ALthough there be many Statute Laws still in force for restraint of Exportation of Gold and Silver into Foreign parts; which several Statutes are particularly declared and mentioned in Our late Proclamation, whereby also We have commanded the said Laws to be duly observed: Nevertheless, We are well informed, and it is visible, that great quantities of Our Coyn of Gold do pass so ordinarily in Payments in Foreign Nations, that Our Gold at this time is more stirring abroad in parts beyond the Seas, then here at home in Our own Island, whereby there is occasioned a scarcity of Gold throughout Our whole Dominions, to the great prejudice of Our Reputation abroad, and the manifest inconvenience of Our Subjects at home. For the remedy whereof, We out of Our earnest desire and great care to preserve the Publick Treasure, and so the strength and honor of Our Kingdoms, have called before Vs and Our Privy Council, Our Commissioners for Trade, Officers of Our Mint, and Goldsmiths of the best sort, to the end We might ground Our Resolutions in this behalf, upon such Informations and Discoveries, as either Art, Experience, or Know­ledge of Affairs abroad could afford; and considering former Events with their present Opinion and Advice, We finde the cause of this evil to be the great gain which the Merchant (especially the stranger) maketh by the Exportati­on of Our Gold; which gain ariseth out of the disproportion between the price of Our Coyns of Gold, which is higher abroad then here within Our own Kingdoms, and the gain is so great and so swift in return, that it in vites men to offend against all Laws that have formerly been made against such Exportation: And therefore finding no other remedy competent or effectual, We resolved (preserving still the weight and fineness of Our Standard to raise the price of Our Gold, to or near the equal value with that it beareth in Foreign parts; and yet that it may not be conceived that We would make the Remedy larger then the Inconvenience, We have absolutely con­cluded with good advice and deliberation, not to make any manner of alteration in the price or otherwise of Our Silver, with which all Trades and Payments are so much driven and made, as the raising the price thereof would give both colour and cause to raise the prices of all Commodities and things vendible, which We seék by all means to avoid: And because it may appear to the World, that in this Our proceeding We are not bent upon any benefit of Our Self (which might accrue to Vs by the Coynage, if We had set this increase of price upon such Coyns onely as should have been newly stamped) but that We intend a Reformation for the publick good, We have given the price as well of Gold heretofore Coyned, as hereafter; so as if any profit by accident should fall out, it will be rather Our Subjects then Ours. We do therefore hereby publish, declare, and authorise all the several Peices of Gold hereafter mentioned, to be current within this Our Realm respectively hereafter at the values following; That is to say,

The Peice of Gold called the

• Unite
• Double Crown
• Britany Crown
• Thistle Crown
• Half Crown

now current at

• 22 Shillings
• 11 Shillings
• 5 Shillings six pence
• 4 Shillings four pence three farthings
• 2 Shillings nine pence

to be current at

• 23 Shillings six pence.
• 11 Shillings nine pence.
• 5 Shillings ten pence half penny.
• 4 Shillings eight pence.
• 2 Shillings eleven pence.

penny.

The Coyn of Gold of Scotland called the Six pound peice now current at Eleven shillings, to be current at Eleven shillings and eight pence.

The Peice of Gold called

• The Unite
• The Double Crown
• The Britain Crown

now current at

• 20 Shillings
• 10 Shillings
• 5 Shillings

to be current at

• 21 Shillings four pence.
• 10 Shillings eight pence.
• 5 Shillings four pence.

The Peice of Gold called

• The Rose Royal
• The Spur Royal
• The Angel
• The Angellet or Half Angel
• The Quarter Angel

now current at

• 33 Shillings
• 16 Shillings six pence
• 11 Shillings
• 5 Shillings six pence
• 2 Shillings nine pence

to be current at

• 35 Shillings.
• 17 Shillings six pence.
• 11 Shillings eight pence.
• 5 Shillings ten pence.
• 2 Shillings eleven pence.

The Peice of Gold called

• The Rose Royal
• The Spur Royal
• The Angel

now current at

• 30 Shillings
• 15 Shillings
• 10 Shillings

to be current at

• 32 Shillings.
• 16 Shillings.
• 10 Shillings eight pence.

And for as much as the greater price is set upon Our Coyns of Gold, which is like also to be a means to draw forth Gold to be more usual in Payments then of late it hath beén, the more convenient it is, that no Peices of Gold which are become light by any Clipping or Washing, or the like practises, be put upon Our loving Subjects in any Payments to their prejudice, if the defect be not within that small abatement, which must be by reason of the in­certainty of the Shearers at the Mint, We have thought good according to the President of a Proclamation made in the Nine and twentieth year of the Reign of Our late Dear Sister Queen Elizabeth, which continued in force till Her decease, to declare, and by these presents We do declare, That it shall be freé and lawful for all and every Our lovings Subjects, to refuse in any Payments all Peices of Gold which shall be lighter then according to the Remedies or Abatements hereafter following.

