BY THE Lord Lieutenant AND COUNCIL.  
ORMONDE.  
WHEREAS His Majesty by Letters Patents under His Great Seal of Ireland, bearing Date the Eighteenth day of May in the Two and thirtieth year of His Reign, hath been graciously pleased to grant unto Sir Thomas Armstrong Knight, and Colonel George Legg, their Executors, Administrators and Assigns, full, free and absolute Licence, power and authority, That they by themselves, or by their sufficient Deputy or Deputies, Workmen and Servants, should [during the term of One and twenty years, to commence from the Date of the said Letters Patents] make in some convenient place or places, at his and their and every of their pleasures and appointment such quantity of Halfpennies of Copper as might by them be issued amongst His Majesty's Subjects in this His Majesty's Realm of Ireland during the time aforesaid, and them to utter, issue, disperse and dispose of within and throughout this Kingdom. And to the intent the said Copper Halfpennies might be distinguished from any other, which have been made, or might happen to be made in any other place or places whatsoever, hath declared his Royal will and pleasure, and commanded that the said Halfpennies should be made of Copper, having on the one side the Figure or Effigies of His Majesty's Head stamped in Copper, and on the other side the stamp or impress of an Harp Crowned, with this Inscription round before and on the Reverse side, Carolus Secundus Dei gratia, Magnae Britanniae, Franciae & Hiberniae Rex.  
And whereas His Majesty in and by His said Letters Patents, hath willed and ordained that the said Copper Halfpennies so made should weigh each Halfpenny One hundred and ten grains Troy weight, and that the same should be generally used by all His Subjects, and others in this His Kingdom of Ireland as Tokens of the value of Halfpennies within this Kingdom; and to the intent that the said Sir Thomas Armstrong and George Legg, their Executors, Administrators and Assigns respectively might have and enjoy the full advantage, benefit and profit intended them by His Majesties said Grant, His Majesty hath been graciously pleased in and by His said Letters Patents, straightly to forbid and prohibit all and every person and persons whatsoever, other than the said Sir Thomas Armstrong and the said George Legg, their Executors, Administrators and Assigns, their Deputies, Agents and Servants, to make or counterfeit any such Copper Halfpennies, or to make or use any Engines, Stamps or Instruments, whereby they may be made, or to make or use any other Tokens, Engines, Stamps or Instruments in resemblance of them, or any other Tokens whatsoever, or to use or utter any other Halfpenny-tokens, Pence, or Farthing-tokens, or Copper-pieces, or Brass-pieces, or pieces of any other Metal which have been or shall be made for Tokens for the use of any part of His Majesty's Dominions, or any the parts beyond the Seas, or which have been made either before, or shall be made after the Date of His Majesties said Letters Patents, within this His Majesties said Kingdom of Ireland, or in any other parts, or to import or bring into this His Majesty's Realm of Ireland any Halfpennies, Pence, or Farthing-tokens, or Copper or Brass-pieces, or pieces of any other Metal which have been or shall be made in any parts beyond the Seas to be used as Tokens, upon pain of Forfeiture of all such Halfpenny-tokens, Farthing-tokens, or other Tokens, or pieces of Copper or Brass or other Metal which hath been or shall be made and used as Tokens, and of all such Engines, Stamps and Instruments as should be so made, used or found contrary to His Majesties said Letters Patents, and upon such further pains, penalties and imprisonments as by the Laws and Statutes of this Realm, and His Majesty's Prerogative Royal may be inflicted upon such persons for their contempt and breach of His Majesty's Royal Commands in this behalf, the one moiety of all such Forfeitures to be to His Majesty, his Heirs and Successors; and the other moiety to the said Sir Thomas Armstrong and George Legg, their Executors, Administrators and Assigns respectively.  
And whereas His Majesty in and by His said Letters Patents hath further granted unto the said Sir Thomas Armstrong and George Legg, their Executors, Administrators and Assigns respectively, that they by themselves, their Deputies, Servants and Agents, or any of them, may from time to time, and at all times during the said term of Twenty one years [calling a Constable or other Officer with him or them] enter into any Ship, Bottom, Vessel or Boat, or into any House, Shop, Cellar, Warehouse, or any other place whatsoever within this Kingdom, where they or any of them shall have cause to make search by water or land (as well within Liberties as without) and there to try and search by all ways and means for all Counterfeit Halfpennies, Farthing-tokens, and Pence, and other Tokens of Brass or Copper, or other Metal whatsoever, which have been made, or shall be used as Tokens, or any Engines, Stamps or Instruments, that are already made, or shall at any time after the date of His Majesties said Letters Patents be made, for the making, coining, stamping or casting of any Farthing-tokens, Halfpennies or Pence whatsoever, or as shall be brought from other parts of His Majesty's Dominions, or the parts beyond the Seas, or found to be made within His Majesty's said Realm of Ireland, contrary to the meaning of His Majesties said Letters Patents, and that finding any such Tokens, Copper and Brass pieces, Instruments, Stamps or Engines, to arrest, seize, carry away and detain the same to the uses in His Majesty's Letters Patents before mentioned.  
