76 



Wiltshire Tradesman's Tokens. 



places scarcely any silver or gold coin was left, the currency con- 

 sisting entirely of farthing Tokens. The issue of this patent was 

 one of the many arbitrary acts of the first two Stuart Kings, which 

 tended to destroy the attachment of the people to the Royal Family. 

 It is remarkable that among nearly 9500 Tokens [described in the 

 work mentioned in the Note to the previous page], the name of 

 Charles is found on only 44. The numerous families named Smith, 

 who issued above one hundred Tokens, have not a single Charles 

 amongst them. James, being a Scripture name, has been more 

 fortunate, though it is not so common as might have been expected. 



The accumulation of the patent farthings in the hands of small 

 tradesmen, caused the latter so great a loss, from the refusal of the 

 patentees to rechange them, that in 1644, in consequence of the 

 public clamour, they were suppressed by the House of Commons, 

 which ordered that they should be rechanged from money raised 

 on the patentees' estates. Apparently an authorized currency was 

 then intended, as two pattern farthings were struck, one of which 

 is dated 1644 ; the design however was never carried out, men's 

 minds being then too much occupied with the Civil War between 

 the King and the Parliament. 



The death of the King put an end to the exclusive prerogative 

 of coining copper and brass ; Tokens (such as those which form the 

 subject of this Article) immediately began to be issued, and were 

 circulated without authority, and, as stated on some of them, for 

 11 necessary change." As they were received again by the issuer 

 when presented, they were far preferable to the patent farthings. 

 The earliest date on Tokens is 1648. — (A few were probably struck 

 previous to the King's death.) 



During the whole period of the Commonwealth, no copper money 

 was coined by the government, except a few farthings, which are 

 very rare, and were probably only patterns for an intended coinage. 

 Silver money continued to be issued of the value of two-pence, one 

 penny, and half-penny. That the government of the Commonwealth 

 was as unpopular as that which it had overthrown, is evident from 

 the Tokens, which were undoubtedly an index of public opinion : 



