Draft indenture for the Edinburgh Mint, requiring conformity with London practice and allowing apprentices to be sent to London for training
This Indenture made the day of in the ninth year of the reign of our Sovereign Lady Anne by the Grace of God of Great Brittain France and Ireland Queen Defender of the Faith &c And in the year of our Lord 1710 Between our said Sovereign Lady the Queens most Excellent Majesty of the one part + John Montgomerie of Giffan Esquire of the other part Witnesseth that whereas our said Sovereign Lady the Queen by her Letters Patents under the Great Seale appointed by the Treaty of Vnion to be kept in Scotland bearing date the twenty second day of Iune 1710 for the considerations therein mentioned Did give and grant unto the said John Montgomerie the Office of Master and Worker of all her Majesties moneys both of Gold and Silver within her Majesties Mint at Edingburgh in the room and place of George Allardes Esquire deceased To hold the said Office for and during her Majesties pleasure, with all wages fees salaries allowances proffitts perquisites powers priviledges and advantages whatsoever thereunto belonging, and in as ample manner as the said George Allardes or any other heretofore held and enjoyed the same.
And whereas by the Act of Vnion it is provided that the mint in Scotland shall be under the same Rules as the Mint in England And for that end it is necessary that an Indenture be made and executed on his part for and concerning the making of the several sorts of money of Gold and Silver and for payment of the several Officers of the Mint and for other matters and things relating thereto and to the execution of the said Office as are hereinafter mentioned with alterations and additions if any shall be thought fitt and directed by her Majesty for the better management and carrying on of that service.
<82v>Now this Indenture witnesseth that for and in consideration of the Covenants + agreements hereinafter contained on the part of the said John Montgomerie Our said Sovereign Lady the Queen of her especial grace certain knowledge and meer motion Hath given granted ratified and confirmed, and doth by these presents give grant ratifie and confirm unto the said John Montgomerie the said Office of Master and Worker of all her Majesties moneys both of Gold and Silver within her Majesties Mint in the city of Edinburgh and elsewhere in that part of her Majesties said Kingdome of Great Brittain called Scotland together with the Fee or yearly pension of sterling to be paid by quarterly payments at four Terms in the year Candlemas Whitsonday Lammas + Martinmas yearly by even and equal portions out of such moneys as (in and by an Act of Parliament made in England in the eighteenth year of the Reign of his late Majestie King Charles the second and continued by another Act made in the twenty fifth year of his said Majesties reign. Both which were revived and continued by an Act made in the first year of his late Majestie King James the seconds reigne and again by another Act made in the fourth year of his late Majestie King William and the late Queen Mary, and after by an Act made in the twelfth year of the reign of the said late King William, and further continued by an Act made in the seventh year of her present Majestie Queen Anne intituled an Act for continuing the former Acts for incouragement of the Coinage &c and for making provision for the Mints in Scotland) are allowed to be issued yearly out of her said Majesties Exchequer for the Fees or salaries of the Officers of the Mint or Mints, and towards the providing maintaining and repairing of the Houses Offices and Buildings and other necessaries for assaying melting down and coining during so long time as the said Acts of Parliament shall bee + continue in force.
<83r>And after the said Acts of Parliament shall cease and be void, then the said Fee or yearly pension to be paid out of such other moneys + in such other manner as shall by any Act or Acts of Parliament hereafter to be made be applied or allowed to be issued out for the Fees or salaries of the officers of the Mint or Mints, and in default of any such allowance or appointment to be hereafter made by Parliament and during such time or times as there shall hereafter happen to be no such allowance or appointment made by authority of Parliament, the said Fee or yearly pension of sterling to be paid unto the said John Montgomerie out of her Majesties allowance for Coinage of gold or silver moneys or other her Majesties proffitts of the Mint or Mints or such other part of her Majesties Revenue as her Majestie shall direct.
