WHereas by Our Proclamation dated the one and thirtieth day of Iuly last, Wee did expresse Our princely care and earnest desire to reduce Our Golde Coine to one equall price and value, and to forbeare the stamping of any more of those vnequall Coynes, which were found not to be so vsefull for Our Subiects; with this prouision ne­uerthelesse, That such as then were already coyned should continue of the same value they then were, allowing certaine remedies and a­batements vpon euery piece greater or lesser respectiuely, which Re­medies, if any piece of the said Golde Coynes then already coyned, should be found to exceed, Wee gaue free libertie to all and euery Our louing Subiects, to refuse the same in paiment at their will and pleasure, thereby to take away (as much as possible might be) all opportunitie and en­couragement from offenders, to Clip, Wash, and diminish the said Coynes, which then were, and now are generally much fallen by such vnlawfull and wicked practises from their first true value and goodnesse: All which Our Royall care and prouision notwithstanding, tending so much to the weale of Our people, We finde the same to be so greatly neglected, as in stead of making vse of that liberty, which was then giuen them of refusing such light Golde moneys aforementioned, as were without the Remedies allowed by Our said Proclamation, they doe now for the most part accept in payments indifferently and promiscuously all such Coynes whatsoeuer, tendred vnto them, without weighing or examining the true value and goodnesse thereof, as were fit, and as they ought to doe: Which strange negligence wee in Our princely wisedome and prouidence con­sidering, and obseruing that neither the regard of their owne manifest losse and detriment, which they sustaine by such impaired and diminished Coynes, nor Our earnest desire to haue them more carefull, (not obscurely intimated also in Our said Proclamation) can any thing preuaile to haue so foule an abuse redressed, as with care and diligence it might easily be. We therfore not yet giuing ouer the care and welfare of Our louing Subiects, euen in their particular interests, but withall, entring into a more serious consideration how far this great abuse may concerne the state of Our Realme in generall, by the continuall waste and consumption of all the Currant Money within our Realme, if some stricter course be not taken to preuent the mischiefe, are now constrained in regard of Our Subiects long negligence of their owne commoditie, in lieu of that which Our for­mer Proclamation left in a maner to liberty and choice, to lay vpon Our Subiects a Charge and Commandement, to accept and refuse payment of the said light Coynes in certeine cases, and vp­on certeine conditions, but with that moderation & respect, as shall by a very small present dam­mage preuent all mischiefes that can hereafter fall vpon them in this case: And therfore doe here­by [Page]straitly charge and forbid vpon paine of contempt and incurring of Our high displeasure, That no manner of person or persons within this Our Realme of England, from and after Midsomer next comming in any County of Our Realme doe presume to take or receiue, or de­liuer in payment any piece of Our gold Coyne currant within this Realme, and formerly by Vs aduanced at the rates aforesayd, being clipped, washed or by any other means vnlawfully dimini­shed, or lacking of the iust weight thereof, otherwise then according to the Rates hereafter seue­rally expressed, and with the allowance of the remedies set downe in Our former Proclamation, That is to say,

In euery piece of golde currant for

• 33. shillings,
• 22. shillings,
• 16. shillings 6 pence,
• 11. shillings,
• 5. shillings 6 pence,
• 2. shillings 9 pence,

The remedie shall not exceede

• 4. graines and a halfe.
• 3. graines.
• 2. graines and a halfe.
• 2. graines.
• 1. graine.
• Halfe a graine.

