Response to a proposal by one Mr Palmer to coin 700 tons of copper

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To the Right Honourable The Lords commissioners of her Majesties Treasury

May it please your Lordships

In obedience to your Lordships Order of Reference of the 29 of November last upon the Annexed memorial of mr: Palmes for a New Coynage of 700 Tuns of half pence & farthings of Copper in 14 years after the manner of the patent Granted in the Reigne of their Late Majesties King William & Queen Mary to Sir Ioseph Hearne and others Wee doe humbly acquaint your Lordships that wee have Enquired into all the Coynage of that sort since the: yeare 1672 & found that in the Reignes of King charles the: 2d: King James the: 2d: & in the beginning of the Reigne of their late Majestie King William & Queen Mary The coinage of half pence & Farthings was performed by commissioners who had money Impressed from the: Exchequer to buy Swedish Copper and Tinn & coined at most at 20d per pound averdupoize & accounted upon Oath to the Government for the: Charge & produce thereof by Tale: And that afterwards upon calling in the: Tinn Farthings & half pence by reason of the: complaints made agaisnt them The patent above mentiond was grainted to Sir: Iosh: Hearne & others who contracted to change the same & to Enable them to bear that: charge. They were allowed to coin 700 Tuns at 21d per pound weight of English Copper which is cheaper then the Swedish without being accountable to the Government for the Tale. The reason of which allowance now ceasing. Wee are humbly of opinion that the said patent be not Drawn into president Especially since the money made thereby was light, of bad copper&,& ill coynd And as to that species of moneys being wasted there may be some ant thereof in Loondon & parts adjacent but that: those more remotes are unfurnished does not appear to us –

All which is humbly submitted to your Lordships Great Wisdom

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