And our Sovereign Lady the Queen for the considerations aforesaid hath also given granted and confirmed, and by these presents doth give grant and confirm unto the said John Montgomerie all Edifices Buildings gardens and other proffitts priviledges Franchises + immunities belonging to the aforesaid Office To have hold and enjoy the said Office of Master and Worker unto the said John Montgomerie, and to exercise the same by himself or his sufficient Deputy or Deputies for whom he will answer, And also to hold and enjoy the said Fee or yearly pension or sume of sterling together with the said Houses Edifices buildings gardens profitts advantages priviledges, Franchises Liberties and immunities for and during her said Majesties pleasure in as full and amply manner to all intents and purposes, as the said George Allardes deceased or any other person or persons did or at any time heretofore might or ought to hold and enjoy the same.
And whereas by the aforesaid Acts of Parliament it is amongst other things provided that no moneys leviable or payable by the same shall be applied or converted <83v> to any use or uses whatsoever other than defraying the charge or expence of the Mint or Mints and of the assaying melting down wast + Coinage of Gold and Silver and the encouragement of the bringing in of Gold and Silver into the said Mint or Mints there to be coined into the currant Coins of this Kingdome Nor should any of the said moneys be issued out of the Exchequer but by order or warrant of the Lord Treasurer + Vnder-Treasurer or Commissioners of the Treasury for the time being, to the Master + Worker or Masters + Workers of her Majesties Mint or Mints for the time being, and mentioning that they are for the use + service aforesaid to be kept in her Majesties Office of Receipt in the said Mint or Mints under the Keys of the Master + Worker Warden and Comptroller for the time being + issued out thence from time to time according to the manner and course of the Mint or Mints respectively.
And in regard the payments + disbursements of the said Mint formerly paid out of the Duties arising by the twenty fourth Act in the 2d. session of Parliament in the first of his said late Majestie King James the seventh made in Scotland dated the fourteenth day of Iune 1686 are by the aforesaid Acts of Parliament appointed to be paid out of the moneys arising by the same Acts of Parliament. Wherefore our said Sovereign Lady the Queen doth by these presents ordain + appoint that the said Master and Worker shall receive out of her Majesties Exchequer from time to time all such moneys as are appointed to be paid unto him by the said Acts of Parliament for defraying the charges or expences of the Mint or Mints, and of the assaying, melting down, wast and coinage of Gold and Silver, and the encouragement of bringing in of Gold and Silver into the said Mint there to bee coined into the Current Coines of the Kingdome of Great Brittain
<84r>And that the said Master and Worker shall upon his Accompt yearly to be made of his Receipts, payments charges and disbursements before the Barons of the Exchequer for the time being, have full allowance and defalcation and discharge of and for all such susumme and summes of moneys as he shall truly pay and disburse according to the directions hereafter in these presents express'd
And the said John Montgomerie doth by these presents covenant undertake and agree to and with our Sovereign Lady the Queen to make her Majesties money in manner + form following That is to say to make four sorts of money of Crown Gold.
One piece which shall be called the ten shilling piece running for ten shillings sterling and there shall bee Eighty nine of those to the pound weight Troy.
One other piece which shall be called the twenty shilling piece running for twenty shillings sterling, and there shall be forty four of those and one ten shilling piece or the weight of a ten shilling piece in the pound weight Troy.
One other piece which shall be called the Forty shilling piece running for Forty shillings sterling, and there shall be twenty two of those and one ten shilling piece or the weight of a ten shilling piece in the pound weight Troy.
And one other piece which shall be called the five pound piece running for five pounds sterling and there shall be nine of those wanting one ten shilling piece or the weight of one ten shilling piece in the pound weight Troy.
And that every pound weight Troy of all the moneys of Gold aforesaid shall hold in number and be in value 44£. 10s. and shall be in fineness at the trial of the same 22 Carrats of fine gold and two Carratts of allay in every pound weight troy the which standard aforesaid of 22 Carrats of fine godl and two Carrats of allay in every pound weight Troy Our Sovereigne Lady the Queen doth will ordain and establish by these presents to eb the right Standard of her Majesties moneys of Crowne Gold.
<84v>And the said John Montgomerie shall have and receive the summe of for the Coinage of every pound weight of gold money to be by him detained and kept for the paying bearing + sustaining all manner of wasts provisions necessaries and charges coming arising and growing in and about the coining of her Majesties said gold moneys by the Mill and Press out of the moneys to be paid and payable to him as is hereafter expressed.
