'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
- Download MINT00275.xml and schema (advanced users only)

<150r>

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

1. That the fabrication of the Lewis d'Or, doubles and demis ordeined by Declaration of 8 Iun. 1700 be continued in all our Monies publick & those of Strasburg as to allay weight, sculpture & remedies, which they beare as well by the Declaration as by our Edict of Sept. 1693. And that the said species beare the impression at the end of this & the said former Declaration & those which are so fabricated pass in the Public & in Commerce from the day of the publication hereof, at 13 Livres the Lewis d'Or & in Alsace at 14 Livres 12 sous & the doubles & deniers in proportion.

2 That in the fabrication of all our public monies & those of Strasburg the Lewis d'argent or Ecus be 11 ounces fine & in weight 21 deniers 8^gr trebuchans each, at 8 $\frac{11}{12}$ pieces (the Mark) with a remedie of $\frac{1}{12}$ of a piece & 2 grains of fine by the Marc & pass for 3 livres 10 sols the piece, bearing the impression in the end of this Declaration & so of the demis quarts & douziemes in proportion, but the quarts & douziems shall be markt sur le Frenche de'un Grenetis seulment And in Alsace the 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 or 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 Marc of fine gold at 555 livres 12 sous 3 deniers, & the Marc of fine silver at 36 livres 18 sols 5 deniers.

4. The work of these species shall be judged in our Court of monies as usually.

5. In the rest of September & in Octob. Novemb. & Decemb. ensuing the species made or reformed by a Declarations of Lewis XIII of 31 March 1640 & of Sept 1641 & our Edicts of Decemb 1689 & 1690 & Sept 1693 go as at present viz^t the Lewis d'Or at 12 livres, the Lewis d'argent or Ecu at 3 livres 5 sols, the pieces 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 of new fabrication at 3 livres 5 sols. The Reaux of Spain of weight for 3 livres 4 sols except them of Chapellet which 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 164{0} the Lewis's d'argent made the edict of September 1641 & all the species made by the Edicts of December 1689 & 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 our Edict of 1685 to be brought into the Mint at Lille & stampt anew with the 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 with the 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 our Mints at the prices following, viz^t Lewis d'Or at 12 livres 10 sous, white Lewis or Ecu at 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 white 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 grain 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 Strasburg after the rate of 509 livres 6 sols 3 deniers the Mark, amounting to 14 livres 1 sol per piece. And forreign monies & counterfeit & Carrez de Lewis d'Or, double or demy shall be received according to their intrinsic value.

11 Exportation of monies is Death & confiscation of the monies carriages horses & goods for which 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 the kings Edict is confiscation of the monies & further satisfaction at discretion not less then the value of the monies.

Lewis d'argent of the new stamp have three Flower de Lis in a circle crowned covering the middle of 2 cross scepters one of which has a hand at the end of it & 1701 almost over the crown

Lewis de or has four Symbol (overlapping Ls) in text s two 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 the other side is one 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 value of his money since the late warr so as to make a Lewid'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 to be made by the raising it, & his subjects the other half thereof.