William III, 1695-6: An Act to incourage the bringing Plate into the Mint to be coined and for the further remedying the ill State of the Coine of the Kingdome. [Chapter XIX. Rot. Parl. 7&8 Gul. III.p.5.n.5]

Persons bringing Plate, &c. to the Mint to be coined, may have the same assayed, &c. without any Charge.

Proportions delivered out in Money.; Silver received and entered.; If any undue Preference, Forfeiture of Place and Penalty.; Master of Mint to give to Bringer of Silver Bills of the Weight, &c.

Whereas severall Persons haveing wrought or manufactured Plate or Silver in Vessell are or may bee willing and desireous haveing a sutable Incouragement given them to bring such Plate or Vessells into His Majesties Mint or Mints to bee coyned into the current Coines of this Realme which will tend to the Publick Benefitt Bee itt therefore enacted by the Kings most excellent Majesty by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spirituall and Temporall and Commons in this present Parliament assembled and by the Authority of the same That whatsoever Person or Persons Natives or Foreigners Colledges or Halls Bodies Politick or Corporate shall from and after the Fourth day of May which shall bee in the Yeare of our Lord One thousand six hundred ninety six and before the Fourth Day of November then next ensueing bring any Wrought Plate or any Vessells or other sort of Manufacture of Silver into His Majesties Mint or Mints within the Kingdome of England to bee there melted downe and coyned into the lawfull Moneys of this Kingdome shall have the same there assayed melted downe and coyned with all convenient speed without any Charge for the Coynage soe as that for every Pound Troy of Sterling or Standard Silver or Silver reduced to Sterling which shall bee brought in as aforesaid there shall bee delivered out to him or them respectively a Pound Troy [of (fn. 1) ] the lawfull Moneys of this Kingdome and soe proportionably for a greater or lesser Weight and the said Silver shall bee received and entred in course and the Silver Moneys for the same shall bee delivered out to the respective Bringers of the Silver theire Executors Administrators or Assignes in course according to the method established and of late Yeares practised within His Majesties Mint in the Tower of London And if any undue Preference bee made in entring the Silver or delivering out the Moneys coyned contrary, to, the true meaneing of this Act by any Officer or Officers of the Mint or Mints such Officer or Officers shall forfeite his or theire Places and bee lyable to pay treble Damages and Costs of Suite to the Party greived which may bee recovered by Action of Debt or on the Case And that the Master and Worker of His Majesties Mint or Mints for the tyme being shall att the tyme of the Entry or Delivery of such Plate Vessells or manufactured Silver in the said Mints give to the Bringers thereof. Bills under his Hand denoteing the Weight Finenesse and Value thereof together with the Day and Order of it's Delivery into the Mint.

II. Bills, on being produced, to be entered in the Exchequer; and Order for Payment of Reward.

And bee it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That upon produceing every such Bill to the Auditor of the Receipt of Exchequer an Entry thereof shall bee made in the said Receipt of Exchequer and an Order shall bee drawne and signed for paying unto the Party that carried the said Plate into the Mint or his Assignes a Reward after the Rate of Six Pence per Ounce for every Ounce of Sterling Silver or Silver reduced to Sterling soe carried and which shall bee expressed in such Bills of the Master and Worker and the said Orders shall bee satisfyed out of the Funds settled or to bee settled in Parliament for supplying the Deficiencies of the Clipt Moneys.

III. Inns, &c. publickly using Plate (except Spoons).

Penalty.

And bee itt further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That from and after the Fourth day of May which shall bee in the Yeare of Our Lord One thousand six hundred ninety six noe Person keeping any Inne Taverne Alehouse or Victualling-house or selling Wine Ale Beere or any other Liquors by Retaile shall publickly use or expose to bee used in such his or her House any wrought or manufactured Plate whatsoever or any Utensill or Vessell thereof (except Spoones) under the Penalty of forfeiting the same or the full Value thereof together with full Costs of Suite to him her or them who shall sue for the same in any of His Majesties Courts of Record att Westminster by Bill Plaint or Information wherein noe Essoigne Protection Wager of Law or Imparlance shall bee allowed.

