Holograph draft of MINT00509 (Mint 19/2/464)

<465r>

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

May it please your Lordship

The Corporation of the Moneyers represent that they have been brought up Apprentices to the trade of coining with relation to England & that to set up new Mints in England without them diminishes the right of their Apprenticeship. They represent also that the multiplying of Mints tends to promote the skill of counterfeiting the gold & silver moneys as happened in the coinage of Tin half pence & farthings in the beginning of the reign of King William & Queen Mary. For obviating these objections & that of the insignificancy of a Controller of such a Mint, I humbly propose that Mr Wood prepare the blanks of fine Copper & make them fit to be stamped & then send them to the Mint in the Tower to be delivered by weight, assayed, & stamped & delivered back by the same weight without concerning me in the value. This may be done by a signe Manual appointing the Assay & the number of pieces in the pound weight & the stamp & yearly Quantity without them & what shall be allowed to a Clerk fo seeing the Copper weighed & assayed & entring all receipts & deliveries in books, & acquainting me with what he meets with amiss. The whole charge will not exceed two per halfpenny per pound weight: for I reccon nothing for my self. This I propose as safest for the government, if it may be done by vertue of the power reserved in his Majesty & your Lordships of controlling the proceedings of Mr Wood. All which is most humbly submitted.