39^ A V O Y A G E T O Book IX 



But it muil b€ obferved, that though thefe colonies 

 arc fo large, fertile, well peopled, and flourifliing, yet 

 the current money is not of metal, but of paper, in the 

 form of common coin, being two round pieces pafted 

 together, and ftampt on each fide with the arms of the 

 colony : and of this there are pieces of all values from 

 the loweft to the highefl and with thefe they buy and 

 fell without making ufe of any metallic coin whatever. 

 But as thefe are liable to grow foul, or break with ufe, 

 there is a particular houfe which may be called a kinci 

 of mint, this paper-money being made there ; and ano- 

 jther in every town for the diftribution of it. To thefe 

 houfes are brought all fuch pieces as from any caufe 

 whatever can no longer pafs current : and here others 

 of like value are iffued in the lieu of them. In this 

 particular the difintereftednefs and probity of the direc- 

 tors of this money are really admirable, as having it in 

 their power to enrich themfel'/es by caufing great num- 

 bers of this fpecie to be flruck, and putting them in 

 their own purfes. 



The houfes for dillribution of this money receive 

 remittances of new from the chief houfe at Bofton, and 

 pafs accounts with the dire6lors by fending thofe v;hich 

 have been brought for exchange. And fuch is the in- 

 tegrity of thefe judges, that even a flight fufpicion of 

 being capable of a fraud would be an injury to the 

 high reputation in which they (land. But what feems 

 llrange and alnioft incredible is, that they, in whofe 

 power it is to give what value they plcafe to the paper, 

 by the (lamps, of which they have the care, never have 

 been known to abufe their truft : but the wonder ceafes 

 upon refie£ling, that the former eftabliPiiment of thefe 

 colonies is in a manner owing to Qiiakers; and that, to, 

 the laws which they and the firft fettlers compiled, 

 the colonies chiefly ow^e that quiet and profperity they 

 ftill enjoy. The Quakers are a kind of fe^aries, 

 who though zealouOy fond of feveral ridiculous and 

 extravagant notions^ cannot be fufliciently commend- 



