A PROCLAMATION Concerning the Coyn.  
CHARLES' by the Grace of GOD, King of Great-Britain, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, To _____ Our Lion King at Arms, and his Brethren Heralds, Macers, Pursuivants, or Messengers at Arms, Our Sheriffs in that part, conjunctly and severally, specially constitute, Greeting:  
Forasmuch as by Our Royal Prerogative, We have power to establish, or alter the matter of Coin, either Native or Foreign within Our Dominions, from time to time, as We shall find fit for the good of Our Subjects; and Our Royal Ancestors having been in constant use to raise and exalt the extrinsic value of the Coin of this Kingdom, according as the Neighbouring Kingdoms and States have done their Standarts; and in some measure, to bear such a proportion with Our Neighbours, as that the Coin of this Kingdom might not be exported: And whereas the value of the ounce of Coined Silver hath been raised from time to time, as particularly in the year 1591. the value of the ounce of Coined Silver was appointed to be forty two shilling Scots, being of eleven Denier fine, which continued from that year to the year 1691, and was then raised to three Pounds ten Pennies, and two sixth parts, and which has continued ever since at that value: albeit in the Neighbouring Kingdoms and States, the ounce of Coined Silver is valued considerably above the same, which has been one great occasion of the exporting of the greatest part of the Stock of Our own Coin, and whereof Merchandise has been, and is still made; and the same species melted down by foreign Mints and Goldsmiths, and imported again in foreign species, much below Our own Coin, both in weight and fineness, whereby Our Authority has been contemned, Our People cheated and abused, and the Trade and Commerce of this Kingdom highly prejudged; and if the same be not timously remeided, the remnant of the Stock of Our own Coin will in a short time be carried out, and nothing left but foreign species of base moneys. And some of the most considerable of the Merchants of this Our Kingdom, having made their application to Our Privy Council, and proposed as a fit expedient, that Our four Mark pieces might be appointed to be current proportionally to the intrinsic value thereof, and the best of the foreign Current Coin; who having had the same unnder serious consideration, and having received from the Officers of Our Mint, an exact account of the intrinsic value thereof, and of all other foreign species of Coin, tolerated to be current; and finding, that at the rate of the ounce of Silver now Current in other Country's, it is fit that Our Coin be in some proportion with theirs in the extrinsic value. We therefore, with the Advice of the Lords of Our Privy Council, do ordain and appoint, that in time coming, the ounce of Our own Moneys shall be in value, three Pounds four Shillings Scots Money: and to that effect, do ordain, that the four Mark pieces, which are now current at fifty three shillings four pennies, shall hereafter be current at fifty six shillings, and the inferior species of that Coin, viz. the two Mark, Merk, Half merk, and Fourty-penny-piece proportionably. And whereas it is most just, that now seeing we have advanced the value of Our Coin, as aforesaid, the Merchants ought to have enccuragement to bring in their Bulzeon with greater cheerfulness, We do ordain, that whereas they did receive for each ounce of Silver, paid in by them, as Bulzeon of eleven denier fine, fifty five Shillings nine Pennies Scots; the Master of the Mint is now to pay out to them, for every ounce of eleven denier fine, given in by them as Bulzeon, fifty eight Shillings Scots. And ordains all foreign species of Coin to be current as formerly; And that these Presents be Printed, and Published at the Mercat Cross of Edinburgh, and other places needful, that none pretend ignorance.  
Given under Our Signet at Edinburgh, the fifth day of March, One thousand six hundred eighty and one, And of Our Reign, the thretty three Year. Per actum Dominorum Secreti Concilij. WIL PATERSON. Cl. Sti. Concilij.  
GOD save the KING.   

Edinburgh, Printed by the Heir of Andrew Ander●●● 〈…〉ter to His most Sacred Majesty, Anne DOM 16●●