Draft of MINT00044 (Mint 19/1/121)

<124r>

<text in Isaac Newton’s hand begins>To the Rt Honble the Lords Commrs of his Majties Treasury.

May it please yor Lordps

Vpon yor Lordps Reference of the 7th of August last concerning the qualifications of the Petitioners for the Weigher & Tellers place I humbly conceive it [for the service of the Mint & the encouragemt of good servants &] not remove from the or business of goodas Officers of ye Mint to give yor Lordps what light we can into the matter by laying before yor Lordps faithfully & according to the best of or knowledge or information the qualifications & services of the Petitioners in Mint affairs: in which respect one of them at least we deservess ain justice a particular character. Mr Haynes has been in the Mint about fourteen years except two short intermissions & while he acted there had a general reputation amongst us for integrity sobriety good humour & readiness in business. He has a steady hand, writes very fairly, is a very good Accomptant & skilled in all the business of the Mint, and in the Recoynage, instructed the Officers & Clerks of the five Country Mints and did other great service. For these reasons the Officers of the Mint (Mr Neale, Mr Hall & my self) then recommended him earnestly to the Lords Commrs of his Majties Treasury as a fit person to execute the Office of Comptroller under the two late Comptrollers in that time of great buisiness & when the Comptrollers insisted on Mr Berisford a stranger. Mr Haynes was appointed to take care of the Comptroller's business till Mr Berisford could qualify himself. Since the Recoynage Mr Haynes has been imployed in the Excise Office about two years by Mr Hall above mentioned who is able to give a further character of his abilities & behaviour in both oOffices. Yet Mr Neale in recompence of his services & of his examining & setling the Accompts fo the five Country Mints continued him his Clerk with a salary of 100li ꝑ an duely paid till his death December 99: which salary being now ceased Mr Haynes has nothing remaining in lieu of a setled business which as he represents was of more profit & which at the instance of some of the principall Officers of the Mint he quitted to serve the public in the Recoynage in hopes of being further <125r> considered when there should be an opportunity; so that at present he accounts himself a loser by that service, even tho his Clerk's place in the Excise Office should be recconed into the bargain. By reason of his abilities I have ever since wished for him back into the Mint and if he be not now brought back as he has been once already when we could not be without him, he may be so ingaged in other business that we cannot have him when we may want him. If any of the principal Officers or their Clerks or Deputies should at any time dye or leave the Mint, Mr Haynes is qualified to assist till the place can be supplied anew that the business of the Mint receive no stop, & upon any extraordinary occasion to help in or Accompts or other business of the Office of Receipt: for we want men of skill. I came to the Mint a stranger to him & exact weighing, the credit of the Mint & good dispatch of business is my interest.

All which is most humbly submitted &

Is Newton

[1]