Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 9.djvu/312

 2oG OX THE ASSAY MARKS ON GOLD AXD SILVER PLATE. his sin-namc, to denote the maker." " The Hou's head erased and tlie figure of a woman commonly called Britannia," and u'ith the arms of such cities where such plate shall be assayed and marked, to denote the goodness thereof, and the place where the same was assayed and marked ; also with a distinct and variable mark or letter, in Roman character, which shall be annually changed, upon the election of new wardens, to show the year when such plate was made. The assa^^ers were to be appointed in each city by the Company, A.D. 1702, 1st Anne, cap. 9. — This Statute, after reciting the last Act, and the powers given to the various cities, states that in Xewcastle-upon-Tyne, there is, and hath been time out of mind, an ancient Company of Goldsmiths, who with their families were like to be ruined by the provisions of that statute ; also, that by the Statute 2d of Henry VI., it was one of the places appointed to have " Touches " for wrought silver plate ; enacts that it shall be a place appointed to have an Assay of wrought silver, and incorporates the goldsmiths thereof in a similar manner, and with similar powers to those conferred on the other cities by the last Act. A.D. 1719, 6th George I. cap. 2. — By this Act the ancient standard of 1 1 oz. 2 dwts. for silver plate was restored, by reason of the articles made thereof being, as stated in the preamble, more sernceable and durable than those made of a higher standard. The Act came into operation June 1, 1720, after which day a duty of 6 pence was to be paid to the King for every ounce of silver plate made or imported, the plate to be assayed and marked according to the regulations of the previous Act of 1 79 7. A.D. 1739, 12 George II. cap. 26. — After reciting the above Acts, in order to prevent the frauds which were then practised, enacts that the standard should be again fixed at 22 carats for gold, and 11 oz. 2 dwts. for silver ; that no gold or silver less fine should be worked or sold after 28th June, 1739; after which time no one should work, sell, or export any gold or silver wares below that standard, nor until they should be assayed and marked as followeth, viz. — with the worker's mark, which shall be the frst letters of liis Christian and Surnajne ; the Leopard's head, the Lion passant, and a distinct and variable mark or letter to denote the year in which such plate shall be made ; or with the