The summary of certain reasons, which have moved the queens Majesty to proceed in reformations of her base and course moneys, and to reduce them to their values, in sort as they may be turned to fine moneys, appointed to be declared by her Majesty, by order of her Proclamation, in her City of London.   

FIrst of all it is known that the honour and reputation of the singular wealth that this Realm was wont to have above at other Realms, was partly in that it had no currant moneys but gold and silver, whereas contrary all other countries, as almain, France, Spain, Flaunders, Scotland, and the rest of Christendom have had, and still have certain base moneys, now of late days, by turning of fine moneys into base, much decayed and daily grown into infamy and reproach, and therefore is thought necessary to be recovered. Wherein like as her Majesty for her part meaneth to be at great charges, so every good English subject ought to be content, though it seem some small loss at the first.  
Also by continuing of the base moneys, divers persons both in foreign parts, and within the Realm, have counterfeited from time to time no small quantity, and brought to port towns, and uttered the same at the first after the rate of xii. pence a Teston, and after that, for vi pence: where the same was not in deed worth much above two pence: And carried out of the Realm for those base moneys, the rich commodities of the same, as wool, Cloth, Led, Tin, Leather, Tallow, yea and all kind of victual, as Corn, Malt, Beer, Butter, Cheese, and such like, so as counterfaicters and such like have for small sum of moneys counterfaicted, carried out six times the value in commodities of the Realm.  
By the means also that these base moneys were currant, divers subtle people have changed the same for the gold and fine silver moneys of this Realne, and have transported and carried out the same gold & silver, so as although there hath been coined both in the later end of the reign of king Edward, & in the time of Queen Mary, & now also sense the queens majesties reign, great quantities of gold and silver, yet to part thereof is seen commonly currant: but as it may be thought, some part thereof is carried hence, & some percase by the wiser sort of people, kept in store, as it were to be wished that the whole were.  
Also by continuance of this sort of base moneys, although almighty God hath given now of late years plentiful increase by the earth, for the which he is to be thanked, without any uche plagues of scarcity as in our forefather's time hath been read, when many hundreds and thousands of people have died for famine, yet the prices of all things growing or coming from the earth, hath inmeasurably and daily risen, as all manner of grain, fruit, cattle, bestial, victtuell, wool, leather, and such like, and no remedy could be devised to amend the same, but to cause that the same base moneys should be currant for no more than they were in just value. For every man of the least understanding, by one means or other knew that a Teston was not worth six pence, nor the piece of two pence was worth so much, & therefore no man would give gladly that thing which was and ever had been worth six pence, for a Teston, but would rather require two Testons: & so a thing being worth six pence, was bought and sold either for two Testons, or one and a half, which was in reckoning xii pence, or ix pence, and now every Teston being brought to the just value, it must needs follow that one shall buy of another hereafter that for four pence halfpenny, which was wont to cost vi pence. And when the Teston shallbe brought into fine silver. then shall all men be as desirous to sell any ware for such fine moneys, as they have of late been loath and unwilling to sell any thing for the base moneys, except they might have had twice as much of the base moneys, as they were wont to have of the fine, or else that for necessity they were driven to sell the same.  
By this means also now that the base moneys are brought to the just value, and that every man shall have fine moneys for them, all poor people that lived of their hand labour, as well artificers in cities or towns, as labourers in husbandry, or men that took dayetall wages, either by land, by sea, or by fresh waters, and all mean gentlemen that lived but upon pensions and stipends, and all soldiers and serving men, that lived upon sold and wages, shall have their pensions, stipends, soldes, and wages, now paid in good and fine moneys, & therewith shall buy more necessaries for their sustentation, then could afore be bought: who surely having heretofore after the rate of. xx.s. xxvi. s. viii. d. .v. nobles. xl.s. iiii. marks .v. marks four pounds .v. pounds twenty nobles, & so upward by the year paid to them in these base moneys, could not have so much victual, apparel, weapon, armure, horses, or such like, with the said stipend, by more than a fourth part, as they shall now have, because indeed the said base moneys were of themselves no more worth.  
By this reformation also of base moneys, shall necessarily follow a more profitable account betwixt the moneys of this Realm, and of other countries, and thereby the account which by merchants is called the exchange, shall also arise in estimation of the moneys of England in such sort as in former times hath been, and the foreign commodities thereby also be bought for easier prizes, to the benefit of all such as shall use the same.  
