Copy of letter concerning the memoriall of W. Shepard, N. Shepard and G. Freeman, and their proposal to coin tin

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To the Right Honourable the Lord High Treasurer of England

May it Please your Lordship

In Obedience to Your Lordships Order of Reference of the 15 March last upon the Memorial of Mr Willm. Shepard Mr. N Shepard & Mr. George Freeman, wherein they desire to have a patent for Coining 40 or fifty Tunns per Annum of Copper half pence or farthings, for the space of eight or ten years, of equall weight and fineness with those now Currant as also your Lordships Order of Reference of the 22d. March last upon the Petition of the Provost and Monyers of the Mint, wherein they pray for a License to coine 30 tuns of Copper money a year of the same value, under the direction of Officers of the Mint, and under such Restrictions as your Lordship shall think fitt to relieve them under the great straits they are in for want of Employment in the Mint, they being allowed no Sallarys

Wee humbly take leave to remind your Lordship of a Report we made the 1st. of Iuly last upon a Petition of Mr. Abell Slaney to Coin half pence and farthings, wherein wee acquainted Your Lordship that the Coinages of Copper money in the Reigns of K Cha: 2d. K James 2d. and in the beginning of the Reign of the late King and Queen had been carried on at the Charge of the Crowne, under the care and Direction of the Principal officers of the Mint, who kept due Entrys thereof in Books, and the whole profit and Advantage was accounted upon Oath to the Crown, which we then thought the best and safest Method to be followed

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Wee have not heard any Reasons since to Alter our Opinions, and therefore humbly propose to your Lordship, that whenever Her Majesty shall think fitt to order Copper mony to be Coined that it may be performed as near as may be according to the method of the Mint, that the Master Worker of the Mint may have Money Imprest to him to buy Copper to be Coined into half pence and farthings under the same Cheques that are Observed for the Coinage of Gold and Silver and to be Coined by Small Quantitys sufficient only to answer the demands of persons, without danger of complaints by overstocking the Nation out of the clear profitts whereof Her Majesty may have it in her power either to relieve the wants of the Monyers of the Mint many of whom we must informe Your Lordship are in a Starving Condition, or to gratify any other persons

All which is humbly Submitted to your Lordships great Wisdom.

I Stanley

Is Newton

In Ellis

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