Draft of MINT00044 (Mint 19/1/121)

<117r>

To the R^t Hon^ble the Lords Comm^rs of his Maj^ties Treasury.

May it please yo^r Lord^ps

Vpon\In answer to//Vpon\ yo^r Lord^ps Reference of the 7^th of August last concerning the qualifications of the Petitioners for the Weigher & Teller's place I beleive {sic} it \I humbly conceive |it| not remote/ my duty as\{illeg}/ \from our duty as business as/ Officers of the Mint to give your Lordships what light I\we/ can into the matter by laying before yo^r Lord^ps faithfully & according to the best of my\our/ knowledge \or information/ the qualifications & services of the Petitioners in Mint affairs: in w^ch respect one of them \at least/ deserves in point of justice to be further mentioned\a particular character/. M^r Haynes has been in the Mint about 14 yeares except two short intermissions & while he ac{illeg}|t|ed there had a general reputation amongst us for integrity, sobriety good humour & readiness in business. He has a steady hand, writes very fairly, is a very good Accomptant &skilled in all the business of the Mint, & in the Recoynage instructed the Officers and Clerks of the five country Mints, & did other great service. For these reasons the Officers of the Mint (M^r Neale M^r Hall & my self) then recommended him earnestly to the Lords Comm^rs of his Maj^ties Treasury as the fitt\a fit/ person to execute the Office of Comptroller under the two late Comptrollers in that time of great business, & when the Comptrollers insisted on M^r Berisford a stranger, M^r Haynes was appointed to take care of the Comptrollers business till M^r Berisford could qualify himself. Since the Recoynage M^r Haynes has been imployed in the Excise Office about two years by M^r Hall above mentioned who is able to give a further character of his abilities & behaviour in both Offices. Yet M^r Neale in both Offices recompence of his services & of his examining & setling the Accompts of the five country Mints continued him his Clerk w^th a salary of 100^li ꝑ an duly paid till his death December 99: which salary being now ceased M^r Haynes has nothing remaining from the Government in lieu of a setled business w^ch as he represents was of more profit & w^ch at the instance of some of the principal Officers of the Mint he quitted to serve the Publick in the Recoynage in hopes of being further considered when there should be an opportunity, so that at present he \accounts himself/ is a loser by that service \{and} his Clerk's place {illeg} M^r H. in y^e Excise Office should be recconed into the bargain. {sic}/. By reason of his abilities I have ever since wished for him back into the Mint and if he be not now brought <118r> back, as he has been once already when we could not be without him, he may be so engaged in other business that we cannot have him when we may want him. If any of the principal Officers or their Clerks or Deputies should at any time dye or leave the Mint, M^r Haynes is qualified to assist till the place can be supplied anew that the bu{illeg}|sin|ess of the Mint receive no s{illeg}|t|op, & upon any extraordinary occasion to help in o^r accompts or other business of the Office of Receipt: For we want men of skill. And if the other Officers of the Mint know an abler person I desire they will name him to yo^r Lordships.\M^r Haynes\He/ is a stranger to me but/ Exact weighing \the credit of the Mint/ & good dispatch of business in the Mint is principally my concern is my interest.