Query regarding the master's liability for pyx trial results
The Warden of
Before ye enacting of ye coynage Duty when the Master & Worker coyned every pound weight of sterling silver into 62 shillings wth {illeg}& paid 60shil to ye Importer & two shillings to ye Kingwch {sic}. {illeg} And if by the trial of the Pix it appeared that he coyned ithappened to had coynedd it into more then or less then 62 shillings (for it beingwas impracticable to coyn it exactly into 62sh he was allowed a liberty of erring within certain bound) (for he was allowedbe exact he accounted with the King for the excess or defect by only being bound to do so by the following license in the Indenture of ye Mint. He is now bound by the said coynage Act to coyn pay the the Importer the whole whole pound weight [whether it makes 62 shill. just 62 shillings or or more or less then 62shi]to theso that hein new monies. without & reservinesg any no part of it to the King], or to himself so that he has have no profit by coyning nor losscan nor can get or lose by coyning it into more or less then 62sh. Any yet the clause ofabove mentioned clause remains still in the Indenture [ {sic}by wch he was bound upon ye trial of ye Pix to pay the exces to ye king the excess above {illeg}62shill if there be any such {illeg} or receive back from his Majty the defect is still reteinedmains in the Indenture. The Clause runs thus.
an? Whether can thatis clause can now bind the {illeg}Mr & Wr to pay that the excess (when any shall happenabove shill to the King after he has paid it by the said Act of Parl. to ye Importer &or the King to allow to ye Master the defect. (when any shall happen) after the Importer has allowed it to him by that Act. {sic} And what remedy can the Master can have in case the said excess should at any time be demanded by the King by reasonvirtue of this clause in the Indenture be demanded ofby his Majty.
Since ye making of the Coynage Act the Master is bound by that Act to pay to ye Importer the whole pound weight in new monies & reserves no part of it to ye ing nor can get or lose by coyning it into more or less then 62 shillingswhether it make more or less then 62 shil And yet the abovementioned clause remains still in the Indenture
whenever the {illeg}Mr{illeg} & Workr shall pay for the goldeveryfor every pound weight of Bullion received shall pay a certain tale by ye pound weightof new monies monies new coyned.
Qr: Whether may ye King by virtue of the said clause toin the Indenture demand of ye Mr the excess said above 62 shill.at any time{illeg} after the Mr has paid by the said Act of P. paid the same to ye Importer.
<text in Unknown Hand begins>Nor Mint
Dr
li | oz | D | gr | |||||
To Genll Recrs. for | 4 | 1 | 8 | 17 | sta wt | |||
li | s | d | ||||||
which was in tale | 139773 | 3 | 4 | |||||
is allready pd | 129994 | 10 | 6 | & the | ||||
coynage amoted to | 3757 | 6 | 9 | both | li | s | d | |
wch being subducted ye Remaindr. is | 6021 | 6 | 0 |
Source
MINT 19/1/79, National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UKc. 1700?, c. 530 words.