'Memoriall Concerning the Mint of Scotland', arguing for a resumption of Scottish coinage, which ceased on 4 August 1710, and an increase in the provision of £1,200 p.a. for the Edinburgh Mint

<23r>

Memoriall Concerning the Mint of Scotland.

That the Mint of Scotland and the Coynage thereof being by long experience found to be of great use in Trade and Convenience to the People, It was by the 16th Article of the Treaty of Vnion provided That a Mint should be Continued in Scotland under the same Rules as the Mint in England, and the then present Officers of the Mint of Scotland Continued, Subject to such Regulations and Alterations as her then Majesty her Heirs or Successors or the Parliament of Great Brittain should think fitt.

That Purusant to this Article Her Majesty was pleased soon after the Vnion to Issue a Warrand to Doctor David Gregory bearing date Iuly 12th: 1707 to go to Scotland to Examine the State of the Mint there, and with the Assistance of certain other Officers to settle it under the same Rules as the Mint in England who returned an Account of the new Regulations of the Mint at Edinburgh to the Earl of Godolphin then Lord High Treasurer, as appears by a Report bearing date the 13th: of December 1707. A Copy whereof is hereunto Annex'd.

That the coynage of Great Brittain being under Consideration of the Parliament in Anno 1707, Mr. Allardice then Master of the Mint of Scotland gave in an Estimate of the Charge of the Sallarys to the Officers belonging to the Mint, the Maintaining the Fabrick and Buying of Tools agreeable to the Alterations proposed by Doctor Gregory extending in whole to £1200, And in An Act made in the said year Entituled An Act for continuing the former Act for encouraging the Coynage and to encourage the bringing Forreign Coynes and Brittish or Forreign plate to be coyned and for making Provision for the Mint in Scotland, Provision was made accordingly for £1200 only.

That Mr. Allardices Estimate having taken no Notice of the Expence of Coynage, the then Parliament was led into that Mistake of making no Provision for that use, which with some small Mistake about the Sallarys of Three Clerks has been the reason that since the 4th: of August 1710, there has been no Bullion Coyned in the Mint of Scotland to the great discouragement of Merchants and People there, who for want of having their Bullion Coyned at the Mint (which has been offered in considerable Quantities) were Obliged to Export it again to Forreign Countrys, Besides, the Mint has <23v> not been able to Accommodate the People in Scotland with Four pence and Three pence Pieces so necessary dayly use in Buying and Selling and small payments of which Her late Majesty was so sensible that a Warrand was directed for that End and Dyes were prepared accordingly.

That By this Means an Article of the Treaty is rendered ineffectuall and the Cahrge of £1200, for payent of the Sallarys, Maintainance of the Fabrick and preparing of Tools becomes a Charge without any use to the Government or the People.

It is Therefore Humbly Proposed That in the Bill now depending the Clause hereunto Annex'd or some thing to that Effect may be added, And for that End that the House may be Moved to Impower the Committee to receive a Clause for encouraging a free Coynage in the Mint of Scotland which seems indeed to have been the Intention of the Parliament in the forecited Act, as appears by the Clause whereof the Words are hereunto Annex'd.

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An Account of the New Regulations of at Edinburgh Humbly Laid before the Right Honorable The Earle of Godolphin Lord High Treasurer of great Britain.

In obedience to Her Majesty's Commands in a Warrant dated 12 Iuly 1707. I took Iourny to Scotland 21st. Iuly, and arriv'd at Edinburgh 1st. August, And upon shewing Her Majestys Warrant to the Generall and other Officers of the Mint there, they prepared for the Recoinage on the Methods at the Tower.

And when the Moneyrs arrived at Edinburgh, The Officers of the Mint, I and they, surveyed all the Offices, tools &c belonging to the Mint, & what were wanting were soon Supplyed from London.

After the Officers of the Mint and I had compaired the former Constitution of the Mint of Scotland, with that of the Mint in the Tower, & with her Majestys instructions Concerning the Recoinage, Wee added three New Clerks, during the Recoinage to the Queen's Clerks, who was there before, To witt, One for the master, One for the Warden, and One for the counter Warden; All these Clerks were instructed in the Method of rateing and standerding & the forms of Book keeping used in the Mint of the Tower, by the Clerk sent by Her Majesty for this purpose.

The Officers of the Mint and I Considering, That by bringing the Mint of Scotland to the same methods with that in the Tower, more Officers became necessary, and being unwilling to encrease Charges, Agreed That the Warden and Counterwarden should by Turns do the Office of Surveyor of the meltings, and that the Counterwarden should officiat also as weigher and teller, and that their Clerks should be Clerks for those offices, It was also agreed that the Queen's Clerk should be Clerk of the paper and irones.

The great difficulty was in the Melting, it being made there with pit-coal, in this I made severall Experiments according to Directions, which I receiv'd from Sir Isaac Newtoun from time to time, and at last such rules of allaying were found out and agreed upon, as by experience were found to make the Silver of standart fineness And the Assay Master having no Clerk, was allowed one assistant, during this Coinage.

