III. NOTE F SOMO S E UNPUBLISHED EECORDE COINAGETH F O SF O S BY .B JAMEW . . VI COCHRAS N PATRICK, B.A., LL.B., F.S.A. SOOT. Some unpublished records of the coinages of the reign of James the Sixth stile ar , l e Registeextanth n i t r House consistd e firsth an , t n i , place, of the "Minutes of the Privy Council," extending in almost a complete series from the commencement to the close of the period. A few extracts from thes givee Lindsay ear b s ne " hi Vieth n yf i w o Coinag f Scotland,o e " bue mosth t t importan f theo t m have never hitherto been made accessible to the Scottish numismatist. It will be seen fro e followinmth g descriptions that they supply e nearlth l al y blanks which exist at present in our knowledge of the various series of coin f thio s s reign. Ther s alsi e mosa o t important " e Compth f o t Cunzie" mad y Thomab e s Acheson, extending from April 158o t 2 August 1606d affordinan , g full informatioe e dateth th f o so t s a n various mintage e amountth d san s coined. Severa wardense th f o l ' books and registers of the daily work at the Mint are also preserved ; and one interesting register, of the' mintages from 1588 to 1592 has been dis- covered amongs Society'e MSSe th th t n i . s indebte Librarym a I d dan , to Mr Joseph Anderson for directing my attention to it. Besides the above unpublished Kecords there are several contracts, overtures, reports, and other papers of a miscellaneous nature, all relating to the subject before us. interesf o e b studento y t t ma t f ScottisI so h numismatic poino t t s ou t ON UNPUBLISHED RECORDS OF THE COINAGE OF JAMES VI. 389

more th e important results whic investigation ha above-mentionee th f no d document s affordedr thiha sfo s d purposan , e followinth e g tahled san descriptions are given. Beginning with the Silver Coinages we find that the James Ryall or Sword-Dollar was ordered to be coined by an Act of Privy Council in August 1567. This Act is given by Cardonnel, and is found in the Minutes of the Privy Council in almost identical terms. Lindsay's account of this coinage is full and correct, though some new dates have occurred since his time. We may, therefore, sum up the com- plete history of these pieces as follows, viz.:— The Sword-dollar, originally calle e Jameth d s Eyall issues wa ,n di 1567-68-69-70-71. It was authorised by an Act of Privy Council recorded in August 1567. The value at the time of issue was 30s., t subsequentlthis bu swa f Privo t yyAc raise n 157n a i 36so . dt y 8 b 9d . Council. The weight was one ounce Troy Scottish, or 472-| grains mo- dern Troy, and the fineness 11 deniers, with the usual remedies for weight and fineness. The countermarks which occur were ordered to be put f Privo t yAc Council n on 157a i n y b 8 , when e 30salth l . pieced an s their parts were recalled to the Mint, tested, and reissued with a counter- . e nobleth o calleo t come s(s Lindsay) y w W b deno , though they were more commonly known as the Half-merk Pieces. These were authorised to be issued by an Act of Privy Council, dated 12th May 1572. They were coined during the first year at Dalkeith, as appears from a letter preserved in the State Paper Office, addressed by Sir Wm. Drary to Lord Burleigh,1 and according to the author of the "Diurnal of Occurrents" 2 were only 6 denier fine, though it is worthy of remark that no mention of the fineness is made in the Act of the Privy Council, which is most unusual e coinagTh .t Dalkeita e h only occurren e yeari on s a ,r fo d 1573 e Lorn therentrth a ds n ei yi Treasurer' s account f "xiijso . lixs e payi caryinr fo t transportind gan haile th lf go necessari word an s k luniis appartening to the cunzehous fra the castell of Dalkeith to the palice of Halyrudhous." ... n 157 I e standar. th 6 f finenesdo raises wa so dt eight deniers, as appears from a contract entered into between the Regent and Abraham Petersoun, preserve Eegistee th n di r House157n i d t 9i an , was recalle e usuath o dt l standar f 1do 1 Half-noblee denTh . Fortr o , y Piece exactls i , y similar, excep valuen i t . 1 Cal. State Papers, Scotland, vol. i. p. 343. 2 Pp., 297, 298. 0 39 PROCEEDING SOCIETYE TH F SO , DECEMBE , 1873R8 .

