"Sir Isaac Newton's Memorial with Mr Attorney General's opinion concerning plate carried into the Mint to be coined"

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Vpon the first of May the House of Commons made this Vote. Resolved that for encouraging the bringing wrought Plate tointo the Mint to be coined, there shall be allowed to such persons as shall so bring the same, after the rate of five shillings & five pence per ounce for the old standard & five shillings & eight pence per ounce for the new standard for all plate on wch the mark of the Goldsmiths company of London or any other City is set & for uncertain plate not so marked (being reduced to standard) after the rate of five shillings & six pence per ounce.

Vpon the fift of May the Commons made these further Votes, Resolved that an humble Address be presented to her Majty that she will be pleased to give directions to the Officers of the Mint to receive in all such wrought plate as shall be brought to them & to give Receipts to such persons as shall bring the same for the amount thereof at the several rates & prices agreed by this House to be allowed for such wrought Plate as shall be brought to the Mint to be coined; & that the same be immediately coined into shillings & sixpences.

Resolved that all such Receipts to be given by the Officers of the Mint for any wrought Plate shall be accepted & taken for the full amount thereof in any payments to be made in any Loanes or any contributions upon any funds to be granted in this session of Parliament.

And upon the said Address her Maty gave dire{illeg}ctions accordingly by a Warrant dated {illeg}May 10th, a copy of wch is hereunto annexed

Vpon the 11th 12th & 14th of May we took in plate & upon the 14th in the evening, an Order came from the Treasury to the Mint a Copy of wch is herunto annexed. And upon that Order the following subscription of the Importers of plate was taken for the future. We whose names are underwritten do declare that we do not expect that the value of the Plate by us this day delivered to the Officers of her Majesties Mint shall be accepted as part of the first payment of the summ for which there is a Bill now depending in the House of Commons

Vpon the 17th of May the House Resolved that the Bill for regulating Hackney Coaches &c should be committed to the Committee to whom the Bill for raising 1500000li was committed; And that it be an instruction to the said Committee to receive a clause, that the Receipts given for Plate by the Officers for Plate brought in pursuant of the Resolution of this House of the first instandt be accepted as so much money in the <162v> contributions towards the said summ not exceeding two millions.

Vpon the 12th of Iune the Bill was passed & upon the 19th was published, & from that time the Officers & people of the Mint gave notice to the Importers of Plate that the Parliament had made no provision for accepting the Receipts given for Plate since the 14th day of May.

By her Majesties Warrant abovementioned I am autho the Master & Worker of her Majties Mint is authorized & required to pay the moneys produced from the said Plate into the Receipt of her Majties Exchequer & take Tallies for his discharge,. bBut the Receipts for Plate imported since the 14th of May bareeing not enacted to be accepted & taken in the Exchequer,

Quære. Whether her Maty may not authorise & direct the sd Master & Worker by a Warrant, a form of wch is hereunto annexed, to pay to the Importers of Plate whose Receipts are dated since the 14th of May, after the rate of five shillings per ounce imported, & so let the further account rest till the next Sessions of Parliament.

<text in Edward Northey’s hand begins>I am of opinion the plate brought into ye mint on or after ye 15th day of May 1711 being melted & coyned & notes having been given for ye value threof {sic} according to her Maty directing to ye officers of ye mint, the money wch is ye produce of ye plate belongs to her Maty & her Maty having directed the same to be payd into ye accot of ye exchequer on a prsumption yt the Parliamt would have made pCertain that those notes should be taken as money on some of ye funds given, wch not being made I am of opinion her Maty may by a Privy Seale direct the moneys to be applied towards dischargeing those notes as proposed

Edw Northey

Iuly 24th 1711

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<text in Unknown Hand begins>Mint

Sr. Is: Newton's Memll wth Mr att Genlls Opinion concerning plate carryed into the Mint to be Coyned. 1711