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Another copy of all the above in PRO, T1/185, no. 20. See NC, 6: 264, n.1 for a discussion of the content and dating of this memorandum and the reply at MINT00457 (Mint 19/3/56).
Enclosed as supporting documentation, in the same clerical hand, are the following:
(a) (Mint 19/3/24) A copy of David Gregory's 1707 report on his re-organisation of the Mint [(MINT00393 (Mint 19/3/173)].
(b) (Mint 19/3/25) 'Schedule of the offices and salaryes of the Officers at the Mint at Edinburgh after setling the said Mint in the same methods of working with the Mint in the Tower': list of the various Mint officers and their salaries and expenses.
(c) (Mint 19/3/26) 'Copy of the Clause Proposed to be Added to the Bill concerning Coynage': draft clause authorising the Treasury to release additional funds to the Edinburgh Mint over and above the already statutory £1,200 p.a. as need shall arise.
(d) (Mint 19/3/27) 'Copy of the Clause in the Act of the 7th of the Queen Concerning the Mint in Scotland': extract of current legislation limiting the Edinburgh Mint's funding to £1,200 p.a.
Memoriall Concerning the Mint of Scotland.
That the Mint of Scotland and the Coynage thereof being by long
experience found to be of great use in Trade and Convenience to the People,
It was by the 16th Article of the Treaty of Vnion provided That a Mint should
be Continued in Scotland under the same Rules as the Mint in England, and the
then present Officers of the Mint of Scotland Continued, Subject to such
Regulations and Alterations as her then Majesty her Heirs or Successors or
the Parliament of Great Brittain should think fitt.
That Purusant to this Article Her Majesty was pleased soon after the
Vnion to Issue a Warrand to Doctor David Gregory bearing date Iuly 12th:
1707 to go to Scotland to Examine the State of the Mint there, and with the
Assistance of certain other Officers to settle it under the same Rules as the
Mint in England who returned an Account of the new Regulations of the
Mint at Edinburgh to the Earl of Godolphin then Lord High Treasurer, as
appears by a Report bearing date the 13th: of December 1707. A Copy
whereof is hereunto Annex'd.
That the coynage of Great Brittain being under Consideration of
the Parliament in Anno 1707, Mr. Allardice then Master of the Mint of Scotland
gave in an Estimate of the Charge of the Sallarys to the Officers belonging to the
Mint, the Maintaining the Fabrick and Buying of Tools agreeable to the
Alterations proposed by Doctor Gregory extending in whole to £1200,
And in An Act made in the said year Entituled An Act for continuing the
former Act for encouraging the Coynage and to encourage the bringing
Forreign Coynes and Brittish or Forreign plate to be coyned and for making
Provision for the Mint in Scotland, Provision was made accordingly for £1200
only.
That M r. Allardices Estimate having taken no Notice of the
That By this Means an Article of the Treaty is rendered
ineffectuall and the Cahrge of £1200, for payent of the Sallarys, Maintainance
of the Fabrick and preparing of Tools becomes a Charge without any use
to the Government or the People.
It is Therefore Humbly Proposed That in the Bill now
depending the Clause hereunto Annex'd or some thing to
that Effect may be added, And for that End that the House
may be Moved to Impower the Committee to receive a Clause
for encouraging a free Coynage in the Mint of Scotland
which seems indeed to have been the Intention of the Parliament
in the forecited Act, as appears by the Clause whereof the
Words are hereunto Annex'd.
An Account of the New Regulations of ties:
Mintt.
The Earle of Godolphin Lord High Treasurer of great Britain.
In obedience to Her Majesty's Commands in a Warrant dated 12 Iuly
1707. I took Iourny to Scotland 21st. Iuly, and arriv'd at Edinburgh 1st.
August, And upon shewing Her tys.ll:
Officers of the Mint there, they prepared for the Recoinage on the Methods at the Tower.
And when the Moneyrs arrived at Edinburgh, The Officers of the
Mint, I and they, surveyed all the Offices, tools &c belonging to the Mint, &
what were wanting were soon Supplyed from London.
After
Constitution of the Mint of Sco
with her tys.
Clerks, during the Recoinage to the Queen's Clerks, who was there before, To witt,
One for ye.
these Clerks were instructed in the Method of rateing and standerding & the
forms of Book keeping used in the Mint of the Tower, by the Clerk sent by
Her ty.
The Officers of the Mint and I Considering, That by bringing the
Mint of Scotland to the same methods with that in the Tower, more Officers
became necessary, and being unwilling to encrease Charges, Agreed That the
Warden and Counterwarden should by Turns do the Office of Surveyor of the
meltings, and
and that their Clerks should be Clerks for those offices, It was also agreed that
the Queen's Clerk should be Clerk of the paper and irones.
The great difficulty was in the Melting, it being made there with pit-
coal, in this I made severall Experiments according to Directions, which I receiv'd
from r.
were found out and agreed upon, as by experience were found to make the Silver
of standart fineness And the
assistant, during this Coinage.
Matters being thus adjusted, I Continued at Edinburgh; Vntill I saw
the methods of the Mint in the Tower well understood and
concerned & the recoinage advanced so, that they coyned six thousand pounds a
week, & r.r. p.
Sic Sub. Da
Schedule of the offices and salarys of the Officers at the Mint at Edinburgh after setling
the said Mint in the same methods of working with the Mint in the Tower as Given
in to the t:
for continuing the former Acts for encouraging the Coinage.