Copy of Privy Seal renewing warrants granting the personal property of coinage offenders to the Mint warden, and authorising the disposal of their real estate by the Treasury for rewards to informers

<428r>

William and Mary by the Grace of God King and Queen of England, Scotland, France & Ireland, Defender of the Faith &c. To Our Commissioners of the Treasury now being, and to the Treasurer and under Treasurer of Our Exchequer or Commissioners of Our Treasury for the time being, And to the Warden of Our Mint now and for the time being, and to all Others whome this may concern Greeting. Whereas Our Late Royall Vncle King Charles the second, and the Late King James the Second, by severall Letters under the Privy Seal did give Encouragement for the discovery and Prosecuteing the offences of Coyning and Clipping, and other Crimes which are frequently committed in relation to the Coyn or Money of this Realm; which Letters of Privy Seale are determined. But Wee being nevertheless gratiously disposed to administer all fitting means tending to the suppression of the said Offences, which abound to the unsufferable dammage of Vs, and Our People, Have thought fit to give and grant, And do hereby give and grant, to you the Warden of Our Mint, now, or for the time being, and to such Deputies or Agents, as You the said Warden now or for the time being shall constitute for this purpose under your hand and Seale, full Power and Authority (in Our Names) to take, seize, ask, demand, sue for, recover & receive all Clippings Clipped, and false Money, and also all Tools, and Materialls belonging to Clippers, Counterfeiters Debasors of Our Coyn, and other Offenders Against our Laws relateing to Our Coyn or Money of this Realme, Which are or shall be found or discovered, in Our Kingdome of England, Dominion of Wales, or Town of Berwick upon Tweed; of or from any Sheriffs Officers or other Persons whatsoever haveing, or who shall name the same in Custody, or wheresoever they or any of them may be found, For which you the said Warden shall render an Account to Vs, from time to time, upon your Corporall Oath: And Wee doe hereby declare and appoint, that these Presents and the Acquittance or Acquittances of you the said Warden, now or for the time being, or of the said Agents, or Deputies under You, acknowledging the Receipt or Receipts of the said Clippings Clipped, and False Moneys, Tooles and Materialls aforesaid or any of them, shall from time to time be good and sufficient discharges to the said sheriffs, or any others delivering the same, against Vs our Heires & Successors. And wee doe hereby Impower you, the said Warden, now, or for the time being, out of, or with such Clippings Clipped, or false Money, Tooles, or Materialls, or the Vallues or Proceeds thereof, from time to time, to satisfie such Persons as shall be instrumentall from time to time, in discovering or prosecuteing the said Offenders for their Charges therein, with such allowances or Rewards for their Good Service, as you the Commissioners of Our Treasury or the Chancellour or under <428v> Treasurer of Our Exchequer now being, or Treasurer or Commissioners of Our Treasury, or the Chancellour or Vnder Treasurer of Our Exchequer for the time being, in the discretion shall think fitt; for which you are hereby Authorized to issue your Warrants, or Orders, from time to time. And You the said Warden of the Mint now or for the time being, Are hereby directed and required from time to time, to give Accounts of your doeing in the performance of the said service to the Commissioners of Our Treasury, Chancellour & Vnder Treasurer of Our Exchequer, now being and to the Treasurer or Commissioners of Our Treasury, Chancellour and Vnder Treasurer of Our Exchequer for the time being, and to observe such Orders, as they shall at any time think fit to make therein, for Our Service. And wee doe further by these presents give full power and Authority to you the said Commissioners of Our Treasury now being, and to the Treasurer of Commissioners of the Treasury for the time being to cause any other Estate, or Ready Money, Goods, Chattells, Plate, debts, specialties or other Matters, or things belonging to such Offenders as aforesaid, which are or shall be found or discovered within Our Kingdome of England, Dominion of Wales, or Town of Berwick upon Tweed, to be delivered or paid over from time to time upon the respective Convictions of such Criminalls or Offenders by the sheriffs or by any Debtors or others haveing or that shall or may have the same in Custody or be Chargeable therewith, unto the Warden of our Mint, or (in case you shall otherwise appoint) to such Persons or Persons, as you shall think fit to entrust them with for Our Vse and upon Account to be rendered to Vs, for the same And also to cause such Goods, Chattells, Plate, Debts, Specialties, or other Matters, or things, to be sold for the most that can be made thereof, and by or out of the said ready Money, Goods, Chattells, Plate, debts, Specialties or other Matters, or things or by, or out, of the proceed ariseing by Sale of them or any of them as aforesaid, to satisfie the said Wardens of Our Mint or any other Person or Persons, who have bin or shall be instrumentall in the discovery or prosecution of such Offenders as aforesaid, Or Employed, or used, in or about the same, all such Charge and Expences, which they or any of them have disbursd or layd out, or shall or may disburse or lay out, for or in Order to such Discovery or prosecution, or any way relateing thereunto with such, Allowances, or Rewards for their Good services performed or to be performed to Vs in the premisses as to you in your discretions or shall seem meet, the same Charges Expences Allowances or Rewards to <429r> be paid and allowed from time to time by Warrants of you the said Commissioners of Our Treasury now being, or the Treasurer or Commissioners of the Treasury for the time being, which you are hereby Authorized to issue in that behalfe. And Lastly in case any such Offenders Convicted, or to be Convicted, as aforesaid within our said Realme of England, Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick upon Tweed, or any Person or Persons in Trust for or to the use of such Offenders, is or shall be seized or Possessed of any Mannors Lands Tenements Annuities Rents or other Hereditaments or of any Estate Right Title Interest Trust Terme or Proffitt whatsoever of, in, to, or out of any Mannors Lands Tennements Annuities Rents or other Hereditaments, which are, shall, or may be forfeited unto Vs, by or upon Such Conviction, That then and in every such Case, We do hereby Invest you the said Commissioners of Our Treasury, Chancellour and Vnder Treasurer of Our Exchequer, now being, And the Treasurer or Commissioners of Our Treasury Chancellour and Vnder Treasurer of Our Exchequer for the time being, with full power And Authority. And you are hereby Impowered, and Authorized to cause Leases or Grants, under Our Exchequer seale or otherwise, to be made and passed to such Person or Persons as you shall judge fitt. And all Money Rents, or Proffitts ariseing thereby, to be disposed of, to such discoverers and Prosecutors of the said Offences, in such Manner and Proportion, as you shall think reasonable, for the Encouragement & Compensation, of his, her or their Charge and good service herein. Given under Our Privy Seale at Our Pallace of Westminster the sixteenth day of February, in the fifth Year of Our Reigne.

[1]

I Mathew

Iunij 16°. 1696

Irrotutitur hoc Bre do privato sigillo in, Memorand, turjus Sccij
Rx pte Remem Thes.

Ed: Ward

Irr in Mem Dis Sccij Rex apud Westmr. Stilt inter Cora de tertio Ste Teinit Anno viij RRx Guliolnn tertij ex pte Remem Tlies 1696

I. Tayleure.

<429v>

Coppy of his Majesties Letters Privy Seale to the Warden of the Mint &ca. dated 16 Feb. Anno Reign 5°.