0- *.^ '^ 
 
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 *^'*P' «
 
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 - "L
 
 IJ^
 
 REPORT 
 
 Containing an 
 
 ESSAY 
 
 FOR THE 
 
 Amendment 
 
 O F T H E 
 
 r 
 
 LONDON, 
 
 Printed by Charles Bil/^ and the Executrix of 
 Thomas Nervcomby deceased ; Printers to the 
 Kings moft Excellent Majefty. 1695.
 
 To the Rijrk HonouraUe the Lords 
 Commifjwners of His Majeflfs 
 Treafiiry. 
 
 May it pleafe your LordJJjips^ 
 
 N Obedience to your Lord- 
 iliips Command, I have en- 
 deavoured to inform my felf 
 of divers Matters which con- 
 cern the Gold and Silver 
 Moneys, and of the moft Praflicable Me- 
 thods for new Coining the Latter, and 
 Supplying, in the mean time, fufficient 
 Coins to pay the Kings Taxes and Reve- 
 nues, and to carry on the Publick Com- 
 merce 5 and I do humbly reprefent to youc 
 Lordflii'ps, 
 
 That I have made diligent Search into 
 feveral Records, Books and Writings, to 
 fee what A5:s or Things have been former- 
 ly doneorprafiifed, which might ferve for 
 Precedents, or give any Light for the Re« 
 eiftablifhment of the ®oin$ that Ihould 
 
 h 2 iiow
 
 4 An E(Jaj for Amendment 
 
 now go^ and have Courfe as the Lawful 
 Money of the Kingdom. 
 
 It is true ( as I find in a Book of great 
 Authority, remaining in the Exchequer, 
 called The Blach^Booh^^ written by Ger^uaje 
 of Tilbury^ in the time of HeJiry the Se- 
 cond ) that there were anciently Falfifiers 
 and Clippers of Money ^ for when King 
 William the Firft, for^the better pay of his 
 Warriours, caufed the Firmes^ which till 
 his time, had for the moft part been an- 
 fwered in Viftuals, to be converted in Pe- 
 cHniam Numeratam^ he direfted the whole 
 from every County, to be Charged on the 
 Sheriff, to be by him brought into the Ex- 
 chequer 5 adding. That the Sheriff fhould 
 make the Payment, ad Scalam^ hoc eft ( as 
 the aforefaid Author expounds it^joheret 
 prefer qnamlihct fiumeratam hhram fex dena- 
 rios ^ and the Money afterwards declining, 
 and becoming worfe, it was Ordained, 
 That the Firmcs of Manors fliould not on- 
 ly be paid ad- Scalam^ but alfo ad Fenfam^ 
 which latter was the paying as much Mo- 
 ney for a Pound Sterlings as weighed 
 Twelve Ounces Troy , fo that Payment 
 of a Pound de Islifhtero imported Twenty 
 
 Shillings,
 
 of the Silver Coins. 5 
 
 Shillings, ad Scalam imported Twenty 
 Shillings Six Pence, and ad Pcnjltm import- 
 ed fo much as weighed Twelve Ounces. 
 And in the time of King Hc/;rv the Second, 
 when the Billiop of Salisbury was Treafu- 
 rer, who confidered, that though the Mch 
 ney did Anfwer Nnmero d^ Fondere^ it 
 might neverthelefs be mixt with Copper 
 or Brafs j therefore (yCo/ifilio Regis (^ nt 
 Kegi<£ firmtl ^ Fublicx Pro'videretur 'Vtili- 
 tati ) a Conftitution was made, called the 
 Trial by Combufliou, The whole Progrefs 
 whereof, as it was praftifed in the Exche- 
 quer in thofe Days, is exaftly fet down in 
 the faid Book, and differs little or nothing 
 from the prefcnt method of Affaying Sil- 
 ver for its Finenefs •, as plainly appears in 
 that place where the faid Ger^ajc treats 
 of the Office of the Miles Argcfnarins^zwd 
 that of the I'HJor^ an Extraft whereof is 
 hereunto Annexed. 
 
 It appears alfo that the Crown Rents were 
 many times rcfervedin LibrisAlbis oxBlancb 
 Firmes ^ in which cafe the Payer was holden 
 Dealbare Firmam^ that is. His Bafe Money 
 or Coin worfe than Standard was Molten 
 down in the Exchequer, and Reduced to 
 
 A 3 the
 
 £ An Efay for Amendment 
 
 theFinencfs of Standard Silver, or (inftead 
 thereof) he Paid to the King Twelve 
 Pence to the Pound by v^ay of Addition. 
 But the moft Remarkable Deceipts and 
 Corruptions found in Ancient Records to 
 have been committed upon the Coins of 
 the Kingdom, by Offenders, were in the 
 time of King Edrvard the Firft, when 
 there was Imported^ fort of Light Mo- 
 ney made with a Mitre ^ another fort of 
 Light Money with Lyons upon it ; a 
 Third fort of Copper Blancht, to Refem- 
 ble the Money of England ; a Fourth 
 fort of Light Money Refembling that of 
 king Edward , a Fifth kind that was Pla- 
 ted: And the Crime of Rounding Money 
 ( which I take to be the fame with Clip- 
 ping) was then in Fafliion, all which was 
 done out of England, And the Merchants 
 to avoid the Search at Dover and Sand- 
 rpich^ concealed the Parcels in Bails of 
 Cloth, and brought them in by other 
 Ports, hes qtienx chofes fi elks fniffent 
 longent foeff'erts ( fays the Book ) elles 
 ijjettere yent la Monye D^englitere a nient : 
 And the Chief Remedies then Applied 
 Were h ' ' ' ' '
 
 $f the Silver Coins. 7 
 
 Firfi^ To Cry down all Money that 
 was not of England^ Ireland or Scotland : 
 
 Secondly^ That fuch as arrived from be- 
 yond Seas, fliould fhew the Money they 
 brought with them to the King*s Officers : 
 
 Thirdly^ And not hide it in Fardels, 
 upon Pain of Forfeiture : 
 
 Fourthly , That the Light Money and 
 the Clipt Money might be Bored through 
 without contradiction : 
 
 Fifthly^ And that the fame fliould be 
 Received and Paid by Weight at a cer- 
 tain Rate ^ and that the Perfons having 
 fuch Clipt or Light Money, fliould bring 
 the fame to the King's Changers, who 
 were fettled in fevcral great Towns in 
 the Kingdom, to be new Coined. And 
 by what 1 have Read in Lihro Rnbea 
 (which is in the upper Exchequer ) con- 
 cerning the Changers ( who, as well as 
 the Mafiers of the Mint, had fevcral Of- 
 fices Erefted in divers Parts of the King- 
 dom '•) Namely , at London , Canterbury^ 
 Briflol^ Kingjion upon Hull^ 'Nervcafxle 
 and Exeter ) a Principal Bufinefs of thefe 
 Changers was to Buy in the Silver of the 
 Bad Money j qiie les Pollards C^ Crock^rds 
 
 A 4 O^
 
 8 An Ejfaj for Amendment 
 
 ^ les autres Manvaifes Monet f Contrefaits 
 Soront abatues : And there was a Writ 
 then direSed to the Sheriffs, to Prohibit 
 the laiportation of CHpt or Counterfeit 
 Moneys, and the life thereof in Mer- 
 chandizing or Negotiating, under fevere 
 Penalties, and Commanding thofe that 
 had fuch Money to Bore it thorough, and 
 to bring it to the King's Change to be 
 new Coined. 
 
 And I find by an Indenture in the 
 Third Year of Queen Eli%abeth ( at 
 which time there was Bafe Moneys that 
 had been Coined by Publick Authority ) 
 That it was Ordained that Fketrvood^ Un- 
 der Treafurer for the Upper Houfes of 
 the Mint in the Tower, (hould take in by 
 Number and Tale, the Bafe Moneys there- 
 in mentioned, at fuch Rates or Values as 
 were Appointed by a Proclamation in that 
 behalf 5 giving Bills to the Parties under his 
 Hand for the Receipt thereof And the 
 OfHcers of the Mint were to Melt down 
 and Repay the fame in Sterling Moneys, 
 to the Parties or their Deputies, iliewing 
 and delivering their Bills^ having regard 
 |p the time when every Man brought in 
 
 his
 
 of the Silver Coins. j 
 
 his Money. And the Bafe Money Recei- 
 ved, and the Sterhng Money Repaid 
 were to be Entred in Two Legers , 
 one to be kept by the faid Under-Trea- 
 fiirer, and the other by the Tellers. And 
 the Comptroller and Affay-Mafter were 
 to keep fcveral Books of Refining and 
 Melting the Bafe Money, to the intent 
 they might be Vouchers to the faid Un- 
 dcr-Treafurer, who was to Account to 
 the QjLieen for the whole. 
 
 Thefe or fuch like Provisions might 
 ferve well enough in thofe Times, when 
 there was not much Money, and but lit- 
 tle Trade or Occafion for it , and when 
 the Species then in being , which one 
 would think confifted Anciently of 
 Pence or Pieces of fmall Denomination, 
 were not Corrupted or Diminiflied to 
 that degree as they are at this day. 
 
 But confidering the prefent low Con- 
 dition to which Our Moneys are almoft 
 generally Reduced, and the neceffary 
 Life thereof in daily Occafions, and par- 
 ticularly in the ways of Trade, upon 
 which this Nation depends more at this 
 time than it did formerly , I do not fee 
 
 how
 
 lo An Effaj for Amendment 
 
 how the Prudence of our Anceftors 
 ( which in many Conftitutions relating to 
 the Exchequer and the Mint, appears to 
 have been Tranfcendent and Admirable, 
 cfpecially in Matters of Charge and Dif- 
 charge, and preventing Frauds and Abu- 
 fcs upon the Crown) can, without the 
 devifing new or additional Means and 
 Methods, be made Applicable to a pre- 
 fent Work of new Coining the Silver 
 Moneys, and Supplying Currant Coins 
 for the Commerce , and for the Payment 
 of Taxes and Revenues in the mean 
 time. 
 
 If therefore the King ( to whofe Re- 
 gahty the Power of Coining Money, and 
 Determining the Weight, Finenefs, De- 
 nomination and Extrinfick Value there- 
 of doth Solely and Inherently Apper- 
 tain ) Ihall Judge it neceffary to have the 
 old or prefent Species of Silver Coins, or 
 fo much thereof as hath been Clipt or 
 otherwife Diminifhed , to be Melted 
 down and Recoined, I humbly con- 
 ceive new Means and Methods for doing 
 the fame muft be Devifed. And in 
 Regard Money (which fome Lawyers 
 
 have
 
 of the Silver Coins. 1 1 
 
 have called Firmameiitnm Belli (^ Orna^ 
 ijietitum Facis^ is mofl: certainly of the great- 
 eft Importance to His Majefty, in fupply- 
 ing the Taxes, Revenues and Loans, for 
 Carrying on the War, and Supporting His 
 Royal Eftate ^ as alfo to His Subjeft*?, 
 w^ith relation not only to their Trade 
 and Commerce , but al(b to all other or- 
 dinary Means of Livelihood : The faid 
 Means and Methods for Re-eftablilhing the 
 Coins, and the many w^eighty things de- 
 pending thereupon, ought to be well Ex- 
 cogitated, and to be Confidered and Ad- 
 jufted by Perfons of the greateft Judg- 
 ment and Sagacity, and (if I had not 
 been Enjoyned by your Lordlliips) I 
 fliould fcarce have Adventured upon a 
 Subjeft fo very Difficult and Curious. 
 
 I have Imployed my Thoughts chiefly 
 upon fuch Matters as are Reduceable to the 
 following Heads, "viz.. 
 
 Firfi, Concerning the Standard 
 of the Gold and Silver 
 Coins, and the Eftablifli- 
 ment of a Juft and Reafon- 
 
 able
 
 J 2 An Effay for Amendment 
 able Foot for the Courfe of 
 the fame. 
 
 Second, Concerning the Prefent 
 State and Condition of the 
 Gold and Silver Coins. 
 
 tkird. Whether it be or be not 
 Abfolutely neceffary at this 
 Time to Re-eltablifh the 
 fame. 
 
 Fourth, The Propofing of Means 
 thatmuft be Obtained, and 
 the Proper Methods to be 
 ufed in and for the Amend- 
 ment of the Silver Moneys. 
 
 Fifth, To Confider what mufl 
 Supply the Commerce, Pay 
 Taxes, 6c. Whilft the Clipt 
 
 Money
 
 of the Silver Coins. 13 
 Money is under its New Fa- 
 brication. 
 
 As to the Particulars. 
 
 Firfi, Of the Standard. 
 
 This properly brings under Confidera- 
 tion Two matters relating to the Coins ; 
 namely, the Degree of Finenefs, and the 
 Weight of the Pieces. In treating upon 
 which I (hall humbly take leave to obferve 
 this Method. 
 
 Firjl^ To explain what is meant by Ster- 
 ling Moneys. 
 
 Secondly^ To fet down Hiftorically the 
 Proportions of Fine Gold, and Fine Silver, 
 with the refpeftive Allays, which the Ma- 
 fters or Workers of the Mints have been 
 holden to Obferve in the Fabrication of 
 the Moneys of this Realm, by their refpe- 
 6Hve Indentures which I have found out, 
 Beginning with thofe in the time of King 
 Edrpard the Third, ( the fartheft Extant ) 
 and Ending with the Indenture of the 
 Mint now in being, 
 
 Thirdl^^
 
 14 A/i E(faj for Amendment 
 
 Thirdly , To propofe the Standard of 
 Fincncfs, which ( in my humble Opinion) 
 ought to be continued for the new Coins, 
 which His Majefty may be pleafed to di- 
 red at this time, with my Reafons for the 
 fame, to be deduced from the Experience 
 of former times, and an Impartial regard 
 to prefent Circumftances. 
 
 Fourthly^ To fet forth how the Value of 
 the Gold and Silver in our EngUpj Coins 
 hath been Raifed from time to time, which 
 confiders the Weight and Number of Pie^ 
 ces in a Pound Troy, 
 
 Fifthly,, To offer my humble Opinion 
 upon that Subje6}-, in reference as well to 
 the Old Coins now in being and Unclipt, 
 as alfo to the New Moneys, which may 
 be direfted tobemade, asaforefaid, toge- 
 ther with my Reafons for the fame, to be 
 alfo Grounded upon the Experience of 
 former Times, and a due Confideration 
 of prefent Circumftances : All or moft of 
 which Points being of great Moment, to 
 be well weighed in this Affair, I do 
 humbly pray youf Lordfliips that I may 
 Difcufs them feverally. 
 
 Firfl^
 
 of the Silver Coins. 15 
 
 Firfi , It is believed by fome Authors, 
 ( and not without Reafon ) that in the 
 moft Ancient times, when Money wasfirft 
 Coined withi/i this Ifland, it ^yj^^^^^^gg 
 was made of ^ Pure Gold ofShenpAc- 
 and Silver, like the Moneys ^^'^''^^'P5- 
 now Currant in fome other Nations, par- 
 ticularly in Hungary and Barbary^ where 
 they have Pieces of Gold called Ducats 
 and Stihaneffes , and in the Kingdom of 
 hicbifla?!^ where they have Pieces of Silver 
 called Rupees^ which I have feen, and 
 wherein ( as I am Informed ) there is lit- 
 tle or no Allay : And that afterwards it 
 being found convenient in the Fabrication 
 of the Moneys, to have a certain Quanti- 
 ty or Proportion of Bafer Metal to be 
 mixt with the Pure Gold and Silver, 
 the word Sterling was introduced, and 
 hath ever fince been ufed to denote the 
 certain Proportion or Degree of Finc- 
 nefs, which ought to be retained in the 
 refpeftive Coins compofed of fuch mix- 
 ture, as aforefaid. There are fome Au- 
 thors that fancy this Word Sterling took 
 its Name from a Caftle in Scotland^ as if 
 it were firft Coined there. Some have 
 
 derived
 
 1 6 An Effaj for Amendment 
 
 derived it from a Star or Aftracifm, 
 which they imagine to have been Impref- 
 fed thereupon. There are thofe that fetch 
 it from the Name of an Ancient Inden- 
 ture or Bond which was taken by the 
 Jews ( thofe old Uferers ) for Security of 
 their Debts , and which was called the 
 Jews Star. But others think it comes from 
 the Name of a People called Eaflerlings^ 
 as the firft Workers of it in England, Of 
 which latter Opinion is the Author of a 
 very old Trcatife concerning Money, En- 
 tred at large in the Red jB^{?J^ abovefaid, 
 in the time of King Edward the Third. 
 For my own Part, I do not believe the 
 word Sterling ( denoting the degree of 
 Finenefs or Goodnefs as aforefaid^ was 
 known in the time of the Conqueror, in 
 regard there is no mention thereof in Li- 
 bra Jnditiario or the Dooms-day Book ^which 
 Valueth every Manor fas it was worth in 
 the times of the Confeflbr and Conque- 
 ror refpe&ivcly ) in Money ad Nnme^ 
 ram^ or ad Penfam or ad Pondm^ but not 
 in Sterling Money ^ and yet the Denomi- 
 nation of Sterling was foon after introdu- 
 ced, becaufc the Statute of the Twenty 
 
 mi]
 
 of the Silver Coins. 1 7 
 
 fifth of Edward the Third refers to An- 
 cient Stcrlwg^ and fo do the Old Inden- 
 tures of the Mint, and the Ancient En- 
 tries concerning Money. By reading of 
 which it feems evident to me^ 
 
 Firfl^ That a Sterling or Eaflerling^ in 
 a rcftrained Sence, ffgnified nothing but a 
 Silver Peny, which at firft was about 
 three times as heavy as a Peny is now^ 
 and was once called a Lnndre\s^ becaufe it 
 was to be Coined only at London^ and 
 not the Country Mints. 
 
 Secondly^ That the Words Sterling and 
 Standard are Synonimous Terms. 
 
 Thirdly , That the Ancient Sterling of 
 England, mentioned in the fiid Statute^ 
 and the Standard and Allay of Old Eajler- 
 ling^ mentioned in the Indenture, Le ao 
 jour de May Ian da Kegne Edward 5. 
 cefiaffavoir d'Engletere qnarant jifme ^- de 
 France trefn tierce entre le Koy <^ Bardet 
 de Malepilys de Florence and the Old 
 right Standard of England, which I find in 
 other Indentures of the Mint, are to be 
 underftood thus : A Pound Weight Troy 
 of Gold was divided into Twenty four 
 Carats, and every .Carat into Four Grains 
 
 B of
 
 1 8 A/i E([ay for Amendment 
 
 of Gold 5 and a Pound Weight of the 
 Old Sterlings or Kight Standard Gold of 
 England, confifted of Twenty three Ca- 
 rats and Three Grains and an half of Fine 
 Gold, and half a Grain of Allay. Which 
 Allay ( as the Red Booh^ fays ) might be^ 
 Silver or Copper. Again , a Pound ■ 
 Weight Troy of Silver, was then (as it 
 has been ever fince ) divided into Twelve 
 Ounces, every Ounce into Twenty Peny 
 Weight, and every Peny Weight into 
 Twenty four Grains j every Grain of Sil- 
 ver was called a Subtile Grain , Sixty of 
 which were equal to One Grain of Gold, 
 and a Pound Weight of Old Sterlings or 
 Kight Standard Silver of England, confift- 
 ed then (as it docs now) of Eleven 
 Ounces and Two Peny Weight of 
 Fine Silver, and Eighteen Peny Weight 
 Allay. 
 
 Fourthly^ That Sterling Money gene- 
 rally in Judgment of Law , upon the 
 Fines, Covenants, and other Inftruments 
 that have had occafion to refer thereunto, 
 hath always imported, and doth ftill im- 
 port only fuch Coins of Gold or Silver, 
 as have been made by fucceffive Mafters 
 
 and
 
 of the Silver Coins. i ^ 
 
 and Workers of the Mint in cer- 
 tain Proportions of Fine Metal, 
 mixt with Allays, according to 
 their refpeftive Indentures or Co- 
 venants with the Crown , from 
 time to time, and made Currant 
 by the fame Indentures , or by 
 Proclamations or Commands of 
 the Sovereign : Which Proporti- 
 ons of Finenefs and Allay, have 
 differed from time to time. And 
 ( having thus Expounded what is 
 meant by Sterling and Old Sterling ^ 
 thofe Differences w ill come properly 
 to be Confidered. 
 
 Second^ In the next Place there- 
 fore, I am to fet down Hiftorically 
 the Proportions of Fine Gold and 
 Fine Silver, with the refpefiive Al- 
 lays, which the Mafters or Workers 
 of the Mint have been holden to ob- 
 ferve in the Fabrication of the Mo- 
 neys, by their refpedive Indentures : 
 Of which there is one mentioned in 
 the Red Book^^ to bear Date in the 
 Eighteenth Year of King Edward 
 the Firft, who fent for Workmen 
 B 2 from
 
 20 JnEjfaj for Amendment^ 
 
 from beyond Sea, to inform him of 
 the manner of Making and Forging 
 of Money ^ but not finding any In- 
 denture by which one can judge 
 certainly of the faid Proportions, 
 till the Reign oiEdrvard the Third ; 
 from whofe time the feveral Inden- 
 tures of the Mint, or moft of them, 
 are in the Receipt of the Exchequer, 
 in Cuftody of your Lordfhips and 
 the Chamberlains there, and where I 
 have had the Opportunity carefully 
 to Infpeci and Examine the fame. I 
 fhall therefore humbly take leave to 
 begin with thefe, and Proceed in the 
 Order following. 
 f 8 E. 3. The Standard for the Gold Coins 
 was the Old Standard, or Sterling 
 of Twenty three Carats , Three 
 Grains and Half Fine, and Half a 
 Grain Allay. And the Standard 
 for the Silver Coins was the Old 
 Sterling of Eleven Ounces Two 
 Peny Weight Fine , and Eighteen 
 Peny Weight Allajo
 
 of the Silver Coins. 
 
 21 
 
 20 E. 3/ 
 
 23. 
 27. 
 30. 
 
 18R.2. 
 
 3H.4. 
 
 9 H. 5. All thefe imported the 
 
 I H. 6, ;.fame Standard, as above, 
 
 4. both for Gold and Silver. 
 
 45?. 
 
 ^E.4. 
 1 1. 
 1(5. 
 
 I R. 3. 
 29 H. 7. 
 
 R^/p/^ Ron^lett and Martin Bowes^ ^ ^ ^• 
 Mafters and Workers, Covenanted 
 to make Two forts of Gold Coins ; 
 to wit, Sovereigns, Rialls, Angels, 
 Ge<?rge-Nobles, and Half-Angels of 
 the faid Old Standard, and Crowns 
 of the Double Rofe, and Half- 
 Crowns to be Twenty two Carats ^ 
 Fine, and Two Carats Allay ^ and 
 Silver Moneys, to wit, Groats, 
 B 2 Half-
 
 22 An Effaj for Amendment 
 
 Half-Groats, Sterlings, Half-pence 
 and Farthings of the Old Sterling, 
 
 25 H. 8. Another Indenture to the fame 
 Effea. 
 
 34. The faid Ralph Kowlett and Mar- 
 
 tin Bowes^ Mafters and Workers, 
 Covenanted to make the Sove- 
 reigns, Half-Sovereigns , Angels, 
 Angcllets, and Qjiarter-Angels of 
 Twenty three Carats Fine Gold, 
 and One Carat Allay , And Silver 
 Money, to wit, Teftoons to go for 
 Twelve Pence ^ andj^foats, Half- 
 Groats, Pence, Half-Pence and Far- 
 things, to be Ten Ounces Fine, and 
 Two Ounces Allay. 
 
 36 H. 8. The King was to have out of e- 
 very Twelve Ounces of Fine Gold 
 Coined Two Carats, which yield- 
 ed Fifty Shillings : And the Silver 
 to be Coined after the Rate of 
 Six Ounces Fine and Six Ounces 
 Allay 5 which ^as a wretched De- 
 bajement, 
 
 37. The Gold Coins, called Sove- 
 
 reigns, Half-Sovereigns, Crowns and 
 Half-Cro wnsj were to b^ only Twen- 
 ty
 
 of the Silver Coins. 23 
 
 ty Carats Fine, arid Four Carats Al- 
 lay \ and the Silver Coins, to wit, 
 Teftoons , Groats, Half-Groats, 
 Pence, Half-Pence and Farthings to 
 be Four Ounces Fine , and Eight 
 Ounces Allay ; which was worje. 
 
 The fame with the laft Preceding. ' ^- ^* 
 A Commiflion to make Sove- 3. 
 reigns , Half-Sovereigns , Crowns 
 and Half-Crowns of Gold at Twen- 
 ty two Carats Fine, and Two Ca- 
 rats Allay : And Shilhngs of Silver 
 of Six Ounces Fine and Six Oun- 
 ces Allay. 
 