But because the said moneys of Gold may not continually be made according in all things to the right standard But per adventure in default of the said Master + Worker it shall be found sometimes too strong or too feeble by too much or too little in weight or in fineness or in both Our sovereign Lady the Queen doth will and command that when the said moneys of Gold shall be found at the assay before the deliverance too strong or too feeble all only in weight or all only in fineness or on both the sixth part of a Carrat in the pound weight of Gold and no more, the which sixth part in that one or the sixth part in that other or the sixth part in them both shall bee called Remedy for the said Master That then that money shall be delivered for good, so always that the same default happen by Casualty otherways not But if default bee found in the same money in weight or in fineness or in both over the sixth part of a Carratt which is called Remedy as aforesaid, then the deliverance shall cease and that money shall be challenged + adjudged less than good and to be new molten and recoined at the cost of the said Master till be it put to point as money deliverable.
And also the said Master hath undertaken and by these presents doth agree and undertake to and with our sovereign Lady the Queen to make eight manner of moneys of silver that is to say.
One piece which shall be called the Crown running for five shillings sterling and there shall be twelve of those + two shillings in the pound weight Troy.
<85r>One other piece which shall be called the Halfe Crown running for two shillings and six pence Sterling and there shall be 24 of those and two shillings in the pound weight Troy.
One other piece which shall be called the shilling running for 12d. sterling and there shall be 62 of those in the pound weight Troy.
One other piece which shall be called the half-shilling running for 6d. sterling and there shall bee 124 of those in the pound weight Troy.
One other piece which shall be called the Groat running for 4d sterling and there shall be 186 of those in the pound weight Troy.
One other piece which shall be called the half-sixpence running for three pence sterling and there shall be 248 of those in the pound weight Troy.
One other piece which shall be called the Half-Groat running for 2d sterling, and there shall bee 372 of those in the pound weight Troy and,
One other piece which shall be called the Penny running for one penny sterling and there shall be 744 of those in the pound weight Troy
And every pound weight Troy of the moneys of the silver aforesaid shall be and hold in number as aforesaid and be in value 3£: 2s. sterling and shall be in fineness at the trial of the same 11oz: 2dwts. of fine silver and 18dwts.. of allay, which 11oz: 2d of fine silver and 18dwts. of allay in the pound weight Troy aforesaid is the right standard of moneys of silver of Great Brittain.
And be the said Master bound to make all the moneys of Crowne Gold and Standard silver aforesaid agreable in fineness to the respective indented triall pieces made by the direction of her said Majestie in the sixth year of her reign, Which said Indented trial pieces do now remain in the seven several places hereinafter mentioned That is to say One Indented piece of Crowne <85v> Gold and one Indented piece of Standard Silver in her Majesties Treasury within this Kingdome of Great Brittain to try the moneys of Gold + silver from time to time coined by the said Master + Worker of her Majesties Money for the time being in fineness thereby, the like with the Warden of the Mint within the Tower of London for the time being to try the moneys of gold and silver from time to time coined in her Majesties Mint there in fineness thereby As also to try the gold and silver Bullion brought there if any difference shall happen to arise between the Master + Worker of that Mint + the Bringers in of the same, The like with the Master + Worker of the said Mint to make the said moneys in fineness thereby; The like with the Wardens of the Company of Goldsmiths within the City of London in Goldsmiths Hall for the trial of their plate + other works as well of gold as of silver in fineness thereby The like in her Majesties Exchequer of Scotland And the like with the Warden of the Mint at Edinburgh for the time being to try the moneys of gold + silver from time to time coined in her Majesties said Mint at Edinburgh thereby As also to try the gold and silver bullion brought thither if any difference shall happen to arise between the said Master and Worker of that Mint and the bringer in of the same and the like with the said Master or Worker to make the said moneys in fineness thereby.
