Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 9.djvu/193

 ON THE ASSAY MAKKS ON GOLD AND SILVHK I'LATi:. 13!) touch." Tlicy were tlien put in the pillory at Chcapsidc, had one ear cut off, and were taken through Foster Lane to Fleet Prison, and had to pay a fine of ten marks. Here we have the first mention of the Lion and an Alphabetical letter. In this state things remained till, in 1675, "for the prevention and redress of great abuses," the Goldsmiths' Company put forth a notice, dated 23rd February, to the effect that, whereas sundry wares had been worked, and put to sale worse than standard, and not marked with the leopard's head crowned, " all plate workers are required to cause their respective marks to be brought to Goldsmiths' Hall, and there write the same in a table to be kept at the Assay Ofiice, and write their names and places of habitation in a book ; and all who exercise the trade of a goldsmith in the cities of London and Westminster, are required to repair to Goldsmiths' Hall, and strike their mark on a table appointed for that purpose, and enter their name in a book. And all workers shall forbear putting to sale any works not being- agreeable to standard, and no person should put to sale any article before the w^orkman's mark be put thereon, and the same assayed at Goldsmiths' Hall, and there approved by striking thereon the Lion, and leopard's head, or one of them." This is the first mention made of the Lion in any statute. Li the minutes of the company is found the following entry of this date {Feb. 1, 1696) : "The bill laying the duty of Gd. per oz. read. This bill providc<l that all persons, guilds, fraternities, colleges, halls, and bodies corporate and politic, being the owners of any wa-ought plate, who shall be minded to keep their plate, should bi-ing the same to certain officers of the excise, who should be appointed, and have the proper stamps so to be ordered, to have the same stamped thereby, and pay a duty of Gd. per oz. to the king, in case they should not chuse to take the same to the mint to be melted down and coined ; and if they neglected so to do, the plate was to be forfeited, two-thirds to the informer, and one-third to the poor of the parish. A connnittcc was appointed to consider the same, and petition the House of Coflunons." The bill did not pass, or a wholesale destruction of ancient plate must have been the result. A practice having prevailed of melting down the coin of the realm for the purpose of making the silver into plate, in