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

20

IMONEY.

The coinage of Richard IIc does not differ from that of his
predecessors. His name is inscribed RICARD. or RIOARDUS, with the
title REX ANGLIE ET FRANCIE ET DOMINUS HIBERNIE et AQUITANIE.
The last appears only on his gold coins.
Henry IV., 1399-1413. The system of favouritism of the irresolute Richard at length brought on his deposition, and his death by
violence. He had been compelled to resign his crown from his incapacity to govern, and Henry, Duke of Lancaster, claimed the crown
by hereditary right.
In the Parliament at Westminster, 20 Jan. 1400, the Commons
petitioned the king, and the king's answer is contained in the statute
of 5 Rich. II., which provided that gold and silver should not be sent
out of the kingdom without the king's licence.
In the year 1402, the Commons complained that the statute
14 Rich. II, c. 2, respecting the exchanges made by merchants to
the court of Rome had not been enforced.
In 1404, the statute 6 Hen. IV. c. 1, was intended to prevent the
payment to the Church of Rome of more for first-fruits than had been
accustomed, by which large sums had been carried out of the realm.
Another statute was made in this year to prevent the increasing evil
of carrying money out of the realm to the Court of Rome.
In 1411, it was ordained that the Tower pound of gold should be
coined into 50 nobles, and the pound of silver into 30 shillings of
sterlings, so that this gold and silver should be of the same standard as
the old money. This ordinance brought down the coins, the groat to
60 grains, the half-groat to 30, the penny to 15, the half-penny
to 71, and the farthing to 33 grains. It will be seen, that the
in no earthly subjection, but immediately subject to God in all things touching the regality of the same crown, and to none other, should be submitted
to the Pope, and the laws and statutes of the realm by him defeated, and avoided
at his will, in perpetual destruction of the King our Lord, his crown, his
regality, and of all his realm, which God defend. And, moreover, the Commons
aforesaid say, that the said things so attempted by the Pope be clearly against
the King's crown and his regality, used and approved of the time of all his
progenitors; wherefore they and all the liege Commons of the same realm, will
stand with our said Lord the King, and his said crown, and his regality, in the
cases aforesaid: and in all other cases attempted against him, his crown, and his
regality in all points, to live and to die." The occasion of this declaration arose
from the fact, that the bishop of Rome had ordained and proposed to translate
some prelates of the realm, some out of the realm, and some from one bishoprick into
another, within the realm, without the King's assent and knowledge, and without
the assent of the prelates so to be translated. By which translations (if they
should be suffered) the statutes of the realm would be defeated and made void;
and the king's liege sages of his Council, without his assent, and against his
will, carried away and gotten out of his realm, and the substance and treasure
of the realm carried away, and so the kingdom would be destitute as well of
counsel as of substance. To remedy these evils, in the year 1392, the statute
10 Rich. II. c. 5 was enacted. This statute declared, that all persons who
should purchase or pursue, or cause to be purchased or pursued, in the court
of Rome, or elsewhere, any such translations, should be put out of the King's
protection; their lands and tenements, goods and chattels, forfeited to the King,
and their bodies to be attached, if they might be found, and brought before the
King and Council, there to answer; or that process should be made against them
by preemunire facias.
In 1399, in order to check the carrying of money and gold and silver out of
the realm by the Pope's agents, an oath was now administered by the collector,
by which he engaged not to convey any money, &c., beyond the sea, without
the King's special licence.