And the said John Montgomerie shall have + receive the summe of to be by him taken for the Coinage of every pound weight Troy of silver moneys for the paying bearing and sustaining of all manner of wasts provisions necessaries + charges coming arising + growing in + about the coining of her Majesties Crowns, half Crowns shillings + sixpences of silver moneys by the Mill + Press out of the moneys to be paid and payable unto him as is hereinafter expressed
<86r>And our Sovereign Lady the Queen doth by these presents order + appoint that the said Master and Worker out of the moneys to be paid to him as aforesaid shall pay or cause to be paid yearly unto the severall respective Officers of the said Mint by quarterly payments their fees + salaries according to the allowance + appointment mentioned in a schedule hereunto annexed.
But because the said monies of silver cannot continually be made in all things according to the right Standard, in as much as sometimes in default of the said Master + Worker it may be made too strong or too feeble by too much or too little in weight or in fineness or in both Our Sovereign Lady the Queen doth will that when the said monies of silver upon the assay before the delivery be found too strong or too feeble all only in weight or all only in fineness or in both by two pennyweights in the pound weight Troy aforesaid after the old Computation of 20 pennyweights in that one, or two pennyweight in that other, or two pennyweight in them both shall be called Remedy for the Master, that then such monies to be delivered for good, so always the same default do happen by Casualty, otherwise not; But if default be found in the said moneys in weight or in fineness or in both over the said two pennyweight in the pound Troy aforesaid Then ceaseth deliverance of the said money, and the same to be challeng'd less than good, + at the Costs of the Master to be newly molten + recoined till it be put to point as moneys deliverable, as aforesaid.
And our said sovereign Lady the Queen willeth agreeth and granteth by this Indenture that the said Master + Worker for the time being do + shall receive as well her Majesties own Bullion of Gold + Silver as the Bullion of any other person or persons whatsoever repairing to her Mint with any Bullion of Gold + Silver aforesaid to be coined into the moneys before mentioned by weight Delivering to the parties bringing in the same Bullion, Bills testifying the weight fineness and <86v> Value thereof together with the day and order of its delivery into the said Mint, and within as convenient time as may be, deliver the same again to our sovereign Lady the Queen for her Bullion, + the other parties or their Attorneys delivering the same Bills by the same weight according to the value of the said Bullion at such time + in such manner + form as in this present Indenture is limited and appointed.
And our Sovereign Lady the Queen doth will and command by this Indenture that the said Warden and the Counterwarden or Comptroller of her Majesties Chief Clerk + Clerk of the papers for the time being shall enter and record in several Leidger Books all such Bullion of Gold + silver as from time to time shall be brought into the said Mint, The which Entry shall comprehend the weight fineness + value of the said Bullion, the parties name that brought it, and what day, And after the said Bullion of gold + silver shall be received + the assays thereof made reported + entered into the said Leidger Books, the same Bullion shall be forthwith put into a Chest or Room, and the Chest or Room shall bee locked with three keys, Whereof one Key shall remain with the said Master or Worker, + one other of the Keys shall remain with the said Warden or Wardens or one of them for the time being And one other of the said Keys shall remain with the said Counterwarden for the time being and there shall continue untill such time as the same de deliver'd to the making of moneys
And the said Warden and Counter Warden + likewise her Majesties Clerk shall also keep severall Books of melting, Declaring in the same the Quantity and fineness of all manner of gold and silver + allay put into the melting with the report <87r> of every assay called the Pott assay, and the same Books shall remain in their several Custodies to charge the Master with all And the said Books shall monthly be subscribed + figured by the said Wardens or one of them and the Master and Counterwarden. And the said Assaymaster of our Sovereign Lady the Queen shall keep one Book of all such Bullion of Gold + silver as shall be brought into the said Mint whereby the quantity and fineness may appear with the report also of the assay of every several pot commonly called the pott assay Which pott assay shall be made of some Ingott of the said Bullion to be taken by the said Warden Counterwarden + Assaymaster or any two of them after the pot is cast out.
And if any person or persons happen to bring into the Mint any manner of gold or silver nigh to the Standard aforesaid then the Master shall receive it for the value accordingly, so as the charges to make it agreable in fineness to the several standards aforesaid be born + sustained out of the revenue arising to her Majestie by vertue of the aforesaid Acts of Parliament.
