Response to petitions to coin copper from Slaney's partners Thomas Rinda [Renda], Edward Ambrose, Daniel Barton, William Shepherd, N. Shepherd and George Freeman: refer to the advice given in MINT00589 (Mint 19/2/301) to grant no more such private licences

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To the Right Honourable the Lord High Treasurer of England

May it please your Lordship

In obedience to your Lordships order of Reference of the 15th of march last, upon the memoriall of mr Wm Shepard mr N: Shepard; & mr George Freeman, wherein they desire to have a patent for coyning 40 or 50 tunns per annum of copper half pence or farthings, for the space of eight or ten years, of equall weight & fineness with those now current as also your Lordships order of Reference of the 22d of march last upon the petition of the Provost & monyers of the mint, wherein they pray for a License to coyn 30 tunns of copper money a year of the same value, under the direction of the officers of the mint, & under such restrictions as your Lordship shall think fit, to relieve them under the great straits they are in for want of employment in the mint, they being allow'd no salarys

We humbly take leave to remind your Lordship of a report we made the 1st of Iuly last upon a petition of mr Abell Slaney to coin half pence & farthings, wherein we acquainted your Lordship, that that coinages of copper money in that reigns of King Charles the 2d, King James the 2d & in the beginning of the reign of the late King & Queen, had been carried on at the charge of the Crown, under the care & direction of the Principall officers of the mint, who kept due Entrys thereof in Books, & the whole profit & advantage was accounted upon oath to the Crown, which we then thought the best & safest method to be followed

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Ee have not heard any reasons since to alter our opinions, & therefore humbly propose to your Lordship, that whenever her majestie shall think fit to order copper money to be coined, that it may be performed as near as may be according to the method of the mint, that the master worker of the mint may have money imprest to him to buy copper to be coined into halfpence & farthings under the same cheques that are observed for the coinage of gold & silver & to be coined by small quantitys, sufficient only to answer the demands of persons, without danger of complaints by overstocking the nation. Out of the clear profits whereof, her majestie may have it in her power either to relieve the wants of the monyers of the mint many of whom we must inform your Lordship are in a starving condition, or to gratify any other persons
All which is humbly submitted to your Lordships great wisdom

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<text in Unknown Hand (2) begins>5: Aprill 1705.

Report of the officers of the Mint upon the proposall of Mr. Wm. Shepheard, Mr. N. Shepheard & Mr. George Freeman for coining Copper half pence & farthings.