Further holograph draft of MINT00491 (Mint 19/1/509)

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To the Right Honourable the Lords Commissioners of his Majestys Treasury.

May it please your Lordships

We have considered the annexed Petition of the Governour & Company of Merchants trading to the East Indies, & find that they are empowered by Patent to erect Mints in their Forts in the East Indies for coyning of Indian money, an extract of which Patent is hereunto annexed, & that accordingly they have erected a Mint at Fort St George.

We find also that by a late Act of Parliament (An. 8 & 9 Gul III) all persons are forbidden under pain of High Treason to make or mend or knowingly to have in their custody any Press for coyning or any cutting engin or other Tool there mentioned, except persons imployed in or for any of his Majestys Mints & acting only for the use & service of the same or persons lawfully authorized by your Lordships. And that by the same Act all persons are also forbidden under pain of High Treason willingly or knowingly to convey out of any of his Majestys Mints any coyning tool whatsoever or any useful part thereof without lawfull authority for that purpose. And that by another Act (An. 6 & 7 Gul III) there is a penalty of 500℔ on any persons not being an Officer of his Majestys Mint or Mints, who shall have in his custody a Press for coyning. All which laws seem to be here in force against the said Company by reason that no persons are authorized by the the said Patent to act in England as Officers or Ministers of their Mints.

Yet we conceive it very reasonable that the said Company should be authorised to furnish their Mints with coyning Tools from his Majestys Mint in the Tower rather then from any other place & particularly with two Mills two Presses, two Cutting engins & the Vtensils thereunto belonging according to their Petition. But by reason of the above mentioned laws we are humbly of opinion that good advice be had about the authority & form of an Order or license for that purpose before it be granted.

All which is most humbly submitted &c

Is. Newton