In every Piece of Gold formerly current for

• 33 Shillings,
• 22 Shillings,
• 16 Shillings,
• 11 Shillings,
• 5 Shillings six pence,
• 2 Shillings nine pence,

The remedy shall not exceed

• 4 Grains and a half.
• 3 Grains.
• 2 Grains and a half.
• 2 Grains.
• 1 Grain.
• Half a Grain

All which Remedies shall be allowed in every Peice accordingly, and no Deduction or Abatement to be made for the same, but to pass as if it were of full weight and just value: But if any such Peice of Coyn lacking of his true weight above the said Remedies before expressed, shall be offered in Payment by any person or persons within this Our Realm, Our Will and Pleasure then is, That for so many Grains more or less as the Peice shall be lighter then the Remedy, so as aforesaid allowed, every 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 Grain, to him that receiveth it, for every Grain wanting above the Remedies respectively. And every person or persons to whom the same is offered to be paid with those allowances, shall accept the same in Payment as if the same were full and just weight, any thing contained in this Our Proclamation to the contrary notwithstanding: Provided always, That if any such Peice of Gold so offered in Payment, shall want above the number of so many more Grains then are allowed for the Remedies respectively, as if the Peice of Twenty and two shillings shall want more then threé Grains above the Remedy al­lowed, or the Peice of Eleven shillings more then two Grains above the Remedy, and so of all the rest respectively, then Our Royal Will and Pleasure is, That in all Payments betweén party and party, the same shall not onely be [Page] refused without all redemption, but that every person or persons to whom such tender of Payments shall be made, shall brand the same by striking a hole at his and their pleasure, in every of the same Peices so offered in Payment; as likewise of any other Peice that shall be found sowdered or unlawfully imbased, rendring those Peices so stricken thorow then presently afterwards to the Owners thereof again.

In every Peice of Gold formerly current at

• 30 Shillings,
• 20 Shillings,
• 15 Shillings,
• 10 Shillings,
• 5 Shillings,

The Remedy shall not exceed

• 4 Grains and a half.
• 3 Grains.
• 2 Grains and a half.
• 2 Grains.
• 1 Grain.

And if any of the Peices last before mentioned shall be found lighter then the Remedy so as aforesaid allowed, the same shall not be current in Payment, but may be stricken thorow by the party to whom the same shall be offered in Payment, rendring the same again to the Owner. Furthermore, We do not so rest upon this course of policy for the stay of the Exportation of Gold out of Our Kingdoms, as We do in any sort lay aside those legal Remedies which by Our Laws and Statutes in force have beén provided, for the repressing of the said Offence in Exporting both Gold and Silver; but contrariwise, Our Will and Pleasure is, and We do make known the same to all Our loving Subjects, and streightly Command all Our Officers and Ministers to whom it may appertain, That the Statutes and Branches of Statutes hereafter particularly expressed, be duly put in execution, that is to say, The Statutes made at York, in the Ninth year of King Edward the Third, called The Statute of Money, First, sixth, ninth, and tenth Chapters; whereby is provided, that from thenceforth none should carry away any Sterling-Money out of the Realm of England, nor Silver in Plate, nor Vessel of Gold or Silver, upon pain of forfeiture of the same Money, Plate, or Vessel: And that the Major and Bailiffs in every Port where Merchants and Ships should be, should take an Oath of the Masters and Merchants of Ships going and coming again, that they should do no fraud against the Provision of that Law in any point; and that good and streight search should be made in all places upon the Sea-Coasts, in Havens and elswhere, where any arrival should be, by good and lawful men thereto sworn, that in the Kings Name they should make diligent search, that no man of what estate or con­dition soever, should carry out of this Realm, Sterling-Money, Silver, or Plate, nor Vessel of Gold or Silver without the Kings Licence; and that the Searcher shall have the fourth part for their labor of as much as they shall finde so forfeited, and to lose all his Goods if he dispence with any man, and he thereof attaint, as by the same Statute among other things more fully doth appear. And one other Statute made in the Second year of Henry the Fourth, the Fifth Chapter, whereby the King did ordain and establish, that from thenceforth any Searcher of the King might finde Gold or Silver in Coyn, or in Mass, in the keéping of any that should be passing, or upon his passage in any Ship or Vessel, for to go out of any Port, Haven, or Creék of the Realm, without the Kings special Licence, that Gold or Silver should be forfeited to the King (saving his reasonable ex­pences) as by the same Statute it doth and may more at large appear. And We do specially Charge and Command, That the Major and Bailiffs in every Port where Merchants and Ships shall be, and all such to whom the same shall or may in any wise appertain, do from henceforth carefully take the Oath of Masters of Ships and Mer­chants, according to the true meaning of the said Statute, made in the said Ninth year of King Edward the Third. And that all Customers, Searchers, Comptrollers, and all other Our Officers and Ministers whatsoever, to whom it appertaineth, do so carefully and diligently execute their several Offices, as the said Statutes, and all others in any sort concerning the Premisses may without any default or negligence in them, or any of them, be duly and effectually executed, upon pain of the greatest punishment that by Our Laws may be inflicted upon them for their default, negligence, and contempt in that behalf.

Given at Our Court at Whitehal, the Twenty sixth day of August, 1661. in the Thirteenth year of Our Raign.

God save the KING.