242-3)

Author: Isaac Newton

Source: MINT 19/2/237-8, 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
  - 30 October 2016
    - Transcribed by Will Scott
  - 13 January 2017
    - Checked by Will Scott
  - 12 March 2017
    - Will Scott separated 239 from 237-8, with the former merged with 240 in MINT00506.
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<237r>

To the R^t Hon^ble the Earl of Oxford & Earl Mortimer Lord High Treasurer of great Britain.

May it please yo^r Lord^p

|1| In obedience to yo^r Lord^ps Order of Reference signified to me by M^r Taylor in his Letter of Iune 16^th 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 w^ch were omitted in a former Proclamation, a printed copy of w^ch 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 w^ch happened there at the Council chamber, so that the Clerk of the Council cannot now certify that the printed copy agrees verbatim w^th the original as the late Act of Parliam^t requires for the conviction of Co{ie}|u|nterfeiters of those coyns. And upon comparing the said Presentation w^th y^e said late Order of Council & printed Procl{illeg}|a|mation I humbly represent that |[|if the standard weights of the forreig{illeg}|n| coins est 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 is|\being/| in y^e said Proclamation put 4^{dw^t} 8^gr (for this is their ordinary weight one w^th 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 8^{dw^t} 16^gr & that of a quadruple Pistole 17^{dw^t} 8^gr. And the Moyder (w^ch as the Merchants bring them hither before wearing a little worn, weigh one w^th 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 y^e same Proclamation For those of this weight are in Ireland |in Irland where {illeg} an English shilling passes for 13^d the Moyders of this weight are| worth 29^s. 11 $\frac{1}{2}$ ^d, recconing an English shilling there at 13^d & gold 22 carats fine at 3^li 19^s 8^d $\frac{3}{4}$ per ounce w^ch is the standard value,|;| {But} If |Or| \Or {sic} {illeg} 30^s 00 $\frac{3}{4}$ if recconing gold {sic}/ gold 22 carats fine be recconed at {illeg}|4|^li per ounce, as is commonly done, a Moyder weighing 6^{dw^t} 22^gr will be worth 30^s 00^d $\frac{3}{4}$ per ounce And taking\at a medium in/ the nearest round number|s|the Moyders weighing 6 may be put in weigh 6^dwt 22^gr & in value 30^{s} it \it may be valued at 30^s without any error/ without any error worth noting, & it will be current without any abatem^t for wearing if it weighs above \6^dwt/ 21^gr notwithstanding that it|s| {put} weight |b|is|e| |put| {illeg}|6|^dwt 22^gr 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 w^th another 4^dwt 7^gr, being lightned about a grain by wearing & those of this weight are worth 18^s 6^d in Ireland where an English shilling does for 13^d.

The Ducatoon of Flanders before wearing weighs (one piece w^th another) <237v> 20^{dw^t} 22^gr. That it may be worth 6^s in Ireland as it's val{ued} in the printed Proclamation, its weight \should be 21^{dw^t}. In the printed Proclamation its weight is put/ is put 20^{dw^t} 16^gr 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 w^th another 17^{dw^t} 12^gr. That they may be worth 4^s 9^d in Ireland as they are valued in the Proclamation they ought to weigh 17^{dw^t} 8^gr. In the printed Proclamation their weight is put 17^{dw^t} without allowing any thing for {illeg}|8|^gr wanting in the weight.

The Cross Dollar before wearing weighs (at a medium) 18^{dw^t} 1^gr. That it may be worth 4^{illeg}|s| 9^d as its valued in the Proclamation it weigh ought to weigh 18^{dw^t}. In the Proclamation its weight is put 17^{dw^t} without allowing any thing for the penny weight wanting, w^ch amounts to 3^d.

R{e}|i|x Dollars are of several sorts.| &| B|b|efore wearing weigh about 18^dwt & 8 or 10 grains. That they may be worth 4^s 9^d in Ireland they ought to weigh 17^{dw^t} & 18 or 20 grains. In the printed Proclamation their weight it put 17^{dw^t} without allowing any thing for the want of 14^gr in {weight} 18 or 20^gr in weight.

The old Peru piece of eight, that it may be worth 4^s. 6^d in Ireland should weigh 17^{dw^t} & is put at that weight in the printed Proclamation.

The Crusado of Portugal that it before wearing weighs 11^{dw^t} 4^gr. That it may be wroth 3^s 2^d it ought to weigh 11^{dw^t} 10^gr. In the printed Proclamation its weight is put 2|1|0^{dw^t} w^thout allowing any thing for the want of 14^s in weight.

The allowance of 2^d 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 ca{n} 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 y^e \printed/ Proclamation concerning the allowan{ce} 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 Lord^p the concerning the silver coins made current by the said printed Proclamation that |[|y^e Ducatoon of Flanders weighs (one piece w^thanother 20^{dw^t} 22^gr. In the printed Proclamation its weight is put 20^dwt {1}{6}^gr & it value {2}|6|^s. To be of that value it ought to weigh 21^{dw^t}. F{or} the want of eight grains nothing is allowed|]| that the |s|s|i|lver pieces are mentioned in the said Proclamation are put lighter b{e} then in proportion to their just value by eight grains or above,|.| The Ducatoon of Flanders before wearing weighs one piece w^th another 20^dwt 22^gr. In the Proclamation <238r> they are valued at {illeg} 6^s. To be of that value they should weigh 2{illeg}|1|^{dw^t}. Their weight in the printed Proclamation is put 20^{dw^t} 16^gr without|w^ch is eight grains less| & no abatement in value is made for the want of \these/ 8^gr. When by wearing they want |1|8|2|^gr more, in all 20^gr 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 200^{dw^t} 22^gr. And {illeg} 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 ha{b}|v|e been still current.

The Pistoles {be}\pieces of 8/ of Mexico are worth & sevil & Pillar pieces of 8|e|ight

I humbly beg leave further to represent to your Lord^p y^t that the Dollars are coarser then Pieces of Eight

I humbly beg leave further to represent to your Lord^p that Rix Cross Dollars Rix Dollars & other Dollars are coar weightier & coarser then Pieces of 8|e|ight & ought to weight 17^{dw^t} 20 grains that they \may/ be worth 4^s 9^d as they ar in Ire\ought to weight 17^{dw^t} 20^gr & before wearing weigh one w^th another above 18^dwt./ as they are put in the Proclamation. And the Crusado of Portugal {illeg} weighing 2|1|0^{dw^t}. 20^gr is worth but 3^s in Ireland, {illeg}|wher|eas it is put in the Proclamation worth 3^s 20^gr. And the Ducatoon weighing twenty penny weight sixteen grains is worth but\only/ 5^s 11^d but in the next round number is valued at 6^s {illeg}|in| y^e 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 Lord^p that Rix Dollars Cross Dollars & other Dollars \w^ch with pieces of 8 are valued in the printed Procl at 4 {9}/ are coarser & weightier then pieces of eight & that they may be worth 20^{s} 4^s 9^d in Ireland they may should weigh {illeg} 17^{dw^t} 20^gr \to be worth 4^s 9^d in Ireland as the {sic} are/ whereas in the printed Proclamation their weight is put only 17^dwt. Rix Dollars before wearing weight about 17|8|^{dw^t} 9^grains {illeg}|&| Cross Dollars 17|8|^dwt 1^gr.|,| & so might have been put at 17^dwt 20^gr in the Proclamation. The Crusados of Portugal weigh{illeg}|i|ng 10^{dw^t} {is put be} new out of the Mint weigh one w^th another 11^d 4^d|g|r|.| {& are} worth In y^e proclamation their weight is put 10^{dw^t} 18^gr, an allowance of eigh grains being At this weight they are worth in Ireland 3^s 0^d whereas in the Proclamation they are valued at {10} 3^s 2^d, w^ch is 2^d too much.

|3.| {W} I humbly beg leave further to represent to your Lord^p that pieces of eight of rix Dollars Cross Dollars & other Dollars are in y^e printed Proclamation put of equal weight & value w{illeg}|i|th pieces of 8|.| {illeg} |They| should weight 17^{dw^t} & 18 or 20^gr to \that they may/ be worth 4^s 9^d, whereas\but/ in y^e proclamation they were their weight is put only 17^{dw^t}. Rix Dollars before we{illeg}|a|ring weigh about 18^{dw^t} 9^gr & Cross Dollars 18^{dw^t} 1^gr & so might have been put at 17^{dw^t} {illeg}|20|^gr in y^e said Proclamation there being \12/ grains allowed under this weight allowed for{illeg} 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 {are}\would/ still \be/ current.

<238v>

I have annexed a scheme of y^e gold \coins/ suitable to the weight & va{lue} of the above mentioned {sic}\represented/. The All the silver coyns are already set down wit{h} their weight & value in the printed paper \Proclamation/ unless it should be thought fit to alter the weight of the Dollars & value of the Crud|s|ados. All w^ch &c

And a grain being allowed for wearing, it will be current till it weights but 6^{dw^t} 21^gr \as in the late Order of Council. {sic}/. And after that it will continue to be current by allowing 2^d p^r grain for what it wants of y^e weight of 6^{dw^t} 22^gr.

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 & {illeg}|v|alues \of the silver coins/ would answer better to one another if \four grains were added to/ the weight of the Ducatoons was put 20|tw|enty penny twenty grains, {sic} \& twenty grains to/ that of the Cross Dollars Rix Dollars & other Dollars 17^{dw^t} 20^gr & the Crusado of Portugal was valued at two pence was taken from y^e value of the Crusado of Portugal.

In the printed Proclamation\I have annexed a scheme of the gold coins suitable to this Report & humbly beg represent further that concerning the silver coins in the\further/ 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 y^e 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 w^ch ion the Proclamation are put of the same weight & value with the pieces of eight, differ from them considerably in weight & fineness, are heavier {illeg} & of coarser allay, & ought to be 18 or 20 grains hea{illeg}|v|ier then pieces of eight that they may be of the same value.

All w^ch &c

For in Portugal the Moyder is recconed worth 10 Crusados & the Crusado before wearing weighs 11^{dw^t} 4^gr. 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 11^dwt 4^gr & in Portugal is recc{e}|o|ned the tenth part of a Moyder. In the Proclamation eight grains {illeg}\are/ taken from the weight & two pence added to the value. It should be valued only at 3|t|hree shilling /& the half at one shillings & sixpence.\

The Dollars also w^ch are coarser & heavier then then {sic} the Mexico & Sevil pieces of eight & Lewises are \put/ in the Proclamation of the same weight & value w^th them. To make them of the same value 20^gr should be added to their weight. The Cross Dollar before wearing weighs 18^{dw^t} 1^gr |&| the old Rix Dollars 18^{dw^t} & 8 or 10^gr. To make them worth 4^s 9^d they should weigh 17^{dw^t} 20^gr, where as in the Proclamation they are said to weigh on\l/y 17^dwt Its probable that the coarseness of the Dollars was not known to them that stated the Proclamation their weight in the Procl