Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 9.djvu/188

134, and with such sleight, that the same cannot be discovered nor separated, and so sell the tin for fine silver, to the great damage and deceipt of us and our people; we, with the assent of our Lords, spiritual and temporal, and the Commons of our realme, will and grant for us and our heirs, that henceforth no one shall bring into this land any sort of money, but only plate of fine silver, and that no plate of gold or silver be sold to sell again, or be carried out of the kingdom, but should be sold openly for private use; that none of the trade should keep any shop except in Cheap, that it may be seen that their work be good; that those of the trade may, by virtue of these presents, elect honest and sufficient men, best skilled in the trade, to inquire of the matters aforesaid, and that they who were so chosen reform what defects they should find, and inflict punishment on the offenders, and that by the help of the mayor and sheriffs, if need be: that in all trading cities in England, where goldsmiths reside, the same ordnance be observed as in London, and that one or two of every such city or town, for the rest of the trade, shall come to London to be ascertained of their touch of gold, and to have their works marked with the puncheon with the leopard's head as it was anciently ordained.

By the 37th Edward III. it was ordained that every master goldsmith should have a mark by himself, which should be known by them who should be assigned to survey their work; that the goldsmiths should not set their mark till their work was assayed; and that after the assay made, the surveyor should set the King's mark, viz., the "leopard's head;" and that then the goldsmith should set his mark, for which he should answer; that no goldsmith should charge for silver plate but 1s. 6d. for the pound of two marks, as at Paris; that no silversmith souldshould [sic] meddle with gilding; and that no gilder should work in silver.

This is the first introduction of the maker's mark into England; and it seems pretty clear that in the fourteenth century, owing to the frauds committed, a great move was made throughout Europe with respect to goldsmiths, France, and very probably Montpellier, taking the lead.

The charter of Edward III. was found insufficient for want of proper persons being named in it; therefore Richard II., in 1394, incorporated them by another charter, confirming