Correspondence between Newton and James Mountague [Queen's Counsel] regarding the Edinburgh Mint's finances Isaac Newton James Mountague c. 309 words The Newton Project Oxford 2017 Newton Project, University of Oxford

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 November - December 1708, c. 309 words.

(a) [c. November 1708.] Newton to Mountague. Holograph original. Summary of the financial arrangements of the Edinburgh Mint, with two queries as to whether the commissioners can be paid out of pre-Union Scottish coinage duty, and who should give authority for such payment.

(b) 7 December 1708. Mountague to Newton (in Mountague's hand). The commissioners' fees should be met from the Equivalent, not coinage duty; the amount payable should be determined by the Treasurer, and authority for the release of this sum given by the Commissioners for the Equivalent..

 MINT 19/3/8, National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UK UKSurreyKew, RichmondNational Archives MINT 19/3/8 November - December 1708 England English Holograph Unknown Hand MintEdinburgh Mint Catalogue information compiled by Rob Iliffe, Peter Spargo & John Young Catalogue exported to teiHeader by Michael Hawkins Transcribed by Will Scott

The Importer delivers bullion in Ingots by weight & assay to the Master of Her Majesties Mint to be coined, and if it be not in Ingots he reduces it into into Ingots at his own charge before the Master can receive it by weight & assay upon his Note, & the charge of coinage is then born out of the coinage Duty. The money of Scotland is delivered by the people to the Bank of Scotland & by the Bank to three Commissioners who tell it, see it melted into Ingots, & deliver the Ingots by weight & assay to the Master of that Mint to be coined, & then certify the deficiency, & the Bank is paid out of the Equivalent for their service.

Quære 1. May the three Commissioners be paid for their service, out of the Coinage Duty of that Mint collected before the Vnion, or what is the proper Fund out of wchwhich they are to be paid?

Answ:Answer: I am of opinion these 3 ComissersCommissioners Can not Demand any thing for their service out of yethe Coynage Duty, because they are Employd as trustees for yethe people; Who bring their money to be melted to take an account of yethe tale of the ould money, And to see it melted; Which being done antecedent to the Delivery to yethe officers of yethe mint Cant be on the Coynage Duty but must be Answerd out of yethe Equivalent money by yethe ComissrsCommissioners of the Equivalent

Quære 2. Who must order the payment & to whom must the Order be directed?

Answ:Answer: I should think the LdLord HHigh Treasurer should Direct what Each ComissrsCommissioner ought to have allow'd him for his services perform'd But the ComissrCommissioner for yethe Equivalent must Direct their Chassheir to pay the money so allow'd of

Ia: Mountague December 7. 1708