And our said Sovereign Lady the Queen doth by these presents give full power and authority unto the said Master + Worker from time to time to put such privy Mark or Marks upon the Edges or Flatt sides of the said gold and silver moneys to be coined as aforesaid as he the said Master shall judge most safe + convenient for the said moneys + from time to time to alter + change such privy mark or marks according as he shall judge the same most convenient and necessary so that the said Master + Worker may from time to time know and discover which of gold + silver amongst other be made by him + which not.
And the said Warden or Wardens + Counter Warden or Comptroller or their Deputy or Deputies shall oversee and survey the said assaying melting sizing + making of the said moneys of gold and silver at all times + in all places, and shall indeavour and procure that the said moneys and every of them be made and perfected <87v> According to the true intent of this Indenture + the charge committed to them And they shall also see + procure that be Ballances and weights bee always amended and put to point from time to time when they shall need so that no default be found in them to the hurt of her Majestie or her people
And whereas two Piles of Standard english weights lately made and printed with a Rose Crown'd + Thistle Crown'd whereof twelve Ounces English do equal twelve Ounces four pennyweights and nine grains Scottish do remain the one of them by Bill indented in the hands of the General of the said Mint and the other with the Warden of her Majesties Mint in the Tower of London; The said General shall produce the said Pile in his custody and make it forth coming to the said Master Warden + Counter Warden or Comptroller at all times and on all occasions as they shall require it + have use for the same.
And the said Counter Warden or Comptroller as Surveyor of the meltings shall take care of his Duty in surveying of the meltings aforesaid and shall keep a Book containing the weight of such gold and silver as shall be molten from time to time with the allays put into the same And when the said moneys be coined and compleat, the said Master and Worker and Warden or Wardens and Comptroller or Comptrollers shall put them into a Chest or room locked with three keys Whereof one shall remain with the said Master, one with the said Warden and the third with the said Comptroller or Counterwarden untill such time as proof and triall be had of the said money and payment be made to the Bringers in of the said bullion accordingly Which proof shall be had + made before deliverance of the said moneys And shall be made in presence of the said Master and Worker Warden or Wardens and Comptroller or Counter warden by her Majesties Assaymaster for the time being, the same assay to be taken as well of the fineness as of the weight by such quantity + after such sort as be agreed upon by the said Warden Counter Warden and Assaymaster.
<88r>And after the said moneys of Gold and silver bee assayed and proved for good as is aforesaid before any deliverance be of the whole summe, A portion of the said moneys shall be taken and put into a Box by the said Warden or Wardens or by their Deputy or Deputies in the presence of the said Master or his Deputy and the Counterwarden or his Deputy: Whereof the Assay shall be made before our Sovereign Lady the Queen from time to time or such of her Councell as have beene accustomed or shall be appointed by her Majestie at Westminster or elsewhere it shall please her Majestie or her Councell to appoint That is to say for every Iourney weight of Gold not exceeding fifteen pound weight two pieces Whereof one to bee for the Pix and the other for the assay And out of every Iourney of silver moneys containing sixty pound weight, two pieces at least The one moiety thereof to be for the Pix and the other for the assay And they shall be insealed with the seale of the said Master Warden + Counterwarden + the said Box shall be shutt with four Keys, whereof one key shall abide with the General, one with the Master, one with the Warden or Wardens and the fourth with the Comptroller or Counter-Warden, Which Pix shall remain in a Chest or room as is aforesaid. And upon reasonable warning thereof given, it shall be opened from time to time before our sovereign Lady the Queen or such of her Councell as shall be by her Majestie appointed at Westminster or elsewhere it shall please her Majestie or her said Councell to appoint; and in presence of the said Master + Worker Warden or Warden and Counterwarden or Comptroller there shall be assays made as well of the fineness as of the weight of the said moneys of gold and silver in the said Box after the most just manner as can be thought of to be made, by fire, by water, by touch, or by weight, or by all or by any of them To the end that if the said moneys of Gold + silver be found and proved good and covenable after the Covenants orders and agreements aforesaid the said Master <88v> to be quiet excused and discharged against her said Majestie and all her people unto that day And then the said Master at his will to have Letters Patents of our Sovereign Lady the Queen under the proper seale of Scotland to be made for his acquittance specifying the said assays to be made and found as aforesaid without fee therefore paying, For the making which Letters Patents these presents shall be a sufficient warrant and discharge to the Keeper or Keepers of the said Seale for the time being without any further or special warrant to be issued out for the same.