So as the matter well considered, the greatest numbered, and specially the poorest shall have most commodity hereby, yea and such others as have most gained by excessive prices, shall have also, (if they will consider themselves) no small profit and help. And finally, no manner of person in the whole Realm shall have after one to two months hurt hereby, except only the traitor which hath lived by counterfaicting. And therefore it is to be allowed and embraced of all people, and every man to think, that although at the first he may suppose that he hath less money in his purse, yet shall he have for the same metal, as much as that was worth, either in ware, or at her majesties mint in fine moneys. And when soever he shall utter that base moneys, which at the time of the Proclamation he had, the next that he shall get, either be his hand labour, or for his wages, shallbe either fine moneys, or such as he may have as much fine moneys in the mint for it. And consequently every man ought to thank almighty God, that he may live to see the honour of his country thus partly recovered: Syiver to come in place of copper, prices of things amend, all people to be more able to live of their wages, every man's purse of coffer made free from the privy thief, which was the counterfaytour. And finally, the treasure of this Realm to be of silver and gold, as was wont in our forefather's time, and not of brass and copper, besides many other great commodities that hereof must needs ensue, which but for length might be declared, and for all the same, no loss to any, otherwise but in opinion at the beginning, not much unlike to them, that being sick receive a medicine, and in the taking feel some bitterness, but yet thereby recover health and strength, and save their lives.  
And because it is seen by experience, that many times when good things be devised and attempted, the devil sleepeth not, to hinder the same, but causeth them either to be defeated, or to be defamed and mistaken: Therefore it is meet that no manner of person give any credit to such as shall cast abroad any mistrust of amendment of the money, or shall pretend this decree to be greater or more burdenous than it is. For truly this amendment is so fully purposed by her Majesty, as beside that, experience shall try it within one month or vi weeks, within which times necessary things for the mint must be provided. It is seen, that her Majesty may reform these moneys, according to her proclamation, without any such great loss as might move her to forbear it: and on the other side, the moneys be so justly valued, as in deed the base Testons being set at. ii.d. farthing, and her Majesty giving at her mint, for every pound of them. xx.s. &. iii.d. in reward, shall thereby give rather more than they shallbe worth being melted, than less.  
So that her Majesty, who since she came to this Crown, never gained any thing by any coinage, nor yet ever coined any manner of base moneys for this Realm, will not now determine to lease the honour & fame that she shall with small loss or gain recover by this noble act, to benefit her Realm and people.  
And as to the opinion of the burden of the loss, where the base Testons be valued but at. ii.d farthing, whereby such as have them shall seem to have the greatest loss, it is to be well and reasonably construed and taken of all men, for that there hath not by good account which hath been made and well proved, been above a sixth part compared to the other base moneys of the same sort of Testons coined in the mints of this Realm. And at the coinage of the same base Testons now valued at two pence farthing, which was done in the time of the wars heretofore, there were set thereto certain marks, as a Lion, a rose, a fleur-de-lys, or a harp, called the privy marks of such as wear then masters of the mint, which also be specified in the Proclamation. For the better understanding whereof, here be in the end of this declaration set certain stamps or prints, of every kind of the same base Testons with their said several marks, to th'intent that every person looking & beholding the same prints, may the better judge and discern the same from the other, that be valued at four pence halfpenye, although if the same be well considered, the colour of the said base Teston will show the baseness thereof: And because her Majesty meaneth to ease her Subjects as much as possible may be, she is pleased to command her officers in her mint, that where there be many counterfeit Testons, which were made by counterfaictours, when the Testons were at the value of xii pence a piece, and since also that they were decreed to vi pence, and by estimation were so made, as they did contain about two pence farthing or there abouts in silver: they shall do their endeavour to receive and try such counterfeits, and shall give to the Subjects either for every such counterfeit two pence farthing, or so much good fine moneys, as the same counterfaictes shall contain in silver, whereby the people shallbe relieved of such loss in some part for counterfaictes, as in no Realm any Prince either hath or aught to do. And for this and for all the rest of the commodities hereof likely to ensue: her Majesty trusteth her most honourable good meaning shallbe embraced of all her good loving Subjects, and every person with good will, will yield to bear a small burden for a time, to avoid a perpetual and endless oppression, not only of themselves and their posterity, but also of the whole common weal.  
yeven under the queens majesties Signet at her honour of Hampton court the xxix. of September the second year of her majesties reign, M.D.LX▪  
The Teston marked with the Lion.  
The Teston marked with the Rose.  
The Teston marked with the Fleur-De-Lys.  
The Teston marked with the Harp.   

¶ Imprinted at London in Paul's Church yard, by richard jug and john Cawood, Printers to the queens Majesty.  Cum privilegio Regiae Maiestatis.