nexe Th t silver coins mentione e "Vieth dn i w Coinag e ofth Scotlandf eo " arThistle eth e Dollars r moro , e properl e Two-meryth k Piece f 1579o s , accouns hi an n d i f theo t m Lindsay falls into severa firse l errorsth t n I . place, he mistakes the weights used in the Scottish Mint for the modern English Troy standard ; and in the next place, he confuses the coinage of 1581 with that of 1579. We may sum up the correct history of these two-merk pieces as follows, viz.:— Thistle Th e Dollar, more properly knowe Two-merth s na k Pieces wa , first authorised by an Act of the Parliament of Scotland on the 25th of July 1578 y thit fulB sAc l. powePrive gives th wa yo rnt Counci l e typeth x , fi weight o t , purity d valuean , . Accordingly e 18tth h1 01 , September, an Act of Privy Council was passed, ordering a piece of silver coinee finenese b th 1 deniers o 1 t f do f o s o weigt , h 17 denier d 11an s grains Scottis a littl r e(o h ove4 grain34 r s modern Troy)callee b o dt , the Two-merk Piece, and to have course for 26s. 8d. The half was to be in all respects similar, but current for only 13s. 4d. The usual remedies of weigh r fineneso t s were allowed. This coinag furthes ewa r confirmed Parliamenf o t Ac n a t y passeb 1579n di . e merTh k piec exceedingls ei y rare, though thre r fouknowne o e ar r . The dates 1578-1579 occur in the two-merk pieces, and 1579-1580 011 mere th k pieces coinage Th .f 158 eentirelo s 1wa y different presentd an , s seriea s complet itselfn ei t seemI . s tha158f o beginr d t0 o abou en e - th t nin f 1581go n pursuanci , authoritn a f o e y grante Parliamenty db e th , Mint had been let to certain partners on lease. These appear from the f 158o t o hav1t Ac e been Clar f Balbirnieo k , provos f Edinburgo t h • Napier of Wrighthouses, Nicholl Edward, Harry Nlsbet, Richard Aber- cromby, Robert Abercromby, and Thomas Acheson. Their contract was to have lasted for three years; but in 1581 the Act above noticed put an end to the contract, apparently on account of the unprofitable way in which the coinage was carried out. It appears that 211 stone 10 Ib. weight of silver were coined into 16s., 8s., 4s., and 2s. pieces during this year; and orderes broughe wa b t i do t t int Minte orecoineth d an , d int 10se oth . pieces e nexoth f t coinag s unquestionablef i 1582o e t I . , therefore, thae th t coins figure Lindsay'n di s tenth plate, Nos. 206*, 207, 207,* 208, were eth coins minted during this lease of the Mint, and were a series of pieces quite distinct from the two-merk piece and merk piece of 1578-79-80. Thi f Parliamencoinagee so t th bring o Ac t f 1582s e so u Th t .abov e ON UNPUBLISHED KECOEDS OF THE COINAGE OF JAMES VI. 391

noticed orders the coinage of 1581 to be recalled, and coined into 10s. pieces, 1 1ouncee denieth o t . ro fineg Frofoud o t an entrn r;m a n yi the Treasurer's account t i appear, s that Thomas Fouli s orderewa s y b d the kin preparo t g e dier thifo ss coinage fro ma portraie kinth gf o t drawn by Lord Seytoun's painter. An Act of Privy Council later in the same year allow e usuasth l remedie f weigho s d finenessan t , whicd hha been omitted in the Parliamentary Act, and orders the coinage to take place in Archibald Stewart's house in Edinburgh, owing to the ruinous Mine statth f teo beside Holyrood. Marcn I h 158 e Priv2th y Council ordere e coinagdth f 40s.eo , 30s., and 20s. pieces, in addition to the 10s. pieces formerly sanctioned. "We ma histore y th therefor p thesf u y o m ee su piece followss sa , viz.:— The 40s. pieces authorised by the Act of Privy Council above noticed were struck at the Mint at Edinburgh in. 1582, and perhaps later; and 30s.e th , 20s. 10sd ,an . pieces from 1586y 158Ma . o 2t These coins weigh respectivel n ouncya e Scottish, three-quarter ouncen a f so , hal ouncen a f , and a quarter ounce, and were. 11 denier fine, with, the usual remedies of weight and fineness. Their values were afterwards raised. The next Balanccoinage th s ewa e Half-merk Forty-pennd san y Pieces, which were authorised by an Act of Parliament in August 1591, and by an Act of Privy Council in January of the same year, and all the silver was reduced to 10£ denier fine, and re-issued in these pieces. In 1593 the Mint was let for two years and three months to the Provost and Council of Edinburgh, and a new coinage of silver of eleven penny fine was struck in 10s., 5s., 2s. 6d., and Is. pieces, with the usual remedies of weight and fineness. The Min 159again s i t Thomawa o t8t n le s Foullis, goldsmithx si r fo , years yearla t a , y ren L.5000f o t coinagn 160w I ne . 1 a f merkeo s wa s authorised by an Act of the Scottish Parliament assembled at Perth. These were to weigh about 104 grs., with the usual remedies for weight and fineness, and with half merks and forty and twenty penny pieces corresponding. In considering the accompanying table of the silver coins, it is neces- sary to remark that the years of issue are not complete, as some of the Mint registers cannot now be found. The weights authorised by the Act subjece sar remed a graino o t tw t f syo either way thao e s frac, th t - tional parts may be practically disregarded. 392 PKOCEEDING SOCIETYE TH F SO , DECEMBE , R18738 .