And if it shall be found by the assayes, that the pound weight thoroughly tried answereth not the full standard in fineness as aforesaid, but shall be worse + yet within the remedies aforesaid the lack thereof shall be entered on Record by the said Warden or Wardens + Counter Warden or Comptroller or such as they shall thereunto appoint and a true accompt thereof shall be made to her Majestie + the same fully and wholly to be answered to her Majestie without any proffitt or Commodity to grow unto any other person or persons for the same Saving always that in case by the assay it shall be found that the same moneys of gold and silver do pass at any time the said standards or any of them so as the same be better in fineness or in weight or in both, than in is appointed by the standards and yet within the remedy, then so much thereof to be entered of Record and hold place to the said Master in the charge which he shall have when any lack shall be found by the said assays under the standards aforesaid.
And if it shall happen in the said moneys of gold and silver or either of them upon either of the just assays as shall be made of the abovesaid Boxes in manner aforesaid be it in weight or in fineness any default be found without the said Remedies ordained for the said Master as is abovesaid or any of them The said Master shall make fine and Ransome to her said Majesty at her will.
<89r>Also the said General Master + Worker Warden + Counter Warden or any of them as often as need shall require shall and may take up as many Gravers to grave Irons at her Majesties price and also as many Smiths workmen + Labourers and other necessaries for and to the making of the said Irons and moneys aforesaid and the doing of all manner of business within the Mint as to the said General Master Warden + Counter Warden shall seem needfull to have In which taking of such Gravers Smiths Workmen + Labourers + other necessaries Our sovereign Lady the Queen doth will and command by this Indenture all Mayors Sherriffs, Bayliffs, and all other Officers that they to the said General Master Warden or Wardens + Comptroller or Counter Warden aforesaid + to his or their Deputy and Deputies therein be assistant aiding helping and fortifying as to right doth belong. And our Soveriegn Lady the Queen doth will + grant by these presents that it shall be lawfull to + for the said General Master Warden or Wardens, Counter Warden or Comptroller of her Majesties said Mint at all time such & many of the said Ingravers, Smiths, Workmen + Labourers as by their discretions be not of good bearing in their Offices and Labours to punish put out avoid and amove like as to the General or Master Warden or Wardens or Comptroller shall seem meet according to right and for her Majesties weale.
And be the said Master bound and holden to receive all manner of gold and silver brought to the Mint after the very value, that is to say every parcell in its degree one to the more, another to the less, after the quantity it shall appear by the assay to be better or worse than the standard And if the said Master + the Merchant which bringeth in the said gold and silver may not accord between them of the true value, her Majesties Assaymaster to that deputed in the presence of the said Master Warden or Wardens + Counterwarden or Comptroller ought + shall try the truth in that part + the said Master shall thereupon receive the same + stand thereafter charg'd in manner as it belongeth.
<89v>And be the said Master or Worker Warden or Wardens and Comptroller held and bound to give their attendance at the said Mint, every Wednesday in the week, and such other days as shall be by them appointed and agreed on for the receipt of all such Bullion as shall be brought into the said Mint + for the delivery out of the coined moneys.
And her said Majesty doth grant and confirm by these presents that the Officers of the Mint shall at all times hold have and peacebly enjoy all places houses grounds as well builded as unbuilded within the said Mint which heretofore have been called reputed or taken for the Mint without medling let or disturbance whatsoever. And he the said Majestie doth grant + confirm by this Indenture unto the aforesaid Officers and to all other Officers and Ministers of the Mint the Charters + Franchises to them before this time granted after the effort and purport of the same Charters.