All which remedies shall be allowed in euery piece accordingly, and no deduction or abate­ment to bee made for the same, but to passe as if it were of full weight and iust valew. But if any such piece of Coyue, lacking of his true weight aboue the sayd remedies before expressed, shall from & after Midsomer next comming be offered in payment by any person or persons with­in this Our Realme, Our Will and pleasure then is, that for so many graynes more or lesse, as the piece shall be lighter then the remedie, so as aforesayd allowed, euerie person or persons, that so offereth the same in payment, shall also at the same time pay and allow, after the rate of two pence the graine to him that receiueth it, for euery graine wanting aboue the remedies respectiue­ly; And euerie person or persons, to whom the same is offered to bee payd with those allowan­ces, shall accept the same in payment as if the same were full and iust weight, any thing conteined in Our former Proclamation to the contrary notwithstanding. Prouided alwayes, that if any such piece of Gold, so offered in payment after the time aforesayd, shall want aboue the number of so many more graines then are allowed for the remedies respectiuely, as if the piece of twenty and two shillings shall want more then three graines aboue the remedie allowed, or the piece of eleuen shillings more then two graines aboue the remedie, & so of all the rest respectiuely; Then Our Royall will and pleasure is, that in all payments betweene partie and partie, the same shall not onely be refused without all redemption, but that euery person and persons to whom such tender of payments shall be made, shal brand the same, by striking a hole, at his & their pleasure, in euerie of the sayd pieces so offered in payment, as likewise of any other piece that shall be found sowdered or vnlawfully imbased: rendring those pieces so stricken thorow, then presently after­wards to the Owners therof againe according as was ordered by a Proclamation made by Our Deare Sister the late Queene Elizabeth in the nine & twentieth yeere of her reigne vpon the like occasion. Prouided also and We doe hereby declare Our intention and expresse pleasure to bee, that if any of Our louing Subiects shall hereafter bring any Gold to be coyned at Our Mint, hee and they shall haue a iust & full returne thereof, without diminution, by waight, or by number, at the election of him, that shall receiue the same according to our former Proclamation, dated the one & thirtieth day of Iuly last, deducting for the Coynage; Assuring Our Selfe, that since We haue here­by giuen so large and sufficient a time for Our good Subiects to disabuse themselues by ridding their hands of those light pieces of Gold which deceiue and endammage the whole Kingdome, they will betwixt the Date of this Proclamation and Midsomer so prouide, by timely sending in of that Coyne into Our Mint, as may best stand with their indemnitie, lest that the glut of ma­king [Page]all that light Coyne to bee Bullion after the sayd time, may not onely proue hurtfull, but in a manner vnpossible vnto them, since Wee are resolued (for the tender care We haue of our Sub­iects good) that this Our Proclamation shalbe put to a reall and full execution.

And whereas by Our said former Proclamation, we were pleased to notifie vnto all Our lo­uing Subiects how carefull We were (after the example likewise of Our said deare Sister, the late Queene in the said nine and twentyeth yeare of her Raigne) to giue order to the Master of Our Mint, for preparing a sufficient number of iust waights and ballances, with true and vpright graines and halfe graines, for the remedies and abatements aforesaid, to haue them in a readinesse before the first of September last past, to be deliuered at reasonable prices, to be rated by Our Commissioners for Our Treasury, or Treasurer of England, for the time being, to all such Our Subiects as should require the same, with expresse commandement, that the chiefe Officers in all Our Cities, Boroughes, and Townes Corporate of this Our Realme of England, and Principalitie of Wales, should before the last day of September last past, prouide to haue one paire of the said Waights sufficient, at the hands of the said Master of our Mint, within euery such City, Borough, and Towne corporate, well and safely to be kept, for tryall of the waight of the saide Coynes, as occasion shalbe: Which neuerthelesse, We vnderstand is neglected, and though the said Master of Our Mint, hath performed that which belonged to his dutie and office, in making pre­paration according as We inioyned him, and that the said waights and ballances are reasona­bly rated by our Commissioners for the Treasury, Yet hath not any or very few, repaired vnto him for such ballances and waights; By meanes whereof, all Our endeuour and Princely care for the good and weale of our Subiects in this particular, is likely to bee frustrated and of little effect. We doe therefore hereby once againe, lay our expresse charge and commandement vpon all the said chiefe Officers of Our Cities, Boroughes, and Townes corporate of this Our Realme of England, and Principalitie of Wales, that before the foure and twentieth day of Iune next, they doe without faile prouide themselues of such waights and ballances with vp­right graines and halfe graines, which We haue caused to bee marked and stricken with an I. Crowned, at the hands of the Master of Our Mint, to be safely kept within euery such Citie, Borough, and Towne corporate, according as in Our former Proclamation it is ordered: And We straightly forbid all Our Subiects and others whatsoeuer, to haue, or vse any other waights then as aforesaid for the said Coynes of Gold, remedies, or abatements, or any of them, as they will answere the contrary at their vttermost perill.

Giuen at Newmarket, the seuenth day of February, in the seuenteenth yeare of Our Raigne of Great Britaine, France, and Ireland.

God saue the King.