Two holograph drafts, written as from the Goldsmiths' Company and bullion suppliers, complaining of the excessive fineness of the 1707 trial plate

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To the Rt most Honble the Earl of Oxford & E. Mortimer Ld H. Trearer of G.B.

The humb Peti{illeg}tion of several Merchants & Goldsmiths underwritten in behalf otfhe themselves & other importers of Bullion into her Majts Mint, most humbly sheweth

May it please yor Lordp

The trial piece of Gold b made in the year 161707 being at ye last trial of the Pix found too fine by the Assay, We whose names are underwritten being apprehensive that the moneys of Gold in conformity to the said Trial piece may be coined too fine to the detriment of the Merchant most humbly pray yor Lordp that if at the present trial of the Pix any difference shall be found between the trial piece & the assay & the fineness of the trial piece by wch the money is tried, the trial piece of either G. or S. by wch the money shall be n{illeg}ow tried doth not answer to ye assay, either the difference may be {illeg} allowed in coining & trying the moneys of gold & silver by ye same trial piece for the future, or else that a new Trial piece may be made to the end that the moneys may be standards as well by the assay as by the trial piece as to ye trialagreeable to stand the assay to the end that the coinage may agree as {illeg} the Assayas with as well wth the assay as wth the Trial piece

To the most Honble the Earl of Oxford & Earl Mortimer Lord H. Tr. of great Britain

May it please yor Lordp

The Petition of the Merchants & Goldsmiths underwritten in behalf of themselves & other Importers of Bullion into her Matys Mint, most humbly sheweth.

That The Trial-piece of Gold made in the ye{illeg}ar 1707 being at the last trial of the Pix found too fine by the Assay, {illeg}wit{illeg}h whose names [are underwritten being Merchants & {illeg}Goldsmiths who importing Bullion into her Mats Mint, &]& that yor Petitioners being apprehensive that the moneys of Gold in conformity to ye said Trial piece may have been coined too fine to the detriment of the Merchant, Yor Petitioners most humbly pray yor Lordp [in behalf of or selves & other Importers,] that if at the present trial of the Pix the trial piece of either Gold by wch the Gold moneys shall be now tried doth not answer to ye assay, the difference may be stated & allowed for in coining the moneys by the same Trial piece for the future: or else that a new Trial piece may be made agreeable to ye assay, to the end that the coinage of Gold may agree as well with the assay as with the Trial piece, the Assay being the rule by wch gold & silver is valued amongst Merchants & Importers of Bullion.

And yor Petitioners shall ever pray &c.

Thence also it might happen that at the making of the two last setts of Trial-pieces the Assayer might not report the fine gold so fine as it really was.

At the East Trial of the Pix the gold moneys wereas standard full by the Assay & the Trial piece a quarter of a grain better then standard & the moneys & yet the Iury in their Veredict represented the Trial piece standard & the gold a quarter of a grain worse then standard the money a quarter of a grain worse the standard & money the Trial piece standard By This Trial piece was made 1702 without the Queens order{illeg} A.C. 16707, & by my assays this tr very carefully made this trial piece it is five twelfts of a grain better then standard, that of 1688 is a sixt part of a grain better then standard & that of 1660 is standard.

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T. Buckingham. Chester. Lestwithiel. Bossiney. Beralstone. Gloucestershire. London. Monmothshire Great Yarmouth. Higham Ferrars & Banbury. {illeg}Dunwich. Orford. Eye. Horsham. Lewis. Heytesbury. Ludgershall. Malton. Alborough. Rye. Winchelsea.

Alborough. Beralstone. Bossiney. Buckingham. Banbury. Chester. Dunwich. Eye. Glocestersh. High Ferrars Heytesbury. Horsham. London. Ludgeshal. Lestwithiel. Lewis. Malton. Monmothsh. Orford. Rye. Winchelsea. Great Yarmouth.