And for the Covenants agreements grants + premisses aforesaid well and truly to be holden + performed on the part of the said Master and that he shall beare himself towards her Majestie and her people in the said <90r> Office well and Covenable and that he shall make Gree to her said Majesty, the Master hath made bodily Oath before the Barons of her Majesties Exchequer + bindeth himself his heirs + Executors to her Majestie by these presents And for more surety to make gree with the Queen + with the Merchants of that belongeth to them of the gold and silver which he shall receive by + in manner as aforesaid while he shall be in the said Office The aforesaid Master hath found Burrows + Sureties afore our Sovereign Lady the Queen in her Exchequer in the summe of And that upon pain thereof he shall make gree to the Queens Highness + to the Merchants in manner and form as is aforesaid.
And the said Master doth covenant promise and grant to and with her said Majestie from time to time to bring into the said Mint convenient and sufficient supplies of Gold and Silver and make full payments and deliverance of all manner of moneys with all convenient speed, according to the said Acts of Parliament for the proffit of her Majesty her heirs and Successors and the ease of the people And the said Master doth convenant promise and grant to + with our said sovereign Lady the Queen to bear pay and sustain all manner of wasts provisions necessaries and charges coming arising and growing in and about the coining of her Majesties Gold and silver moneys respectively by the Mill and Press according to the allowance in that behalfe made by her Majestie by this present Indenture. And the said Master shall be holden + bound to bring or cause to be brought all the Gold and silver that he shall receive by colour of his Office into the Mint to be molten and made into moneys for help + increase of the moneys for her Majesties proffitt and ease of her people, without sale aliening or putting it to any other use Excepting all such healing pieces seals and Medalls of Gold and silver as shall be made for her Majesties use or by her Majesties commands.
<90v>And the said Master and Worker shall accompt yearly before the Barons of the Exchequer or such other person or persons as her Majestie shall appoint And the said Accompt so to be made and taken by the said Barons of the Exchequer or by any other of the said person or persons specially appointed by her Majestie for the same being stated and his Debt determined and his said Accompt fully answer'd to her Majestie the said Master and Worker upon suite to the Keeper of the proper seale for the time being shall have Letters Patents of her said Majestie under the said seale for his Acquittance, without fee therefore paying For the making of which said Letters Patents these presents or the Inrollment thereof shall be a sufficient Warrant and discharge to the Keeper of the said seale for the time being without any further or more speciall warrant to be sued out for the same.
And the said Master and Worker is hereby appointed and authorized out of the moneys received or to be received by him upon or by vertue of the said Act for encouraging of Coinage aforesaid to retain and keep in his own hands yearly the summe of as well for the Fees + salaries due to himself as also for the paying + discharging of the several and respective Fees and salaries of the several and respective Officers of the Mint + the Clerks in the said schedule mentioned to bee payable by the said Master and Worker according to the distribution and apportionment mentioned in the said schedule.
And our Sovereign Lady the Queen doth hereby order and appoint that the General Master Worker Warden and Comptroller of her Majesties said Mint that hereafter shall be + their respective Deputies <91r> shall and do before his their or any of their being admitted into the knowledge of the invention of rounding of her Majesties moneys and marking of the Edges of them with Letters or Grainings or either of them take an Oath before the Barons of the Exchequer for the time being who are hereby respectively authorized to give the same not to reveal or discover to any person or persons whatsoever the said new invention of rounding the moneys + marking the edges of them with Letters or Grainings or either of them directly or indirectly unless her Majestie her heirs or successours shall otherways command and direct the same. And her Majestie doth hereby likewise order + appoint, that all such Workmen that shall be trusted or employed in the making or using the said Instruments for rounding the moneys and marking the monies upon the Edges as aforesaid shall likewise take an Oath before the General of the Mint for the time being who is hereby authorized to administer the same accordingly not to reveal or discover to any person or persons whatsoever the said new invention of rounding the moneys and marking the Edges of them with letters or Grainings as aforesaid or either of them directly or indirectly in part or in whole.