IV. Persons (except Officers of the Mint) having Presses for Coinage in their Possession, bringing the same to the Mint, to be paid for the same;

and if, after the 3d May 1696, any such Presses be found in the Custody of any Person, they may be seized, and Penalty of £500.

And forasmuch as the greatest Security against counterfeiting the new intended Coyne of this Realme by the Mill and Presse is the Difficulty of being provided with fitt Tooles and Instruments for doeing thereof bee it enacted by the Authority aforesaid That if any Person or Persons whatsoever (other than the Officer or Officers of His Majesties Mint or Mints) now haveing or which att any tyme hereafter before the First day of March which shall bee in the Yeare of our Lord One thousand six hundred ninety five shall have in his Custody or Possession any Presse or Presses which may bee made use of for Coynage if such Person or Persons doe or shall on or before the Third day of May which shall bee in the Yeare of Our Lord One thousand six hundred ninety six bring and deliver the same to the Officer or Officers of His Majesties Mint att the Tower of London, every such Person shall at the tyme of the Delivery thereof receive from the said Officer or Officers att the Mint the full Value which such Presse or Presses first cost and the Charge of Carriage And if att any Tyme after the said Third day of May any Presse for Coynage shall bee found in the Custody of any Person whatsoever (other than the Officers of His Majesties Mint or Mints) such Presse shall bee seized for His Majesties Use And every Person in whose Custody such Presse shall bee soe found after the said Third day of May shall forfeite the Summe of Five hundred Pounds the one Moiety thereof to bee to His Majesty and the other Moiety thereof to the Informer to bee recovered by Action of Debt Bill Plaint or Information in any of His Majesties Courts wherein noe Essoigne Protection Wager of Law or Imparlance shall bee allowed.

V. Excise and Post Office Duties received under Proclamations and c. 1. ante, in clipt Monies, and applicable to Payment of Tallies, to be recoined, and new Monies brought back to the Exchequer, and Accounts kept thereof as prescribed by the said Act, and issued and applied to Satisfaction of Tallies in course.

Accounts to be kept of such clipt Monies and of new Monies received back for the same.

And whereas the Hereditary Branch of His Majesties Revenue of Excise upon Beere Ale and other Liquors and those Duties of Excise which are to continue during His Majesties Life (which God preserve) and His Majesties Revenue ariseing by the Generall Letter Office or Post Office are and may bee charged with severall Tallies of Pro or Assignement or other Tallies payable out of the same in course Bee itt further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That soe much of the said particular Duties or Branches of the Excise and of the said Revenue ariseing by the Generall Letter Office as are or in pursuance of His Majesties Royall Proclamations and an Act of this present Parliament intituled An Act for remedying the ill State of the Coyne of the Kingdome shall bee received levyed or collected in such clipt Moneys as aforesaid att any tyme or tymes before the Fourth day of May which shall bee in the Yeare of our Lord One thousand six hundred ninety six and which shall bee applicable to the Payment of the said Tallies in course and the Interest ( (fn. 1) ) shall by the Commissioners of Excise and His Majesties Receiver for the Generall Letter Office for the tyme being respectively bee brought from tyme to tyme into the [said (fn. 2) ] Receipt of Exchequer and shall from thence bee delivered out to bee melted and shall bee melted refyned reduced to sterling and recoyned into new Moneys And the said new Moneys proceeding therefrom shall bee brought back to the Exchequer and distinct Accounts of the Weight and Tale of the same shall bee kept in such manner as is prescribed by the said other Act last mentioned touching other clipt Moneys [thereby appointed to be recoyned & that the new Moneys (fn. 2) ] soe to bee brought back into the Exchequer as is last mentioned (except the Charges of makeing the same and melting and refyneing the Silver for makeing thereof as aforesaid) shall bee issued from tyme to tyme att the Receipt of His Majesties Exchequer to the Commissioners of Excise and the Receivers General for the Post Office for the tyme being respectively who are hereby strictly injoyned and required to pay and apply the same soe farr as itt will extend to the Satisfaction of the said Tallies in course and such Interest as shall bee due upon them or any of them and to keepe exact. Accounts of the clipt Moneys which they respectively shall pay into the Exchequer of the particular Branches or Revenues last mentioned and of the new Moneys which they shall receive back for the same to the end the Differences thereof may be knowne and the Deficiencies ariseing thereby may bee made good and supplyed att the Publick Charge.