 Another to make Sovereigns, 4 e. 6 
 Half-Sovereigns, Crowns and Half- 
 Crowns of Gold of the Old Stan- 
 dard ; Namely, Twenty three Ca- 
 rats Three Grains and an Half Fine, 
 and Half a Grain Allay. 
 
 Another to make Shillings of Sil-S e. 6. 
 ver, Three Ounces Fine, and Nine 
 Ounces Allay. 
 
 To Coin Sovereigns, Angels and ^ ^' ^' 
 
 Half-Angels of the Old Standard, to 
 
 wit, Twenty three Carats Three 
 
 Grains and Half Fine, and another 
 
 B 4 fort
 
 124. ^fi ^{f^y fo^ Amendment 
 
 fort of Gold, to be Twenty two 
 Carats Fine and Two Carats 
 Allay. 
 ^ E. 6. Xo Coin Silver Crowns , Half- 
 Crowns, Shillings, Six Fences, Three 
 Fences , Fence , Half-Pence and 
 Farthings, Eleven Ounces One Feny 
 Weight Fine, and Nineteen Peny 
 Weight Allay. 
 
 1 Mar. To Coin Gold Twenty three Ca- 
 
 rats, Three Grains and an Half Fine, 
 and Silver Eleven Ounces Fine. 
 Phil & The Old Standard for Gold and 
 Silver. 
 
 2 Eiiz. To Coin one fort of Gold of the 
 
 faid Old Standard, and another fort 
 
 to be only Twenty two Carats Fine, 
 
 and Two Carats Allay ^ and Silver 
 
 Moneys of the Old Standard. 
 
 I Eiiz. Two Mints were in the Tower^ 
 
 whereof One to convert the Bafe 
 
 Money into Sterling^v^\\\ch continued 
 
 about a Year. And here it may not 
 
 be improper to Note, that not long 
 
 ^Jjjf^^,^ after, the Qjieen ina Fublick Edift, 
 
 ^m^^ told her People, T^iflie had Con- 
 
 1. Anno quered the' Monfter which had fo 
 
 16260- ■ .■ ., . I 
 
 i , long
 
 of the- Silver Coins. 25 
 
 long devoured them ; meaning the 
 Debafing of the Standard. 
 
 The Old Standard perfeftly re- ^9- 
 ftorcd both for Gold and Silver 
 Coins. 
 
 npi n • 1 2% EIlZ. 
 
 1 he lame contmiied. 
 
 The fame for Gold. ^^• 
 
 A Commiffion to make Sove- 3^* 
 reigns, Half-Sovereigns, Crow^ns and 
 Half-Crow^ns of Gold to be Twenty 
 two Carats Fine, and Two Carats 
 Allay. 
 
 To make Angel-Gold Twenty '^^' 
 three Carats Three Grains and half 
 Fine, the Old Standard h and to 
 make Sovereigns, ^c. Twenty two 
 Carats Fine, and Two Carats Allay; 
 and to make Crowns, Shillings, c^r. 
 of Silver Eleven Ounces and Two 
 Peny Weight Fine^ and Eighteen 
 Peny Weight Allay, the Old Stand- 
 ard. 
 
 To Coin the Unites, Double^ J^<^-^^ 
 Crowns, Britijh Crowns, d^'<^. of 
 Gold to be Twenty two Carats Fine, 
 ^nd Two Carats Allay, and the Old 
 Standard for Silver con^inuedo 
 
 To
 
 26 An Ejfajfor Amendment 
 
 3JaG.i. Xo Coin Rofe-Rialls, Spurr-Ri- 
 alls, and Angels of the Old Stand- 
 ard of Twenty three Carats Three 
 Grains and an half Fine. 
 
 JO- To Coin Rialls of the fame Stand- 
 
 ard, and Unites, c^r. Twenty two 
 Carats Fine, and Two Carats Allay. 
 
 2 Car. I. To Coin Rialls and Angels of the 
 Old Standard of Twenty three Ca- 
 rats Three Grains and an half Fine, 
 and half a Grain Allay , and to Coin 
 Unites and Crowns Twenty two 
 Carats Fine^ and Two Carats Allay ; 
 and to Coin the Silver Moneys of 
 the Old Standard of Eleven Ounces 
 Two Peny Weight Fine, and Eigh- 
 teen Peny Weight Allay. 
 
 i2Ca.2. To Coin Rialls and Angels of the 
 Old Standard of Twenty three* Ca- 
 rats, Three Grains and an half Fine, 
 and half a Grain Allay ^ and to Coin 
 Unites and Crowns Twenty two Ca- 
 rats Fine, and Two Carats Allay ; 
 and Silver Moneys of the Old Stan- 
 dard of Eleven Ounces Two Peny 
 Weight Fine, Eighteen Peny 
 Weight Allay. 
 
 To
 
 of the Silver Coins. 2 7 
 
 To Coin the Pieces ( fince called 22 ca.i. 
 Guineas) running for Twenty Shil- 
 lings, Half-Guineas, c^c. Twenty 
 two Garats Fine, and Two Carats 
 Allay ^ and Silver Moneys of the 
 Old Standard. 
 
 To Coin Teft Shilling Pieces, i J'^c. 2. 
 Twenty Shilling Pieces, Fourty Shil- 
 ling Pieces, and Five Pound Pieces 
 of Gold of Twenty two Carats Fine, 
 and Two Carats Allay ; and Silver 
 Moneys of the Old Standard of E- 
 levcn Ounces Two Peny Weight 
 Fine, and Eighteen Peny Weight 
 Allay. 
 
 The fame Standard for Gold and I w. 
 Silver. 
 
 Upon duly confidering this Hi- 
 ftory or Relation for fo many years 
 paft, it may not be improper to 
 Obferve to your Lordfliips there- 
 upon, 
 
 Firfl^ That above Four hundred 
 Years ago, the Standard for the Sil- 
 ver Coins was Eleven Ounces Two 
 Peny Weight Fine, and Eighteen 
 Peny Weight Allay, And fo it is at 
 " ' ' ' this
 
 28 An Efpiyfo^ Amendment 
 
 this day by the prefent Indenture 
 of the Mint, and the fame is that 
 which was called the Old Sterlings or 
 Eajlerling, 
 
 Secondly^ That the Standard for 
 the Gold Coins Four hundred Years 
 ago, was Twenty diree Carats Three 
 Grains and an half Fine, and half a 
 Grain Allay. And at this day the 
 Standard of Gold by the Indenture 
 of the Mint is Twenty two Carats 
 Fine, and Two Carats Allay j the 
 difference of which is only One Ca- 
 rat Three Grains and an half. 
 
 Thirdly^ That the Old Standard 
 obtained for the moft part of the 
 faid Number of Years, and the chief 
 Deviations from the fame were in 
 the Reigns of Hcfiry the Eighth, and 
 Edward the Sixth. 
 
 The which being premifed, the 
 Third thing coming under Confi- 
 deration concerning fuch new Coins 
 as His Majefty (hall think fit to Di- 
 reft, is my own poor Opinion , 
 which I humbly offer, and ( as I 
 conceive ) with fome clearnefs, Ihat 
 
 the
 
 of the Silver Coins. 29 
 
 the prefefit Standard of Finetiejs^ or Purity 
 ought to be contimted^ Jiatnely^ of Twenty two 
 Carats Fine^ and Two Carats Allay for the 
 Gold '-i and Ele'ven Ounces Two Feny Weight 
 Fine^ and Eighteen Fe?iy Weight Allay for the 
 Siher^ in all the New Coins thatjhall be now 
 dire^ed. And my Rcafons for the fame 
 are as follows, 
 
 Firji>^ Becaufe our Anceftors ( whofe 
 wifdom we have no caufe to diftruft) have 
 for many Ages endeavoured to keep up 
 the Old Sterlings or to a Standard very 
 near it *, which obtained (as evidently ap- 
 pears by the foregoing Narrative ) for the 
 greateft part of Four hundred years. 
 
 Secondly J Although the former Debafe- 
 ments of the Coins by Publick Authority, 
 efpecially thofe in the Reigns of King 
 Henry the Eighth, and King Edward the 
 Sixth, might be projeded for the Profit of 
 the Grown, and the Projeflors might mea- 
 fure that Profit by the exceffive Quantities 
 of Allay that were mixt with the Silver or 
 the Gold : And although this was Enter- 
 prized by a Prince who could ftretch his 
 Prerogative very far upon his People ; and 
 was done in Times when thi^ Nation had 
 
 very
 
 30 All Effay for Amendment 
 
 very little Commerce, Inland or Foreign, 
 to be injured or prejudiced thereby : Yet 
 Experience prefcntly fhewcd that the 
 Projeftors were miftaken, and that it was 
 abfolutely neceffary to have the Bafe Mo- 
 neys reformed , the doing whereof was 
 begun by King Edv^atd the Sixth himfelf, 
 carried on by King Philip and Queen 
 Mary^ and happily finifhed ( though not 
 without great Charge^Vexation and Trou- 
 ble, the only Offspring of fuch Defigns ) 
 by Qjieen Elir^abeth^ who ( as is noted a- 
 bove) in the Third Year of Her Keign, 
 when Money was not plentiful, Ereded 
 a Diftinft Mint in the Tower, to convert 
 the Bafe ( not Counterfeit Money ) into 
 Sterling, 
 
 Thirdly^ Becaufe making of Bafe Mo- 
 neys will Difgrace this Government in 
 future Generations, the Criticks in every 
 Age being apt to Eflimate the Goodnefs 
 or Badnefs of Ancient Governments by 
 their Coin, as hath been done, efpecially 
 in the Cafe of the Romans^ and a Tempta- 
 tion of this kind ought not to be left for 
 future Ages, to the prejudice of the Ho- 
 nour of the prefent King* 
 
 Fourthly^
 
 of the Silver Coins. 31 
 
 Fourthly, Although it miift be acknow- 
 ledged, That the putting a greater Allay 
 into the Coins, fo long as they fliould ftill 
 retain fo much Purity or Finenefs as would 
 render them anlwerable to the Currant 
 Price of Silver in Bullion, would be no 
 real injury to the Subjed: : Yet it muft be 
 confidered, that when the Caufes which 
 at prcfent make Silver Scarce and Dear 
 fhall ccafe, Silver it felf will fall in its Price. 
 And if in the mean time the Coins fhall 
 have been Debafed, then after the Re- 
 trieving of the Trade and Wealth of the 
 Nation, and the Bringing down of the 
 Price of Silver thereby, the Damage which 
 the Crown will fuftain in its Taxes, Re- 
 venues and Loans, and the Lofs which the 
 Nobility, Gentry and Commonalty (efpe- 
 cially Ecclefiaftical Perfons ) will find 
 thereby, in the payment of their Debts, 
 Rents and Annuities ( many of which are 
 fo Fixt and Eftablifht upon previous Re- 
 fervations or Grants in Fee, or in Tail, or 
 for Lives, or Years certain, or are fo pay- 
 able by Affu ranees already perfefted, as 
 that it will not be in their powers to al- 
 ter the fame proportionably to the De- 
 
 bafe-
 
 32 An E(fay for Amendment 
 
 bafomcnt of the Coin, and the lofs or da- 
 mage, after fiich Bringing down the Price 
 of Silver, will be proportionable to the 
 exceffive Allay to be put into the Money^ 
 will continue and have duration at leaft 
 till all fuch Bafe Money can be abated : 
 The meer Reforming of which would 
 take up a confiderable time, and be a new 
 trouble and difficulty after the Ending of 
 the prefeuit War, and after the Re-efta- 
 bhlhment of the Trade and Wealth of 
 the Kingdom. 
 
 Fifthly^ Our prefent Standard is well 
 known in the World, the fame agreeing 
 with moft of the Foreign Mints in £//r(?pe, 
 and all Foreigners that deal with us, re^ 
 gard the Intrinfick Value more than the 
 Extrinfick Denomination, and Exchange 
 with us accordingly. If Bafe Money 
 fliou-ld be made, the Intrinfick Value 
 thereof would be uncertain, or might be 
 difputed, and in Difputes of fuch a Na- 
 ture, it is more likely that they will, gain 
 upon us, then we upon them, and fo the 
 Exchange become more to our prejudice 
 then it is at prefent. 
 
 Sixthly^
 
 of the Silver Corns, 3 3 
 
 Sixthly^ The Dcbafing of Money 
 by Piiblick Authority is nccdlels and 
 frivolous, for whatfoevcr Advan- 
 tages ( grounded upon nccedity ') 
 can be propos'd thereby, will arife 
 more eafily, and have better Prece- 
 dents in Raifirro[ the Value of the 
 Standard ^ which is the next Subjeft 
 to be Difcudbd ; Not doubting but 
 that your Lordlliips by thefe, and 
 other Reafons which might be given 
 ( if they were not too tedious ) will 
 be fully convinc'd, That the preje72t 
 Standard of Finenefs is to be conti- 
 nued. 
 
 The Fourth thini^ which I have 
 undertaken, in refpcS: of the Stand- 
 ard^ is to fet forth how the Value of 
 the Gold and Silver in the Engliffj 
 Coins hath been Rais'd from time 
 to time, w^hich confiders the Weight 
 and Number of the Pieces in the 
 Pound Iroy, And becaufc ( in cafe 
 of new making Silver Moneys ) the 
 Adjufting and Eftablifliing the £x- 
 trinfick^Valiw or Denomination there- 
 of, at which the fame muft have 
 C Courfc,
 
 3 4 An Effajfor Amendment 
 
 Courfc, is of the greateft Moment 
 and Confideration in this Affair, 
 both to the King and all his People, 
 I could not fpare my fclf the trou- 
 ble of making the following Dedu- 
 ction from the Indentures of the 
 Mint, which being iduly meditated 
 upon, will give a good deal of Light 
 and Precedent for the Rates to 
 which the Value of Gold and Silver 
 in our Coins are to be Raifed and 
 Eftablifhed at this time. 
 28 E.I. An Indented Try al-piece of the 
 goodnefs of Old Sterling was lodged 
 in the Exchequer, and every Pownd 
 Weight liroy^ of fuch Silver was to 
 be fliorn at Tw^ency Shillings Three 
 Pence, according to which the Va- 
 lue of the Silver in the Coin, was 
 One Shilling Eight Pence Farthing 
 an Ounce. 
 
 Memorandum, I find no farther 
 Indentures concerning this Mat- 
 ter^ from Edward the Firji^ till 
 Edward the Third, 
 
 Every
 
 of the Sliver Coins. 35 
 
 Every Pound Weight of Gold of ^^''' 3- 
 the Old Standard abovcmentionedj 
 namely. Twenty tlxrec Carats, Three 
 Grains and a Half Fine, and Half a 
 Grain Allay, was to be Coin'd into 
 Fifty Florences, to be Currant at 
 Six Shillings apiece ^ all'which made 
 in Tale Fifteen Pounds, or into a pro- 
 portionable Number of Half Flo- 
 rences, or Quarter Florences : This 
 was by Indenture between the King 
 and Walter dc Diuijiower^ Mafter aCnd 
 Worker. 
 
 A Pound Weight of Gold oi thQEod.art. 
 Old Standard abovcmcntioned, was 
 to contain Thirty nine Nobles and 
 an Half, at Six Shillings Eight Penes- 
 apiece, amounting in the whole to 
 Thirteen Pounds Three Shillings and 
 Four Pence in Tale, or a propor- 
 tionable Number of Half Nobles, 
 and Quarter Nobles : Which was 
 by an Indenture between the King 
 and Perci'uall de Ferche. 
 
 Memorandum, By this hidejttnre 
 the Tryal of the Fix was Ejia- 
 bUpjed. 
 
 Q ^ A
 
 3 6 An h^ny for Amendment 
 
 20 E. 3. A Pound Weight of Gold of the 
 faid Old Standard, was to make by 
 Talc Foiirtv two Nobles at Six Shil- 
 lings Eight Pence apiece, amounting 
 to Fourteen Pounds, or a proportion- 
 able Number of Half Nobles, and 
 Quarter Nobles : And a Pound 
 Weight of the Old Sterling Silver 
 was to make Twenty two (hillings 
 Six Pence : And Ferci'val de P ere he 
 was Mafter. 
 
 ^3E. 3. The like when John Donati^e^ 
 of the Caftle oi Florence^ and Philip 
 John Denier were Mafters and Wor- 
 kers. 
 
 Memorandum, By this Indenture 
 TV ere aljo Coined Half-pence and 
 Farthings of Silzfer, 
 
 27 E. 3. A Pound Weight of Gold of the 
 Old Standard was to make by Tale 
 Fourty five Nobles, amounting to 
 Fifteen Pounds, or a proportionable 
 Number of Half or Quarter Nobles : 
 And a Pound Weight of Silver of 
 the Old Sterlings to make by Tale 
 
 Seventy
 
 of the Silver Coins. 3 7 
 
 Seventy five Groffcs ( i. c. Groats ) 
 amounting to Twenty five Shillings, 
 or One hundred and fifty Half-Grof- 
 les, going for Two Pence apiece, or 
 Three hundred Sterlings going for 
 Pence apiece : And Hairy Briffell 
 was Mafter and Worker. 
 
 The like, only adding Half-Ster- 5o e. 3. 
 lings, of which Six hundred in a 
 Pound Troy, 
 
 The like. 57. 
 
 The like : And Barclct cle Male-^^- 
 pilys was Mafter and Worker. 
 
 The like: And NichoU' Ualakpi^'^^-'- 
 a Floretitiiie^ was Mafter and Wor- 
 ker. 
 
 The like : And here Half-pence 3 H.4. 
 are called Mailcs. 
 
 A Pound Weight of Gold of the 9 h. 5, 
 faid Old Standard was to make by 
 Tale Fifty Nobles, or One hundred 
 Half Nobles, or Two hundred Qjiar- 
 ter Nobles, amounting to Sixteen 
 Pounds, Thirteen Shillings, and Four 
 Pence in Tale. And a Pound Wcio:ht 
 of Silver of the faid Old Standard, 
 was to make by Tale Ninety Grof- 
 
 0:3 fes
 
 38 An Effaj for Amendment 
 
 fes or Groats, or One hundred and 
 eighty Half-Groz, or Three hund- 
 red* and Sixty Sterlings, or Seven 
 hundred and twenty Mailes^ or One 
 thoufand four hundred and fourty 
 Farthings, amounting to Thirty Shil- 
 linas : And Bartholomen> Goldbeater 
 was Mafter and Worker. 
 iH.6. A Pound Weight of Gold of the 
 faid Old Standard was Coin'd into 
 Fourty five Rialls, going for Ten 
 Shilhngsapiece, or a proportionable 
 Number of Half-Rialls, going for 
 Five Shillings apiece, or Riall-Far- 
 things, going for Two Shillings and 
 Six-pence apiece, or into Sixty Seven 
 Angels and an Half, going for Six 
 Shillings and Eight Pence apiece, or 
 a proportionableNumber of Angelets 
 going for Three Shillings and Four 
 Pence apiece: And confequently the 
 FoundTroy of Gold was Coined in- 
 to Twenty two Pound Ten Shillings 
 by Tale , and a Pound Weight of 
 Silver of the Old Sterling was Coined 
 into One hundred and twelve Groats 
 and an half, making in Tale Thirty
 
 of the Silver Coins. 39 
 
 feven Shillinors and Six Pence, or a 
 proportionable Number of Half- 
 Gro'z, Sterlings or Pence, Half-pence 
 or Farthings : And here Sir Giles 
 Dawbeny was Mafter and Worker. 
 
 Is the fame with that of the Ninth 4H.6. 
 o? Henry the Fifth, lowering the 
 Gold to Sixteen Pounds Thirteen 
 Shillings and Four Pence , and the 
 Silver Moneys to Thirty Shillings : 
 And Robert Mansfeild was Mafter 
 and Worker. 
 
 Islote here the Value of the Silver as 
 well as the Gold in the Coins ivas 
 brought down again. 
 
 The fame. 24H.6: 
 
 A Pound Weight of Gold of the 49H.6 
 faid Old Standard was to iiiake by 
 Tale Sixty feven Angels and an Half 
 at Six Shillings Eight Pence apiece, 
 amounting to Twenty two Pounds 
 Ten Shillings, and a Pound Weight 
 of Silver of the faid Old Sterlnig was 
 to make by Tale One hundred and 
 twelve Groats and an Half, amount- 
 C 4 . ing
 
 40 An Efay for Amendment 
 
 ing to Thirty fevcn Shillings and Six 
 Pence, or proportionably in the lef- 
 fer Coins : And Sir Richard Confla- 
 hie was Mafter and Worker. 
 
 4 E- 4. A Pound Weight of Gold of the 
 faid Old Standard was to make by 
 Tale Twenty Pounds Sixteen Shil- 
 lings and Eight Pence, and a Pound 
 M^eight of Silver, Old Sterlings was 
 to make Thirty feven Shillings and 
 Six Pence, as in the laft Article ; 
 And JViUiam Lord Haflings was Ma- 
 fter and Worker. 
 
 SE.4. A Pound Weight of Gold of the 
 Old Standard was to make Fourty 
 five Nobles going for Ten Shillings 
 apiece, or Ninety Half Nobles, or 
 One hundred and Eighty Quarter 
 Nobles, or Sixty feven and an Half 
 of the Pieces imprefs'd with Angels 
 going for Six Shillings Eight Pence 
 each, and confequently was Coined 
 into Twenty two Pounds Ten Shil- 
 lings by Tale , and the Silver Mo- 
 neys were iliorn at Thirty feven 
 Shillings and Six Pence the Pound 
 ight iroy. This Indenture was 
 
 between
 
 of the Silver Coins. 41 
 
 between the King and the Lord 
 Bajih/gs His Chamberlain, and Ma- 
 ftcr and Worker and Warden of all 
 liis Exchanges and Outchanges in 
 L?tgland and Calh, 
 
 The like. 8E.4. 
 
 The like. n E.4. 
 
 The like. ^6E.4. 
 
 The like : But Bartholomerv Read^^^'"^ 
 was Mafter and Worker. 
 
 The like : And Kohert Brach^fibit- iR. 3- 
 ry was Mafter and Worker. 
 
 The like : And Robert Fenrotber 9 H.7. 
 and William Read were Mafters and 
 Workers. 
 
 A Pound Weight of fuch Gold ^^•^• 
 to be Coined into Twenty feven 
 Pound by Tale ^ to wit, into Twen- 
 ty four Sovereigns, at Twenty two 
 Shillings and Six Pence apiece, or 
 Fourty eight Rialls at Eleven Shil- 
 lings and Three Pence apiece , or 
 Seventy two Angels at Seven Shil- 
 lings and Six Pence apiece, or Eighty 
 one George-Nobles at Six Shillings 
 and eight Pence apiece, or One hun- 
 dred fourty and four Half- Angels at 
 
 Three
 
 42 An Effaj for Amendment 
 
 Three Shillings and Nine Pence a- 
 piece, or One hundred fixty and 
 two Fourty-peny Pieces , at Three- 
 Shillings and Four Pence apiece, 
 and a Pound Weight of Gold of the 
 Finenefs of Twenty two Carats on- 
 ly, was to be Coined into One hun- 
 dred Crowns and an Half of the 
 Double Rofe, or Two hundred and 
 one Half-Crowns, making by Tale 
 Twenty five Pounds two Shillings 
 and Six Pence , and a Pound 
 Weight of Silver of the Old Sterlings 
 was Coined into One hundred and 
 thirty five Groats, or Two hundred 
 and feventy Half-Groats, or Five 
 hundred and fourty Sterlings ( i. e. 
 Pence) or One thoufand and eighty 
 Half-pence, or Two thoufand one 
 hundred and fixty Farthings ^ and 
 fo every Pound Weight of Sterling 
 Silver was Coined into Fourty five 
 Shillings by Tale : And Ralph Row- 
 lett and Martin Bowes were Mafters 
 and Workers. 
 23 H. 8. The like.
 
 of the Silver Coins. 43 
 
 A Pound Weiaht of Gold of^+H-S. 
 Twenty three Carats Fine , and 
 One Carat Allay, was Coined into 
 Twenty eight Pounds Sixteen Shil- 
 lings by Tale ( by which Indenture 
 there were Coined Sovereigns at 
 Twenty Shillings apiece, Half-So- 
 vereigns at Ten Shillings , Angels 
 at Eight Shillings, Angelets at Four 
 Shillings, and Quarter Angelets at 
 Two Shillings apiece) and a Pound 
 Weight of Silver of Ten Ounces 
 Fine, and Two Ounces Allay, was 
 Coined into Fourty eight Shillings 
 by Tale , Namely , into Teftoons 
 C g^^^g f^^' Twelve Pence apiece ) 
 Groats, Half-Groats, Pence, Half- 
 pence and Farthings. 
 
