The £60 p.a. allowed for a master's assay master (as distinct from the royal assay master) has for a long time been paid to the deputy master, who has authority to examine the work of the royal assay master

<103r>

May it please your Lordship

To enable the Master & Worker to carry on the coynage without depending upon the King or Queen's Assaymaster, he is allowed 60 pounds per annum towards the charge of keeping an Assaymaster for himself whenever he shall need one. But now for a long time the Gold & Silver has been received into the Mint by the assays of the King or Queens Assaymaster & the Master & Worker allows the 60li per an and to a Deputy who has power to examin the assays of the said Assaymaster by his own or those of any other Assaymaster as often as shall be thought fit. If your Lordship therefore pleases that the Queens Assaymaster be still trusted in Assaymaster in the receipt of Bullion into the Mint I am also willing to trust him, he being a sworn officer & an indifferent person & I having met with no complaints against him & his Assays being recconed exacter then those at Goldsmiths Halls & the Gold & silverbeing safe in his hands. But if your Lordship chuses rather that the ☉ & ☾ should be received into the Mint by the Assays of another Assaymaster to be imployed under me, I am ready to provide one so soon as a new Assay Office with other conveniences can be had & made fit in the Mint.

All which is most humbly submitted