117 



device of some of the incorporated trades or guilds of London, 

 or the representation of some of the implements of trades or 

 handicrafts. No doubt the token was a great boon for a length 

 of time, but they became so numerous and the inconvenience of 

 exchange was so great, that in 1672, a Proclamation prohibiting 

 the making or use of any such private token was issued, and 

 stringent measures taken for their suppression, which, in a short 

 time, effectually put a stop to the tokens of this century. 



The Burnley Halfpenny Token was found in 1881, by a work- 

 man while preparing a piece of ground for paving, opposite the 

 Old Church gates, Burnley, the site had just been cleared of the 

 ancient gabled houses, the market cross and stocks — a good pho- 

 tographic view of which was fortunately secured by the Club 

 before their removal was commenced. The token is made of 

 brass, very thin, and is about three-quarters of an inch in diam- 

 eter. It is in a capital state of preservation, owing probably to 

 its exclusion from the air, the inscription is very legible except 

 a portion of the figure on the shield. On the obverse is the in- 

 scription LAWRENCE TowNLEY ; in the centre or field, surmounted 

 by a dotted circle, is a shield bearing the arms of the Mercers 

 Company ; a demi virgin couped below the shoulders, issuing 

 from clouds, vested, crowned with an Eastern crown, her hair 

 dishevelled, and wreathed round the temples with roses ; all 

 within an orle of clouds. In the Burnley Token the orle is 

 absent. On the reverse the inscription is, of bubnley, 1669, 

 and in an inner dotted circle, his half peny. The issuer, 

 Lawrence Townley, was of Barnside, near Colne and Carr Hall, 

 in Marsden, he owned extensive estates with soke corn mills in 

 the neighbourhood of his mansions, which he had inherited from 

 his ancestors. Considering the period, he would be a large 

 employer of labour, and the mulcture of his soke mOls, after 

 supplying the wants of his household, would be sold in the 

 adjoining markets of Burnley and Colne. He would issue the 

 tokens to meet the necessities of his own trade and to suit the 

 conveniences of his numerous customers. 



EXCURSIONS. 



OWENS COLLEGE. June 25th, 1887. 



The Members of this Club joined in their first excursion of the 

 summer season on Saturday, when a visit was paid to Owens 

 College and Chetham Library, Manchester. Professor Boyd 

 Dawkins — whose interesting lecture on " Lancashire in the 



