'The Original & History of the Wardens prosecuting Clippers & Coyners'

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The Original & History of the Wardens prosecuting Clippers & Coyners.

About twenty & five years since, Mr Tho. Doyley was made Clerk to Sir Anthony St Leger Warden of the Mint & soon after began to act in prosecuting clippers & falsefiers of the Kings coyn. The continued Clerk ten years, & Sir Tho. Wharton being made Warden (which was about 16 years ago) took Nath. Higginson for his Clerk, & had about two years after (when Mr Macy became his Clerk) a Privy seal granted for seizing tools & materials made use of by Clippers & Coyners which proved ineffectual because the things were of no value. A Quarter of a year after another Privy seal was therefore granted for the clippings & clipt money & personal estate after conviction, which last condition proved a hindrance to the Warden from seizing because they were more acquitted then convicted & for the generality they were poor people worth little or nothing. Whereupon after two renewals of this Privy seal (vizt in the beginning of King James & King William's reigns) the matter being referred to the Attorney General now Lord Keeper, he reported that the words [after conviction] should be omitted & a new Privy Seal made to impower the Warden to receive clippings &c whereever found.

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About 2 years ago one James Hunter (a person employed in the Mint) furnished John Morr & Robt Chapman with Dyes, marking engins & Cutter