346 



A. D. 1627. 



the confumption of our coins has been greatly occafioned, as alfo the 

 railing of the lilver even of our own monies to a rate above what they 

 are truly current for ; by reafon whereof no lilver can be brought to our 

 mint, but to the lofs of the bringers, &c. For the reforming of all 

 which abufes, we have, by the advice of our privy-council, determined 

 to relume our faid right, for our own profit and the good of the realm : 

 and for this end we do now appoint Henry earl of Holland and his 

 deputies to have the office of our changes, exchanges, and out-changes 

 whatfoever, in England, Wales, and Ireland. And we do hereby 

 flridly charge and command that no goldfmith nor other perfon what- 

 foever, other than the laid earl of Holland, do prefume to change, &c. 

 (as above) and as the following articles do more fully diredl in fub^ 

 fiance, viz. 



' I and II) ' None (without our fpecial licence) {hall tranfport to fo- 

 reign parts any gold or filver, in coin, plate, or bullion, as by ftatute, 

 9 Edw. HI, and 2 Hen. IV. 



III) ' None (liall prefume to melt down the current coins of our king- 

 doms, nor to cull and fort from the reft any of the weightier mo- 

 nies. 



IV) ' None but our faid changer, and his deputies, fhall receive or take, 

 by way of payment, or exchange, diredlly or indirectly, for any fpecies 

 of foreign coin, or other gold or filver, more than the rates which now 

 are or hereafter may be given or allowed for the fame at our mint or 

 exchange. 



V) ' To prevent the frauds of goldfmiths againft the fl:atute of the 

 1 8th of Queen Elizabeth, every goldfmith, on the fale of any plate, 

 fliall deliver a ticket, with his name or mark, to the buyer, exprefling 

 the day of fale, the weight of fuch plate, and the value or rate of the 

 gold or filver apart, and alfo the value and rate of the fafhion apart, 

 by which may appear at what rate the one or the other was valued,' 



&c. 



VI) ' In every piece of gold current for 30/", 20/) 15/, lof, 5/, and 

 ' 2/6, the abatement fliall not exceed four grains and an half for 30/ 

 ' pieces, three grains, two grains and a half, two grains, one grain, and 

 ' half a grain, for the other refpedlive pieces; v/hich feveral gold coins 



' wanting no more fliall pafs current, as if of fuil weight and value : but 

 ' if they want refpedively more in weight than the faid feveral refpeft- 

 ' ive abatements, then they fliall not be current ; but fhall be brought 

 ' to our exchanges or mint, to be melted down and made into new 

 ' coin. 



VII) ' No falle or deceitful ftuff or manufacture of gold or filver, 

 * lefs in finenefs than our money of gold or filver, fhall be made, fold, 

 ' or imported. Yet this order fhall not reftrain any fubjed: from im- 

 ' porting of bullion from beyond fea, to be carried to our mint to be 



