I9O CURRENCY. 



instructive set of facts bearing on the value of the precious 

 metals is a series of accounts, extending from the 9th to the 

 1 9th Hen. VIII, of the dealings of Cardinal Wolsey with one 

 Amadas, who supplied him with gold and silver plate, the 

 latter plain and gilt, wholly or parcel. The accounts are printed 

 in Gutch's Collectanea Curiosa. 



In the first of these years (1517), the price of sterling silver 

 unmanufactured appears to be 3.$-. 4^. the ounce. Manufacturing 

 and parcel-gilding appears to cost from tenpence to a shilling 

 the ounce, manufacturing and whole-gilding from is. ^d. to 

 i s. 8<3?., or when the article is small to 2s. 6d. the ounce. The 

 variations are due to the difficulty and size of the article. Thus 

 gilt spangles are charged at the highest rate, while large pieces 

 are much cheaper ; four gilt pots and two gilt flagons, contain- 

 ing 897 ozs. in all, are even purchased at $s. lod. the ounce, 

 i.e. only sixpence the ounce above raw silver, six great gilt 

 bowls weighing 348 ozs. at 4^. the ounce. On the other hand, 

 gilding plate is charged at a shilling the ounce. It is prob- 

 able then that these comparatively low-priced articles were 

 bargains. Other purchases at the same time are a silver 

 garnish of 1080 ozs. at 35-. 6d. ; three great silver-gilt bowls 

 of iSiozs. at 4^. %d. ; six great gilt candlesticks at 43. \od. ; 

 a great silver cross with gold pommels at 4^-., and two great 

 gilt chased pots at the same price. These last two articles 

 weigh 408! ozs. 



In the same year gold is bought : fine gold at 40^. the ounce, 

 i.e. twelve times the value of silver, and crown gold at from 

 $6s. 8d. to 37.?. The cost of manufacturing gold plate is 4^-. 

 the ounce. 



Amadas buys plate from Wolsey, chiefly gilt and parcel-gilt, 

 at from 3.$-. M. the ounce to 4^. 8d., the price being generally 4^. 

 Some which is quite old and broken is valued at y. yd. to 

 $s. $\d., the last we may conclude being only fit for the 

 melting-pot. 



On Aug. 10, 17 Hen. VIII (1525), the cardinal purchases a 

 large quantity of plate for his new colleges; 1613 ozs. plain at 



