WHilst some to promote their own private Interest are defrauding the whole Nation; I to pro­mote the Nations Interest, am venturing my little All.

For the Adulterating of Gold and Silver, brings in so great Gain to the Practicers of that Deceit, that some of them have threatned the Ruin of any one that shall seek to hinder their Adulterating Trade; which is now so strongly beset by some Honest Goldsmiths, that it hath made Adul­terating Goldsmiths desperate. But let not the Honest Goldsmiths be discouraged from prosecuting their designed and intended Reformation, by any of their Threats, or any of their Contemptious Names, which they call you: for it is better for you to be called Informers (which in this case is creditable and praise-worthy) for discovering these Defrauds, than to be farther Guilty of the Nations Wrong, by concealing it: And though you who have for­merly Adulterated Gold and Silver, but now abhor it, are upbraided with your former Practices; if you hold your Resolution to make Satisfaction to your Customers, whom you have wronged by these Wares; you will evidence your selves to be Honest Men: notwithstanding those who still practice that wicked Art, brand you with your [Page 4] former Practices, because they would hold on theirs: Al­though they have no such matter of Fact to lay to my Charge, since I have finished my Apprenticeship; yet I must share in their Reproaches, Revileings, Gensures, Slanders, Scoffs and Scorns; which I have had a portion of already, for not joyning with others in Adulterating Gold and Silver; and shall doubtless have a greater share now, when I labour to prevent others from going on in that Practice.

Let the abused Stranger therefore understand, That there is a certain Standard for Gold and Silver, according to which Standard the Coyns of this Kingdom (both Gold and Silver) are made: and as good as that Standard, all Plate and Small Wares in Gold and Silver is to be made (by Plate and Small Wares, I intend all sorts of Gold and Silver Wares whatsoever; the Small as well as the Great) and that there may be no Defraud used by making any Gold and Silver Work worse than the Standard, there is a very easie and sure way appointed by Law for the re­gulating of those Wares; the understanding of which may be of signal benefit to all who buy and wear any sorts of Gold and Silver Wares whatsoever: the end and design of this Sheet, is therefore to discover it.

As for London and the places adjacent, the Company of Goldsmiths hath the over-sight of those Wares, and the tryal of them committed to them; and therefore three days in the Week, there is tryal made of any Workmans Wares (whose Name and Mark is inrouled in their Assay Office) and whatsoever Works they try and find Standard, is mar­ked with these marks following: First, The Workmans Mark which made the Wares (which is usually the two first Letters of his Christian and Sir Name; and every Workmans Mark differs from others) the second is a Leo­pards [Page 5] Head Crowned, the third is a Lyon, the fourth is a single Letter (the Letter which is used this present year being (V) and whatsoever Plate or Small Wares, have these Marks on them, is not to be questioned but that it is Sterlin or Standard (that is as good as Money.)

But there being several sorts of Small Wares, both in Gold and Silver, which cannot be Assayed and Marked at Goldsmiths-Hall, after it is finished; it is therefore sold with the private Workmans Mark: And to prevent Defrauds in this, All Workers in Gold and Silver, in London and its Suburbs, are required by Law to make known their Marks, to the Wardens of the Company of Goldsmiths, That one Workman may not strike a Mark that is like ano­ther Workmans; and that any persons which have Wares marked with the Workmans Marks only, may by addres­sing themselves to the Company of Goldsmiths (at their Hall in Foster-lane) find out the Makers of their Wares; and if the Wares which they have marked, be found worse than Standard; the Company of Goldsmiths will procure the agrieved party Recompence, and punish the Workman. The Reader cannot but be satisfied of the excellency of this way of warranting Silver: but I shall shew you how its neglected to the Publicks great wrong. Although the War­dens of the Company of Goldsmiths, have power to search any Goldsmiths Shops and Houses, and carry away any Works which they shall make choice of to try them, whether they be Standard or not, and to fine the Owners, if they find them worse than Standard: yet the Workers and Sellers of Gold and Silver Wares, being so numerous, and dis­persed in their Dwellings to all parts of the City and Sub­hurbs; it is not easie that all their Small Wares can be found out, by the Wardens of the Company to be tryed; they being sold therefore upon the bare Workmans or Shopkee­pers [Page 6] Credit, and they having the marking of these Wares themselves; there are these Evils that do follow it,

