Two holograph drafts, written as from the Goldsmiths' Company and bullion suppliers, complaining of the excessive fineness of the 1707 trial plate Isaac Newton c. 692 words The Newton Project Oxford 2017 Newton Project, University of Oxford

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 After 21 August 1710, c. 692 words.

[See Westfall, 611-12. This report seems never to have been submitted, but Newton did finally succeed in restoring the use of the pre-1707 trial plates in his indenture of 1718.]

Followed by a holograph draft fragment of MINT00173 (Mint 19/1/109).

 MINT 19/1/278, National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UK UKSurreyKew, RichmondNational Archives MINT 19/1/278 After 21 August 1710 England English Holograph MintPyx Trials and Analyses of British Coinage Catalogue information compiled by Rob Iliffe, Peter Spargo & John Young Catalogue exported to teiHeader by Michael Hawkins Transcribed by Will Scott
278

To the Rt most HonbleHonourable the Earl of Oxford & E.Earl Mortimer LdLord H.High TrearerTreasurer of G.B.Great Britain

The humb Petition of several Merchants & Goldsmiths underwritten in behalf otfhe themselves & other importers of Bullion into her MajtsMajestys Mint, most humbly sheweth

May it please yoryour LordpLordship

The trial piece of Gold b made in the year 161707 being at yethe last trial of the Pix found too fine by the Assay, We whose names are underwritten being apprehensive that the moneys of Gold in conformity to the said Trial piece may be coined too fine to the detriment of the Merchant most humbly pray yoryour LordpLordship that if at the present trial of the Pix any difference shall be found between the trial piece & the assay & the fineness of the trial piece by wchwhich the money is tried, the trial piece of either G.Gold or S.Silver by wchwhich the money shall be now tried doth not answer to yethe assay, either the difference may be allowed in coining & trying the moneys of gold & silver by yethe same trial piece for the future, or else that a new Trial piece may be made to the end that the moneys may be standards as well by the assay as by the trial piece as to yethe trialagreeable to stand the assay to the end that the coinage may agree as the Assayas with as well wthwith the assay as wthwith the Trial piece

To the most HonbleHonourable the Earl of Oxford & Earl Mortimer Lord H.High Tr.Treasurer of great Britain

May it please yoryour LordpLordship

The Petition of the Merchants & Goldsmiths underwritten in behalf of themselves & other Importers of Bullion into her MatysMajestys Mint, most humbly sheweth.

That The Trial-piece of Gold made in the year 1707 being at the last trial of the Pix found too fine by the Assay, with whose names [are underwritten being Merchants & Goldsmiths who importing Bullion into her MatsMajestys Mint, &]& that yoryour Petitioners being apprehensive that the moneys of Gold in conformity to yethe said Trial piece may have been coined too fine to the detriment of the Merchant, YorYour Petitioners most humbly pray yoryour LordpLordship [in behalf of orour selves & other Importers,] that if at the present trial of the Pix the trial piece of either Gold by wchwhich the Gold moneys shall be now tried doth not answer to yethe assay, the difference may be stated & allowed for in coining the moneys by the same Trial piece for the future: or else that a new Trial piece may be made agreeable to yethe assay, to the end that the coinage of Gold may agree as well with the assay as with the Trial piece, the Assay being the rule by wchwhich gold & silver is valued amongst Merchants & Importers of Bullion.

And yoryour Petitioners shall ever pray &c.

Thence also it might happen that at the making of the two last setts of Trial-pieces the Assayer might not report the fine gold so fine as it really was.

At the East Trial of the Pix the gold moneys wereas standard full by the Assay & the Trial piece a quarter of a grain better then standard & the moneys & yet the Iury in their Veredict represented the Trial piece standard & the gold a quarter of a grain worse then standard the money a quarter of a grain worse the standard & money the Trial piece standard By This Trial piece was made 1702 without the Queens order A.C. 16707, & by my assays this tr very carefully made this trial piece it is five twelfts of a grain better then standard, that of 1688 is a sixt part of a grain better then standard & that of 1660 is standard.

T. Buckingham. Chester. Lestwithiel. Bossiney. Beralstone. Gloucestershire. London. Monmothshire Great Yarmouth. Higham Ferrars & Banbury. Dunwich. Orford. Eye. Horsham. Lewis. Heytesbury. Ludgershall. Malton. Alborough. Rye. Winchelsea.

Alborough. Beralstone. Bossiney. Buckingham. Banbury. Chester. Dunwich. Eye. Glocestersh. High Ferrars Heytesbury. Horsham. London. Ludgeshal. Lestwithiel. Lewis. Malton. Monmothsh. Orford. Rye. Winchelsea. Great Yarmouth.