Dr. Smith on the Irish Coins of Edward the Fourth. 31 



The Statute here referred to is not to be found, but we learn from Sir James 

 Ware, " that in the eighteenth year of Edward the Fourth, an Act passed a 

 parliament held under Gerald Earl of Kildare, Lord Justice of Ireland, granting 

 liberty to the Mint Master of coining pieces of three pence, two pence, and a 

 penny ;" and he adds, that "it is, however, worth observing that the impress on 

 the coins of this time, on the reverse, was three crowns, denoting the three 

 kingdoms of England, France, and Ireland."* 



1479. — At a parliament held at Dublin, before Gerald Earl of Kildare, 

 Deputy to Richard Duke of York, it was " enacted that Germjm Lynch, Master 

 of the MInters, have power to strike coin at four shillings and ten pence per 

 ounce, rendering to the merchant four shillings and four pence, and to the king 

 and workmen six deniers, according to the fineness and standard of the Tower 

 of London."! 



1483. — " An indenture for Ireland was made with Thomas Galmole, Gent., 

 Master and Worker of the Money of Silver, and Keeper of the Exchanges in 

 the cities of Devylyn (Dublin) and Waterford. He was to make two sorts of 

 monies ; one called a Peny, with the king's arms on one side, upon a cross 

 trefoyled on every end ; and with this inscription, rex anglie et fbancie : and 

 on the other side, the arms of Ireland, upon a cross, with this scripture, dns 

 HiBERNiE ; of such Penyes in the pound weight of the Towere, iiii. c. 1. pecs, 

 which is in nombre xxxvij s. vjd. The other money to be called the Halfpenny, 

 with the like impression and inscription, and in weight one-half of the first, all 

 of the old sterling."! 



These are the only records which remain of the last five years of this reign. 



There are two varieties of the type of the coin issued during this period. 

 One has on the obverse a shield, bearing the arms of England and France, quar- 

 tered by a cross, the extremities of which are terminated each by three pellets ; 

 the shield is within a circle of pellets. Reverse, three crowns in pale, on a 

 similar cross ; mint marks, a trefoil, rose, and fleur de lis. 



The other variety has a shield, quartered by a cross, whose arms are termi- 

 nated each by three annulets ; at each side of the shield is a smaller one, bearing 



* Harris's Ware, vol. ii. p. 215. f Simon, Appendix, No. XVII. 



X Ruding's Annals, 2nd edit. vol. ii. p. 376. 



