'Memoriall for [and apparently by] William Drummond present Warden of Her Majesties Mint att Edinburgh'

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Memoriall for Mr William Drummond present Warden

of Her Majesties Mint. att Edinburgh

That upon the dimission of Mr Charles Billingham Last Warden of the Mint, of that office, in the year 1705, by reason of ane indisposition of which he soone after died, The circumstances of Mr Billing hams family were made known to Her Majestie viz That he h{illeg}ade purchassed his office for a summ of money That he was married to a Ladie of a Noble family a Daughter of the Earl of Marchmont and that he hade severall childrend and Little to Leave them.

Vpon which dimission a Gift of this office being presented in Mr Drummonds name, Her Majesty was acquainted at presenting of it, that ther was a summ of money to be given by him for the account of Mr Billinghams Lady and Children, Vpon which Mr Drummonds gift to that office was signed for his Life, and he accordingly entred into the possession of the office att Whitsuntide 1705 And at that term paid to Mr Billingham £666: 13: 4: sterling, which summ the sallarie of his office being £150 sterling yearly has not yet repaid him with the intrest therof.

That Mr Drummond as Warden of the Mint being att London in the Summer 1707 was appointed by my Lord High Treasurer to meet with the officers of her Majesties Mint in the Tower in order to the recoin{illeg}age of the moneys of Scotland And the putting the Mint att Edinburgh upon the same method of working with the Mint of England, that no distinction might be in the methods of either Mints in all time coming in consequence of the Treattie of Vnion betwixt both nations <116v> Which Accordingly he did and gave in a Memoriall upon the same to my Lord high Treasurer, And received of his Lop the Standard peeces {sic} of Gold and Silver for the rule of the coinage of the moneys in the Mint att Edinburgh And which he brought to Scotland and delivered to the propper officers of the Mint, And for which his attendance and pains att London he has received no allowance nor gratification

That in consequence of Mr Drummonds said Memoriall upon his meetings with the officers of Her Majesties Mint in the Tower, The Mint att Edinburgh being put in the same method and rules of working with that of the Mint in the Tower, the Recoinage of the moneys in Scotland was sett about and from September 1707 To December 1708 inclusive ther was coined and delivered out in the Mint att Edinburgh £320995: 19: 6 sterling, which hurrie of business tyed the whole officers to constant attendance for the above space, And for which Mr Drummond as Warden, As his post carries with it no manner of perquisit so he has never received the Least gratification or allowance

Mr Drummond from the above grounds all which he can document, with submission hopes that he will be preferred to the office of Master and worker of Her Majesties said Mint. att Edinburgh now vacant by the death of George Allardise Last Master

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Anne by the grace of God Queen of great Brittan France and Ireland defender of the faith Will Ye tis with the speciall advice and consent of our right trustie and right well beloved Cousens and Councellors Iohn Marques of Tweddall lord high chancellour of our ancient kingdom of Scotland William Marques of Annandale president of our privie Council High Earle of Loudaim Charles Earle of Selkirk Iohn Lord Balhaven George Baillie of Ierviswood Lord thesaurer deput Mr Francis Montgomery of Gissan and Sir Iohn Horne of Blackadder Lords Commissioners of our thesaury and of the rest of the Lords and others Commissioners of our said kingdom To have nominated constituted and appointed Lykous we with the advice and consent forsaid by these presents Nominate constitut and appoint our trustie and well beloved William Drummond lawfull son to George Drummond of Blairdrummond to be warden of our mint and coyning-house in our said kingdom during all the days of his lifetime Giveing granting and disposing to him the said trust and office with an yearly sallery of one hundred and fifty pounds sterling money to be paid unto him out of the first and readiest of the fund appointed for paying the fies and sallerys of the officers of our said mint conform to the act of parliament together with all other priviledges and freedoms which at any time heretofore did belong to the wardens of the said mint as well not named as named Excepting what is prohibited or innovated by the standing laws relateing to the mint With power to the said William Drummond to constitute and appoint deputs and substituts under him in the said office for whom he shall be answerable And we command the said yearly Sallery of one hundred and fifty pounds to be punctually paid to the said Williamd drummond out of the first and readiest of the fund abovespecified Begining the first terms payment at the term of Lambes next ensueing the date of these presents And so to continue yearly and termly therafter during the space forsaid And to the effect the said William drummond May the more conveniently exercise and attend the said office we hereby Give and dispose to him during the space forsaid commodins lodgings for his and his familys proper use within the said Mint and coining house as were enjoyed by his predecessors in the said office Commanding the generall of the said Mint to receive and admitt him to the said place and office in the usuall form Given under our privie seall at our court at St Iames's the ninth day of march and of our Reign the fourth year 170$\frac{\mathrm{4}}{\mathrm{5}}$ Doquested thus per signaturam mann S: D: N Regine suprascript Nerten to the privie seall and Registrat the second day of May 1705 Signed thus Will Alves Dept. Sealled At Edinburgh the third day of May 1705 in absence and by warrand of the deput by e signed thus Alex: Prince: The seall appended

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At Edinburgh the twenty first day of March one thousand seven hundred and seven years our Soveraign lady with the special advice and consent of the Estates of parliament Ratifies approves and perpetually Confirms a gift and commission under the privie seall of this kingdom of the date at St Iames's the ninth day of March one thousand seven hundred and five years granted by her Majesty with Consent of the lords and other commissioners of her thesaury and Excqr To William Drummond lawfull son to George Drummond of Blairdrummond during his life of the trust and office of warden of the Mint and coyning house in this kingdom with a yearly Sallery of one hundred and fifty pound sterling out of the first and readiest of the find appoint deputs and substituts for whom he shall be answerable And of commodions lodgings in the said Mint for the use of him and his family In the haill heads articles and clauses of the said gift and commission And her Majestie with consent forsaid wills and grants and for her and her Royall successors Statuts ordains and declares the forsaid fit and commission to be a good valu and sufficient right to the said William Drummond confirm to the touer of the same for possessing and enjoying during his life without stop and impediment so far as concerns the interest of her Majesty or her forsaid, the abovementioned office and trust with the forsaid yearly sallery and the other priviledges pertaining thereto contained in the forsaid gift and abovementioned And that the said gift and Commission shall never be quarrelled or revoked by her Majesty or her forsaid And also that this present ratification is and shall be to all intents as sufficient as if every wordd of the forsaid gift and commission were inserted herein with the not {sic} inserting wherof and with all other defects and imperfections that may or can be objected against the same or this present ratification therof Her Majesty with consent forsaid for her and her Royall Successors has dispensed and hereby dispenses for ever Extracted furth of the record fo parliament by me Sir Iames Murray of Philip though one of the Senators of the Colledge of Iustice Clerk to the Parliament and to her Majesties Councills Registers and Rolls signed thus Ia Muray Cls: reg: