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To the RtRight HonbleHonourable the Earl of Oxford & Earl Mortimer
Lord High Treasurer of great Britain.
May it please yoryour LordpLordship
1 In obedience to yoryour LordpsLordships Order of Reference signified to me
by Mr Taylor in his Letter of Iune 16th Instant, I have perused the
Representation from the Lords of the Privy Council in Ireland touching
a late Order of Council here for giving currency in that Kingdom
by Proclamation to some forreign coines wchwhich were omitted in a
former Proclamation, a printed copy of wchwhich they have sent,
desiring a clause to be added to the said Order for making such
allowance for light pieces as was made in the said Proclamation, &
that the Order may comprehend also the forreign coins mentioned
in that printed Proclamation because the Original thereof under the
broad seal was destroyed in the late fire wchwhich happened there at the
Council chamber, so that the Clerk of the Council cannot now
certify that the printed copy agrees verbatim wthwith the original
as the late Act of ParliamtParliament requires for the conviction of Coieunter
feiters of those coyns. And upon comparing the said Presentation wthwith yethe
said late Order of Council & printed Procl
that [if the standard weights of the forreig weight & value
of the sai forreign coins established by the said Proclamation are to remain
& now used in Ireland are to remain, then considering that] since the weight of
the single Pistole & Lewis d'or isbeing in yethe said Proclamation put 4dwt 8gr
(for this is their ordinary weight one wthwith another as they ome fresh out
of the Mints) the weight of the double Pistole & Lewis d'or ought in
proportion to be put in a new Proclamation 8dwt 16gr & that of a
quadruple Pistole 17dwt 8gr. And the Moyder (wchwhich as the Merchants
bring them hither before wearing a little worn, weigh one wthwith another
6dwt 21gr & before wearing may be a quarter of a grain or half a grain heavier) may be put in weight 6dwt 22gr in yethe same Proclamation For those of this weight are in Ireland in Irland where an English shilling passes for 13d the Moyders of this weight are worth 29s. 11d, recconing an English shilling there at 13d & gold 22 carats fine at 3li 19s 8d per ounce wchwhich is the standard value,; But If Or Or 30s 00 if recconing gold gold 22 carats fine be recconed at 4li per ounce, as is commonly done, a Moyder weighing 6dwt 22gr will be worth 30s 00d per ounce And takingat a medium in the nearest round numbersthe Moyders weighing 6 may be put in weigh 6dwt 22gr & in value 30s it it may be valued at 30s without any error without any error worth noting, & it will be current without any abatemtabatement for wearing if it weighs above 6dwt 21gr notwithstanding that its put weight bise put 6dwt 22gr in the Proclamation.
But if the weight & value of the forreign coins in the said printed Proclamation are to be reconsidered, the following observations may be made upon them.
The Pistole & Lewis d'or as they are commonly current weight one wthwith another 4dwt 7gr, being lightned about a grain by wearing & those of this weight are worth 18s 6d in Ireland where an English shilling does for 13d.
The Ducatoon of Flanders before wearing weighs (one piece wthwith another)
20dwt 22gr20dwt 22gr. That it may be worth 6s in Ireland as it's valued in the printed Proclamation, its weight should be 21dwt. In the printed Proclamation its weight is put is put 20dwt 16gr without allowing any thing for the 11 eight grains more in weight is allowed for wearing till it want 12 grains more in weight.
The pieces of eight of Mexico & Sevil & the Pillar piece of eight & French Lewis before wearing weigh one wthwith another 17dwt 12gr. That they may be worth 4s 9d in Ireland as they are valued in the Proclamation they ought to weigh 17dwt 8gr. In the printed Proclamation their weight is put 17dwt without allowing any thing for 8gr wanting in the weight.
The Cross Dollar before wearing weighs (at a medium) 18dwt 1gr. That it may be worth 4s 9d as its valued in the Proclamation it weigh ought to weigh 18dwt. In the Proclamation its weight is put 17dwt without allowing any thing for the penny weight wanting, wchwhich amounts to 3d.
Reix Dollars are of several sorts. & Bbefore wearing weigh about 18dwt & 8 or 10 grains. That they may be worth 4s 9d in Ireland they ought to weigh 17dwt & 18 or 20 grains. In the printed Proclamation their weight it put 17dwt without allowing any thing for the want of 14gr in weight 18 or 20gr in weight.
The old Peru piece of eight, that it may be worth 4s. 6d in Ireland should weigh 17dwt & is put at that weight in the printed Proclamation.
The Crusado of Portugal that it before wearing weighs 11dwt 4gr. That it may be wroth 3s 2d it ought to weigh 11dwt 10gr. In the printed Proclamation its weight is put 210dwt wthwithout allowing any thing for the want of 14s in weight.
The allowance of 2d per grain for the weighing of gold coins & three half pence per half penny weight for the wearing of silver coins is as neare the truth as can be put in round numbers & is sufficient for single pieces, & I am humbly of opinion that it should be inserted into the Procla
2. The latter part of yethe printed Proclamation concerning the allowance for light pieces & the seales & weights for weighing them I am humbly of opinion should be continued. in the next Proclamation.
I humbly beg leave to represent further to your LordpLordship the concerning the silver coins made current by the said printed Proclamation that [yethe Ducatoon of Flanders weighs (one piece wthwithanother 20dwt 22gr. In the printed Proclamation its weight is put 20dwt 16gr & it value 26s. To be of that value it ought to weigh 21dwt. For the want of eight grains nothing is allowed] that the ssilver pieces are mentioned in the said Proclamation are put lighter be then in proportion to their just value by eight grains or above,. The Ducatoon of Flanders before wearing weighs one piece wthwith another 20dwt 22gr. In the Proclamation
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they are valued at 6s. To be of that value they should weigh 21dwt. Their weight in the printed Proclamation is put 20dwt 16gr withoutwchwhich is eight grains less & no abatement in value is made for the want of these 8gr. When by wearing they want 182gr more, in all 20gr of their just weight allowance is made for th of three half pence only for the want of the last 12 grains. Their weight in the Proclamation should have been 200dwt 22gr. And And then they would have been current till they had wanted 12 grains of their weight for by wearing. And by allowing three half pence for this defect of weight they would habve been still current.
