322 
that struck during the reigns of Charles II., William III. and 
Anne, the bulk of it in bad condition, smooth and light in 
weight from continual wear. 
Early in 1797 the Bath Bankers, by advertisement, asked their 
customers not to “take more specie, gold, silver or copper, than 
is absolutely necessary,” and by the end of February in that year 
the position was still more serious. At a meeting held on 
March 1st, 1797, the Mayor presiding, it was resolved “ that we 
entirely approve of the Conduct of the Banks in this City, z 
suspending PAYMENT IN SPECIE until the sense of Parliament be 
Publicly known,” and those present declared their intention of 
accepting Bank of England, and the Notes of “any of the Bath 
Banks in payment, and would use the same for payment,” and a 
notice to this effect, signed by the Mayor, Magistrates and 116 
Tradesmen of the City was published. Such action was not 
confined to Bath, as soon after the Chronicle names 34 towns as 
holding similar meetings. 
A short advertisement at this date, of a Token issuer (Bath 
No. 4) mentioned in my previous paper is interesting, 
“BANK and BANKERS NOTES 
TAKING aS USUAL 
AT GLOVERS WAREROOMS 
NO. 39, MILSOM-STREET.” 
At this crisis, the Bank of England was empowered to put 
into circulation Spanish specie, principally Dollars, which had 
been captured by the Navy in time of war, after counter-marking 
the coins with the bust of George III. upon that of the Spanish 
King. These re-issued pieces were at once extensively counter- 
feited. In August, 1797, an imposing Official notice was issued 
by the Bath Magistrates, as a ‘“ Caution to the Publick against 
taking Counterfeit Coin” brought into the City by persons 
“attending Lansdown Fair.” 
The complaint was then general throughout the Country, and 
for years afterwards, that the counterfeit pieces were exceptionally 
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