Various articles out of the Red Book of the Exchequer establishing that the Warden of the Mint does not oversee the Master
Intitled oute of the redde booke to proue that by the contente thereof the wardens were not to ouerse the mrs meltinge
The redde booke | |
pag. 6. Artic. 19. | What soeuer is refeined for thexchange of any pounde beyonde that wch sholde be refeined of the bullion were of sufficient allaye all that is to be deliuered to the mr to amende the same allaye |
The Exposition | |
By this Article the mr only is to amende theallaye wch cannot be don wthowte meltinge and no mention is made of the wardens ouersight therin whereby it appereth that the warden is neither to see the amendement of thallaye nor the meltinge thereof | |
The Redde booke | |
pag. 8. Artic. 22. | And this clippinge or cuttinge of the money is to be don at the mrs com̄andemente by certaine workemen appointed for the moneyes by whome it is also prepared by meltinge and workinge and by disposinge the same into plates as is expediente &c |
The Expositon | |
By this Article the mr only is to appointe certaine workemen for the clippinge cuttinge & makinge of the moneyes by whome the remeltinge workinge and disposinge therof is to be done at the mrs com̄andement and no ouersight at all appointed to the warden therin | |
The Redde booke | |
pag. 9. Artic. 23. | Incidently it is to be knowen that two officers are necessary in euery mynte that is to saye thoffice of the mr of the moneyes and thoffice of the warden or key of the same / To the mr of the moneyes belongeth the knowledge of bullion and silver and the buyinge & allayinge of the same & all maner dispositon of the moneys & also the gouernance rule restremete & direction of the workers & moneyers in those things wch in thexecution of the same office are required of no man maye they be more conveniently ruled and restremed of him / To the warden or key of the moneys belongeth the coininge and knowldge of assayinge and tryinge of all other things wherby the suffityentye of the moneys maye be tryed and knowen and yf the warden be ignorante therof let him haue some one in his place meete for this purpose &c And after coynage fynished he is also bounde to keepe the same moneyes wth all dilligence and that they be not carried or conveyed oute of his custody by any meanes untill by due and convenient truall they shalbe deemed &c |
The mr and wardens office distinguished | The Exposititon |
By this Article the distinction & direction of the mrs & wardens office is suffityently explained wherby it appereth that thallayinge of the bullion received by the mr wch cannot be wthowte meltinge and all maner of disposition of the moneyes is only belonginge to the mrs office & therfore nedeth no further exposition | |
The Redde booke | |
pag. 9. Artic. 23 | Thassayers to deliuer the moneyes when it is founde meete and beinge not meete or tonenable to reprove it & sende it again to the meltinge house to be amended at the mrs charge and yf neede require to be remolten & newe made |
pag. 10. Artic. 24. | But yf the problems be greate as yf it differ much from moneys deliureable then yf it cannot otherwuse be amended if shalbe molten as moneys refused and at the cost of the mr of the same moneys it shalbe coyned & wholy amended |
pag. 11. Artic. 25. | But yf the defaults be verry greate as yf it differ muche from moneys delivreable then the same moneys shalbe molten when it cannot be otherwise amended / And at the coste of the same mr of the moneys it shalbe coyned & wholy amended |
The Expositon | |
By these thre Articles the moneyes defective are to be remolten and amended at the mrs charge only wch proueth the mrs authoritye and charge in the meltinge wherin the warden sholde specially haue had the ouersight yf by his office he sholde haue had any ouersight of the mrs meltinge at all | |
The Redde booke | |
pag. 18. Artic. 49. | And by the Same mēt that the changer receiveth sholde moneyes in thexhange by the same mēt he shall deliuer it to the moneyers to be molten / And yf the changer shall buye any grose siluer he maye take {illeg} of euery pound &c and shall deliuer the same grosse siluer to the moneyers by the same mēt that be bought it to be molten &c |
The Expositon | |
By this Article the changer was to deliuer bothe the olde moneys & the grosse siluer to ye mr to be molten but there is no menton made of any gaine to growe to the kinge or ouersight to the warden of that meltinge | |
The Redde booke | |
pag. 18. Artic. 49. | And yf thexchanger shall buye any grosse siluer wch is not fyne by his estemaion and the moneyers will not receive the same siluer by estemaion the changer shall make the same siluer fyne by the fyer viz melte it so that yf any gaine shall growe therby it shalbe the kinge & Earles |
The Expositon | |
Which worde doe Explaine of what meltinge the kinge was to receive profitt viz only for thexchange es meltinges / But that the kinge had any gaine or the warden any ouersight of the mrs meltinge there is no menton made in all the redde booke wherin the mrs meltinge beinge so many tymes spoken of and the wardens ouersight neuer mentoned it is an evidente profe that the warden was not accustomed to ouerse the mrs meltinge/ |
And thus much to proue by the redde booke that the warden hathe not ben accustomed to haue ouersight of the mrs meltinge/
Source
MINT 19/1/32-33, National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UKlate 1575, c. 952 words.