Procedure: petition, 31 December 1696, Edinburgh

Att Edinburgh The Tuentieone day of May J^aj vj^c nyntie six years post meridiem

A1696/5/50

A1696/5/50¹

Proclamation

Proclamation Crying doun English milled Crouns and half Crouns ordering the old merk and half merk peices to pass and stopping the taking of bullion at the mint house

The Follouing proclamation Being read was votted approven and signed and ordered to be recorded wherof the tenor Folloues
William by the Grace of God King of Great Brittain France and Ireland defender of the faith To Macers of our privie Councell messengers at arms our shirreffs in that pairt conjunctlly and severallie speciallie Constitut Greeting Forasmuchas by a proclamation of the date the tuelvth day of July J^aj vj^c nyntie five years the rate of the silver millned Croun of England was raised to three pound six shilling And the English milned halfe Croun proportionallie. And it being found prejudiciall to the nation that the said English Crouns and halfe Crouns should pass at a Greater rate in this Kingdome then they doe in England Therfore we uith advyse of the Lords of our privie Councell Have thought fitt to Cry doun the said milled English Crouns and halfe Crouns to the former rate of three pound and one pound ten shilling scotts respectively And ordaines the same only to pass at the said raites And discharges our Generall master and other officers of our mint to receave or take in the saids English Crouns or halfe Crouns as bullion or any other bullion to be Coyned after the day and date heirof untill furder order from the Lords of our privie Counsell under the paine of tinsell of their respective offices in caise they Contraveen And to be otheruays punished as our privie Counsell shall think fitt And prohibites and discharges all Goldsmiths and others to melt doun the saids English Crouns and halfe Crouns under the paine of double of the value of the said money that shall be so melted doun And ordaines the magistrats of royall burghs and burghs of regality and others within whose bounds and Jurisdiction Ther is any Goldsmiths or other melters of money to take bond from the saids Goldsmiths and others that they shall not melt doun the saids English Crouns and halfe Crounes under the paine forsaid And Impoures the said magistrats to take the oaths of the saids goldsmiths and others forsaids that duells uithin their respective burghs and Jurisdictions once every halfe year and oftner if they see Cause or when persons informs against them if they have melted doun any of the saids English milned Crouns or halfe Crouns that they may be punished in manner abovementioned The one halfe of the value of what shall be proven to be melted doun to be applied for the use of the Burgh within which the saids Goldsmith or other persons who shall Contraveen duells And the other halfe to the Informer And Forasmuch as that notuithstanding of a former proclamation of the date the tuenty Eight of January Last ordaining the old scotts merk and halfe merk peices to pass amongst all persons within this Kingdome as Current money yet many presume to refuise the saids old merk and halfe merk peices in payment upon pretence that by Long use they are become barer and appears thinner albeit they be not Clippt And it being necessar that the said abuse should be obviat Therfore and in pursuance of the said proclamation we uith advice forsaid Requyre and Impouer all Magistrats of Burghs shirreffs Baillies of regalities steuarts and their Deputes and all Justices of peace to Cause to pass the saids old merk and halfe merk peices which are only uorne barer and thinner through tyme and are not Clipped and to be receaved in all payments uithin their respective Jurisdictions And to Judge of all debates arrysing theranent and to punish the refuisers of the saids old merk and halfe merk peices By fyning them summarly for their Disobedience not exceeding the double of the Money wroungously refuised to be payed to the party who offers to pass the samen Our will is heirfore And ue Charge yow 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 severall shires and steuartries uithin this Kingdom And ther in our name and authority by open proclamation make intimation heirof That none pretend ignorance And ordaines these presents to be printed Given under our signet at Edinburgh the tuenty one day of May and of our reigne the Eight year 1696 sic subscribitur Poluarth cancelar Queensberry Southerland Morton Forfar Beilhaven Ruthven James Steuart Adam Cockburn F Montgomery John Maxuell Robert Cheislie