HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE  English royal blazon, surmounted by a crown and flanked by the Tudor rose and Scottish thistle  
¶ By the King.  
THE care of the Kings of this Realm Our Progenitors, for the restraint of exportation of Gold and Silver into foreign parts, appeareth unto Us in sundry Laws, containing both severe penalties, and strict provisions and cautions to prevent and punish that offence; in so much as the same for divers years, (and those not long passed) was made in degree of Felony, and that very justly, being an offence to the Public, which deserveth more than the defrauding of a private man: And yet such is the presumption of the time, as, although many of those Laws are still in force, it is visible and notorious, that great quantities of Our Coins of Gold do pass ordinarily in payments, in foreign Nations, nay, (which is a thing very unnatural) that Our Gold at this time is more stirring abroad in parts beyond the seas, than here at home in Our own Island, to the disgrace of Our Government, and notorious inconvenience of Our Subject. For remedy whereof, and as a part of Our Royal Office, We called before us and Our privy Council, (desides divers Gentlemen of quality and discretion) sundry Merchants of every Trade, Officers of Our Mint, and Goldsmiths of the best sort, that We might the better ground Our resolutions upon such informations and discoveries, as either Art, Experience, or the knowledge of the affairs abroad, could afford; And joining the consideration of former events, with the present opinion and advice which We have taken, We made this conclusion, That it is in vain to strive with this disease, except the cause be removed, which is confessed by all to be the great gain which the Merchant (especially the Stranger) maketh, by the exportation of Our Gold, which gain likewise is a consequent of the disproportion between the price of Our Coins of Gold abroad, and here within Our own Kingdoms: For the case standing so, as that our Unite which is currant here but for twenty shillings, is valued in foreign parts at two and twenty shillings, which is a full tenth part more, and other Our Coins of Gold rateably; The gain is so extreme, and so swift in the return, that the sweetness thereof, joined with the hope of concealments, in regard of the infinite shifts to avoid the search, maketh the effects frustrate of all Laws and Policies that have been used, or can be used against the exportation, as long as that violent Adamant of Lucre draweth men's desires to offend: And therefore finding no other remedy competent or effectual, We resolved (preserving still the weight and fineness of Our standard,) to raise the price of Our Gold to be of equal value with that it beareth in foreign parts: And yet that it may not be conceived, that We would make the remedy larger than the inconvenience, We would be thus clearly understood, that We have absolutely concluded with good advice and deliberation, not to make any manner of alteration in the price, or otherwise, of Our Silver, with which all Trades and payments are so much driven and made, as the raising the price thereof would give both colour and cause to raise prices of all commodities and things vendible, which We seek by all means to avoid. And because it may appear to the world, that in this Our proceeding, Our eye is single, and not bend upon any benefit to Ourselves, although We mought have taken a reasonable occasion, in respect of the diversity of the pieces of Gold which are currant within Our Realm, and their several finesses to have set this increase of price upon such Coins only, as should have been newly stamped, whereby much profit might have grown to Us by the coinage; yet to avoid all commixture of Our own benefit, with matter of reformation for the public good, We have given the price as well to Gold heretofore coined, as hereafter, so as if any profit by accident should fall out, it will be rather Our Subjects, than Ours:  
We do therefore hereby publish, declare and authorize, all the several pieces of Gold hereafter mentioned, to be currant within this Our Realm, respectively hereafter at the values following. 

The piece of Gold called the Unite, At xxij. s.  
The piece of Gold called the double Crown, At xj. s.  
The piece of Gold called the Britain Crown, At v. s. vj. d.  
The piece of Gold called the Thistle Crown, At 4. s. 4. d. ob. q.  
The piece of Gold called the half Crown, At ij. s. ix. d.  
The coin of Gold of Scotland, called the vj. li. piece, At xj. s.   

Not currant in Scotland.  
The piece of Gold of our own coin, called the Rose Royal xxxiii. s.  
The piece of Gold of our own coin, called the Spurre-Royall xuj. s. vi. d.  
The piece of Gold of our coin called the Angel xj. s.    
All other pieces of Gold, of the Coin of any former Kings of this Realm, Our Progenitors, and at this time currant, to bear the like increase of price in proportion with Our own Coins above specified, That is to say; 

Every piece of Gold formerly currant For thirty. s. xxxiij. s. For xx. s. xxij. s. For xv. s. xuj. s. vj. d.   

