties M. D: pounde wght of xj^oz fine silu^er and xx^d wght of allaie charged to the pott and the fire was admytted to reforme from the fyre xj^oz j^d wght fine and in wght but xj^oz xix^d wght /

The sworne men theruppon {trauailed} to acquit theire charge in that behalf & Examynininge the whole matter in controu^ersie uppon the false obiectionings or reconinge they reduced the same into two questions the one uppon the wght onelie and the other uppon the finesse onelie w^ch after they had thorowly considered and digested they gaue upp their seu^erall verdicte as followeth /

The verdicte of Robert Broune & Andrew Palmer sworne one the Auditor^rs side /

w^ch we are ꝑswaded that we can proue to be trewe for any thinge y^t can be trulie alledged to the contrarye /

The verdicte of Richard Rogers and Thomas Kelinge sworne on the m^ers side /

And so accordinge to thexample abovesaide admytted by m^er Audito^r & m^er Lonyson M. D lacketh of his pounde wght delu^ered but ix^d a as m^er Lonyson saithe and not xij^d ob as m^er Audito^r hathe saide /

These seu^erall verdicte beinge thus deliu^ered to m^er Osborne the xx^th of Auguste 1574 / the matter hathe eu^ersince bene suspended an no Indyemente geuen on the one side nor on thother since w^ch tyme the m^ers Indenture beinge newlie deuided into Lxij Articles he was com̄anded to sett downe his oppinion and construction uppon eu^ery Article w^ch he hathe ꝑformed accordingly and hathe delu^ered the same to the L: Treasure^r expectinge to here what wilbe saide to the contrarie /

And whiles the m^er hathe ben continually occupied to answer their querilous deuices his adu^ersaries at the mynte namelye the warden and Assie^r haue not forgotten any Iniurye that from the beginge myght be offred to y^e m^er /

Thassaie^r for his ꝑte missereportinge diu^erse assaies to the m^ers greate hindrance and beinge taken w^th the mau^er and warned therof hathe neu^erthelesse continued his abbuse /

The warden for his ꝑte suffringe and allowinge the same and procuringe warrante some to cou^er his defaulte some to intrude into the m^ers office contrary to her ma^ties grannte \and Indenture/ and contrarye to antient order and custome /

The m^erchants are therby occasioned to transeporte their bullion or to conu^erte it to other uses wherby the state is verry muche hindred /

The m^er by his meanes is greatelie sclaundered & the faulte laide onely in him /

Wherfore he moste humblie besecheth that Iustice maye be spedelie don y^t plaine truthe maye be p^referred before subtill practices /

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The first complainte of the warden exhibited againste the m^er      And the m^ers answers to the same /

|Warden /|First it appereth to the saide warden by the teno^r of thindenture that y^e m^er worker is to haue for the makinge of the moneyes of golde onelye xvij^d |onlie i8^d for gold & 8^d for silu^er for working waste & ꝑuisyon|for eu^ery pounde wght and viij^d for eu^ery pounde wght of the silu^er moneyes and he to beare all waste and expence and that all other proffitte are to be taken by the saide warden to her ma^ties use /

|Master / {Art. ꝫ.}|To this the m^er answereth that this worde (onelye) is of the wardens owne additon onelye and not incerted in any plate of theindenture where the m^ers allowance |(onlye) {he in lendent^er: (met ꝑoll ensert}|for coynage is mentoned for althoughe the xviij^d for golde & the viij^d for silu^er be allowed to the m^er for his charge of workemanshipp and waste &c / yet it followeth |(for) working his waste & {entend} (towards) q^er {reserue}

|not that therfore he is not to haue any other com̄oditie growinge to him by reason of his office for then he sholde lose by the excersise therof wellnere M ^£ yerelye bicause that the saide allowance of xviij^d and viij^d is not aboue M iiij^{xx £} a yere at the most and his waste and expence C C ^£ a yere at |

