Draft of MINT00287 (Mint 19/2/602-3)

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Proposals for preserving & encreasing the Coyn of this Kingdom.

All silver (whether Ingots Plate or Virgin silver) Spanish Barrs & other Ingots of silver & all Virgin silver & all other silver Bullion 2 imported & designed for exportation shall upon it's first coming up the river of Thames to the Custome house be brought to the Mint by the Master of the ship & one or more other witnesses who shall there shew their Bill of lading & prove the importation upon oath. And the said Virgin silver Plate && Bullion not yet {illeg}dun{illeg}e into in{illeg}gots & {sic} & all forreign monies designed for exportation shall be there melted into Ingots. And these Ingots & all other ingots of sil above mentioned shall at the choise of the Merchant be either coyned into monies or marked wth a stamp provided in ye Mint for that purpose. And the Master of the Mint shall if desired shall give the Merchant an indented Ticket certifying the weight of the monies coyned out of the said {illeg}foreign gold silver & the & the time of coynage thereof: wch Ticket shall be cut out a Book to be kept in ye Mint & shall be entered in the same book.

Ingots not markt wth ye Mint stamp may not be exported nor carried into any ship nor bought or sold but may be brought to the Mint for encreasing the coyn of this kingdom. This law now obteins in France by an Edict of March was a twelvemonth for preventing the melting down of the monies.

The Merchan{illeg}t upon delivering the Mint Tickets at ye Custome-house may wthin a year after

{illeg}All Ingots of silver eximported from Ireland, Flander or Holland tho the Law coun Holland or any any Port within or bordering upon the British as shall be converted into monies for increasing the coyn of this kingdom & not be exported from hence unless it s{illeg}hall be proved that the same w{illeg}ere not melted down of outmade of English monies melted down on those counrties or Ports but imported thither from some place without ye bounds of the said s{illeg}eas.

Ing{illeg}ots imported from Ireland Flanders Holland or any Port within or bordering upon the British seas shall be converted into monies not be exported nor carried into any shop nor bought or sold but shall be brought to the Mint f{illeg}or increasing the coyn of this kingdom., The & not markt for exportation unless it can be proved that the said Ingots were not {illeg} made (in whole {illeg}or in par) of English monies melted down in those countries or Ports but were imported thither from some place wthout ye bounds of those {illeg}seas. For proof whereof athe oath made of in of two witnesses grounded either upon their own knowledge or upon ye oath of other two witnesses taken {illeg}abroad in their presence shall be sufficient.