'An Abstract of the king of France's Edict of Sept. 17 1701', fixing French coinage values and gold-silver ratio

Author: Isaac Newton

Source: MINT 19/2/150, National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UK

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- Revision History
  - 1 January 2001
    - Catalogue information compiled by Rob Iliffe, Peter Spargo & John Young
  - 29 September 2011
    - Catalogue exported to teiHeader by Michael Hawkins
  - 12 March 2017
    - Transcribed by Will Scott
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<150r>

An Abstract of the king of France's Edict of Sept. 17. 1701.

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|1.| That y^e fabrication of y^e Lewis d'Or, doubles and demis ordeined by o{^rur} Declaration of 8 Iun. 1700 be continued in all o^r Monies publick & those of Strasburg as{illeg} to allay weight, sculpture & remedies, w^ch they beare as well by y^e Declaration as by o^r Edict of Sept. 1693. And that y^e said species beare y^e impression at y^e end of this & y^e said former Declaration & those w^ch are so fabricated pass in the Public & in Commer{illeg}|c|e from y^e day of y^e publication hereof, at 13 Livres the Lewis d'Or & in Alsace at 14 Livres 12 sous & the doubles & deniers in proportion.

|2| That in y^e fabrication of all the o^r public monies & those of Strasburg the Lewis d'argent or Ecus be 11 ounces fine & in weight 21 deniers 8^gr trebuchant|s| each, at 8 $\frac{11}{12}$ pieces (y^e Mark) with a remedie of $\frac{1}{12}$ of a piece & 2 grains \of/ fine by the Mar{illeg}|c| & pass for 3 livres 10 sols y^e piece, bearing the impression in the end hereof of this Declaration & so of y^e demis quarts & douziemes in proportion, but y^e quarts & douziems shall be markt on y^e Trenche sur le Frenche de'un Grenetis seulment An {sic} in Alsace y^e said Lewis's shall go for 3 livres 18 sols 8 deniers, & the parts in proportion.

|3| For adjusting the proportion of the species of gold & silver the Marc of fine gold {illeg}|o|r of 24 carats shall be at 494 livres 6 sols 4 deniers & the Marc of fine silver of \of/ 12 deniers shall be at 32 livres 16 sols seven deniers. And in Alsace the Mar{illeg}|c| of fine gold at 555 livres 12 sous 3 deniers, & the Marc of fine silver at 36 li{illeg}|v|res 1{illeg}|8| sols 5 deniers.

|4.| The work of these species shall be judged in o^r Court of monies as usually.

|5.| In y^e rest of September & in Octob. Novemb. & Decemb. ensuing the species made or reformed by {illeg}|a| Declarations of Lewis XIII of 2|3|1 March 1640 & of Sept 1641 & o^r Edicts of Sept Decemb 1689 & 1690 & Sept 1693 go as at p^rsent viz^t the Lewis d'Or at 12 liv{illeg}|r|es, the Lewis d'argent or Ecu at 3 livres {illeg}|5| sols, the pie{s}|c|es of 4 sols at 3 sols 9 deniers, the sols or Douzains at 15 deniers. The pieces of 4 livres of Flandres reformed or not reformed at 4 livres 5 sols. The Pistoles of Spain & the Pistoles or Leopolds d'Or of Lorain of the new fabrication at 12 livres. The Ecu or Leopold d'argent of Lorain {illeg}|o|f new fabrication at 3 livres 5 sold|s|. The Reaus|x| of Spain of weight for {illeg}|3| livres 4 sols except them of Chapellet w^ch are decried. And in Alsace the old Lewis d'Or pass at 13 livres 10 sols & while Lewises or Ecus at 3 livres 13 sols 2 deniers &c.

|6| Between this & the end of December next the Lewis's d'or made by the Edict of 31 March 1{illeg}|6|4{illeg}|{0}| the Lewis's d'argent made the edict of September 1641 & all y^e species made by the Edicts of December 169|8|9 {9}|&| 1690 & of Sept 1693 be brought to the Mint to be new stampt without melting & then pass as above & they shall be distinguisht from those already stampt by a Mark to be appointed by the Court of the Monies.

|7| Pieces of 4 livres of Flanders made by o^r Edict of 1685 to be brought into the Mint at Lille & stampt anew w^th y^e figure annext to this Edict.|,| |& pass in Flanders| /for 4 livres 10 sols. & the derniers quarts octaves & sixteenths proportionally\

|8| Pieces of 30 sols of Strasbourg shall be carried to the charge of that money to be new stampt w^th y^e figure annext to this Edict & pass there for 34 sols six deniers a piece & their halfs for 17 sols 3 deniers.

|9| And the said species shall be received at o^r Mints at the pri{z}|c|es following, viz^t Lewis d'Or at 12 livres 10 sous, white Lewis or Ecu at {illeg}|67| sols 6 deniers, 4 Livres of Flanders at <150v> 4 livres 7 sols six deniers. And at Strasbourg the Lewis d'Or at 14 livres 1 sols, the whi{illeg}|t|e Lewis or Ecu at Livres 15 sols 11 deniers & the 30 sols pieces of Strasbourg at 33 sols 3 deniers & their demies in proportion &c. And after next December the said species shall go at the Mints as at Markets.

|10| Lewises d'Or too light by above a gr{illeg}|a|in shall be molten & recoyned being received after the rate of 453 livr{es} 2 sols 6 deniers the Mark \amounting to 12 livres 10 sols a piece/ & at {illeg}|S|trasburg after the rate of 509 livres 6 sols 3 deniers the Mark, amounting to 14 livres 1 sol per piece. And forreign monies & counterfeit & Carre{illeg}|z| de Lewis d'Or, double or demy shall be received according to their intrinsic valu{illeg}|e|.

|11| \Exportation of monies is/ Death & confiscation of the monies carriages horses & goods for w^ch they are exported.

|12| To melt or spoile the monies & \is the Gallies & to/ sell the materials of Gold & Silver at a price above the value in y^e kings Edict is the Gallies & confiscation of y^e monies & further satisfaction at discretion not less then y^e value of the monies.

Lewis d'Or\argent/ of y^e new stamp have three Flower de Lis in a circle crowned covering the middle of 2 cross sce{illeg}|p|ters one of w^ch has a hand at y^e end of it & 1701 almost over the crown

Lewis de or has eight\four/ Symbol (overlapping Ls) in text s two & two cros covering the same scepters

Pieces of 4 livres 10 sols of Flanders have four arms quartered in a circle crowned covering the like scepters.

Pieces of 34 sous 6 deniers of Strasburg have 3 Flower de Lis in a circle crowned covering the like scepters on the reverse like the silver Lewisses but instead of the kings head on y^e other side {illeg}|is| {illeg}|o|ne great flower de Lis with this inscription about it Moneta nova Argentinensis.

The king in the Preface of his edict represents taht the lowering the {illeg} value of his money since the late warr so as to make a Lewi d'Or pass for 12 livres had caused the exportation of his money & for this reason & easier defraying the warr for defending his son in Spain he has thought fit to raise it in such manner that he may have only half the profit & his Subjects the other half thereof to be made by the raising it, & his subjects the other half thereof.