C R

HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE


A PROCLAMATION Appointing some Forraigne species of Gold and Silver to be Current.

CHARLES by the Grace of GOD, King of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith,
To Our Lyon King at Arms, and his Brethren Heraulds, Macers, Pursevants, and Messen­gers at Arms, Our Sheriffs in that part, conjunctly, and severally, specially constitute, Greeting;

Forasmuch as the Lords of Our Privy Council, having taken to their Consideration a Petition pre­sented by the Provost of Edinburgh, in Name, and by Warrand of the Royall Burrowes of this Kingdom, Representing, as one of the great causes of the Decay of Commerce amongst all Qualities of people of this Kingdom, and the deadness of the Forraign and Inland Trade thereof, to be the great scarcity of the stock of Coyn, and of all manner of species of Money in this Kingdom, that does much incom­modate all manner of Dealers, who are necessitate to deal upon Credit, wanting the supplies of species of money to main­tain the same: which Scarcity having been occasioned by the small Quantities of Silver that used to be coyned formerly In Our Mint, before Our late happy Restauration, and the frequent Exportation even of the saids small Quantities in­to Forraign parts; And having remitted the Consideration of the foresaid Petition to a Commitee of their number, for preparing the said matter, impowering them to confer with the Officers of our Mint, and these of the Burrowes who were intrusted with the said Petition, and to take exact tryal of the fineness of Forraign Coin both of Gold and silver; who having accordingly conferred with these of the saids Burrowes, and Officers of Our Mint, and having seen exact Tryal taken of the Intrinsick Finenesse and Value of several sorts of forraign Coyn, by the subtile essay taken in their pre­sence, did make report, that the Spanish and Dutch Duccatoon, the Spanish Milrynd and French Crown, are much finer than other forraign Coyn now presently currant in this Kingdom. W E Therefore, being unwilling to restrain the forraign coynes presently currant, while our proper coyn of this Kingdom is so small, and so much exported because of its fine­ness; And finding it the better way to keep out course forraign coyn, by allowing the said finer forraign Coyn to be currant: And considering, that the foresaids species of money are the Coyn of these places with which this Kingdom hath most conside­rable Trade, and will be a great mean to inable Merchants to return money for the export of this Kingdom: Whereas if the Coyn of these places be not currant here, their Ships must return light, or loaden with forraign Commodities of lesse use for this King­dom, to ballance their whole expert: Have thought fit, with advice of Our Privy Council, to declare and ordain, and by the Tenour hereof do declare and ordain, That the particular species of Forraign Coyn, above and after mentioned, shal have course within this Kingdom at the rates following, viz. The Spanish and Dutch Duccatoon to passe currant amongst all Our subjects, for three pounds ten shillings scots: The Spanish Milrynd, for two pounds seventeen shillings scots: And the French Crown for two pounds sixteen shillings. And also We considering, that there hath been an Surcease, and long time since the coyning of any Gold in this Kingdom, and that the species of all Old Gold is transported, and little Forraign Gold imported; And for the further incouragement of the Merchants in this Kingdom, concerned in the Spanish and Dutch Trades, to make the Returns of their yearly Export and Effects in such species of Gold Coynes as these Countreys do afford; Do hereby also, with Advice foresaid, Ordain, and Declare, the Quadruple Spanish Pistol, or piece of eight of Gold, to have course amongst our Subjects of this Kingdom, at the rate of fourty two pounds scots the piece, the same being of usual weight, of twenty one Deniers: And also the smaller species of the said Gold Pistol down-ward, to pass at the saids Rates proportionally: As likewise, the Hungary, Dutch, and Fleemish Duccat of Gold weighing two Deniers, fifteen Grains, to passe, and have course for five pounds twelve shillings scots, The same being of the said weight. And to the effect all Our Leiges may have notice hereof, Our Will is, and We charge you strictly, and command, that incontinent these Our Letters seen, ye pass to the Mercat-Cross of Edinburgh, and other places needful, and thereat, in Our Name and Authority, by open Proclamation, make Publication of the Premisses.

Per Actum Dominorum Secreti Concilii. Al. Gibson. Cl. Sti. Concilii.

GOD Save the King.

Edinburgh, Printed by the Heir of Andrew Anderson, Printer to his most Sacred Majesty, Anno Dom. 1677.

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