It is hereby likewise strictly commanded and enjoyned by her said Majestie That no person or persons do live or inhabit within her Majesties said Mint without the knowledge or approbation of the General Master Worker Warden + Comptroller of the Mint for the time being Except such Officers Workmen + Ministers of the said Mint and such other persons as have right thereto.
<91v>And her said Majestie doth by these presents also will and ordain That the Counterwarden or Comptroller of the Mint for the time being shall deliver upon Oath taken before one of the Barons of the Exchequer a Roll which shall be called the Counter Wardens or Comptrollers Roll containing an Accompt of all the gold + silver Bullion and allay melted And of all the Gold and silver moneys coined monthly in the said Mint.
And the said Master or his Deputy shall pay unto such Officers or Workmen that shall be employed in making of several gold and silver pieces round before they are sized and for the marking the edges of them with Letters or Grainings the summe of for every pound weight Troy of gold moneys, and the summe of in every pound weight Troy of the said silver moneys as also for the making labour and expences therein.
And further more upon every hundred pounds weight of silver moneys hereafter to be coined, the said Master shall make one pound weight and a half or eighteen Ounces in the Quantities or species following vizt. in pence half an Ounce, in twopences three Ounces, in threepences six Ounces + in Groats eight Ounces and a half. <92r>
And our sovereign Lady the Queen doth hereby will and command that the Queens Clerk, as Clerk of the Irons for the time being do keep a true accompt of all the blank Dyes for the coining of the gold and silver moneys, which shall from time to time be delivered to the Chief Ingraver or Ingravers of her Majesties Mint for the time being And also fo all the blank Dyes which shall be sunk or stamped by the said Graver or Gravers, and of all the Dyes which after sinking shall be made fit for use + hardned. And the said Graver and Gravers is and are hereby likewise injoined monthly to return unto the said Queens Clerk as Clerk of the Irons all Dyes as shall from time to time be faulty and worn by using in the said Mint or otherways to be defaced in the presence of the Master Warden and Comptroller of the said Mint and not otherwise And the said Queens Clerk as Clerk of the Irons is hereby further enjoyned to give an Accompt to the said Master and Warden and Counter Warden as he shall thereunto be required by them of what blank Dyes have been delivered unto the said Graver or Gravers or sunk by them or hardened by the Smith And what faulty and worn out Dyes have been returned by them to be defaced, as also what others are remaining in their hands that a just accompt may be kept of the same.
And that the said Gravers shall not work or make or grave any Punchions Matrices Dyes or stamps for the making or coining of any money of Gold and silver <92v> But only in such houses or places in her Majesties said Mint as shall be thereunto assigned by the aforesaid General Master Warden and Counter Warden.
And for the more exact sizing of Gold and silver Coins to be made by the Mill and Press + reducing of them to a greater exactness and equality in weight it is hereby ordered commanded and appointed by her Majestie That the Counterpoises of the several + respective gold and silver herein mentioned be made lighter then their just weight according to their proportions following. That is to say that two grains be taken from the Counterpoise of the Crown, one grain from the half Crown, half a grain from the shilling and a quarter of a grain to be taken from the Counterpoise of the sixpence of silver moneys And that two grains be taken from the Counterpoise of the five pound piece one grain from the Forty shillings piece, half a grain from the twenty shilling piece and a quarter of a grain from the Counterpoise of the ten shilling piece of gold And her Majestie ordains that no piece or pieces of the said species be made lighter then their Counterpoises.
<93r>
And her said Majesty doth hereby further declare her pleasure to be that these presents + the agreements therein contained shall be of force and have continuance only during her Majesties pleasure any thing in these Presents contained to the contrary notwithstanding
in wittness whereof to one part of these present Indentures remaining with our said Sovereign Lady the Queen, the said John Montgomerie hath set his hand and seale And to the other part of these present Indentures remaining with the said John Montgomerie Our said Sovereign Lady the Queen hath caused her privy seale appointed to be kept in Scotland to be affixed Given the day and yeare abovewritten
<93v>A Schedule.
Source
MINT 19/3/82-93, National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UKAfter 25 July 1710, c. 8,159 words.