 A Pound Weight of Gold ofB^H.S. 
 Twenty two Carats Fine, and Two 
 Carats Allay, was Coined into Thir- 
 ty Pound by Tale ^ to wit, into 
 Thirty Sovereigns at Twenty Shil- 
 lings apiece , or Sixty Hali-Sovfe- 
 reigns at Ten Shillings apiece or 
 One hundred and twenty Crowns at 
 Five Shillings apiece, or Two hun- 
 dred
 
 44 ^^ -^if^J fi^ Amendment 
 
 dred and fourty Half-Crowns : And 
 the King had Two Carats of Fine 
 Gold for Coinage , which yielded 
 him Fifty Shillings. And Silver was 
 Coined by the fame Indenture of 
 Six Ounces Fine, and Six Ounces 
 Allay, into Fourty eight Shillings 
 by Tale. This Silver w-as to be 
 Coined into Teftoons, Groats, Half- 
 Groats, Pence, Half-Pence and Far- 
 things 5 and the Indenture was be- 
 tween the King and Sir Martin 
 Bowes^ and others. 
 37H.8. A Pound Weight of Gold of 
 Twenty Carats Fine, and Four Ca- 
 rats Allay, was Coined into Thirty 
 Pounds by Tale, as in the laft ; and 
 the King had Four Carats, which 
 yielded him Five Pounds Two Shil- 
 lings : And a Pound Weight of Sil- 
 ver of Four Ounces Fine, and Eight 
 Ounces Allay was Coined into Four- 
 ty eight ShilUngs by Tale, which 
 r^ifed the Pound Weight of Fine 
 Gold to Thirty fix Pounds , and the 
 Pound Weight of Fine Silver to 
 Seven Pounds Four Shillings.
 
 of the Silver Coins. 45 
 
 A Pound Weight of Gold of ^ ^•^• 
 Twenty Carats Fine, and Four Ca- 
 rats Allay, was Coined into Thirty 
 Pounds by Tale, out of which the 
 King had a great Profit \ and a 
 Pound of Silver of Four Ounces 
 Fine, and Eight Ounces Allay, was 
 Coined into Fourty eight Shillings ; 
 after which Rate every Pound of 
 Fine Silver made in Currant Money- 
 Seven Pounds Four Shillings, and 
 the King's Profit on every Pound 
 Weight was Four Pounds Four Shil- 
 lings ; John Torh^ and others were 
 Mafters and Workers of the Mint 
 in Southwarl{, 
 
 Another Indenture to the i^mQEod.Atto 
 EfFed with William Tilfiporth at Can- 
 terbury, 
 
 Another Indenture to the {^mcEod.an" 
 EfFeft with Sir Martin Bowes for the 
 T^ower, 
 
 Another Indenture to the fame 2 e. 6. 
 Effed with George Gale for the Mint 
 at Tork: 
 
 Another Indenture to the fame £<'^- *«»' 
 Effeft with JobnTorh^iox Sontbn?ar\^ 
 
 differing
 
 4^ An Effaj for Amendment 
 
 difFering only in the Charge of 
 Coinage. 
 
 £od.an' Another Indenture to the fame 
 EfFeft with William Tilfworth^ dif- 
 fering only in the Charge of 
 Coinage. 
 
 3E.6. A Pound Weight of Gold of 
 Twenty two Carats Fine, and Two 
 Carats Allay, was to be Coined into 
 Thirty Four Pounds by Tale, into So- 
 vereigns at Twenty Shillings apiece, 
 Half-Sovereigns at Ten Shillings a- 
 piece. Crowns at Five Shillings, and 
 Half-Crowns at Two Shillings Six 
 Pence apiece : And a Pound Weight 
 of Silver of Six Ounces Fine, and 
 Six Ounces Allay, was to be Coin- 
 ed into Seventy two Shillings ^ which 
 Shillings were to go for Twelve 
 Pence apiece by Tale, of which the 
 Merchant, for every Pound Weight 
 of Fine Silver , Received Three 
 Pounds Four Shillings, and the King 
 above Four Pounds Gain, by a Com- 
 million to Sir Edmund Feck^am and 
 others. 
 
 A
 
 of the Silver Coins. 47 
 
 A Pound Weight of Gold of the 4 e- 6. 
 Old Standard^ of Twenty three Ca- 
 rats, and Three Grains and a Half 
 Fine , was Coin'd into Twenty 
 eight Pounds Sixteen Shilhngs by 
 Tale, to Wit, into Sovereigns at 
 Twenty four Shillings apiece, Half- 
 Sovereigns at Twelve Shillings a- 
 picce. Angels at Eight Shillings a- 
 piece, and Half- Angels at Four Shil- 
 lings apiece , by a Commiffion to 
 Sir E innind Feckljam and others. 
 
 A Pound Weight of Silver of 5 ^' ^* 
 Three Ounces Fine , and Nine 
 Ounces Allay, was Coined into Se- 
 venty two Shillings at Twelve Pence 
 apiece ; and the Merchant Recei- 
 ved tor every Ounce of Fine Silver 
 which he fliould bring to the Mint, 
 Ten Shillings of fuch Money ; by 
 which means Twelve Ounces of 
 Fine Silver was exorbitantly Raifed 
 to Fourteen Pounds eight Shillings, 
 by a Commiffion to Sir Edmund 
 FecklJam and others. 
 
 A Pound Weight of Gold, of the^ E. 6. 
 Old Standard aforefaid, was Coined 
 
 into
 
 48 An Ejfaj for Amendment 
 
 into Thirty Rx Pounds by Tale to 
 wit, Twenty four Sovereigns at 
 Thirty Shillings apiece. Seventy two 
 Angels at Ten Shillings apiece , or 
 One hundred fourty four Half- 
 Angels : And a Pound Weight of 
 Crown Gold of Twenty two Ca- 
 rats Fine, and Two Carats Allay, 
 wasCoin'd into Thirty three Pounds 
 by Tale, *z^i^. Thirty three Sove- 
 reigns at Tvxrenty Shillings apiece, 
 or Sixty fix Half-Sovereigns at Ten 
 Shillings apiece , or One hundred 
 thirty two Crowns, or Two hun- 
 dred fixty four Half- Crowns : And 
 a Pound Weight of Silver, confift- 
 ing of Eleven Ounces , One Peny 
 Weight Fine, and Nineteen Peny 
 Weight Allay , was Coin'd into 
 Three Pounds by Tale, ^i%. Twelve 
 Crowns , or Twenty four Half- 
 Crowns, or Sixty Shillings, or One 
 hundred twenty Six-pences, or Two 
 hundred fourty Three-pences, or 
 Seven hundred twenty Pence, or 
 One thoufand four hundred and 
 fourty Half-PencCj or Two thoufand 
 
 eigh^
 
 of the Stiver Coins. 49 
 
 eight hundred and eighty Far- 
 things. 
 
 A Pound Weight of Gold, of the' ^' 
 Old Standard , was Coined into 
 Thirty fix Pounds *, and a Pound 
 Weight of Silver Eleven Ounces 
 Fine, was Coined into Three Pounds 
 by Tale : And Thoma^s Egerto?i was 
 Mafter and Worker. 
 
 A Pound Weight of Gold, of theiEilz. 
 Old Standard^ of Twenty three Carats 
 three Grains and an Half Fine, was 
 Coined into Thirty fix Pounds by 
 JTale i to wit, into Twenty four Sove- 
 reigns at Thirty Shillings apiece, or 
 Forty eight Rialls at Fifteen Shillings 
 apiece, or Seventy two Angels at 
 Ten Shillings apiece , or One hun- 
 dred fourty and four Half- Angels at 
 Five ShilUngs apiece : And a Pound 
 Weight of Crown Gold of Twen- 
 ty two Carats Fine, and Two Ca- 
 rats Allay, was Coined into Thirty 
 three Pounds by Tale ( to wit, 
 Thirty three Sovereigns at Twenty 
 Shillings apiece, or Sixty (i-x, Half- 
 Sovcreigns at Ten Shillings apiece, or 
 D One
 
 5o A?i Ejfaj for Amendment 
 
 One hundred thirty two Crowns at 
 Five Shillings apiece, or Two hun- 
 dred fixty four Half-Crowns. ) And 
 a Pound Weight of the Old Ster- 
 ling Silver j to wit, Eleven Ounces 
 Two Peny Weight Fine, and Eigh- 
 teen Peny Weight Allay was Coined 
 into Three Poundsby Talc, of Half- 
 Shillings, Groats, Qjiiarter Shillings, 
 Half-Groats, Three Half-peny Pie- 
 ces, Pence and Farthings, by In- 
 denture between the Queen, Sir 
 T^homas Standly and others. 
 i9Eiiz. John Louifon^ Mafter ancji 
 Worker , Covenanted to Coin a 
 Pound of Gold of the Old Stan- 
 dard into Seventy two Angels at 
 Ten Shillings apiece, One hundred 
 fourty four Half- Angels at Five Shil- . 
 lings apiece, or Two hundred eigh- 
 ty eight Quarter-Angels, amount- 
 ing in Tale to Thirty iiyi Pounds ; 
 and a Pound Weight of Old Sterling 
 Silver into Half-Shillings , Three- 
 pences, Three-half-peny Pieces, or 
 Three-farthing Pieces, to make 
 Three Pounds by Tale, 
 
 Kichard
 
 of the Silver Coins. 51 
 
 Richard Martin Covenanted to ^^ ^^^^' 
 Coin Gold, as in the lail: ; and a 
 Pound of Silver into Sixty Shillings, 
 or into Three Pounds by Tale, in any 
 of the Denominations mentioned 
 in the laft Indenture. 
 
 A Commiflion to him to Coin the -6 ehz. 
 Pound Troy of Old Standard Gold 
 into Fourty eight Nobles at Fifteen 
 Shillings apiece, or Twenty four 
 Double Nobles at Thirty Shillings 
 apiece, making Thirty fix Pounds. 
 
 The fame to Coin the Pound 35 Eifc 
 Weight of Gold of Twenty two 
 Carats Fine, and Tw^o Carats Allay 
 into Thirty three Sovereigns, at 
 Twenty Shillings apiece, or Sixty 
 fix Half-Sovereigns , or One hun- 
 dred thirty two Crowns, or Two 
 hundred fixty four Hali-Crowns, 
 making Thirty three Pounds by 
 Tale. 
 
 The (ame to Coin the Pound 43 Eii» 
 Weight of Old Sta?jdard Gold into 
 Seventy three Angels at Ten Shillings 
 apiece, or One hundred fourty and 
 iix Half-Angels, or Two hundred 
 D 2 ninety
 
 5 2 An Effay for Amendment 
 
 ninety two Quarter Angels , ma- 
 king Thirty fix Pounds Ten Shillings 
 in Tale , and the Pound Weight of 
 Gold, of Twenty two Garats Fine 
 and Two Garats Allay, into Thirty 
 three Sovereigns and an Half , at 
 Twenty Shillings apiece, or Sixty fe- 
 vcn Half-Sovereigns, or One hundred 
 thirty four Growns, or Two hun- 
 dred fixty eight Half Gi:owns, ma- 
 king Thirty three Pounds Ten Shil- 
 lings in Tale ^ and the Pound 
 Weight of Old Standard Silver in- 
 to Three Pounds two Shillings by 
 Tale 5 Namely, into Growns, Half- 
 Crowns, Shillings, Six-pences, Two- 
 Pences, Pence and Half-pence. 
 jac. I. 3ij. K/VW^ M^r^)/;^ Knight, and 
 Richard Marty n his Son, Mafters and 
 Workers , Govenanted to Goin a 
 Pound Weight of Gold of Twenty 
 two Garats Fine, and Two Garats 
 Allay, into Thirty fevcn Pound 
 four Shillings by Tale, 'z/i'z,. Into 
 Unites going for Twenty Shillings, 
 Double- Growns at Ten Shillings, 
 Britain-Crowns at Five Shillings, 
 
 Thiftle^
 
 of the Silver Coins. 53 
 
 Thiftle-Crowns at Four Shillings, 
 and Half-Crowns at Two Shillings 
 Six-pence apiece ^ And a Pound 
 Weight of Silver of the faid Old 
 Standard^ into Sixty two Shillings by 
 Tale j Namely, into Shillings, Six- 
 pences, Two-Pences, Pence, Half- 
 pence, Crowns and Half-Crowns. 
 
 A Pound Weight of Gold of the 3 [ac 
 Old Standard of Twenty three Ca- 
 rats, Three Grains and an Half Fine, 
 was Coined into Fourty Pound Ten 
 Shillings by Tale ^ to wit, into Rofe- 
 Rialls at Thirty Shillings apiece, 
 Spur-Rialls at Fifteen Shillings , 
 and Angels at Ten Shillings apiece. 
 
 There was a Pioclamation for 9- 
 Raifing Gold Two Shillings in every 
 Twenty Shillin2;s. 
 
 A Pound Weiaht of the Old ^^ 
 Standard Gold was to be Coined in- 
 to Fourty four Pounds by Tale ; 
 to wit , Rofe-Rialls, Spur-Rialls , 
 and Angels ^ and a Pound Weight 
 of Gold of Twenty two Carats Fine, 
 was Coined into Fourty Pounds 
 Eighteen Shillings and Four Pence ; 
 
 D 3 to
 
 54- AiiE{[ay for Amendvirnt 
 
 to wit, into Unites at Twenty two 
 Shillings, Double-Crowns at Eleven 
 Shillings, Britiflj-Cvowns at Five 
 Shillings and Six-pence , Thiftle- 
 Crowns at Four Shillings and Four 
 Pence Three Farthings, or Half Bri- 
 tifl) Crowns at Two Shillings and 
 Nine Pence apiece. 
 ICar.i. A Pound Weight of Gold, of ttie 
 Old Standard of Twenty three Ca- 
 rats Three Grains and an Half Fine, 
 and Half a Grain Allay, was Coin* 
 ed into Fourty four Pounds Ten 
 Shillings by Tale, to wit, intoRofe- 
 Rialls at Thirty Shillings apiece, 
 Spur-Rialls at Fifteen Shillings a- 
 piece , or Angels at Ten Shillings 
 apiece ; and a Pound Weight of 
 Crown Gold of Twenty two Carats 
 Fine, and Two Carats Allay, into 
 Fourty one Pounds by Tale, to wit, 
 into Unites at Twenty Shillings, 
 Double-Crowns at Ten Shillings, or 
 British Crowns at Five Shillings a^ 
 piece ^ and a Pound of Silver of the 
 Old Standard of Eleven Ounces, 
 !rwo Peny Weight Fme^ into Sixty 
 ''*■■' ' ' •■ ' ' ' two
 
 of the Silver Coins. 55 
 
 two shillings by Tale ^ Namely, 
 into Crowns , Half-Crowns, Shil- 
 lings , Halt-fliillings , Two-pences, 
 Pence and Half-pence, by Inden- 
 ture between the King and Sir Ro- 
 bert Harleigh. 
 
 . The like both for Gold and Silver 12 c. 2. 
 Moneys, by Indenture between the 
 King and Sir Ralph Freemaji, 
 
 An Indenture between the King --• 
 and Henry Slingsby Mafter and 
 Worker , to Coin Crown Gold 
 Twenty two Carats Fine, and Two 
 Carats Allay,into Fourty four Pounds 
 Ten Shillings by Tale \ to wit, into 
 Pieces to run for Ten Shilliiigs, 
 Twenty ShiUings, Fourty Shillings, or 
 Five Pounds apiece ^ and a Pound of 
 Silver of the Old Standard into 
 Three Pounds Two Shillings by Tale, 
 o wit, into Crowns, Half-Crowns, 
 Shillings, Half-fliillings, Groats, Half- 
 fiX'pences, Half-Groats and Pence. 
 
 A Pound Weight of Gold , i Jac. 2. 
 
 Twenty two Carats Fine, and Two 
 
 Carats Allay , to be Coined into 
 
 Fourty four Pounds Ten Shillings 
 
 D 4 by
 
 5'^ AnEffajfor Amendment 
 
 by Tale , and a Pound Weight of 
 Silver of the Old Standard into 
 Sixty two Shilhngs by Tale, jiift as 
 the preceding Indenture : And Tho- 
 mas Is e ale Efq^ was Mafter and 
 Worker. 
 /W.& The like. 
 
 By the careful obferving of which 
 Dedufiion here made, from the In- 
 dentures of the Mint for above 
 Four hundred Years paft ( many of 
 which are yet extant, and have 
 been feen and examined b)^ me ) it 
 doth evidently appear, That it has 
 been a Policy conftantly Praftifed in 
 the Mints of England ( the like ha- 
 ving indeed been done in all Foreign 
 Mints belonging to other Govern- 
 ments ) to Raife the Value of the 
 Coin in its Extrinfick Denominati- 
 on, from time to time, as any Exi- 
 gence or Occafion required , and 
 more efpecially to Encourage the 
 bringing of Bullion into the Realm to 
 be Coined (though fometimes, when 
 the defired End was obtained, the 
 Value has been fuffered to fall a- 
 
 gain
 
 ' of the Silver Coins. 57 
 
 gain. ) So that in the whole Number of 
 Years, from the Twenty eighth of Edward 
 the Firft, until this time, by fuch Varia- 
 tions the Extrinfick Value or Denomina-* 
 tion of the Silver is Raifed in about a 
 Triple Proportion \ that is to fay, In the 
 Reign of the faid King Edward the Firft 
 (as is plain by this Narrative) a Pound 
 Weight Troy of Sterling Silver was fhorn 
 at Twenty Shillings and Three Pence, and 
 confequently Two hundred fourty three 
 Pence , or Twenty Shillings and One 
 Fourth of a Shilling, or One Pound and 
 One Eigkieth Part of a Pound by Tale, 
 were then Coin'd, out of the faid 
 Pound Weight Troy : Whereas at this 
 day, and for about Ninety years paft, a 
 Pound Weight Troy of like Silver, is and 
 hath been Coin'd into Seven hundred 
 fourty four Pence, or Sixty two Shillings^ 
 or Three Pounds, and One tenth of a 
 Pound by Tale, the Pound Weight Troy 
 having then and now the fame Weight 
 and Finenefs. And as to the Gold, I 
 need only to obferve from the foregoing 
 Deduftion, That in the Eighteenth ofEd- 
 %pard the Firft, a* Pound Weight Fine, 
 
 Twenty
 
 58 An Effkjfor Amendment 
 
 Twenty three Carats, Three Grains and 
 one Half, was Coin'd into Fifteen Pounds 
 by Tale : Whereas at this day a Pound 
 Weight of Gold, of the Finenefs only of 
 Twenty two Carats, is Coin d into Four- 
 ty four Pounds Ten Shillings. And this 
 Method of Railing the Extrinfick Value 
 of the Gold and Silver, in the Denomina- 
 tions of the Coins, as it hath been con- 
 ftant almoft in the Reign of every King, 
 fo no Inconvenience, Difgrace or Mif- 
 chief (as can be obferved) has ever accru- 
 ed by the doing thereof at any time, 
 when a Juft, Neceffary or Reafonable 
 Caufe gave occafion thereunto. 
 
 The which being Premifed, and every 
 ProjeS: for Debafing the Money ( by the 
 Reafon before given ) being Re)e£l:ed, as 
 Dangerous, Diflionourable and Needlefs : 
 It remains that our Nation in its prefent 
 Exigence, may avail it felf , by Kaifwg 
 the Value of its Coins and this may be 
 efFcded, either by making the refpeflive 
 Pieces called Crovvns, Half-Crowns, Shil- 
 lings, d^<^. to be lefTer in Weight, or by 
 continuing the fame Weight or Bignefs, 
 which is at prefent in the Unclipt Mo- 
 neys
 
 of the Silver Coins. 59 
 
 ncys, and Ordaining at the fame 
 time, that every fuch Piece fliall be 
 Currant at a higher Price in Tale. 
 
 But before I proceed to give my 
 Opinion upon this Subjcft, it feems 
 ncccfTary for me to affert and prove 
 an Hypothecs ^ which is this, name- 
 ly , T^hat making the pieces lefs , or 
 ordaini?7g the refpeSliiM^ pieces (" of 
 the prejent Weight^ to be Currant 
 at a higher Kate , 7nay equally raife 
 the Value of the Sil'ver in our Coins, 
 The former of thefe finds many Pre- 
 cedents in the Indentures above re- 
 cited, but the latter feems more fuit- 
 able to our prefent Circumftances, 
 as will afterwards be fliewed more at 
 large. 
 
 This Hypothefis or Theorem is 
 eafily demonftrated thus, Let it be 
 granted, That a Crown Piece by the 
 prefent Standard contains in Sterling 
 Silver (as it really doth) Nineteen 
 Peny Weight, and :^£ parts of a 
 Peny Weight : Or (which is the fame 
 thing ) Nineteen peny Weight Eight 
 Grains and an Half, and a very fmall 
 
 fraclional
 
 6o An Ejfay for Amendment 
 
 fraftional part more, going at this 
 time for Five Shillings, or Sixty 
 Pence. And let it be fuppofed 
 ( which is prafiicable, and the thing 
 aimed at ) that this .very Crown 
 Piece be ordained to pafs for Six 
 Shillings and Three Pence, or (which 
 is equal ) Seventy five Pence. Then 
 I fay by Inverfe Proportion, as Se- 
 venty five Pence are to Sixty Pence, 
 fo Sixty will be to Fourty eight 
 Pence, which are equal to Four Shil- 
 lings. From whence I infer, That if 
 the Extrinfick Value of the Silver 
 now in a Crown were to be Rais'd 
 to Six Shillings and Three Pence 
 ( by diminifhing the Weight of the 
 Piece according to former Prece- 
 dents) then fuch Diminitive Crown 
 muft weigh only Four fifths of the 
 faid i^.tIsS-o Peny Weight, that is 
 to fay, it muft weigh Fifteen Peny 
 ' Weight, and /,:2ooi parts of a Peny 
 Weight, and in this cafe Five Three 
 Fences to be Coin'd in the fame 
 Proportion, to complcat the Rais*d 
 Value of Six Shillings and Three 
 
 Pence,
 
 of the Silver Coins. 6 1 
 
 Pence, muft weigh One fourth part of 
 the Diminitive Crown, as in 
 the Margin. Again ( by direft '1^70967^ 
 proporti^on ) if 15.4838704 ^^^^^ 
 Peny Weight of Sterling Silver 
 is to go or be Currant for Five ShilHngs, 
 or Sixty Pence, then 157.554838 Peny 
 Weight of Sterlino^ Silver ( which is the 
 Quantity in an Unclipt Crown by the 
 ■prejent Standard^ and equal to the Sum or 
 Aggregate of the other Two Quantities) 
 ought to 2^0 and be Currant for Six Shil- 
 lings and Three Pence, or Seventy five 
 Pence, and confequently will Raife the 
 Extrinfick Value of the Silver, as much as 
 diminifhing the Pieces would do, which 
 was to be demonftrated. 
 
