Assessment of the poundage due to the Edinburgh master
To the most Honourable the Lord High Treasurer of great Britain.
May it please your Lordship
According to your Lordships verbal order I humbly lay before your Lordship the state of the case relating to the allowance for coynage in her Majesties Mint at Edinburgh for coinage
By the Indenture of her Majesties Mint the allowance for coynage of silver moneys is after the rate of sixteen pence half penny per pound weight Troy
By an Act of Parliament which was made in Scotland A. C. 1686 & expired at the union, the allowed for coinage of silver moneys in her Majesties Mint at Edinburgh was after the rate of 20 livers Scottish per stone weight Scottish, that is after the rate of about seventeen pence halfpenny English per pound weight Troy, three livers being, really worth but 4s 6d english
By an order of Council of Scotland made upon the Vnion three livers Scottish were put equivalent to 5s English, & this brings the allowance for coinage to 19d d per pound weight Troy.
Quære What shall be allowed to the late Master & Worker in his accounts for the late coynage of silver moneys per pound weight Troy
NB At an allowance of 19d per pound weight Troy there will be due to the Master & Worker of that mint about 67000 pounds sterling & there is but about 3000 pounds in the hands of the Collectors in Scotland & for in the Exchequer paying this account.
There is 2446li. 3s. 3d due to the Moneyers from the Masrter of the said Mint, & untill this debt is discharged the Masters account cannot regularly pass not be sworn to
There is further due to the Moneyers 254li 2s not yet placed in the Masters account.
<148v>By an Act of Parliament which was made in Scotland A. C. 1686 for a free coynage &, the Master & Worker of her Majestys Mint at Edinburgh was allowed 20 pounds Scottish per stone weight Scottish for coinage of Silver moneys & 3 pounds scottish was then worth 4s 6d english according to the intrinsic value of the moneys but upon the union was valued at 5s English by the Lords of the Council of Scotland in disposing of the Equivalent. And the Act of Parliament ceased at the union & the Scottish is no longer current.
By the Indenture of the Mint in the Tower the Master & worker is allowed for coinage of silver moneys after the rate of 16d per pound weight Troy & a coppy of this Indenture examined & signed by the Officers of this int was annexed to her Majesties Warrant wherein her Majesty commanded the Officers of her Mint in Scotland to observe the same with respect to their several Offices that the constitution of both Mints might be alike according to the intent of the Act of union.
Quare. Whether is the Master to be allowed for coinage of silver moneys 20 pounds Scottish per stone weight Scottish or 16d per pound weight Troy.
By an Act of Parliament which was made in Scotland A. C 1686 for a free coynage & ceased at the union, the Master & Worker of her Majestys Mint at Edinburgh was allowed 20 pounds Scottish per Stone weight Scottish for coinage of silver moneys & the Scottish money is also ceased.
By the Indenture of the Mint in the Tower the Master & Worker is allowed for coinage of silver moneys after the rate of 1s 4d per poudn weight Troy & for conforming the Scottish Mint to the english pursuant to the Act of union was annexed to her Majesties Warrant whereby her Majesty commanded the Officers of her Mint at Edinburgh to observe the same with respect to their several Offices & the words of the Warrant The words of the Indenture < insertion from f 149r > are < text from f 148v resumes >
Q. 1. Whether is the Master of the Mint at Edinburgh to be allowed for the late coynage of silver moneys after the rate of 20 pounds Scottish per stone weight scottish, or 16d english per pound weight Troy
Q. 2. And if the first then what are 20 pounds Scottish to be valued at in English money? Whether at 30s. 3d English which was their just value before the union while the said Scottish Act was in forcce, or at 33s 4d English as the Lords of the Council of Scotland valued them in disposing of the Equivalent. In the first case the allowance per pound weight Troy will about to 17 pence in the < insertion from f 149r > second to 19 pence < text from f 148v resumes > per pound weight Troy.
Source
MINT 19/3/148, National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UK1709-10, c. 1,067 words.