Holograph draft covering letter for an account of tin sales since last Lady Day [probably MINT00724 (Mint 19/3/575)]

<562r>

To the Right Honourable Earl of Oxford & Earl Mortimer Lord High Treasurer of great Britain.

May it please your Lordship

According to your Lordship order of 3d September instant We herewith lay before your Lordship in the paper annexed an Account of all Her Majesties Tyn that has been sold since Lady last & to whom. The persons named in the Account are for the most part Pewterers who sometimes buy for themselves but commonly factor for the merchants. For where the Merchants imploy Factors we enter only the names of the Factors. We have also added another Account of the Quantities exported to several places abroad taken from the books of the Custome-house & published by other people For We enter not the the places to which the Tyn is exported. We cannot affirm this Account so exact as that taken from our own books: but the whole sum agrees well with that in our books which makes us think the particulers neare the truth if not exact. All which is most humbly submitted to your Lordships