 And now ( having cleared my way ) I 
 humbly take leave to offer my Opinion, 
 T^hat all fitch Sil'ver Mo/.'eys as are after E- 
 7inmerated of the Lawful Coins of this Realm 
 ef England, tvhich are norp 
 
 in bei;7(i, and are not at all Memormdcony 
 
 c>' Moneys Clipt or 
 
 dimini(l)edm Clippincf^Koiin- Unciipc, are af- 
 
 -', ^~ . tcrwards Defc"!- 
 
 ding^ Filings Wafhing^ or any bed by certain 
 
 other Artifce, be Kaisd by ^'^s'^'^* 
 
 Pnblich^ Attthority to the foot of Six fnUings 
 
 and
 
 62 An Elfay for Amendment 
 
 and Three pence for the Crown ^ and propor- 
 tionahly for the other Species, namely^ the 
 Crown to go for Sequent y jiz'e pence ^ the Half 
 Crown to go for Thirty feven pence and an 
 halfpeny^ the Shilling for Fifteen pence^ and 
 the Half-fhilling for Sei/en pence half-peny^ 
 lea'ving all the other old IJnclipt Pieces^ as 
 the Thirteen pence halfpeny^ the "Nine pence ^ 
 the Groat^ Two pence^ Sec, which are "very 
 few in Number^ and much worn^ to go upon 
 their prefent Foot^ and to fnd their Values 
 in pence^ and parts of a peny^ as they do at 
 this day. And that the ISlew Coins to b^ 
 made^ either of the Clipt Money ^ as it fball he 
 brought in J or of any other Sterling Silver, 
 be made in their refpeSlive Weights or Big^ 
 nefs by the prefent Indenture of the Mint^ that 
 is to fay ^ One Piece which may be called the 
 Sceptre, or the Silver-Unite, or by fuch other 
 Name as His Majejly fJjall Appoint ^ and to 
 he exaolly of the Weight and Fine nefs of the 
 prefent Z^nclipt Crown Piece^ but to run for 
 Se^venty jiife Pence Sterling , of which 
 Pieces fo made^ there P^all be Twel^ve^ and 
 Two fifths of fuch piece in a Pound Weight 
 Troy 3 and Three of the faid Pieces called 
 Sceptres or Unites^ or by fuch other Name^ as 
 
 aforefciidy
 
 of the Silver Coins. 6 3 
 
 aforefaid , together with a Fifteen Peny 
 Piece^ after mentioned^ JJjall mal^e by Tale 
 One Pound Sterling, or One Pound of Law- 
 fid Money of England, in all Accounts and 
 Lawful Payments whatfoe^er. Another Piece 
 which may he called the Half-Sccptre or 
 Half-Unite, or by fuch other Name as Hps 
 Majejiy JJjall Appoint^ which Jhall be equal in 
 Weight and Fine/icjs to s prefent 'Vnclipt 
 Half Crown , but to run for Thirty fe-ven 
 Pence and an Half peny Sterlings of which 
 Pieces lajl 77ientioned^ there Jhall be Twenty 
 four^ and Four Fifths of fuch a Piece in a 
 Pou7id Weight Troy ; and Six of the faid 
 Pieces cMcd Half-Sceptres, or Half-Unites, 
 or by fuch other Name as His Majefty Jhall 
 Appoint , together with One Fifteen Peny 
 Piece aftermentionedj Jhall tnake by Tale One 
 Pound Sterling, or One Pound of Lawful 
 Englifh Money^ in all Accounts and Legal 
 Payme?tts whatjoet/er. One other Piece which 
 may be called the Teftoon, or Fifteen Peny 
 Piece^ which ^jall be equal in Weight and 
 Finenefs to a prejent Z^nclipt Shillings but to 
 run for Fifteen Pence Sterling, of which 
 there Jhall be Sixty two in a Pound Weight 
 Troy 3 and Sixteen of the faid Pieces called 
 
 Teftoons,
 
 6 4- An Ejfaj for Amendment 
 
 Tcftoons, or Fifteen Peny Pieces^ Jhall 
 mah^ in Tale One Pound Sterling, or One 
 Pound of Lawful Englifli Money , or Ten of 
 thefe TeftoonS) together with Two fuch Crof- 
 fes or Croats^ as are after mentioned^ will 
 mah^ a Marh^ Sterling, or Fi<ve of them ^ and 
 One fuch Grofs or Groat ^ will mah^ a Noble ^ 
 which the haw ufed to call the Hauf Merk, 
 or Eight of them will make the Angel^ or Four 
 of them will make the Crown ^ or Two of them 
 will make the Half-Crown : And they may he 
 frofortionahly <varied^ many other ways in 
 all Accounts^ Reck^ni?2gs and Legal Pay- 
 ments whatfoefer. One other Piece ^ which 
 may he calledtheW^M-Tt^oon^ which fj all 
 he equal in Weight and Finencfs to the Half 
 fhilling hy the prefent Standard, hut to run 
 for Se^ven Pence Halffe?iy Sterling , of 
 which there fhall he One hundred twenty four 
 in the Pound Weifrht Troy ; and Thirty two 
 of the faid Pieces to he called Half-Teftoons, 
 pjall make in Tale One Pound Sterling or 
 Twenty of thcje with Two of the Crojfes or 
 Groats^ will make a Mark^ in Tale ^ or Ten of 
 thefe Half-Teftoons, with one Grofs^ will 
 make a Noble '^ or Eight of the faid Half- 
 Teftoons will make a Crown hy Tale ; or 
 
 Fiv€
 
 of the Silver Coins. 6 5 
 
 Fi've of them rvith a Half-Groat^ will mah^ 
 the Hal f 'Noble ^ or Three Shillings and Four* 
 pence by Tale ^ or Four of the [aid Half- 
 Teftoons , will make an Half-Crown ; or 
 Thirty two of them will make Twenty Shil- 
 lings by Tale ^ or Sixteen of them will make 
 Ten Shillings by Tale \ or eight of them will 
 mah^ Fi've Shillings by Tale \ and they may 
 many other ways be proportionably ^varied iri 
 all Accounts^ Reckonings and Legal Fay merits 
 whatfoe'ver. Cue other piece which may bs 
 called the Grofs or Fiz^e-peny piece ^ to be e- 
 qual in Weight and Finenefs to a Groat by the 
 prefent Standard, but to run for FzVe pena 
 Sterling, of which there fljall be One hun^ 
 dred eighty fix in the pound Weight Troy 5 
 and Fourty eight of the [aid Croffes or Fii/e^ 
 peny pieces^ will make in Tale One pound 
 Sterling ^ or a proportionable Number of them 
 in many Cafes (too tediojis here to enumerate) 
 will anfwer to the faid Denominations 
 of Founds^ Marksy Half-Marks^ Quarter- 
 Marks^ Angels J Crowns^ Half-Crowns^ Shil- 
 lings and Fence ufed in AccoH?Jts^ or in A6is 
 of Parliaments Records^ or other Legal In-* 
 JtrumentSy which are abfolutely necefjary to 
 be continued. One other piece which ntay he 
 
 E called
 
 6 6 An Effajfor Amendment 
 
 called the Quarter-Teftoon, which jh all he 
 equal in Weight and Finenefs to a Three pe- 
 ny piece by the prefcnt Standard ^ but to run 
 for Three pence three farthings Sterling, of 
 which there ffjall be Two hundred fourty eight 
 in a Found Weight Troy, and Sixty four 
 of thefe Quarter-Teftoons will make in Tale 
 One pound Sterling, or a proportionable Num" 
 her of them will anfrver in a greater Nmnber 
 of Cafes to the [aid Denominations ufed in 
 Accounts^ or in the Laws of England. One 
 other Piece which may be called the Half- 
 Groat or Half-Grofs, which Jhall be equal 
 in Weight and Finenefs to a Two peny piece 
 by the prefent Standard, but to run for Two 
 pence halfpeny Sterling, of which there fj all 
 he Three hundred feventy two in a Found 
 Weight Troy, and Ninety fix of the faid 
 Half-Groats will mah^ in Tale One pound 
 Sterling, or a proportionable "Number of them 
 will anfwer^ in mojt Cafes ^ to the faid Deno- 
 Tninations ufed in Accounts ^or in the Laws of 
 England. And one other Fiece which may 
 he called the Prime, which fball be equal in 
 Weight and Finenejs to a prefent Standard 
 peny^ but to run for Fi've farthings ^ or for 
 One peny and the Fourth part of a peny Ster-
 
 of the Silver Coins. 6^ 
 
 ling, of which there fhall be Seven hufidred 
 fourty and four in a Pound I Teight Troy ^ 
 and One hundred ninety and trvo ofthefaid 
 Primes rvill make in Talc One pound Ster- 
 ling, or a proportionable Number of them 
 ( the Combinations whereof are almoji inji- 
 nite ) rvill anfrver almoji in all Cafes to the 
 faid Denominations ufed in Accounts^ or in 
 the Laws of England. And becaufe it may 
 be convenient to have the Denomination of 
 Shillings continued^ let there be added One 
 Piece to be called the Shilling, or Twelve 
 peny Piece , to be equal in Finenejs^ though 
 not in Weighty to any Standard Money 
 now in beings to run for Twelve pence 
 Sterling, ( which will be a Fifth part lefi 
 in Weight then the prejent Shilling ) ofthefi 
 there fhall be Seventy feven and an Half in 
 a Pound Weight Troy, and liventy of thetH 
 will make a Pound by Tale^ whereby every 
 Pound Weight Troy of the Silver Moneys a- 
 forefaidy will be and hold in Number and 
 Tale^ and in the Value will be Raised from 
 Three pounds Two fljillings^ to Three poufids 
 Seventeen fh tilings and Six pence Sterling, 
 by the Pound Troy : And my Reafons foj: 
 this Opiaion are as follows : 
 
 E 2 Firfl^
 
 6 8 An E(faj for Amendment 
 
 Firfl^ The. Value of the Silver in the 
 Coin ought to be Raifed to the Foot of 
 Six Shillings Three Pence in every Crown, 
 becaufe the Price of Standard Silver in Bul- 
 lion is Rifen ( from divers neceflary and 
 unneceflary Caufcs, producing at length a 
 great fcarcity thereof in England ) to Six 
 Shillings Five Pence an Ounce : This Rea- 
 fon (v^hich I humbly conceive will appear 
 irrefragable ^ is grounded chiefly upon a 
 Truth fo Apparent, that it may well be 
 compared to an Axiom even in Mathe- 
 matical Reafoning, to wit, Ihat whenfoe- 
 ^er the ExtrinfickJ^ahte of Siherin the Coin 
 hath been or p^ all be lefs than the price of Sil- 
 lier in Bullion^ the Coin hath heen^ andwiUbe 
 Melted down. Although the melting down 
 of Coin, for private Lucre, be done in 
 
 fecret (becaufe 'tis Pu- 
 
 i,:^ihn:i,^:^^s nifliable by ^ Law ) 
 to Melt downjmaii Coinsy yet no man cau doubt 
 
 under Pain of Forfeit Hre of ^ « * i i 
 
 the Molten Silver. Dut that It has been 
 
 IA.C^\:.2. Prohibited the p JX\C^A f^^ « 1^„«. 
 
 Meltinganythe Silver Mo- i raCtllea lOr a iOUg 
 neys^mderPamofForfei- ^\^^ p^A (q fy^h ^ 
 
 ting the jame^ and doHule r ? 
 
 the KalHe-Tij by a Freeman, DeP^rce , UpOn the 
 
 he is to be Disfranchijed ^ o -^ r 
 
 'find if not a Freeman, he is to he Imprifoned Six Months ^ 6 & 
 7 W. & M. makes the Ccnvi^lion of Melters more Pra^icable^ 
 and InJiiSkS Six Months Imprifonmcm jor the Ojjence. 
 
 Weighty
 
 of the Silver Coins. 69 
 
 Weighty Money, as that in particular, 
 the Crowns and Half-Crowns of Edrvard 
 the Sixth and Queen Elizabeth are quite 
 vaniilied : Thofe of King James the Firft 
 are become very rare : Thofe of King 
 Charles the Firil ( though the moft nu- 
 merous of all that remain ) are in a great 
 meafure Reduced, and will appear to be 
 fo the more plainly, when they come to 
 be diftinguiihed from the Counterfeits, 
 which are moftly contrived to Refemble 
 thefe : The Crowns, Half-Crowns, and 
 indeed the lefler Coins of King Charles 
 the Second ( the far grcateft part where- 
 of were Milled Money) in all Payments 
 at the Exchequer, and other Publick Of- 
 fices, do not by Eftimation exceed the 
 Proportion of Ten Shillings per Cent, or a 
 Two hundredth Part. And if this Wick- 
 ed Faflof Melting down has been notori- 
 oufly Committed, at times when there 
 was no great difference between the Va- 
 lue of the Silver in the Coin and that in 
 the Bullion , or when the Goldfmiths 
 and other Artificers could make no other 
 Profit thereby , than the fmall Over- 
 weighty which ( by Weighing and Cul- 
 
 E 3 ling
 
 70 AnE(fajfor Amendment 
 
 ling the Pieces Coin'd at the Tower) 
 they found to be in fome of them, which 
 being Molten, might be carried back to 
 the Mint, and •there Re-coin d at the 
 King's Charge into a greater Number by 
 Tale for their own Ufe : Then one may 
 eafily conclude. That the temptation of 
 Melting down, is grown of late much 
 more prevalent ^ fince, at this day, Stan- 
 dard Silver in Bullion is commonly fold at 
 the faid Price of Six Shillings and Five 
 Pence, or for Seventy feven Pence an 
 Ounce. And in regard Twenty Peny 
 Weight ( equal to an Ounce ) bears the 
 fame Proportion to Seventy feven Pence 
 as Nineteen Pcny Weight, and ^£ of One 
 Peny Weight ( equal to the Standard Sil- 
 ver contained in a Crown Piece ) doth to 
 Six Shilhngs and Two Pence Half-peny, it 
 is moft plain, that he that now Melts 
 down (for Inftance) a Crown Piece, 
 which whilft it retains the Image and Su- 
 perfcription of His Majefty, or either of 
 the late King's runs only for Five Shillings, 
 cap immediately fell tfie Silver of it here 
 for Six Shillings and Two Pence Half- 
 |)eny5 and gain the Sum of Fourteen 
 '^ ' Pence
 
 of the Silver Coins. 71 
 
 Pence Half-peny upon every fuch Melted 
 Piece, by fuch Sale of the Silver here, or 
 ( by reafon of the great Lofs which this 
 Nation at prefent fuffers in its Foreign Ex- 
 change or Remittances ) he may make a 
 greater Profit of the fame Silver, by Ex- 
 porting it into Foreign Parts , if he can 
 effeft the fame, either by Stealth, or by 
 Eluding the late A& of Parliament, Pro- 
 hibiting fuch Exportation. One may alfo 
 forefee, that continuing the Silver Moneys 
 (either Old or New Coins) upon the 
 prefent Foot, whilft Bullion is fo much 
 dearer^ will inevitably produce Confe- 
 quences pernicious to the whole ^ in efte(3: 
 it will be nothing clfe but the furnifliing 
 Offenders with a Species to Melt down at 
 an extravagant Profit, and encouraging; 
 not a necelfary, but a violent and exorbi- 
 tant Exportation of our Silver to the Fo- 
 reign Parts, for the fake of the Gain only, 
 till we fliall have little or none left in the 
 Kingdom. And upon an Impartial Con- 
 fideration of thefe Matters, we may be 
 able to make a more mature Judgment 
 upon the Suggeflion that has been raifcd 
 by fome Men , Namely, That Raifing the 
 
 E 4 Value
 
 7 2 An Ejfay for Amendment 
 
 Value of our Coin, or Continuing it on 
 the prefent Foot will be the fanie thing : 
 If thefe Gentlemen mean, that Silver in 
 Bullion will always, during this War, be 
 dearer than Silver in Coin, becaufe of the 
 neceflity to Export it for the Foreign Ex- 
 pence of the War, and to anfwer the 
 Ballance of Trade, occafioned by the 
 Interruption of our Navigation, I An- 
 fwer, 
 
 Firfl^ That this Neceflity may be dimi- 
 nifhedj but it cannot in any Sence be 
 Augmented, by Raifing ^he Value of our 
 Coin. 
 
 Secondly ^Tlidit fuppofing the worft, Xq 
 wit , a further Advance of the Silver in 
 Bullion, yet even in that cafe the Offenders 
 before mentioned will not find fo much 
 Incouragement or Temptation, when their 
 Profit , whatfoever it be, upon every 
 Raifed Crown, muft evidently be lefs by 
 Fourteen Pence Half-peny than it is at 
 prefent, upon a Crown running in Pay- 
 ment for Five Shillings only. 
 ^ Thirdly^ It is hoped that the Exchange 
 to Holland ( which by the way has rifen a 
 little of late) may by the Succefs of fome 
 
 fifood
 
 of the Silver Coins, 73 
 
 good Defigns now on Foot (though the 
 War fhould continue) be kept at a 
 ftand, at leaft from falling much lower. 
 In which Cafe I think the Arguments of 
 thefe Gentlemen will have little or no 
 Weight. 
 
 Fourthly^ There muft be a great diffe- 
 rence with regard to the Service and Dif- 
 fervice of the Publick, between a neccffa- 
 ry Exportation of Bullion or Coin, 
 ( perhaps the One may be as well Dif- 
 fpenfed with as the other, by Publick Au- 
 thority , and to a Limited Sum only for 
 the Service of the War ) and fuch an 
 Exportation thereof, as proceeds Original- 
 ly from the faid exorbitant Profit of the 
 Melters , who being Goldfmiths, Refi- 
 ners, or other Traders, and by this Means, 
 and by the Clippings, getting great Qiian- 
 tities of Molten Silver into their Hands, 
 know well enough ( though by Unlaw- 
 ful or Indireft Means ) to convey the 
 fame beyond Sea, cither to buy Gold 
 there, which is afterwards brought hither 
 and Coin*d into Guineas, pafling at Thir- 
 ty Shillings apiece ;, or to buy Prohibited 
 poods, as Lace, Luftrings, Muflins, di- 
 vers
 
 74 A^^ ^{f^J fi^ Amendment 
 
 vc|s EaJi'India Goods, or other enume- 
 rated Commodities , or for other Purpo- 
 fes, which, though unlawful or needlefs, 
 do all help or combine, at this time, to 
 Augment and Inhance that Ballance of 
 Trade between us and our Neighbours, 
 very much to our Detriment, as will be 
 flicw'd hereafter. 
 
 Fifthly y Thefe Gentlemen confider on- 
 ly the ufe of our (Boin in England^zs it hath 
 Relation to Foreign Exchanges or Remit- 
 tances, whereas it ferves principally the 
 Inland Commerce , and fupplies many 
 other occafions which will be advantaged 
 by the Rife and Plenty thereof And 
 whereas it is apprehended that the propo- 
 fed Advance of the Silver in the Coin, 
 will produce a proportionable lofs in all 
 Rents and Revenues, Public k or Private, 
 fettled or afcertainedbyAntecedent Refer- 
 vations. Grants or Agreements, and in all 
 Debts now ftanding out upon Specialty, 
 or without Specialty : I humbly conceive 
 thefe Apprehenfions muft entirely vanifli, 
 when it fhall be impartially confidcred, 
 That this Nation is, and hath been for 
 fome time paft, ingaged in a neceffary 
 
 War
 
 of the Silver Coins. 7 5 
 
 War, which hath not only caufcd a great 
 Expcnce of our Wealth in Foreign Part^ 
 of Europe J but hath Interrupted the Na- 
 vigation which ufed to Supply us from 
 Eaji and JVeJi Indies^ and from other Parts 
 of Afia^ Africa and America^ with much 
 greater Quantities of Goods than ferved 
 our own Confumption, and confequent- 
 ly afforded us a large Overplus, which, 
 together with our own Native Produft 
 or Manufafture, were Exported to our 
 Neighbour Nations, in Barter or Exchange 
 for the Goods we received of them. That 
 reckoning on the one fide the Value of 
 the Naval Stores, Linens, Silks, Salt-Petre, 
 and many other Enumerated Commodi- 
 ties, which we receive from our Neigh- 
 bours, and adding thereunto our Foreign 
 Expence for the War : And on the other 
 fide the Value of fo mucji of our Native 
 Manufaftures, or Produce, and the fmall 
 Overplus of Goods brought from the Eafk 
 and Wefl Indies^ Sec. as we have lately 
 Exported, or can Export into our Neigh- 
 bour Nations of Europe^ there would ap- 
 pear a great Difference or Excefs between 
 the one fide and the other of fuch Ac- 
 count,
 
 7^ An Effay for Amendment 
 
 count or Reckoning, which Difference or 
 Excefs is or may be called the Ballance of 
 Tirade. That it cannot be conceived how 
 this Ballance, DiflPerencc, or Excefs hath 
 been or can be anfwered by us in any 
 thing other than our Coin or Bullion. 
 That to anfwer this Ballance of Trade there 
 hath been already Exported a great part 
 of our Coins and Bullion, namely, Clip- 
 pings , which I think muft have been 
 equal in Value to at leafi: a Fourth part 
 of our whole Species of Silver Moneys, 
 the Molten Silver of a good part of our 
 heavy Coins, part of our heavy Coins 
 themfelves, our whole Stock of Foreign 
 Silver, for I am told there is little or none 
 of that to be bought in England at this 
 time, and the Molten Silver of a great 
 deal of our Engli^j Plate and Veflels, 
 which People have been induced to part 
 with at a good Price. That by this means 
 Silver in Coin or in Mafs is aftually grown 
 very Scarce in England. That every thing 
 having any Value or V^orth whatfoever, 
 when it becomes Scarce grows Dear, or 
 ( which is the fame thing ) it Rifeth in 
 Price, and confequently it will fervc to 
 
 pay
 
 of the Silver Coins. 77 
 
 pay more Debt, or it will buy greater 
 Qiiantities of other Goods of Value, or 
 in any thing elfe it will go further than 
 it did before. That Silver in Efigland be- 
 ing grown Scarce, as aforefaid, is confe- 
 quently grown Dearer. That it is Rifcn 
 in Price from Five Shillings and Two 
 Pence, co Six Shillings and Five Pence an 
 Ounce : And by Daily Experience Nine- 
 teen Pcny Weight and Three Tenths of 
 a Peny Weight in Sterling Silver ^ equal 
 to the Weight of a Crown Piece ) in Eng- 
 land^ doth, and will Purchafe more Coin- 
 ed Money than Five Shillings by Tale 
 ( though the latter be delivered botia fide 
 in Unclipt Shilhngs, or in a good Bill) 
 and confequently doth and will Purchafe 
 and Acquire more Goods or neceflaries, 
 or pay more Debts in England^ or ( being 
 delivered here ) it fetches more Money 
 in any Foreign Parts by way of Exchange, 
 than Five Shillings by Tale, or the Sixth 
 Part of a Guinea by Tale, or Goods to 
 the Value of Five Shillings in Tale only do 
 or can Fetch, Purchafe or Acquire. That 
 this Advanced Price of the Silver has been 
 growing for fometime, and is Originally 
 
 caufcd
 
 78 An Ejfay for Amendment 
 
 caufcd by the Ballance, Excefs or DifFe- 
 renoe abovementioned, which Naturally 
 and Rationally produces fuch an eflFeft. 
 And there is no reafon to expeft that Sil- 
 ver will decline in its Price or Value here, 
 till it be made more plentiful, by turning 
 the Ballance of Trade to our Advantage, 
 which feems to be a Work that can be ac- 
 complifhed with Succefs in times of Peace, 
 or by fuch a Prote6lion of our Trade, as 
 will render our Exportations as large as 
 they ufed to be in times of Peace. That 
 the Railing the Value of the Silver in our 
 Coins to make it equal to Silver in Mafs, 
 can in no Sence be underftood to be a 
 caufe qf making Silver Scarce. That there 
 can never be proposed any juft or reafon- 
 able Foot upon which the Coins iTiould 
 be Currant, fave only the very Price of 
 the Silver thereof, in cafe it be Molten in 
 the fame Place where the Coins are made 
 Currant, or an Extrinfick Denomination 
 very near that Price : It being moft evi- 
 dent, That if the Value of the Silver in 
 the Coins fliould (by any Extrinfick De- 
 nomination ) be Raifed above the Value, 
 or Market Price of the fame Silver, redu- 
 ced
 
 of the Silver Coins. 79 
 
 ced to Bullion, the Subjeft would be pro- 
 portionably Injured and Defrauded, as 
 they were formerly in the cafe of the Bafc 
 Moneys Coin d by Publick Authority ; 
 but if the Value of the Silver in the Coins 
 be lef than the Value or Market Pnce of 
 the fame Silver reduced to Bullion, then 
 the Coins are always Melted down for 
 Lucre, as they have been, and are at this 
 day in the Cafe of the llnclipt Moneys, 
 and as they will certainly be, in Cafe of 
 any New Coins that fhall be made, to be 
 Currant upon the Old Foot of Sixty Pence 
 for the Silver of a Crown Pi^ce, which 
 fufficiently proves, That the Medium pro- 
 pos'd is the true Foundation jfcr the 
 Courfe of our Moneys. That for this pur- 
 pofe we need only to confider the very 
 Price that Silver bears in England^ where 
 thefe Coins are to be Currant, although 
 if we will have Relation to Neighbour- 
 ing Countreys, particularly to HoUaud^ 
 we {hall find that the Currant Price of 
 an Ounce of Silver there, adding there- 
 unto the Difference of Exchange from 
 hondon to Amflerdam or Koterdam (which 
 Difference in the Exchange,. is but another 
 
 Effca
 
 8o An Ejfijfor Amendment 
 
 EfFefi of the Ballance of Trade before- 
 mentioned ) will ftill make up the Price 
 of Six ShilUngs and Five Pence for the 
 Ounce of Silver at London, And if 
 this were not fo, your Lordfhips might 
 be fure that no body would buy Silver 
 at London for Six Shillings and Five 
 Pence an Ounce, carry it to Holland 
 and fell it there perhaps for Five Shil- 
 lings and Five Pence an Ounce, or for fo 
 much in their Coins, the Silver whereof is 
 not equal to Five Shillings and Five Pence 
 by our Standard. That it ought not to 
 be Alledged that Silver has no Price \ for 
 every Indenture of the Mint ( having 
 firft Afcertain d the Extrinfick Denomi- 
 nation of the Currant Coins ) has taken 
 care alfo to Determine the Price or Value 
 of the Silver to the Merchant or Impor- 
 ter, which was to be Anfwered in thofe 
 Extrinfick Denominations j and daily 
 Experience fhews every Man, in Buying 
 or Selling of Silver, that it has a Price 
 or Value ftill Reckoned in thofe Extrin*- 
 fick Denominations, although at prefent 
 it much exceeds, as aforefaid , the faid 
 Rate of Sixty two Shillings for a Pound 
 
 Troy^
 
 of the Silver Coins. 8 1 
 
 Troy. That Five Shillings Ccin'd upon 
 the Foot hereby Propofed, will aftually 
 contain more Real and Intrinfick Value 
 of Silver by a great deal, than is in the 
 Currant Moneys now commonly Applied 
 to the Payment of the faid Rents, Reve- 
 nues and Debts, upon which the imagina- 
 ry Lofs is Apprehended, and in Reafon 
 will and ought to go further to all Intents 
 and Purpofes, than Five Shillings in Clipt 
 Moneys, or in the Sixth Part of a Guinea, 
 doth or can go ^ which will be better un^ 
 derftood, when the Mifchiefs of thefe 
 Clipt Moneys and Guineas come to be Ex-- 
 plain'd in the Third Chapter. And laft- 
 ly, That as the Foot or Foundation here- 
 by Pfopofed, for the Courfe of the Mo- 
 neys, will be Jufl: and Reafonable, with 
 regard to the Price of Silver, and more 
 Advantaaious to the Receivers thereof 
 than Payment in Clipt Moneys or Gold 
 at the prefent Price ^ fo every Perfon that 
 fhall Receive any Money Coin'd or made 
 Currant upon this New Foot, will have 
 the Payment, Iffuing and Expenditure 
 thereof at the fame Rate. And it is 
 freely fubmitted to Impartial Judgments, 
 
 F whether
 
 8 2 An Efpij for Amendment 
 
 whether the proposed Advance of Silver 
 hi the Coins can infer a Real Lofs upon a- 
 ny Pcrfons, other than fuch as can pro- 
 pofcto themfelvcs particularly theTleceipt 
 of Moneys in Weighty or Unclipt Pieces 
 onlv, and the Convcrfion thereof to an 
 Advantage which Law or Reafon would 
 not allow them. 
 
