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

May it please yoryour LordpLordship

The late Smith of the Mint Mr Tho. Silvester supporting himself against me & the other Officers of the Mint by his interest with the Officers of Ordnance whose Smith he also was: to prevent the like treatment for the future by a servant, the salary of fifty pounds per anannum to the Smith was in the two last Indentures of the Mint declared to cease upon the next voydance of the place, with intention to settle a smaller sallary only by Warrant. The place became voyd about two years ago, & one Richard Fletcher who formerly did the work for the coynage under Mr Silvester, hath ever since continued to do the same work, & for his service under me I have paid him out of my own allowance for coynage (according to ancient agreement) one penny per pound weight of all the gold & one farthing per pound weight of all the silver coined. But he complains very much that without a salary he is not able to carry on the service. The Smith in her MatsMajestys Mint at Edinburgh being allowed a salary of thirty pounds per anannum, I humbly pray yoryour LordpLordship that I may be impowered by a Warrant under her MatsMajestys signe manual to pay the Smith here for the time being a salary of thirty or forty pounds per anannum instead of the fifty which is taken away, & that this salary may commence from Christmas last.

All which is most humbly submitted to yoryour LordpsLordships

great wisdome

Is. Newton