These privileges were confirmed by Edward II. in his second year, with some additions. Letters-patent to the same erect were issued by Edward III., Rich ard IL, Edward IV., Henry VII., Henry VIII., Edward VI., and Philip and Viii., Edward VI., and Philip and Mary.* All these are referred to in the charter of incorporation which wa. granted by Elizabeth in the first year of her reign, but those of Edward I. and Edward H. alone are given at length.
In that year Queen Elizabeth, at the humble suit of the keeper of the changes, the labourers, coiners, and ministers deputed or appointed to those things which touch the offices of the change, and in consideration of certain general words in the former grants which had occasioned them and their predecessors to be mo lested, granted and confirmed to them the letters patent and grants aforesaid ; and incorporated them by the name of the keeper of the changes, and the work men, coiners, and other ministers deputed to the said office. This charter gave all the officers various privileges and exemp tions. This charter bore date at West minster on the 20th February, and there were subsequent confirmations of it in the second, third, fourth, and fifth years of her reign. Ending has cited various in stances in which these privileges were intrenched upon ; they were nevertheless confirmed by King James I. in the second year of his reign ; by King Charles II. in his fourteenth year ; and by the inden ture which was in force in the year 1744, and which established the officers in their houses, places, &c., and in their charters and privileges.
These privileges they continue to en joy to the present time. (Ruding, voL p. 47.) The following is the establishment of which the Mint at present consists :— 1. A Master and Worker. The salary is 20001. a year. The office of master of the Mint is usually conjoined with some other high official situation. In 1845, the Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone was President of the Board of Trade and Master of the Mint, and he was also a cabinet minister; on his retiring from office, his successor in the mastership of the Mint was Vice-President of the Board of Trade, but was not in the cabinet.
2. The principal officers, forming a Board, viz :— The Deputy Master, Comptroller, King's Assay Master, King's Clerk, and the Superintendent of MaLbinery and Dies.
3. Officers in the service, viz. :— The Master Assayer, Probationer Assayer, Weigher and Teller, Surveyor of Meltings, Surveyor of Money-Presses, Chief Engraver, Second Engraver, Medallist, and Clerk Assistant and Deputy Master.
Besides these there are four clerks in the Mint-office, two porters, and two or three other inferior persons.
The Company of Moneyers receive a rate on the coinage, conditionally 401. to each member when the coinage is under 500,0001.
Ruding (vol. i., p. 51-58) has given the tables of fees and wages for the several officers in the years 1584, 1599, 1649, 1689, 1739, 1743, and 1797.
A comparative statement of the salaries and allowances, contingent expenses, and rates of coinage, between the establish ments of the French and English mints in 1836 will be found p. 87-89 of the Appendix to the Report from the Select Committee of the House of Commons on the Royal Mint,' ordered to be printed 30th June, 1837.
In ancient times extraordinary methods were resorted to in order to furnish the mint with workmen. Thus in the 31st Henry III., a writ was issued, authorising Reyner de Brussell to bring into Eng lund, from beyond the seas, persons skilled in the coinage and exchange of silver, to work in the kingdom at the king's charge. (Pat., 31 Hen. III., m. 3.) And in the 25th Edw. IIL, Henry de Brussell and John de Cicestra, masters of the mint, were appointed by letters patent to choose and take as many gold smiths, smiths, and other workmen in the city of London and other places, where it might seem expedient to them, as should be necessary for the works of the mint in the Tower of London ; and to bring the said workmen to the said Tower, and to place them there to work at the I wages allowed by the said masters. And any of them which should be rebellious in that case, to seize and arrest, and to detain in prison within the said Tower, and to keep in safe custody until the king should determine upon their punishment. these letters were directed to all sheriff's, &c., who were commanded to assist the said masters in carrying their provisions into execution. (Pat., 25 Edward III., p. 2, m. 13 dors.) This power to take workmen, &c., for the service id the mint was not discontinued in the reign of Eli zabeth. (Indent. with Lorison, 14 beth, in Hari. MSS., Brit. Mus., 698.) The custom of placing the moneyer's name upon the coins prevailed, as already observed, at a very early period ; indeed we find it upon the money of Ecghberht, king of Kent, which is the second in point of antiquity in the Anglo-Saxon series, and must be dated about the mid dle of the seventh century. It was usually stamped upon the reverse of the coin, but in some few instances it is found upon the obverse, whilst the name of the king is removed to the other side. The names of two moneyers sometimes occur upon the same coin. From the time of Aethelstan, with some few exceptions only, the name of the town was added, probably in conformity to his law that the money should be coined within some town. (Wilkins, Leg. Anglo-Sax., p. 319.) The name of the moneyer is not found lower than the reign of Edward I., but that of the mint was not entirely disused in the last year of Queen Eliza beth.