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| the leaste / neither dothe it appere by any article of the Indenture that the warden is to take upp all other proffitte to her heighnesse use but the plaine worde of theindenture be that the warden shall take upp all proffitt belonginge to her ma^tie And therfore other then suche proffitte as are refered to her ma^tie by thexpresse worde of the Indenture the warden is not to take upp |

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| nowe, more more {sic} then other wardens heretofore haue don w^ch haue had the like authoritye by the like worde in other m^ers Indentures: For if it had ben mente that her ma^tie sholde haue had gen^erallye all ꝑffite sauinge y^e saide xviij^d and viij^d as the warden supposeth the same other ꝑffite wold gen^erallie haue ben reserued to her heighnesse by the Indenture but they be not nor it was neu^er mente that her ma^tie sholde haue gen^erallie all other proffitte and therfore those w^ch were mente her ma^tiesholde haue were expreselie reserued by the Indenture and those onelye the warden is to take upp to her heighenesse use and none other nor otherwise /

Item the warden and assaie m^er are charged by the Indenture to kepe |Warden /| a lieger booke of the meltinge of all bullion of golde & silu^er put to |leger booke of melting| meltinge w^th a reporte of the wght price and finesse therof that her ma^tie might more dulie haue y^e proffitte of y^e same as y^e saide warden taketh it /

|Master /|That the warden and thassaie m^er are charged by thindenture to kepe one lieger |booke of wght price & fynesse of bullion brought to y^e mint| booke of the meltinge that is not so for the Lieger booke is to conteine the wght price and finesse of all man^er bullion brought to the mynte wherin the meltinge are not once mentoned And her ma^tie by thindenture is not to haue any proffitte of meltinge other then those that rise by the pott assaie nelie For the due gaininge of w^ch proffitte the warden is to kepe a melting |{ils st agarder} untill melting| booke and not the saie m^er as the warden mistaketh it /

|Warden /| Contraye to the saide two Articles the saide m^er challengeth to him self the proffitte arisinge by the meltinge And wheras he useth to put |

shall b ꝑfire del melting| an allaye of copꝑ or otherwise at his pleasure to the bullion assaied at the full standred yett he wull not in any wise suffer the warden to see or be priveye to the saide allaye neither to haue to doe or to haue any ou^ersight aboute the meltinge So neother the saide Lieger booke can be trewlie made nor the proffitte w^ch her ma^tie ought to haue by y^e meltinge dulie required by the directed meane /

|Master /| The proffitte of the meltinge are ꝑcell of those proffitte w^ch are due to the m^er for the causes mentoned in his answer to the first article / And |

b w^ch shall b ꝑcell del m^ers ꝑfite| touchinge the priuetie and ou^ersight w^ch the warden wolde haue of thallaie and meltinge the m^er saithe that no suche thinge is appointed to the warden by the Indenture / But the meltinge and meltinge howses is onelye y^e m^ers charge and office bicause he onelie is to beare all waste and Losses that maye happen by the meltinge / Neither is the true makinge or kepinge of the Lieger booke nor the due requiringe of her ma^ties proffitte hindred therby For all things that \w^ch/ the Lieger booke is to conteine ought alwaies to be entred before the bulion be deliu^ered to the meltinge / And her ma^ties ꝑffitts by the meltinges w^ch is her half remedie in finesse is to be required and safelie to be knowen by and accordinge to the pott assaie after the bullion is molten and not before nor otherwise /

