220 



of a population rapidly increasing in number and advancing in 

 civilization, money of other denominations, and of higher as 

 well as lower value, was fabricated. Great improvement was 

 made in the artistic design and execution of the dies. The 

 antient constitution of the mint was gradually altered and its 

 establishment placed under a better system of management. At 

 length, the introduction of a gold coinage, which had been 

 unsuccessfully attempted by the third Henry, was accomplished 

 by the third Edward. 



We have no evidence of any earlier coinage of King Edward 

 I. than that which was commenced in the seventh year of his 

 reign. The king, who ** amongst other great achievements 

 of his most prudent government, left that of restoring 

 ' and establishing good moneys for the use of his people 

 to recommend his name to subsequent generations, sent for 

 William de Tournemire and his brother Peter and others from 

 Marseilles, and one Friscobald and others from Florence, and 

 employed them in the working of money and the buying and 

 exchanging of silver for that purpose, for which he had thirty 

 furnaces at London, eight at Canterbury (besides three the 

 Archbishop had there,) twelve at Bristol, twelve at York, and 

 more in other great towns," ^ 



It appears from an entry upon the records of the Court of 

 Exchequer, that on the 17th of May 1279 dies for new money 

 were delivered to Gregory de Rokesley, Mayor of London, and 

 Roland de Podio, who were then the Custodes Cambii ;^ and in 

 the month of December following, William de Tournemire, the 

 Marseilles goldsmith, having been constituted master of the 

 king's mint in England, was authorised to work the mints of 

 London, Canterbury, Bristol, and York ; and he undertook to 

 make great sterlings {^grossus sterlingos\ to be of four times the 

 value of the lesser sterling, and also farthings, [ferlingos] 

 throughout England.^ 



It seems probable that the French and Italian artists brought 



1 Lowndes's Essay for the amendment of tlic silver coins, p. 94. 



2 Madox, p. 605. 



9, ' Indenture with William de Tumemire, 8th Edw. I. Ending, Vol. II., p. 447. 



