The £60 p.a. allowed for a master's assay master (as distinct from the royal assay master) has for a long time been paid to the deputy master, who has authority to examine the work of the royal assay master
May it pl. yor Lordp
To enable the Master & Worker to carry on the coynage wthout depending upon the King or Queen's Assaymaster, he is allowed 60 pounds per annum towards enabling him to keepthe charge of keeping an Assaymaster of his ownfor himself whenever he shall need one. But now for a lo{illeg}ng time the Gold & Silver has been received into the Mint by the Kin assays of ye King or Queens Assaymaster & the that IMr & Wr allows the 60li pr an and to a Deputy who has power to examin the assays of the King or Queens said Assaymaster by his own or those of any other Assaymaster as often as shall be thought fit. If your Lordp still thinks fit still to trust the King or Queens therefore pleases that the Queens Assaymaster be still trusted in Assaymr upon in the receipt of Bullion into ye Mint I am also willing to trust him, he being upon oath a sworn officer & an indifferent person & I having met with no complaints against him & his Assays being recconed exacter then those at Goldsmiths Halls & the Gold & silverbeing safe in his hands. But if your Lordship chuses rather that ye ☉ & ☾ should be received into the Mint by the Assays of such a goldsmith another Assaymaster to be imployed under me, I am ready to provide one so soon as anothera new Assay Office can be with other conveniences can be providedhad & made fit in the Mint.
All wch is most humbly submitted
Source
MINT 19/1/103, National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UK1702?, c. 267 words.