Dates of Weight Value at Standard Issue from authorised the time of Name of Silver Coinn. the Mint Dy Acts of Registers, Privy of Issue, Fineness, Ac. Council. do., do. do., do. Grains. Jame. 1 s Ky allr ,o 1567 to 472i SO/ 11 den ot f Priv.Ac e yTh Council sword dollar. 1571. authorising this coinage Two - thirds do. 315 20/ do. s givei n bot y Carb h - James Ryall. donne Lindsayd an l . On - thire d 1568 to 157J 10/ do. The date 1567 ougho t t James Ryall. 1571. occur, thoug givet hno n in Lindsay. 2. Half merr o k 1572-3- 6/8 6 dent .bu This coinagt firsa s t ewa noble. 4-5-7- raised very baset afterbu , - 80. to 8 den. wards raised. Half nobler o , 1572. 3/4 forty penny piece. - mer o k Tw . 3 1578-9. 344J 26/8 11 den e .merTh ") k piec f thieo s r o piece, coinage extremely rare. thistle dollar. e coinTh 1 s with crowned Merk piece. 1577-80 172 13/4 do. thistlt belonno o eo gd t 1581. 1 this coinage. 16th Dec. J 1579.* 4. Sixteen shil- 1581 16/ 29th June 1581.* ling piece, 8/ with half, 4/ quarter, and 2/ eight partf so the same. 5. Forty shilling 6th April 4724 40/ 11 den. Ther e frequenar e t coin- piece, with 1582-3- 354| 30/ ages of 40/ pieces men- three -fourths, 4, and 236i 20/ e Mintione- th re tn di half, and up to 118J 10/ 1583.y gistersMa *d 2 . quarter of the lOthMay same. 1586. 6. Balance half 1591-2- 6/8' 10J den Mine . Th ") t register of these merk. 3. 1 is preserved, and shows Half do., or 1591-2. 3/4 do. 1 that they were coined forty penny j from 1st Sept. 1591 to piece. 1 1st Dec. h 15924t . J Sept. 1591.* 7. Ten - shilling 1593-4- 94i 10/ 11 den .Febh 4t . 1593.* piece, with 6-6-8- 47i 5/ do. five shilling, 9. 23 2/6 do. thirty pence, I/ do. and twelve penny pieces. 8. Thistle merk, 1601-2- 104 13/4 11 den. Act of Parliament, vol. with half 3-4. 52 6/8 do. iv. p. 259, and Act of ' merk, forty 26 4/4 do. Privy Council, dated penny, and 13 1/8 do. Dec. 1601. The Mint twenty penny register thif so a coinage pieces. are still preserved ; the coinage continued till August 1604. 30th Nov. 1681.* e Act*Th s indicated basterisn ya k avo . R froC . . 1609-1G10mP . 220p , . ON UNPUBLISHED RECORDS OF THE COINAGE OF JAMES VI. 393