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|Warden Spanishe mon melt w^thout assay.| Item the saide m^er useth also useth often tymes to put his owne silu^er to meltinge w^thoute assaie taken therof and will haue y^e finesse therof entred uppon his owne exporte onlye /

|master /|The m^er useth not to put any of his owne silu^er to meltinge w^thoute assaie taken therof excepte Spanishe moneyes onelie & spanishe moneyes haue alwaies ben accustomed to be recoined into the munte for standred siluer |the fynesse knowen & allowed|w^thoute first meltinge them for takinge thassaies w^ch custome being ꝑhibited wilbe greate damage aswell to her ma^tie as to the m^erchannte For yf the m^er (onelye for takinge thassaies) shalbe forced to melte the Spanishe moneyes brought to the mynte to be solde the waste and charge that groweth by the |the wght the warden entrythe| same meltinge must be abated in the price geuen to the m^erchante for that the m^er by reason of the same meltinge cannot geue so greate a price as otherwise he might doe / yf the m^ers reservinge or buyinge Spanishe moneyes |yf they may not be allowed w^thout meltinge the m^erch must haue the {illeg} if the m^erch can not sell them at so gppd price at the mint he will sell to the goldsmythe or be discoraged to bring {y^m}| shalbe forced to melte them for takinge the assaies the m^erchannts before he deliu^er them to the mynte must also be forced to melte them for takinge like assaies / yf the m^erchannts maye not deliu^er them to the mynte w^thoute suche meltinge then for takinge the assaies (wherof he hathe no skill) it wilbe a meane to driue him from the mynte and enfore him to sell them ell where better cheape rather then to melte them to at suche charge / And so the m^er by metlinge them shalbe put from his trade of buyinge for the w^ch he mvst haue C C £ in stocke and the m^erchannte by meltinge them shall also be put from his gretest gaine wherby he is moste incouraged to trafficke for bullion and bringe them to the mynte Therefore this meltinge of Spanishe moneyes onelye for takinge thassaies is bit a deuice of the warden to driue the m^er from buyinge Spanishe moneyes of the m^erchannte when he wolde sell them to the m^er for redie moneye at the beste price and also to driue the m^erchante from deliu^eringe them at the mynte when he wolde be contente to farrye the tyme of coynage for his moste avanntage / And thus by colo^r of gaine p^retended to her ma^tie by meltinge the Spanishe moneyes onelye for takinge thassaies the whole trade shalbe driuen from the mynte to the goldesmithe who maye also conu^erte them into place the moste gaine whereof shall come to y^e warens purse bicause he buyeth more spanishe moneyes then all the reste of the goldesmithes / And so there shall not so muche moneyes be coyned as otherwise there wolde be wherby her ma^ties reuenewe shalbe greatelie diminished and the m^erchannte thereby verry muche hundred / And where the warden saithe that the m^er will haue the fynesse entred uppon his oune reporte onelye that is not so for the warden seeth and knoweth the wght of all the Spanishe moneyes brought to the mynte entreth the same into his Lieger booke accordingelie as he dothe all other bullion and the price and finesse of Spanishe moneyes hathe alwaies ben vallued at a certaine rate w^ch is knowen aswell the to the warden as to the m^er / Againe the warden alwaies hathe jad the Lieger booke in his owne custodie wherin he hathe & maye enter the wght price and finesse of all man^er of bullion (not as the m^er will) but at his owne pleasure / Therfore thoughe the m^er wolde yett he cannot haue y^e finesse entred uppon his owne reporte onelye w^thoute the wardens consente and agremente /

|Warden /| Item where her ma^ties seller ought to sell the moneyes for y^e directer answeringe of the proffitte of the shere to her heighnesse use the |for telling of moneyes for better answering the shere| m^er will not suffer that but dothe it by his owne men affirming the proffitte therof to be his and not her ma^ties all w^ch the saide warden taketh to be contrarie to theffecte of the saide Indenture /

|Master| And where the warden saithe that the Tekker ought to tell the moneyes for |the ꝑfite of y^e shere answered {illeg} & not by telling no mention of a teller in thendent^er.| the directer answeringe of the proffitte of the shere (that is not so) for there is no menton made of the teller to tell the moneyes in thindenture / But contrarelie it appereth by the Scedull annexed to thindenture that y^e tellers office beinge amongste many other office expreselie appointed in y^e Tresure^rs Indentures is nowe to cease and it is leste oute of this m^ers Indenture as an |by the scedule his office to cesse| office suꝑfluous and not nedefull to be used Therfore althoughe the m^er appoints his oune seruannte to thell the moneyes and will not suffer the teller to tell the same he dothe thering nothinge contrarie to the effecte of his Indenture as the warden mistaketh it / And as for her ma^ties proffite of the shere w^ch is her half remedie in wght it is not to be answered by tellinge the moneyes at the tower but accordinge as it shall fall oute upon the truall of the pixe before her ma^ties comitell as it is Lymitted in the saide Indenture/

