247 



coin into which it was converted amounted to £70,520, 8s. 4d. 

 This sum was quickly dispersed in the adjacent counties, and 

 proved to be a most seasonable, although far from an adequate 

 supply. ^ 



When Parliament assembled in October 1696, " the difficult- 

 ies which had arisen upon the recoinage of the money" were 

 mentioned in the speech from the throne. Again a committee 

 was appointed by the Commons, and upon their report an act 

 was passed '^ for further remedying the ill state of the coin." 

 By this and a subsequent act,^ it was provided that all such 

 hammered silver money, clipped or undipped, and wrought 

 •plate, as should be brought in after the 4th of November 1696, 

 and before the 1st of July 1697, to any of his majesty's mints, 

 should be there received at the rate of 5s. 4d. per ounce troy ; 

 and the king's receivers were authorized to accept such ham- 

 mered silver coins in payment for taxes at the rate of 5s. 8d. the 

 ounce. This measure caused the debased coin to flow more 

 freely into the provincial mints. The following account shows 

 that the operations of the York Mint, during the year 1697,, 

 greatly exceeded those of the preceding year : — 



Imported and coined at the York Mint in 1697. 



GKOSS WEIGHT 

 lbs. oz. dwts. gr. 



By private importers of ham- \ 



mered money, at 5s. 4d. > 19,439 10 15 



per ounce ) 



By the King's receivers of\ 



hammered money, at \ 56,776 5 



5s. 8d. per oimce ) 



By the imdertakers, for) 



wrought plate / 



By private importers of bullion 



According to the preceding statements, the whole of the 

 money minted at York in the years 1696 and 1697, amounted 

 to the sum of £314,342 17s. lid." The coins issued from the 



J Haynes' MS., p. 182. 



« 8. Will. III. c. 2. and 8. & 9. Will. III. c. 6. 

 3 Haynes' MS. p. 167. 



* Thorcsby records in his diary, that being at York on the 5tli November 1703, 

 he visited Major Wyvill : " The Major being concerned in the late mint at York 



O XT 



