Response to the applications at MINT00062 (Mint 19/1/140-45) and others

<170r>

To the Right Hon:ble the Lord High Treasurer of England.

May it please your Lordship.

In obedience to Your Lordship's order of Reference of August 8th & 10th wherein wee are directed to consider the Qualifications of Coll Parsons, Mr Croker Mr Ross and Mr Fowler to succeed Mr Harris in the place of Graver of the Mint, Wee humbly lay before your Lordship that the Master of the Mint upon considering what inconveniency the Mint lately suffered and may again suffer by taking in Cutters of Seales into the Chief gGraver's place, did upon his succeeding Mr Neale putt a Clause into the Indenture then made, between the Crown and himself, whereby the Graver's salary of 325li ꝑ An upon the next voydance of the place should cease in order to a new Establishment. For the Roetiers brought up no new Gravers under them, and Mr Harris who succeeded them being a Cutter of Seales and not skilled in that sort of Graving which is proper for the money, Imployed Mr Croker to do all that Work for an Allowance of 175li ꝑ Annum and retained to himself the remaining 150li. ꝑ Annum, and Mr Croker was not bred up in the Service of the Mint, but now by long Practice he works very well, and wee are humbly of opinion that he is the fittest person to be made first Graver of the Mint For [Colonell Parsons does not grave himself, but only employs good Workmen and has a good Fancy and Judgement in those matters; neither does Mr Fowler grave but only designs, and Mr Rose desires to succed Mr Harris only in his place of Graver of Seales to her Majy, and by a Seale which he has graved for the Dutchy of Lancaster he seems to be a good Workman for Seales and sufficiently qualifyed for that place. But Mr Le Clerk is a nimble & skilful Graver very fit to be received into the Mint.]

It is humbly proposed therefore for the advantage and Security of the Coyn against counterfeiting that there should be a sett of Gravers constantly brought up in the mint, who having once attained to perfection may work with their own hands keep their Art amongst themselves and propogate it to Probationers or Apprentices and be succeeded by them, and that no new Graver may be hereafter taken into the Mint unless as a Probationer or Apprentice.For which end wee humbly propose that Mr Croker be now made the first Graver of the Mint with a Salary of 200li ꝑ Ann for maintaining <170v> himself and a Servant to file and polish the Dyes and turn the Press, and be allowed the use of that part of the Graver's House in which he now lives, and that Mr Samuell Bull who is now a Probationer and has a Salary of 60li: ꝑ Ann [with some other allowances worth about 150 or 20li ꝑ Annum] and neither graves very well, be made the second Graver of the Mint with a Salary of 80li: ꝑ Annum if your Lordship shall approve thereof, and be allowed the use of the other part of the Graver's House, and that a new Probationer Mr Le Clerc with a Competent salary be taken into the third place as soon as a fitt person shall be metter with, and be allowed also a salary of 80li per an & two Rooms to lodge and Work in over the great Press Room and over Mr Croker's shop. And that the salaries of Mr Croker & Mr Bull commence from the death of Mr Harris, but by reason of the charges wch the Mint has been at by the dammages done by the great winds last Autumn, we are humbly of opinion that for saving money to defray those charges the salary of Mr Le Clerc do not commence till next Midsummer.

All which is most humbly submitted to your Lordships great Wisdom

Mint Office the 23th August 1704.

I Stanley
Is. Newton.

In Ellis

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Report of the Officers of the Mint upon the Graver's Place.