Dr. Smith on the Irish Coins of Henry the Seventh. 55 



The next and last Act of this reign relating to the coinage contains much 

 that is important. 



At a parliament held at Drogheda, in the year 1460, It was enacted, that the 

 value of English gold coins should be raised one-fourth in Ireland, and that the gross 

 of London, York, and Calais, not clipped within the extreme circle, should pass 

 for five-pence in Ireland, and the smaller pieces in the same proportion. " And 

 as not only the Dutchy of Normandy, but also the Dutchy of Guienne, when 

 they were under the obedience of the realm of England, yet were no less 

 separate from the laws and Statutes of England, and had also coynes for 

 themselves different from the coyne of England ; so Ireland, though it be under 

 the obedience of the same realm, is nevertheless separate from it, and from all 

 the laws and Statutes of it, only such as are there by the lords spiritual and tem- 

 poral freely admitted and accepted of in parliament or great council, by which a 

 proper coyne separate from the coyne of England, was with more convenience 

 agreed to be had in Ireland under two forms ; the one of the weight of half a 

 quarter of an ounce troy weight, on which shall be imprinted on one side a lyon, 

 and on the other side a crown, called an Irelandes d' argent, to pass for the value of 

 one penny sterling ; the other of vii. ob. of troy weight, having imprinted on one 

 part of it a crown, and on the other part a cross, called a Patrick, of which eight 

 shall pass for one denier. That a gross be made of the weight of three deniers 

 sterling, and to pass for four deniers sterling, which shall have imprinted on it 

 on one side a crown, and on the other side a cross like the coyne of Calais, bear- 

 ing about the cross in writing, the name of the place where the coin is made ; and 

 that every person, who brings bullion to the mint, ought to receive and have for 

 every ounce of silver, troy weight, nine of the said grosses of the value of three 

 deniers. That the coyne called the Jack,* be hereafter of no value and void, and 

 that the above coynes be made in the Castles of Dublin and Trymme ;" and at an 

 adjourned sitting of the same parliament It was enacted, " that the denier with 

 the cross called Irelandes be utterly void, and that in lieu of it a penny be 



* Having lately seen some copper pieces of Jacohus the Second of Scotland, which were found 

 in Ireland, it occurred to me that the " Jacks " mentioned in the Act, might be these coins of James, 

 who was contemporary with Henry the Sixth. 



Since this note was written I find that the same term was applied to the brass shillings of James 

 the Second. See " The Jacks put to their trumps," p. 123, in the Historical Songs of Ireland, 

 printed for the Percy Society, 1841. 



