'To the Honourable Sir Isaac Newton Master and Worker of his Majestys Mint. The Petition of John Trapps Monyer' Unknown c. 440 words The Newton Project Oxford 2017 Newton Project, University of Oxford

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 c. 1700, c. 440 words.

Having recently completed his apprenticeship as both moneyer and smith, Trapps complains that the Company of Moneyers refuse to pay him more than labourer's wages of two shillings a day for smith's work, and further claim it is customary for new moneyers not to receive a share in the Company's profits for the first month after the end of their apprenticeship. According to C.E. Challis, 'Mint Officials and Moneyers of the Stuart Period', British Numismatic Journal 59 (1989), p. 157-197, Trapps had been employed by the Mint as a moneyer from 1692/3 to c. 1700 (p. 190). His name returns in the Mint Accounts for 1 January 1714/5 to 31 December 1715 where he is listed as a smith.

 MINT 19/1/217-18, National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UK UKSurreyKew, RichmondNational Archives MINT 19/1/217-18 c. 1700 England English Clerical Hand MintPersonnel and Administration Catalogue information compiled by Rob Iliffe, Peter Spargo & John Young Catalogue exported to teiHeader by Michael Hawkins Transcribed by Will Scott
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To the Honourable Sir Isaac Newton Master and Worker of His Majestys Mint.

The Petition of IJohn Trapps Monyer

Humbly Sheweth

That your Honours Petitioner was bound to the Company of Monyers for sever Years, and also to Richd. Broadbrooks Smith of the Mint, in order to obtain a compleat knowledge of and thorough Practice in those Arts.

Your Honours Petr:Petitioner serv'd out his time and faithfully discharg'd his Trust in both those Apprenticeships, therefore is surpris'd to find, that tho' he has undergon' a difficult servitude that of the Smith, he is not (tho' he should go on in that Work) to enjoy any more benefit then the other Monyers, who neither know nor do the least thing appertaining to that laborious Employ.

Your Honours Petr:Petitioner has been inform̄m'd, that those Persons who formerly officiated in his Business as Smiths, were Deputy Engineers to the Monyers, and had suitable sallarys given to them, there being a particular Assignment of Money in the Office for that Purpose; whereas Your Petr:Petitioner is allow'd two shillings ꝑper Diem only when he does Work, which is as little as the Laborers are allow'd by the Company tho' his fatigue much undoubtedly by believ'd to be considerably greater.

The Company are so severe to Your Honours Petr:Petitioner as to deny him the Advantages themselves enjoy, for they pretend, unjustly to deprive him of the first Months share of their Profits after he had serv'd out his time of seven Years, by pleading it a Custom; but Your Petr:Petitioner is humbly of Opinion, that, had there been no Work for them in that time, or had there not considerable Advantages accrued to the Company in that Months Work, Your Honrs.Honours Petr.Petitioner should not had this contention with the Company, nor been troublesome to Your Honour to right him in these Matters.

Your Honours Petr:Petitioner humbly hopes, that as he has undergone the fatigue of two Apprenticeships in his seven Years, the Company may not be allow'd to take advantage of his Youth, by imposing their own Terms on him; he wholly relys on Your Goodness for redress, Your Honour being the intire Master, and to whom alone it belongs to direct in these Affairs; should he fail in this his Expectation of being of being releiv'dreliev'd by Your Honr.Honour, he can expect but little Iustice from the Company, as appears by what with humble submission he has presum'd to trouble Your Honour with, in the foregoing part of his Petition.

Yr.Your Honrs.Honours Petr.Petitioner humbly prays to be releiv'dreliev'd in the Premises and as in Duty bound shall &c

The Petition of Ino. Trapps Monyer.