Conclusion

<98v>

Conclusion

Thus, in the heat of a long and expensive war, against a very powerfull and a very politick Prince, when wee had many false freinds at home; and few firme and potent allies abroad; soon after the death of the late Excellent Queen. When discontents were at the height, Faction grew heady, conspiracys were forming to destroy the Government and were only not putt in execution; when the publick was vastly in arrear, ingaged in a

<99r>

A general acc^t. of the Whole Recoynage at the Tower & the 5 Country Mints wherein the Charges & Loss upon the whole are Computed &c

<100r>

Account
of Gold & Silver Coyned Yearly from the Restauration 1660 To the Year 1700 Included

<100v>

Acc^t. of Gold Coynd yearly from the Restauration to the year 1700 included, being 40 years

N.B. The Tale for Gold & Silver abovementiond is Computed at the pound rate required by the Indentures of the Mint, from which there is a smal variation, but within the Remedy, in the Gold & Silver too.

<101r>

Acc^t. of Silver Coynd yearly from the Restauration to the year 1700 included. b|B|eing 40 years

<102r>

necessary warr, but incapable of carrying it on without the necessary supplys. when our false were underhand contriving all the methods, and employing a thousand \little/ artifices to embroile the state, and perplex the Government: when trade abroad underwent great discouragements by vast losses, and our Inland marketts were excessively disturbd and embarass'd by the badnesse of the mony: When the late King and his Ministers lay under all hardships, and difficultys in the administration, that perhaps ever hapned in any reign at one time, in this or any other Monarchy: When the burden of the Government satt so heavy on their shoulders that all their Prudence, firmness of Mind, zeale for the Nation and diligence in their severall stations, were but insufficient to support it from a relaps: When a disaffected Party amongst us whisperd and at last openly declard their assurance of a new Revolution with unexampled insolence, & impunity; and our Ennemys abroad triumph'd in the prospect of our ruine, and to complete it, had form'd with their Confederats here a design to assassinate the King and Invade us. In this very Criticall Iuncture, when in short Treachery and Perfidy and Poverty too reigned throughout the Kingdom, and some Persons hoped and most <102v> men feard the Government was in a sinking condition, and that 'twas impossible to restore it. This was the time when the Reform of the Silver and the Reduction of y^e. gold coins was resolv'd on: and the Resolution lookt like a paradox to most people, who thought it strange when the Government had so many occasions for mony, that some Ministers should propose to lessen the tale of the publick stock by reduceing Guineas for 30^s to 21^s. 6^d. and by recoyning all the debas'd and diminish'd \silver/ monys at the ancient weight and finenesse; which was advising and acting against the generall sense of most of the Gentlemen who had offerd their thoughts to the publick on this occasion, and against an Universall opinion viz^t. That the only wise and safe Expedient could be none other than to increase the Cash of y^e. Kingdom by lessening the weight of the particular pieces, advancing the allay or raising the Denomination. And if ever so unreighteous {sic} a practice was justifiable by the extraordinary occasions of the state, this certainly was a juncture that made it in a manner necessary to us: And the Patrons for it who were many & considerable within and without the 2 Houses pleaded our necessitys, and urg'd the Examples of former ages, <103r> and foreign states, with extraordinary zeale. In so much that had not some Persons of great Abilitys in both Houses (           ) cleerly understood the Debate, and steadily maintaind their ground, the Coin of England had infallibly been debas'd by authority of Parliament, which would have been a standing Reproach to our publick Councills, a high dishonnour to the English Nation and Government, and would have created new Evills and have brought upon us a world of mischief and damage in the whole trade of the kingdom for many years to come. Yet as I have already hinted some were so unhapily mistaken, others so resolut in opposing a thing of that consequence to the publick wellfare that the Reform of the Coin was undertaken with as many disadvantages, press'd forward against as much opposition, and perfected w.^th as many advantages to the Nation if not more than any other publick transaction since the late Revolution. But after the work was over and the good effects of it were seen through out the Kingdom, every body was satisfyed in the Iustice and prudence of y^e. undertaking, thô was before ridiculd as impracticable by some men of an unfortunate temerity, and like wise and honnest <103v> Patriots were for deferring the Coynage, or debasing y^e. Coin to keep up our Creditt and save the Nation.

