Page [unnumbered]
PROCLAMATION Crying down the English Milned Crowns and Half-Crowns: Ordaining the Old-Merk and Half-Merk-Pieces to Pass, and stopping the taking of Bullion, at the Mint house.
WILLIAM by the grace of God, King of Great-Britain, France and Ireland; Defend∣er of the Faith, To _____ _____ Macers of Our Privy Council, Messengers at Arms, Our Sheriffs in that part, Conjunctly and Se∣verally, Specially, Constitute, Greeting: Forasmuch as by a Proclamation of the Date the twelfth Day of July, one Thousand six Hundred and Ninety five Years: The rate of the silver Milned Crown of England, was raised to three Pound six Shilling, and the En∣glish milned Half Crown proportionally: And it being found prejudicial to the Na∣tion, that the said English Crowns and Half-Crowns should pass at a greater Rate in this Kingdom, than they do in England. Therefore, We with Advice of the Lords of Our Privy Council; have thought fit to Cry down the said Milned English Crowns and Half-Crowns to the former Rate of Three pound, and one pound ten shilling Scots respective, and ordains the samen only to pass at the saids Rates, and Discharges our General Master and other Officers of our Mint to receive or take in the saids English Crowns or Half-Crowns, as Bullion, or any other Bullion to be Coined, after the Day & Date hereof, until further Order from the Lords of Our Privy Council, under the pain of Tinsel of their respective Offices, in case they Contraveen, and to be otherwise punished as Our Privy Council shal think fit. And Prohibits and Discharges all Gold-smiths and others to Melt down the saids English Crowns and Half-Crowns, under the pain of double of the Value of the said Money that shal be so melted down: And Ordains the Magistrats of Royal Burghs, and Burghs of Regality, & others within whose Bounds & Juris∣dictions, there is any Gold-smiths or others Melters of Mony; To take Bond from the saids Goldsmiths and others, that they shal not melt down the saids English Crowns and Half-Crowns, under the pain foresaid: And impowers the saids Magistrats to take the Oaths of the Goldsmiths and others foresaids, that dwells within their respective Burghs and Jurisdictiors, once every half year, and oftner if they see cause, or when Persons Informs against them, if they have melted down any of the saids Milned English Crowns, or Half-Crowns, that they may be punished in manner Above-mentioned; the one half of the value of what shall be Proven to be melted down to be applyed for the use of the Burgh within which the saids Gold-smiths, or other Person who shall Contraveen dwells, & the other half to the Informer. And forasmuch as, that notwithstanding of a former Proclamation, of the date the twenty eight of January last, Ordaining the Old Scots Merk, and half Merk Pieces to Pass a∣mongst all Persons within this Kingdom as current Mony, yet many presume to refuse the saids Old Merk and Half-merk pieces in payments, upon pretence that by long use they are become Barer, and appears Thinner, albeit they be not Clipt, and it being necessar that the said Abuse should be obviat: Therefore, and in Pursuance of the said Proclamation, We with Ad∣vice foresaid, Require and Impower all Magistrats of Burghs, Sheriffs, Baillies of Regalities, Stewarts and their Deputs, and all Justices of Peace to cause to pass the said old Merk and half Merk-Pieces, which are only worn Barer & Thinner through time, and are not Clipped, and to be received in all Payments within their Respective Jurisdictions, and to judge of all Debates arising thereanent; and to punish the Refusers of the saids Old Merk and half Mark Pieces, by fyning them sum∣marly for their Disobedience, not exceeding the double of the Mony wrongously refused to be payed to the Party who offers to pass the samine. OUR WILL IS HEREFORE, and We Charge you strictly, and Command, that incontinent these Our Letters seen, ye pass to the Mercat-Cross of Edinburgh, and to the Mercat-Crosses of the remanent Head-burghs of the several Shires & Stewartries within this Kingdom, and there in Our Name and Authority, by open Proclamation make Intimation hereof, that none pretend Ignorance: And Ordains these presents to be Printed.
Given under Our Signet at Edinburgh the Twenty one Day of May, and of Our Reign the Eight Year, 1696.
Ex deliberatione Dominorun Secreti Concilii. GILB, ELIOT Cls. Sti. Concilii