Letter to the Earl of Godolphin (Lord High Treasurer) regarding the Chester Mint

To the Rt Honble Sidney Ld Godolphin Ld High Treasurer
of England

May it please yor Lordp
The Petition of Mr Cha. Fryth for an allowance in his Accts now depending of 370.8.9 upon two Tickets of the Mr & Wr of Chester Mint wth ye Report of the Commrs of Excise upon it we received 30 March 1702 & in obedience to the Order of ye then Lds Commrs of ye Treasury upon them we have enquiredexamined into ye matter & humbly conceive the true state of it to be as follows

Mr Fryth imported into Chester Mint several parcels of hammered money wch were all before Lady day 1702697 for all wch he received back new moneys at 5s pr oz & cancelledin new monies & endorsed all the Tickets before ye end of Iuly following. In May he imported two other parcells for wch at 5s pr oz he was to receive back 807£. 10s & in part thereof received in August of Williams (Mr Neales Clerk 400£ & afterwards of Lewis another Clerk 300£ more & then recconing wth Lewis concealed the 400£ pd by Williams & deducted only the 300£ & took Lewises Note for the remaining 507£. 10s & cancelled endorsed the Tickets: whereas he should have deducted also the 400£ & taken a Note only for 107£. 10s the true deficiency.. And this misreconning is ye grownd of ye Petition.

After these Importations there were two others in Iuly & August for wch at 5s pr oz he Mr Fryth was to receive back 370£ 8s. 9d. And in October November & December following he did received of Lewis at 4 payments 500£, wch if the recconing be set right makes up the aforesaid deficiency of 107£ 10s & discharges pays of ye 370.8.9. due upon these last two Tickets for wch an allowance is now petitioned & leaves 22£ .1s .3d in Mr Fryths his hands in part of the 8d pr oz wchhe is was further to be allowed him by her Majty in his Accts now depending. For the 500£ was paid for out of the Treasury of ye Mint in satisfaction for silver imported by Mr Fryth & therefore ought to be set off upon ye Tickets & the surplus deducted in his Accts from ye allowance of 5s 8d pr oz in his Accts now depending according to ye words of ye Act of Parliamt wch run thus. And that all & every such Receivers Geveral " & Collectors in their respective Accts to his Majty shall be allowed the deficiency " occassioned by the recoyning of the said hammered money that is to say the differ" ence between the summ of the hammd money brought into ye Mint computed at " 5s 8d p an ounce & the summ in tail of the new money wch he or they do receive " back from ye Mint for the same.

Therefore instead of allowing granting the Petition we are humble of opinion that Mr Fryth be further charged to her Maty wth 22.1.3 in his Accts now depending.All wch is most humbly submitted to yor Lordps great wisdome.

Vpon All his importations at 5s 8d pr oz b amount unto            he received out of the Mint in new monies by tale            & in his Accompts now depending is to be further allowed

All wch .