Holograph draft and partial draft of MINT00863 (Mint 19/1/468)

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May it please your Lordship.

In obedience to your Lordships Order of Reference upon the Bills of Mr Robt Weddel for prosecuting coyners during the space of 19 months ending last Christmas was a twelve month, & upon the memorial of Warden of the Mint concerning the same: We have considered the services alledged to be done & examined the reasonableness of the said Bills, & humbly represent to your Lordships that the services so far as we can find were done, & allowing to Mr Weddel for travelling charges 6d per mile, 2s per Post-stage & 15s per day abroad, (as was allowed by the late Lord Treasurer & by the late Lords Commissioners of the Treasury) & to the men who assisted him in apprehending & prosecuting criminals 6s 6d per day for each man & horse during their journeys: the bill amounts to 32[1]0.li. 0[2]s. 0[3] which we think reasonable, besides such incident charges as admitt of no vouchers.

These incident charges are fees of Council & Court charges upon trials of persons accused (vizt for indictments, swearing witnesses, attending with records &c) amounting to about 62li. 10s. & allowance of meat & drink to witnesses during their attendance on the prosecutions, & pocket expences in apprehending & examining people accused & in attending on Iudges & Iustices of the peace & paying for their Warrants & for stationary ware & post Letters: all which amount further to about 68. 3. 8. And considering that Mr Weddel has advanced about one half of the money set down in his bill out of his own pocket without interest for carrying on the prosecutions & was a very good prosecutor & that the charges of receiving the money due upon the bill are not set down in the Bill: & that if Prosecutors be discouraged they may be induced to pay themselves by taking money of criminals to let them escape: We are humbly of opinion that the Bill amounting in the whole to 467li. 15s. 2d be allowed.

All which &c

the travelling charges will amount unto 186li. 12s. 6d which with Mr Weddels salary, a Bill of Mr Fords, the fees of receiving the money allowed upon the last account, & the charges of a law suit with a Coyner, make um the summ of 337l. 1s. 6d which we humbly think reasonable to be allowed.

That there are other charges which admit of not vouchers or examinations whereof the fees of Council & other Court fees & charges upon the trials of persons (vizt for Indictments, swearing of witnesses, attending with Records &c) amount unto about 62li. 10s. 0d. And these charges being necessary, we are humbly of opinion that the Prosecutors Account of them (where nothings appears fals or unreasonable) should be accepted. And the maintenance of witnesses during their attendance or Courts of justice, & pocket expences in apprehending & & examining people accused & in attending or Iudges & Iustices of the peace & paying for their warrants & for stationary ware & Post letters amount further unto about 68li. 3s. 8d.

But considering that about one half of the money set down in Mr Weddels bill hath been advanced out of his own pocket without interest for carrying on the prosecutions & that the charges of receiving the money due upon the Bill are not set down in the bill both which may amount to above 40li., & that Mr Weddel was a very good prosecutor & if Prosecutors be discouraged they may be induced to pay themselves by taking money for favouring or protesting coyners: We are