A Proposal to Prevent the Corruption of the coin.  
'tis too well known how much the coin of this Nation was injured before the last general Melting; near a third part of the whole was lost; which Loss arose chiefly by its being so exorbitantly clipped, but partly by its being Corrupted. This Honourable House has prevented the Return of the first Evil, but the latter is still growing upon us, and may in time appear as formidable a Mischief as the Clipping did, unless some way be found out to check it; for we see daily a Multitude of False Money run in Mixture with the Good; and the Quantity increases so fast, that the longer the Remedy is delayed, the more difficult it will prove.  
To prevent this, there has been hitherto no Provision made, but only one Act of Parliament, that commands and requires all Persons concerned in the Receipt of His Majesty's Revenue, to Cut and Destroy all Pieces of Counterfeit Money that comes to their Hands; which Act perhaps is faithfully executed; but with humble Submission we don't find that Act sufficient.  
Because first, the Act is not only limited to the Offices of the Revenue, but it seems to want a Penalty to enforce it with the utmost Severity.  
But the greater Reason is, that by being only directed to such who are concerned in the public Revenue, it leaves all other Persons at Liberty to do what they please; and 'tis easy to guess what Abuses are made of such an Indulgence: For while the Bank and Bankers, the several Companies, and other Private Dealers, have it at their Pleasure to take or return to their Customers that Base Money that ought to be destroyed, no doubt but such a Liberty makes 'em act more for their own Interest than the public: So that while this Liberty is allowed, 'tis impossible our Cash can be kept clean, there being so many Passes for the Bad to escape: In such a Distress certainly there's a Necessity of doing something to prevent it; but what that is to be, best becomes the Wisdom of this Honourable Assembly.  
In order to this, a Proposal was presented last Session to this Effect: 

I. That an Act of Parliament should be made to compel all Persons whatsoever,( as well as them concerned in the Revenue) under some severe Penalty, to Cut and Deface all Pieces of Money that should be tendered in Payment, and discovered to be Counterfeit.  
II. That there should be no manner of Liberty to return such Money to the Owner, nor to connive at the issuing of it any way, till it was first defaced, and made incapable of passing again.  
III. That when such Money was defaced, it should be return'd to the Owner.  
IV. That if by Negligence or Mistake any False Money escape any Clerk or Receiver in the several Offices of the Revenue, such Money should be Cut by him who next finds it, and he who received it to suffer the Loss.    
But this Proposal admitting of some Objections, was not thought so practicable as so important an Affair ought to be, so that it were happy if something else could be thought of more effectual: I believe every good Subject wishes this Reformation were made, but what Means shall we propose to effect it? There the Question stands, and 'twould be a fortunate Discovery if we could fall upon such Measures as would render the Project successful.  
But that's not so easy; and tho' there's a fatal Necessity of arming against this Intestine Enemy, yet it's a hard Matter to determine what Arms we shall use; and after our utmost Speculations there will not appear a Method more probable than that already mentioned, or this which follows, proposed to be by a general Oath.  
An Oath is the most sacred Pledge our Consciences can bear; 'tis the last Evidence in Law, upon which the Foundation and Establishment of Justice chiefly subsists; and when no other Fetters will bind up the Hands of the Libertine, an Oath ties him down, and keeps him within the Check of his Conscience.  
Therefore with great Resignation to the Wisdom of this Honourable House, it is Proposed as the most effectual way to oppose the Counterfeiting of the coin, and the suppressing that which is now running, and so by degrees to Purge the whole Nation of it, as thus.  

The PROPOSAL.  
I. That a solemn Oath be made, strict and engaging to the Conscience, to oblige all Persons of all Circumstances and Conditions, who are supposed to be conversant in Money( except such as are hereafter excepted) to receive to the best of their Knowledge no Money, but what they shall verily believe to be Standard Gold and Standard Silver.  
II. That all concerned in His Majesties Revenue and Exchequer, Tellers of the Bank, Cashiers of Companies, Goldsmiths, Merchants, Shopkeepers and all tradesman, with their Servants, or whomsoever they employ, in taking or paying Money, all Stewards, Drovers, Carriers, and all other Persons conversant in Money( Noblemen excepted) to take this Oath.  
III. And as this Oath is to be taken by Servants as well as Masters, so it shall be understood to be sufficient once to have taken it, and never to be required again.  
IV. No Person to be capable of receiving the Sum of Five Pounds, till he has first taken the Oath, unless it be in case of Minority, provided for in the next Article.  
V. That all under the age of Eighteen, who are supposed incapable of taking an Oath, shall be tied up in their Indentures to the same purpose, as if they were actually sworn.  
VI. That by virtue of the same Oath, all Persons shall be obliged to Cut and Deface all Counterfeit Money, and to render it for ever incapable of passing.  
VII. That if by mistake any one receive a piece or more of false Money, and discovers it afterwards to be so, he shall be obliged by the same Oath not to offer it in Payment, but to deface it, tho' it be his own.  
VIII. This Oath to be administered by the next Justice, and a Certificate to be given to vouch for the same.  
IX. That a Register be made to record the Certificates, and kept by the Minister, or chief Officer of the Parish.  
X. That the Charge of the Oath and Recording be very easy, and the Profits arising from it be a Consideration to those who are employed in the Registry.   
And tho' at first Appearance this Proposal of Swearing seems troublesone, yet why should it be thought more troublesone than the Oath of Allegiance, which was given to all the Nation? And when it is made a Case of Conscience to utter any False and Counterfeit Money, it will be an Encouragement to all Good People, and a Terror to all Evil; for than this nothing can be more solemn and awful.  
As to the Prejudices which we feel in Gold coins, and for the rectifying the Currency of Guineas, 'tis further humbly offered, That some Order be made, that all Light Guineas, under such a Weight as shall seem convenient to this Honourable House, may be Cut in sunder, and Return'd to the Payer; a reasonable Allowance for Wear of such coined in King Charles II. and the late King's time, to Six Grains; and in this present Reign, to Four Grains. And when this Proposal shall be approved and made a Law, 'tis hoped it may be the Means of preventing the running of False, and preserving the Good Money from Diminution.  
And that this Honourable House may take into Consideration so necessary a Work, and, among the rest of your good Decrees, may form such an Act, whether according to this Proposal or any other, as may put a Stop to the present Run of bad Money, and prevent it hereafter, and make the Nation easy from this Perplexity, is the sincere Desire and Design of the Author of this Paper.  
JOHN LEWIS.   

A PROPOSAL To prevent the CORRUPTION OF THE coin.