Draft of MINT00159 (Mint 19/1/228-9)

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Observations
concerning the Triall of the Moneys in the Pix.

The time & place for the Tryall of the Gold & Silver moneys in the Pix, is appointed by Order of his Majesty or Council about three weeks a month or five week before, & signified to the Lord Chancellour & Lord High Treasurer, & by the Treasury to the Mint & Exchequer. The place has usually been in or neare the Star-chamber.

The Lord Chancellour presently after this Order sends his Letter to the Wardens & Company of the Mystery of Goldsmiths London to return him the names of an able Iury for that Tryall. And the return being made, his Lordship sends his Warrant by his Serjeant at arms or Serjeants Deputy to summon the Iury by their names to meet at the placed & time appointed for the Tryall.

On the day of the Tryall the Officers of the Mint cause the Pieces to be placed on the Table before nine in the morning. And about tenn the Lord Chancellour & other Lords of the Councill then present take their places at the Table aforesaid, the Officers of the Mint Exchequer Officers & Goldsmiths attending.

The Pixes being opened by the Officers of the Mint, the Lord Chancellour calls to his Serjeant at Arms for his Warrant for summoning the Iury & appoints the same to be delivered to the Remembrancers Deputy who attends there with a copy of the Oath And the Lord Chancellour causeth the said Oath to be administred to the Iury.

The Lord High Treasurer or Chancellour of the Exchequer appoints the standard Troy weights & the Indented Tryall pieces of his Majesty's standard gold & silver moneys kept in the Treasury of the Exchequer to be delivered for the use of the Iury, the Warden & Master & the Iury attending with their Trial pieces to be compares with the Trial pieces of the Exchequer if it be thought fit.

The Lord Chancellour (or in his absence the Chancellour of the Exchequer) gives the Iury in charge to make tryall of the gold & silver moneys in the Pix by the said standards of his Majesty's Treasury according to the Rules set down in the Indenture of the Mint, & to do it carefully by fire by water by touch or by weight or by all or by some of them, in the most just & exact manner than can be thought of, it being a business of a very publick concern.

The Lord Chancellour then appoints the Iury when & where to attend his Lordship with their Veredict, & so departs with the rest of the Lords, & the Officers of the Mint with the Iury withdraw.

And at the time & place appointed the Iury present their Veredict to his Lordship, the Officers of the Mint being present. And the Remembrancers Deputy attends to read it, & after it is read, to receive it