Further holograph draft of MINT00491 (Mint 19/1/509)

<507r>

To the Rt Honble the Lords Commrs of his Majts Treary.

May it please yor Lordps

W{illeg}e have considered the annexed Petition of the Gover{illeg}nour & Company of Merchants trading to ye East Indies, & find that they are empowered by Patent to erect a Mints in their Forts in the East Indies for coyning of Indian money, an extract of wch Patent is hereunto annexed, & that accordingly they have erected a Mint at Fort St George.

We find also that by a late Act of Parliamt (An. 8 9& 9 Gu{illeg}l III) all ꝑrsons are forbidden under pain of High Treason to make or mend or knowingly to have in their custody any Press for coyning or any cutting engin or other Tool there mentioned, except persons imployed in or for any of his Majts Mints & acting only for ye use & service of the same or persons lawfully authorized by yor Lordps. And that by the same Act all persons are also forbidden by the same Act forbidden under pain of High Treason willingly or kn{illeg}owingly to convey out of any of his Majts Mints any coyning tool whatsoever or any useful part thereof without lawfull authority for that purpose. And that by another Act (An. 6 & 7 Gul III) there is a penalty of 500℔ on any persons not being an Officer of his Majts Mint or Mints, who shall have in his custody a Press for coyning. All wch laws we conceiveseem to be here in force against the said Company by reason that no persons are authorized by the their said Patent to act in England as Officers or Ministers of their Mints.

Yet we conceive it very reasonable that ye said Company should be authorizsed to furnish their Mints wth coyning Tools from the his Majts Mint in ye Tower rather then from any other place & particularly with two Mills two Presses, two Cutting engins & other thingsthe Vtensils thereunto belonging according to their Petition. But by reason of the above mentioned laws we are humbly of opinion that good advice be first had about {illeg} authority & form of such a licensethe lawfull authority & form of such an Order or license for that purpose before it that it may befpre {illeg} be granted {illeg} may it should re it should require a greater authority then that of yor Lordps by due authority & in due form. before it be granted.

All wch is most humbly submitted &c

Is. Newton