Summary history of Jones's proposals and Newton's response to them

<451r>

To the Rt Honble the Lords Commrs of his Matys Treary.

May it please yor Lordps

One Mr Iones last Spring gave in a Proposal at ye door of the Honble House of Commons to coyne copper money of the {illeg}finest copper cutting a pound weight into 24 pence & giving 6d to thereof to ye publick, & offering 2d two pence half penny to the Officers of the Mint to coyn the same, or else to that he would coine the same himlf {sic} in the Irish if he might have the use of the Irish Mint & of the coining tools used in the last coinage of irish money. {illeg}belonging to ye King that is, that is if I understand his Proposal that he would coynfind the copper make the samemake theit into blanks at 165d$\frac{\mathrm{1}}{\mathrm{2}}$ per Lwt & coyn the {illeg}same at 2$\frac{\mathrm{1}}{\mathrm{2}}$d more.

And Aafter {illeg}an Account of all the Proposals wch had been made for coyning of Copper money {illeg}& of what had been done thereupon had been delivered into ye House of Commons, they were pleased to add{illeg}ress the King that when his Maty shall think it necessary that more farthingds & half pence should be coyned, they be made of the finest British copper & as neare the intrinsic value as is possible, & that if any advantage is made thereby, it may be applied to the service of the publick.

TBy this vote the pound weight being reduced f

By this vote the tax of six pence upon the pound weight is rejectedre{illeg}ected & the pound weight accordingin tosin in ye proposal of Mr Iones the pound wt is to be cut into 18d.

If any Proposer or number of Pro V{illeg}ndertakerVndertaker person or persons will {illeg}make the blanks of the finest British copper (such as under the hammer when made hot will hammer thin without cracking) & cutting a pound weight into eighteen pence without crackingor within the Remedy of a penny more unlesss & pay the remedy to the King & & pay the pence half penny per Lwtto the Master & worker of the Mint for coyning the same balnks: & well keeping an account of the Remedy & give out to the Government the surplus above 18d per Lwt of any such surplus there is; it may be done & whenever the people be& {sic} take back such parcells of copper uncoyned as do not endure the assay or are not within the Remedy & so soon as the people are satisfied, will upon notice from the Ld H. Trearer or Lds Commrs of the Treary suspend[1] the coynage for threetwo or fourthre {sic} years; such an undertaking may be performedor untill more copper money be C{illeg}urrenting desired I am ready to do my part in such an undertaking provided it be in my power to refuse such copper as is cut into more then doth not [2] ensure the assaydithh not endure the Assay or is cut into more then 19d per Lwt or above or is not within the Remedy. {sic} wthout expecting above 2$\frac{\mathrm{1}}{\mathrm{2}}$d per lwt for the coynage & for taking care of the assays & payi keeping the Remedy [3] for the King.