This is a reproduction of a book from the McGill University Library collection. Title: A view of the coinage of Scotland : with copious tables, lists, descriptions, and extracts from acts of Parliament : and an account of numerous hoards or parcels of coins discovered in Scotland : and of Scottish coins found in Ireland : illustrated with upwards of 350 engravings of Scottish coins, a large number of them unpublished Author: Lindsay, John, 1789-1870 Publisher, year: Cork : Printed by Messrs. Bolster; sold, also, by Black, Edinburgh [etc.], 1845 The pages were digitized as they were. The original book may have contained pages with poor print. Marks, notations, and other marginalia present in the original volume may also appear. For wider or heavier books, a slight curvature to the text on the inside of pages may be noticeable. ISBN of reproduction: 978-1-926748-98-6 This reproduction is intended for personal use only, and may not be reproduced, re-published, or re-distributed commercially. For further information on permission regarding the use of this reproduction contact McGill University Library. McGill University Library www.mcgill.ca/library A VIEW OF THE COINAGE OF SCOTLAND, WITH COPIOUS TABLES, LISTS, DESCRIPTIONS, AND EXTRACTS FROM ACTS OF PARLIAMENT ; AND AN ACCOUNT OF NUMEROUS HOARDS OR PARCELS OF COINS DISCOVERED IN SCOTLAND, AND OF SCOTTISH COINS FOtJND IN IRELAND. ILLUSTRATED WITH UPWARDS OF 350 ENGRAVINGS OF SCOTTISH COINS, A LARGE NUMBER OF THEM UNPUBLISHED. BY JOHN LINDSAY, ESQ., BARRISTER AT LAW. Member of the British Archceological Association, Member of the Irish Archaeological Society, Corresponding Member of the Syro Egyptian Society of London, and Author of "A View of the Coinage of Ireland,*7 and of " A View of the Coinage of the Heptarchy." CORK: PRINTED BY MESSRS. BOLSTER, PATRICK-STREET; SOLD, ALSO, BY BLACK AND CO., EDINBURGH; JOHN CUMMING, DUBLIN; AND LONGMAN AND CO., LONDON. MDCCCXLV. TO THE MOST NOBLE THE MARQUESS OF BREADALBANE, K. T., &c. &c. &c. AND THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE SOCIETY OF ANTIQUARIES OF SCOTLAND. THIS YIEW OF THE COINAGE OF SCOTLAND, Is respectfully inscribed, BY Their faithful and obedient Servant. JOHN LINDSAY. Cork, August, 1845. PREFACE. THAT the subject of the Scottish coinage should have experienced so much neglect has been matter of surprise to many, it has also been considered extraordinary that whilst the English coinage including the Ancient British, goes back to a period by many supposed antecedent to the Christian era, and the Irish at least as far as the middle of the 10th century, the only Nu­ mismatic works we have on the Coinage of Scotland should commence with William the Lion 1165, and that it should even be a grave question which the writers thought it necessary to entertain whether the coins of William did not belong to the Conqueror. The small extent however of the Scottish Series hitherto published, must be in a great degree attributed to the little interest taken in these coins, and its actual extent to the circumstance that a large portion of the fairest part of Scotland was until 956 comprehended within the Saxon kingdom of Northumberland, whose coins are more numerous than those of any other kingdoms of the Heptarchy, whilst a great portion of the remainder embrac­ ing the islands was possessed by the kings of Man and Norway. An attentive examination however of the subject will I think satisfy us that the coinage of Scotland may be traced back to a period at least one hundred years antecedent to that hitherto assigned to it, and when we consider that Scotland has nearly as fair a claim as England to the numerous coins of Northumberland, it will I think be admitted that the coinage of Scotland is neither deficient in extent or interest, and that no part of the united empire stands so much in need of an improved and enlarged view of her Numismatic Antiquities, Of the work now presented to the reader, that part which treats of the coinage of Scotland previous to William the Lion is altogether a novelty, whilst the subsequent part cannot exhibit more than an improved and cor­ rected view of the coins already published, together with the addition of a considerable number of coins since discovered ; the destruction of a great 297495 vi PREFACE. part of the Scottish records has indeed confined the task of the writer within rather narrow limits, but an attentive examination of what remain will be found to supply us with much more evidence than has hitherto been adduced. The inaccuracy of a great portion of the Plates in Snelling and Cardonnel has rendered it necessary to append to this work a new set of Plates, includ­ ing every material variety of type and legend, from the