Further holograph draft of MINT00503 (Mint 19/2/242-3)

Author: Newton, Isaac

Normalised TextCatalogue Entry

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To the Rt Honble the Earl of Oxford & Earl Mortimer, Lord H. Treasurer of great Britain.

May it please yor Lordp

In obedience to yor Lordps Order of Reference signified to me by Mr Taylo{illeg}ur in his Letter of Iune 16th Instant, I have perused the Representation from the Lords of the Privy Council of Ireland to{illeg}uching a late Order of Council here for giving currency in that Kingdom by Proclamation to some forreign coins wch were omitted in a former Proclamation, a printed copy of wch they have sent desiring a clause to be added to the said Order for making such allowance for light pieces as was made in the said Proclamation, & that the Order may comprehend also the forreign coins mentioned in that printed Proclamation because the original thereof under the broad seal was destroyed in the late fire wch happened there at the Council Chamber, so that the Clerk of the Council cannot now certify that the printed copy agrees verbatim wth the original as the late Act of Parliament requires for the conviction of counterfeiters of those coines. And upon comparing the said Representation wth the said late Order of Council & printed Proclamation, I humbly represent that the weight of the single Pistole & Lewis d'or being in the said Proclamation put 4dwt 8gr the weight of the double Pistole & Lewis d'or ought in proportion to be put in {illeg}a new Proclamation 8dwt 16gr & that of the quadruple Pistole 17dwt 8gr. And the Moyder of Portugal (wch as the Merchants bring them hither a little worn weigh one wth another 6dwt 2134gr; & before wearing {illeg}may be a quarter of a grain or half a grain heavier) may be put in weight 6dwt 22gr in the same Proclamation & valued at 30s. For in Ireland where an English shilling passes for thirteen pence the Moyder of this weight is worth 29s 1112, recconing gold 22 carats fine at 3l 19s 834d per ounce, wch is the standard value, or 30s 0034d, recconing gold 22 carrats fine at 4li per ounce as is ordinarily done. And 30s is a medium & the nearest round number. And a grain being allowed for wearing, this piece will be current till it weighs but 6dwt 21gr as was stated in the late Order of Council. And after that it will continue to be current {illeg}by allowing 2d per grain for what it wants of the weight of 6dwt 22gr. For the latter part of the printed Proclamation concerning the allowance for light pieces & concerning the scales & weights for weighing them, I am humbly of opinion should be continued in the next Proclamation.

I have annexed a scheme of the gold coins suitable to this Report,estimate & humbly beg leave to represent further that the weights & values of the silver coins in the printed Proclamation would answer <234v> better to one another & to the coins if two pence were taken from the value of the Crusado of Portufal & twnety grains added to the weight of the Rix Dollars Cross Dollars. & F other Dollars. For the Crusado is recconed in Portugal to be the tenth part of the {illeg}Moyder in value & the moyder is worth 30s as above. Whence the Crusado should be valued at 3s. Its. {sic} Its The weight of ye Crusado before wearing is 11dwt 4gr. In the Proclamation eight grains are taken from its weight & two pence added to its value. It should be valued only at three shillings & the half Crusado at one shillings & six pence. Rix Dollars Cross Dollars & other Dollars are {sic} are much coarser than in the Proclamation put of the same weight & valued wth pieces of eight of Mexico & Sevil & Pillar pieces & Lewises. The Dollars are much coarser & heavier then yepieces of eight & Lewises & ought to be 20 grains heavier to be of the same value. Rix Dollars before wearing weight 18dwt & 8 or 10gr & Cross Dollars 2018dwt 1gr. Their weight in the Proclamation is 17dwt That they may Lewis be worth 4s 9d in Ireland wch is their value in the Proclamation their weight they should weigh 17dwt 20gr,  {sic}& not 17dwt only as they are put in the Proclamation.

All which is most humbly submitted to yor Lordps great wisdome.

I humbly beg leave to represent further to yor Lordp that the weights & values of the silver coyins in the printed Proclamation would an{illeg}swer better to one another & to the coins themselves if two pence were taken from the value of the Crusado & twenty grains added to their weight of the Dollars. For the Crustado is recconed in Portugal too be the tenth part of the Moyder in value & the Moyder is worth 30s in Ireland as above & yet the Crusado is valued in the Proclation {sic} at 3s 2d. Its weight before wearing is 2211dwt 4gr. In the Proclamation its weight it put 10dwt 20gr, & a Crusado of this weight is not worth abovebut {illeg}3s in Ireland. Rix Dollars Cross Dollars & other Dollars are in the Proclamation put of the same weight & value wth pieces of eight of Mexico & Sevil, the Pillar pieces & Lewises. And yet The Dollars are much coarser & heavier then the pieces of eight & Lewises & ought to be 20 grains heavier to be of the same value. Rix Dollars before wearing weighed about 18dwt & 6, 8 or 10 grains & Cross Dollars 18dwt 1gr. Their weight in the Proclamation is 17dwt. That they may be worth 4s 9d (wch is their value in the Proclamation) they should weigh 17dwt 20gr.

I have annexed a paper conteining the weight & value of all the gold coins, suitablye to this report. The weight & value of all the silver coins are already in the printed Proclamation unless it should be thought fit to alter the value of the Crusados & weight of the Dollars.

All wch is most humbly submitted to yor Lordps great wisdome

Is. Newton {sic}

The gold coins therefore

I am humbly of opinion therefore that the gold coins should be of the weight & fineness expressed in the paper annexed & the silver ones as in the pointed Proclamation unless for the reason it for ye reasons above mentioned it should be thought fit to altaer take 2d from the value of the Crusados & adds 18 {illeg}gr to the weight of the Dollars

All which &c

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