Report on the Edinburgh Mint's financial difficulties
Much Honoured
Sir
When your Letter of the 4th, with my Lord High Treasurers warrant, to the Lords Commissioners of the Treasurie for payment of £892: 13: 4 Sterline to yourself Dr Gregorie and Mr Morgan came to this place, I hapned to be in the countrie fourty miles from this, about pressing business. Which I was verry much concerned at, But my friend att Edinbrugh, haveing by the order I left him, made open the Letter, went immediatly about the affair, and procured the Lords of Treasury their precept upon Mr Daniel Stuart to your order for £532: 13: 4 sterline being the money laid out by your self the copy whereof is inclosed, ane other precept to Dr Gregory for £300: and a third to Mr Morgan for £60. Mr Stuart himself being adieing I mett this day with his freind Mr Broun about the payment of the money, which on account of the uncertainty of Mr Stuarts Life I pressed, by desiring abill upon Sir David Nairn payable to you the Doctor and Mr Morgan for your severall summs upon dischargeing the precepts and your giving up the workmens vouchers, and I hade accordingly got it if Sir David Nairns freind hade been in town. <133v> But Mr Brown assoores me against nixt post I shall have it, so I have keept the precepts till then when I hope to send you the same with the bill upon Sir David, I gave the Clerk of the Treasury for your precept a guinea and as much for Mr Morgans being what is ordinary and to the under Clerks 9s: 6d, I shall be verry mindefull of the matter and you doe me a great deale of honour in giving me the least opportunity of acknowledgeing my self to be,
Much honoured Sir
Edinburgh March 27th. 1708
Your much obliged and
most obedient humble servant
W Drummond
<134v>For
Source
MINT 19/3/133-4, National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UK27 March 1708, c. 324 words.