892 Wiltshire Trade Tokens of the Seventeenth Century. 
of charity and change; though, as the supply eventually exceeded 
the demand for them, it is difficult to believe that very many of the 
later issuers were not influenced in their enterprise by feelings of 
avarice and motives of selfish greed. 
That these tokens were more popular with all classes than were 
the “ Harringtons ” or patent regal farthings, which preceded them, 
there is no reason to doubt, insomuch as there was at any rate always 
the chance of changing them for coin of the realm at the offices of 
the issuers; while to the poor they must have proved an inestimable 
boon at a time when frugality and thrift had to be strictly studied 
and economy rigidly observed. It is a curious fact that the Govern- 
ment of the Commonwealth, though fully recognising the want of 
a proper copper coinage, yet failed to take any active steps towards 
supplying the need, and this apparent indifference on their part 
can only be explained by the unsettled state of the times and the 
supposition that, as this system of private mintage was as yet fairly 
free from abuse, the tokens were looked upon as a satisfactory and 
tolerable temporary substitute for something more substantial to 
come. After the Restoration of Charles II., however, the circulation 
of this unauthorised money soon grew to be a perfect pest to the 
country, for several thousands of petty tradesmen, seeing how their 
neighbours were putting forth with impunity their illegal tender, 
and observing that a considerable profit was to be derived from such 
a course, themselves set up presses for coining farthings and half- 
pence on their own account, with the result that many issuers, by 
absconding or becoming insolvent, failed to meet their liabilities, 
and that holders were in consequence left with a quantity of tokens 
on their hands absolutely impassable and almost worthless. 
Such a condition of things naturally soon told, not only on the 
poor themselves, but also on those responsible for their maintenance, 
so that a remedy was anxiously sought for by the authorities of 
most of the principal towns and boroughs, who consequently resorted 
in 1666 and the few following years to the plan of issuing their own 
corporation pieces. These were readily bought up by the inhabitants, 
as affording better security against loss than did those of private 
tradesmen, and the latter were in those particular places driver 
ae ey ee ees a ee 
