Response to the clerks' petition for a pay increase [presumably MINT00029 (Mint 19/2/498)]

<499r>

To the Right Honourable the Lords Commissioners of his Majestys Treasury, a Report of the Officer of the Mint in the Tower.

May it please Your Lordshipps

In obedience to Your Lordshipps Order of Reference of the 6th. of Octobr. last, Wee have considerd the annexed Petition: and humbly represent to Your Lordshipps, that the Wardens 2 Clerks, the Masters 3 Clerks, the Comptrolers Clerk, and the Clerk to the King's chief Clerk have but 40Ls per Annum salary each, without any fees or perquisites whatever, which Wee humbly conceive to be insufficient for their maintenance.

Wee also beg leave further to represent to Your Lordshipps that diverse Ledgers, & other books must be transcrib'd; which, with the ordinary business of the Mint, will require severall years to complete them And that the Assay-masters Clerk has but 20Ls. per Annum and the Surveyor's Clerk but 10Ls. per Annum altho' the latter has a new duty impos'd upon him, to attend the sinking of the dies, & to keep an Account thereof; yet has no consideration for that service.

Wee are therefore humbly of opinion that the Clerks to the Assay-master, & Surveyor of the meltings may very well deserve an Augmentation of 10Ls per Annum And the abovementioned Clerks an Augmentation of 20Ls per Annum each, to their present salaries; their attendance at the Mint being incompatible with any other business; and there being to our certain knowledge, great diligence & care requird of them, & no manner of proffitts or perquisites besides the bare salaries.

All which is most humbly submitted to Your Lordshipps.

Tower Mint Office
   6th. decembr. 1698°.