Gold.—The first gold coins struck in this reign were the fine L.20 gold pieces. These were minte n Novembei d re firs th 157 r t timefo 5 , ounce anon d ee werb Scottis o t e h Tro n weightyi d wer an ,o hav t e e cours L.2r efo 0 Scots. Some writers have thought these were means a t medals; but that they were intended for currency is evident from the account of them preserved in the " Historic of James Sexth," p. 158, and fro mpassaga n "Melville'ei s Memoirs, . 1735ed " . 251p , , where sais i dt i thae Kegeiifth t c presented twenty-fivs hi f o e f theo on e mo t friends, whic e woulh h d hardly have dond theha e y been strucs a k medals. The aext Act relating to the gold coinage has puzzled Scottish numis- matists not a little. It authorises and describes a piece of gold to be 47 grains Troy in weight, and to be 21 carat, and to pass for 40s. This cois nevenha r bee ne explanatio th seen d an ,s non-appearancit f no s i e unpublishee th f o e founon dn di Act Privf so y Council, which alters both the type and the value, and substitutes the ducat of 1580 (called by Lindsa bareheadee yth d noble s place.it n )i 1 histore th p thif u yo sm coinagsu y follows:s ma e a e W — e ScottisTh h duca r bareheadeo t d nobl s coinee authoritth ewa n do y of an Act of Privy Council, of date April 1580. It was to be 21 carats fine, 94-| grains modern Troy in weight, and to be current for L.4. J. Gray was the engraver of the dies for this piece, as appears from an entry in the Treasurer's account of a payment to him for them. The next coinage of gold was authorised by an Act of the Parliament of Scotland passed in 1584, which ordered the issue of two pieces of | e ouncegrainth 78 n r i o , s x Trosi e yb (modero t gold e on , n standard) in weight, the other to be 52J grains in weight. These were the pieces now knowlioe two-thirdth e n th s noblna d an e s nobleonee Th - . f Parliameno t t mentionethirAc no e s i dth t whicn i d h e remitth o t s Privy Counci o takt l e orde s regarda r e formsth , legends d remediean , s of weight and fineness. Accordingly, in August we find an Act of Privy Council giving directiontypee orderind th an o ,t coinage s sa e gth th f eo one-third piece, wite grai on hn eacn i h coi r remednfo f weightyo d an , one-sixth of a carat as the remedy of fineness.

1 A design for the 40s. piece has been discovered amongst the Hopetoun MSS. 394 PfiOCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, DECEMBER 8, 1873.

Dates of Weights Issue authorised Value Standard Nam Golf eo d Coins. from the by Acts of at time of of fine- Mint Privy Issue, ness, Registers. Council. do. do. do. do.

Grains. £ s. d. . Twent1 y Pound 1575-6. 4724 20 0 0 16th March 1576.* Piece. 2. Scottish Crown. 42i 200 21 carat. This coinag s authowa e - rised by Act of Parlia- ment, but was cancelled Privf o t byy Ac Council . 3. Scottish Ducat 2d Aug. 94J 400 21 caratf Privo t .y Ac Councin i l or Bareheaded to 29th or April 1580 authorised Noble. Nov. 440 thif so coinaget Ac d an , 3580. Parliament (III. 191) made it 4 guineas in- stea poundsf do . 4. Lion Noble, 2d Nov. 78f 315 O1 21J carat. The one-third Lion Noble with two-thirds 1584 524 210 0 do. is not mentioned except (called the lioii to 18th 26J 15 f 0Privo t ydoAc .e th n i crown oned )an - April Council. 2dNov. 1584.* e th thir f o d 1586-7- same. 8.2 5. Thistle Nobles 1589 to 118 768 23 c. 7 gr. The half is not known to with the half. 1596. 59 314 4 do. exist, nor is there any mention of it in the Mint Register. 6. Hat Piece (or 1691-2- 400 22 carat The half, though autho- Four Pound 3. fine. risednot wno s known,i , Piece) with half. 200 do. though froe Minmth t Register t i wouls d appear to have been struck. 4thNov. 1591.* 7. Eiders, with 1593-4, 78| 500 22 carat f Privo t .y Ac Councin i l halves of the 1598-9, 39^ 210 0 do. 1593. 4th Feb. 1593.* same. 1601. d . Swor8 an d 1601-2- 78| 600 do. Act of Parliament at Sceptre Pieces, 3-4. 39 300 do. Perth. The Mint Re- with their gisters have been pre- halves. served d shoan , w coin- age n i 1604s . 30th Nov. 1601.

Acte *sTh indicated basterisn ya k (*)ar e. 1609-1610 preserveR . C . P . 226n di p , .