 Secondly , The Value of the Silver in 
 the Coin ought to be Raifcd, to encou- 
 rage the bringing of Bullion to the Mint 
 to be Coin'd. It is a Matter of Faft 
 well known to your Lordfliips, and ( by 
 the fmall Number of the Pieces of the 
 prefent King, or of His Majefty and the 
 Deceas'd Queen ) it is perceivable by eve- 
 ry body elfe, that fince Bullion hath born a 
 greater Price than Silver in the Coin, 
 there has been none brought to the Mint 
 to be Coin*d, either by Importers or o- 
 thers, unlefs fome fmall Parcels that were 
 Seiz'd or fent thither by Publick Authority. 
 And it is utterly againfl: Reafon for any 
 Man to think, that any Bullion of Silver 
 will be carried thither voluntarily to be 
 Coin'd, till the Value of Silver Coin'd be 
 Raifed, at leaft as high as the Value of 
 ::v^ Silver
 
 of the Silver Coins. 83 
 
 Silver in Bullion. By the propos'd Ad- 
 vance to Six Shillings and Three Pcncc^ 
 the Sterling Silver in the Coins will be {ct 
 at Six Shillings and Five Pence Half-peny 
 fer Ounce, which will exceed the prefent 
 Price of Sterlwg in Bullion by One Half- 
 peny per Ounce, and give (though by a 
 fmall Profit) an Encouragement to thofc 
 that have EngliJJj Silver or Plate, and par- 
 ticularly to the Retailers of Wine, Beer, 
 Ale and other Liquors, ( whofe Tank- 
 ards and other Veflels are herein after Pro- 
 posed to be brought in ) and generally to 
 all thofe that have or can have Silver Im- 
 ported, to carry the fame to the Mint to 
 be Coin'd. And this will be agreeable to 
 the Policy that in paft Ages (as hath been 
 obferved upon the aforefaid Dedudion) 
 hath been Praflifed not only in our Mint, 
 but in the Mints of all Politick Govern- 
 ments, namely, to Raife the Value of 
 Silver in the Coin, to Promote the Work 
 of the Mine. 
 
 Thirdly^ The Raifing the Value of the 
 Silver in the Cohi, will increafe the whole 
 Species in Tale , and thereby make it 
 more commenfurate to the general need 
 
 F g, thereof,
 
 84 AnEjJajfor Amendment 
 
 thereof, far carrying on the Common 
 Traffick and Commerce of the Nation, 
 and to anfwer the Payments on the nu- 
 merous Contrafts, Securities, and other 
 daily Occaiions, requiring a larger Supply 
 of Money for that purpofe. This Rea- 
 fon may be farther Illuftrated, by confi- 
 dcdag that the want of a fufficient Stock 
 ^f Afoney, hath been the chief Caufe of 
 introducing fo much Paper Credit (which 
 ^s at befl: hazardous, and may be carried 
 too far ) and the Setting up of Offices, 
 both in City and Country, for Bartering 
 of Goods or Permutations. 
 
 Fourthly^ The Silver in the Old Unclipt 
 Moneys, and in the New Coins now Pro- 
 posed to be made, ought to be Raifed (as 
 I have Offered) Equally^ to avoid Confu- 
 fion and Uncertainty in Payments : For if 
 Pieces, having the fame Bignefs, fliould 
 have different Values, it might be difficult 
 for the Common People ( efpccially thofe 
 not skilled in Arithmetick ) to Compute 
 how many of one kind will be equal to 
 the Sum of another •-, and there might be 
 fome Di{pute about the Lawful Money of 
 England y to be Paid upon Mortgages, 
 
 Bonds,
 
 of the Silver Coins. 85 
 
 Bonds, Contrafts, or other Legal Securi- 
 ties referring thereunto. 
 
 Fifthly^ The Foot of Six Shillings and 
 Three Pence for the Crown, here Proposed, 
 will not only be fuitable to the prefent 
 Rate of Bullion , but it happens to be 
 fuch a Sum as is Dcvifeable into a great 
 Number of Aliquot or other Integral 
 Parts, to ferve for the leffer Coins before 
 Proposed, fo that none of them will come 
 forth in any Fraftional Part of a Farthing, 
 which will obviate much Perplexity a- 
 mongfi: the Common People : And I think 
 there is fcarce any other Sum near it that is 
 Devifeable in like manner. 
 
 Sixthly^ By this Projed all Computati- 
 ons in Pounds, Shillings and Pence, ufcd 
 in Accounts ; and the Reckonings by 
 Pounds, Marks, Half-Marks, Shillings 
 and Pence, praftifed in the Law of Ev/g- 
 land^ and in the Records, Contrafls and 
 other Inftrumcnts , rchiting thereunto, 
 will be Preferved as they ought to be. 
 
 Se'ventbly^ By this Method, the bringing 
 in of the prefent llnclipt Coins, to be cut 
 into leiTer Pieces, are rendered nccdlefs ; 
 which Species being at prefent ( for the 
 
 F 3 moft
 
 8^ J/iEjfaj for Amendment 
 
 moil part ) Hoarded, wilf, upon Raifing 
 their Value, come forth, and go a great 
 way towards Supplying the Commerce 
 and other Occafions, whilft the New Mo- 
 neys is making. And I think it will be 
 Granted to be utterly impoffible, in this 
 time of War, to Recoin the Clipt Mo- 
 neys, if at the fame time the llnclipt fhall 
 be brought in to be new Cut j or if the 
 Unclipt Pieces fhould not ( by fuch an 
 Encouragement ) be brought forth to 
 Supply the Commerce, Pay Taxes, and 
 ferve other Occafions in the mean time. 
 
 Eighthly^ It is difficult to Conceive, how 
 any Defign of Amending the Clipt Mo- 
 neys can be compaffcd, without Raifing 
 the Value of the Silver remaining in them, 
 becaufe of the great Deficiency of the 
 Silver Clipt away ^ which ( upon Recoin- 
 ing) muft neceflarily be Defrayed or 
 Born one way or other. 
 
 Ninthly , As our Unclipt Moneys, and 
 the New Coins here Propos'd to be made, 
 will, by the former Propofition, retain the 
 Antient Sterlings or Old Right Standard of 
 the Mint for Finenefsand Purity Cthe 
 ^Alteration of which could never be J ufti- 
 
 fied
 
 of the Silver Coins. 87 
 
 fied by any Ncceflity ^} fo by this Propo- 
 fition they will both Continue the Frejent 
 Standard of the Mint in the Weight or 
 Bignefs of the refpefl:ive Pieces, without 
 being cut into Lefs, as they have for- 
 merly been (fthe New Shilling only ex- 
 cepted :J) Thefe Propofitions indeed, deal- 
 ing with nothing but the very Value of the 
 Silver in the Coins, to make it equal to the 
 Currant Price of our own Bullion or Sil- 
 ver in Mafs, with a very little Excefs, to 
 wit, of an Half-peny in an Ounce, to 
 encourage the Coinage, and to make it 
 bear the like Reafon or Proportion to the 
 Price of Foreign Moneys now Currant 
 amongft us. Namely, the Pillar Dollars^ 
 which go at Seven Shillings and a Peny 
 per Ounce, and Se^>ill and Mexico Dollars 
 at Seven Shillings per Ounce, and to ef- 
 fect an Equality in all Pieces, having 
 the fame Extrinfick Denomination , and 
 thereby to cure fuch Mifchicfs relating to 
 our Coin, as are not to be ParalkTd in the 
 Records of iormer Ages : Which Raifed 
 Values may be Lowered again by the Wif- 
 dom and Authority of Parliament, when 
 the Wealth of the Nation iliall (by Gods 
 
 F 4 Bleiring)
 
 88 An Elfay for Amendment 
 
 bleffing ) be Re-eftablifht without Trou- 
 ble or Charge of Re-Coining or Cutting 
 the Silver Pieces into other Sizes. 
 
 As to the Gold Coins which are now 
 almoft wholly Reduced or Converted in- 
 to the Pieces called Guineas and Half- 
 Guineas^ they were firft Coin'd by King 
 Charles the Second, not long after the Re- 
 ftauration, and were ordained to go at 
 the Rates of Twenty Shillings for the 
 Guinea, and Ten Shillings for the Half- 
 Guinea, but I do not remember that they 
 ever palled at fo little, as the Prices which 
 were then fet upon them, becaufe our 
 Nation has been always too apt to over .- 
 value its Gold, and at this time the Gui- 
 nea runs for Thirty Shillings, although 
 vhe Gold of it ( if it were carried to Spain^ 
 Italy ^ Barbary^ and fome other Places of 
 the World ) would not Purchafe fo much 
 Silver there, as is equal to the Standard 
 of Four of our Crowns, or Twenty Shil- 
 lings.^And here it is neceffary for me to Ob- 
 ferve. That if the Gold had Advanced pro- 
 portionably with the Silver, then becaufe 
 as Five Shillings ( the Standard Value of 
 the Silver in a Crown ) is to Six Shillings 
 
 and
 
 of the Silver Coins. 89 
 
 and Two Pence Halfpeny , the prefent 
 Value of the fame Silver in Mafs, fo 
 Twenty Shillings ( the Standard Value of 
 the Gold in Guinea^ is to Twenty four 
 Shillings and Ten Pence , It fliould fol- 
 low by Reafon that a Guinea at this 
 day fliould go for about Twenty four 
 Shillings and Ten Pence, but it apparent- 
 ly runs for about Five Shillings more, fo 
 that in the time that the Silver in a Crown 
 is Rifen about a Fifth part, the Gold in a 
 Guinea is Rifen in a much greater propor- 
 tion,nameIy,a complcatThird part. Which 
 Advance of Five Shillings in a Guinea 
 ("over and above the proportionable Rife 
 which it fliould have had to make it keep 
 pace with the Silver} is exceedingly de- 
 trimental to our Nation at this Day ("as 
 will be hereafter flicwcd more at large.) 
 And feeing it can be attributed to nothing 
 but the prefent Badncfs of our Silver 
 Coins, which are fo exceedingly Counter- 
 feited, and Clipt, that the Common Peo- 
 ple will take Guineas almoft at any Rate, 
 rather than ftandthe hazard and vexation 
 of fuch Silver Moneys as are now Currant 
 amongft them : I am therefore humbly 
 
 of
 
 90 A/i Efaj for Amendment 
 
 of Opinion, That altering the prefem Stan- 
 dard of our Gold Coins (which prefcribcs 
 Twenty two Carats Fine, and Two Ca- 
 rats AlJay , and that Fourty four Gui- 
 neas and an Half fliall be cut from a Pound 
 Weight of fuch Gold ) would avail no- 
 thing. And that the only remedy to fix 
 thefe Gold Coins upon a right Foot, will 
 be the Re-eftablifhment of the Silver 
 Conis 5 which (as foon asAtchieved ac- 
 cording to thefe Propofitions ) will in all 
 likelihood and probability, prefently re- 
 duce the Guineas to about Twenty five 
 Shillings apiece by the moft Natural and 
 Eafie way , without fixing any limited 
 Price thereupon by Publick Authority, 
 which ( i[ one were to judge by paft Ex- 
 perience) would never be obfervcd, at 
 leaft for any time. 
 
 A Corollary : The abovementioned Bal- 
 lance of Trade being (as is before obfer- 
 vcd) the Original Caufe of the Scarcity 
 of Silver in England^ and of the Lofsby the 
 Foreign Exchange or Remittances, he 
 that can propofe any proper Expedients, 
 either to leflen that Ballance, or convert 
 it to our Advantage, ought to be well 
 
 heard.
 
 of the Silver Coins. 51 
 
 heard. But any Propofal v^ihich fuppofes 
 the BaUance of Trade^ muft be Rcftified 
 before our Coins be Amended, or a Rea- 
 fonable Foundation can be fixed for the 
 Courfe of the fame, does but pojipone the 
 Cure of a Difeafe which may dcftroy us 
 before fuch a Remedy can take effeft. 
 
 The True and Reafonable Adjuftment 
 of that which is called by the French^ Pied 
 de MonoyCy and by others Anciently Pes 
 Mofiet£^ was and is of principal Confidc- 
 ration in this whole Affair : And there- 
 fore I hope your Lordfhips will Excufe 
 me for having been fo prolix in the fub- 
 jeft of the Standards* 
 
 The
 
 5 2 An Ejfajfiir Amendment 
 
 The Second General Head concerning 
 the prefent State and Condition of 
 the Gold and Silver Coins. 
 
 T cannot be thought impro- 
 per before the Enterprizing 
 of a Work of fo great im- 
 portance as the Re-cftabllfli- 
 ment of the Moneys, and 
 Determining a New Foot for the Courfe 
 of the fame, to be inftrufied ( with as 
 much certainty as is poflible in things of 
 this Nature ) in the prefent State, Plight, 
 or Condition of the Coins of this Realm, 
 wherein one muft neceffarily confider fe- 
 veral Matters ofFaft, whereof fome can 
 be known or found out, and others can 
 only be eftimated or gueffed at. I have 
 endeavoured, as much as I could in a lit- 
 tle time, to Inform and fatisfie my felf in 
 the Particulars following : 
 
 Firft^ The fcveral Forms or Falliions 
 which have been ufed in the Fabrication 
 
 of
 
 of the Silver Coins. $3 
 
 of the Moneys, and which of them have 
 been and are mofl: Hkely to be moft Secure 
 againft Clipping and Counterfeiting. 
 
 Secondly y The diiantities of Silver Coins 
 Cfipt and Unclipt, that may be realbnably 
 thought or imagined to remain in the King- 
 dom at this day. 
 
 Thirdly^ How far the Clipt Pieces now 
 in being may be Conjeftured to have 
 been diminifhed in their Weight. And 
 upon Confideration of thefe Articles, I 
 have endeavoured to Compute the Lofs, 
 which ( upon Re-Coining the Clipt Mo- 
 neys ) muft be born either by a Publick 
 Aid, or by Particular Perfons, or by both ; 
 and to make fuch other Remarks and In- 
 ferences as may be fuitable to the prefent 
 Occafion : In all which, my Sence and 
 Opinion are humbly prefented to your 
 Lordfhips in the manner following. 
 
 As to the Particulars j All the Moneys 
 we have now in England^ both Gold and 
 Silver, are reducible to Two forts , the 
 one Stampt with the Hammer, and the 
 other Preft with an Engine, called the 
 Mill. The Gold or Silver of the Ham- 
 mered Money is firft Caft from the Melt- 
 ins-
 
 54 ^^ -E//^7 for Amendment 
 
 ing Pot into long Bars, thofe Bars are cut 
 with Sheers into feveral fquare Pieces of 
 exaft Weights, for Sovereigns, Angels, 
 Crowns, Half-Crowns,Shillings,cfNr. Then 
 with the Tongues and Hammer they arc 
 Forged into a Round Shape j after which 
 they are Blanched ( that is, made White, 
 or refulgent by Nealing or Boihng ) and 
 afterwards Stampt or Imprefs'd with an 
 Hammer to make them perfeS: Money. 
 This Method of making Money with the 
 Hammer (as appears in the faid RedBooi{^ 
 was prafiifed in the Reigns of King Ed' 
 ward the Firft *, A^ho (amongft other great 
 Atchievements of his moftPrudent Govern- 
 ment ) left that of Reftoring and Efta- 
 blifliing good Moneys for the Ufe of his 
 People, to recommend his Name to fub- 
 fcquent Generations. He fent for Mr, If il- 
 Ham de Turnemire^ and his Brother Peter^ 
 and others from Marfeilles^ and one Frifco- 
 bald^ and his Companions from Florence^ 
 slnd Employed them in the Working this 
 kind of Money, and the Buying and Ex- 
 changing of Silver for that purpofe, for 
 which he had Thirty Furnaces at London^ 
 Eight at Canterbury ( befideg Three the 
 
 Arch-
 
 of the Silver Coins. $ 5 
 
 Arcli-Bifliop had there ) Twelve at Bri- 
 fiol^ Twelve at Torh^^ and more in other 
 great Towns, in all which Places they 
 made the faid Hammered Money of Silver, 
 fupply'd by the Kings Changers Eftablifli- 
 ed at the lame Places, who ( according to 
 certain Rates or Prices prefcribcd to them) 
 took in the Clipt, Rounded and Counter- 
 feit Moneys to be Re-Coined, and Bought 
 Gold and Siverof the Merchants, and o- 
 thers, to be Fabricated into New Money ; 
 at the fame time Ordaining, Qmd Procla^ 
 vietiir per totnm Kegnnm quod nulla fat ton- 
 fnra de 'No'va Moneta fid periculo Vitx ^ 
 Memhrorum ^ amijfionis omnium Terrarum 
 ^ Tenementorumj (^c. And this kind of 
 Hammer'd Money continued through all 
 the Reigns of Succeeding Kings and 
 Queens, till about the Year of our Lord, 
 1663. when by feveral Warrants, and 
 Command of King Charles the Setond, 
 to wit, by One Warrant Dated the Fifth 
 of Noz^ember^ 1662, One Warrant Dated 
 the Eighth of April^ 1 663. And a Third 
 Warrant Dated the Twenty fourth of De- 
 cember^ 1663. The other fort called Mil- 
 led Money was firft Fabricated to be Cur- 
 rant
 
 5<5 Am Elfajfor Amendment 
 
 rant in England in this manner : 
 Firfl^ The Gold or Silver is cafl: out of 
 the Melting Pot into long flat Bars, which 
 Bars are drawn thorough a Mill ("wrought 
 by a Horfe ) to produce the juft Thick- 
 neCs of Guineas, Half-Guineas, Crowns, 
 Half-Crowns, Shillings, (^c. Then with 
 forcible Engines, called C;//f(?rj', which an- 
 fwer exadly to the refpeflive Sizes or Di- 
 menfions of the Money to be made, the 
 Round Pieces are cut out from the Flat 
 Bar, fhaped as aforefaid ( the Refidue 
 whereof, called «S/xe/, is Melted again ) 
 and then every Piece is Weighed, and 
 made to agree exaftly with the intended 
 Weight 5 and afterwards carried to other 
 Engines ( wrought fecretly ) which put 
 the Letters upon the Edges of the larger 
 Silver Pieces, and Mark the Edges of the 
 reft with a Graining. The next thing is 
 the Blanching perform'd, as above ^ and 
 at laft, every Piece is brought to the Prefs, 
 which is called the Mill (wrought by the 
 Strength of Men ) and there Receives 
 the Impreflion, which makes it perfed 
 MiUcd Money. 
 
 By
 
 of the Silver Coins. 9^ 
 
 By duly Rcflefting upon thefe diffe* 
 t*ent Kinds, and Conffdcring that tht 
 Principal Offences againft the Coins of the 
 Reahn, have been, and are either Clip- 
 ping, Counterfeiting or Melting down, 
 It may be proper to Remark ; 
 
 Firft , That the Crime of Clipping ha^ 
 been Praflifed upon the Hammer'd Mo- 
 ney in all Ages more or I'efs, but moft ex- 
 orbitantly of late Years ^ notwithftanding 
 the many Examples of Juftice : For that 
 the Offenders make an exceillve Profit by 
 doing a thing fo eafie in it felf, that even 
 Women and Children (as well as Men) 
 are capable of the AS: of Clipping or 
 Rounding. But this Pradice of Clipping 
 has never been Exercis'd upon the Mill'd 
 Money, and I think never can be, becaufe 
 of its Thicknefs and Edging, although no 
 further Provilion againfl the fame fliould 
 be made by Law. 
 
 Secondly , That as to Comiterfeiting^ 
 the Hammer'd Money is liable thereunto^ 
 becaufe the Tools for Refembling the 
 fame, are cheap, andeafily made and pro- 
 cured, and the Fabrication thereof may 
 be performed in a little Room^ and with 
 
 G left
 
 5> 8 A/i Efpijfor Amendment 
 
 Icfs Art •■) fo that Smiths and other Artifi- 
 cers can readily attain thereunto. But 
 the Engines for the Mill'd Money are ma- 
 ny and very coftly, not eafie to be pro- 
 cured. The Makers orUfers of fuchEn^ 
 gines cannot be conceaVd without great 
 difficulty, and the Mill'd Money it felf, 
 being of a much Finer Print than the other, 
 requires more Solemnity ^Skill, and curious 
 Workmanfliip in its Fabrication ^ and 
 when it's finifhed, fhews better the true 
 Colour of the Silver, to diftinguifli its 
 Genuine from its Counterfeit Pieces : 
 Which latter could never be brought to 
 Perfeftion. So that Reckoning only fince 
 the faid Year 1663. (without any regard 
 to the Precedent time) I verily believe 
 for every fingle Piece of Mill'd Money, 
 that has been Counterfeited, or rather 
 been attempted to be Refembled, there 
 have been more than One thoufand of 
 the Hammer'd Moneys not only Counter- 
 feited, but aftually Impos'd upon the 
 People, who have heen defrauded there- 
 with, and are now likely to fufFer greatly 
 thereby. 
 
 Tlfirdfyy
 
 of the Silvei' Coins. 99 
 
 Thirdly y That as to the Crime of Melt^ 
 ing down^ it has plainly afFefted both 
 the Hammer *d and Mill'd Moneys in their 
 refpeftive turns very fatally^ infomuch 
 that the Hammer'd Gold Coins which 
 were made in the Reigns of the feveral 
 Kings and Queens, from Edward the Firft 
 inclufively , till the beginning of the 
 Reign of King Charles the Second 
 C which would amount to an incredible 
 Sum, if they were all in being ) are al- 
 moft totally vanifhed , having been Mol- 
 ten ( as I fuppofe ) from time to time, 
 either to make Veffels or Utenfils, or to 
 Export for Lucre, or to Convert into 
 Gold Coins of more Modern Stamps (m 
 which laft Cafe the fame Metal came to 
 be Coin'd over and over again ) it being 
 evident that we have now in England on- 
 ly the Pieces called Guineas^ and Half- 
 GuineaSy or few other of Gold Coins, as 
 is before obferved. And I think the like 
 muft have been done with all the Ham- 
 mer'd Silver Moneys that were made be- 
 fore the Reign of Queen Elij^abeth^ a ve- 
 ry few only excepted , although the lat- 
 ter would amount- to many Millions, if 
 
 G 2 they
 
 1 00 An Elfaj for Amendment 
 
 they were all now in being. As to the 
 Coins of that Qjieen, and her Two imme- 
 diate Succeffors (f though they make the 
 Bulk of our prefent Calh ^ the Number 
 of them muft needs have been extreamly 
 diminiflied by Melting, efpecially whilft 
 they were weighty, and not much worn. 
 But fince the Mill'd Money came into 
 Play, becaufe of its Intrinfick Weight and 
 Worth, I believe the Crime of Melting 
 hath been chiefly praftis'd upon that kind, 
 which has apparently reduced it to a fmall 
 Quantity. Neve rthelefs, when both kinds 
 come to have the fame Weight and Fine- 
 nefs, and to be Currant at the fame Price, 
 I think the one will not be more liable to 
 this Mifchief tha,n the other, and I hope 
 both will be Secured againft the fame, 
 when the Silver in the Coin will fetch as 
 much as the Silver in the Bullion. 
 