VI. Molten Silver, Bullion, &c. not to be shipped without Certificate on Oath that the same is Foreign Bullion.

What such Certificate is to contain.; Certificate to be entered in a Book, and shown to Commissioners of Customs before Cocket granted.

And for the more effectuall prohibiting the melting downe the Coyne of this Kingdome and Silver Plate wrought within this Realme and the Exportation of the molten Silver and Bullion of this Kingdome Bee itt enacted by the Authority aforesaid That from and after the last day of March One thousand six hundred ninety six noe Person or Persons whatsoever shall shipp or cause to bee shipped or putt on board any Vessell or Shipp whatsoever any molten Silver or Bullion whatsoever either in Barrs Ingotts Wedges Cakes Pinas or in any other Forme whatsoever unlesse a Certificate bee first had and obtained from the Court of the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of the City of London Oath haveing beene made before the said Court by the Owner or Owners of such molten Silver or Bullion and likewise by Two or more credible Witnesses that the same molten Silver and Bullion and every Part and Parcell thereof was and is foreigne Bullion and that noe part thereof was (before the same was molten) the Coyne of this Realme or Clippings thereof nor plate wrought within this Kingdome which Oath the said Court of the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of the City of London are hereby required and authorized to administer and to examine strictly all and every such Persons as shall make such Oath concerning the Premisses and likewise to make and grant a Certificate thereof as aforesaid without Fee or Reward which Certificate shall alsoe containe and expresse the Name and Names of the Owner or Owners of such molten Silver or Bullion and of the Witnesse or Witnesses and the true Weight of such molten Silver or Bullion an Entry of which Certificate shall bee duely made by the said Court in a Booke to bee kept for that purpose which Certificate shall bee shewne to the Commissioners of the Customes for the tyme being or Foure of them before any Cockett bee granted for the exporting such molten Silver or Bullion and an Entry thereof shall bee alsoe duely made by the said Commissioners of the Customes in a Booke to bee kept by them for that purpose.

VII. Shipping Bullion without such Oath, Certificate, and Entry, Bullion seized as forfeited,

and Owner to pay double the Value; Penalty of £200 on Captain permitting Shipment.; The like Penalty on Captain of Ship of War, and Incapacity.

And bee itt further enacted That if any Person or Persons whatsoever shall shipp or cause to bee shipped or putt on board any Vessell or Shipp any molten Silver or Bullion whatsoever as aforesaid without Oath Certificate and Entry first made and obtained as is before provided in every such Case itt shall and may bee lawfull to and for any Officer or Officers of His Majesties Customes or any other Person or Persons to seize such molten Silver and Bullion soe shipped and putt on board as forfeited one Moiety whereof shall bee to His Majesty His Heires and Successors and the other Moiety to the Officer and Officers or Persons soe seizing the same And the Owner or Owners Proprietor or Proprietors of such molten Silver or Bullion shall forfeite double the Value of such molten Silver or Bullion one Moiety whereof shall bee to His Majesty and the other Moiety to the Person that shall sue or informe for the same to bee recovered with Costs of Suite by Action of Debt Bill Plaint or Information wherein noe Priviledge Protection or Wager of Law shall bee allowed nor any more than One Imparlance and the Captaine or Master of such Shipp or Vessell (if the same belong to a Subject) whoe shall knowingly permitt the said molten Silver or Bullion to bee putt on board his said Shipp or Vessell shall forfeite to such Person or Persons as shall sue or informe for the same the Summe of Two hundred Pounds to bee sued for and recovered in manner as aforesaid And in case the Shipp or Vessell be a Man of Warr or Vessell belonging to His Majesty then the Captaine thereof shall forfeite the Summe of Two hundred Pounds to any Person that shall sue for the same as aforesaid and shall forfeite his Employment and bee made uncapable of any Office or Imployment Civill or Military.

VIII. Officers of Customs granting Cocket before Certificate

Penalty £200 and Incapacity.