These are therefore in His Majesty's Name, straightly to command and forbid all manner of persons whatsoever, that they and every of them do forbear to import, make, stamp, cast, coin, utter or receive any Copper-halfpences, or Copper-pences, or Farthing-tokens, or any other Tokens whatsoever of any sort of metal, or pieces of Copper or Brass by way of Change or otherwise, or to have or use any Engines, Stamps or Instruments, whereby such Copper-halfpences, or Pence, or Farthing-tokens, or other pieces of Copper or Brass may be stamped, coined, made or uttered, or used amongst His Majesty's Subjects in this Kingdom, contrary to his Majesty's will and pleasure declared in and by his Majesties said Letters Patents, as they will answer the contrary at their utmost perils, save only the said Sir Thomas Armstrong and the said Colonel George Legg, their Deputies, Agents and Servants, who are hereby required to make such a convenient quantity of the said Copper-halfpences for the use of his Majesty's Subjects, and to take care that each of them do weigh One hundred and ten grains Troy weight, as in his Majesties said Letters Patents are directed, and to send such proportions of them into as many Cities, Burroughs, Corporate and Market towns of this Kingdom, as they shall think convenient for the use of his Majesty's Subjects in this Kingdom, the same to be left in the hands of some discreet person or persons whom they shall appoint, to be vended and uttered amongst the Inhabitants of the respective Cities, Burroughs, Counties and places of this Realm; and in case any of his Majesty's Subjects shall happen to be surcharged in the course of their Trades with more of the said Copper-halfpences, than they can utter, than the said Sir Thomas Armstrong and the said Colonel George Legg their Deputies, Agents & Servants are in pursuance of his Majesties said Letters Patents hereby required to deliver at any time during the term aforesaid, the sum of Twenty shillings currant moneys, for every sum of Twenty one shillings returned in the same Copper halfpennies unto such person and persons who shall so happen to be surcharged, and so after that rate for all greater sums.  
And we do further in his Majesty's Name straightly command and require, That the aforesaid Copper-halfpences which have been and shall be made by his Majesty's Royal Authority according to his Majesties said Grant (and no other Token whatsoever) be uttered, used, received, accepted and taken in all Deal whereby Exchange of small Money is necessary between man and man, as currant Monies, according to the value of Halfpennies within this Kingdom, yet so as none of his Majesty's Subjects are hereby compelled to receive of the said Copper-halfpences in any payment of Money above Five shillings in One hundred pounds, and so proportionably in all greater or lesser sums: and the chief Officers and Governors, with the Ministers and Constables of all places within this Realm respectively, and also the Farmers, Collectors and Receivers of his Majesty's Revenue of this Kingdom for the time being, are hereby required to endeavour that the said Copper-halfpences may be uttered and dispersed throughout the Kingdom, and that they be freely received and pass in use betwixt man and man for the value of Halfpennies in the way of Exchange as is before expressed.  
And we do further in his Majesty's Name straightly charge and command all and singular Mayors, Sheriffs, justices of the Peace, Constables, Headborroughs, Controllers, Customers and Searchers, and all other his Majesty's Officers and Ministers to whom it shall or may appertain to be aiding and assisting in all lawful and convenient manner unto the said Sir Thomas Armstrong and Colonel George Legg, their Executors, Administrators and Assigns, and their and every of their Deputies, Factors, Agents and Servants in the due Execution of the Premises upon pain of his Majesty's high Displeasure, and such punishments and Imprisonments as by the Laws and Statutes of this Realm, and his Majesty's Prerogative Royal, can or may be inflicted upon them for their contempt in that behalf.  
Given at the Council-chamber in Dublin the 19th day of july, 1680. 

Mich: Armach: C.  
Hen: Midensis.  
Jo: Davys.  
Arran.  
Ca: Dillon.  
Wm: Flower.  
Blesinton.  
John Keatinge.  
Lanesborough.  
He: Hene.    
God save the King.   

DUBLIN, Printed by Benjamin took and John Crook, Printers to the King's Most Excellent Majesty, at His Majesty's Printing-House in Skinner-row. 1680.