Holograph draft of MINT00179 (Mint 19/1/275)

<276r>

May it please yor Lordps

Meeting withFinding reason to suspect that the present indented trial piece of Gold made last summer was three years, by isare too fine I have {illeg} nicely examined them matterthat in my keep & find by many assays that titity isare finer then the former trial pieces made in ye reign of king year 1688 by about a quarter of a grain tho that the last trial piece be also something too fine by the assay. Which differences being a difference of great consequence, I have further endeavoured to find out the reason thereof for preventingthat the like accidents for the fu{illeg} future in making new trial pieces when e{illeg}ver it shall be thought fit to have new ones made. And I findin making new trial pieces hereafter may be prevented avoided. And I have by the assay I am satisfied that there are different {illeg}various degrees of fine gold, {illeg}some fine gold being 24 carats fine by the assay, some a quarter of a grain fi coarser or finer or above, & that gold may be refined so high ats to be almost half a grain finer then 24 carats by the assay. And accordingly as the fine gold is refined more or less of wch the standard {illeg} pieces are made is finer or coarser the standard pieces will be finer or c{illeg}oarsedr in proportion. aAnd from all this matter of fact[And thence arise these considerations. Whether there should not be {illeg}one commo{illeg}n standard for all the market the money the markets pla{illeg}te & the marketMerchants gold in all great bBritain, & whether this standard should not be setled by the assay & preserved in the Exchequer for a rule to Iuries in making trial pieces for the future? And whether new trial pieces should not be made {illeg}according to this rule? And the like for silver?

All wch &c

By which means the standard of gold is rendred very uncertain notwithstanding the fidelity of a jury Iuries. And what I have said of gold may be applied to silver.

I humbly off{illeg}er therefore to your Lordships consideration thatwhether there should not be one common standard & of gold & one of silver for the money place & merchantable Ingots of Merchants in all great Britain, setled by the as{illeg}aay.; & whether the standard once setled should not be preserved in the Exchequer for a rule to Iuries in making trial pieces for the future. And whether new Trial peieces should not be now made this year according to this standard without varying.