Every piece of Gold formerly currant For x. s. xj. s. For v. s. v. s. vj. d. For ij. s. vj. d. ij. s. ix. d.    
And forasmuch as the greater price is set upon our Coins of Gold, which is like also to be a means to draw forth Gold to be more usual in payments then of late it hath been, the more convenient it is, that no pieces of Gold which are become light by any clipping or washing, or the like practices, be put upon Our loving Subjects, in any payments to their prejudice, if the defect be not within that small abatement, which must be by reason of the incertainety of the shearers at the Mint; We have thought good according to the Precedent of a Proclamation made in the nine and twentieth year of the Reign of Our late dear Sister Queen Elizabeth, which continued in force till her decease, to declare, and by these presents We do declare, that it shall be free and Lawful for all and every Our loving Subjects, to refuse in any payments all pieces of Gold, which shall be lighter than according to the remedies, or abatements hereafter following.  
The Abatements or Remedies, which the several pieces of Gold may not exceed. 

In every piece of Gold currant for thirty. s. The Remedy and abatement shall not exceed iiij. gr. di.  
In every piece of Gold currant for xx. s. The Remedy and abatement shall not exceed iij. gr.  
In every piece of Gold currant for xv. s. The Remedy and abatement shall not exceed ij. gr. di.  
In every piece of Gold currant for x. s. The Remedy and abatement shall not exceed ij. gr.  
In every piece of Gold currant for v. s. The Remedy and abatement shall not exceed j gr.  
In every piece of Gold currant for ij. s. vj. d. The Remedy and abatement shall not exceed di. gr.    
Furthermore we do not so rest upon this course of policy, for the stay of the exportation of Gold out of Our Kingdoms, as We do in any sort lay aside those Legal remedies, which by Our Laws and Statutes in force have been provided for the repressing of the said offence, in exporting both Gold and Silver: But contrariwise, Our will and pleasure is, and We do make known the same to all Our loving Subjects, and straightly command all Our Officers and Ministers, to whom it may appertain, that the Statutes and branches of Statutes, hereafter particularly expressed, be duly put in execution; that is to say, the Statutes made at York, in the ninth year of King Edward the third, called the Statute of Money, first, sixth, ninth, & tenth Chapters, whereby is provided that from thenceforth none should carry away any sterling out of the Realm of England, nor Silver in Plate, nor vessel of Gold or Silver, upon pain of forfeiture of the same Money, Plate, or vessel. And that the Mayor and Bailiffs in every Port, where Merchants and ships should be, should take an Oath of the Masters and Merchants of Ships, going, and coming again, that they should do no fraud against the provision of that Law in any point. And that good and straight search should be made in all places upon the Sea coasts, in Havens and elsewhere, where any arrival should be, by good and lawful men thereto sworn, that in the King's name they should make diligent search, that no man of what estate or condition soever, should carry out of this Realm, Sterling Money, Silver or Plate, nor Vessel of Gold or Silver without the King's Licence. And that the searcher shall have the fourth part for their labour of as much as they shall find so forfeited, and to lose all his goods if he dispense with any man, and be thereof attaint; As by the same Statute among other things more fully doth appear.  
And one other Statute made in the second year of Henry the fourth, the fift Chapter, whereby the King did ordain and establish, that from thenceforth that any searcher of the King might find Gold or Silver in Coin or in Mass, in the keeping of any that should be passing, or upon his passage, in any Ship or Vessel, for to go out of any Port, Haven, or creak of the Realm, without the King's special Licence, that Gold or Silver should be forfeited to the King, (saving his reasonable expenses) As by the same Statute it doth and may more at large appear.  
And We do specially charge and command, that the Mayor and Bailiffs in every Port, where Merchants and Ships shall be, and all such to whom the same shall or may in any wise appertain, do from henceforth carefully take the Oath of Masters of Ships, and Merchants, according to the true meaning of the said Statute, made in the said ninth year of King Edward the third: And that all Customers, Searchers, controllers, and all other Our Officers and Ministers whatsoever, to whom it appertaineth, do so carefully and diligently execute their several Offices, as the said Statutes and all others in any sort concerning the Premises, may without any default or negligence in them, or any of them, be duly and effectually executed upon pain of the greatest punishment, that by Our Laws may be inflicted upon them for their default, negligence, and contempt in that behalf.  
Given at Newmarket the three and twentieth day of November, in the ninth year of Our Reign of Great Britain, France and Ireland. 
 God save the King.   

❧ Imprinted at London by Robert Barker, Printer to the Kings most Excellent Majesty. Anno Dom. 1611.