 Secondly^ The Quantities of Siher Coins 
 Clipt and Vnclipt that may be reafonahly 
 thought or imagined to Remain in the 
 Kingdom at this day^ cannot with any cer- 
 tainty be Computed. I know feveral 
 Conjeftures have been made thereof, very 
 different, and (as I think J) without any 
 
 Grounds
 
 of the Silver Coins. i o i 
 
 Grounds at all, and I confcfs my fclfto 
 have none but fuch as follow. 
 
 Firji^ To Compute all the Silver Mo- 
 neys Coin'd in the Three Reigns of Qiieen 
 Eli'Xjabeth^ James the Firft, and Charles 
 the Firft. 
 
 Secondly^ To Guefs how much thereof 
 may have been Molten or Loft. 
 
 Thirdly^ To Subftraft the Latter from 
 the Whole. And, 
 
 Fourthly^ To the difference to add fome- 
 thing for the fmall Remainder, as well of 
 Moneys Coined before the Reign of 
 Queen Eli'x.ahetb , as of thofe Coined 
 fince the Reign o{ Charles the Firft. 
 
 G 3 The
 
 102 
 
 An Ejfaj/ for Amendment 
 
 The Silver Moneys' 
 Coin'd in the Reign of 
 Qj-ieen Elix^abeth ( as I 
 am inform'd by the Ma- 
 tter of the Mint ) did 
 Amount to Four Mil- 
 lions Six hundred thou- 
 fand Pounds : But by a 
 Copy which I took 
 fome time fince from 
 the Archi'ves at Wefl- » / , 
 
 minjter^ oi an Account 
 which was Compiled U^3 -^3^* 3- ^'~ 
 by Arch-Bifliop WiUi- 
 ants J which I take to be 
 more exaft ( which Ar- 
 chi<ves^ with the Choice 
 Colleftions thereof are 
 fince Burnt) all the Sil- 
 ver Sterling Moneys 
 Coin'd in the Reign of 
 the faid Qiieen, ( ex- 
 cluding fome bafe/ri/i& 
 Moneys that were then 
 made ) did Amount 
 
 to- 
 
 The
 
 of the Silver Coins. 103 
 
 The Silver Moneys Coin'd 'i 
 in the Reign of King James 
 the Firft ( as the Officers of 
 the Mint inform me ) cannot 
 be known at their Office, be- 
 caufe their Memorials there- 
 of are either Imperfefl: or Loft ; 
 But by the abovefaid Copy I 
 find, That in the firft Twelve 
 Years of his Reign there was 
 Coin'd in Silver Sterling Mo- 
 neys, One Million Five hun- 
 dred fifty eight thoufand and /^ 
 Fourteen Pounds, Nine Shil- 
 lings and Nine Pence ^ and I ^ ijooooo. 
 find, That in the laft Seven 
 Years of his Reign, the Silver 
 Moneys Coin d did amount to 
 One hundred and two thou- 
 fand Nine hundred and eighty 
 one Pounds Nine Shillings and 
 eight Pence, and then adding 
 39004 Los. 7 d. by eftima- 
 ticJn for the Two or Three in- 
 termediate years of the fame 
 Reign, the whole of the Silver 
 Sterling MoneyCoin'd byKing 
 James the Firft, was j And
 
 1 04 An jEjfjQj/ for Amendment 
 
 And it appears by an ". 
 Account from the Offi- / ^ ^ 
 
 cers-of the Mint, That q 
 there was Coin d of Sil- \ ^77^544' lo-S- 
 ver Moneys in the Reign j 
 of King Charles the Firft- J 
 
 /. s, d. 
 
 In all 1 5 109476. 13. 5| 
 
 Now confidering |iow far this Sum is 
 to be abated. 
 
 Firfi^ By the want of the Crowns, Half- 
 Crowns, Groats, Qiiarter-Shillings, Half- 
 Groats, Three-half-peny Pieces, Three- far- 
 thing Pieces, and Halfpence of Queen 
 Eli%aheth^ which are wholly funk. 
 
 Secondly^ By the Diminution of the 
 Number of the Shillings/ and Six-pences 
 of the fame Qjieen, many of which may 
 be fuppofed to be Melted down, Re- 
 Coined, or Loft. 
 
 Thirdly^ By the Lofs of the Growfis, 
 Groats, Two-Pences, Pence, and Half^ 
 t'ence oijams the Firft, and Charles the 
 Mrft, which ife^m to be quite gone, and
 
 of the Silver Coins. 105 
 
 by the Melting, Re-Coining, or Lofs of 
 many (^if not moft) of the Half-Crowns, 
 Shillings, and Six-Pences of thofe Two 
 Kings, one can hardly believe there is 
 now in being, of the Coins of the faid 
 Three Reigns, above One Third Part, 
 which Amounts to Five Millions Thirty 
 fix thoufand Four hundred ninety two 
 Pounds^ to which, if there be added Five 
 hundred Sixty three thoufand Five hun- 
 dred and eight Pounds more for the Un- 
 melted Silver Coins of Charles the Second, 
 James the Second, King William and 
 Qjicen Mary , and for the final! diian- 
 tities which remain of thofe which 
 were made before the Reign of Qjieen 
 Eli'z,abeth ; .then the whole of the Silver 
 Sterling Coins Clipt and Unclipt, Hoard- 
 ed and Currant now in Englaiid,, will be 
 Computed at Five Millions and Six hun- 
 dred thoufand Pounds. And if it be 
 Granted that Four Millions of this Sum 
 confifts of Pieces that are Diminiihed, 
 fome more, fome lefs, by Clipping, then 
 it will follow, that there remains in the 
 Kingdom about One Million and Six 
 hundred thdufand Pounds of Heavy Mo- 
 " ' ncy,
 
 I c6 An Ejptj/ for Amendment 
 
 ney, a great part of which is fuppofed to 
 lie in Hoards, and the reft Currant chief- 
 ly in the Counties moft remote from 
 London. 
 
 Thirdly^ I am to Compute, as well as I 
 can, Hoxi? far the Clipt Pieces^ now in be- 
 ings may huz^e been Diminifhed in the 
 Weight , in reference to which, your 
 Lordfliips may be pleafed to be Remind- 
 ed, That when the Earl of Rochejier 
 was Lord Treafurer, feveral Good Or- 
 ders were Eftablilhed by him for the Ex- 
 chequer 5 One of which was to have all 
 the Bags of Money there Received to be 
 Weighed. And I have ExtraSed from 
 the Books of One of the Tellers , the 
 Weight of Five hundred feventy two Bags 
 of One hundred Pound each, which were 
 brought to the Receipt promifcuoufly, in 
 the Months of May^ June and July laft. 
 Now, whereas the Weight of One hun- 
 dred Pounds Sterling in Silver Moneys, 
 according to the Standard of the 
 Mint, ought to be Thirty two Pounds, 
 Three Ounces, One Peny Weight, 
 and Twenty two Grains Troy , and 
 confequently thefaid Bags, containing 
 
 Fifty
 
 of the Silver Coins, 1 07 
 
 Fifty feven thoufand Two hiin- ^^^ ^^^ ^^^ 
 drcd Pounds by Talc, ought to »^vf Account 
 have Weighed Two hundred 
 twenty one thoufand Four hundred and 
 Eighteeen Ounces, Sixteen Peny Weight, 
 and Eight Grains Troy : It was found that 
 the faid Fifty feven thoufand and Two 
 hundred Pounds by Tale ( comprizing 
 fome Weighty Pieces, though few) 
 Weighed only One hundred and thirteen 
 thoufand Seven hundred and Seventy one 
 Ounces and Five Peny Weight Troy. 
 So that if all the faid Sum of Fifty feven 
 thoufand and Two hundred Pounds by 
 Tale were good Silver, yet it was Defici- 
 ent in Weight, One hundred and feven 
 thoufand (ix hufidred fourty feven Ounces, 
 Eleven Peny Weight and Eight Grains 
 Troy 'j from whence I infer, 
 
 Firji^ That the Moneys commonly Cur- 
 rant are Diminiflied near one Half, to wit, 
 in a Proportion fomething greater than 
 that of Ten to Twenty two. 
 
 Secondly J That going by the Medium of 
 the faid Number of Bags, and making but 
 a very fmall Allowance for the Unclipt 
 Pieces in the faid Bags j and for the Dif- 
 ference
 
 1 o 8 An Effaj/ for Amendment: 
 
 ference of Money brought to the Exche- 
 quer, and that which paffes amongft the 
 Common People ( the former being in 
 moft Payments the bcft of the Clipt Mo- 
 neys) every one muft be convinced y That 
 if all the Clipt Pieces of Silver Moneys in 
 England could be weighed together, they 
 would be found Deficient a full Half of 
 their Standard Weight. Again, 
 
 Thirdly^ If all the Pieces in England 
 that are more or lefs Clipt, do Amount by 
 Tale to Four Millions ( as is before fup- 
 pofed ) then I infer, That by Re-Coin- 
 ing the fame upon the Old Foot, it will 
 make but Two Millions, and the Lofs 
 would be as much : But by Re-Coining 
 the fame upon the Foot of Six Shillings 
 and Three Pence for the prefent Crown 
 Piece, as is above propofed, the fame 
 Quantity of Clipt Money will make Two 
 Millions, and Five hundred thoufand 
 Pounds, and the Lofs will be Fifteen hun- 
 dred thoufand Pounds, to be born either 
 by Publick Aid, or by the Particulars in- 
 terefted in the Clipt Moneys, or by 
 botho 
 
 The.
 
 of the Silver Coins. 109 
 
 The Third General Head Difcujfes 
 this ^eflion. Whether itle or he 
 not abfoliitely Neceffarj at this 
 time to Ke^ejlaHifb the Coins. 
 
 [T will readily be Granted, 
 That the Melting and new 
 •Fabricating the much grea- 
 ter Part of all the Silver 
 Moneys of the Realm (^as 
 the Clipt Pieces are ) would be a Work 
 very improper to be Enterprized in the 
 heat of an Important and Expenfive 
 War 5 if the doing thereof were not in- 
 difpenfibly neccflary, to render effeftual 
 the very Ways and Means, which in Par- 
 liament may be Refolvcd upon, in refe- 
 rence to Aids or Supplies for Carrying on 
 of the fame War, and to produce a Species 
 of Money that may be Ufcful and Service- 
 able for the Upholding of the Commerce, 
 and for Anfwering not only of the Pub- 
 lick,
 
 no An Ejfayfor Amendment 
 
 Vicky but alfo of all Private Revenues, 
 Rents, Debts, and other Occafions, 
 which concern the very Exiftence of the 
 great Political Body. 
 
 It were enough for me upon this Occa- 
 fion, to fay, That the Houfe of Commons 
 judg*d it neceflary to have the Chpt Mo- 
 neys RecoinM, having Refolved thereup- 
 on, after many long and mature Delibe- 
 rations in the laft Seflion of Parliament. 
 But the Evils which for fome time paft 
 have been growing upon us, in refpeft of 
 the Coins, being at length© aftually Arri- 
 ved and more fenfibly Felt, I fhall take 
 leave humbly to State the fame according 
 to the beft of my Underftanding, and fub- 
 mit the Judgment thereof to Publick Au- 
 thority. 
 
 Firjiy Becaufe fuch of the Silver Coins 
 as are ufually Currant, or offer'd in Pay- 
 ments, are very Bad and Defeftive ; the 
 Common People C without any vifible 
 Reafon, other than to avoid the Danger 
 and Vexation of fuch Moneys ) by almoft 
 an Unanimous Confent and Agreement, 
 do take Guineas at Thirty Shillings apiece, 
 little more or lefs, which Raifes the Gold 
 
 here
 
 of the Silver Coins. 1 1 1 
 
 here (^as hath been obferved J to a much 
 higher Price in Proportion than Silver in 
 Bullion now goes at, or that Silver in Coin 
 will go for, when it fhall be Railed to the 
 Foot of Six ShiUings and Three Pence for 
 the Crown Piece according to this Pro- 
 jeftion. And this exorbitant Price of 
 Gold here , hath encouraged Foreign 
 Merchants to Import it upon us in great 
 Quantities : And in Return for the fame. 
 
 They either Export our Silver in Coin 
 or Molten ^ which lying in a little Room, 
 the Exportation thereof cannot cafily be 
 Prevented. Or, 
 
 Secondly^ They Buy our Native Com- 
 modities ( the Interruption of the Navi- 
 gation, not Allowing us fuch an Over- 
 plus of Goods, brought from our Colo- 
 nies in America^ and other Foreign Parts, 
 wherewith England in times of Peace 
 could at leaft Ballance its Trade with its 
 Neighbours. ) Or, 
 
 Thirdly , They draw back the afore- 
 faid Value of their Gold, by Bills of Ex^ 
 change or Remittances. In every one of 
 thefe Cafes, they make an unreafonable 
 Profit by their Gold ^ which muft needs, 
 
 in
 
 112 An Effkj for Amendment 
 
 in a little time, Exhauft a great part of 
 the Real Stock and Wealth of our Nati- 
 on ; But particularly in the firft Cafe, the 
 Bullion or Coin in Silver that is Exported, 
 is really worth much more than the Gold 
 Imported for it \ and the difference be- 
 comes a Dead Lofs to England^ which La- 
 bours too much already under the Scarcity 
 of Silver, and will inevitably find it much 
 Scarcer and Dearer than it is, if this Gol- 
 den Trade continues. In the Second 
 Cafe, they can Furnifh Foreign Markets 
 with our Native Commodities , which 
 would be carried thither by our own Mer- 
 chants, who want the aforefaid Profit of 
 the Gold , to enable them to Buy thofc 
 Goods as Dear, and Sell them as Cheap 
 as the Foreigners can. And in the Third 
 Cafe, by the great occafion they have for 
 Bills to draw back the Value of their 
 Gold to the Places from whence it came, 
 they have Contributed in a great meafure 
 towards Lowering the Exchange to the 
 Lorp Countries \ which from divers Caufes 
 (whereof the Importing of Guineas is 
 none of the leaft ) is funk fo very Low, 
 that the Publick lofes about Four Shillings 
 
 in
 
 of the Silver Coins. 113 
 
 in the Pound upon all the Moneys Re- 
 mitted thither ^ which Lofs Amounts to a 
 great deal in the Charge of the Army. 
 And the Exchange to Hamburgh and the 
 Eafl Coufit^ys for all Naval Stores, and 
 other Goods, is Lower, and to all Pla- 
 ces in the Mediterranean ( where our Fleet 
 is at prefent ) the Exchange is yet more 
 to our Prejudice. And in regard the a- 
 forefaid exceffive Advance of the Guinea 
 Pieces, at lea ft a great Part thereof, can 
 be Attributed ( as has been before ob- 
 ferved) to nothing elfe but the Bafe- 
 nefs and Defefts of the White Moneys. 
 There is no Profpeft of Reducing the 
 Gold to a more moderate or reafonable 
 Price, by any means confiftent with the 
 Intereft of the Nation, other than the A- 
 mendment, and reftoring of the Silver 
 Coins. 
 
 Secondly^ In the prefent Condition and 
 Circumftances of our Silver Money, this 
 Nation and the Trade and Dealings there- 
 of, are in a great meafure Deprived of 
 the life and Benefit of the whole Specks 
 now in being, as well the Heavy Pieces 
 as the Light, the former of which (efpe- 
 
 H ciall/
 
 1 1 4 ^n Ejfaj for Amendment 
 
 cially fince the Parliament in the laft Sd- 
 lion appear'd defirous of making a Re- 
 tormation or Amendment) have been for 
 the moft part Hoarded by the particular 
 Perfons Poffeffed thereof, in plfefpeft that 
 the Sliver contained in thofe Weighty 
 Pieces will be Raifed to a Value fuitable 
 to the Bullion thereof if Melted, which 
 they may think will turn more to their 
 Profit than Lending at Intereft, Purchafine; 
 or Tradmg therewith in the mean time] 
 or at leaft they may think thefe Hoarded 
 Moneys ( when the Mifchiefs of Cor- 
 ruptmg and Diminirtiing their Coins 
 come to their laft Extremity ) will parti- 
 cularly fiand thofe Men in ftead that have 
 them; however it be, its certain thb 
 Weighty Moneys at prefent do very lit- 
 tle appear Abroad , and it is not likely 
 they will foonbe brought to Light, with- 
 T 5,"''^"g/'^"r Value, and Recoining 
 the Chpt Moneys ; and as for the latter 
 a great Part thereof, when offered in Pay- 
 ments, is utterly Refufed, and will not 
 1 als, and coniequently doth not fcrve to 
 the End or Purpofe for which it was 
 made : lo that both the one and the other 
 
 ( for
 
 of the Silver Coins. 115 
 
 ( for the grcateft Part ) are become a^ it 
 were a Dead Cadi in the Kingdom. 
 
 Thirdly^ In Confequence of the Vitia-. 
 ting, Diminifliing and Counterfeiting of 
 the Currant Moneys, it i^ come to pafs, 
 That great Contentions do daily arife a- 
 mongft the King's Subjects, in Fairs, 
 Markets, Shops, and other Pkces 
 throughout the Kingdom, about the PaP 
 fing or Refufing of the fame, to the di- 
 fturbance of the Publick Peace j many 
 Bargains, Doings and Dealings are to- 
 tally prevented and laid afide, which lef- 
 fens Trade in general 5 Perfons before 
 they conclude in any Bargains, are necef- 
 fitated firft to fettle the Price or Value of 
 the very Money they are to Receive for 
 their Goods \ and if it be in Guineas at a 
 High Rate, or in Clipt or Bad Moneys, 
 rhey fet the Price of their Goods accord- 
 ingly , which I think has been One great 
 Caufe of Raifing the Price not only of Mer- 
 chandizes, but even of Edibles, and other 
 Neceflaries for the fuftenarice of the Com- 
 mon People, to their great Grievance. The 
 Receipt and Colleftion of the Publick 
 Taxes, Revenues and Debts (as wellas: 
 
 H 2 of
 
 ^^6 An Effaji fir Amendvient 
 
 ^f Private Mens Incomes ) are extream- 
 |y retarded, to the Damage of His Majc- 
 p^V ^"^ ^^ the* Prejudice of a Vigorous 
 ^ rofecution of the War ; fo that there 
 were never (at leaft fince I had the Ho- 
 nour to fervc the Crown ) fo many Bonds 
 Jj^iven, and lying Unfatisfied at the Cu- 
 Itom-Houfcs, or fo vaft an Arrear of Ex- 
 cHcs. And as for the Land Tax , your 
 Lord/hips know how far 'tis afFefied with 
 the Bad Moneys, by the many Com- 
 plaints tranfmitted daily from the Com- 
 miffioners, Receivers and Collcftors 
 thereof, and by Comparing the Sum 
 brought into the Exchequer this Ye^r, 
 with the timely Payments of the like Tax 
 in preceding Years. In fine, the Mif- 
 chiefs of the 6ad Money ( too many to 
 enumerate ) are fo fenfibly Felt, that (I 
 humbly conceive) they are fufficient to 
 Confute all the Arguments againft the Re- 
 coining the fame in this time of War, and 
 even the Objeflions againft Raifing the 
 Silver in Our Coin to the Proposed Value. 
 Which Arguments and Objefiions ( how 
 Plaufible or Weighty foever they have 
 been heretofore ) have not at this time 
 
 fufficient
 
 of the Silver Coins » 117 
 
 fufficient Ground or Rcafon to Support 
 them, efpecially when the doing of thefe 
 things is not Projeded for the particular 
 Gain or Profit of the Crown ( which 
 formerly Received a Duty of Seigniorage 
 upon Coining or Recoining of Moneys } 
 but for the Common Good and Utility of 
 the King and his People. But whether 
 all the Evils and Mifchicfs before men- 
 tioned, and the Increafe thereof, which 
 the Nation muft undergo, till a Remedy 
 be Applied, do infer, or are tantamount to 
 an abfolute Neceffity for the prefent 
 Enterprifing the Work aforefaid, muft be 
 and is with all Humility fubmitted to a 
 better Judgment than my own. 
 
 H :? . the
 
 1 1 S ^fi Ejfaj for Amendment 
 
 The Foarth General Head is to pro^. 
 fofe tk Means that mufi k Ob-- 
 tained, and the proper Methods to 
 be life din and for the Re^efiaMJh^ 
 mfnt of the Silver Coins. 
 
 N Cafe His Majefty (taking 
 into His Princely Confide- 
 ration the g|:eat Inconve- 
 niencies which the Nation 
 Labours under by the had- 
 nefs of the Moneys) fliall 
 be pleafed to Direft, That all fuch Silver 
 pojns called Crowns, Half-Crowns, Shil- 
 lings or Tellers, as have been formerly 
 Poin'd in the Royal Mint, or Mints of 
 England with the Hammer, and are more 
 or }efs Diminiflied by Clipping, Round- 
 ing, Filing, or any other Artifice, Ihall be 
 felted and Re-Coin'd, my humble Opi- 
 mgn is, That the General Cautions fol- 
 lowing are to be Obferved s
 
 of tk Silver Coins. 119 
 
 Firfl^ That the Work ouglu to be 
 Performed and Fuiiflied in as little 
 rime as may be, not only to Obviate 
 a further Damage by Clipping in the 
 interim^ but alfo that the needful Advan- 
 tages of the New Money may be the 
 fooner Obtained for the Service of the 
 Nation. 
 
 Secondly^ That the lofs, or the greateft 
 part of it ought to be born by the Pub- 
 lick, and not by Particulars, w^ho being 
 very Numerous will be prejudiced againft 
 a Reformation for the Publick Benefit, if 
 it is to be EfFefted at the Coft of particu- 
 lar Men, and who have great hopes of 
 being Indemnified by the V^otes Palled in 
 their favour in the lafl: Sedion of Parlia- 
 ment. 
 
 Thirdly, This whole Affair muft be ren- 
 dered Ealie, and very liitclligible to the 
 Common People, fo that they muft not 
 be compelled to Travel very iar when 
 they part with their Clipt Money, or 
 when they receive back the Value of it 
 in the New Coins, and in the mean time 
 they muft be furniflied with a Uieful and 
 Transferrable Credit that muft take Place 
 
 H A ia
 
 1 20 An Ejfaj for Amendvient 
 
 in Courfe of Repayment, as faft as the 
 New Coins can be made. 
 
 Fourthly^ That no room muft be left 
 for Jealoufie. And therefore all the Clipt 
 Moneys in the feveral Counties, far or 
 near, are not to be brought entirely to 
 London^ to be Minted there, which would 
 leave all the Countries very bare, and 
 create great Sufpicions till its Return. 
 
 Fifthly^ That as foon as the King's Of- 
 ficers begin to take in the Clipt Moneys, 
 or prefently after, the Courfe for Repay- 
 ing the Stated Value thereof in New Mo- 
 neys ought to begin alfo, and to be Car- 
 ried on by the New Moneys, which fliall 
 be Coin'd from the Silver of the Old, fo 
 far as it will Extend j And that an Aid be 
 given in Parliament to Supply the refidue 
 in fuch time and manner, as that there be 
 no Interruption or Intervals in the Courfe 
 of Repayment, rill fuch times as the Regi- 
 fters for the Clipt Moneys to be brought in 
 fliall be fully fatisfied. 
 
 According to thefe General Propofiti- 
 ons, and fome other Requifites which 
 have Occurred to me, I have imployed 
 my thoughts to Reduce this whole Affair 
 
 into
 
 of the Silver Coins. 121 
 
 into Praftice, and do humbly OfFcr to 
 your Lordfhips Confideration the Parti- 
 culars following, as the Scope and De- 
 fign of my Report : That is to fay, 
 
 Firfl^ That an Aid be granted in Par- 
 liament, and ftriftly Appropriated for or 
 towards the making good of the Lofs by 
 the faid Clipt Moneys , or fo much 
 thereof as fhall be thought Reafona- 
 ble to be Defrayed by the Ptblick, 
 and the incident Charges which fhall be 
 neceffary in the Performance of this Ser- 
 vice. Which Aid, if it be Commenfurate 
 to the whole Lofs, will by Eftimation, as 
 above. Amount to Fifteen hundred thou- 
 fand Pounds ; and if it be Refolved that 
 the Publick fliall bear but half the Lofs, 
 or any other part of it, then the Aid (m 
 the grant thereof^ may be proportioned 
 accordingly. And the faid Aid is humbly 
 propofed to be either by a Land Tax of 
 Twelve Pence in the Pound, or by a 
 yearly Sum to be Anfwered out of the 
 continued Impofitions upon Goods im- 
 ported, or fome other certain Fond, to 
 take effeO; within a year to come at the 
 fartheft. 
 