Matters being thus adjusted, I Continued at Edinburgh; Vntill I saw the methods of the Mint in the Tower well understood and exactly practised by all concerned & the recoinage advanced so, that they coyned six thousand pounds a week, & then at my request Represented by Sir Isaac Newtoun to Your Lordship, and that there was no further occasion for my staying there, Your Lordship was pleas'd to dismiss me, as I was informed by Sir Isaac Newtoun in his of 15th. November, I parted from Edinburgh 21st. Novemr. after having taken an exact account of the State & Condition of the Mint at that time & left directions for encreasing the Coinage

Sic Sub. David Gregory

[1]

[2]

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Schedule of the offices and salarys of the Officers at the Mint at Edinburgh after setling the said Mint in the same methods of working with the Mint in the Tower as Given in to the Parliament of Great Britain when they passed the Act anno Septimo Regine for continuing the former Acts for encouraging the Coinage.

To the Generall of the Mint Yearly	300	″	″
To the Master & Worker	200	″	″
To his Clerk	40	″	″
To the Principall Warden	150	″	″
To his Clerk	40	″	″
To the Counter warden or Comptroller	60	″	″
To his Clerk	40	″	″
To the Queen's Clerk	40	″	″
To the Assaymaster	100	″	″
To the Clerk of the Bullion as assistant to the weigher & Teller & surveyor of the Meltings	50	″	″
To the Sinker or Graver	50	″	″
To the Master Smith	30	″	″
For maintaining the Fabrick of the Mint & buying Tools &ca:	100	″	″
£	1200	″	″
Accompt of the Fees & Salarys of the Officers of the Mint at Edinburgh preceeding the Vnion
To the Generall	300	″	″
To the Master	200	″	″
To the Principall Warden	150	″	″
To the Counter Warden	60	″	″
To the Assay Master	100	″	″
To the Queens Clerk	40	″	″
To the Engravers	50	″	″
To the Smyth	30	″	″
To the Collector of the Bullion	100	″	″
To the Clerk of the Bullion	50	″	″
For maintaining the Fabrick Provyding New Tools &ca:	92	4	5$\frac{\mathrm{1}}{\mathrm{3}}$
£	1172	4	5$\frac{\mathrm{1}}{\mathrm{3}}$
Additional Offices since the Vnion undertaken & exercised by the following Officers since the New Establishment besides what was before incumbent upon them, & for which they gett no addition or allowances to their former salarys.
The Principal Warden by turns with the Counterwarden does the Office of Surveyor of the meltings the Counterwarden besides does the office of Weigher & Teller.
The Queen's Clerk besides does the Office of Clerk to the Irons and Papers.
Nota bene All these additional Offices undertaken and Exercised by the Officers of this Mint besides their own former Offices are all executed by distinct officers who have distinct salarys in the Mint in the Tower.

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Copy of the Clause Proposed to be Added to the Bill concerning Coynage.

Provided also,As it is hereby Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That it shall and may be Lawfull to and for the Lord High Treasurer of Great Brittain and Vnder Treasurer or Commissioners of the Treasury or and three or more of the said Commissioners for the time being By Order or Warrands to Issue out of the Exchequer or dispose of the Moneys arising by the said Coynage Dutys Yearly and every Year from and after the Commencement and during the Continuance of this Act and no longer, Such Sume or Sumes of Money not exceeding in the whole the sume of £1200, for the Fees and Sallarys of the Generall, Master, Warden, and Counter Warden, and their Three Clerks, and His Majesty's Clerk and other Officers of the Mint or Mints in Scotland payable in the same Manner as the Sallarys of the Officers of His Majesty's Mint in the Tower are paid, And towards the providing, Maintaining and repairing the Houses Offices and Buildings of the said Mint, As also Such a further sume as he or they shall think Necessary and reasonable Yearly not exceeding the sume of £500 Sterling for defraying the Charge of a free Coynage in Assaying, Melting down, Coyning and Furnishing of Tools and other Necessarys in the Mint of Scotland, Any thing in the said recited Acts, or any other Law, Stature or Vsage to the Contrary Notwithstanding.

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Copy of a Clause in the Act of the 7th: of the Queen Concerning the Mint in Scotland.

Provided also, And it is hereby further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That over and above the sume not exceeding Three Thousand Pounds per Annum mentioned in the former Acts, It shall and may be Lawfull To and for the Lord Treasurer of Great Brittain and Vnder-Treasurer or Commissioner of the Treasury or any three or more of the said Commissioners for the time being, By Order, or Warrands, to Issue out of the Exchequer, or dispose of the Moneys arising by the said Coynage Dutys Yearly and every Year from and after the Commencement and during the Continuance of this Act and no longer such sume as he or they shall think necessary and reasonable not exceeding in the Whole the sume of £1200, for the Feeds and sallarys of the Offices of the Mint or Mints in Scotland, And towards the providing, Mantaining and Repairing the Houses Offices and Buildings and other Necessarys for Assaying, Melting down, and Coyning in the Mints of Scotland, Anything in the said before recited Acts, or any other Law, or Statute or Vsage to the Contrary Notwithstanding.

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Memoriall
Concerning the Mint of Scotland.