Response to the applications at MINT00062 (Mint 19/1/140-45) and others

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To the Right Honourable the Lord High Treasurer of England.

May it please your Lordship.

In obedience to Your Lordship's order of Reference of August 8th & 10th wherein wee are directed to consider the Qualifications of Colonell Parsons, Mr Croker Mr Ross and Mr Fowler to succeed Mr Harris in the place of Graver of the Mint, Wee humbly lay before your Lordship that the Master of the Mint upon considering what inconveniency the Mint lately suffered and may again suffer by taking in Cutters of Seales into the Chief Graver's place, did upon his succeeding Mr Neale putt a Clause into the Indenture then made, between the Crown and himself, whereby the Graver's salary of 325li per An upon the next voydance of the place should cease in order to a new Establishment. For the Roetiers brought up no new Gravers under them, and Mr Harris who succeeded them being a Cutter of Seales and not skilled in that sort of Graving which is proper for the money, Imployed Mr Croker to do all that Work for an Allowance of 175li per Annum and retained to himself the remaining 150li. per Annum, and Mr Croker was not bred up in the Service of the Mint, but now by long Practice works very well, and wee are humbly of opinion that he is the fittest person to be made first Graver of the Mint

It is humbly proposed therefore for the advantage and Security of the Coyn against counterfeiting that there should be a sett of Gravers constantly brought up in the mint, who having once attained to perfection may keep their Art amongst themselves and propogate it to Probationers or Apprentices and be succeeded by them, For which end wee humbly propose that Mr Croker be now made the first Graver of the Mint with a Salary of 200li per Ann for maintaining <170v> himself and a Servant to file and polish the Dyes and turn the Press, and be allowed the use of that part of the Graver's House in which he now lives, and that Mr Samuell Bull who is now a Probationer and has a Salary of 60li: per Ann , be made the second Graver of the Mint with a Salary of 80li: per Annum if your Lordship shall approve thereof, and be allowed the use of the other part of the Graver's House, and that Mr Le Clerc be taken into the third place , and be allowed also a salary of 80li per an & two Rooms to lodge and Work in over the great Press Room and over Mr Croker's shop. And that the salaries of Mr Croker & Mr Bull commence from the death of Mr Harris, but by reason of the charges which the Mint has been at by the dammages done by the great winds last Autumn, we are humbly of opinion that for saving money to defray those charges the salary of Mr Le Clerc do not commence till next Midsummer.

All which is most humbly submitted to your Lordships great Wisdom

Mint Office the 23th August 1704.

I Stanley
Is. Newton.

In Ellis

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Report of the Officers of the Mint upon the Graver's Place.