Page:Archaeologia Volume 13.djvu/238

 1 88 An Expedient for Paving the Sea and To avoid which, and to give fome eafe and refpit to the great ex- penders of money in pride and luxury, and by that means the now more than formerly monylefs people of England, it is with fub- miilion to better judgments humbly propofed, that fome coin (not counterfaitable) equivalent to our little or fmall remainder of mo- ney lefte may be made of tynne or fome other bafe metall to a certain quantity, enough to pay the fea and land forces in this prefent exigence and diftrefs of the kingdom, and made current by authority of parliament, as to fmall fums of money only un- der forty millings for a certain time not exceeding feven years, upon an aiTurance of parliament that after the expiration of thofe years that money and coin of inferior metall mail after its circle and courfe run from one another, limited only to our own and do- meftic occafions, be really and truly fatisfied in good current mo- ney of gold or filver by fome tax or aiTeffment to be employed for that only particular end, and not otherwife ; which will be as prudentiall and little inconvenient to the people as that of Julius Casfar in his coining of leather money to fupport his great and for- tunate defigns ; as that of our king Edward III. abating the weight of the coin of England, and keeping up the value; that of king Henry VHIth. enhauncing the js. piece to ys. 6d. and the ounce of gold that was before but 401. to 45.?. and his mingling fome of his coin of gold with copper; that of king Edward VI. raifing of money by 2000 Ib. weight of bullion appointed to be made fo much bafer that the king might thereby gain one hundred and forty thoufand pounds. That of queene Elizabeths brais money to pay the Irifli armies. That of king James his rayiing of his coins of gold from 30 s. to 2,2,5. and in lefler pieces obferving the like pro- portion, whereby to keep our gold (now notwithstanding its every day running out of England) from being tranfported into the parts beyond the feas ; and that which hath fucefsfully been praclifed by ^ many