Draft of MINT00055(a) (Mint 19/1/411-2)

<407r>

In the Indentures of the Mint made Anno 37 Edw 3. An. 46 Ed 3 An 1 Hen 6 An 11 Edw 4 An 1 Rich III. An 24 Hen 8 An 1 Edw 6 An 2 Edw 6 An. 1 Mariæ I mention is made that the Master & Worker hath found sureties before the King that upon pain thereof he shall make gree to the Merchant. And in the first five Indentures the sum & the sureties are named, in the 4 last they are not named. The summ named is usually 500li.

In the Indenture made An 2 Eliz mention is made that the Vnder Treasurer of the Mint hath found sureties before the Queen in Chancery in 1000li that upon pain thereof he shall make gree to the Queen & to the Merchant.

In the Indenture made An 3 Eliz it is said that the Master & Worker hath bound himself in 500li & found sureties in other 500li to make gree to the to the Queen & to the Merchants. The Queen is joynd with the Merchant because she recoynd the money.

In the Indentures made Anno 14 Eliz An 2 Iacobi I, An 3 Iacobi I An An 10 Iacobi I, An 2 Car. I, An 12 Car II An 14 Car II? An 22 Car II. An 36 Car II? mention is made that the Master & Worker hath found sureties in the summ of 2000 that upon pain thereof he shall make Gree to the Queen or King & to the Merchants.

In the Indentures made An     Iac II & An 1 Gul. III to Mr Neale Gentleman who was in debt & of a prodigal temper & by irregular practises insinuated himself into the Office instead of the clause abovementioned there is a covneant that the Master shall find such Burrows & Sureties in their Majestys Court of Exchequer in such summ as the Commissioners of the Treasury or High Treasurer of England for the time being shall approve of that upon pain thereof he shall make gree to their Majestys & to the Merchants, & after the passing of the 1st Indenture he found sureties in 15000li but after the passing of the second he found none.

Q 1 Ought not the Master of the Mint upon his beginning to receive the Merchants Gold & Silver & the Queens money or Bullion to find Sureties that he shall make gree to the Queen & to the Merchant of what he shall receive tho the Indenture of the Mint be not yet sealed.

Q 3 Ought the Master & Worker to find sureties to Observe such covenants of the Indenture as do not create an Account in money there being other punishments proper for the breaches of such Covenants & an Oath for the Observance of them, & no mention in any Indenture of finding such sureties.

Q 4 Is it a reasonable Oath that the Master shall find such Sureties & such summ as another shall approve of.

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Q. 2 For making sure that the Master doth find such sureties is it not fit to mention in the Indenture that the Master hath found sureties, so that an Indenture may not be sealed to him till he hath found them.

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