earliest period down to the accession of James VI. to the English throne ; it was my original in­ tention to have engraved the Anglo Scottish coins also, but as I found it diffi­ cult and in some instances impossible to procure impressions of some of the rarest of these coins, and considered that all or the greater part of them were engraved in Ruding in at least as neat and perfect a manner as I could hope to give them, I abandoned my intention ; I have however in the work itself, and in the Descriptive Catalogue given a full and ample arrangement of these coins, which with references to the Plates of Ruding and others, will I hope be found sufficient. As to the work itself, the very able commentary of Snelling on this subject must be acknowledged as a capital foundation, whilst the Preface of Cardon­ nel supplies us with much useful information, but the reader will perceive that I have ventured to make various alterations in the appropriations made by both those writers, particularly in the arrangement of the coins of Alex­ ander II. and III., Robert I, and II., and those of James I, II. III. and IV. I cannot conclude these prefatory remarks without returning my best thanks to several kind and learned individuals, from whose numerous commu­ nications this work has derived such important service. To William Ferguson, Esq., Edinburgh, I am in the highest degree in­ debted for a great extent of most valuable information relative to the coins in the Scottish collections which his own fine cabinet and free access to those of the Antiquaries of Scotland and Faculty of Advocates, together with his great knowledge of the subject so well enabled him to communicate ; I am also greatly indebted to him for copious extracts from the Scottish Records and Acts of Parliament, and for the greater part of the notices of Hoards or Parcels of coins contained in this volume ; indeed the numerous favours and contributions I have received from him, have added most materially to the efficiency and interest of this work. To the Rev. Jos. W. Martin of Keston near Bromley, Kent, I am under obligations for information of various kinds ; his observations on many doubt- PREFACE. vii ful points relative to the Scottish coinage have been of much service to me, and his knowledge of the principal collections in England and Scotland, has often directed my attention to coins which would otherwise have escaped my notice. To Cosmo Innes, Esq., Advocate, Edinburgh, Sheriff and Commissary of the County of Elgin, I am highly indebted for copious extracts from the Scottish Records and Acts of Parliament, which have thrown much light on the coinage and enabled me to make some very important appropriations, particularly of the coins of James I. II. and IV. To James Dodsley Cuff, Esq., F.S.A., Bank of England, I have to return thanks for many important notices and impressions of coins which his own rich cabinet of Scottish coins enabled him to supply. To the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, and to the Faculty of Advocates, I feel highly indebted for permission to have examination made and impres­ sions taken of the many rare Scottish coins contained in their cabinets, the importance of which will abundantly appear from the pages of this work. To Alexander Macdonald, Esq., Principal Keeper of the Register of Deeds, Edinburgh, and Curator of the Museum of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, I have to return my best thanks for the very interesting and im­ portant Inventory of the effects of James III., and for the inspection of many acts of Parliament relative to the Scottish coinage. To Archibald Bell, Esq., Advocate, Sheriff and Commissary of the County of Ayr, and Treasurer and Curator to the Faculty of Advocates, I have to return thanks for impressions of a great number of coins of the first rarity contained in the rich cabinet entrusted to his care. To Edward Hawkins, Esq., F.R.S., F.S.A., &c„ and to W. S. W. Vaux, Esq., F.S.A., I am much indebted for a catalogue of the Scottish coins in the British Museum, from which I have derived much information, and for nu­ merous impressions of gold and silver Scottish coins in that grand National Institution. To Richard Sainthill, Esq., I am on this as on many a former occasion deeply indebted for a variety of important information, which his own know­ ledge of coins and his very great intercourse with so many other eminent nu­ mismatists enabled him to contribute. To Dr. A. Smith, M.R.I.A,, I am indebted for several rare and interesting Scottish coins which have added much to the materials of this work. viii PREFACE. To John Adamson, Esq., F.S.A., Honorary Secretary of the Society, of Antiquaries of Newcastle on Tyne, and to the Rev.