61 It was further provided by the same Parliament that one hundred stone weight of copper, unmixed with any other kind of metal, be wrought and forged "in ane miln," in twopenny and penny pieces; each penny was to weigh one denier and twelve grains, and sixty-four of the twopenny pieces were to be in a merk weight. The type is also minutely described (Lindsay, Pl. 17, figs. 53, 54). No one was bound to take more than twelve pence in payment in copper coins. It is stated in Birrell's Diary, that the proclamation of these coins was made on the 23rd of May, and on the 23rd of June another was made for taking the "cunziehouse." Almost immediately afterwards the whole of the officials of the Mint were discharged by an act of Privy Council, of July the 21st, and all the irons and other instruments were ordered to be delivered up to the Lord Treasurer. No cause is stated for this; but on the 18th of August they were all reinstated, and the irons and instruments were returned to them. Parliament met at Edinburgh,62 and on 1st November ratified and confirmed the acts made before at Dundee, and among others those relating to the coinage already mentioned. 1598. That these measures about the coinage were not popular is apparent from a letter preserved among the State Papers relating to Scotland, in which Nicolson, writing to Lord Burleigh, mentions the discontent among the people at this time in consequence of the Mint being set up again. The Parliament on the last day of June permitted the Lord Treasurer to let the Mint. 61 P. 14. Vol. iv. p. 184, e. 20, c. 66. Eliz., vol. 62, No. 13, 29th March. On the 22nd of July the Privy Council passed an act,& in which in reference is made to this Parliamentary measure of the previous June, giving a tack of the Mint for six years to Thomas Foullis. The Council ordered the half of all penalties for breaches of the laws about money to be paid to the aforesaid Thomas Foullis. Considerable quantities of false money were at this time in circulation. Several persons suspected of coining were apprehended in the North, and an act of the Privy Council, in August, directs them to be brought to Edinburgh and there tried. On the last day of October Parliament met, and the first act passed relating to coinage permitted foreign coin to be current at certain rates specified. Foreign silver of eleven penny fine was to be current for 48/ the ounce, and foreign gold of 22 carat for £28 16s. A long list of the various foreign coins, with their weights and values, are given. Besides these, the thistle noble of Scotland is raised to £7 16s.; the hat piece to £4 98.; and the lion piece to £5. All other native gold coins of 22 carat fine are to be current at £30 the ounce. In December Parliament met at Holyrood, and passed another act as to the values of the various coins,66 which was followed on the 18th of the same month by a proclamation by the Privy Council, altering the standards fixed in October very considerably. 67 Foreign silver of eleven deniers fine was to be current for 50/, while the same weight and fineness of native currency was to pass for 53/4. Foreign gold of 22 carat was to be £30 the 6 Vol. iv. p. 154. 65 Vol. iv. p. 175. 86 Vol. iv. p. 178. State Papers, Scotland, Hen. VIII., vol. lxiii. c. 79. ounce. ounce, and Scottish gold of the same standard £32 the Such constant alterations in the value of money must have seriously interfered with commerce; and it is no wonder that the people were discontented. 1599. On the last day of July Parliament gave commission to the Lords of the Privy Council and certain others, to advise concerning another proposed change in the value of money, by making the ounce of silver 60/, and gold proportionally higher. This was not carried into effect apparently, for in September an act of Privy Council continued the act of Parliament of the previous December, but prohibited the course of any foreign coins for the future. 1600. The Parliament of 1600 passed an act confirming the action of the Parliament and Privy Council of the preceding year, and directing measures to be taken for providing bullion for the Mint. 1601. On the 8th of May a proclamation was made by the Privy Council, warning every one against some false money which had been found in considerable quantity, "in the querrell hollis besyd the Cannongait," and prohibiting any one from searching there any more. An act of Parliament, dated 11th September, of this year, ordered the coinage of sword and sceptre gold pieces. These were to be current at the rate of £6 each, with halves corresponding. A new silver coinage was also ordered; and all the former coins were to be brought into the Mint at 55/ the ounce of eleven denier fine, and recoined at 60/ the ounce of the same standard in merk, half-merk, forty-penny, and twenty-penny pieces. Nine half-merks were to be in the ounce, with the usual 68 Vol. ii. p. 257. remedies of weight and fineness. This coinage was to be current after the 1st of January, and none other was to be allowed to have course. By the same act 200 stone weight of copper was ordered to be minted into twopenny pieces, at nine to the ounce. These were to have the same impression and circumscription as the former copper coinage; and no one was to refuse to take twelve pennies of this copper money in every twenty shillings of his debt. On the 22nd of September the Privy Council assigned the profits of the above coinage to the Master of Elphinstone and his son, till such time as they should receive a sum of £41,000 owing by the King to the Master of Elphinstone. This assignation was renounced in December, and on the same day a contract was entered into between the King (with consent of the Privy Council) and Sir David Murray, of Gospertie, and others, to let the Mint to them for one year. The tacksmen were to have liberty to buy gold and silver at whatever price they pleased, and might place the Mint where they liked. They were to pay £45,899 9s. 6d. of the usual money of Scotland as rent. 1602. On the 13th July, 1602, Alexander Reid,70 cutler in Edinburgh, was tried for false coining. It appears that he was employed as a "printer" in the Mint, and had got some false blanks, which he stamped with the true dies of the merk piece. From Birrel's Diary we learn that he was hanged for this offence on the 20th of the same month. A proclamation of the Privy Council," on 23rd December, prohibited any of the proclaimed money to have 70 Pitcairn's Crim. Trials, vol. ii. " P. C. R., f. 122. P. C. R., p. 672. 71 P. 56. p. 899. course, except the late coinages ordered by Parliament, and interdicted any one from exchanging it. An act of 16th January, 1603, is to the same effect.78 1603. On the 24th of March, James VI. succeeded to the throne of England, and the coinage of Scotland, as an independent kingdom, ceased. The following table will give an idea of the coinages of this reign, before James's accession to the English throne. |