Further holograph draft of MINT00823 (Mint 19/3/407), also dated 20 July 1715

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To the Rt Honble the Lords Commissioners of his Mats Treasury

May it please yor Lordps

The Mint is a place not subject to any military power but is directly under the King & Council & the Ld Commrs of ye Treasury & Officers of the Mint. And by ancient charges is of a distinct jurisdiction & the Indentures of the Mint no stangers {sic} may live or lodge in the Mint without the leave of the Officers of the Mint, & by an Order of King Charles ye II all strangers were turned out of the Mint & prohibited to live there any more without the leave of the Ld Treasurer & Chancellour of the Exchequer. But notwithstanding theis C{illeg} Constitution, General Compton the L{illeg}ieu{illeg}tenant of the Tower has brought the Earle of Oxford into the House of the Comptroller of the Mint, & there put a guard upon him, as if that house & by consequence the whole Mint was under his jurisdiction.

My Lords, the safety of the Coynage & encouragement of the importation of Bullion depends upon keeping the Mint out of the hands of the Garison, & the safety of Prisoners depends upon keeping them in a Legal custody under the Iurisdiction of their Keepers. And I am humbly of opinion not only that the Prisoner be removed into a legal custody but also that {sic} something be done wch may hinder this invasion of the Mint from being drawn into president hereafter And therefore I am humbly of opinion that something be done wch may prevent the discouragement of the Merchants at present & the drawing of this invasion of the Mint into precedent

All wch is most humbly submitted to yor Lordps great wisdom

Is. Newton

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