Proposals for sorting out the Edinburgh Mint's finances

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To the Right Honble the Earl of Godolphin Lord High Treasurer of Englan Great Britain.

May it please yor Lordp

We have considered the

In obedience to yor Lordps Order of Reference signified to us by Mr Taylor's Letter of Iuly ye 22th Instandt upon the axexed {sic} Memorial of ye General & other Officers of her Majties Mint at Edinburgh concerning the Bullion for coynagegiven by Act of Parliamt for maintaining a free coynage in that Mint left& collected by Mr Daniel Stuart late collector thereof now deceased & left in ye hands of his Executors, & are humb we have considered the same, & whereas it is insinuatedthere is a suspicion that ye said Act of Parliament for may be{illeg} expired by reason of the Act of Union establishing an equality of the duties of South & North Britain established by the Act of Union we do not yet see how the said Act of Union repeals the said Act for raising the Bullion for the maintainingenance of her Majties Mint in Stcotland any more then it would since it does not repleale the Act for raising the coynage Duty for {illeg}the the maintainingainence of her Majties Mint in England. That the two nations may be upon an equal foot, either each nation must maintain its own mint or great Brittain must maintain both Mints with an allowance to each Mint proportiaonal to the taxes raised in each nation. And therefore we humbly offer it to yor Lordps Consideration whether the Bullion of her Majties Mint in Scotland should not be still collected & kept apart as formerly untill the opinion of her Majties Coucil {sic} of both nations learned in the law can be had upon this matter if it be needfull

And whereas the Bullion formed Officers of her Majties Mint in Scotland haveat Edinburgh represent that they have received no salaries for the last half year nor any money has been lately issued to them said Mints for defraying the charges of coynage, [the Commission of the Lds Commrs of the Treasury expiring before your Lordps late Warrant directed to themfor could be executed for supplying the Mint with moneys could be executed,] we humbly pro so that the present {illeg}coin <29v> age is in danger of being retarded or stopt for want of moneys to carry it on, we humpbly propose that for the more speedy & effectual supplying the said Mint with moneys, some convevenient {sic}your Lordp will please todire your Lordps Warrant be directed toauthorize and direct Sr George Vshart & others the {illeg}Executor or E{illeg}xecutors & Administrators of Mr Daniel Stewart Esqr late Collector of the Bullion belonging to her Majties Mint in Scotland authorizing & directing him or themat Edinburgh to pay some convenient round summ upon account supposeforth with out of the Bullion in his or their hands the summ of fourthree thousand pounds to the General or WMaster of her Majties Mint at Edinburgh upon account for ye use & service of that Mint, we being informed that there is a greater summ in their hands, & that

And we are further most humbly of opinion that her Majesties Warrant be directed to the Generall, Master, & Wardens of her Majties said Mint & to her Majesties Cashkeeper or Receivers or such Receiver as yor Lordp shal please to nominate, directing them to keep all such bullion as shall be impressed to the said Generall or Master, under the in the Treasury of the said Mint to be under one key to be kept by the said General or Master, onetwo other keys to be kept by the Warden & Counter Warden & a fourth key to be kept by the said Cashkeeper or Receiver to beunstill the said money shall & to issued thence such summs as shall become due quarterly for the payment of salaries & charges of repairs & monthly for defraying the charges of coynage according to ye true intent & meaining

And we are further of Opinion that the Master of hisis Majties said Mint do give security in her Majties Exchequer for such making good accounts of such summs of money as shall be imprested to him for the servicefor the service of the said Mint wch security we humbly propose may be in 2000li besides his own bond.

And whereas by the 15th Article of the Act of Vnion ye Executors of Mr Steward alledge that by the 15th article of ye ActTreaty of Vnion, the recoynage of the moneys & the expences thereof should be made good out of the Equivalent, we are humbly represent of opinion that the charges of melting the money into Ingots are a part of the loss wch the people sustein in recoyning their money & therefore by the Act of Vnion ought in ye first place to be defrayed out of ye equivalent. But the charges of coyning the Ingots are to be defrayed out of the bullion belonging to ye Mint.

And lastly the whereas the Master the Warden & ye Counter-Warden arehave each of them allowed aa new Clerk, but the salaries of these Clerks are not yet appointed: we are <30r> humbly of opinion that {illeg} those three new Clerks may be allowed in her Majties Warrant above mentioned, sala{illeg}ries after the rate ofsaid Mr Warden & Comptroler Counter Warden may be allowed {illeg} salaries for these three new Clerks after the rate of 40li a piece to commence wth this present recoinageper annum during this her the present recoinage,Majts pleasure, to commence at yefrom ye 1st of August 1707.when the recoinage was {illeg} beginning

All wch &c we most humbly propose to be done by her Mats Warrant directed to the Gen Master & Wardens of her Majts Excheqr & entred in Mint at Edinburgh & entred in proper Offices.

And that the recoinage of ye moneys & the expences thereof should be made good out of this fund & not out of ye equivalent but the expences of remnew the money into ingots to be co ButAnd of The expences of melting the money into ingots is to bemay be also defrayed out of yethis equivalent &{illeg} & if this at present fund at present, butt butyet so as {illeg} to be repaied to this fund out of such moenys as shall hereafter accrue to ye equivalent. But ye expences of me{illeg}lting the old money into Ingots ought to be defrayed out of the equivalent. IOr if this Bullion be at present applied to that service {illeg}

The And if the expences of melting the money into ingots {illeg}y be also defrayed out of this fund at present, but since it may be repaid hereafter to this fund out of the equivalent.

But the equivalent in the proper fund for paying defraying the expences of the first melting And the mon the old money into ingots. And if theose ex {sic} expences should be defrayed out of the equivalent this fund at prsent they may repaid hereafter to this fund out of such moneys as shall hereafter g{illeg} arise to ye equivalent.

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And where as it is suggested that since the Vnion these Impositions upon good wch were to defray the four charge & expence of the Mint at Edinburgh are failed or repealed by ye duties being made equal to those in England before the Vnion we humbly represent to yor Lordp that it does not appear to us that the said Impositions are repealed. thereby by the Ac

that they do also pay the residue of the said Bullion in their hands to pay {illeg} to the

to pay to the General &upon account to the {illeg} Master of the said Mint for the use & service thereof the said Bullion in his or their hands by such summs as shall be demanded from time to time by the said officersGeneral & Master of ye sd Mintfrom time to time for the use & service of the said Mint to be kept in the Treasury of ye said Mintthereof under the several keys of the Master said General Master Warden & Counter Warden of the Said Mint & issued out thence for payment of salaries & other charges of that Mint as the same shall become due & accounted for annually by the sd Master according to ye practise of her Majties Mint in the Twoer [expressed in the Indenture & made between her Majty & the said Master & Waorker a copy of wch has been transmitted to the Officers of her Majts Mint at Edinburgh] under her annexed to her Majts Warrant And if yor Lordp pleases the Master of the sd Mint at Edinburgh may give such security in her Majts Ex{illeg}cheqr for making good accounts of such summs of moneys as shall beall moneys imprested to him for the service of the said Mint. {illeg} given {illeg} the Mr & Wr of her Mats Mint in theas is done in ye Towerwch security we humblyTower, vizt. give {sic}s{illeg} securitypropose may be in 2000li besides his own hand, as is same in her Majties Mint in the Tower wchwth security, if yor Lordp please may be ye same as is given by ye Mr & Wr of her Majts Mint in ye Tower vizt is 2000 besides the where the Mr & Wr gives security in 2000li besides his own bond