And bee itt further enacted That if any Commissioner or Commissioners Officer or Officers of the Customes shall grant any Cockett for exporting of any molten Silver or Bullion whatsoever before such Certificate first had as by this Act is directed and Entry thereof made in the Booke hereby directed to bee kept by the Commissioners of the Customes That every such Commissioner and Officer of the Customes soe offending shall forfeite the Summe of Two hundred Pounds and be made uncapable of any other Office or Place of Profitt or Trust whatsoever.

IX. In case of Question on Action whether Bullion seized be Foreign Bullion,

Ones probandi on Owner.; If no Proof, then Bullion adjudged forfeited.

And bee itt further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That in case any Seizure of any molten Silver or Bullion shall happen to bee made in pursueance and execution of this Act or that any Action Bill Plaint or Information shall bee brought for any of the Forfeitures or Penalties incurred by this Act and a Doubt or Question shall arise thereon whether the Molten Silver or Bullion then in question were really and truely Foreigne Bullion or prohibited to bee exported or otherwise forfeited by this Act in every such Case the Proofe shall lye on the part of the Owner Proprietor or Claimer of such molten Silver or Bullion And unlesse the Owner Proprietor or Claimer or the Party sued shall prove that the molten Silver or Bullion in question was att the tyme of the Seizure or Forfeiture thereof Foreigne Bullion and that noe part thereof was (before the same was molten) the Coyne of this Realme nor Clippings thereof nor Plate wrought within this Kingdome That in every such Case for want of such Proofe the molten Silver [& Bullion (fn. 3) ] in question shall bee adjudged deemed construed and taken to bee molten Silver and Bullion forfeited by this Act and lyable to the Penalties before mentioned.

X. Proviso for Exportation of Gold and Silver Bullion by License.

Provided alwayes and bee itt further enacted That this Act or any thing therein contained shall not extend to prohibite the Exportation of such Bullion of Gold or Silver as shall bee licensed by His Majesty (such Licenses being entred in the Bookes of the Custome House for the Port of London) soe as the same bee exported before the last day of January which shall bee in the yeare One thousand six hundred ninety six and doe not exceed in Value Two hundred thousand Pound Sterling to bee applyed for the Payment of His Majesties Forces.

XI. Persons taking clipt Money otherwise than according to the Directions of c.I. ante.

Penalty.

And to the end the Subject after soe great a Contribution and Charge for makeing good the Deficiency of Clipt Money may not remaine under any part of the Mischeifes which the Continuance of the Currency of such Money will occasion Bee itt further enacted That [whosoever (fn. 4) ] after the Fourth day of May One thousand six hundred ninety six shall take or receive any such Clipt Money otherwise than according to the Directions and in pursueance of an Act of this present Session of Parliament intituled An Act for remedying the ill State of the Coyne of the Kingdome in any Payment whatsoever as if itt were lawfull Money shall forfeite double the Value of the Silver soe received to the use of such Person as will informe or prosecute for the same to bee recovered in such manner and forme as the Forfeiture for [uttering (fn. 5) ] Money Clipt after a Hole has beene puncht through itt in pursueance of an Act made in this present Session of Parliament is directed to bee recovered by the said Act And the Justices of the Peace are hereby impowered to heare and determine such Information or Prosecution accordingly.

XII. Uttering Guineas, &c. at a higher Rate than herein mentioned;

Penalty.

And whereas the uncertaine Value of Coyned Gold has beene highly prejudiciall to Trade and an encouragement to certaine evill disposed Persons to raise and fall the same to the great Prejudice of the Landed Men of this Kingdome Bee it therefore enacted by the Authority aforesaid That from and after the Tenth Day of Aprill One thousand six hundred ninety:six noe Person shall utter or receive any of the Peices of Gold Coyne commonly called Guineas att any higher or greater Rate or Value than Two and Twenty Shillings for each Guinea and soe proportionably for every greater or lesser Peice of Coyned Gold And whosoever shall offend herein shall incurre the Penalties and Forfeitures provided in an Act made in this present Parliament for those that shall receive or pay Guineas and other Peices of Coyned Gold att a greater or higher Rate than in that Act is directed to bee recovered by the same wayes and meanes that the Penalties and Forfeitures of that Act are to bee or may bee recovered.