royal blazon or coat of arms ❧ By the King. A Proclamation for suppressing of light Gold.  
WHereas by Our Proclamation dated the one and thirtieth day of july last, We did express Our princely care and earnest desire to reduce Our Gold Coin to one equal price and value, and to forbear the stamping of any more of those unequal Coins, which were found not to be so useful for Our Subjects; with this provision nevertheless, That such as then were already coined should continue of the same value they then were, allowing certain remedies and abatements upon every piece greater or lesser respectively, which Remedies, if any piece of the said Gold Coins then already coined, should be found to exceed, We gave free liberty to all and every Our loving Subjects, to refuse the same in payment at their will and pleasure, thereby to take away (as much as possible might be) all opportunity and encouragement from offenders, to Clip, Wash, and diminish the said Coins, which then were, and now are generally much fallen by such unlawful and wicked practices from their first true value and goodness: All which Our Royal care and provision notwithstanding, tending so much to the weal of Our people, We find the same to be so greatly neglected, as in stead of making use of that liberty which was then given them of refusing such light Gold moneys aforementioned, as were without the Remedies allowed by Our said Proclamation, they do now for the most part accept in payments indifferently and promiscuously all such Coins whatsoever, tendered unto them, without weighing or examining the true value and goodness thereof, as were fit, and as they ought to do: Which strange negligence we in Our princely wisdom and providence considering, and observing that neither the regard of their own manifest loss and detriment, which they sustain by such impaired and diminished Coins, nor Our earnest desire to have them more careful, (not obscurely intimated also in Our said Proclamation) ●an any thing prevail to have so foul an abuse redressed, as with care and diligence it might easily be. We therefore not yet giving over the care and welfare of Our loving Subjects, even in their particular interests, but withal, entering into a more serious consideration how far this great abuse may concern the state of Our Realm in general, by the continual waste and consumption of all the Currant Money within Our Realm, if some stricter course be not taken to prevent the mischief, are now constrained in regard of Our Subjects long negligence of their own commodity, in lieu of that which Our former Proclamation left in a manner to liberty and choice, to lay upon Our Subjects a Charge and Commandment, to accept and refuse payment of the said light Coins in certain cases, and upon certain conditions, but with that moderation & respect, as shall by a very small present damage 〈◊〉 all mischiefs that can hereafter fall upon 〈…〉 by straight charge and forbid upon pain of contempt and incurring of Our high displeasure, That no manner of person or persons within this Our Realm of England, from and after Midsummer next coming in any County of Our Realm do presume to take or receive, or deliver in payment any piece of Our Gold Coin currant within this Realm, and formerly by Us advanced at the rates aforesaid, being clipped, washed or by any other means unlawfully diminished, or lacking of the just weight thereof, otherwise then according to the Rates hereafter severally expressed, and with the allowance of the remedies set down in Our former Proclamation, That is to say, 

In every piece of gold currant for 33. shillings, The remedy shall not exceed 4. grains and a half,  
In every piece of gold currant for 22. shillings, The remedy shall not exceed 3 grains.  
In every piece of gold currant for 16. shillings 6. pence, The remedy shall not exceed 2. grains and a half.  
In every piece of gold currant for 11. shillings, The remedy shall not exceed 2. gains.  
In every piece of gold currant for 5. shillings 6. pence, The remedy shall not exceed 1. gain.  
In every piece of gold currant for 2 shillings 9 pence, The remedy shall not exceed Half a grain.    