 Secondly^
 
 122 An Ejfajfor Amendment 
 
 Secondly^ That all the New Moneys, 
 whether they be Gold or Silver, ihall in 
 the Coining thereof be made in Finenefs 
 or Purity, according to the prefect Stan- 
 dard^ that is to fay, the Gold to be Twen- 
 ty two Carats Fine, and Two Carats Al- 
 lay : And the Silver Coins to be Eleven 
 Ounces Two Peny Wight Fine, and Eigh- 
 teen Peny Weight Allay, for the Reafons 
 above given. 
 
 Thirdly^ That every Pound Weight 
 Troy of fuch Gold, fliall be cut into Eigh- 
 ty nine Half Guineas , or Fourty four 
 Guineas and an Half, or proportionably 
 for greater Pieces, as the fame ought to 
 be by the prefent Indenture of the Mint ^ 
 with a Remedy for the Mafter, of the 
 Sixth Part of a Carat, in Cafe the Gold 
 be found too ftrong or too feeble in 
 Weight, or in Finenefs, or in both. And 
 that every Pound Weight, Tr<7y, of the 
 New Silver Moneys, to be made as afore- 
 faid, be cut into fuch Numbers of Pieces 
 as will correfpond in Weight with the 
 Uiidiminiflied Crowns, Half Crowns, Shil- 
 lings, Six-pences, Groats, Three-penccs, 
 Two-pences and Pence, Coin'd by the 
 • late
 
 of the Silver Coins. 123 
 
 late Indentures, except the Twelve Peny 
 Pieces, all which may be performed, as is 
 above offered. And that the Mafter be al- 
 lowed a Remedy of Two Peny Weight 
 in every Pound Weight T^roy^ of the Silver 
 Moneys, in cafe they be found too ftrong 
 or too feeble in Weight, or in Finenefs, 
 or in both. 
 
 Fourthly^ That by Authority of Parlia- 
 ment, or by a Royal Proclamation to be 
 Grounded on an Aft of Parliament, the 
 Silver Crowns, Half-Crowns, Shillings and 
 Six-pences of the Lawful Coins of this 
 Realm now in being, and not Diminifli- 
 ed by Chpping, Rounding, Filing, Waih- 
 ing, or other Artifice, be Publickly Cried 
 up, and Raifed to the Foot of Seventy five 
 Pence for the Crown, and proportionably 
 for the reft, as I have alfo propofed , and 
 that the other fmall Pieces of the Old 
 Coins ( which are few in Number ) go 
 as they do at prefent. And that the 
 New Coins to be called the Sceptre^ or 
 Vmte^ the Half-Sceptre or Half-Vitite^ the 
 Teftoofi or Fifteen Peny Piece, the Shilling 
 or Twelve Peny Piece, the Half-Tefloon^ 
 the Crofs or Five Peny Piece, QHarter-
 
 1 24 An Effajfor Amendment 
 
 Tefloon^ the Half-Grofs and Prime be made 
 Currant upon the fame Foot, as I have al- 
 fo propos'd, Pag, 61, (^c. 
 
 Fifthly^ That Coin, as well as Englijh 
 Bullion, not exceeding a limited Sum 
 yearly, may be Exported for the Service 
 of the prefent War by His Ma;efty's War- 
 rant and Command, and not otherwife, 
 which will help to keep down the Price 
 of Silver. 
 
 Sixthly^ That all the New Moneys be 
 made by the Mill and the Prefs, and not 
 by the Hammer. 
 
 Sv^enthly^ That all the prefent Silver 
 Pieces called Crowns, Half-Crowns, Shil- 
 lings and Six-pences of the Hammer'd 
 kind, which are Diminifhed by Clipping, 
 Rounding, Filing, Wafhing, or other Ar- 
 tifice be Cried down, fo as not to be Cur- 
 rant after a Day to be prefixed. And that 
 no Perfon whatfoever fhall hereafter be 
 obliged to accept in Legal Payment any 
 Money whatfoever that is already Clipt, 
 or may hereafter be Clipt or Diminifhed, 
 and that no Perfon fhall Tender or Re- 
 ceive any fuch Money in Payment under 
 fome friiall Penalty, to be made eafily Re- 
 cover-
 
 of the Silver Coins. 125 
 
 covcrable , the Failing, Selling, or Chan- 
 ging of fuch Clipt or Diminiflied Moneys, 
 in Order to the Re-Coining thcrc6f, as 15 
 herein after mentioned, only Excepted. 
 
 Eighthly^ That no Crown Piece ( of 
 Old Hammered Money ) fliall be faid or 
 alledged to be Clipt or Diminiflied, or 
 be Refufed as fuch in any Payments what- 
 foever, if it hold Eighteen Peny Weight, 
 and proportionable Weight fliall render 
 the Half-Crowns, Shillings, and Six-pences 
 of the faid Hammered kind to be Currant 
 in all Payments, which feems neceffary 
 becaufe of the wearing of the Old Pieces, 
 though they are not Clipt. 
 
 "Ninthly^ That befides the Principal 
 Mint within the Tower of L(?«(^(?«( where 
 Six Preffes can be wrought at the fame 
 time J) there be Settled and Eftabliflied 
 Nine other Mints within England and 
 Wales ^ to Work with Two Preffes in each. 
 Namely, One at Nei^cajile upon Tyne^ to 
 ferve principally for the Counties of Dur- 
 ham^ Northumberland^ Cumberland and Weft^ 
 merland : One at Torl^ to ferve for the 
 Counties of York^ and Lancajier : One at 
 Nottingham to ferve for the Counties of 
 
 Nottfng'
 
 1 26 An EJfay for Amendment 
 
 "Nottingham^ hincobt^ Derby and Leicejler t 
 One at Chejier to ferve for Cheflnre^ Staf- 
 fordjhire^ Salop and North Wales : One at 
 Hereford to ferve for the Counties of He- 
 refordfiloucefler^Worcefler and South Wales : 
 One at Exeter to ferve for Cornrvall^ De-^ 
 'voH and Somerjet : One at Salisbury to 
 ferve for the Counties oi Wilts ^ Dorfet and 
 Hantjhire : One at Oxon, to ferve for the 
 Counties of Oxo?7^ Buch^^ Warrvicl^ and 
 Berks : And One at Cambridge to ferve for 
 Norfolk^^ Suffolh^^ Huntingdon^ Cambridge 
 and Bedford/hire ^ and that at London will 
 ferve for the reft. Neverthelefs thefe fe- 
 veral Mints are not intended to be fo Re- 
 ftrained but that a Man may carry his 
 Money to any of them that lies moft irt 
 his way , whereby there may be Coined 
 Weekly (^ as I am inform'd ) about Fifty 
 or Sixty thoufand Pounds eafily, which 
 will finifh the whole Work in much lefs 
 then a Years time. And that the Dyes, 
 Preffes and other Implements may be pro- 
 viding with as much haft as is poilible, fo 
 as to be all fit for life by or before Chriji^ 
 mas n€xt» 
 
 Ten
 
 of the Silver Coins. 127 
 
 Tentbly ^ That the Warden, Mafter 
 Womer, Comptroller, and Allay-Mafter 
 of the Mint do continue at the Tower, 
 and take the immediate Care of the Work 
 there : And that they Subftitute Fit and 
 Skilful Perfons as their Deputies ( fuch as 
 the King, or the Lord Treafurer, or Com- 
 miflloners of the Treafury for the time be- 
 ing, fhall approve of, and fuch as muft 
 be Anfwer'd for by their rcfpedive Supe- 
 riors ) to Carry on the Works of the faid 
 N ine Mints in the Country , which Subfti- 
 tutes fliall be all Sworn, for the faithful 
 Difcharge of their refpeftive Truft j and 
 that the Members of the Corporation of 
 the Moneyers, and other Miniflers, Of- 
 ficers and Servants, be diftributed accord- 
 ingly and fmall Private Marks ( if thought 
 fit) may be made to diftinguiflithe Money 
 that fliall be Coin'd at the refpe&ive 
 Mints. 
 
 Eleventhly^ That the Charge of making 
 every Pound Weight Troy of Silver Mo- 
 neys, which at prefent is One Shilling 
 and Four Pence Half-peny , be made 
 more Reafonable , now fo much is to be 
 Coin d and Recoin d. 
 
 Twelfth^
 
 12 8 A/i Ejfay for Amendment 
 
 Ttpelfthly^ That at or near every Town 
 or Place where there fliall be a DilHnfl: 
 Mint Eftabliflied, as aforefaid, there (hall 
 be alfo Settled and Fixt an Office, which 
 fhall be, and be called An Office of the 
 Kings Change ; and the Chief Officer 
 therein ( to be Named by His Majefty, 
 or the Lord Treafurer, or Commiffioners 
 of the Treafury for the time being ) {hall 
 be called T&e Kings Changer 5 and that 
 thefe Changers fliall have Tellers or Sub- 
 ftitutes under them. And they as well as 
 their Subftitutes fliall be Sworn for the 
 Due and Jufl Execution of their refpe;- 
 ilive Trufts, with regard not only to the 
 King, but alfo to every Perfon that fliall 
 have to do with them in refpeft of their 
 Places. 
 
 Thirteenthly^ The faid Officer called T&e 
 Changer^ with fuch Tellers or Subftitutes 
 as fliall be neceflary, fliall daily and every 
 Day ( Sundays only excepted ) attend at 
 the Publick Office whereunto he or they 
 fliall be Affigned, or at fome other 
 Market Town within the Counties of his 
 Diftrid, and when he is to attend at fuch 
 other Market Town, he fliall caufe the 
 
 fame
 
 of the Silver Corns. 129 
 
 fame to be Publickly Notified there, by 
 Affixing a Paper in feme open Place in 
 the Market next preceding ■-, and at the 
 faid Publick Office , or at fuch other 
 Market Towns, as aforefaid , the faid 
 Changer by himfelf, or by his Tellers or 
 Subftitutes, fhall Receive and Take in all 
 fuch dipt or Diminiflied Money as are 
 beforementioned, as any Perfon or Per- 
 fons fliall bring to him in order to be Re- 
 coin'd 5 and in Performance of his Office 
 or Duty, he or they fhall be holden to 
 Obferve the Rules following. 
 
 RULE h 
 
 E or they fliall carefully VieW 
 _ " and Examine by the Sight e- 
 <t sj^iy I iece or Parcel of the faid 
 ^' Moneys as lliall be fo brought in ^ 
 ^'and if he or they ihall Obferve 
 *' any Piece or Pieces , which fhall 
 '' feem to be fo Weighty, as that by 
 ^' the Eighth Propofition, the fame 
 " ought to be Currant upon the New 
 ^' Foot ( of Six Shillings and Three 
 *' Pence for the Crown) above- 
 I '"^mentioned,
 
 130 An E^ ay for Amendment 
 
 '' mentioned, he or they fhall forth- 
 *^ with caufethe Weight thereof to 
 ^^ be Tried in the Scale, and if he 
 ^' or they do thereby find, that 
 '^ fuch refpeftive Piece or Pieces are 
 "of fuch Weight, as that the fame 
 ^^ ought to be Currant upon the 
 " faid New Foot, without being 
 "Melted down, the fame fhall be 
 " immediately Marked (with fome 
 " Impreffion ) by a Hammer, and 
 " Redelivered to the Bringer there- 
 "of to be Currant at the Raifed 
 ^^ Vahie, intended as aforefaid. The 
 " Marking is Defign'd chiefly to 
 " prevent his being troubled with it 
 " again at the OfHce. 
 
 RULE 11. 
 
 ^' IKV the Changer , or his Teller or 
 J_ " Subftitute, (hall fufpeft any 
 " Piece or Pieces of Money, brought 
 " in as aforefaid (either Alone or in 
 ^'•aSum) to be Counterfeit, or to 
 '' be fuch Money as was not Origi- 
 " nally Coin'd in the Royal Mint of 
 
 " Englandj
 
 of the Silver Coins. 131 
 
 " England , that then, and in every 
 ^^ fuch Cafe , he or they fliall and 
 ^' may caufe fuch Sufpicious Piece or 
 " Pieces ( in the Prefence of the 
 '^ Bringers) to be Divided by Shears 
 '' for that Purpofe to be kept and 
 '^ ufed in the Office. And if upon 
 " Dividing the fame, it fhall Appear 
 " by the Grain or the Touch, that 
 "fuch Piece or Pieces are of the 
 *'^ goodnefs of Sterling Silver, that 
 "then and in every fuch Cafe, he or 
 *^ they fhall retain fuch Silver ( as if 
 " it were not divided) in order to be 
 " Recoin'd. But if upon fuch Di- 
 '^ vifion, the Silver fhall appear to 
 " be worfe than the Goodnefs of 
 ^' Sterlings every Piece fo divided 
 " (liall be delivered back to the 
 " Bringer thereof, who in that cafe 
 " muft be contented with his own 
 " again, in fuch a Condition that it 
 " will not ferve to Defraud any Bo- 
 " dy elfe. 
 
 I 2 RULE
 
 132 An E^ ay for Amendment 
 
 RULE III. 
 
 cc 
 
 As to all the faid Clipt or Di- 
 ^' miniflied Moneys, which 
 " fliall confift of the Old Crown, 
 " holdhig any Weight lefs than 
 " Eighteen Peny Weight, theHalf- 
 " Crown holding any Weight lefs 
 " than Nine Peny Weight \ the Old 
 *' Shilling holding any Weight lefs 
 "than Three Pen/ Weight, and 
 ^' Sixth Tenth Parts of a Peny 
 '' Weight \ and the Old Tefter or 
 " Six-pence holding any Weight 
 " lefs than One Peny Weight, and 
 " Eight Tenth Parts of a Peny 
 " Weight, which fliall be fo brought 
 " in to be Melted down and Re- 
 " coined , whereupon the lofs a- 
 '^ bove-mentioned is to be Born ei- 
 " ther by the State or by particular 
 ^' Perfons, or Both , It is not cer- 
 ^^ tain at prefent, how much of the 
 " faid Lofs, by the Refolution of the 
 " Parliament, fliall fall upon the one 
 " or the other. Neverthelfs, for the 
 
 " Explanation
 
 of the Silver Coins 133 
 
 " Explanation of this Projefl:, and 
 " to fliew how far it is pradicable, 
 '^ one may ( as I humbly Conceive) 
 " Affume any certain Part of this 
 " Lofs, to be born by the Publick, 
 ^' as if it were Refol ved. And Con- 
 *' fidering that One hundred Pounds 
 '' by Talc of all thefe Clipt or Di- 
 "^ minifhed Moneys, if they were in 
 " One Heap, would not ( by the E- 
 * ' ftimation which I have made there- 
 '' of under the Second General 
 ^^ Head) hold above Sixteen Pound 
 " Weight Tri?)', or thereabouts, one 
 " with another ( which the King's 
 " Sub)efts dealing therein, do alfo 
 " find by daily Experience ) I do 
 " from thence infer, that if the faid 
 '^ Sixteen Pounds Weight Troy 
 ^^ ( which now Runs for One hun- 
 " dred Pounds by Tale ) be brought 
 ^'' to the Changer, to be by him Rc- 
 " ceived at Eight Shillings ^er Ounce j 
 " then the faid Eight Shillings per 
 " Ounce, when it comes to be Paid 
 " in the New Money, will Amount 
 ^^ to Seventy fix Pound and Sixteen 
 1 3 Shillings,
 
 134 ^nEfaj for Amendment 
 
 ^^ Shillings, which will plainly caft 
 " about Half the Lofs upon the State, 
 ^' and the reft upon the Owner of 
 " the Money ( who will alfo find 
 " fome Recompence in the Raifed 
 ^' Value of his Unelipt Moneys, if 
 ^'he has any fuch.) Therefore let 
 " Eight Shillings per Ounce in the 
 ^^ NewMoneybethe Affumedor Sta- 
 ^^ ted Price, to be Computed by the 
 ^' Changer, for all the real Silver 
 *^' which he fhall find to be remain- 
 ^^ ing in thefe Clipt Moneys j which 
 ^^ Method of making good part of 
 " the Lofs to the Sub)ed by Allow- 
 "ing him a large Price for every 
 ^' Ounce of the real Silver remain- 
 ing in his Clipt Money, feems to 
 me to be much more fecure, and 
 to be (in all refpefts) a better 
 way, than by Allowing him a 
 " Market Price only for the faid Sil- 
 ^^ ver remaining, and Contributing 
 ^^ to his Lofs in Proportion to the 
 "Deficiency cr Silver Clipt off; be- 
 ^^ caufe in the latter Cafe it will be 
 I - in his Tower before he brings in his 
 
 ^^ Money 
 
 CC
 
 cc 
 
 of tk Silver Coins. ,135 
 
 " Money to Clip it over again, and 
 ^' and reduce it fo low, as that the 
 ^' deficient Weight ( if it were to 
 " be made good at the Charge of the 
 ^' Publick ) might be Twice, Thrice, 
 ^' Four times, Five times,c^r.as much 
 ^' as the real Silver brought in by him 
 ^' would amount to. Whereas by 
 " this Third Rule, the danger of far- 
 '^ thcr Clipping is perfedly obviated, 
 " for no Man will Clip off Silver to 
 " Sell at Six Shillings Five Pence an 
 *' Ounce by the Market Price, when 
 '' he may carry it to the King's 
 " Change, and there Receive Eight 
 " Shillings per Ounce for it. 
 
 RULE IV. 
 
 Hereas the faid Clipt Mo- 
 •^^neys, fo to be brought in, 
 ^^ do retain very different and uncer- 
 '^ tain Weights and Sizes, as they 
 " are more or lefs Clipt ^ and it is 
 '' evident that a Clipt Crown, hold- 
 '^ ing more than Twelve Peny 
 *' Weight and Twelve Grains, 
 I 4 " wiU
 
 J 3^ ^^^ ^ipij fi^ Amendment 
 
 ^' will produce more than Five Shil- 
 *' lings in New Money if it fhould 
 " be Changed by it felf at Eight Shil- 
 * ' lings an Ounce ) and an Half- 
 " Crown holding more than Six 
 ^^ Peny Weight and Six Grains, will 
 ^' ( if it were Changed by it felf for 
 ^' Eight Shillings an Ounce ) pro- 
 ^' duce more than Two Shillings and 
 ^' an Half in the New Money *, and 
 " the like may be faid of the Old Shil- 
 *^ lings andSix-pencesnot Clipt to a 
 ^' lower Degree in Proportion. I 
 " have Confidered ( although the 
 " Government would not fufFer in 
 " this Cafe) that Goldfmiths and o- 
 ^' ther Subtil Dealers in Money, will 
 ^' be very apt (if an efFeSual Reme- 
 ^' dy be not Provided againft their 
 ^' Artifices ) to Cull out the Hea- 
 " vieft of their Clipt Pieces, and to 
 '^ getfuch into their Hands from their 
 ^' Neighbours , to Change them at 
 "Eight Shillings an Ounce, and 
 " thereby Gain for them more New 
 !' Moneys in Tale than ever they 
 ^' Amounted to in their old Deno- 
 
 ^^ minations.
 
 of the Silver Coins. 137 
 
 "minations. And in regard One 
 " hundred Pounds by Tale of the 
 ^' faid Clipt Moneys , holding in 
 " Weight Two hundred and fifty 
 ^'Ounces Troy, when it is Changed 
 "at the faid Rate of Eight Shillings 
 " an Ounce, will produce one hun- 
 " dred Pounds in Tale of the faid 
 " New Moneys j therefore it is Pro- 
 "pofed, That every Perfon who 
 "brings any Clipt or Diminifhed 
 ^' Moneys to be Changed, as afore- 
 " faid, fhall be obliged to mingle fo 
 "many of his lighter Pieces with his 
 " heavier Pieces, as that upon the 
 '^ Draught or Weighing of them to- 
 " gether, they may not at the faid 
 '^ Rate of Eight ShiUings an Ounce 
 " fetch more of the New Moneys in 
 "Tale than the faid Clipt Money 
 ^' was Coined for in its C)ld Deno- 
 " minations, that is to fay, One hun- 
 '^ dred Pounds by Tale of fuch Clipt 
 " Moneys, fhall be fo mingled with 
 " heavier and lighter Pieces as that it 
 " fhall not exceed Two hundred and 
 ^' fifty Ounces in Weight 3 and eve- 
 
 "ry
 
 1.38 An Effajfor Amendment 
 
 ^^ ry other Sum of Clipt Money fliall 
 " be reftrained to the fame propor- 
 ^' tion : This will effeftually prevent 
 '^ the faid trick of Culling, and create 
 " little or no Difficulty in Praftice, 
 '^ becaufe amongll all the Clipt Mo^ 
 '^neys, thofe which might be con- 
 averted to the Advantage above- 
 ^'^ mentioned are few in comparifon 
 ^' of the reft, and a Sum confifting 
 " only of fuch Weighty Pieces will 
 ^' not in probability ever be brought 
 " to the Changers by any, but by 
 " Crafty or Defigning Men. And 
 ^'by this device your Lordfliips may 
 " bepleafedto take notice that there 
 " will be no need of Weighing eve- 
 " ry individual Piece, which ( as I 
 '^ think ) would render the Work 
 " endlefs and impoflible. The Chan- 
 " ger, or his Subflitute, when he fliall 
 "have carefully Counted and Weigh- 
 " ed the faid Clipt Money ( obfer- 
 " ving the Caution aforefaid ) fliall 
 " compute the Value to be paid for 
 '' the fame, at the faid Rate of Eight 
 . " Shillings an Ounce, and enter into 
 
 "a
 
 of the Silver Coins. 139 
 
 " a Leger Book to be kept for this 
 "purpofe, the Day, Month and 
 " Year of his Receipt thereof, the 
 *' Name of the Perfon that brings it, 
 ''the Sum of the Clipt Money told, 
 '^ the exaS: Weight thereof, and the 
 '' faid Value which is to be paid for 
 " the fame in New Moneys in feveral 
 '^ Columes to be made for that pur- 
 " pofc, for which Value a Bill or 
 '^ Ticket is to be given, as is after- 
 "mentioned. 
 
 RULE V. 
 
 " 'T^Hc Changer, or his Subftitute, 
 \ ^^ fliall from time to time deli- 
 ^'ver over the Clipt or Diminiflied 
 '^ Moneys, by him or them received 
 " and taken in, as aforefaid, to the 
 ^' proper Officer of the refpeftive 
 '' Mint for that Diftrift where it was 
 '• Received, in Order to be Re-Coin- 
 *' ed, taking Receipts for the fame, 
 '' by the Weight and Tale of every 
 " Quantity fo delivered over \ which 
 ^'Receipts are to be the Vouchers 
 
 "for
 
 1 40 An Ejfajfor Amendment 
 
 " for jthe Account of the Changer, 
 *'and the fame, together with his 
 " Leger, will ferve to Charge the 
 '^ Accounting Officer of the Mint. 
 
 cc 
 
 RULE VL 
 
 THat there fliall be provided for 
 ^' every Changer a Book or 
 " Books, in which every Leaf fliall be 
 *Mivided into Two Columes by a 
 *^ Figure or Cypher to be Printed 
 '' therein, and fhall be fo drawn with 
 ^^ Lines cutting the Cypher at Right 
 "Angles, as that Six Pair of Bills 
 "may be contained in every Leaf, 
 " andfo that every Counter- part may 
 " be feparated from its Principal In- 
 " dent-wife, by cutting through the 
 ^' Cypher or Flourifh, all which Bills 
 "{hall be numbred in Pairs Arith- 
 " metically (^ i, 2, 3, &^c, ) as far asj 
 " there fhall be occafion, and there, 
 "fliall be Printed thereupon the 
 " Name of the Place C where it is at 
 " laft to be fatisfied ) and other 
 " Words to this EfFea :. 
 
 N^. I.
 
 of the Silver Coins. 141 
 
 "No, I. Nottingham. Thk Bill In- 
 titles the Bearer to the Sum of 
 to be paid rvith Intereft^ after the Kate 
 of Five Founds per Centum per An- 
 num out of the Fond Settled by Par- 
 liament for Satisfaction of the Kegijier 
 for dipt or Diminifhed Money h^pt at 
 the Place aforefaid, 
 
 " And the faid Changer, or his 
 " Subftitute, upon Adjufting ( by the 
 " Third and Fourth Rules aforefaid) 
 " the Value which is to be paid in 
 "New Money for any Parcel of 
 *' dipt or Diminifhed Moneys 
 " brought in, as aforefaid, fliall de- 
 " liver to the Party bringing the 
 " fame, an Indented Note ( to wit 
 *'one of thofe of the Extream Co- 
 " lume) cut out from the laid Book 
 " and Signed by himfelf for the faid 
 " Value, to be paid in Courfe as is 
 " hereafter mentioned, taking Care 
 '' that the Sum Expreflcd in the Note 
 "fo delivered be alfo Written in 
 " Words at length in the Counter- 
 " part remaining in the Book, which 
 ^' Book by this means will not only 
 
 " be
 
 4'^^ An Effaji for Amendmefit 
 
 " be ufeful and ready in the City oi^ 
 " Countrey to Cheque the Principal 
 " Bill, if there fliould be occafion 
 "for fo doing, but will alfo well 
 " ferve for an Exafl: Regifter ( with- 
 "out making any other ^ to Guide 
 "and Govern the Payment of the 
 " Principal in the due Courfe intend- 
 " ed, and the )ufi: Computation and 
 " Payment of the Intereft upon eve- 
 " ry fuch Bill. . 
 
