The place of assay Master of his Majestys Mint becomeing vacant in Ianry 1712/ Catesby Oadham (who was bred a Refiner and had gain'd good experience in Assaying) being a candidate for the same, did by the direction of Mr Taylor of the TrearyTreasury aply to SrSir Isaac Newton to be try'd against any other candidate to whom SrSir Isaac answer'd we have reported Mr Bratle to be the fittest person without makeing any tryal tho Oadham is inform'd that about that time SrSir Isaac did confess to Mr Kemp who was then a competitor for the place that Mr Bratle cou'd not doe the business of an Assay Mr.Master without an Assistant

On the 8°. of April 1713 Mr Oadham was try'd against Mr Bratle before yethe officers of yethe mint who had before declared Bratle to be the fittest person, and afterwards made the same report tho they did allow Mr. Oadham to be a good Assay Mr.Master but Oadham setting forth the hardships and impositions of that tryal was by the direction of yethe late Ld.Lord treartreasurer Oxford tryd in the whole mistery of assaying under the inspection of the Earl of Yarmouth who amply certifyd his Quallifycations as apears by his anexed certificate to a petition which Mr Oadham presented to his Majesty who was graciously pleas'd to Order the Lds.Lords of the TrearyTreasury to Enquire into the Merits of yethe pretenders, and to doe Iustice accordingly by Mr Bratle, or SrSir Isaac Newton hearing of this Vtterance and being unwilling to stand the tryal obtain'd a Warrant for Mr Bratles having the patent before the petition, certificates, and utterence could be read in the trearytreasury

Mr Oadham hereupon Aplys to the Privy councol from whence his peticonpetition went, and is promisd that the LdLord president will call for the said peticonpetition the first general council day when the LdLord Hallifax will be present and that matter determind in council he therefore insists that no grant for such patent passes the privy seal til this Examination is over it being of the greatest concern to the credit of yethe Nation that this Employment be in ye.the hands of a thorougthorough quallifyd person and altho the Employment is in the fit of yethe LdsLords of the trearytreasury he is perswaded their LpsLordships will desire the tryal especially since SrSir Isaac Newton who recom̄mmends Bratle is excluded from such a recom̄mmendation by an Act of Parliament 2°. H. 6

besides Mr Oadham can bring unquestionable witnesses to prove Mr. Bratle's incapacity, and unfairness in Assaying