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|Warden| And althoughe there be many other matters nedefull to be ordred when as any establishemente shalbe made for all things yett in the meane tyme the saide warden moste humblye praieth yo^ur LOrdeshipps order in theis matters as moste nedefull to be had p^resentelie for asmuche as othersie her ma^ties good seruice maye be gretely hindred in the {p^remisse} /

|Master /| And where the warden saithe that there be many other matters nedefull to be ordred &tc The m^er {illeg}steth it shall appere to yo^ur hono^res that by his default there be not many matters nedefull to be ordred neither that the good seruice by him is hindred Besechinge also yo^er hono^res order that by cauvelle and quarrelle he be no longer letted from doinge suche seruice as he ought to doe but that he maye viuye the bennefit of her heighenesse grannte accordinge to her m^ers good intente and meaninge w^thoute any furder troble by these or any other there deuices under p^retence of good seruice where there is indede no suche good seruice by them mente to be don /

A brief discourse shewinge at what rate the Subiecte delu^ereth his bullion of Silu^er to the m^er what he receiveth againe for the same what remeineth to her ma^tie and to the m^er by {resen} at therof and howe the same remainder is deuided and disposed & what inconneuience maye growe by makinge the moneyes full standerd /

Here it is conveniente to sett doune what the m^ers charge onelye aboute the coynage of the saide moneyes amounte to yerelye and haue the same maye be answered and allowed /

w^ch surplussage of charge mvst nede be dorne & allowed to y^e m^er either by her ma^tie the subiecte or the moneyes /

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Yf the Subiectes shall bere it they mvst geve somuche more for coynage /

Yf neither her ma^tie nor the subiectes shall bere it, it mvst of necessetie {be}taken from the moneyes /

Yf if be taken from the moneyes theire stricte standerd of wght ā finesse mvst nedes be abated w^ch hathe ben and maye be done as followeth / viz /

A nother reckoninge of Lx^s wayinge xj^oz. xviij^d wght & of xj^oz fyne the subiecte payinge xviij^d for coynage /

<5r>

Nowe it followeth howe when and in what man^er is to be answered the foresaide vj^d. . ꝑcell of the foresaide xij^d ob for her half remedies in w^ch and finesse when it is not in the moneyes

And her ma^ties eī remedies is not otherwise to be answered bicause the Indenture saithe Article / 20. E. 33. that if it be founde by the saide assaies viz of the pott &tc and of the boxe &c that the pounde wght throughely tryed answer not the full standerd by that it shall passe thone half of y^e saide remedies Lymitted in either of the saide standerds the Lacke therof shalbe entred of recorde and a theme accompte shal therof be made o somuche of the saide lacke as shall passe the saide one half the saide remedie &c and the same fully wholye to be answered &c w^thoute any com̄oditie to growe to any other ꝑsone for the saide &tc /

And further the saide Indenture saithe Article. 21. e. 34. sauinge alwaies &c that if by the saide assaies it shalbe founde &c that they doe passe &c the one halfe of the saide remedie lymitted &c that then it be entred of recorde and golde plate w^th the saide m^er in the charge w^ch he shall haue when any lacke shalbe founde &c

