Elementary arithmetic, with brief notices of its history... by Robert Potts.

AMOxEY.

17

by the wardens of the craft, and marked with a leopard's head (see
Lowndes, p. 202). The coins of Edward I. and of his successors till
Henry VII., represent him full-faced, and crowned with an open
crown fleurie, consisting of three fleurs-de-lis, with two rays or lesser
flowers, not rising so high as the other three placed between them.
His style was, Rex Anglims, Dominus Hibernim, which latter title he
introduced upon English money, though it had appeared on the great
seal from the time of king John.
Edward II., 1307-1327, by proclamation, commanded in 1310,
that money should be current at the value it bore in the reign of his
father, and that no one should enhance the fine of his goods on that
account, because it was the king's pleasure, that the coins should be
kept up at the same value as they were wont to boar. It appears
from the articles which the Commons delivered to the king, that the
money was depreciated more than one-half.
Notwithstanding the measures taken, the base and clipped money
continued to increase in the country. His coinage was in every
respect exactly similar to that of his father. The favourable expectations formed on his accession, were disappointed; for the whole of
his reign was turbulent and unfortunate. His frequent disputes with
the barons. left him little leisure for attention to restore the integrity
of the coinage, or to frame statutes for the well-being of his kingdom.
Edward III., 1327-1377. The murder of Edward II. by Isabel
his Queen and her confederates, placed her son, a youth, on the
throne. This atrocious deed was done, under the idea, that his
mother's influence over him, would place in her hands the government of the realm. In less than three years after his father's murder,
she was imprisoned by her son, and condign punishment inflicted
on her adherents. His next act was to disavow the excesses and
abuses which had disgraced the beginning of his reign, as having
been done without his authority, and he applied himself to correct them.
Among these abuses, were the corruption of the coins of the realm,
and the introduction of base money by foreigners. Other causes besides these contributed to the scarcity of money in the kingdom.'
1 At the Parliament held at Westminster, 28th May, 1343, a grievous complaint was exhibited by the Earls, Barons, Knights, Burgesses, and other of the
Commons, for that strangers by virtue of reservations and provisions Apostolic,
got the best of the benefices of the land into their hands, and never came to them,
nor bore any charges due for the same; but diminishing the treasure of the realm,
and conveying it forth, sore endangered the whole state. Thereupon a letter
was framed by the Lords of the temporalty and Commons, representing the
matter to the Pope, and signifying that they would not suffer such enormities
any longer, and beseeching him to revoke such reservations, &c. This was most
ungraciously received by His Holiness, who sent an answer; but the King, nevertheless, proceeded in prohibiting such provisions, &c., within his realm, on pain
of imprisonment and death to the intruders.-Holinshed iT. p. 365.
About half a century before this complaint of the English people was made,
Pope Boniface VIII. in the year 1300, in imitation of the Jews (but not with the
same object), first instituted a year of Jubilee, to be celebrated every hundredth
year. The first celebration was found very profitable. Clement VI. reduced the
period to 50 years. Urban VI. next ordained it to be held every 35 years, and
lastly, Sixtus IV. further reduced the period to every 25th year. Erasmus has
wittily remarked (Epp. Lib. xx. Ep. 90) "Monachi mirum in modum ariant
ignem purgatorium quod utilissimus sit illorum culinis. It is not unworthy
of attention to note the various methods by which Papal Rome has successfully
managed to subject the minds of men to her authority, and thereby to get command of their property.
c