 RULE VII. 
 
 THat no fuch Bill fliall be given, 
 " or asked for any Sum lels then 
 " Twenty Shillings in Tale of the 
 " New Money ^ and if feveral Pieces 
 " be brought to the Change for any 
 " Sum or Sums fmaller then Twenty 
 ^' Shillings, feveral of them may be 
 " joyned in One Bill, which may be 
 *^ taken in fuch Name as the Owners 
 "of the Money {hall defire ^ and if 
 *' they cannot agree, it may be in the 
 " Name of the Mayor,BailifF,or other 
 " Chief Magiftrate of the Place or 
 
 ^ "(if
 
 of the Silver Coins. 14.3 
 
 ^' ( if there be no Mapiftrate ) in the 
 " Name of the Minifter of the Pa- 
 " lifli, inTrufl: for the feveral Ovvn- 
 "ers of fiich fmall Sums. 
 The Seven Rules before going concern 
 
 the Duty and Office of the Changer 
 
 only. 
 
 Fonrtccnthly^ That all the Silver which 
 will arife from the faid Clipt or Diminifli- 
 ed Moneys, or from the Plate of the Vint- 
 ners and Viftuallers, or that fhall be 
 brought to be Coined by the Merchants, 
 or by any other means, fhall be Coined 
 into Moneys, according to thefe Propofi- 
 tions. In the doing whereof the Chief 
 Officers of the Mint, and all their Subfti- 
 tute$. Officers and Servants fhall be fubjeft 
 to the fame, or the like Conftitutions and 
 Orders touching Afl'aying, Melting, Re- 
 fining, Trying, Charging, Difcharging, 
 or any Matters or Things relating to the 
 Fabrication of thefe Moneys as are already 
 Eftabiiflied for Moneys made at the Tower 
 of London : And that the refpe£i:ive Subfti- 
 tutes fhall be Accountable to their refpe- 
 fiive SuperiourSj and that the Superiour 
 
 Officers
 
 144- ^^^ ^if^y fi^ Amendment 
 
 Officers (hall be anfwerable to the Kingj 
 as now they are. 
 
 Fifteenthly^ That the aforefaid Bills for 
 the Values of the Clipt or Diminifht Mo- 
 neys {hall be payable to the refpefiive 
 Bearers, who fhall fhew forth, and bring 
 in the fame Bills, whereby the Property 
 thereof will be eafily Transferrable with- 
 out Writing ; and the Voluntary Accep- 
 tance thereof in payment fhall be a good 
 Difcharge, as if the Payment were made 
 in Money. And the better to Encourage 
 the Currancy of thefe Bills, it is Propofed, 
 That they bear an Intereft after the Rate 
 of Five Pounds far Centum per Annum from 
 the Date thereof ( which will plainly ap- 
 pear not only in the Bill it felf, but in its 
 Counter-part, remaining in the Regifter 
 Book) until its full Satistaftion. So that it 
 cannot be doubted but thefe Bills being 
 Charged upon fo good a Fond in fo near 
 a Courfe, and made Profitable by the In- 
 tereft, will be preferrable to the Bills of 
 any Banks, or Goldfmiths, or private Per- 
 fons whatfoever, and ferve as well ( to 
 all intents ) as fo much Cafh, whilft the 
 Clipt Money is Converting into Sterling 
 
 Money ^
 
 of the Silver Coins. 145 
 
 Money ^ and for the fake of the Intcreft 
 thofe that have the Clipt Moneys will 
 bring them in the more fpeedily. 
 
 Memorandum, As joon as the Bill be- 
 comes payable in Courfej although the 
 Oivner do not fetch his Money ^ it mujl 
 he referred for bim^ only the Intereji 
 7miji ccafe from that time, 
 Sixteefithly^ That the time for taking in 
 of the Clipt Moneys be limited to Six 
 Months. 
 
 Se^enteenthly ^ For Settling andEftablifli- 
 ing an Ample and Sufficient Fond and 
 Security for the Payment and Satisfaftion 
 of the Principal and Inter eft, to be con- 
 tained in the aforefaid Bills, in fuch due 
 Courfe and Order, as that every Perlon 
 who parrs with his Clipt or Diminiflied 
 Moneys, may plainly fee and be fatisfied. 
 That he or his Affigns fliall certainly 
 receive the Value thereof, and that the 
 Courfe of the Payments will Commence 
 in a very little time, and be continued 
 without any Interruption till the whole 
 be compleatcd ( which will very much 
 influence this whole AfRir ) It is humbly 
 
 i)ropos*d that it may be Enafted as foI-> 
 ows^ K I, '' That
 
 14^ An Effo)! for Amendment 
 
 I . " That all the New Moneys which fliall 
 '^ beCoin'd in every diftinfl: Mint of the 
 ^*^ Silver of the Old Clipt or Diminifh'd 
 "Moneys brought into the Office of 
 ^^ Change, to be particularly Afllgned to 
 '^ or for the fame Mint, fliall be Appro- 
 ^ ' priated to the Payment of the Bill ftan- 
 " ding in the Regifter belonging to that 
 " Office, and fliall be applied thereunto 
 "-"-de die in diem^ as faft as the faid Old Mo- 
 " neys can be Re-Coin'd. And as the 
 " Kings Changer fliall be obliged in the 
 ^^ giving out his Numbred Bills, to ob- 
 " ferve and have regard to the Day or 
 ^^Time upon which the Party brings his 
 '' dipt or Diminifli'd Money *, fo in the 
 "paying off the faid Bills he fliall keep a 
 " due courfe, as they fliall be Numbred 
 ^^ and Stand in the Book of the faid Re- 
 " gifter, without giving an undue Pre- 
 " ference, under pain of Forfeiting dou- 
 " ble the Value to the Party grieved. 
 
 ^diy^ cc Yhat it fliall and may be lawful to 
 " or for any Perfon or Perfons,Bodies Po- 
 *^4itick or Corporate to Advance or Lend 
 ^^ at the Exchequer, in fuch LInclipt Mo- 
 ^' neys as will be Currant by this Projed, 
 
 ^"any
 
 of the Si her Coins. 14.7 
 
 " any Sum or Sums of Money not ex- 
 " cceding, Eight hundred thoufand 
 '^ Pounds( which by Eftimation will make 
 '^ good fo much of the lofs as is to be born 
 
 o 
 
 •' by the State, or Publick^if the Clipt Mo- 
 '' neys are taken in at the faid affumed 
 '^ Rate of Eight Shillings an Ounce ) and 
 ^' fuch Loans will confequently be ac- 
 ^'cepted in Money at the Raifed Value 
 " abovementioned. And the fame, toge- 
 " ther with Interefl; after the Rate of Se- 
 '' ven Pounds I'^r Centum per Annum ^ may 
 *' be Charged upon theaforefaid Aid, in 
 '^ the fame manner as Loans at the Exche- 
 "quer haveufually been Charged upon 
 " other Aids. And that the Weighty Mo- 
 ^^ neys that fiiall be fo Lent, be alfo Ap- 
 ^^ propriated, and be made Auxiliary to 
 '^ the Paying off the faid Bills in the fe- 
 ^^ veral Regifters thcreofjand be Applied, 
 ^^^Diftributed and Tranfmitted to and 
 ^^ amongfl: the fame, by the Commiffion- 
 ^' ers of the Treafury^ and the Lord Trea- 
 '^ furer for the time being, in fuch Pro- 
 " portions as they fhall find to agree with 
 " the Sum, that ihall be Due and Owing 
 ''froni time to time upon thofe Regi- 
 *^ftcrs refpedively. K 2 gdly.
 
 148 An Efay for Amendment ^ 
 
 gdiy^ a Y{^^|. ^j^y Merchant, or other Per- 
 '^ fon whatfocver, having, or that fliall 
 " have any Silver Bullion whatfoever, 
 ^ whether it be Foreign Silver, Plate in 
 ^' Veffelsjthe Silver of Counterfeit Mo- 
 ^' neys, or any other kind of Bullion 
 *''' v^hatfoever, fliall have liberty to qarry 
 ^' the fame to any of the faid Mints, and 
 '^ have it in his own Eleftion, either to 
 '^ have it Coined into New Money,upon 
 " the New Foot to his own ufe ^ in which 
 '' cafe he mufl: receive his Coin'd Money, 
 ^' according to the prefent Courfe of the 
 " Mint ^ or elfe to declare that he will 
 '^ Lend the Value of it at the Exchequer, 
 ^- as part ofthe faid Sum, not exceeding 
 '^ Eight hundred thoufand Pounds. In 
 ' ' which Cafe laft mentioned, the Offi- 
 '' cers of the Mint fliall Certifie to the 
 *^ Officers ofthe Exchequer theQuanti- 
 " ty oi Sterling Silver 5 or Silver reduced 
 '' to Sterlvjg^ that fliall be fo delivered to 
 " them, and the Value thereof, after the 
 ^^ Rate of Six Shillings and Five Pence 
 '' Halfpeny an Ounce,andthe Officers of 
 " the Exchequer, upon producing tjhefe 
 " Certificates fliall give to the Party 
 
 " TaUies
 
 u 
 
 of the Stiver Coins. 1 4.9 
 
 Tallies and Orders, Charged upon the 
 '^ faid Aid, for the Values fo Certified, as 
 " if it were Lent in the faid Currant Mo- 
 " ney at the Receipt, in part of the faid 
 "Sum not exceeding Eight hundred 
 " thoufand Pounds, and for the Intereft 
 " thereof. And in this Cafe the New Mo- 
 " neys which fliall proceed from the Bul- 
 '^ lion fo Lent, fliall be Appropriated, 
 " and be Tranfmitted, and Diftributed 
 " to and for the fatisfaftion of thefaidRe- 
 " gifl:ers,in the like manner as the other 
 "Moneyswhich fliall be lent,asaforefaid. 
 f^^, " In Cafe the Silver of the Clipt 
 " Moneys, and fuch Loans, as aforefaid, 
 " fliall not fuffice to clear all the Rcgi- 
 ^' fters, then the Remainder muftbepaid 
 " by the Overplus Moneys, to be Col- 
 " lefted for the Aid it felf^ and in De- 
 ^' fault thereof (which is not very like- 
 ^My ) the laft Deficiency ought to be 
 " paid out of the then next Moneys to 
 ^' be Raifed by Parliament. 
 Eighteenthly^ That the prefent Coin- 
 age Duty may be Applied towards the 
 Charge of the faid Mints in general. 
 
 Nineteenthlj/j That the Commidloners 
 of the Treafury, or Lord Treafurer for 
 
 K 3 the
 
 1 50 /h Ejpij/for Amendment 
 
 the time being, and fuch Perfon as the 
 King fliall Appoint to be the Under Trea- 
 furei ., or Supervifor for this purpofe, fhall 
 have the Overiight, Rule, Order and Go- 
 vernment of this Affair, according to the 
 Laws that fhall be Enafted for the fame, 
 and iliall have powder to Adminifter the 
 Oaths, and take fufficient Securities in the 
 Kings Name, from all the Officers belong- 
 ing to the Change, and fuch of the Offi- 
 cers of the Mint as ought to give Securi- 
 ty, and to require Weekly, or other Ac- 
 counts from the feveral Offices, and par- 
 ticularly to caufe the general Accounts of 
 the faid Changers, and of the Accompt- 
 ing Officers of the Mint, to be Pafled in 
 the Exchequer, in fuch due Form as they 
 ought to be, and to allow fuch Salaries, and 
 Incident Charges as fliall be reafonable for 
 the performance of thisService,and alfo to 
 allow the reafonable waft in the Coinage. 
 
 Irpentietb^ That all Perfons Concerned 
 may have free Accefs to the feveral Legers 
 and Regifters before-mentioned j and no 
 Fee or Charge fliall be asked or taken of 
 them, for any Matter or Thing which is 
 to be done by ^^ny Officer in Execution of 
 this Projed. Twentj-^
 
 of the Silver Coins. 151 
 
 Trvcntyfirfl^ That at the Firft Seffion of 
 Parliament after Michaelmas^ 1696. the 
 faid CommiflloneVs of the Treafury, or 
 Lord Treafurer for the time being, and 
 the faid Under-Treafurer or Supervifor 
 General for this Affair, fliall deliver fair- 
 ly Written to each of the Two Houfesof 
 Parliament, a Tru^e and ExaS: Account of 
 all the Clipt or Diminifli'd Moneys which 
 fhall have been brought in to beRecoin'd, 
 by the Tale and Weight thereof, appear- 
 ing in the refpeftive Offices of the Chan- 
 gers ; and of all the New Moneys which 
 fhall have been Coin'd in the faid feve- 
 ral Mints , diftinguifliing thofe proceed- 
 ing from the Silver of the Old Moneys 
 from the Coin.i made of any other Bul- 
 lion, and fliewing particularly the Plate of 
 the Retailers of Wine, Beer, and other 
 Liquors, and the Qiiantities of Money 
 made thereof , alfo the Totals of the faid 
 Regifters for the Values of the Clipc Mo- 
 ney, and the Difcharging of the fame, 
 and how much (^ if any part) fliall then 
 remain Unfatisfied, and the hkc Account 
 fhall be Prefented to His Majefty. 
 
 K 4 Jh
 
 152 An Effaj for Amendment 
 
 The Fifth General Head Confiders 
 what miifl Supply the Commerce^ 
 Fay Taxes, &c. whilft the Clipt 
 Money is under its New Vdrica-^ 
 lion. 
 
 His Queft'ion is to be An- 
 fwercd , by Reminding 
 your Lordfhips of feveral 
 Particulars which have al- 
 ready occurred in this Re- 
 port, with a fmall Addition, as follows. 
 
 F/V/f, The Weighty Money (both 
 MilFd and Hammer'd) now Hoarded, 
 Hyill come forth at a Raifed Value, which 
 ( according to the above Eftimation ) may 
 make One Million and Six hundred 
 thoufand Pounds more or lefs ; befides 
 the Guineas and Half Guineas, which are 
 |}Ut too numerous at their prefent Rate. 
 ' Secondly^ The Bilk for the Chpt Mq- 
 l^ey will be fo Piofitable and Certain, 
 *' "- and
 
 of the Silver Coins. 153 
 
 and have fucha quick Courfcof Payment, 
 as aforefaid , that they will ferve as fo 
 much Running Cafli ^ and in the cooling 
 forth, the Number of them will encreafe 
 from day to day ^ that from Firft to Laft, 
 they will by Eftimation amount to above 
 Three Millions. 
 
 Thirdly^ As thofe Bills are Paid off, 
 the New Moneys Coined, with the Silver 
 of the Clipt, will come in their ftead, 
 the Fabrication whereof will begin pre- 
 fently, and the Work will be Carried on 
 with as much Expedition as can be made 
 by Ten Mints. 
 
 Fourthly^ Importers of Bullion, and all 
 others that have or can have any Foreign 
 or EiigUpj Silver (even the Silver of Coun- 
 terfeit Moneys) in their Hands, will 
 have a vifible Encouragement to carry the 
 fame forthwith to the Mint to be Coin'd. 
 
 Fifthly^ It may be Enabled , That all 
 Perfons that Sell Wine, Strong-w^atcrs, 
 Bear, Ale or other Liquors by Retail, fliall 
 by a Prefixt Day, bring their Tankards, 
 Cups, Diflies and other Plate to fomc or 
 one of the Mints, to be Coin'd into New 
 Money, at the Rate of Six Shillings . and 
 
 Five
 
 1 54 An Ejfajfor Amendment 
 
 Five Pence Half-peny an Ounce, under 
 Pain of Forfeiture thereof, and that the 
 New Money proceeding from the fame 
 fliall be Delivered to them according to 
 the prefent Courfe of the Mint. 
 
 I have ( my Lords ) in this difficult 
 Matter Confidered and Digefted as many 
 things as were poffible for me in fo fhort a 
 time 5 and I cannot forbear ( before I end) 
 to Alledge, that if the Coins are to be A- 
 mended and Eftabliflied according to 
 thefe Propofitions (which may be Redifi- 
 cdand Improved by Men of greater Judg- 
 ment and Skill ) I cannot forefee that c- 
 ven whilft the Work is Carrying on, there 
 will Accrue fuch Publick Diforder, Da- 
 mage or Diftrefs, as the Nation Labours 
 under before the Work is put in hand. 
 
 All which is moji humbly fubmittedto 
 Tour Lordjhips great Wijdom and 
 Judgment, 
 
 I a Septemb. 
 
 1 <5 9 5 William Lowndes. 
 
 Ir^
 
 of the Silver Coins ^ 155 
 
 In qaodam lihro vocato nigro fcripto 
 tempore Regis Henrici Secundi^ 
 per Gervafium Tilburienfem, 
 
 de Neceflariis Scaecarii, remanen'^ 
 te in Curia Kecepta Scaccarii^ 
 inter alia fie continetar. 
 
 Cap. a I . Officium Militis Argentarii & 
 Fuforis. 
 
 POrro Miles Argent arim ah inferiore ScaC" 
 cario adfuperius differt Loailum exa» 
 winandi Argcnti^ cuJHS fupra meminimus^ 
 quern cum intulerit Signatum Sigillo Vicecomi^ 
 tiSy fub omnium ocuUs effundit in Scaccario 
 xxiiii, Solidos quos de Acewo Sumptos 
 prim Signaverit ^ faSiaque Commixtionc 
 eofdem^ ut ponder i refpondeant^ mittit in unum 
 Vafculum trutindc libram ponderis^ in alterum 
 *vero de Denariis qpwd Oportuit^ Quo faSio^ 
 numeral eofdem ut ex numero conjfare pofUt^ 
 ft legitimi ponderk fint , cujufamque i^ero 
 
 ponderh
 
 1 56 An Effaj/ for Ame?idment 
 
 ponderk invmti fuerinif feorfum mittit in 
 Ciffum libram unam , hoc eft xx, Solidos^ 
 ex quibus examenfat^ reliquos <uero xxiiii, 
 Solidos mittit in Loculum. Item duo De- 
 narii prater libram examinandam dantur 
 Fufori^ non de Fifco^ fed de parte Ficecomi' 
 tiSj quia in premium fni laboris. 
 
 Tunc eliguntnr a Frafidente ^vel a Thefau- 
 rario^ fe ille abfens fiterit^ alii duo Vic, ut 
 fimul cum Argent ario^ Necnon (^ Vicecomite^ 
 cujus examen faciendum efl^ procedant ad 
 Jgnemj uhi Fujor ante prccmonitus^ prjepa-- 
 ratis NecejptriiSy eorum pr£jiolatur adven- 
 turn, Ibi iterum prafente Fufore ^ hiis qui 
 a Baronibus mijfi junt^ diligenter compntan^ 
 tur^ ^ Fufori tradipitur. Quos ille Sufpi- 
 ciens manu propria numerate (^ fic difponit 
 eos in Vafculum ignitortim Cinerum quod in 
 Fornace eft. Tunc igitur Artk Fuft}ri.^ le- 
 ge ferzfata^ redigit eos in Majfam^ conflans 
 C^ emundans Argentum : C^terum cavendum 
 eft ei^ ne citra perfeSlionem ftibftftat ^ <vel 
 importnnk ^ftuationibus ^yexet illud atque 
 confitmat, Illud propter Regies ^ hoc propter 
 Vicecomitk JaSluram^ fet Modk omnibmpro- 
 *videat ^ quanta procuret induftria ut non 
 *vexetury fet ad purum tantum excoquatur^ 
 
 hoc
 
 of the Silver Coins. 157 
 
 hoc antetn ipfum promclere dicunt hii qui ad 
 
 idem mijjl Jitnt a Majoribus. FaSo igitur 
 
 examine defert illud Argentarius ad Barones^ 
 
 Comitaniibns illis^ c^ t^^^c in omnium Oat* 
 
 lis fonder at illud cum libra fr^diSlafonderiSj 
 
 fupplet autem mox quod ignis conjumpfit^ ap* 
 
 fojitis denariis ejptjdem loculi^ donee icquili" 
 
 hriter fe habeat examen cum pondere. Tunc 
 
 infcribitur idem examen defuper dnSia Creta 
 
 hiis "verbis^ Everwicfcir, libra arfit tot ^vel 
 
 tot dmarios ,c^ tunc illud Effaium dicitnr. Noti 
 
 enim infcribitur tnfi prAConceJpo quod fie 
 
 flare debeat. Quod ft Vicecomes^ cujus ejt^ 
 
 Calumpniatm fuerit^ illud quafi plus juflo 
 
 confumptum fuerit ignk fcilicet ex^fluatione 
 
 ^elplumbi infufionc^ <veli^ Fufor ipfe^qua- 
 
 libet Occajione defecijje fateatur examen^ ite^ 
 
 rum numerentur xx, Solidos , qui rejidui 
 
 fuftt in loculo prd'diSio^ coram Baronibns ft" 
 
 cut demonflratum efl^ (^ eadem ratione Ser^ 
 
 'vata^ flat examen, Hinc igitur conflare po- 
 
 tefl 5 qua conflideratione de acer^vo magna 
 
 propofilii pecuni£ xliiii, Solidos feorfum ab 
 
 initio mittantur in Loculum^ appoflto Viceco^ 
 
 mitis Sigillo. Notandum 'vero efl^ quod Fu- 
 
 for duos per cipit denarios pro Fxamine^ficut 
 
 diximiis. Quod ft quovis Cafn aliud faceret ^
 
 158 An Effky for Amendment 
 
 (^ ft tertio examinan/erit^ non percipiet quk* 
 qnam^ fet contentus erit femel [ufceptis dno^ 
 
 Difcipulus. Miror a tantis tantam adhi- 
 beri diligentiam in unius librdc examination 
 nCy cum nee magnm ex ea qudefius nee mnU 
 ta jaSiura prcueniat. 
 
 Magr. Non propter banc tantum fitint 
 hdec^ jet propter omnes illas qttde ab eodem 
 Vieecomite fub eodem nomine frme fimitl 
 mm hac perjol'vnntur, Quantam enim ab 
 hac libra per ignem purgatorium deeidit^ tan- 
 tnndem ex fingnlis aliis libris 'No'verit Vice* 
 comes de fnmma fiia fiibfirahendumy ut ft 
 centum libras nnmeratas joliferit^ ^ libra 
 examink Hi, denarii exciderint^ Non compn-^ 
 tentnr ei niji nonaginta quinque.
 
 of the Silver Coins. 1 59 
 
 A Computation of the Common Weight of a 
 Hundred Pounds by Tale^ in Ordinary Sil- 
 fucr Honey at this Day^ tdh^n from a Me- 
 dimn of the Bags^ Weighed at the Receipt 
 of Exchequer^ in May, June and July 
 laft. 
 
 Memorandum^ The Weight of One hund- 
 red Pounds by Tale in Silver Moneys, 
 according to the Standard of the 
 Mint, ought to be Thirty two Pounds 
 Three Ounces, One Peny Weight and 
 Twenty two Grains T^roy, 
 
 Bags tr Weigh. 
 
 Weight at the 
 Exchequer. 
 
 Deficiency. I 
 
 0:^. d^. gr. 07^ dn>. gr. 
 
 q:^. d/p. gr. 
 
 40 
 
 15483 16 16 
 
 8095 5 
 
 7388 II 1(5 
 
 74 
 
 28645 I 20 
 
 H373 5 
 
 14271 16 2 
 
 133 514^3 H ^^ 
 
 27318 
 
 24165 14 a 
 
 120 46451 10 
 
 ^3496 15 
 
 22954 i^ 
 
 105 40(54') I 6 
 
 2o$90 15 
 
 1974$ d 6 
 
 100 38709 II 16 
 
 1 19588 5 
 
 19121 6 16 
 
 572I221418 16 081113771 05 
 
 1 107647 II 08 
 
 The Medium of the Weight of ? o o , r 
 
 each Hundred Pounds 1 '^^ '^ oo\ferc. 
 
 The Medium of the Deficiency 188 03 2i * 
 
 387 01 -22 
 
 F I l^ I S.
 
 THe Amendment of the Silver 
 Coins ^ heing look upon as a 
 Matter necejfarj to k Perfornid, it 
 is thought convenient that this Re- 
 port Jhoidd he Frinted, to the end 
 that any Ferfons who have Confider-^ 
 ed an Affair of this Nature^ may 
 {if they pleafe ) Commmicate their 
 Thoughts^ for Rendring the Defgn 
 here ainid at more Perfect or Agrei-* 
 die to the Fdlick Services
 
 /

 
 f ' J ^ --^.^ K^M^^^'r
 
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