1 This raise L.o dt 1588n 4i . 2 Thes et Mingivee dateth no n e tni Registerssar . ON UNPUBLISHED RECORD COINAGE TH 5 F 39 JAMESF O EO . SVI

n JulI y 1587 Parliament appointed certain commissioner o confet s r regarding the state of the money, and to consider a proposed new coinage of gold. Nothing seem havo t s e been done, however, tile followinth l g year, whe Prive nth y Counci Septemben i l r authorisew ne issu e a d th f eo gold coin, to be one quarter of an ounce in weight, and 23 carats 7 grains n finenessi , wite usuath h l remedies s currenIt .e b to t valu s wa e L.7, 6s. 8d. A half-piece was also ordered. The type is minutely know w thistle describedth no s s na i e nobled hale an unknown,s i fTh . , so far as I am aware, and no record of its coinage exists. The dies for this piece were execute . FoulisTh y s appearb da , s fro Treasurer'e mth s accounts. In January 1591 the Privy Council, following the sanction of an Act of Parliamen previoue th f o t s August, orderegole th d l coindal s except the thistle nobles to be brought to the Mint, and there re-coined into piececara2 2 f tcurrenso e fineb o t L.4r , fo t . Billon. f Priv—Ano t yAc Counci f 24to l h December 1583 ordere th s coinag groatf eo f threepennso ye valu th fin f f eightpenceo eo e eachd an , hale th f groa t fourpencea t , wit e usuahth l remedie r finenesssfo e On . hundre thirty-fivd dan rnerke th doubld thesf n i an eo , e eeb groato t e sar that number of half groats, with an allowance of eight of the groats, or sixteen of the half groats, as a remedy for weight upon every merk-weight. These are the well-known placks with the mint " Oppidum Edinburgi." In consequence of the virulence of the plague at Edinburgh in 1585, the Privy Council on the 23d of June ordered the general and master Minte oth f furnituree , witth l hal , &c. removo t , Dundeeo et d theran , e continu e coininth e f goldgo , silver d alloyen an o , t dpu moneyo t d an , the legene th s d " Oppidum Dundie " insteametropolitae th f do n Mint. In October another Act of Privy Council orders the Mint to be changed to Perth, in consequence of the appearance of the plague at Dundee, and the placks were ordered to have " Oppidum Perth " placed on them. I am unable to trace any placks with these legends, though from other evidence it is not unlikely some were struck at Perth. n 158I Prive 8th y Council ordere coinage dth twopennf eo pennd yan y placks. These are minutely described in the Act, and are called by Lindsay the hardheads (pi. 17, fig. 50) and half hardheads. The two- penny plachavo t lioe s kth ei n withi na shield , though wils aftera e , b l - 39§ PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, DECEMBER 8, 1873. wards seen, this type was changed to the lion without the shield. These e penniecointh f 2 graino 1 s s0 e wer werb s32 o fineeo weigt d t e an , ha merk.1 In November the type was altered as above mentioned, and the lion wit dott o insteae liopu tw hth sn f withio d e shieldth n . This alteratio madnwas e because some avariciou deceitfusand l persons passed the eight-pennms a y placks. The Mint Eegisters of most of these coinages are still extant. The other billon coinage givee sar Lindsayn ni .

MONDAY, l%th January 1874. SIR WILLIAM STIRLING MAXWELL, BART., M.P., in the Chair.

After a ballot, the following Gentlemen were duly elected Fellows :— ALEXANDER DOWBLL, Esq. Palmersto3 ,1 n Place. CHAKLES MUNRO, Esq. Georg8 ,1 e Street. ARCHIBALD STEVENSON, Esq., South Shields.

The following Letters which had been received from the Gentlemen elected as Honorary and Corresponding Members were laid before the meeting :— " COPENHAGEN, Dec. 6th, 1873. President Membersthe the " To and Society ofthe of Antiquariesof Scotland. " Gentlemen,—I hav returo et mosy nm t sincere thanke greath r t sfo honou havu yo re bestowed electinupon i Honorarn e a nm e gm y Member of your distinguished Societyhighese th t n I isi t . degree natterino gt intimately n suci wa e ha b m o et y connected wit institutionn ha , which s rendereha greao s d t service Archaeologye th o t s t onl no ,Scotlandf yo , but also of other countries.—I have the honour to remain, Gentlemen, your most obedien faithfud an t l servant, "J. J. A. WOHSAAE."

1 Nine two-penny 1601f pieces o ouncee t iv.t th . 259 ,'Ac p o Ac t ' . .