Holograph draft memorandum on recent legislation concerning the purchase of plate at a premium by the Mint and the validity of Mint receipts for payments to the government

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Vpon the first of May the House of Commons made this Vote Resolved that for Encouraging the bringing wrought Plate into the Mint to be coined, there shall be allowed to such persons as shall so bring the same, after the rate of five shillings & eight pence per ounce for the new standard for all plate on which the mark of the goldsmiths company of London or any other City is set & for uncertain plate not so marked (being reduced to standard) after the rate of five shillings & six pence per ounce.

Vpon the fift of May the Commons made this Vote Resolved, that an humble Address be presented to her Majesty that she will be pleased to give directions to the Officers of the Mint to receive in all such wrought as shall be brought to them, & to give Receipts to such Persons as shall bring the same for the amount thereof, at the several rates & prices agreed by this House to be allowed for such wrought Plate, shall be brought to the Mint to be coined: And that the same may be immediately coined into shillings & sixpences.

Resolved That all such Receipts to be given by the Officers of the Mint for any wrought Plate, shall be accepted & taken for the full amount thereof in any payments to be made in any Loans or any contributions upon any funds to be granted in this session of Parliament.

And upon the said Address her Majesty gave directions accordingly by a Warrant dated May 10 a copy of which is hereunto annexed.

Vpon the 14thof May in the evening an Order came to the Mint from the Treasury a copy of which is hereunto annexed. And according to that Order the following subscription of the Importers of plate was taken for the future.

We whose names are underwritten do declare that we do not expect that the value of the Plate by us this day delivered to the Officers of her Majestys Mint shall be accepted as part of the first payment of the summ for which there is a Bill now depending in the House of Commons.

Vpon the 17th of May the House Resolved that the Bill for regulating Hackney Coaches &c should be committed to the Committee to whom the Bill for raising 1500000li was committed, And that it be an instruction to the said Committee to receive a clause, that the Receipts given by the Officers for Plate brought in pursuant to the Resolution of this house of the first instant, be accepted as so much money in the contributions towards the said summ not exceeding two Millions

Vpon the 12th of Iune the Bill was passed & upon the 19th was published & from that time the Officers & people of the Mint give notice to the Importes of Plate that the Parliament had made no provision for accepting the Receipts given for Plate imported since the 14th of May.

By her Majestys Warrant abovementioned I authorised & required to pay the moneys produced from the said plate into <539v> the Receipts {illeg} her Majesties Exchequer & take Tallies for any discharge: but the Receipts for Plate imported since the 14th of May are not enacted to be accepted & taken in the Exchequer,

Quære. May not her Majesty authorise & direct me by a Warrant, a form of which is hereunto annexed, to pay to the Importers of Plate who receipts are dated since the 14th of May, after the rate of five shillings per ounce Troy of the plate received.

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We whose names are underwritten do consent & agree that we will make no further demands of & from the Master & Worker of her Majestys Mint for the plate of the old standard new standard & uncertain standard imported by between the 14 day of May & the 20th day of Iune last past then our share of the moneys coined out of the said several sorts of plate in proportion to the gross weight of every sort imported by us. & our further share of such moneys as shall be imprested to the said Master & Worker for making good the recompence mentioned in the Receipts of our plate or be allowed us by Act of Parliament out of moneys in his hands And we do hereby acquit & discharge the said Master & Worker from all further demands. In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands & seals the day & year under written.

Received after the rate of 5s per ounce the summ of          the same being new moneys produced out of the plate within mentioned

Now that our loving subjects may not want the use of bother the Receipts & the new moneys coined out of their Plate Our will & pleasure is & we do hereby authorize & command you the said Master & Worker of our Mint to pay unto each of the importers of Plate whose Receipts are dated on or after the said 15th day of May, after the rate of five shillings per ounce of plate imported, any thing in our former Warrant to the contrary &c