Here it is to be noted therfore that if by the tryalle afore saide it shalbe founde that in the bullion or moneyes there be nothinge lackinge of her ma^ties eī remedies in wght or finesse then her ma^tie is to be answered no proffitt of the remedies / Bicause that somuche of the saide wght or fynesse as shalbe founde by the saide assaies to be in the bullion or moneies shall not be answered to her ma^tie by accompte / As yf the pott assaie shalbe founde to be xj^oz ob wght fine wherby the moitie of her ma^ties eī remedie in finesse is in the moneyes then the m^er is to answer her ma^tie by accompte but onelye the other. ob. wght / Yf lx^s be founde by thassaie of the pixe to waye xj^oz xviij^d wght eī whereby the moitie of her ma^ties eī remedie in wght is in the moneyes then the m^er is to answer her ma^tie by accompte but onelye thother ob wght viz j^d ob in moneyes So that y^e m^er is not to be charged for any more but so muche as shall lacke of her ma^ties eī remedies in wght and finesse of the bullion or moneyes accordinge to y^e forme p^rescribed in thindenture /

And it is also to be noted that if by the saide tryalls it shalbe founde that there be in the bullion or moneyes any more then her ma^ties eī remedies in wght or finesse the same shall holde place viz it shall answer the lacke of her ma^ties like eī remedies w^ch shalbe founde by the saide tryalle of the same moneyes at any other tyme wherby it appereth that notw^thstanding thexpresse Limitation of the certaine standred w^thoute the w^ch no moneyes or bullion can be orderlie made that yett it was eu^er mente in the m^ers bargaine y^t the moneyes w^thoute offence might be made lesse then full standered by the whole remedies the m^er answeringe the half remedies to her ma^tie in forme a foresaide / And also that it was eu^er the meaninge of the bargaine that the m^er sholde alwaies haue the full bennefitt of thother half remedies by waye of deteines when no ꝑte therof was in the moneyes and by waye of holdinge plate or defaltacon when any ꝑte therof is in the moneyes w^ch the m^er thinketh will not be denyed /

<5v>

What Inconuenience maye growe by makinge the moneyes                at the full standerd

First consideringe that all the moneyes heretofore made aswell in the tymes of kinge Edwarde the vj^th kinge Philip and quene Mary as also in the tyme of the Quenes ma^tie that nowe is w^ch were lymitted and appointted to be made at the full standred viz xj^oz ij^d wght fine as one neu^er thelesse for the moste ꝑte made under there fullestricte standrerd yf therfore the moneyes from henceforthe sholde be made at their full standerd it is to be loked for that they will from tyme to tyme be culled hourded upp and transeported in Lieu therof we shall receive and haue the continuall use onelie or chefelye of the saide Lighter & baser moneyes /

Secondelie if the moneyes be made at full standerd the price of bullion must nedes be abated wherby y^e trade of bringinge bullion into this realme will decaye and so consequentelye her ma^ties revenew will diminishe/

Thirdelie the moneyes beinge made at the full standerd are the redice not onelye to be culled and transeported as before is saide but also to be conu^ersed into other uses wherby onelye the m^erchante and strangers maye be inriched to the hen^erall p^reiudice of the com̄on weale /

In tymes paste diu^erse holsome lawes were ordered ꝑhibitinge aswell the meltinge as also the transeporteinge of suche moneyes as for their wght and finesse were like to be transeported or conu^erted to other uses but howe those Lawes haue ben obserued o^er p^resente scarcetie of those richest moneyes dothe verry well declare /

Moreou^er it is neither nedefull nor com̄odious to o^er publique weale to haue the moneyes made at the saide full standered so fareforthe as they be made w^thin the remedies lymitted by thindenture & respected onelye for their curantie for w^ch cause moneyes are chefelie made and not for the priuate com̄oditie that otherwise maye be gotten by transeportinge or conu^ertinge them to any other use /

The Subiecte w^th Lc^s wayinge but xj^oz xviij^d wght and beinge but xj^oz fyne maye buye here in this realme as musthe & as good com̄ditie (bullion) onelye excepted as he can doe w^th Lx^s wayinge xij^oz of xj^oz ij^d wght fyne /

