Copies of two broadly similar petitions requesting a hereditary post in the Mint at £1,000 p.a. in perpetuity in exchange for revealing his new coining method

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To the King's most Excellent Majesty in Council

The Petition of John Rotherham of Barnet in Hartforshire Gentleman.

Most Humbly Sheweth

That on the 2d Iuly 1725 Your Petitioner presented to Your most sacred Majestie a Petition humbly setting forth That Your Petitioner had long considered the many Inconveniencyes which arise from Counterfeiting the Currant Coin of the Kingdom & It wou'd very much conduce to the Honour & Interest of Your Sacred Majesty & your Realms if the pernicious practice were prevented

For the affecting whereof Your Petitioner has with much study pains & long Experience in the Nature of Metals found out an effectuall Methods &to put the same in Execution he is ready to propose a sufficient Fund or Fund to support the Charge without affecting Land or Trade.

Your Petitioner Therefore most humbly prays that his said Petition may be Read in Council, & that Your most Sacred Majestie will be graciously pleas'd to Constitute him Controuler or Inspector of the Dyes, That Post being necessary for Executing and Preserving his Sector, your Petitioner humbly Hopes will not be deny'd him As also to settle One Thousand pounds per Annum on him & his Heirs for ever Vpon Condition he performs what he proposes to make full proof of. And he most humbly Prayes That the Controuler, Master Worker, Master Melter, & Master Engraver of Your Majestys Mint Office may be also present to make what Objections may Accrew to them which he undertakes to Answer. Or that Your Petitioner may have Your Majestys leave to go with his Secret to any Forreign Country.

And Your Petitioner shall every pray &c

A true Copy — Temple Stanyon

To the King's most Excellent Majesty in Council

The Petition of John Rotherham of Barnet of Hertford Shire Gent.

Most humbly Sheweth

That Your Petitioner has long consider'd the many Inconvenciencyes which arise from the Currant Coin of the Kingdom being Counterfeited, & that it wou'd very much conduce to that Honour & Interest of Your Sacred Majestie & Your Realms if the Counterfeiting thereof was prevented.

For the Effecting of which Your Petitioner hath with much pains study & long Experience in the Nature of Metalls found out an Effectual Method whereby also to render the Currant Coin far more durable than now it is.

For all Goldsmiths Iewellers & other Workers in Gold by reason of such Duty on all their ready made Goods will be apt to keep less Stock or Quantity of Wrought Gold & Silver by them, than they us'd to do which will occasion the Merchant Importing Gold or Silver to send most of it to the Mint to be Coin'd rather then want a quick return, & so will by that means Increase Our Coin, & that fair Dealers if they rightly manage the Working part will make greater Advantage in Trade then before — Besides if all Goldsmiths Iewellers & Workers in Gold had a penalty laid on them who would work Gold of less Value than 4li. per Ounce, or Iewellers the 3li 15s as well as on such who work Silver of less Value than sterling, It wou'd not only advance the Royall Revenue, but prevent very great Impositions on the Subjects as well as be a means to keep our Gold & Silver at Home, And the Benefit to the Publick will be proportionable to the Wrought Silver, & weight falls short of the Expence for Coinage, he has an additionall Funds ready to Supply the Same, & if not large enough another that will raise Ten Millions in one Year without Charging the Land or Barshening the Publick Trade Excise Customes &c.

Your Petitioner Therefore humbly prays Your Sacred Majesty wou'd be graciously pleas'd to referr the Examination of the several Makers herein before set forth in Order to the leaving an Act of Parliament in such manner as Your Majesty in Your great Wisdom shall think fitt. And that if the same be found absolutely necessary & of Great Vse and Advantage & also a great Honour for Your Majesty & Your Kingdoms Your Petitioner may have suitable Encourgment and a Reward as desir'd in his former petition Conditionally if he performs the same; Or else Your Majestys leave to go with his Secret to any Forreign Country

And Your Petitioner shall ever Pray &c

A true Copy Temple Stanyan