An order to investigate a dispute between the Master of the Mint [John Lonison] and the Warden [Richard Martin] concering the addition of alloy in melting

Quinto die Junij A.o Regnu Regine Elizabeth Decimo Septimo apud

Uppon the heringe of the controversies betwene John Lonyson mer of her maties mynte on the one site and Richard Martyn warden of the same mynte on thother site It is by us ordred & decreede that Thomas Eyerton mester Richard Royert Thomas helmye & Robert Aske Goldsmythes wth as commeth Precede as maye be shalbe charged and sworne to enquier whther in the tyme of any former mer of the mynt the warden of the mynte for the tyme beinge hathe ben present and priveye at and to the ratinge of the potte of bullion put downe to the meltinge wthin the tower of London and whether it hathe apperteined, and dother apperteine to the warden's office so to be And if they fynde that the warden for the tyme beinge hathe not ben so accustomed to doe that then forthewth the saide Richard Martin shall forbear to see the ratinge of the pott or to have to doe in the meltinge house otherwise then by takinge an ingott or Ingotte of tathe pott, to make Assaye as it is more appointed by the mes Indenture And further it is by us ordred that the saide Richard Martin shall forthewth deliuer to the saide John Lonyson the trewe coppys of the Articles wherein the saide Richard Martin pretendeth that the saide John Lonyson dothe thereby gaine v.C. pounde a yeare by his office and the saide Lonyson to make answer to the same And likewise that the saide John Lonyson shall deliuer to the saide Richard Martyn coppye of the Estimate of the same & charge of the saide Lonyson by his saide office And the saide Martyn likewise to answer to the same And thereuppon that the saide fower men shall examin as neere as they can the truthe of eache of the same matters & to textefye us what they fynde the truthe to be upon theme other concerninge the preisse that we maye the better procede to determyn the controversies betweene the saide Lonyson & Martyn. And that the moneyers & workers of her maties mynte be from tyme to tyme obediente unto the saide John Lonyson in all theire workinge and servises to be don in the saide mynte as it ought to be
                    N. Bacon.    W. Burghley.      T. Sussex                     R. Lecester.                                                   T. Smythe.