Copies of two broadly similar petitions requesting a hereditary post in the Mint at £1,000 p.a. in perpetuity in exchange for revealing his new coining method

<490>

To the King's most Excellent Majty. in Council

The Peticon of Iohn Rotherham of Barnet in Hartforshire Gent.

Most Humbly Sheweth

That on ye 2d Iuly 1725 Yor. Petr. prsented to Yor. most sacred Majte a Peticon humbly setting forth That Yr Petr. had long considered ye many Inconveniencyes wch. arise from Counterfeiting ye Currant Coin of ye Kingdm. & It wou'd very much conduce to ye Honr. & Interest of Yr Sacred Maty: & yor Realms if ye ꝑnicious practice were prventetd

For ye affecting whereof Yor. Petr. has wth. much study pains & long Experience in ye Nature of Metals found out an effectuall Methods &to put ye same in Execucon he is ready to propose a sufft. Fund or Fund to support ye Charge wth.out affecting Land or Trade.

Yor. Petr. Therefore most humbly prays yt his said Peticon may be Read in Council, & yt Yr most Sacred Majtie will be graciously pleas'd to Constitute him Controuler or Inspector of ye Dyes, That Post being necessary for Executing and Prserving his Sector, yr Petr. humbly Hopes will not be deny'd him As also to settle One Thousand pounds ꝑ Ann on him & his Heirs for ever Vpon Condition he ꝑforms wt he proposes to make full proof of. And he most humbly Prayes That ye Controuler, Mastr. Worker, Mastr. Melter, & Mastr. Engraver of Yor. Mats. Mint Office may be also prsent to make wt Objections may Accrew to them wch he undertakes to Ansr. Or yt Yr Petr. may have Yr Mats. leave to go wth his Secret to any Forreign Country.

And Yr Petr. shall every pray &c

A true Copy — Temple Stanyon

To the King's most Exellt: Maty: in Council

The Peticon of Iohn Rotherham of Barnet of Hertford Shire Gent.

Most humbly Sheweth

That Yr Petr. has long consider'd ye many Inconvenciencyes wch arise from ye Currant Coin of ye Kingdm. being Counterfeited, & yt it wou'd very much conduce to yt Honr. & Interest of Yr Sacred Majte & Yr Realms if the Counterfeiting thereof was prvented.

For ye Effecting of wch. Yr Petr. hath wth. much pains study & long Experience in ye Nature of Metalls found out an Effectual Method whereby also to render ye Currant Coin far more durable than now it is.

For all Goldsmiths Iewellrs {illeg}& other Workers in Gold by reason of such Duty on all their ready made Goods will be apt to keep less Stock or Quantity of Wrought Gold & Silver by them, than they us'd to do wch. will occasion ye Mercht. Importing Gold or Silver to send most of it to ye Mint to be Coin'd rather yn want a quick retun {sic}, & so will by yt means Increase Our Coin, & yt fair Dealers if they rightly m{illeg}anage ye Working part will make greater Advantage in Trade then before — Besides if all Goldsmiths Iewellers & Workers in Gold had a penalty laid on ym who would work Gold of less Value than 4li. ꝑ Ounce, or Iewellrs. ye 3li – 15s as well as on such who work Silver of less Value than sterling, It wou'd not only advance the Royall Revenue, but prvent very great Imposicons on ye Subjects as well as be a means to keep our Gold & Silver at Home, And ye Benefit to ye Publick will be proportionable to ye Wrought Silver, & wt. falls short of ye Expence for Coinage, he has an addiconall Funds ready to Supply ye Same, & if not large enough another yt will raise Ten Millions in one Year wth.out Charging ye Land or Barshening the Publick Trade Excise Customes &c.

Yr Petr. Therefore humbly prays Yr Sacred Maty. wou'd be graciously pleas'd to referr ye Examinacon of ye several Makers herein before set forth in Ordr. to ye leaving an Act of Parlmt. in such manr. as Yr Maty: in Yr great Wisdm. shall think fitt. And yt if ye same be found absolutely necessary & of Great Vse and Advantage & also a great Honr. for Yr Maty: & Yr Kingdms. Yr Petr may have suitable Encourgmt. and a Rewd. as desir'd in his formr. peticon Condiconally if he ꝑforms ye same; Or else Yr Mats. leave to go wth. his Secret to any Forreign Country

And Yr Petr shall ever Pray &c

Atrue Copy Temple Stanyan