Page:Mr. Wingate's Arithmetick Containing a Plain and Familiar Method, for Attaining the Knowledge and Practice of Common Arithmetick (7th Edition, Edmund Wingate, 1678, b30342211).pdf/30

10 The fir rank of the aid numbers expreeth eventeen pounds, five ounces, thirteen peny weight, thirteen grains, of Troy weight: the econd rank, no pounds, eleven ounces, even peny weight, fix grains: and the third, no pounds, no ounces, five peny weight, and twenty grains.

Now this Troy weight erveth only to weigh Bread, Gold, Silver, and Electuaries. And here oberve alo by the way, that Troy weight regulateth and precribeth a form how to keep the Money of England at a certain Standard. For about two hundred years before the Conque, Osbright a Saxon, being then King of England, caued an ounce Troy of Silver to be divided into 20 pieces, at the ame time called Pence; and o an Ounce of Silver at that time was worth no more than twenty pence, or one hilling eight pence, which continued at the ame value until the time of Henry the fixth, who (in regard of the enhancing of Moneys in Forein parts) valued the ame at thirty pence, o that then there were accordingly thirty pieces made out of the Ounce, and the old pieces went then for three half pence, until the time of Edward the fourth, who valued the Ounce at forty pence; and then the old pieces went for two pence a piece. After this, Henry the eight valued the Ounce of erling Silver at forty five pence, which value continued until Queen Elizabeths time, who valued the ame Old pence at Three-pence the piece, o that all Three-pences coined by the ame Queen weighed but a peny weight, and every Six pence two peny weight; and o in like manner the Shilling and other pieces

accord.