Chester Aug 25° 1697

Honoured SrSir

I was not a little surprized at the news your last brought, I can hardly belive Mr Mason will find any body but himself will undertake to say he was treated here by the Warden and mye self like a Footman, I am sure we both attendedwent to meet him as far as Ruabon, which is 4 miles beyond Wrexham and goodfull 15 measured miles from hence, and we treated him and Mr Hanmer and other he brought along with him to the expence of 3 Guineas, the night he came hither, and the Warden gave him eight or ten bottles of Wine at another time in the TrearyTreasury, and treated Mr Clarkhim and Mr Clark again at my Lodgings as far as he would accept; and during his stay here I attended him with all the respect I know how to pay; but I found him very cold towards me, and wholly addicted to Mr Clark; and his chief business seemed to be to oblige the Warden to restore Boules and take of Lewis's suspension; in which case he offered his word, that no more should be said of the affidavit of undue preference, but if he refused, he was known to be a very good solicitor, and severall that stood in his way had felt the effects of it. The Warden however persisting that he would waite an answer from Mr Newton in Lewis's case, and that Boules's place being supplyed by another he could do nothing in that neither; Mr Mason went away from him dissatisfied, and the next day twas buzzed about in the mint that Treasonable practises would be swordn against the Warden, and accordingly that night Mr Hanmer got Alderman Lloydd to the Tavern, and there drew up the affidavit with his own hand (as Mr Williams informs me,) there was no other occasion fiven for making this affidavit, than what I told you in my last, which the persons who signinedyy the affidavitcertificate inclosed therin will testify upon oath if occasion require. I hope Mr Masson considers that words spoken ion the 9th of February, ought not to be conceald till the 21th of Iuly, if they be dangerous to the Government; wherby this whole affaire will pass for the effect of Malice and dsign in all undbiasd judges. And Williams told me that Hanmer had they formed a designe to have gotten my place, if he could have trappt me saying or doing anything they could lay hold on, but by the advice of a friend that know them I scapt the snare, as I have formerly given you an exact account. I rejoyne that you are resolved not to leave the Town till the business be fully over, and if the Warden be heartily our friend I doubt not of the event. By Mondays post you shall be now of a copy of all the Accounts of our Mint except what Mr Clark has had, bhe being not yet come to Town. Mr Lewis has not yet delivered in any account in writing, but has now brought his Ballance to about 230li, tis easy to know the use he may have made in this long delay. But I shall take care that what he may have buorrowed to make up his cast shall not be repaid byout of his subsequent case: for I have taken such care ofa method for the payments now, that I can bring him to a ballance upon demand. I do not belive the Lords will thank Mr Neale for his thus stickling for Lewis when they know the whole story, nor that they will think him so necessary that the Mint cannot be without him. As to his being such a Gentleman I am fully informed his father was a shoemaker in Wrexham, and afterwards kept the poll house there, and some say he sold drink there, but that is no argument, the man is an ingenious man and well educated, and till Mr Clarke blew him up with promises and false insinuations, was very serviceable in the Mint though always leaning that way. But perhaps Mr Mason thinks all Watchmen Gentlemen and we Saxons Rogues, Villains &c. tis strange to think a man so nice as he in point of breeding, who could think a hard word from the first officer in the Mint to the last Clerk should require a standish or more, should be guilty of such Language against persons who never injured him, and as to all the Mints being said to be against us, I am sure both the Assaymaster and Monyer and all the Monyers people are not of that number, and if the Master and melter have a turn to serve and buy the Clerks to their Interest, why those should be said to be all the Mint, he best knows. Tis true the Warden was a Meniall servant of my Lord Godolphin some years since, and in requitall of his good services my Lord preferred him to this post here, but he was far above a footman, and his education shews him to have been alwais in better circumstances than so, and it may be well supposed that my Lord would not have thus preferrd him, but that he know his merit. he has been all along very respectfull to me and I to him, and wee look upon our selves as joyned in Office to see the Kings business well and faithfully performed. And the exact care we have taken has occasioned all those fonds, of which this is a summary account. We were in a manner all strangers when we mett here at first, and Mr Clark contending that Boules and Lewis ought to have the money delivered them by weight only, that they might report the tale as they pleased, the warden and I opposed it; and on consult above, it was determined that the money should be deliverd to them, as the Importers Agouts, by Tale as well as wt.weight this occasiond the first quarrell, and Clark pretending to take offence at something that nobody else observed in the Company, went and borrowed Boules his sword to waylay the Warden as he went home, but this wee lookt upon as a scarecoew, because he might have met him if he pleased: this was Octob. 25°. On Novemb 19 following he being displeased at the telling of the money, a trick was put upon the Warden by taking money out of 6 Iourneys, two shillings or half a Crown out of each, at the time pixing them, as I verily belivebelieve; and because the Warden assisted the Weigher and teller in telling them he pretended that one of them too, should loose their places for Nealing that money, sufficiently indicating that he meant the Warden, who as it hapned, did touch but 3 of those Iourneys, and Brown Clarks creature baggd them all: and it was observable, these were the very first Iourneys that were reweightd after telling: this Villanous practise gave me an aversion to those that were capable of it, and shewd the necessity of standing form to oppose the, or else toif I would not quit my post. On Decemb 15 Clark left us and went to London where he continued till the Latter end of Aprill during which time I am sure the King and Country were better served than before or since, as will appear by the Books of the Mint. When he came back again, he pretended to challenge the Warden, came before the Hour with his Man and Horses contrary to agreement as the Warden said) and stand not after it, by which means they fought not, and I remonstrating the folly of such decisions to both partys, that went no further. With his return the money received, and the pot and Money assay proved worse then ever, which being represented to you and the Warden, Robinson makes his affidavit of undue preference, which being thought impertinent, Hanmer sweres Treason to as little purpose. Those are violent attaques upon an innocent man, and may provoke to some indiscretions those that are matters of more temper then either he or I. I cannot transcribe this long story so entreat your pardon for the blotts therof. Alban Greys note for the 15li was paid by Lewis on the 6th of March, when I was at London, and is made payable to him; I know the Warden was willing to oblige him, and might desire Lewis to let him have the money. that is all I know of the matter, save that Gray was solliciting for it before I went out of Chester; if this small summ sticks as I find it does, I hope that a crime in one Man will be no virtue in another.

Edm. Halley