All which remedies shall be allowed in every piece accordingly, and no deduction or abatement to be made for the same, but to pass as if it were of full weight and just value. But if any such piece of Coin, lacking of his true weight above the said remedies before expressed, shall from & after Midsummer next coming be offered in payment by any person or persons within this Our Realm, Our Will and pleasure than is, that for so many grains more or less, as the piece shall be lighter than the remedy, so as aforesaid allowed, every person or persons, that so offereth the same in payment, shall also at the same time pay and allow, after the rate of two pence the grain to him that receiveth it, for every grain wanting above the remedies respectively; And every person or persons, to whom the same is offered to be paid with those allowances, shall accept the same in payment as if the same were full and just weight, any thing contained in Our former Proclamation to the contrary notwithstanding. Provided always, that if any such piece of Gold, so offered in payment after the time aforesaid, shall want above the number of so many more grains than are allowed for the remedies respectively, as if the piece of twenty and two shillings shall want more than three grains above the remedy allowed, or the piece of eleven shillings more than two grains above the remedy, & so of all the rest respectively; Then Our Royal will and pleasure is, that in all payments between party and party, the same shall not only be refused without all redemption, but that every person and persons to whom such tender of payments shall be made, shall brand the same, by striking a hole, at his and their pleasure, in every of the said pieces so offered in payment, as likewise of any other piece that shall be found sowdered or unlawfully embased: rendering those pieces so stricken thorough, then presently afterwards to the Owners thereof again according as was ordered by a Proclamation made by Our Dear Sister the late Queen Elizabeth in the nine & twentieth year of her Reign upon the like occasion. Provided also, and We do hereby declare Our intention and express pleasure to be, that if any of Our loving Subjects shall hereafter bring any Gold to be coined at Our Mint, he and they shall have a just & full return thereof, without diminution, by weight, or by number, at the election of him, that shall receive the same according to Our former Proclamation, dated the one & thirtieth day of july last, deducting for the coinage; Assuring ourself, that since We have hereby given so large and sufficient a time for Our good Subjects to disabuse themselves by ridding they hands of those light pieces of Gold which deceive and endamage the whole Kingdom, they will betwixt the Date of this Proclamation and Midsummer so provide, by timely sending in of that Coin into Our Mint, as may best stand with their indemnity, lest that the glut of making all that light Coin to be Bullion after the said time, may not only prove hurtful, but in a manner impossible unto them, since We are resolved (for the tender care We have of Our Subjects good) that this Our Proclamation shallbe put to a real and full execution.  
And whereas by Our said former Proclamation, we were pleased to notify unto all Our loving Subjects how careful We were (after the example likewise of Our said dear Sister, the late Queen in the said nine and twentieth year of her Reign) to give order to the Master of Our Mint, for preparing a sufficient number of just weights and balances, with true and upright grains and half grains, for the remedies and abatements aforesaid, to have them in a readiness before the first of September last passed, to be delivered at reasonable prices, to be rated by Our Commissioners for Our Treasury, or Treasurer of England, for the time being, to all such Our Subjects as should require the same, with express commandment, that the chief Officers in all Our Cities, Boroughes, and Towns Corporate of this Our Realm of England, and Principality of Wales, should before the last day of September last passed, provide to have one pair of the said weights sufficient, at the hands of the said Master of our Mint, within every such City, Borough, and Town corporate, well and safely to be kept, for trial of the weight of the said Coins, as occasion shallbe: Which nevertheless, We understand is neglected, and though the said Master of Our Mint, hath performed that which belonged to his duty and office, in making preparation according as We enjoined him, and that the said weights and balances are reasonably rated by our Commissioners for the Treasury, Yet hath not any or very few, repaired unto him for such balances and weights; By means whereof, all Our endeavour and Princely care for the good and weal of our Subjects in this particular, is likely to be frustrated and of little effect. We do therefore hereby once again, lay our express charge and commandment upon all the said chief Officers of Our Cities, Boroughes, and Towns corporate of this Our Realm of England, and Principality of Wales, that before the four and twentieth day of june next, they do without fail provide themselves of such weights and balances with upright grains and half grains, which We have caused to be marked and stricken with an I. Crowned, at the hands of the Master of Our Mint, to be safely kept within every such City, Borough, and Town corporate, according as in Our former Proclamation it is ordered: And We straightly forbidden all Our Subjects and others whatsoever, to have, or use any other weights then as aforesaid for the said Coins of Gold, remedies, or abatements, or any of them, as they will answer the contrary at their uttermost peril.  
Given at Newmarket the seventh day of February, in the seventeenth year of Our Reign of Great Britain, France and Ireland.   

❧ Imprinted at London by Robert Barker, and john Bill, Printers to the Kings most Excellent Majesty.