ALbeit by sundry Proclamations heretofore published with the aduice of Our Priuie Councell, We haue sufficiently manifested Our care and constant desire to meete with such inconueniences, as either diminish the plenty, or impaire the iust value of the Coynes of this Our Realme; yet experience hath made it euident, that neither the seuerity of Our Lawes, nor strictnesse of Our Proclamations haue effected that good, which in Our Princely care and prouidence of the publique weale, Wee haue so much aymed at, but against all Our endeuour and prouision, farre greater quantities of light Gold, then in any former age hath been knowen, are dayly and continually vttered, to the great deceit of Our Subiects; and not onely so, but the waightiest of our Coyne, being culled out and sorted, is transported into forraine parts, to the impouerishing of this Our Realme. And therfore finding these euils, (grounded vpon hope of gaine) to breake through all other politique Constitutions, Wee haue resolued, in pursuit of our Lawes and Proclamations against those abuses, to make triall, if by proposall of benefit to such as shall further Our intention, though with Our owne appa­rant losse, Wee may aduance the plentie and abundance of Coyne within Our Realmes: And therfore finding that the profit of Our coinage (though already abated beneath the Rates of for­mer times) doth at this present amount to the summe of twenty sixe shillings foure pence for eue­ry pound waight of Gold coyned at Our Mint, besides some gaine by sharing at the same Mint; Wee haue giuen order, that for and during the space of one yeere now next ensuing, the same bee reduced to the summe of fifteene shillings onely, including therein also the gaine by sharing. And to the intent all Our louing Subiects, that shall bee occasioned to bring any Gold to bee coyned at Our Mint, may haue a iust and full returne thereof, without diminution; Wee doe hereby publish and declare, and it is Our expresse will and pleasure, that Our Officers of Our Mint shall from henceforth, according to the ancient Law and Custome of this Our Realme (ratified by authoritie of Parliament in the fiue and twentieth yeere of the Reigne of Our most Noble Progenitor King Edward the third, and in the ninth yeere of the Reigne of King Henry the fift) receiue Gold and Siluer into Our Mint by weight, and shall deliuer out the Moneys thereof, when it shall be made, by weight or by number, at the election of him which shal receiue the same without delay or difficultie.

And whereas, for the reducing of Our Gold coyne to the same price & value which it bare in forreine parts, whereby the transportation thereof might more easily be preuented, We did here­tofore aduance the same gold Coine in euery twentie Shillings, two Shillings, and according to that proportion in greater or lesser pieces of Gold, by which meanes the same Coines are not found so vsefull for Our Subiects, both by the vnaptnesse for tale, occasioning fractions and perplexities in reckonings, and by the inequality of the summe, causing our Subiects in some disbursements of Gold, to deliuer more then other wise they would, if the Coine were of an euen proportion; WE haue thought meete hereafter to forbeare the stamping of any more of those vnequall Coines, and to reduce Our Moneys hereafter to bee made vnto the ancient values of Coine in vse before the said aduancement, intending neuerthelesse, and Our expresse will and pleasure is, That such as are already coyned, shall continue of the same value as they be at this present: And therefore for the time to come, to remoue such inequalitie in Coynes, We haue re­solued of certaine Coynes of Gold, which together with those already coyned, We will and or­daine to be from henceforth currant within these Our Kingdomes of Great Brittaine, Ire­land, and the rest of Our Dominions (that is to say) One piece of fine Angel gold, of the value of thirtie Shillings sterling, stamped on the one side with Our picture crowned, and in Parlia­ment robes, sitting in a Chaire, and at the feete a Portcullis, with Our stile, IACOBVS D. G. MAG. BRIT. FRAN. & HIB. REX: And on the other side, Our Armes, with a crosse flory, and the number of XXX. A circle about the Escutcheon of Armes, charged with Flower-deluces, Lyons, and Roses, with this inscription in an outer circle, A DN̄O FACTVM ISTVD, ET EST MIRAB. IN OCVLIS NR̄IS. Another piece of fine Angel Gold, of the value of Fifteene Shillings, stamped on the one side with a Lyon crowned, holding a scep­ter in the one paw, and Our Escutcheon of Armes in the other, marked with the num­ber XV. with Our stile afore-mentioned, and on the other side with a spur-rowell, and in the midst thereof a Rose, and without the points of the rowell Flower-deluces, Ly­ons, and Crownes, with the fore-mentioned inscription about, A Dn̄o factum istud, & est mirab, in oculis nostris. One other piece of fine Angel Golde of the value of ten Shillings, stamped on the one side with the picture of an Angel striking a Serpent, with the number of X. and Our stile aforesaid round about, and on the other side with a Shippe with one saile displayed, with Our Armes thereon, and with the like inscription, A Dn̄o factum istud, & est mirab. in oculis nostris. One other piece of Crowne Gold of the value of twentie Shil­lings, stamped on the one side, with Our picture Crowned with a Laurell, with the number of XX. and Our stile afore-mentioned round about, and on the other side Our Armes crowned, with this inscription about, Faciam eos in gentem vnam. One other piece of Crowne Gold of the value of ten Shillings, stamped with Our Picture and stile last mentioned, and the number of X. on the one side, and on the other side Our Armes Crowned, with this inscription about, Hen­ricus Rosas, Regna Iacobus. And one [...]her piece of crowne Gold of the value of fiue Shillings, stamped on the one side with Our Picture and stile last mentioned, and the number of V. and on the other side with the like stampe as the ten Shillings piece.

