Report on wardens since 1672 with commendation of Newton as the first not to treat the post as a sinecure

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To the Worpll. Isaac Newton Esqr. Warden of his Mats: Mint wthin ye. Tower of London.

Thomas Fowle one of the Clerkes of ye sd Mint humbly presents to your worp as follows

That since his coming to the Mint wch was about ye. 20th. of Iuly. 1672. Sr. Anthony St. Leger then Warden of the Mint came very seldom to the place and did not anythin of service more then to come and Ask how the Affaires of the Mint were and that was all & soe went his way.

After him one Sr. Thomas Wharton Knight of the Bath and his sonn phillip men of plentifull fortunes joyntly was Warden, who sometimes came to the Mint and asked a few Questions relating there unto and did some Business and to little or no more purpose then the former

Succeeded them did one Sr. phillip Floyd a very Ingenious Gentleman a Civilian by proffession, one of the Clerks of the Councill and one of the secretarys to the then Earle of Danby Lord high Treasurer of England, who as Warden) {sic} Assisted the Officers of the Mint in sevll: Affaires proper for the Wardens to the Lords of the Treasury who succeeded the sd Earle of Danby and continued soe for ye. space of a twelve month & then dyed.

Next to him came one Doctor Owen Wynn

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A learned Civilian and Cheife {sic} Secretary to the Earle of Sunderland whose Attendance was frequently and Diligent and very servicable in his station & not long after his present Majts. Accession to the Crown relinquished his Employmt.

His successor was one Benjae Overton Esqr. who came from beyond sea wth. his Maty: as was reported, who came sometimes to the Mint & did some business now and then in a Transitory Manner and then went his way, who having his Mats. favour was made a Comissioner of the Customes and too left his Wardens place here.

And now at present yourself in the Office of Warden, wch. if I may be sode bold to say and wch. submission I question not but wee shall find you fair to Exceed the rest for the good & priviledges of the Mint more then all your predecessors.

It is further humbly shewn unto you that in the time of Sr. Anthony St leger (the first Warden of the Mint since my being here) made his Sonn Anthony St. Leger Esqr. who was Ensigne to Sr. Ino Robinson his Deputy and there being some who did worker or belong to the Mint Emprisoned for Debt and that wthin ye power of Sr. Ino: Robinson Application <22r> was made to this Ensigne St. leger and Deputy to the then Warden his father) {sic} for preserving the priviledges of the Mint) {sic} and to sett him at liberty; wth sd Ensigne St. Ledger and Deputy Warden went to St. Ino Robinson his Capt and Leuitenant {sic} of the Tower and demanded the prisoners Liberty, who reused to grant it whereupon the sd St. Leger told Sr. Ino. Robinson that he had nothing to doe wth. any thing that belonged to the Mint of that nature and would have him out whether he would or no and soe by Virtue of his power as Deputy Warden and priviledges of the Mint sett him at liberty

From whom ye. said Fowle had this particularly it being soe long since) {sic} has forgot. but is sure he had it from such a hand that Credit may be given to it

Iames Hoare Esqr. late Comptr: of the Mint deced. was a very Indirious man, and tho but of few wordes would appeare very much for the priviledges of the Mint, being sometimes free in discourse wth. the sd Fowle ( {sic}would often be talking to him concerning the priviledges of the Mint & upon an Occasion told the said Fowle what papers between King Charles the second and Sr. Ino: Robinson saying Sr. Iohn you have nothing to doe wth. the <22v> Mint altho it be wthin the Tower between the beating of the Travally in ye. Morning & ye Taptoo at Night, which said Relation the sd Fowle had from the sd Comptrs: own mouth or nere to this Effect.

Henry Slingsby Esqr deced late Mar. and Worker of the said Mint a man of great parts & understanding would not admitt the priviledges of the Mint in the least to be infringed or Warders to come wthin ye.Mint by Virtue of their places to doe as they doe now but would & did in a civil way permit them to come sometimes but not otherwise as aforesaid

Sr Thomas Wharton (Sr Anthony St. leger's successor) upon application made to him by a Creditr of Mr. Dallows for that purpose gave leave to ye sd. Creditor to Arrest him wth.out ever asking or taking to his advise therein any of the Officers of the Mint, which he ought to have done according to the Constitution and Customes of the same, who lay in prison wthin the Tower by the space of three weekes. this the sd Wharton did by Virtue of his power as Warden, which by the then Officers of the Mint (espetially by the Comptr.) was <23r> lookt upon as a rash and Inconsiderate Act of his lenging much to the Weakning the priviledges of the Mint

The said Fowle coming late one Night to the Tower having been upon ye Comptrs business) {sic} was Arrested and carried to the poulty counter, and being unwilling it should be known lay there that and the Night following and acquainted the Comptr. therewth. who thereupon sent for the party aforesd and asked him how he durst venture to arrest me that was soe much Concern'd in the Mint wthout first asking the Officers of the Mint leave, what other wordes passed between them the said Fowle knoweth not, but soe much he had from ye. parties own mouth, and further Found by his own relation that if he brought me not presently to the Comptr. he should stay and beare me Company, whereupon the aforesd part was mighty earnest to gett me out and if I mistake not came along wth. me to the Comptroller whereupon all things were presently after settled