242-3)

Author: Isaac Newton

Source: MINT 19/2/234-5, National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UK

Additional Information
- Notes on the Electronic Edition
  - You are currently reading the normalized version of this text. Normalized transcriptions provide a tidied-up view of the original text. Editorial interventions are applied to expand abbreviations and correct textual mistakes. Additions are silently included within the body text and deleted text is not displayed. Switching to the diplomatic view of this text will show 36 deletions, reveal 42 additions and not apply 34 editorial regularizations.
- 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
  - 29 October 2016
    - Transcribed by Will Scott
  - 13 January 2017
    - Checked by Will Scott
- Download MINT00504.xml and schema (advanced users only)

<234r>

To the Right Honourable the Earl of Oxford & Earl Mortimer, Lord High Treasurer of great Britain.

May it please your Lordship

In obedience to your Lordships Order of Reference signified to me by M^r Taylour in his Letter of Iune 16^th Instant, I have perused the Representation from the Lords of the Privy Council of Ireland touching a late Order of Council here for giving currency in that Kingdom by Proclamation to some forreign coins which were omitted in a former Proclamation, a printed copy of which 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 which happened there at the Council Chamber, so that the Clerk of the Council cannot now certify that the printed copy agrees verbatim with the original as the late Act of Parliament requires for the conviction of counterfeiters of those coines. And upon comparing the said Representation with the said late Order of Council & printed Proclamation, I humbly represent that the weight of the single Pistole & Lewis d'or being in the said Proclamation put 4^{dw^t} 8^gr the weight of the double Pistole & Lewis d'or ought in proportion to be put in a new Proclamation 8^{dw^t} 16^gr & that of the quadruple Pistole 17^{dw^t} 8^gr. And the Moyder of Portugal (which as the Merchants bring them hither a little worn weigh one with another 6^{dw^t} 21 $\frac{3}{4}$ ^gr; & before wearing may be a quarter of a grain or half a grain heavier) may be put in weight 6^{dw^t} 22^gr in the same Proclamation & valued at 30^s. For in Ireland where an English shilling passes for thirteen pence the Moyder of this weight is worth 29^s 11 $\frac{1}{2}$ , recconing gold 22 carats fine at 3^l 19^s 8 $\frac{3}{4}$ ^d per ounce, which is the standard value, or 30^s 00 $\frac{3}{4}$ ^d, recconing gold 22 carrats fine at 4^li per ounce as is ordinarily done. And 30^s is a medium & the nearest round number. And a grain being allowed for wearing, this piece will be current till it weighs but 6^{dw^t} 21^gr as was stated in the late Order of Council. And after that it will continue to be current by allowing 2^d per grain for what it wants of the weight of 6^dwt 22^gr. For the latter part of the printed Proclamation concerning the allowance for light pieces & concerning the scales & weights for weighing them, I am humbly of opinion should be continued in the next Proclamation.

<234v>

I humbly beg leave to represent further to your Lordship that the weights & values of the silver coins in the printed Proclamation would answer better to one another & to the coins themselves if two pence were taken from the value of the Crusado & twenty grains added to their weight of the Dollars. For the Crustado is recconed in Portugal too be the tenth part of the Moyder in value & the Moyder is worth 30^s in Ireland as above & yet the Crusado is valued in the Proclamation at 3^s 2^d. Its weight before wearing is 11^{dw^t} 4^gr. In the Proclamation its weight it put 10^{dw^t} 20^gr, & a Crusado of this weight is worth but 3^s in Ireland. Rix Dollars Cross Dollars & other Dollars are in the Proclamation put of the same weight & value with pieces of eight of Mexico & Sevil, Pillar pieces & Lewises. And yet The Dollars are much coarser & heavier then the pieces of eight & Lewises & ought to be 20 grains heavier to be of the same value. Rix Dollars before wearing weighed about 18^{dw^t} & 6, 8 or 10 grains & Cross Dollars 18^{dw^t} 1^gr. Their weight in the Proclamation is 17^{dw^t}. That they may be worth 4^s 9^d (which is their value in the Proclamation) they should weigh 17^{dw^t} 20^gr.

I am humbly of opinion therefore that the gold coins should be of the weight & fineness expressed in the paper annexed & the silver ones as in the pointed Proclamation unless for the reasons above mentioned it should be thought fit to alter take 2^d from the value of the Crusados & adds 18 ^gr to the weight of the Dollars

All which &c

<325r>

these