Further draft of MINT00063 (Mint 19/1/170-71)

<168r>

To ye Rt Honble ye Ld High Treasurr of Engld

may it please yr Ldp

In obedience to yr Ldps orders of Reference of ye 8sh & 10sh of August, wherein we are directed to consider ye qualifications of Coll Parsons, mr Croker, mr Rose & mr Fowler to succeed Mr Harris in ye place of Graver of ye mint, we humbly represent to yr Ldp

yt upon consideration of ye great inconveniencys ye mint lately suffe{illeg}r'd in ye time of ye Rotiers, who bred up no Gravers to succeed ym, & afterwards by mr Harris having ye salary of Graver who was only a cutter of seals, ye master worker of ye mint did insert a clause in ye Indenture made between ye Crown & him, whereby ye Gravers salary should cease upon ye next voidance of ye place, in order to a new setlemt

It is therefore humbly proposd, yt there should be a set of gravers brought up in ye mint in ye same manner of graving, for ye security of ye coinage agst counterfeiting, & to propagate is to probationrs or apprentices, who may succeed ye for wch end we humbly propose, yt mr Croker one of ye peticonrs who has been many years employd in ye wth an allowance of 150li ꝑ anat 150li ꝑ an & is a very good Graver, be now made first Graver of ye mint wth a salary of 200li a year for himself & a servt to file & polish dyes, & turn ye press, & have <168v> yt part of ye Gravers house in wch he now lives, that mr samuell Bull who has been some years a probationr in ye mint at 60li ꝑ an. be made 2d Gravers wth a salary of 80li a year, & have ye other part of ye Gravers house And yt a new probationr wth a competent salary be taken into ye 3d place assoon as a fit person be found, & be allowd two rooms to lodge & work in over ye great press room & mr Crokers shop. The Peticonrs. Coll Parsons & mr Fowler do not work grave ymselves & therefore we believe ym not so well qualifyd for ye place

We further represent to yr Ldp yr mr Harris as Gravers of ye mint had also a patent to coin medalls, wch we think too great a trust to be lodgd in ye Gravers, & are humbly of opinion, yt hereafter no medalls be made in ye mint without an order from her matie or ye Ld High Treasurr to ye master worker of & {sic} yt ye species of wch ye Graver shall receive for such medalls be setld by ye warden master worker & Comptrollr < insertion from f 169r > in ye same manner as is done for coronation meddalls or any other manner as yr Ldp shall think fit < text from f 168v resumes >

Mr Harris had also a patent for Graver of seals to her matie, wch is an office independant from ye mint, for wch mr Rose has peticond yr Ldp, & by a seale wch he has lately gravd for ye Dutchy of Lancaster we believe him very well qualifyd for it. All wch is most humbly submitted to yr Ld,ps great wisdom

<169v>

Report of ye officers of ye mint about ye Gravers place