Therfore in respecte of there currauncie whethere Lx^s waye xij^oz of xj^oz ij^d wght fine or but xj^oz xviij^d wght ofxj^oz fine it is all one to y^e Subiecte but in respecte of the charge that must growe for the makinge of those moneyes w^ch if her ma^tie will not beare the Subiecte must beare as before is saide that wolde be to the Subiecte a greate inconvenience for then he muste paye the vallue of the remedies more for the coynage of Lx^s beinge of the full standerd then for Lx^s wantinge the remedies of the full standerd and yet as before is saide in respecte of currauncie the one Lx^s to him is no better then the other /

Again yf eu^ery Lx^s sholde wante the full remedies viz ij^d wght in wght and ij^d wght in fynesse of there full standerd yett to the subiecte it is in discomoditie bicause so longe as they remaine moneyes he loseth nothinge therby and to her ma^tie it is a comoditie bicause the one half of those remedies helpeth to bere the m^ers charge aforesaide and thother half or so muche therof as is not in the moneyes is answered to her ma^tie accordine to thindenture for thencrease of her reuenew in man^er & forme as is before declared /

<6r>

The m^ers answer to the wardens Informacon exhibited t the right honorable the Lords of her ma^{ties privey Councell Comissioners appointed to here & determyn mynt causes}

Right honorable the moste & greatest matters exhibited against the m^er in y^e w^ardens Infromacon are alreddy sufficyently anwered and disproued and the residue are frivilous, yet that the untruthe aswell of his Informacon as of his Estemate maye the more euidently appere, the m^er hathe thought good to compare the reconninge of them to gether, and briefely to collecte the chef & principall pointe that may seeme to haue moued the warden exhibit the same / First in his Estemate he saithe that the m^er unlawfully ympayreth the moneyes: Secondly in his Informacon he saithe that the m^er changeth the matter of the Standerd: Thirdly that the m^er iniuriousely & wrongfully taketh the Subiecte goode from them, And fouerthely that the ymbeseleth the golde & silu^er from the coyne, & so wrongfully & unlawfully taketh & conu^erteth to his owne use a number of thousande, as in the same Estemate & Informacon is expressed: And under collo^re herof all the cauells haue ben supported, wherof yf any one had ben true, it were sufficyent to conuince the m^er: But y^e w^arden to make the m^ers proffite seeme hge, and these pretended causes seeme the greater and more odious, hathe gon so farre from the truthe, as he apparantly discou^ereth his mallice, & manyfestly disproueth hiim self in his owne reconynge, as followeth /                                                             For

But that bothe these reconynge are manyfestly untrue, it is evidente, for thone retheth aboue the whole remedyes, and thorther reacheth to the whole remedyes, at neither of w^ch rates moneyes can be made, w^thoute certaintye of fyne & rannsome / And the moneyes them selves Disproue both: For they appere to be made verry neere the halfe remedyes: Againe yf all the moneyes geu^erally were made at the whole remedyes, it colde not be chosen, but that the tryalls wherby her ma^tie is to be answered, wolde fall owte accordingly: And then. her ma^tie must haue the moitye thereof, So that the m^er cannot in any wise haue the whole remedyes: All w^ch proueth eu^ery waye, that neither of both the wardens reconynge can be true /

There appereth aswell the untruthe of the wardens Estemate as of his Informacon, w^ch beinge so manydestly disporued, the m^er hopeth that these & the rest of his cauells shall haue credit accordingly: And that the m^ers reconynge is true, w^thin little more or less, he is reddye to depose uppon his othe, yf the warden will likewise sweare that his reconninge be true, wherfore the m^er moste humbly prayeth, that yo^r hono^rb will forbid the w^arden, thus continually to preferre {nue} informacons of purpose to molleste the m^er, by settinge newe collors uppon olde quarrells, or ells that the m^er be not compelled to answer any more the wardens Informacons, excepte suche as he shall exhibit uppon his othe And the m^er accorindge to his bounden entye, sgall daily praye for yo^r ꝑsperous & honorable estates, linge to continewe /