And because the abuse of impairing Our Gold Coyne is growne more frequent then here­tofore, by reason the deliuering and receiuing the same by waight (a matter agreeable both to ancient and moderne Lawes and Proclamations) hath bene of late greatly neglected, whereby Offenders haue had more opportunitie and encouragement to clip, wash, and diminish the same Coynes: Wee haue therefore thought good to quicken the said Lawes, and former Procla­mations; [Page]And therefore according to the president of a Proclamation made in the Nine and twentieth yeere of the raigne of Our late deare sister Queene Elizabeth, which continued in force till her decease, And of the like Proclamation since published by Vs, in the ninth yeere of Our raigne of England, We doe hereby declare, That after the first day of September next, it shall be free and lawfull for all and euery Our louing Subiects, to refuse in any payments, all pieces of Gold heretofore Coyned, which shalbe lighter then according to the Remedies or Abatements prescribed by the aforesaid Proclamation, made in the ninth yeere of Our raigne, That is to say,
In euery piece of golde current for

And all other pieces of Golde hereafter to be coyned, which shall be lighter then ac­cording to the remedies or abatements hereafter ensuing, (that is to say)

And to the intent all Our louing Subiects in all parts of this Our Realme may haue good and iust Weights for the true weighing of all the said Coynes of Gold, and true and vpright graines & halfe graines for the remedies & abatements aforesaid, We haue commanded the Ma­ster of Our Mint within Our Tower of London now being, (the appointment thereof, being proper & peculiar to Vs onely) to prepare and make ready before the said first day of September next a sufficient number of vpright Balances and true Weights, aswell of euery seuerall peece of Gold lawfully current in this Our Realme, as of the sayd remedies and abatements, to bee ready to deliuer at reasonable prices, to bee rated by Our Commissioners for Our Treasurie, or Treasurer of England for the time being, to all such Our Subiects as shall require the same; And Our will and pleasure is, That the chiefe Officers in all Our Cities, Boroughs & Townes corporate of this our Realme of England, and Principalitie of Wales, shall before the last day of the said moneth of September next, prouide to haue one payre of the said Weights 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 Weight of the said Coynes, as any occasion shall bee. And Wee straitly forbid all Our Subiects and others whatsoeuer, to haue or vse any o­ther Weights then as aforesaid for the said Coynes of Gold, remedies, or abatements, or any of them.

Giuen at Abthorpe the 31. day of Iuly, in the seuenteenth yeere of Our Reigne of Great Britaine, France, and Ireland.

God saue the King.