Copy of letter concerning the petition and bill of Thomas Birdikin

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To the Right Honourable the Lords Commissioners of His Majestys Treasury

May it Please Your Lordships

Pursuant to your Lordships Order of Reference of the 16 December We have Examined the Petition and Bill of Mr. Thos.Birdikin Deputy Warden of His Majestys Mint at Exeter which is hereunto annexed and as to the first Article of the Bill wherein He prays the allowance of 22: 10. for lodging two years and a Quarter we humbly represent that the Officers of the Country Mints were allowed Lodgings in the Mints so far as there was Room for them but where there wanted Room the Officers provided Lodgings for themselves in other places without being hitherto allowed any thing by the King for the same.

The second Article where he prays allowance of 30£ for the Quarters salary from Midsummer to Michaelmas 1698. we humbly conceive to be reasonable because He and the Kings Clerk after the other Officers were dismissed staid at Exeter with the Deputy Master to assist him in Coining some Moneys after Midsummer & to take care of makeing up some of the Kings Sweep of the first melting & principally to Quiet the Importers some of which were not paid off till Michaelmass.

As to the third Article where he prays 46£ allowance for his pains in attending above 131 days in the melting house above 20 hours each melting & for his Expences in Encouraging the Workmen & Charges in Letters about the Mint Business: We find that when the Melter of that Mint demanded an allowance for the Wast in the first melting of the Hammered Money which the Petitioner believed too much, the Petitioner undertook to oversee the melting of about 11400lwt. of silver and took the sweep into his owne Custody for the King & took care to see it made up giving a Constant attendance that Tricks might not be playd to Increase the Waste of the Meltings or diminish the Profitt of the Sweep. And this Attendance he gave at the Meltings twice a weeke & some times thrice a Weeke about 20 hours a day for above a year And by this his Care and Diligence he saved 220£ to the King out of the allowance which would otherwise have been made to the melter for the same. For this service therefore considering it was above his Duty & for his charge in Encouraging the Workmen during this service & for the Charge of Letters during the whole Business of that Mint, We humbly Conceive this Article of the Petition to be reasonable.

All which is most humbly submitted to your Lordships great Wisdom

I: Stanley

Is: Newton

Mint Office
Ian: 22: 17$\frac{\mathrm{00}}{\mathrm{01.}}$