[ 6 9 ] 
Weight now is, and immemorially has been, ufed 
for fettling the ancient Duty of Tonnage and "Pound- 
age upon all Goods and Merchandize taken by 
Weight (except fome few Drugs, which are charged 
in the Book of Rates by the Ounce Troy ) ; and that 
there is not the leaft Proof, either in our ancient or 
modern Laws , to induce a Belief that this Duty was 
ever generally taken by the Troy Weight, or that 
Troy Weights were ever in general and common 
Ufe in this Kingdom, it mud Purely be allowed, that 
the Weight mentioned in our old Laws, or Ads of 
Parliament, was the Avoir depots Weight. 
Pofifcript. 
The learned Bifhop Cumberland, in his ( x ) Treatife, 
fays, ‘ That our Englijh Avoirdepois Ounce is the 
‘ fame as the Roman Ounde ; and was probably in- 
‘ troduced into this Kingdom by the Romans, when 
* they gave Laws and planted Colonies here, and 
* hath thence continued unchanged to this Day j 
c which is not commonly obferved, becaufe we ufe 
‘ the Avoirdepois Weights only about heavier Com- 
‘ modifies; not in weighing Silver and Gold, which 
* are weighed by the Troy Ounce; which I fuppofe 
1 was introduced by the Normans , becaufe it takes 
* its Name ( 1 2 3 ) from a French Town, Troyes in 
‘ Champaigne. ’ Moll Authors (3) have been of this 
Opinion. 
(1) See p. n, 103, 107. 
(2) Bifhop Hooper, p. 432, of another Opinion as to the Deri- 
vation of the Name. 
(3) See Hooper’s Inquiry , p. 10, 14, 92. and Arbutbnot's Tables 
explain'd, p. 16, and *83. 