'Tis therefore a demonstration of this inflexible Iustice and admirable Wisdom of the Government who when they had the fairest opportunity from the weakness of some, the importunity of others, and the publick necessitys of raising vast supplys by giving new Titles to Coins, and advancing the value of every species, and paying therewith the Publick. yet the Temptation was generously sleighted, and the Government chose rather to pursue the measures of true wisdom and pollicy in reforming the Coin according to y^e. ancient, legal standard of England; which was so memorable an Act of Iustice and Pollicy too, that it ought to be rememberd with gratitude by every true English man whilst the present Coins are in being.

And I am of opinion that this great work has some title to the honour of putting an end to the late long and expensive warr. For the Court at Versaille seeing wee durst undertake such a task, as restoreing the whole cash of the Kingdome, when the Government was loaded with prodigious debts, drain'd by vast Expences, and embarass'd with an infinit number of difficultys: and that upon the Restitution of the Coin in 169$\frac{6}{7}$, <104r> Trade began to revive, and the Nation was in some respects in a better posture than at the begining of the warr. When the many millions wee had coynd in Gold and Silver were publickly known abroad. France saw that we were not destitute of steady Councils, nor of a vast Cash to continue the Warr with her: and that 'twas in vain for her to hope for any success against us, whilst wee were under the conduct of so just and wise a Government; and tho wee all know the prospect of the Spanish Succession was the chief Inducement at Versaille to desire a peace of the Confederats, yet I may say excused if I offer to say that the peace was not actually concluded 'til November 1697 when wee have actually recoyned about six millions in silver

The Roman oratour tells us in his 3^d. Book of offices that Marius Gratidianus was honoured with publick statues by the Romans for restoreing their adulterated Coins; with what gratitude ought wee then to remember that Reign and those persons who advised and performed so great a work, at such a time under so many difficultys, and with such opposition. Yet of that vast consequence to the publick, and so much for the honour and glory of England! which ahd now the purest the noblest and the most beautifull gold and silver Cash, and it may be the richest of any one Nation in the |universe.|

<104v>

The memory of Queen Elizabeth is justly celebrated for y^e. reform of y^e. Coins; yet that was don in time of Peace. How much then does the late King merit the love and veneration of his subjects now liveing; and how dear must his memory be to posterity for leaving behind him for the {illeg}|us|es{illeg}|of|{illeg}|f|uture ages about {illeg}|tw|e{illeg}|l|ve millions of silver and Gold of the purest standard, and justest weight of any publick mony in the whole world, with y^e. Inscription of his Majestys regal stile and effigies. Spayn that is Mistriss of the Gold and Silver Mines of the West Indys, and hardly France it self that potent Monarchy, and indeed no other Country can boast of the like Coin with that of England as its now restored by his late Majesty. Let a certain Prince then call'd the Great Monarch and his subtle Ministry v{illeg}|a|lue themselves as much as they please for their deep designs to embroil their neighbours, elude publick Treatys, seize and betray strong Towns, lay waste whole Countries, and make the world tremble &cæt^a., England has now \a Queen/ and had lately a King governing by nobler Principles and wiser maxims, who did more with 14000 men in 1688 than ever the French King had|s| don with all his hundred thousand dureing his whole reign of 60. For the late King crossd the seas & rescued a neighbour nation in the midst of winter. But the Gentleman at Versaille was never known among all his Glorious Actions, <105r> as his Flatterers stile 'em, to save any one thô he has ruin'd many Countrys. He has often made reprisalls upon his subjects by changing the denomination of their Coins, but our King restored his to their just value. I'll leave it to impartiall History to make y^e. distinction, and let the French King flatter himself as he pleases, it will stand upon Record to future ages; that he broke so many Ligues, sackd so many Towns, destroyd so many Provinces made his neighbours and his own people very miserable, and in short was the great disturber and Plague of mankind. On the other hand, Posterity will be told; that at the same time there liv'd a certain Prince, who in his youth redeemed Holland, and after sav'd England, Scottland, and Ireland; who like a true Hero, fought every year in person for the Religion Laws and Libertys of his Kingdoms against the aforesaid mighty Tyrant; who restored Peace to Europe and settled our Government upon its true fundation {sic}, who livd feard by none but y^e. guilty, belov'd by his subjects and all Europe: whose death was lamented as the generall loss of Europe, & whose memory will be dear and glorious, to all true English men especially in all su\c/ceeding ages for restoring the state and y^e. silver Coins, and for securing the succession to her present Majesty & her Heirs in y^e. Protestant Line, whom God bless with a Happy Governm^t.

Finis.