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HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE   royal blazon or coat of arms  
A PROCLAMATION Appointing some Foreign species of Gold and Silver to be Current.  
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, and Messengers at Arms, Our Sheriffs in that part, conjunctly, and severally, specially constitute, Greeting;  
Forasmuch as the Lords of Our Privy Council, having taken to their Consideration a Petition presented by the Provost of Edinburgh, in Name, and by Warrant of the Royal Burrowes of this Kingdom, Representing, as one of the great causes of the Decay of Commerce amongst all Qualities of people of this Kingdom, and the deadness of the Foreign and Inland Trade thereof, to be the great scarcity of the stock of Coin, and of all manner of species of Money in this Kingdom, that does much incommodate all manner of Dealers, who are necessitate to deal upon Credit, wanting the supplies of species of money to maintain the same: which Scarcity having been occasioned by the small Quantities of Silver that used to be coined formerly In Our Mint, before Our late happy Restauration, and the frequent Exportation even of the said's small Quantities into Foreign parts; And having remitted the Consideration of the foresaid Petition to a Committee of their number, for preparing the said matter, impowering them to confer with the Officers of our Mint, and these of the Burrowes who were entrusted with the said Petition, and to take exact trial of the fineness of Foreign Coin both of Gold and silver; who having accordingly conferred with these of the said's Burrowes, and Officers of Our Mint, and having seen exact Trial taken of the Intrinsic Fineness and Value of several sorts of foreign Coin, by the subtle essay taken in their presence, did make report, that the Spanish and Dutch Duccatoon, the Spanish Milrynd and French Crown, are much finer than other foreign Coin now presently currant in this Kingdom. W E Therefore, being unwilling to restrain the foreign coins presently currant, while our proper coin of this Kingdom is so small, and so much exported because of its fineness; And finding it the better way to keep out course foreign coin, by allowing the said finer foreign Coin to be currant: And considering, that the foresaids species of money are the Coin of these places with which this Kingdom hath most considerable Trade, and will be a great mean to enable Merchants to return money for the export of this Kingdom: Whereas if the Coin of these places be not currant here, their Ships must return light, or loaden with foreign Commodities of less use for this Kingdom, to balance their whole expert: Have thought fit, with advice of Our Privy Council, to declare and ordain, and by the Tenor hereof do declare and ordain, That the particular species of Foreign Coin, above and after mentioned, shall have course within this Kingdom at the rates following, viz. The Spanish and Dutch Duccatoon to pass currant amongst all Our subjects, for three pounds ten shillings scots: The Spanish Milrynd, for two pounds seventeen shillings scots: And the French Crown for two pounds sixteen shillings. And also We considering, that there hath been an Surcease, and long time since the coining of any Gold in this Kingdom, and that the species of all Old Gold is transported, and little Foreign Gold imported; And for the further encouragement of the Merchants in this Kingdom, concerned in the Spanish and Dutch Trades, to make the Returns of their yearly Export and Effects in such species of Gold Coins as these Countries do afford; Do hereby also, with Advice foresaid, Ordain, and Declare, the Quadruple Spanish Pistol, or piece of eight of Gold, to have course amongst our Subjects of this Kingdom, at the rate of forty two pounds scots the piece, the same being of usual weight, of twenty one Deniers: And also the smaller species of the said Gold Pistol downward, to pass at the said's Rates proportionally: As likewise, the Hungary, Dutch, and Fleemish Ducat of Gold weighing two Deniers, fifteen Grains, to pass, and have course for five pounds twelve shillings scots, The same being of the said weight. And to the effect all Our Liege's may have notice hereof, Our Will is, and We charge you strictly, and command, that incontinent these Our Letters seen, ye pass to the Mercat-Cross of Edinburgh, and other places needful, and thereat, in Our Name and Authority, by open Proclamation, make Publication of the Premises.  
Given under Our Signet, at Edinburgh, the twenty seventh day of February, and of Our Reign the twenty ninth year, 1677. Per Actum Dominorum Secreti Concilii. Al. Gibson. Cl. Sti. Concilii. 
 GOD Save the King.   

Edinburgh, Printed by the Heir of Andrew Anderson, Printer to his most Sacred Majesty, Anno Dom. 1677.