Copy of letter validating the bills for graving of Henry Harris

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To the Right Honourable the Lords Commissioners of His Majestys Treasury

May it please Your Lordships

In Obedience to Your Lordships Order of Reference of the 17 Iuly 1700 Signifyed to Vs by Mr. Lowndes, We have Examined Mr. Harris Bill for Graving Seales for His Majestys Service and do find that as to the first Article of His Bills amounting to 1266: 01: 07 He had Warrants from his Majesty to provide all those Seales which he has set downe for His Majestys own use, for Ireland, for the plantations, for the Courts of Westminster, and for the Secretarys of State. That the Seales provided for the late Queen were by Directions from Her Secretary for which he produced his Receipts and that those for the Dutch Secretary were by Warrants from his Majesty. For the Signet and press for Sir Robert Southwell Valued at 18£ he produced his Receipt. As to the following particulars viz One Signet and Stampe for the Dutch Secretary valued at 12£. 10s, a Seale for the Queen at 2£, a Steel press for the Broad Seale of Maryland of 10£ and a Signet for the Queens Secretary of 10£. Mr. Harris had no Warrants or Receipts to produce, but shewed us the Impression of all but the last, and also Voluntarily made Oath before Vs that all but the last were provided and delivered which Oath we have hereunto Annexed. As to the following Articles in his Bill Mr. Harris produced a Certificate under the hand of Mr Pople Secretary to the Lords Commissioners of the Council of Trade that the Seals set downe for the plantations were ordered by their Lordships and Accordingly delivered. For the articles of a Braad Seale for the Exchequer, for altering two Signets in Steel and for five lesser, also for a large Signet and a small one for the Lords Iustices, he produced Warrants from the Lords Iustices. For the Broad Seale of Ireland, he shewed a Warrant from the Lords of the Treasury. For a large Steel Seale for the Lord Ambassador Harbord He only produced the Impression on Wax and made Oath of the Delivery and alledges that Mr. Harbord being in haste to go on his Embassy he had not time to obtaine a Warrant. For two Seals in Steel for the Dutch Secretary he produced a Certificate from Mr Van Huls then acting in that post that they were accordingly delivered, For altering the Broad Seale and Signet for the Garter, He shewed his Majestys Warrant. For the Seal in Steel for the Exchequer notes he referes to the notes on which tis still used, For the nine stamps for his Majestys Book he produced a Certificate from Monsr Dallone, who has the Care of the Kings private Library. For the silver Seale for the Lord Chancellour porter valued at 2£, and for a Signet in Steel for the Dutch Secretary valued at 4£ Mr. Harris only made Oath that they were delivered.

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Vpon the whole Mr. Harris produced either Warrants or Receipts for all the Seals set downe in his Bill except in the particulars above mentioned for which he produced the Impressions on Wax an made Oath of the Delivery except in the Article of a Signet for the Queens Secretary valued at 10£ for the delivery of which he could not make Oath. As for the Quantity of Ounces of Silver made use of for the Several Seals set down in his Bills we are not capable of making any judgment since the Seals cannot now be produced and therefore have annexed Mr. Harris's Oath to that particular. It appeared likewise that the reasons why there was occasions for so many Seals in so short a time were, because several of them were immediately provided upon their Majestys being declared King and Queen of England which were to be altered upon their Accession to the Crowne of Scotland and were all to be Changed upon the Queens death

As to the prices set downe in the Bills for the said Seals we can make no Iudgment, for as much as there are no former Bills of the like Nature remaining now in the Mint but if formerly there were any they have been Carried away with Several other Books and papers belonging to the Mint and therefore We can only represent to Your Lordships upon this Head that Mr. Harris affirms he has set down no other prices then what were allways allowed Him in King Charles the 2d Reign.

As to the Fund out of which Mr. Harris's Bill may properly be paid we are humbly of opinion that the Coynage Duty is so appropriated by Act of parliament that no part of it can be applied to such uses but we take leave to Submit it to Your Lordships great Wisdom whether it may not be paid out of the money formerly premeditated to Mr. Neale, for the service of the Mint, by an Order of Your Lordships to the Auditors of the Imprests to Allowe it in Mr. Neales Accompt

All which is humbly submitted to your Lordships great Wisdom

I: Stanley

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Is: Newton