Draft of MINT00270 (Mint 19/2/139)

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<text in Clerical Hand begins>To the Rt Honble the Lords Commers of his Majts Treary

May it pleas.e yor Lordps

The great value put upon French & Spanish Pistoles in England has made them of late flow plentifully hither above all other Sorts of Gold, especially the French Pistoles wch are better sized and coyned and less liable to be counterfeited and by consequence of more credit then ye Spanish. For Pistoles pass amongst us for 17s 6d a piece whereas one with another they are worth but about 17s 0$\frac{\mathrm{1}}{\mathrm{2}}$d 17.s 1d at ye rate that Guineas of due weight and allay are worth 21.s 6.d. And ifthe allowance be made for the lightness of our Silver monies wearing, yet Pistoles will be worth but between 17.s 2d and 17.s 3d<text in Isaac Newton’s hand begins>In France by ye late and Edict of May last a Lewid Pistole (whether markt or not markt) passes for foure Ecus wanting 12 sous that is doe a {illeg} 17.s 2.$\frac{\mathrm{8}}{\mathrm{17}}$d an Ecu passes for 68 sous as a Pistole whether (markt or not markt) for 13 livers or 4 Ecus wanting 12 Sous recconing an Ecu worth 4s 6d according to ye reputedreputed pPar {illeg}of Exchange. And so much {illeg}may Pistoles may be worth here if allowance be made for the lightness of oer money by wearing

3$\frac{\mathrm{14}}{\mathrm{17}}$ Ecus <text in Clerical Hand begins>About four years ago by the English putting too great a value upon Scotch money yethe Northern borders of England were filled wth yt money and Scotland wth ours, the Scots makeing about 8 or 9 pr cent ꝑfitt by the Exchange untill yor Lordps were pleased to put a Stop to the misschief. The case being now ye same (but of much greater consequence) in the reputed par of yecourse of exchange Exchange between English money and Pistoles, wch runsby where the reputed Par was{illeg}running at least 3d or 4d in a Pistole too high in the course of Exchange to ye Nations lossto the nations loss We thereforetherefore thought it our duty humbly to represent it to yor. Lordps in order to such a remedy as yor. Lordps shall think fit. // We presume also to lay before yor. Lordps that by reasonanother great misschief wch needs a remedy, Forof dangerous consequence of The great demand of forreign Silver for Exportation in Trade has raised the price of Bullion Exceedsabove yt of Silver monies 3d or 4d & Sometimes 6d or 7d pr ounce, whereas monies ought to be of as great or greater value then Bullion by reason of ye workmanship and certainty of ye Standard. aAnd this high price of Bullion has not onely put an end to ye coynage of Silver, but is a great occasion of melting down and exporting what has been already coyned the running down of forreign coyn by private Artificers giveing them opportunity to mix our own {illeg}in private for ye Merchant faciliating the mischief & the dependance upon bare oaths faciliating the mischief. All wch is we represent wthis most humblyey Submissiontted to yor. Lordps consideration andjudicious consideration & great wisdome.                                         M

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<text in Isaac Newton’s hand begins>All forreign silver monues virgin silver & Spanish barrs brought to ye Mint shall be there registred & melted into Ingots & ye Ingots at ye discretionchoise of ye Importer either coyned or marked with one or moreone or more a mark{illeg}s provided by ye Mr & Wr for that purpose. And the weight of ye monies so coyned out of And all Spanish barrs brought the mint And at ye request of the Importer the Master out out of a Book shall give him an Indented Ticket certifying           AsThe weight of the monies coyned out of forreign silver monies, virgin Silver or Spanish Barrs shall be registred & weight of ye monies {illeg} coyned out by out ye said forreign Silver [monies Virgin Silver or Spanish Barrs,] or out of Spanish barrs wch Ticket shall be indented & cut of out of a book in wch the same shall be entred.

The Master Ingots so marked Ingotts so markt & Forreign monies in specie & Spanish Barrs & Virgin SIlver & Ingotts marked as above may be either exported from London or sold to Goldsmiths or others. Artificers or Merchants But Ingots not {illeg} marked may not be exported nor bought or sold (except Spanish Barsrs,) but shallm{illeg} shall be coyned if brought to ye Mint.

All monies so The Merchānt upon producingdelivering the Mint certificateTicket to thethe Customer house Officer may within a year after the date export so much English silver monies by weight as are conteined in affirmed in ye conteined in the said certificatementioned therin & ye OfficerCustomer shall enter ye same in a Book & file ye Ticket. And to check ye Merchant the Master shall montly send to ye Custome house a list of all the summ{illeg}s of money coyned {illeg} out of forreign silver as above mentioned for wch he has granted Tickets.

Forreign monies Spanish Barrs & Virgin Silver & Ingots stamp may be freely exported i Specie, but being once melted in England elsewhere then in his Majts Mint they shall not be exported except afterwards exported {illeg}

All silver moniens exported whether by (not excepting pocket money) 1$\frac{\mathrm{1}}{\mathrm{2}}$d 1$\frac{\mathrm{1}}{\mathrm{4}}$ 1 Shall pay          pr tatounce ye cCustome house for or towards the charge of coynagecoyning the same. [And all uncoyned Silver exported Shall pay     0$\frac{\mathrm{1}}{\mathrm{4}}$d. pr oz tat ye Custome house for encouragment of coynage.] Which Dutiespayments shall be kept apart fwth ye dDuty already granted for encouragement of coynage & therewith paid into ye Excheqr & thence imprest to ye Mr & Wr for ye same uses.

Penalties upon them that counterfeit ye Mint Mark or ye Mint Tickets or ship silver to be exported unlawfully or without paying ye duty, or buy or sell unmarkt Ingots, or counterfeit virgin silver coursery it ought to be in

No Gold or silver (exceptother yn pocket money {illeg}already allowed) to be exported out of Ireland except into England. And upon notice of all such exportations to be monthly sent from ye Custome house in Ireland to that in London for enquiring after ye same.

The Master