1. Some of their Wares are not marked at all, though they may very well bear marking (whereby they are for­feited though they be Standard.) 2. Some of their Wares are marked with private marks, which are not inroulled at Goldsmiths-Hall: For some of them who have a Mark in­roulled at Goldsmiths-Hall, will have another Mark not in­roulled; which Mark they will set upon Adulterated Wares; and this Counterfeit Mark shall be so like the inroulled Mark, that it will not be known to be the unlawful Mark, by any that doth not know what Marks are inroulled, and what are not; for there is only this difference, As if ^PB, one over the other, is the Mark inroulled at Goldsmiths-Hall; then B P (one by the other) may be the Counterfeit Mark; or as if S, be the inroulled Mark, then I S, may be the Counterfeit Mark: or any other way, according to the pri­vate Workmans Device: So that these Marks cannot be known by the Common People, which are inroulled and which are not; neither can the Company of Goldsmiths, find out the Makers of bad Wares, by such Marks as are not inroulled in their Hall, except some of their Servants providentially know them. The great loss which comes to the Nation hereupon, I shall discover, which take as fol­loweth. The Workmen therefore and Shopkeepers, which have no more honesty; agree together to make their Gold and Silver Wares, as much worse than Standard as they please; which in Gold Wares, such as Rings, Chains, Cor­ral-Sockets, Bells, Bodkins; and almost all other small Wares in Gold, is worse than Standard, some 5 s. in the Ounce, some 10. s. in the Ounce, some 15 s. in the Ounce, some 1 l. in the Ounce, some 2 l. in the Ounce; which is half in half. And I may go on farther, for they do not stop there, but accor­ding [Page 7] to their own wills and pleasures, go on in their Adul­terating Defrauds, as if there was neither Law nor Judges to punish them, but there is both; and that which is want­ing, is chiefly Prosecutors. Now the greatness of which Adulterating Cheat, I shall shew you in one Example of a Ring, about the usual or most common coursness: I find a Burial Ring by the Assay worse than Standard two Carracts, one Grain and three Quarters, which is in one Ounce 8 s. 11 d. 1 q. and it may be two-hundred of these Rings have been bought (or may hereafter be) by one party; which two hundred Rings may weigh twenty five Ounces, and the Buyer payeth 4 l. an Ounce (besides the making or fashion) which is the price of Standard: now reckon for the 25 Oun­ces (which is the supposed weight of the two hundred Rings) so many times 8. s. 11 d. 1 q. which the one Ring is worse than Standard; and it amounteth to 11 l. 3 s. 5. d. 1 q. so that if one party in one parcel of Burial Rings, be cheated so great a sum; what is the whole Nation cheated in Adulte­rated Wares? In Silver their practice is no better, for in most sorts of Small Wares (which would fill my sheet too innu­merate) such as Boxes, Bodkins, Buttons, Buckles, Clasps, Corral-Sockets, or Garnishes, Chains, &c. is the like Adul­teration used: the usual price they take for these is 5 s. the Ounce besides the making (or fashion) when upon the As­say, I have seldom found any more worth than 4 s. the Ounce, and some worth but 3 s. 6 d. the Ounce, some worth but 3 s. some worth but 2 s. 6 d. the Ounce, some worth but 2 s. and some no better than Brass Mony; so that as some Brass Mony is better than others, so is some Goldsmiths Wares. And as if these Adulteratings of Gold and Silver were not enough, these Adulterating Goldsmiths, have farther added, to put clean Copper or Brass Clappers, into their Silver Bells, and Brass Wire into their Coral [Page 8] Sockets; and that no small quantity, sometimes half an Ounce, sometimes three quarters of an Ounce, or more, or less; as the Coral Socket will contain. Now the Reader may say to me, you have shewn us our loss, but how shall we be helped; in which case I refer him to the Company of Gold­smiths, London; where any Adulterated Wares may be try­ed; and if you can evidence of whom you bought your Wares, the Company will procure you satisfaction, and pu­nish the Goldsmith which wronged you; and this without your trouble or charge: But the Adulterating of Gold or Silver Wares, forfeits double their worth; and therefore a­ny agrieved party may proceed against the Goldsmith which has wronged him, by Action, Bill, Plaint, Information, or otherwise, wherein no Essoyn, Protection, or Wager of Law, shall be admitted for the Defendant. Stat. 18 Eliz. 15.

And now, O my Country Men, who are greatly imposed upon and wronged, by dishonest Goldsmiths, and Traders in their Works, both in City and Country; you are to be advertised: That in the City of York, New castle upon Tine, Lincoln, Norwich, Bristoll, Salisbury, and Coventry; it is ordained by the Stat. 2 Hen. 6.14. that every one shall have divers Touches, according to the Ordinance of the Mayors, Bayliffs, or Governours of the same Towns; and the Goldsmiths, in these Towns are to be ordered in the same manner as in London. And moreover, If any Goldsmith within the Realm of England; in any place where no Touch-Town is, shall make or sell worse Silver and Gold Wares than Mony, or omit to mark it; they are answerable for it (as those in London) To conclude, I advise all Buyers and Wear­ers of Gold and Silver, both in City or Country; to see that their Plate have the London Touch, which is before described: and for such things as cannot have them; to take Bills under the Goldsmiths Hands, they buy off, that it is Standard Gold, and Sterling Silver.

And that I may perswade these Adulterating Goldsmiths to reform, I thought good farther to add, That two Workmen of the Trade, upon their Death-Beds, had nothing lay more upon their Conscien­ces, and broke their Souls Peace, than the Adulterating of Gold and Silver; though they did it for the Goldsmiths, who would have such Work and not Standard.