The Pistoles bepieces of 8 of Mexico are worth & sevil & Pillar pieces of 8eight
I humbly beg leave further to represent to your LordpLordship ytthat that the Dollars are coarser then Pieces of Eight
I humbly beg leave further to represent to your LordpLordship that Rix Cross Dollars Rix Dollars & other Dollars are coar weightier & coarser then Pieces of 8eight & ought to weight 17dwt 20 grains that they may be worth 4s 9d as they ar in Ireought to weight 17dwt 20gr & before wearing weigh one wthwith another above 18dwt. as they are put in the Proclamation. And the Crusado of Portugal weighing 210dwt. 20gr is worth but 3s in Ireland, whereas it is put in the Proclamation worth 3s 20gr. And the Ducatoon weighing twenty penny weight sixteen grains is worth butonly 5s 11d but in the next round number is valued at 6s in yethe Proclamation. If it should be thought fit to allow for the weight & courseness of the Dollars
I humbly beg leave further to represent to your LordpLordship that Rix Dollars Cross Dollars & other Dollars wchwhich with pieces of 8 are valued in the printed ProclProclamation at 4 9 are coarser & weightier then pieces of eight & that they may be worth 20s 4s 9d in Ireland they may should weigh 17dwt 20gr to be worth 4s 9d in Ireland as thethey are whereas in the printed Proclamation their weight is put only 17dwt. Rix Dollars before wearing weight about 178dwt 9grains & Cross Dollars 178dwt 1gr., & so might have been put at 17dwt 20gr in the Proclamation. The Crusados of Portugal weighing 10dwt is put be new out of the Mint weigh one wthwith another 11d 4dgr. & are worth In yethe proclamation their weight is put 10dwt 18gr, an allowance of eigh grains being At this weight they are worth in Ireland 3s 0d whereas in the Proclamation they are valued at 10 3s 2d, wchwhich is 2d too much.
3. W I humbly beg leave further to represent to your LordpLordship that pieces of eight of rix Dollars Cross Dollars & other Dollars are in yethe printed Proclamation put of equal weight & value with pieces of 8. They should weight 17dwt & 18 or 20gr to that they may be worth 4s 9d, whereasbut in yethe proclamation they were their weight is put only 17dwt. Rix Dollars before wearing weigh about 18dwt 9gr & Cross Dollars 18dwt 1gr & so might have been put at 17dwt 20gr in yethe said Proclamation there being 12 grains allowed under this weight allowed for wearing before they should begin to lose their currency, & after that upon abating three half pence in the value for the want of these twelve grains they arewould still be current.
I have annexed a scheme of yethe gold coins suitable to the weight & value of the above mentionedonedrepresented. The All the silver coyns are already set down with their weight & value in the printed paper Proclamation unless it should be thought fit to alter the weight of the Dollars & value of the Crudsados. All wchwhich &c
And a grain being allowed for wearing, it will be current till it weights but 6dwt 21gr as in the late Order of Council.. And after that it will continue to be current by allowing 2d prper grain for what it wants of yethe weight of 6dwt 22gr.
For the latter part of the printed Proclamation concernin the allowance for light pieces & concerning the seales & weights for weighing them, I am humbly of opinion should be continued in the next Proclamation.
In the printed Proclamation the weights & values of the silver coins would answer better to one another if four grains were added to the weight of the Ducatoons was put 20twenty penny twenty grains,, & twenty grains to that of the Cross Dollars Rix Dollars & other Dollars 17dwt 20gr & the Crusado of Portugal was valued at two pence was taken from yethe value of the Crusado of Portugal.
In the printed ProclamationI have annexed a scheme of the gold coins suitable to this Report & humbly beg represent further that concerning the silver coins in thefurther that that the weights & values of the silver coines in the printed Proclamation would answer better to one another. If two pence were taken from yethe value of the Crusado of Portugal & twenty grains added to the weight of the Rix Dollars Cross Dollars & other Dollars. For the peices of Dollars wchwhich ion the Proclamation are put of the same weight & value with the pieces of eight, differ from them considerably in weight & fineness, are heavier & of coarser allay, & ought to be 18 or 20 grains heavier then pieces of eight that they may be of the same value.
All wchwhich &c
For in Portugal the Moyder is recconed worth 10 Crusados & the Crusado before wearing weighs 11dwt 4gr. And th but in the Proclama &c
The silver coins are set d all of them already set down in the Printed Proclamation. But the Moyd Crusado of Portugal is there over valued. This piece before wearing weights 11dwt 4gr & in Portugal is recceoned the tenth part of a Moyder. In the Proclamation eight grains are taken from the weight & two pence added to the value. It should be valued only at 3three shilling & the half at one shillings & sixpence.
The Dollars also wchwhich are coarser & heavier then then the Mexico & Sevil pieces of eight & Lewises are put in the Proclamation of the same weight & value wthwith them. To make them of the same value 20gr should be added to their weight. The Cross Dollar before wearing weighs 18dwt 1gr & the old Rix Dollars 18dwt & 8 or 10gr. To make them worth 4s 9d they should weigh 17dwt 20gr, where as in the Proclamation they are said to weigh only 17dwt Its probable that the coarseness of the Dollars was not known to them that stated the Proclamation their weight in the Procl