Holograph draft of legislation (to come into effect on an unspecified date in 1711) on the fineness of hallmarked silver

That the standard finess of plate be

That all plate shall be ab tenn ounces fifteen penny weight of fine silver in every pound weight Troy And if any from & after one thousand seven hundred & eleven No {sic} Goldsmith silversmith or other person whatsoever shall fraudulently work or cause to be wrought any p or made any silver vessel plate or manufacture of {illeg} silver less in fineness then the j{illeg}[ ten ounces fifteen penny weight of fine silver in the pound weight Troy, or shall by any accident error in the assays ] the just standard or (excepting such errors as mayshall happen by casualty & not by desinge & wch shall not exceed one p{illeg} penny weight in the pound weight Troy) & if nor shal they put to sale exchange or sell any silver vessels plate or manufacture of silver made after the said        day of - - - - - - - to the contrary notwithstanding. And if any Goldsmith Silversmith or other person And of any plat silver vessel, plate or manufacture of silver or any part therof (except soder) which shall be brought to be touched or marked shall be brought to before it shall be touched or marked for good, shall upon the assay be found one half penny weight worse in fineness then eleventen ounces fifteen penny weight shall be defaced by the Wardens orof fine silver in the pound Wt Troy the same shall not be marked or touched but defaced & returned to the {illeg} by the Wardens or Masters of the said Mystery but defa shall be defaced by themor by those imployed by {illeg} by them & returned to the owners. [And if any question doubt {illeg}or question shall arrise about the finenes of anyany silver vessel plate or other manufacture of silver wch shall be seized, the fineness therof shall be decided trued by her Majesties AssayMr in any of her Mints, in the presence of [ the Wardens or Masters of the said mystery [or any of them] such persons as shall be appointed by anythe court of Justice before whom the action shall] the persons contending & of the Wardens of the said Mystery or so many & of the persons contendingconcerned {illeg}ofr of so many of them as upon upon notice shall think fit to attend, & such or by any other Assaymaster & before any persons who shall]

- any falshood or deceipt, or the same or any part thereof (except the soder) Shall wan be less in finess then ten eleven ounces fourteen one penny weight, a then the Wardens & corporation of that mystery for the time being shall forfeit & pay the value of the                                         the one half thereof to the Queen &c - - - - - notwithstanding

& e{illeg}nter it in a book with the owners name & shall deface the plate vessel plate or manufacture - the Assayer shall report the worsness upon pain of loosing his place & shall return the same to the owner And all plate vessels or manufactured of silver wherin there shall be any falshood or deceipt or wch shall be one penny worse in fineness then it ought to be Eleven ounces 15 penny Wt shall be forfited to detained & forfeited to the Wardens & Corporation of that mystery for the value. And if after the said          day of          any new vessels plate or manufactured silver shall be touched marked or allowed for good by the Wardens or Masters of the said mystery in wch or those authorized or imployed by them for the assaying or& marking of plate & if in the same there shall be found any falshood or deceipt or the same or any part thereof (except the soder( shall be found oneabove one penny weight worseless in fineness then eleventenn ounces twofifteen penny weight of fine ☾ in the pound weight Troy, then the Wardens & Corporation of that mystery for the time being, shall forfeit & pay &c